December 28, 2017

My Year in Blogmoir


Life of a Migraineur: Shared moments of my life with migraines.
03.24.2017 Like Cranes in the Sky 
11.09.2017 Lodak Blue



My Blogmoir: A memoir in blog format of events and people in this fuckery called life.
03.02.2017 Lent Goals
05.27.2017 Thick of It
08.28.2017 Blogmoir: DAMN
09.20.2017 Chat w/Chickadee
11.07.2017 4:44 a.m.
11.09.2017 Lodak Blue

My Year in Books


 

December 27, 2017

2017 Memes & Reading Challenges Roundup

2017 Goodreads Challenge: Read 84 books in 2017. 
Challenge Met: Read 105 books this year. (125% of goal)

https://www.goodreads.com/review/stats/2924016-literarymarie#pages
2017 Page Count Challenge: Read 27,000+ pages.
Challenge Met: Read 32,252 pages this year. (119% of goal)

Keeping Up with Patterson Challenge: Read books in the Alex Cross, Women's Murder Club, and Michael Bennett series by James Patterson. BOOKSHOTS are a bonus!
Challenge Met: Read 7 KUWP books this year.

Perpetual Kinsey Millhone Challenge: Continue to read books in the Kinsey Millhone alphabet series by Sue Grafton.
Challenge Met: Read 3 Kinsey Millhone books this year. (N,O, and P)
Challenge Update: The alphabet now ends in Y. Crime author Sue Grafton dies at the age of 77. Fuck cancer!

Perpetual Jack Reacher Challenge: Continue to read books in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child.
Challenge Met: Read all of the Jack Reacher short stories this year.

2017 Bookish Kill Your TBR: 12 reading challenges designed to help knock out titles on To Be Read shelves.
Challenge Met: Read all Bookish KYT themes this year but not in order.
  1. January - Read a Book That Supports My New Year's Resolution
  2. February - Read a Love Story
  3. March - Read a Book Published The Decade I Was Born
  4. April - Read a National Book Award Winner
  5. May - Read a Book About Mental Health
  6. June - Read a Book Set Outside of My Home Country
  7. July - Read a Book About an Overlooked Figure in History
  8. August - Read a Collection of Essays or Short Stories
  9. September - Read an Entire Series
  10. October - Read a Book That Scares Me
  11. November - Read a Graphic Novel or Comic Book
  12. December - Read a Book About Belief

2017 PopSugar Reading Challenge: Read a wide range of 52 books spanning topics.
Challenge Not Met: Sometime during the year I lost keeping track.

Lit Tidbits: Shared current literary news.
10.19.2017 Spoiler Alert
11.08.2017 Book Bust

US vs. UK: Compared covers of books released in US/UK.
10.17.2017 US vs. UK
10.25.2017 US vs. UK

View all of Literary Marie's Memes and Reading Challenges here.


 

DNF of 2017

Bookhearts, you are familiar with my 50-Page Rule. If not, click here for more info. There are too many good books to read in the world to waste time struggling through a novel. So I moved quite a few books to the DNF (Did Not Finish) pile this year. Perhaps I will revisit them at a later date if one of my trusted bookhearts recommends. Otherwise, the books below shall remain unfinished. Ah well.

