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Top 10 books with less than 200 reviews on GoodReads

July 8th, 2016 by pladd

I saw this idea on someone else’s blog, a fellow member of my penpal club. It got me curious about my own books, so I headed over to GoodReads and sorted my books based on total number of ratings.

I was surprised by how hard it was to narrow it down to just ten! It turns out I’ve rated a lot of books well that are not so popular. I discounted all the picture books, since picture books are not really in GoodReads’ target audience. Some of these are relatively recent, so perhaps they will acquire more attention as time goes on. Here’s what I finally narrowed it down to:

This Day in the Life: Diaries from Women Across America ed. Joni B. Cole, Rebecca Joffrey, and B.K. Rakhra

Year Published: 2005
# of ratings: 190
Avg rating: 3.57
My rating: 5

This book is a collection of journal entries different women in the US kept on the same day. Most of them are very ordinary, but offer a really interesting look into the lives and perspectives of different people. As an avid journal-keeper, I am all about it.

Augie and the Green Knight by Zach Weiner with illustrations by Boulet

Year Published: 2014
# of ratings: 176
Avg rating: 4.16
My rating: 5

This book is hilarious and also really well-written and illustrated. It’s a retelling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight from the perspective of the Green Knight and his sidekick, Augie. (Augie would say the Green Knight is her sidekick). I wish it had been around when I was a kid.

Why’d They Wear That?: Fashion as the Mirror of History by Sarah Albee

Year Published: 2015
# of ratings: 169
Avg rating: 4.12
My rating: 4

A history through fashion covers two of my interests in one, and does so with great pictures.

Microshelters: 59 Creative Cabins, Tiny Houses, and Other Small Structures by Derek Diedricksen

Year published: 2015
# of ratings: 146
Avg rating: 4.00
My rating: 5

This book was SUPER interesting, with lots of great pictures about how these tiny houses are constructed and manage to fit everything in.

No Place for a Lady: Tales of Adventurous Women Travelers by Barbara Hodgson

Year Published: 2002
# of ratings: 111
Avg rating: 3.71
My rating: 5

I think about this book a lot. It tells the stories of a few brave women who decided to travel the world at a time when it wasn’t socially acceptable or safe for women to do so. Their observations are so interesting, and their ways of dealing with their detractors are informative even for modern life.

Teen Angst: A Celebration of Really Bad Poetry ed. Sara Bynoe

Year Published: 2005
# of ratings: 59
Avg rating: 3.46
My rating: 4

Pretty much what it says on the cover, and you KNOW I am here for that.

African Princess: The Amazing Lives of Africa’s Royal Women by Joyce Hansen

Year Published: 2004
# of ratings: 25
Avg rating: 4.08
My rating: 5

This book introduced me to some really cool historical figures I’d never heard of before! I wish I had been exposed to more African history beyond Ancient Egypt earlier in life.

The Barbarian Princess by Laura Buchanan (aka Florence King)

Year published: 1978
# of ratings: 21
Avg rating: 3.95
My rating: 5

This book is what you get when a historian is forced to write a trashy romance novel to fund her alcoholism. Because that is exactly what it is. Set in the final days of the Roman Empire, the heroine meets a bunch of historical figures and also is like a reincarnated druid princess or something (you can pinpoint the exact chapter in the writing process where the author decided, fuck it, writing drunk is good enough). Despite all of its ridic flaws, it’s probably the most researched trashy romance novel I’ve ever read. And you know my credentials on that.

Foods That Make You Say MMM-MMM by Bob Garner

Year Published: 2014
# of ratings: 18
Avg rating: 4.06
My rating: 4.00

Bob Garner reviews restaurants for our local PBS show, North Carolina Weekend, but he also knows a lot about the state’s food history. I learned a lot from this book, and there were some good recipes. More about it here.

The Knit Parade: 12 Statement Sweater Patterns, 12 Motifs to Meddle with by Wheres Me Jumper

Year Published: 2013
# of ratings: 5
Avg rating: 3.60
My rating: 4

This is the book I read that taught me how to do this:

Look at this beast

I didn’t include this as part of the ten, but felt like I should add as a post script:

The Knight, the Wizard, and the Lady Pig by Patricia R. Ladd

Year Published: 2004
# of ratings: 4
Avg rating: 4.75
My rating: 5

Gotta give your own book 5 stars on GoodReads, guys.

