Ashleigh's Bookshelf

Left Fur Dead by J.M. Griffin On a cold spring day, rabbit farmer Jules is out for a walk when she discovers the frozen body of Arty the Mime. When someone breaks into her barn, With the help of her pet rabbit, Bun, who communicates with her telepathically, Jules must try to figure out who is behind the murder before they can hurt her and her rabbits. While I liked the premise of this book, and the characters, I had a difficult time reading it. If it weren't for the fact that this was chosen for my book club, I probably would not have finished it. One of my biggest problems with the story was the narration. I felt many things were repeated: once for the reader and then again within the context of dialogue (sometimes more than once). Although this was the first book in the series, the backstory was so over-explained, I often felt as if I had missed something by not reading a previous book. It was also injected at random times, interrupting the flow of the st...

The Tribulations of August Barton by Jennifer LeBlanc Augie Barton's first day of college isn't going so great. His step-father is divorcing his mother, his roommate thinks he's a nerd, and he inadvertently ends up showing up at a dorm party with his grandmother, a former prostitute who has run away from her nursing home. As he navigates his first semester at college, Augie must learn how to cope with his ever-mounting anxiety in order to have a shot at his dream girl. The fact that this book was divided into parts instead of chapters was a little off-putting and it took me a while to really get into the story. However, by the end of September, I was intrigued by Augie and wanted to know what happened to him. And I absolutely loved Grandma Gertie. By the end of the book, I felt there were a few stories I wanted to know more about. Without giving too much away, it felt like Grandma Gertie and Mom had a secret they were keeping from Augie that is never...

Pursuing Liam by Lisa Lanay Liam lives his life by a simple code: invincible freedom. Freedom to spend time with women, friends, and his art. Taryn cannot wait to become a mother. When her adoption falls through, Liam offers her the perfect solution. But, can their friendship endure? This is one of the first books in a while that I have read where the author has done a great job with the internals. Despite being a third-person narrative, I really felt like I knew what the characters were thinking and feeling. Unfortunately, however, we spend so much time in the characters heads, the dialogue and action can be a little jarring. By the time a character responds to a question, I have already forgotten what the other person was asking. It took me a little while to get into the story, but eventually I reached that point where I was invested and wanted to know more about the characters. Overall, I liked the story and found it an enjoyable read. I look forward to readi...

Doctor Behind the Mask by Catherine Coles As a disaster relief doctor, Logan travels to Astoria to help victims of a recent earthquake. And to escape the past haunting him. Reality TV star Frankie decides the best way to forget about her cheating fiancee is to dust off her nursing credentials and help the disaster relief team. Neither is looking for a relationship. But maybe they can help each other heal. I don't have a lot to say about this book. For me, the impact wasn't so much the romance but the fact that it made me think about the effects of natural disasters on third-world countries. I really liked the message this book was trying to send and look forward to reading more from this author. Overall, I would rate this story four quills and place it on my middle shelf.

Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior Graphic Novel by Pirate Sourcil Runt is a Minecraft villager who would rather be a warrior than farm carrots. Blunt is a Zombie who would rather be a human. Together, they set off to reach the final level and prove that their fate does not depend on their programming. Although I have seen this series on the library shelf, I have never read the books. When I found this graphic novel, I thought for sure my children, who are big graphic novel fans, would enjoy it. Not being a fan of Minecraft or the original book series (or a member of the target audience), I was a little confused by some of the elements in the world. However, by the end of the first few pages, I was definitely invested in these characters and wanted to know more about them. I found the story engaging and liked watching Runt and Blunt grow. I look forward to reading more of these graphic novels. Overall, I would rate this story four quills and place it on my middle she...