2017 Reading: Dinosaur Vs. the Library & If You Ever Want to Bring a Circus to the Library, Don't! (2 books)

I try to bring any and all library themed books home for my nephew.

After I've read them myself, of course.

2017 Reading: The Remains of the Day

#28 A book set during wartime

While this book is actually set AFTER wartime, most of the action, in the form of the butler's flashbacks, are from before and during the war. So it totally counts. I think.

It amazes me that this man has so little sense of self, so little ambition in life other than to be a great butler. He doesn't even want to be a good MAN, just a good butler. He throws away, and even doesn't seem to have in the first place, a sense of his own morals but merely adapts to those of his employer and then take them as scripture. No original thought has crossed his mind and he has no thoughts or opinions of his own, but will defend those of his master until his dying day, even though he doesn't understand any of it. Even then, he counts himself as being part of this great change merely because the silver was clean or the drinks were brought in a timely manner to the men who were ACTUALLY making the decisions about the fate of Great Britain and the like. He might as well have not even been there.

But this gives him a purpose that keeps him going and will likely keep him going until he drops dead with a tray in his hand while he apologizes for the mess on his way down.

2017 Reading: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

#33 A book set in two different time periods

A bit more cursing than I was expecting. But then again, I honestly don't mind that at all. Teenage boys are going to curse. As are teenage girls. So it was a nice surprise.

I had seen the movie before reading this and thought it was interesting (NOT just because it was Tim Burton and Eva Green, whom I love, BTW). I might read the others in the series, just to see how it all turns out. But, you never know.

Oh, and I love how the dad just did not even care in the least bit that his son disappeared from existence. Love.

2017 Reading: Boss Baby

This book was all kinds of adorable but I don't see how they can make a whole movie out of this. I guess we'll find out.

2017 Reading: Sliver

#49 A book you got from a used book sale

That heading could literally be nearly every book I own.

I picked this book up because I was a fan of his other books that I've read and the premise of this one seemed interesting. It reminded me a bit of that movie The Resident so I thought I would give it a shot.

It takes The Resident to a new level. The idea of watching other people live... It's why reality television was created. We want to see other people's drama because we don't want to have to deal with our own. And we become so attached to the 'story' and the 'characters' that we lash out at them. It's one thing to be mad at a character in a TV show or a movie, because on some level our brains know that they are fake, that this story is fiction. But when you take away the fiction, that attachment can stay the same, which is why people get death threats or things like that. Life does not have a happy ending yet when you watch the real world as if you were watching TV, you still expect it. When the end doesn't go how you want it, then that's when the madness starts.

Also, voyeurism (when not agreed upon beforehand in a calm, sane, and civil manner) is creepy.

And that dude had SO MANY mommy problems.

2017 Reading: Cannibal Serial Killers: Profiles of Depraved Flesh-Eating Murderers

#15 A book with a subtitle

Now, I've read a lot of serial killer books ( A LOT....) but I don't think I've ever read one specified to JUST cannibals before. Sure many of my books have had chapters or sub-categories that include it but nothing with this amount of details. There are parts where they go into detail about HOW they cooked their victims. Nice.

Most of them I was already familiar with (Dahmer, Gacy, Fish, Kürten...), but there were some that it was fascinating to read about.

Thanks to Kourtnie for getting this book for me. She knows me so well.