Tagged: books, GoodReads, lists

Posted in Book Reviews, lists |

Terrifying Don Bluth Films: Ranked

May 12th, 2016 by pladd

Don Bluth left Disney to pursue his own dream: to scar children for life. But which Don Bluth film is the most terrifying? To decide, I chose to rank them entirely based on my unreliable memory from whenever they last terrified me as a child.

9. The Pebble and the Penguin (1995)

The bad guy in this movie was a weightlifting bro-penguin rapist named Drake.

Voiced by Tim Curry

But honestly the scariest part is how they try to distinguish between the penguin sexes by giving the girl penguins ludicrous human curves:

Why would penguins need boobs???

8. A Troll in Central Park (1994)

I mean, yes, this movie was scary-bad, so it automatically ranks higher, but the scariest part is honestly that these two infants are left to wander around New York City alone:

Do you HAVE parents??

Honestly I’m thinking the trolls they meet in central park are a childish imagining to block out their real abductors and the trauma that ensues.

7. Thumbelina (1994)

I don’t remember a ton about Thumbelina (besides this annoying-ass song) but there were at least two terrifying parts. When Prince Cornelius is frozen in ice:

How does this even HAPPEN?

I remember it really bothered me that his finger was still sticking out. That shit is going to turn black and snap off, Cornelius. Of course, even scarier is when Thumbelina is roped into marrying Mr. Mole, who hates sunlight and probably smells like mildew:

And you do NOT want to see what’s under that cumberbund

6. An American Tail (1986)

Besides the countless times someone almost gets stepped on or worse, you have this:

Which I think speaks for itself

5. Anastasia (1997)

Granted, I was a little older when this one came out, which I think is the only reason this guy doesn’t rank higher on the list:

He’s like a creepy demon zombie sorcerer

4. Rock-a-Doodle (1992)

I don’t have as clear a memory of this one, besides that it included live-action footage of bad flooding, which hit pretty close to home.

Also this thing

3. The Land Before Time (1988)

Yeah, sure, kids love dinosaurs. They also love tons of violence and the worst on-screen parent death until Mufasa.

I’LL HAUNT YOUR NIGHTMARES UNTIL JURASSIC PARK MAKES ME ALL THE MORE REAL

Kids love them some emotional trauma

2. All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)

What the fuck is this movie

There is literally a dog hell

And even if the protagonists don’t end up there

THEY STILL END UP DEAD WTF WTF WTF

1. The Secret of NIMH (1982)

It is impossible to find a screencap of this movie that ISN’T fucking terrifying.

Creepy

Is that a good guy? What the hell?

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT

STOP

IT JUST GETS WORSE

In conclusion, this movie still haunts my nightmares.

Previously: Disney Villains Ranked by Scariness

Tagged: list, movies

Posted in lists |

Sailor Senshi Attacks: Ranked

February 1st, 2016 by pladd

Sailor Moon attacks are ridiculous. You just shout a bunch of random English words, and your enemies explode in a fit of hearts/sparkles/butterflies. I love it. But which Sailor attack is the best? Here’s your answer:

33. Star Gentle Uterus

This is the worst Sailor Senshi attack and the inspiration for this list. It belongs to Sailor Star Maker, and I don’t care what it does, the word “uterus” (and also “gentle”) shouldn’t be in your attack name.

32. Twinkle Yell

This is a Sailor Chibi-Moon move, where she rings a magical bell to summon Pegasus to give Sailor Moon the power to defeat the enemy. So it’s not even really an attack so much as a fancy, less-useful cellphone.

31. Pink Sugar Heart Attack

Sailor Chibi-Moon’s other “attack” just kind of annoys the enemy briefly.

30. Venus Love and Beauty Shock

This Sailor Venus move involves her blowing a kiss and then throwing hearts at the enemy. Pretty much a hyped up version of Pink Sugar Heart Attack.

29. Moon Tiara Stardust

This Sailor Moon move can heal a lot of zombies at once, so it’s not so much an attack. Also, it’s only ever used once.

28. Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss

These things are not threatening, Sailor Moon. I’m sorry. A “power kiss” sounds like the weirdest work out move ever, and this attack involves so much more weird posing than the others, if that’s even possible. Also the sound effects for this one are the weirdest.

27. Jupiter Oak Evolution

Sailor Jupiter twirls around and throws leaves at you! Run in fear, Sailor Galactica!

