Book Review - Putting the Science in Fiction by Dan Koboldt and Chuck Wendig

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Science and technology have always played an important role in movies and books. Many pieces of literature, television, and film that depict science and fiction are purely fictional. This book was compiled with a group of doctors, engineers, scientists, and experts to help provide readers with a basic understanding of technology, science, and medicine.

The book is in-depth and informative. It was packed with information from experts to help writers create better science fiction. I found this book to be a great and insightful reference for writers.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no any extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After by Clemantine Wamariya and Elizabeth Weil

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The whispers began when Clemantine Wamariya was just six years old. Her beloved neighbors began to disappear and then came the loud thunder sounds that echo throughout her home. In 1994, Clemantine and her sister, Claire fled the Rwandan massacre but spent the next six years traveling to seven other African countries seeking asylum. Often while searching for shelter and safety, the sisters went hungry. They experienced both unexpected kindness and inhumane cruelty. The sisters are tormented by the idea of their parents and siblings safety. They had no communication after they left their home.

 The novel was an interesting read. While my family didn't come to the United States to seek asylum or escape war, I felt a bit kindship on some of the struggles she and her sister endured. It was inspiring to know that she was able to continue moving forward and graduate from Yale. While I did like the story, I didn't like the writing style of the novel. Especially, when it jumped from one time period to the next. On the first few pages, the novel mentions that the story is told from the perspective of a young child. However, before reading this novel, I wasn't aware of much of the historical events that took place in the author's life. I would have enjoyed the novel more if the author included some history of the events that were taking place as it would context to her story. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.

Book Review - The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson

**May Contain Spoilers**

The thrilling novel that reads likes a first hand account of World's Fair and the serial killer that lurked in the darkness. Larson combed through archives and narrates the lives of the men who build the World's Fair and Holmes through first hand accounts and historical documents. 

The novel was masterfully written and highly engaging. However, it fell short in keeping the readers interested to the very end. In the beginning, there was an even back and forth between the World's Fair and Holmes while slowly towards the latter of the book, it felt that the World's Fair dominated the entire book while Homes was an afterthought. Each of the two events should have been it's own book as the novel only scraped the top of the iceberg so to speak in the complexities of the mens' lives. A good read to learn more about the World's Fair and the struggles along with the achievements of building it.