Review:: Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans de Waal

Title: Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?

Author: Frans de Waal

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Once again, Frans de Waal comes forward to show us that the animal kingdom isn't how many perceive it. However, once again, his organization is a bit funky and I'm left feeling like I could have gotten more out of this.

Review:: Shadow and Steel, by JW Troemner

Title: Shadow and Steel

Author: JW Troemner

Series: Urban Dragon, #2

Rating: ★★★★☆

Previously:

Mark of the Dragon

The first one wasn't enough. The second left me begging for more. Luckily, there is in fact, more to come. Also, cliffhanger much?

Review:: Why Dogs Eat Poop, by Francesca Gould

Title: Why Dogs Eat Poop, and Other Useless or Gross Information About the Animal Kingdom

Author: Francesca Gould

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

While this book contains quite a few interesting animal facts, the science is wrong in bits, which is enough to get me to dump a book. Add in a whole bunch of ethical weirdness, and I couldn't wait until this thing was over.

Review:: Mark of the Dragon, by JW Troemner

Title: Mark of the Dragon

Author: JW Troemner

Series: Urban Dragon, #1

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Wellwritten, fast-paced, and food-for-thought, the biggest problem with its book is merely that it's simply too short. Luckily for me, there are more of them.

Review:: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie Kondo

Title: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Author: Marie Kondo

Series: Magic Cleaning, #1

Rating: ★★★★☆

I have never really read a "self-help" book, but I promised my partner I'd read this one. I'm working on tidying our house -- something that seems insurmountable at times. After reading this, I actually feel motivated to clean.

Review:: The Tropic of Serpents, by Marie Brennan

Title: The Tropic of Serpents

Author: Marie Brennan

Series: The Memoirs of Lady Trent, #2

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Previously:
A Natural History of Dragons

I needed a palate-cleanser after The Forever War, and the delight Marie Brennan gave me last time seemed like just the antidote I needed. I was right.

Review:: A Natural History of Dragons, by Marie Brennan

Title: A Natural History of Dragons

Author: Marie Brennan

Series: The Memoirs of Lady Trent, #1

Rating: ★★★☆☆

When a friend wanted a signed copy of The Tropic of Serpents, the sequel to this book, I gladly headed into the City for a reading. After the puppet show and artifacts, I definitely had my interest peaked in this novel; it promised to be something different. And something different it was, something delightfully different.