26. Bubble Spray

This move fills the nearby area with bubbles to confuse the enemy. It’s good at that! But…

25. Moon Princess Halation

What the fuck is a halation
Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged: sailor moon

Posted in lists |

2015: The Pretty

January 2nd, 2016 by pladd

I always feel like I need to make up for my The Ugly part of the The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly by doing a post of book covers I actually liked. Here they are:

In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette by Hampton Sides

This cover is exciting and breathtaking, just like the book!

Lumberjanes Volumes 1 & 2 by Noelle Stevenson

How could these graphic novels not be on here when I love the art style so much!!

Sex and the Citadel: Intimate Life in a Changing Arab World by Shereen El Feki

I think this cover is incredibly clever.

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki

Graphic novels I liked usually make it into The Pretty post because half the reason I like them is the art.

Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

Beautiful!!!!

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

Exciting!!

The Fog Diver by Joel Ross

This cover is why I read this book, to be honest.

I Text Dead People by Rose Cooper

This one still makes me laugh

The World on a Plate by Mina Holland

Okay, maybe I just like pie.

Previously: 2015 The Ugly, 2014 The Pretty

Tagged: 2015 books, books

Posted in lists |

2015: The Ugly

January 2nd, 2016 by pladd

Time for the dubious awards of Ugliest Books I read this year. It should come as no surprise that this year’s winner is:

The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump

Nothing is uglier than a picture of Donald Trump, 80s style lol. Unless maybe it’s Donald Trump 2015. The rest:

101 Things You Need to Know and Some You Don’t by Richard Horne

Boring

The Frazzled Female by Cindi Wood

OMG I’m so frazzled, I’m trying to talk on two different phones while doing the dishes and holding random toys. WOMEN

Gender Blender by Blake Nelson

I get what this cover is trying to do, but the color scheme is all wrong.

Love and Miss Communication by Elyssa Friedland

Boring AND misleading

Here’s the Situation: A Guide to Creeping on Chicks, Avoiding Grenades, and Getting in Your GTL on the Jersey Shore “by” Mike Sorrentino

Oh god, do I even have to say

Fall On Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald

I actually liked this book, a family saga set in a remote seaside town. But the cover is doing nothing for me.

Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice

So much vampire iconography to choose from, and they go with this boring, terribly-colored thing

Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit

Boring

The O’Reilly Factor for Kids by Bill O’Reilly

Has Bill O’Reilly on it

Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown

Boring and bad color scheme

The Atlas of Languages

Boring

Things I Have to Tell you: Poems and Writing by Teenage Girls ed. Betsy Franco

This cover doesn’t stand out at all. Even if it was color instead of black and white it would be more appealing.

Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

Boring

Uncommon Arrangements: Seven Portraits of Married Life in London Literary Circles 1910-1939

So boring

Previously: 2015 The Bad, 2014 The Ugly
Next: Bonus Post: 2015 The Pretty

Tagged: 2015 books, books

Posted in lists |

2015: The Bad

January 1st, 2016 by pladd

I guess it’s a good sign that there were only 16 books I gave 1 star to in 2015, and some of those were for Hate Book Club and my Reading Things I Disagree With project. It’s hard to pick the WORST book, but I’m going to have to go with:

Don’t Be That Girl by Travis Stork

Maybe because I can’t even get past the cover without being insulted. I read this in February as the book I disagree with. Travis Stork backs up his claims on why you should probably quit your job because men are intimidated by a woman with a career by repeating that he’s a doctor a lot. Ugggggggh.

The 40 Laws of the Alpha Male: How to Dominate Life, Attract Women, and Achieve Massive Success by Derren Nash

This book I got for free on Amazon for my Books I’ll Disagree with Project. Maybe because I went into it with such low expectations, but it wasn’t AS bad as I thought. It talked a lot about how you need to be confident in your relationship with Jesus?? Which is not something I thought MRAs were into, but whatever.

The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump

Read the full review here. In summary, Donald Trump was way more boring than offensive in the 80s, at least by comparison.

I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You by Courtney Maum

This book is terrible. It got some good reviews, but the characters are all horrible, particularly the narrator, who whines a lot about how he just wants his wife and kid back while also pining for his mistress. I only kept reading in the hopes that he would die horribly. Alas.

Here’s the Situation: A Guide to Creeping on Chicks, Avoiding Grenades, and Getting in Your GTL on the Jersey Shore “by” Mike Sorrentino

Read the full review here. Another excellent Hate Book Club choice.