  1. The 12 Slays of Christmas by Abby L. Vandiver and Various Authors - Only 17% through and found 14 errors. Nope. Hire me as your copyeditor next time.
  2. No One is Coming to Save Us by Stephanie Powell Watts - At page 39, I thought I might not make it. And I didn't. This was no recast of The Great Gatsby.
  3. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan - When you're late to the series party, but should've stayed home anyway. Overhyped. 
  4. In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume - Way too many points of view and characters. I so wanted to like this book!
  5. Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker - Where were the twists and suspense?  
  6. Red Clocks by Leni Zumas - Five women. One commonality. Zero interest from me.
  7. X by Ilyasah Shabazz - Even the strength of being Malcolm X's daughter and the Michigan Humanities Council endorsement couldn't persuade me to finish.
  8. New People by Danzy Senna - Awkward writing as if it's a draft or outline of plot ideas.
  9. We Could Be Beautiful by Swan Huntley - Only six pages in and annoyed by the Oh-woe-is-my-rich-ass-incomplete-life main character. No empathy from me!
  10. This Heart of Mine by C.C. Hunter - Serious subjects (heart transplant and suicide) but simple-minded characters.
  11. How to Make White People Laugh by Negin Farsad - Enough already about "feeling black." Why did I even pick this book up?
  12. Keep Her Safe by Sophie Hannah - I was duped; this book also goes by the title Did You See Melody?
  13. The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen - I prefer Pekkanen alone because this collab just didn't flow.
  14. The Things We Wish Were True by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen - Another alternating POV.
  15. Desperation Road by Michael Farris Smith - Enacted the rule at exactly page 50.
  16. Have You Met Nora? by Nicole Blades - A book about passing...in 2017. Enough said.
  17. Piper Perish by Kayla Cagan - "Be now. Then be bow." Huh? That was me the whole time.
  18. You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero - One (1) sentence turned me off.
  19. The Wangs vs. the World by Jade Chang - So disappointing.
  20. Into the Water by Paula Hawkins - At page 52, it was already too many different points of view. But at page 98, I was over it. 
  21. A Teeny Taste of Scandal by Michael Lee West - I waited for this book to be published (originally in 2013) but it keeps getting pushed back. So I pushed it to DNF by default. 

December 26, 2017

Top 10 Books of 2017

It is my literary duty to bring the top books I've read this year to the forefront and highlight my favorites—both fiction and non-fiction. Please note that my list is purely my opinion. It is not influenced by authors, other readers, other bloggers, fellow reviewers or publishers that may have provided free or advance copies in exchange for my honest review. I would spend my hard-earned coin on all of the books below.

Click the title/author for my previously published review of the books featured in my Top 10 Books of 2017. *Please note some of the reviews will be posted early next year.


Honorable Bookish Mention: This is Not a Love Letter by Kim Purcell

10. The Rooster Bar by John Grisham*

9. Say Nothing by Brad Parks

8. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

7. One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

6. The Marriage Lie by Kimberly Belle*

5. How To Be a Bawse by Lilly Singh

4. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

3. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

2. Hunger by Roxane Gay*

1. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch


You may also be interested in:
Top 5 Series of 2017
Top 10 First Lines of 2017
Top 10 Book Covers of 2017
Reading Challenges of 2017
My Year in Books
My Year in Blogmoir

December 25, 2017

Top 10 Book Covers of 2017

A book cover is the most important feature of a novel. I always wonder why the author or publisher chose a particular image to represent the story within the book. Does it grab my attention from a bookshelf? Does it represent the author or characters, especially those of color? Does it really portray the plot? Is it appealing and public-friendly? These are the factors I considered when choosing the best covers of books I've read this year.

Click the title/author for my previously published review of the books featured in my Top 10 Book Covers of 2017. 



10. The Mango Season by Amulya Malladi

9. Hola, Morocha! by Jennifer Poe

8. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

7. A Messy, Beautiful Life by Sara Jade Alan

6. Summer of the Cicadas by Cole Lavalais



5. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

4. Arrogant Bastard by Zara Cox

3. American Street by Ibi Zoboi



2. Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson

1. But Then I Came Back by Estelle Laure



You may also be interested in:
Top 5 Series of 2017
Top 10 First Lines of 2017
Top 10 Books of 2017
Reading Challenges of 2017
My Year in Books
My Year in Blogmoir

December 24, 2017

Top 5 Series of 2017



    Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along. Have you ever read a book and wasn't quite ready to leave the characters yet? Or what about books with a helluva cliffhanger? This is why I heart series! And oh, have I read some good ones this year.

    Click the title/author for my previously published review of the books featured in my Top 5 Series of 2017.


