Review of When Life Doesn't Turn Out The Way We Hoped It Would? Volume 2

[OTrain Disene]

[Following is a volunteer review of "When Life Doesn't Turn Out The Way We Hoped It Would? Volume 2" by Tom Wick.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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Tom Wick is one person whose life can’t be described in a single sentence or single paragraph. He is described as someone who has worked in a lot of places due to his multiple qualifications. Not only that, but he also served his country during the Iran Conflict. When Life Doesn’t Turn Out The Way We Hoped It Would? Volume 2 is a book where Tom details everything. He shows what it was like serving, travelling from his country, and seeing the world as he had never done before. This book is colourful and certainly adventurous.

The book opens up with section three, titled "USS Gridley (CG-21)." Here, the author takes us way back a little bit to the 1800s. He introduces to us Charles Vernon Gridley who was born on the 24th of November, 1844, and died on the 5th of June, 1898. The author states facts about this Navy officer and his participation in the American Civil War and the Spanish-American War. This no doubt shows why the ship was named after him. He was a very decorated and very patriotic man. The author also shares the historical facts about The USS Gridley. We learn when it was built, commissioned, and other memorable things about it. All of them which are great.

The book gets interesting when the author narrates the first day he reported for duty. The sense of adventure and exhilaration he felt when he stepped foot on that ship, making sure he followed protocol and did what was expected of him, was plain to see. he shows the things he did, like smoking pot and having fun with other fellows on the ship. Learn about the places the author had been to and the people he had been with whom he had fun and rejoiced. There are geography facts given at the beginning of each topic, and there are also pictures accompanying them.

The book didn’t meet my expectations. It presented itself as a travel magazine more than anything. It is hard for me to consider it a book because of the many pictures that are scattered on every page. Pictures are not a bad idea when you are writing about the story of your life, as long as they are included at the end of the chapters, and not in between paragraphs. That way, the book is well organised. I was not given enough time to digest the text before the pictures were figuratively shoved on my face.

I also did not find the geography facts that were given desirable. I think the author could have introduced the places he visited in another way that was more creative. The way he introduced them was like reading a textbook. The information was given in one go, and it became too overwhelming for me to comprehend. When the author was talking about the work of the people in the force, their ranking, and their status, it was hard for me to remember it all as I was reading. And the endless brackets throughout the text made the writing seem sloppy. The book had enough pages for the author to take time and introduce all the information without having to do it in a short space. When it came to the dialogue, the author wrote in a foreign language and proceeded to translate it into English. I think it would have worked better if he had just written it in English because we would know that it was in another language. I say this because when I had to find the translated part and skip the foreign language, my reading got disturbed.

But besides that, I liked reading everything else. The sentences were well written. They were simple, funny, and engaging. The author didn’t hold back in sharing all his painful and joyful experiences. This is the second volume, so I think it would have been much better for me if I had started with the first one. This does not mean the book cannot be read as a standalone because it can. The pictures were colourful and bright. They lightened the book and gave it a better perspective.

I think the fair rating for When Life Doesn’t Turn Out The Way We Hoped It Would? Volume 2 by Tom Wick is two out of four stars. People who love reading travel journals will appreciate it as it is more or less about that. The target audience seems to be young adults because the language tends to be a bit strong here and there.

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When Life Doesn't Turn Out The Way We Hoped It Would? Volume 2
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[Phil Akor]

The title of this book seems so appropriate and I just had to see what it is about. I’m happy about your review, it means I will have a great read when I pick it up.

[Jane Ogwang]

This book's title is intriguing and interesting. It piqued my interest and I'm disappointed you did not enjoy reading it. Thanks for the honest review.

[Vivian Writes]

It’s a bummer that this book did not measure up to your expectations. I find that when I have preconceived notions about a book and it does not stick to that, I enjoy it much less. A more open mind is required, perhaps. Nevertheless, I appreciate your detailed review.

[Kenesha Latoya Fowler]

It can sometimes be a bummer when books don't meet our expectations. And that bit about the photos being scattered around the book sounds very frustrating. Maybe a bit of editing could work that out. This isn't my type of book, but I do appreciate your honest review. Thank you.

[Jane Ogwang]

What an interesting title to give a book. It is intriguing and interesting. Thanks for the detailed review and recommendation.

[Hannah Mae Fabro]

Tom seems like been through so much. The book sounds amazing and intriguing but as I read the negative aspect that you mentioned, I suddenly think if I will read this. Thank you for the great review.

[Natalie Sheph]

Reading your review, I get the feeling that the book was too dry, but the plot is interesting and useful for travelers. Thank you for your detailed and amazing review.

[Abu_Aisha1]

Your review spurs me to want to read this book even though I am not a huge fan of series books. I appreciate books with interesting plots. Well done for an amazing review.

[lawisimportant23]

The title of the book is intriguing. Great job with the review.