BOOK REVIEW: Ask Me Why I Hurt by Randy Christensen MD with Rene Denfeld

Ask Me Why I Hurt by Randy Christensen, MD with Rene Denfeld

This book has been in my TBR pile for quite some time. I don't recall how the book was recommended to me but I'm glad that I got the name, where-ever, I got it from.

This is a memoir written by an amazing doctor by the name of Randy Christensen, or as in the book and known to the kids, "Dr. Randy". It's not often that you hear a story from a doctors point of view. This books goes into great depth about the homeless children epidemic in Arizona. Dr. Randy drive the "big blue" bus that parks in various places around Arizona and offer free medical assistance to children who are homeless or otherwise can't afford it. The stories of the children he meets tug at your heart strings for sure. SPOILER ALERT: The stories are also quite eye opening... especially the part about the coach roach found in their ears!

If you have any interest in the medical field and/or the type of medical situations you'd see in the homeless than this would be a good book for you. Actually, I think it would be a good book for anyone. It definitely is a page turner and also an eye opener if you aren't aware of the hardships of the homeless.

 

BOOK REVIEW: The Little Prisoner by Jane Elliott

The Little Prisoner by Jane Elliot

I've had this book in my TBR pile for quite some time. I don't recall where I got the name or how it was recommended to me.

The Little Prisoner is a very disturbing (true story) tale of one woman's years of abuse at the hand of her stepfather. While I've read plenty of books about abuse this one was really disturbing as not only did she suffer sexual abuse but severe mental abuse as well. Her telling of her story does a really good job of showing people why someone who has come of age still ends up continuing to get abused. I feel like a lot of people who haven't been abused in their life wonder why... why didn't she turn him in, why did she continue to let him abuse her in the way he was. This also acts as a tale of strength as she endures this abuse and how she rises above. Despite the book being hard to read (difficult subject matter) it was excellently written.

PSA:If you were abused as a child, sexually or mentally, than this book may trigger some bad feelings for you.
 

BOOK REVIEW: The Circle by Dave Eggers

The Circle by Dave Eggers

I went to see the movie Split with a friend of mine and one of the trailers that played before hand was for The Circle. I already owned the book but hadn't taken the time to dig into it yet. The trailer made the movie look like a scary movie so I was anxious to get the book read before the movie released so I could see it in theatres.

The Circle is the name of the worlds most power internet company and Mae, the main character has just gotten hired on as an employee. I was trying to think of a way to explain this book without giving away anything that might be considered a spoiler... and all I really feel I can say is that you are basically following Mae and her employment with this company and learning about it as she learns about it. This company made me kind of think of Amazon... its basically taking over the world.

I can tell you that after watching the trailer and then reading the book it is definitely not a scary book. Well, let me take that back... if you are someone with conspiracy theories and are afraid of a totalitarian society than this might be scary for you... but not scary in the way that first trailer made it look. Not scary as in a thriller. The book moved pretty quick for me and definitely held my attention. The ending, however; was extremely lame. It didn't end how I thought it would... and it just kind of ended in a hurry like the author was tired of writing the book. Endings like that annoy me... you get so invested in the story and the characters and then it's just over. Lame.

Anyways, I think it's worth a read. I haven't seen the movie yet.. actually not sure I even want to see it in theatre's now. I'll probably wait until it comes out in video and then just rent it for the sole purpose of comparing the book to the movie.