Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked by Adam Alter
The title of this book say it all, this book talks about the different types of technology that some people become addicted to, it addresses the question of whether or not behavioral addiction is even possible, and it talks about the reasons why technology can be addictive. I thought the book was interesting, especially the sections on video game addiction, but I wished it had talked more about solutions or strategies to overcoming/avoiding behavioral addictions. Grade: B
The Black Widow by Daniel Silva
A best selling book with very, very high reviews on Amazon. This fictional book is about a terrorist group within ISIS that is planning a major attack, and a women working for Israel that is trying to infiltrate the group and help to stop the attack. The book felt pretty real -- it was not an unbelievable James Bond-esq book, but I think I like my fictional books to be a little more exciting and maybe less real. Grade: B
A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang
Set in New York during the later part of World War I, this fictional book is about a group of mostly wealth and young New Yorkers that are in the middle of a series of murders. The book has some interesting characters and some interesting chemistry, but the story is also slow and too character-driven for me. Grade: B-
The Man of Legends by Kenneth Johnson
This book is interesting and very hard to describe. It is a fictional story about a man with a very, very long and complex past and he is now facing a climactic good vs evil situation. It felt a little like Forrest Gump crossed with Lord of the Rings -- I know that sounds crazy, but it had lots of history and lots of good vs. evil. Entertaining. Grade: A-
Ancillary Justice
A science fiction book that won the Hugo and Nebula awards; hence it was one of the most critically acclaimed science fiction books ever. The concept behind the book is interesting, especially to me as I am interested in artificial intelligence and the limits/potential therein. However, the story felt slow and choppy to me. Grade: C-
