The Death of WCW by RD Reynolds Review

The Death of WCW: 10th Anniversary of the Bestselling Classic - Revised and Expanded by R.D. Reynolds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So, my boyfriend got me hooked on wrestling almost two years ago, and I've been obsessed since. I've learned that it takes an incredible amount of talent, hard work and dedication, and a little bit of insanity to be a part of the business. From bookers to upper management to the actual in-ring talent, the world of wrestling is absolutely crazy! Before reading this book, I had a pretty basic understanding of the business, but I didn't really know about the history behind WWF/ WWE or WCW.

That being said, this was, by far, one of my non-fiction favorite books I've ever read! If you're even slightly interested in the business, I highly recommend checking this book out! I'm sure it's not 100% historically accurate, but I love that Reynolds and Alvarez stick to the objective facts and don't really talk shit about anyone. They just present it exactly like it went down. It's eye opening, for sure.

To anyone looking to break into the business one day: use this book as an example of everything not to do when working for/ running a company. You can thank me later.

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The Midnight Star by Marie Lu Review

The Midnight Star by Marie Lu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

Some authors seem to forget to tie up all the loose ends, to make sure each character gets their own ending (whether it's happy or not so happy), but Lu is a master when it comes to conclusions! Parts of this book were a little slow, so that's the only reason I'm giving it a 4.5 instead of a 5. The ending seemed a tad bit rushed because the middle was so long, but it ultimately works out in the end. I love the character development, the plot twists, and the fact that the ending was not predictable in the least!

I'm not sure if there are more installments or plans for more books in this series, but I would be happy either way. There's a definitive ending. On the other hand, she definitely left herself some interesting things to work with if she did choose to continue the series. Just some random thoughts.

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Crazy Is My Super Power by AJ Mendez Brooks Review

Crazy Is My Superpower: How I Triumphed by Breaking Bones, Breaking Hearts, and Breaking the Rules by A.J. Mendez Brooks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Edit: 10/1/2017

So, after doing some research and actually watching AJ Lee in the ring, I definitely want to edit this review. I guess instead of editing, I'll just write an updated review because there are some things I would like to touch on.

I still stand by what I said about the majority of this book. AJ is an inspiration to young women, as she should be. She struggled to get into the business due to a number of factors (including her mental health problems, and the simple fact that she was a woman in a male-dominated industry), but still prevailed. To this day, many wrestling fans will tell you that she is the sole reason for the Women's Revolution, and she seems to think so, too. As I sit here watching her old matches, I'm starting to wonder why she's held on such a high pedestal. For someone who didn't want to be known just for her body, she certainly doesn't seem like she was unwilling to wear her "skimpy, little outfits" (which she talks about extensively in the book). Yes, she is one of the more talented workers of her era; yes, she should be given credit for attempting to revolutionize the division. However, she should not be hailed as a revolutionary by any means. She pushed for longer matches and deeper story lines for the women, but I wouldn't say that she was the only one who made these things happen.

I still enjoy bits and pieces of this book- mostly the sections about her childhood and her battle with mental illness. I just can't say that I respect her nearly as much as I did before watching her matches.

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I have nothing but positive things to say about this autobiography. It's truly inspiring to see where AJ came from and know the struggles she faced before breaking into the business. Although her career was cut short (in my opinion), she influenced the women's division and changed the face of the business for the better. All too often we praise female athletes for their bodies/ their looks rather than their in-ring talent, a point which AJ makes throughout the second half of her book. Her accomplishments are remarkable and, honestly, she should be given more credit for her role in WWE. A few people have said that she "shit on the company," but I didn't pick up that sort of tone from her. She is very matter-of-fact and blunt. Maybe some people just can't handle the truth? I'm not sure, but either way, I absolutely loved Crazy is my Superpower from start to finish, and I hope to god she writes another book soon. I'm fascinated by the business in general, but the women's division (for obvious reasons) has always held my attention more than the "main roster Superstars" in most cases.

If you enjoy wrestling even a little check this out. If you need a strong female role model in your life, give it a go. Or, if you just need a really good book that keeps you engaged the entire time, I highly recommend this one.

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Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Review

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this because it was part of the End of the World book club, and I definitely don't regret picking it up! This isn't my favorite post-apocalyptic novel (The Girl with All the Gifts is still my all-time favorite) only because it was a little slower paced and less action-packed than I had hoped it would be. There is a little bit of a plot twist, but it wasn't anything super original or shocking; most of the characters don't have enough time to develop and evolve due to the number of characters present in the book. I like that the author chose to focus on different characters set in different times and locations, but I wish there would have been some sort of thread connecting them all together at the end. Honestly, the plot kind of falls flat for me, maybe because I've read so many dystopian/ post-apocalyptic novels. Either way, it's not my favorite, but I would recommend it to someone who is new to the genre.

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A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas Review

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've seen a few mixed reviews on this series. Some of my friends read it, and hated it, while some absolutely loved it. A few people have said that they couldn't finish it and just gave up on Maas. Honestly, I'm obsessed with this series!! I'm not sure if I'm just partial to her writing style, or the genre in general, but I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. She did give us a bit of closure at the end, and most of the lose ends are all tied up. I think she did leave some things untouched mostly because the next book is apparently coming out in 2018? I'm not sure if she's continuing the main story arch or if she's planning on writing a series of novellas; either way, I'm excited!!

I really do love this series for so many reasons. We see lots of character development, the pacing is pretty good (too fast in some places, a little slow in others, but I can forgive that), and the dialogue is spot on. There isn't any wasted energy, and by that I mean there really isn't a single scene that makes me think, "why was this necessary for the plot?" It makes sense, and it fits well with the rest of the series.

This sounds kind of silly, but I kind of wish there were fewer happy endings. I know, I know- horrible. I just think it would have been better for certain characters to suffer for their previous actions, but that's just me. I'm happy with the outcome so far. We'll see where we go from here :)

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