    5. Good Behavior: The Pain of Others by Blake Crouch (Letty Dobesh Chronicles #1)




    1. You Don't Know My Name by Kristen Orlando (The Black Angel Chronicles #1)

    You may also be interested in:
    Top 10 First Lines of 2017
    Top 10 Books of 2017
    Top 10 Book Covers of 2017
    Reading Challenges of 2017
    My Year in Books
    My Year in Blogmoir

     

    December 22, 2017

    Top 10 First Lines of 2017


    First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along. First lines of a book are what grab a reader's interest. It is our first impression. Oftentimes, it makes you go hmmm. It sets the tone for the remainder of the book.

    Click the title/author for my previously published review of the books featured in my Top 10 First Lines of 2017.

    10. "This being human is a Guest House. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor." ~ Lover by Anna Raverat

    9. "The older woman sipped her coffee. 'I have thought and thought about everything about Emmett Till, the killing and the trial, telling who did what to who,' she said." ~ The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy B. Tyson

    8. "About 2% of the population suffers from some form of bipolar disorder." ~ Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for Patients and Families by Francis Mark Mondimore, M.D.

    7. "I looked down the barrel of my Glock 19 service weapon." ~ Haunted by James Patterson & James O. Born

    6. "This story began, as all writing must, in failure." ~ We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi Coates

    5. "This fairy tale begins in 1968 during a garbage strike." ~ The Changeling by Victor LaValle

    4. "'Unreliable witness': that was the phrase a member of the Special Committee in the Lower House of the United States Congress who was investigating the assassination of John F. Kennedy used to discredit me when I gave testimony in 1978 under the protection of an order for immunity from prosecution. I was a witness to events, and more. I was close to the people and places that marked a turning point in political life in the second half of the twentieth century." ~ Marita: The Spy Who Loved Castro by Marita Lorenz 

    3. "My life began with one of the biggest lies men tell women: I'll pull out, I promise." ~ I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons by Kevin Hart

    2. "Some children are just born bad, plain and simple." ~ Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

    1. "Please make a list of every possession you consider essential to your life." ~ The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney

    You may also be interested in:
    Top 5 Series of 2017
    Top 10 Books of 2017
    Top 10 Book Covers of 2017
    Reading Challenges of 2017
    My Year in Books
    My Year in Blogmoir

       

    November 9, 2017

    Lodak Blue

    🎵 I don't blog now, I make resting moves 🎵

    Perhaps my latest migraine was a sign to slow down. Simplify. Relax. So I am taking a blogging break. I will still have an online presence through Twitter, Goodreads and Instagram. You can still listen to me on new Sistah Speak podcast episodes. And my hearts IRL can always call, iMessage or come see me.

    Until next post...

    November 7, 2017

    4:44 a.m.

    So I was fine just the night before. Sipping a Redd's apple ale, snacking on hard salami and cubed colby cheese. I took my nightly migraine medicine as usual. Then around 4 o'clock in the morning, nausea woke me out of my sleep. I stumble in the dark to the bathroom. Made it in just enough time before I vomited up my favorite snack. It wasn't until I stepped away from the toilet that I recognized the pain. Le sigh. A migraine.

    I reach for the cabinet to grab my medicine. It should kick in quickly since I caught it at the onset. Or so I hope. But mere minutes from swallowing the powder, it comes right back up. Money and pain relief literally down the drain. I am not sure how much of the medicine, if any, reached my blood stream before I threw it up. In about 4.5 hours, the Cambia will be completely out of my system. Then it will be safe to take another dose. But by then, it is pointless. Because migraine medicine only works effectively if taken at the first sign. Not hours later. So I have to suffer.

    I crawl back to my bedroom, grab two pillows and a snuggie. Then I collect my frozen compress from the freezer. Back to the bathroom I go to camp out. You see, it is much easier—and cleaner—if I just sleep on the cold bathroom floor during a migraine attack. The toilet is right there for the bouts of nausea. And somehow the cold darkness is relieving. I drift in and out. Incoherent. Barely sleeping. Only feeling. The throbbing pain on one side of my head. The neck pain that prevents me from stretching out of this fetal position. The tingling in my fingers and toes. The numbing everywhere else. I feel it all.

