Thank You to Gallery, Threshold, and Pocket Books for providing me with an advance copy of Robyn Harding's novel, The Party, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT - Kim and Jeff Sanders are doing everything possible to raise their children right. Despite their Silicon Valley wealth, they throw a simple sleepover for their daughter Hannah's Sweet Sixteen. Hannah has invited over a few friends and the girls are going to have pizza and watch PG-13 movies in the basement. Hannah's parents have been very clear with the rules = No drinking, no drugs, and no boys.

Hannah's parents trust the girls and go to bed. They are awoken in the middle of the night to learn that one of the teenagers in their care has fallen through a glass coffee table, and is seriously hurt. This accident will change the Sander's family forever.

LIKE- The Party is a page-turner. Harding does a fabulous job at teasing out information that kept me turning the page. For example, early in the story we learn that Jeff's younger colleague has turned him on to microdosing LSD, a new trend in Silicon Valley that is supposed to foster alertness and creativity. This is something that Jeff has done a handful of times and although he does not have a drug problem and this has nothing to do with the accident that occurred at the birthday party, this decision will continue to haunt him. The Party is filled with little decisions, seemingly innocuous decisions, that will have a negative impact. It's about the fine line between perceptions and the truth. It will make you consider your own decisions. It's quite maddening!

Harding's characters are rich and memorable. A large chunk of The Party deals with popularity and bullying, both with teenagers and adults. It's cynical, but also rings true. A theme of The Party is kindness, which seems to be in short supply with many of the characters.

The Party is reminiscent of one of my favorite films, American Beauty, with regard to tone and themes.

DISLIKE- I'm torn about the ending. Although I felt it was a realistic scenario, it didn't sit well that an accident turned into a punishment/reward scenario. The very last scene was a shock. It made me want to shake the character involved. Was nothing learned?

RECOMMEND- Yes! The Party is fast-paced and thought-provoking. This is my first time reading Harding and I will definitely check-out her other novels.

Thank You to Simon & Schuster for providing me with an advanced copy of Eric Weiner's The Geography of Genius, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- In The Geography of Genius, Eric Weiner travels around the world in an attempt to determine why certain cultures have experienced bursts of innovation. What are the common links between places like Renaissance Florence and ancient Athens? Is America's Silicon Valley the latest pocket of genius? Weiner examines the reason that these short-lived revolutionary periods happen, and why they quickly fizzle. Besides the commonalities, he looks at the unique attributes that each culture brings to the table. Is it possible to predict or create the next place of genius?

LIKE- I was a big fan of Weiner's previous non-fiction book, The Geography of Bliss, where in a similar set-up to The Geography of Genius, he travels the world to figure out the secret to cultures who are considered "happy".

Weiner's humor shines through in his writing, which is helpful to cut through this dense topic. He writes in a conversational style, that makes it seem like the information is coming through via a coffee chat with your most interesting friend. I have no doubt that amongst his friends, Weiner is the guy with a million unusual anecdotes. His interest in the subject is infectious.

The idea for the book is fascinating, and I liked how Weiner takes a broad approach with his inclusion of a range of cultures and time periods.

DISLIKE- The subject was dense and I could only read in small chunks, sometimes making The Geography of Genius, feel like a chore to read. I read it on my Kindle and read ten percent chunks a day. Sluggish.

RECOMMEND- Maybe. If the subject grabs your interest, go for it. Going in, I was most excited to read Weiner's latest book and would have probably read it, regardless of the subject. I wasn't as enthusiastic as I was towards The Geography of Bliss, which I recommended to everyone. Despite my lukewarm feelings towards The Geography of Genius, I still hold Weiner in high regard and I'm looking forward to his next book!