The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot

Holy cow! EVERYONE needs to read this book! Henrietta Lacks is the origin of the HeLa cells, which are the first immortal human cell line cultured, and the research done on them has touched every single one of you in some way. They lead the way for creation of the polio vaccine. They are the reason we figured out that HPV causes cervical cancer (exactly what happened to Henrietta). They caused the biggest scientific set back ever when they contaminated lots of other cell lines. Yet, despite all this, Henrietta's family didn't even know about it until decades later, was never monetarily compensated, and I would imagine that none of her children ever even understood/understand what any of it means.
This book is a fascinating look into the history of cell culture, consent and the terrifying experiments burdened by the poor that are only now coming to light.
A book like this, spanning so much time, so many places and such a broad range of characters, I thought would be boring or at least difficult to follow. It is neither. It is fun and fascinating and frustrating, all at once. I may be showing my nerd side a little too much here, but I really thing you should read it.

Bad Girls Don't Die - Katie Alender (Bad Girls Don't Die, Bk 1)

This was a totally at-random selection.  The characters were ok, but a bit overplayed. The pace was good. The plot, while obvious, didn't have any gaping holes. The styling was very good. I believe this is the author's first book, and that being the case, it's reasonable. Not horrible, but certainly not one I'd run around recommending to anyone because it is too simple. Young readers might enjoy it, but I don't know any of those. This is the type of book I would have loved at age 11 or 12.

Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert

This book should be titled "Why Everyone Needs a Job" or "Why Being a Housewife is Unsatisfying to all but the most Simple of Minds". From the beginning, Madam Bovary is looking for meaning in her life and keeps trying to find it in one of the few outlets a woman has access to in this era. Today she could have a career, or travel. But during this time, she could only look for it in men, which, unsurprisingly, doesn't work. This mistake is still repeated today: Others cannot give meaning to your life. You must find it yourself. It is the perfect example of how the human spirit withers without the passionate pursuit of goals.  In her search for something to give her life meaning, to find excitement, she devolves into the most pathetic of creatures.
Also, if I hear/read the work "eunni" ONE MORE TIME, I'm gunna lose it!

Cannery Row - John Steinbeck

Steinbeck is capable of creating a beautiful picture. I love his descriptions of the natural world in this book. It's too bad he messes it up with a pointlessly meandering story about nothings doing nothing. I wish he could have written something captivating. He had the potential. He squandered it on uselessness the same way the characters of this book do.