My Unfair Lady by Kathryne Kennedy

Okay, I had to give this book one star because of what it is, but it was actually pretty hilarious to read. Summer Wine Lee grew up as a half-Native American prospector’s daughter in The Wild West before her dad found silver and became totally nouveau riche. She hires the English Duke of Monchester to turn her into a proper lady so she can marry into old money, but of course he ends up falling in love with her instead. Basically, her fakey Old West accent changed my life.

Grey by ELJames

I was coerced into reading this by tumblr. You can see a PAINSTAKINGLY DETAILED review compiled over several months there.

Love and Miss Communication by Elyssa Friedland

I tried to read this book because it looked like a modern epistolary novel, and you know I’m a sucker for epistolary novels. But I’m pretty sure the author wrote a novel about “detoxing from modern technology” without really understanding modern technology. I think the main character is supposed to read as “delightfully over-the-top” but instead I hate her.

The Island of Lost Maps by Miles Harvey

I thought this was going to be one of those great non-fiction books that read like a novel, but instead it was one guy’s rambling.

How to Fight, Lie, and Cry Your Way to Popularity (and a Prom Date) by Nikki Roddy

This book looked like it was going to be a funny parody of teen movies, maybe with some analysis thrown in, but instead it was a bland summary of them

Gender Blender by Blake Nelson

I read a lot of books about gender identity, but this… is not one of them. It’s about a middle school boy and girl who switch bodies Freaky Friday style. Hello, outdated gender stereotypes.

The Internet is a Playground by David Thorne

This book was free on Amazon. That is the extent of my memories about it.

The Frazzled Female by Cindi Wood

I read this book in March as the Book I Disagree With. It’s basically an article from Ladies Home Journal stretched to 122 pages with an extra dose of Jesus.

The Divorce Papers by Susan Rieger

Another epistolary novel that let me down. This book was WAY boring. You can tell this was written by someone with a lot of law experience, because she chooses to include WAY more information about contracts, court documents, and legalese than a normal author would. The story itself was pretty bland and uninteresting.

101 Things You Need to Know and Some You Don’t by Richard Horne

This was aimed at teens, but would probably be more appropriate for a 3rd grader. I remember nothing else about it.

How to Spice up Your Marriage in 7 Days by Imogen Barnet

This was free on Amazon, and I was desperate to read a book I disagreed with. It’s best advice was to stare unblinkingly into someone’s eyes for four whole minutes. “Set your phone alarm.” Okay, creeper.

Previously: 2015 The Good, 2014 The Bad
Next: 2015 The Ugly

Tagged: 2015 books, Book Reviews

Posted in Book Reviews, lists |

2015: The Good

January 1st, 2016 by pladd

This year I read 148 books! Here are the ones I rated five stars on GoodReads.

The Girl with Ghost Eyes by M. H. Boroson

This was my favorite book I read this year!!! A great mix of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Kung Fu movies, I learned a lot about Chinese folklore in this historical fiction-fantasy-adventure. Set in 1800s Chinatown, this book follows Li-lin, a Daoist priestess who can see into the spirit world as she tries to save her city from the vengeful ravages of a man-made monster.

Lumberjanes Volumes 1 & 2 by Noelle Stevenson

These graphic novels are awesome! The Lumberjanes are like more badass girl scouts who must survive a summer camp in a forest full of mythical monsters. Also, friendship bracelets!!

Illuminae by Alice Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

This book fucked me up. It’s a sci-fi/horror/epistolary/adventure of badassness.

Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family by Amy Ellis Nutt

This memoir tells the story of Nicole, a transgender girl, and her family’s experiences as she grew up. It’s a really interesting portrait, not just of a transgender individual, but of the family and community around her and how they react and are affected by her transformation.

Voracious: A Hungry Reader Cooks Her Way Through Great Books by Cara Nicoletti

This book talks about one book per short chapter, a personal essay about it followed by a recipe. I liked the essays so much, because they mirrored some of my experiences with certain books (Anne of Green Gables) and otherwise just spoke to growing up as a reader and how books can affect your life. Plus delicious food!

Rad American Women A-Z by Kate Schatz

I learned a lot from this book!!! There were plenty of rad American women I’d never heard of.

The Wacky and Wonderful World Through Numbers by Steve Martin

This was a fun, interesting book that anyone who likes statistics or world records would enjoy!

Dietland by Sarai Walker

THIS BOOK. I loved its message of militant body positivity and feminism, and all the different variations of each. It’s so rare to have a fat lady protagonist who doesn’t end the book living happily ever after by losing weight. I found this book really inspiring, especially when the main character muses that being fat is kind of a super power in that it shows you how people really are. The people who are jerks to her may have hid their inner jerkiness if she were pretty, but she knows their reactions to her are their genuine selves, good or bad. I think about that a lot.