    I start the timer. Because at 72 hours, I am eligible for urgent care. The only sound I leave on is the alarm. iPhone off. iPad off. MacBook sleep. Doorbell disconnected. Blackout curtains closed tight. Any stream of light is blocked. The tiniest sliver of light or the faintest sound is magnified. It hurts to see. It hurts to hear. It hurts to inhale. Dear God, it hurts to feel.

    Fast forward to when I am able to nibble on saltine crackers and a coke. I look at the time. No, where is a calendar? It can't be. I lost two (2) whole days of my life! This is my normal. This is the oh-so-unfortunate Life of a Migraineur.

    November 5, 2017

    Series Sunday: Chasing Down a Dream

    (Blessings #8) 

    Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.
    • Read an installment of a series.
    • Share your review/recommendation below.
    • Include the title, author and series name.

    "Sometimes we women, particularly women of color, think we can ignore the cracks in our souls by just keeping it moving." ~ pg. 170

    My Series Sunday pick is Chasing Down a Dream, the eighth book in the Blessings series by Beverly Jenkins. This book of the series is special because I finally had the chance to attend a live book signing in Detroit to have my copy signed and accompanied by a hug from Bev Jenkins herself! It took me a while to come down from that high so I put off reading it for a while. On a hot-as-July-day-in-October, I made a fresh mason jar of sweet sun tea and cracked open Chasing Down a Dream. 

    The matriarch of Henry Adams, Tamar July, has a hate/hate relationship with the black sheep of her family. So imagine her surprise when asked to plan the funeral of a cousin. After a storm, Gemma finds two siblings walking alongside the road. She takes them in and tries to become their foster mom. But Social Services will not allow a white woman to foster black children. On a happy note, Jack and Rocky are planning their wedding. Despite personal drama, the town comes together to lend a hand. Hard to believe it has been five (5) years in this town but now it is experiencing some real deal growing pains.

    "How long do the mistakes you make in life follow you?" ~ pg. 221

    I have said this many times before but will repeat: I am a resident of Henry Adams in-my-head. The characters are my fictional neighbors. We come together for the greater good of our community. We respect our elders. We teach our youth. We support our peers. Chasing Down a Dream is oh so heartwarming and leaves me with a feeling that family really matters.

    This is why I love the Blessings series. The books never lose sight of the spirit of Henry Adams and how it came to be. What a great escape from the real world! 

    Author: Beverly Jenkins
    Published: July 2017
    Pages: 326
    Edition: Paperback
    Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

     

    November 2, 2017

    Hola, Morocha!


    "Why the hell did you carry your black ass to a place where black folks were vanishing?" ~ 7%

    In a new inspirational, funny travelogue, Jennifer Poe takes us on an adventure to Buenos Aires from the eyes of a black woman. At only 22 years old, she booked a one-way ticket to Argentina. Yet soon discovered it was the land of few and far between black people. Part memoir and part travel guide, Hola, Morocha! highlights the ups and downs of her trip. Witty essays cover everything from not speaking Spanish to finding a place to get her black hair did. Being black in Buenos Aires is entertaining!

    "Hey, black girl, hey!" ~ 4%

    Literary Marie, meet Jennifer Poe.
    Jennifer Poe, meet Literary Marie.

    LISSEN, this eShort story reads like a conversation with your friend after she returns from an international trip. She keeps it real. She shares the real scoop. And she doesn't regret any part of the experience. With this in mind, it is a no-brainer that I highly recommend Hola, Morocha! for a reality dose of culture shock. And I am obsessively stalking the author's website and Goodreads for the release of a literary travelogue follow-up.

    Title: Hola, Morocha! A Black Woman's Adventures in Buenos Aires: Culture Shock
    Author: Jennifer Poe
    Published: July 2017
    Pages: 67
    Edition: eBook
    Challenge: Popsugar—A Book Involving Travel
    Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

       

    November 1, 2017

    Little Fires Everywhere


    "Don't get attached." ~ pg. 121

    Everyone plays by the rules in Shaker Heights, Ohio. The layout of the winding driveways, the color of the houses, the high expectations of students and the conduct of its suburbanites is all planned. No one plays the rules more than Elena Richardson, journalist and mother of four. Single mother and artist, Mia Warren, arrives into town with her teenage daughter, Pearl, and rents a house from Mrs. Richardson. It takes no time for all four children to be drawn to Mia and Pearl. Soon the families are woven together along with secrets, patterns and daily living.

