Review of I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

This the first time we jumped into a Young Adult novel. Everyone enjoyed the story line and found it to be engaging. The end leaves you wanting more, which is perfect if you liked reading the book and want to continue the rest of the series.

What we liked:
- The story had you guessing, it wasn't predictable
- It had the right amount of creepy to it, maybe a little too creepy at times
- It didn't feel like a Young Adult novel for the majority of the read
- The development of the characters was thought out and made you feel attached to some of them

What we didn't like:
- The romance plot of the story is very Young Adult and had many of us rolling our eyes (aww "teen love")
- Some parts of the book were left unexplained, this could be because it's a series. However, some parts never explained happened early in the book rather than at the very end, so it may not be due to the fact it is a series.

Review of SEAL Team Six by Howard Wasdin

The meeting for this book was cancelled.

Review of Yes Please by Amy Poehler

We chose this book since it has been talked about recently and thought it would be a hilarious read. Overall the book was fine, but not anything we would necessarily recommend to someone. Several of us have read Tina Fey's book and found that to fulfill the laughter factor compared to Poehler's. We appreciated Poehler's honesty and did learn more about who she is and her rise to fame. 

What we liked:
- There were some laugh-out-loud moments in the book
- It was real and didn't feel like Poehler held back or was dishonest about her life
- It provided more insight into Amy Poehler and how she became famous

What we didn't like:
- The book wasn't as funny as we hoped for
- Several read Tina Fey's book and found it to be funnier and a more enjoyable read compared to Amy Poehler's book
- Some parts of the book were slow or tedious, pointless to read - Example: All the names for Parks and Rec 

Review of The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan

Our meeting for this book was very interesting because each member had a different insight into the issue. We all were able to learn from one another while discussing and asking questions. The discussion prompted a lot of reflection on humanity, the media, viewpoints, and much more – there was much to be said!

What we liked:

- The book provided insight into an issue that is still ongoing that we weren’t very familiarized with

- That the story dealt with real people with real stories

What we didn’t like:

- The focus on facts in the beginning was important to the story, but were tedious and dull to read

- There wasn’t much development or details to the story, it felt as if it could have been expanded upon

Review of The Martian by Andy Weir

Our book club has read several Sci-Fi books, but The Martian stood out from the rest. We were captivated by the realistic Sci-Fi plot line, which was a deviation from the usual fantasy Sci-Fi plots we’ve encountered previously. From the start of the book you know you are in for a humorous and sarcastic read about something potentially plausible.

What we liked:

- A fast read and can’t put it down

- The plot line was exciting and had you wondering what Watney would do next

- The humor and sarcasm

- It was entertaining regardless if you’re a scientifically minded person or non-scientifically minded

What we didn’t like:

- For some the parts about science/math/technical jargon were tedious to read

- A few disliked that the science wasn’t entirely accurate  

Review of Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden

What a difficult story to read, but an important one to be shared with all. Harden provided us with facts about North Korea while also telling Shin’s story. The majority of us enjoyed the book even though the content could be a little too graphic.

What we liked:

-        We learned more about North Korea and the prison camps

-        The insight was gruesome but eye opening

-        The book was balanced between telling a story and sharing facts

What we didn’t like:

-        Some of the details were intense, very intense

-        The ending was odd, it didn’t explain much and just stopped

-        The story was difficult to believe at times, and it didn’t help that the defector admitted to lying about one portion of his story 

Review of Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

Overall, everyone agreed that they enjoyed the book. Some members felt it the book started slow and was difficult to get into immediately.

What we liked:

-        The book read like a piece of art. The words and details were thoughtful and only added to the book, never did it detract

-        The symbolism added another dimension to the story and gave us more to think about

-        The tension between Griet and Vermeer never crossed the line, it was maintained within an appropriate boundary

-        The author clearly showed the differences between the social classes and the importance of money/wealth

What we didn’t like:

-        We didn’t understand the reason why Vermeer was so insistent on Griet wearing both earrings even though only one would be seen

-        The beginning of the book started out slowly

-        We were a little confused about the significance of Griet hiding her hair. We wondered if that was common in that time period and what hiding your hair meant or what purpose it served

Review of Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

I was unable to attend this meeting but other members were able to catch me up on what they discussed. The book was not a favorite for many of the members. I personally struggled reading Catch-22 as well and ended up abandoning it. Below is a recap of what was discussed.

What we liked:

-        The book provided a lot of conversation about the issues presented

What we didn’t like:

-        It was a slow and grueling read that didn’t capture many of the members attention

-        It started off funny but then quickly changed and became very dark

-        Many of us wanted to abandon the book but continued on because it is deemed as a classic

-        Because it is a classic, we questioned what we didn’t see in the book that others did