The Folded Clock: A Diary by Heidi Julavits

This was like a cross between a diary and a series of personal essays on many different subjects. I really like Heidi Julavits’ voice and sense of humor.

Microshelters: 59 Creative Cabins, Tiny Houses, Tree Houses, and Other Small Structures by Derek Diedricksen

I don’t know if I could ever live in a tiny house myself (especially not with Steven and Olivia), but it was so interesting seeing the different creative ways people packed what they needed into such a small frame.

An Age of License by Lucy Knisley

This is a travelogue graphic novel about a pretty epic trip through Europe. I’ve read a few of Knisley’s graphic novels, and I really enjoy her art style and down-to-earth writing.
Read the rest of this entry »

Tagged: 2015 books, Book Reviews, books

Posted in Book Reviews, lists |

Disney Princes: Callously Ranked

December 21st, 2015 by pladd

I’ve already callously ranked Disney princesses and Disney villains, so it’s only right that I next callously rank Disney Princes, using the incredibly arbitrary Would I Date Them scale. As before, I’m using The Official List.

10. Prince Adam/The Beast

Points for fashion, though

The Beast is the worst. Which sucks for Belle, who’s relatively high on my list of Disney princesses. His list of crimes includes kidnapping, verbal and physical abuse, and probably treating his servants like inanimate objects long before they were actually inanimate objects. I just can’t get behind the narrative of “stay with your abusive rage beast of a boyfriend. You can change him!”

9. John Smith

Where the hummingbird BFF is one of the more historically accurate parts of the movie

I’m trying to just judge based on the wildly inaccurate Disney movie and not what I know about history, but it’s hard not to read Pocahontas through a historical lens, when we know that John Smith’s arrival is just the first in a series of increasingly violent incursions that will bring certain death to Pocahontas’ people. So not really swoonworthy, no.

8. Prince Florian/Ferdinand

Minus points for fashion

Prince Florian does fuck-all. He’s such a non-character that official sources can’t even agree on his actual name. The only thing he does in Snow White is kiss a dead girl.

7. Prince Philip

I find the horse more dateable, honestly

Prince Philip has similar issues to Prince Florian in that you can’t just go around macking on incapacitated girls it is not romantic. Unlike Prince Florian, this isn’t the only facet to his character. He fights a creepy-ass dragon, which is pretty cool.

6. Prince Charming

So your NAME is Charming?

Prince Charming is the neutral point of Disney’s princes. He’s not really anything. Sure, he decides a girl is his OTL after meeting her once, but that’s about par in a Disney universe, and at least he doesn’t take advantage of unconscious girls. Low bar, here, obviously.

5. Aladdin

I can’t decide if his hammer pants are plus or minus points

I like Aladdin okay. He’s funny and crafty, and, despite a hard life on the streets, still has a unfailing moral compass. It’s weird that he dresses his pet monkey in a smaller version of his own outfit (definite psychosis there, right?), and he does a little too much lying to Princess Jasmine to earn a higher ranking.

4. Prince Eric

Eric is the hot surfer dude of Disney princes

Okay, so some of this might be nostalgia, since The Little Mermaid was my favorite Disney movie for a long time, but Eric is pretty great. Here is why he is dateable: 1) Plays a musical instrument, 2) Helps the homeless by inviting them to stay indefinitely in his castle, 3) Will drive a ship into your enemies. The only reason he’s not higher is because he’d probably cheat on you and then blame hypnosis.

3. Eugene Fritzherbert/Flynn Rider

Laaaaaaadies

I did not like this movie, and I didn’t really care for Rapunzel, but Flynn Rider is unarguably one of the hottest Disney princes. Plus, he’s funny and clever and comes with a useful horse sidekick. I wouldn’t trust him, but I would date him, at least for a summer.

2. Prince Naveen

Any dude who can play a ukulele, right?

Prince Naveen KNOWS how to have fun. He would be a great date! Maybe the most fun date on this list! He learns a lot during The Princess and the Frog to not be a total selfish jerk, but I still think he’s too much of a man-baby for long-term BF material.

1. Li Shang

Let’s get down to business

Li Shang can get it. He’s dedicated, loyal, and isn’t threatened by strong women. A relationship with him would actually be a partnership, which means I would totally date him if I were able to keep up.

Tagged: disney, lists

Posted in lists |