    When a custody battle over a Chinese American baby divides the town, Mia and Elena are on opposing sides. The past does not stay in the past and true motives are revealed. Above all, the pull of motherhood is strong.

    There are so many individual story lines within these 336 pages but it was easy to follow them all and become interested in each outcome. Like any book with multiple main characters, there are those I really like and those I don't care for at all. But Celeste Ng wrote the good and bad sides to let the readers decide on their own who to like, dislike or be indifferent about. At times it was hard for me to pick a side. It only added to the theory of intertwined fates.

    It is rare for a book to tug at my heart strings. It is even more rare for me to remember a story line so vividly with all the books that I read in short periods of time. So I did not expect my reaction once I finished reading Little Fires Everywhere. I didn't expect to think about these characters or hope for a follow-up book. I didn't expect the feelings it left me with and, most of all, the question of morality. This novel is a perfect reminder to not make judgment because you never truly know what you might do in the same situation...until it actually happens to you.

    "What made someone a mother? Was it biology alone, or was it love?" ~ pg. 258

    What is right? What is wrong? What is love? What is obsession?

    Bookhearts, be prepared to ask yourself these questions while reading this new release by the talented author, Celeste Ng. And you'd better have a friend close by that read this book too because you will be anxious to talk about it.

    Title: Little Fires Everywhere
    Author: Celeste Ng
    Published: September 2017
    Pages: 336
    Edition: Hardcover
    Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

    October 31, 2017

    Summer of the Cicadas


    "They have yet to invent a test for invisible lumps." ~ pg. 35

    After attempting a self-mastectomy, Viola Moon escapes south to a small historically black university. She is determined to leave her summer stay at a mental health institution in the past. But Viola finds herself alienated surrounded by southern elite classmates, kids from two-parent households, and a Greek system she doesn't understand. Uncomfortable and alone, Viola is forced to confront the past and heal in order to keep sane.

    "Can you imagine the consistent strain of having to double think every move, every word, every thought." ~ pg. 70

    Summer of the Cicadas was recommended by my Ace Boon Bookheart, Vern. She loved it but warned it is not a feel-good novel. Well said. By page 8, I was hit hard with emotions but prepared. I knew a story was about to unfold that would weigh heavy on my fictional heart.

    TBQFH (to be quite fucking honest), I am not sure how to feel about this book now that I finished. I am thoroughly confused and unsure of what I just read. What was real, imagined, history or present-day? Is there a CliffsNotes version? Because this story most certainly went over my head. Can a bookheart help me out here?!

    "You, peopleless girl, are a nigger." ~ pg. 94

    Summer of the Cicadas reminds me of a school-assigned book in English class. The writing is on a deeper level. The main character struggled through life due to a mental illness. It is original but made me flinch at times; calling this novel "heavy" is an understatement. It can be very triggering. But like those good 'ole classics we had to read in school, you need a friend to discuss it with before writing that book report. Then years later, you realize it is very well written and the story sticks with you long after turning the last page.

    So would I recommend reading Summer of the Cicadas? Yes! Read it. Digest it. Discuss it.

    Title: Summer of the Cicadas 
    Author: Cole Lavalais
    Published: December 2016
    Pages: 206
    Edition: eBook
    Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

     

    October 29, 2017

    Series Sunday: Sistah Speak Queen Sugar

    (Sistah Speak: Queen Sugar) 


    Special Series Sunday is a meme hosted by Sistah LM. I encourage all of my fellow podcast hosts to play along.
    • Listen to an episode of a podcast series.
    • Share your review/recommendation below.
    • Include the podcast title and episode info.

    My Series Sunday pick is Sistah Speak: Queen Sugar S2E11. Listen to the Sistahs discuss the OWN original television series from a Sistah's point of view here. After listening, refresh your page and be prepared to LOL as the Sistahs talk about wicker sex, puffer fish and S2E12.

