There are a couple of catchy songs on this album (“Mr. Maker,” “Tick of Time”), but on the whole I’m finding that The Kooks just aren’t my thing. This CD isn’t being added to my wish list.

I’d heard a little DC before (Vindicated), but I hadn’t heard any of the songs on this album previously. Though I didn’t fall in love with it, it’s definitely worth a listen. Standout tracks for me include #2 (Thick As Thieves), #6 (The Shade of Poison Trees), #11 (Clean Breaks) and #12 (The Widows Peak). Clean Breaks has a haunting, repetitive melody that will stay in your head for days.

From the 2 or 3 songs I had heard on the radio from their first album, PATD came off as musically interesting but kind of, well, snotty—forgivable, since they were teenagers just out of high school at the time. If not for the recognizable voice, I might have thought this second album was the product of a completely different band. The songs move in directions from rock to folksy to a harpsichordish ballad. I am particularly fond of tracks 1, 2, 5, 8, 13 and 15 (that’s a lot, I know, but they’re good!). I highly recommend it as somewhat eclectic rock. These kids are talented; I hope to hear more from them in the future.

This, Angels & Airwaves’ second album, isn’t quite as fun as their first, and while Mr. Delonge’s vocals and the music itself are still compelling, the songs still suffer from empty and somewhat pretentious lyrics. “Love Like Rockets” and “Secret Crowds” were two of my favorite tracks. Mildly recommended.

I’d consider this first album by MCR their weakest. Although there are hints of the genius to come, the overall effect is marred by excessive screeching. I still can’t decide whether it’s worth purchasing or not.

When A’isha is nine and Islam in its infancy, she marries the prophet Muhammad and would go on to become one of the great women in Islamic history. Despite her youth, A’isha finds herself the favored wife, advising and supporting her husband, while simultaneously doing her own maturing, discovering her own strengths and combating her weaknesses.

Although it was interesting to see how the author chose to pin a personality onto such a huge historic figure, I didn’t feel the reader was given enough meaningful glimpses into Muhammad and A’isha’s relationship to understand why she was so favored. A’isha’s actions and thought processes seem at some times to be beyond her years, and at others very typically reflecting her tender age. I enjoyed the opportunity to read about a culture and time period I was fairly unfamiliar with, and it would be interesting to read other historical fiction from the same era.

This is definitely one of Green Day’s better albums. Several of the catchier tunes include the title track ‘Warning,’ ‘Minority’ and ‘Castaway.’ While I wouldn’t call myself a fangirl, there is something inherently appealing and compelling about Billie Joe’s vocals. What talent!

Reading about how Carolyn Jessop succeeded in freeing herself and her children from the clutches of her abusive husband, a high-ranking member of an extreme polygamous religious sect, was both inspiring and dismaying. After all she’d been through, I’m not certain I’d have had the courage and energy to escape in the same situation. In addition to being a tale of one woman’s triumph, this book serves as a warning about the dangers of fundamentalist religion of any nature.

Michael Wood’s chapters focus primarily on successive rulers during the Dark Ages (AD 500-1000), and he provides additional background information to assist with understanding the context. This book would serve as a good jumping-off point for anyone interested in finding out even more about the time period and its personalities. While reading, I couldn’t help but be amazed at how much we know from so long ago, yet at the same time be saddened by how much more we will never know.

Besides being a powerful debut album in its own right, this one also has sentimental value for me. A style that often comes across for other artists as pretentious, Tori Amos pulls off with sincerity and passion. Standout tracks include ‘Silent All These Years,’ ‘Happy Phantom,’ ‘China’ and ‘Leather.’