The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

This book was a fun read.  It follows a young man as he spirals down into corruption and the consequences he faces because of it.  It sure makes you want to be good.

The Lowdown:

Awesome rating: 7/10

Adult situations/material: 2/10

The Tall Book by Arianne Cohen

If you are a tall person, you MUST read this book!  It is full of so many interesting facts about tall people, and will make you feel pretty good about yourself.  I learned alot about what it means to be tall and why us talls should celebrate our height!

The Lowdown:

Awesome rating: 8/10

Adult situations/material: 3/10

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

 I like to describe this book as the DaVinci Code of Dracula books.  If you like mystery, history, danger, and good old fashioned sleuthing, this book is for you.  It is a very thick novel, but it is fun to read all the way through.  I would highly recommend this book.

The Lowdown

Awesome rating: 8/10

Adult situations material: 5/10

Bossypants by Tina Fey

If you love Tina Fey like I do, you will love this book.  From her quirky growing-up years to her famous run as Sarah Palin, this book is full of hilarious details and amusing stories.  A must-read for Tina Fey fans.

The Lowdown:

Awesome rating: 7/10

Adult situations/material: 6/10

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

 This novel paints a beautiful, somewhat sad, somewhat peaceful picture of the life of an African American woman during the Great Depression.  I thought it was a great read, and it really makes you think about life and the grand scheme of things.  You follow this woman through her highs and lows, and learn that no matter what happens you can be content with your life in the end.

The Lowdown:

Awesome rating: 7/10

Adult situations/material: 3/10

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

 I would have a hard time describing to you the plot of this book, because most of the time I wasn't quite sure what was going on.  I didn't really understand the heavy 'country speak' the book was written in.  Maybe someday I'll be smart enough to realize why this is considered one of the best books out there, but I'm sure not now.

The Lowdown:

Awesome rating: 2/10

Adult situations/material: 3/10

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

 If you like the post-apocalyptic theme that is popular in movies right now, you will like this book too.  It's a sweet yet sad (but not cry your eyes out sad) book about a father and son traveling to the coast in post-apocalyptic America.  The only thing I didn't like was that it never tells you how the world got to that point, because the main character didn't even know.  It was interesting that there were no chapters and that you never learn the names of the man and his boy.  Overall I'd say it was a good read.

The Lowdown:

Awesome rating: 6/10

Adult situations/material: 4/10

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

 This book was rather slow and a little boring for the first half, but became much more enjoyable during the second half.  Overall I can't say I was extremely impressed, but it was a mildly entertaining read.

The Lowdown:

Awesome rating: 5/10

Adult situations/material: 4/10

1984 by George Orwell

 My first thought upon finishing 1984 was that it did not go the way I was expecting, which in some ways is kind of refreshing.

The Lowdown:

Awesome rating: 7/10

Adult situations/material: 5/10

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

 This is definitely the strangest book I have ever read.  I'd say that it was worth reading, just to have the experience.  But honestly I can hardly tell you what the book is about.

The Lowdown:

Awesome rating: 5/10

Adult situations/material: 6/10

Next by Michael Crichton

 Next was a very enjoyable read.  It was made up of several different seemingly-unrelated stories that all came together at the end, which was quite fun.  It also made you think hard about the way genetics is moving now.  I will definitely be reading some more books by Crichton. 

The Lowdown:

Awesome rating: 8/10

Adult situations/material: 6/10

The Green Mile by Stephen King

 I LOVE this story.  I first saw the movie version which is fantastic.  I decided to read the book and was not disappointed.  This is one of those stories that really sticks with you after you read it.  Don't let the fact that Stephen King wrote this book scare you, it is not a horror novel in any way.

The Lowdown:

Awesome rating: 9/10

Adult situations/material: 7/10