    Podcast: Sistah Speak Productions
    Co-Hosts: Sistah A, Sistah J, Sistah K and Sistah LM
    Time: 2 Hours, 23 Minutes


    October 27, 2017

    First Lines Friday


    First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.
    • Grab your current read(s).
    • Share the first line(s).
    • Include the title and author.

    "The police had taken my pistol the day before but I wasn't without heavy arms. I'd been stockpiling weapons at the studio. Glocks, MAC-10s, ARs fitted with scopes and hundred-round monkey nuts. All out in the open for easy access. I was in Tony Montana mode, bracing for a final standoff."

    ~ The Autobiography of Gucci Mane by Gucci Mane with Neil Martinez-Belkin

     

    October 26, 2017

    Turtles All the Way Down


    "Everybody disappears eventually." ~ pg. 82

    Much as I tried not to have high expectations from John Green for the book following The Fault in Our Stars, I have to admit I did. I knew it would not be another tearjerker or cancer book. I knew it would involve finding someone or something, because that's kinda John Green's signature theme. So when I read the synopsis, I seemed pretty on target on what Turtles All the Way Down is about.

    Sixteen-year-old Aza and her best friend are eager to claim a $100,000 reward if they find the missing fugitive billionaire. The only information they have is through the news and hearsay until Aza rekindles a childhood friendship with the billionaire's son. Solving this mystery is a good temporary distraction but Aza is still fighting to stay ahead of the tight spiral of her own thoughts.

    "Whoever is authoring me, let me up out of this." ~ pg. 211

    Main characters with special quirks hold a place in my heart. I immediately empathize and root for his/her happy ending. From the first chapter, readers learn that Aza is as unique as her name. She cannot control spiraling thoughts, OCD or worse-case scenarios playing in her head. Her anxiety is through the roof yet she tries hard to control it through therapy and breathing exercises. Sometimes authors miss the mark when writing characters with mental health issues. But John Green deserves a pat on the back for his portrayal of Aza.

    "Maybe you don't choose what's in the picture, but you decide on the frame." ~ pg. 277

    What I still cannot figure out, however, is why he chose this title. Yes, it is catchy and stands out. But it was only referenced once and (to be petty) makes a lengthy hashtag. There are so many more titles that could've been chosen for this story. But the cover I understand! This is a small complaint of mine that should not deter you. Nor should my average 3-heart rating stop you. Turtles All the Way Down is just moreso for young adults and will leave little impact or discussion for more mature readers.

    Title: Turtles All the Way Down
    Author: John Green
    Published: October 2017
    Pages: 286
    Edition: Hardcover
    Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

     

    October 25, 2017

    US vs. UK


    The UK is my hometown glory but I live in the US. The US vs. UK bookish meme compares book covers published in the two countries. We left off on a tie last time so let's break it! Enjoy the battle of the book covers below, bookhearts!

    US (top) ~ UK (bottom)

    • Say Nothing ~ I would most certainly pick up a book with a hand pressed against a window versus plain red cover with white font. UK wins!
    • The Sunshine Sisters ~ Nothing says sunshine like the US cover. It features a sandy beach with the bluest of blue ocean. But the UK cover reminds me of a salmon dinner. US wins!
    • Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine ~ The US cover has a lady standing with her arms folded. It is the universal symbol of body language saying, "I am completely fine. Nothing is wrong with me." I like the UK cover with the stick figure house but not for this story. US wins!
    • Ginny Moon ~ When I think of the moon, I think of stars and astrology. Nothing about the US cover screams that. A ladder, really? But the UK cover looks so mystical. UK wins!
    • Dark Matter ~ I am torn on this one. This story is such a mind-fuck that it deserves a cover that will have you shake your head, rub eyes twice and question what you're looking at. It is a-maze-ing fiction. So which cover fits best? US wins! 

    Total: US 39; UK 38

    If the book covers pique your interest, click the title for my review (if available). In the meantime, which covers do you favor?