Michelle’s Comments (group member since Dec 08, 2021)

Michelle’s comments from the On The Same Page group.

#127 Beyond That, the Sea A young girl is sent to live in America to escape the London Blitz during WWII with lifelong repercussions for her family and the American family that shelters her. Well written but sad. It would have been 4 stars but the last part of the book dragged out way too long. I thought the story wasn't going to end until the last of the MC's died. 3 past time to wrap it up stars. Audiobook. Historical Fiction.

#128 Every Crooked Nanny A retired police detective does a little private eye business on the side to help keep her cleaning service business afloat. 3 no one notices the maid stars. Audiobook. Mystery.

#129 Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants A beautiful book. Robin Wall Kimmerer shares the wisdom and the warning she has learned from her heritage and her beloved plants in a series of poetic essays on the environment and our stewardship of it. Thank you Ms. Kimmerer for your teaching. 5 give back to the planet stars. Audiobook. Nonfiction-Environment.

Star Tally 2023
5 stars - 16
4 stars - 58
3 stars - 51
2 stars - 4

Current:
Night Train to Lisbon ebook. Not really reading if I'm honest
Strange the Dreamerebook. Great if I could get time to sit down and read.
Another Man's Moccasins audiobook. Longmire again.

Great month Martha! Good to see someone else enjoying the Longmire series. I picked it up after watching the TV series and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the books. Really good writing, lots of humor and a good mystery. You are a lot further along than I am. Hope you continue to enjoy them.

Read a book that has a title of more than four words.

Read a book with a neon-colored cover.

Read a book published in the year you were born in.

Read a book with a Goodreads star rating of 4 stars or more.

working on it Bill

I love that there's a holiday spin off

I'm looking at all of these now. A little Christmas horror. LOL

Ioana wrote: "Probably not the kind of Christmas book you had in mind, but NOS4A2 is really good."

Oooh! Actually that is a good suggestion. I want to shake them up a bit.

So, I have a question for my Goodreads friends, and I don't know where else to put it. I'm hoping you'll help me out here. My real-life book club will have a November/December combo meeting next month and we didn't pick a book. Instead, we will each read any Christmas book we like and report back to the group. Give me some ideas I read the typical Christmas novels from time to time but I would like something really good, maybe a little unusual, that I could recommend to the group. What are your favorite Christmas reads?

#124 They Turned the World Upside Down: A Storyteller’s Journey with Those Who Dared to Follow Jesus Charles Martin uses his considerable talents as a storyteller to relate the story of the early Christians and point out the parts of their faith that we should emulate. 3 stars. Audiobook. Nonfiction-Christian.

#125 Without Fail Reacher helps the Secret Service eliminate a threat to the Vice-President elect. And of course, with Reacher when we say eliminate, we really mean it. 4 stars. Audiobook. Thriller.

#126 Chain-Gang All-Stars This book got a lot of hype. I got the message. I really did. Loud and clear. The whole thing just somehow left me wanting more. I wanted to feel more. I would say overall a great concept, but the execution may have been a bit clumsy and overwrought. 3 stars because I didn't dislike it, I just wanted to like it more. Audiobook. Contemporary Fiction.

Star Tally 2023
5 stars - 15
4 stars - 58
3 stars - 49
2 stars - 4

Current:
Night Train to Lisbon I checked it out one more time but I have all but given up on catching that train. ebook.
Strange the Dreamer I'm liking this one a lot. ebook.
Beyond That, the Sea Just started. Audiobook.

I'm on hold for Thursday Murder #4. Glad to see you liked it. Congrats on a great month.

Alissa wrote: "Uhhh another DNF, dammit!

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill


Audiobook

DNF at 60%

If you would have told me..."

Awww! Disappointing. Thanks for previewing it though. Now the rest of us don't have to waste our time.

Alissa wrote: " BOOK 117

Completed a Children's book, The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin



3 STARS
Book

This was a wild novel that made sense but also..."

This book keeps coming up. Glad to see you liked it. I'm thinking I may have to put it on my TBR.

Alondra wrote: "Congrats on finishing those last two!! Woot!"

I still have one to go but thanks Alondra!

Ioana wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Elizabeth Berg has written such a beautiful series. The story is a quiet one but the stellar writing speaks out loud and clear. It tells a story of hope, a story of love and a stor..."

No shame Ioana. The books are right there when you are ready for them.

Lea wrote: "Congratulations on finishing and yay to finishing on a high note!!!
You make a good case for picking up Elizabeth Berg again. I was on a reading spree of hers in 2016, I think I read 8 books of h..."

Yes I have read Elizabeth Berg before this series and I did enjoy her writing. I can remember parts of the story vividly but for the life of me I can't remember the title. I always enjoy quiet writers like her who have the gift of making the ordinary extraordinary. I don't know why it takes me so long to get back to their stories. I guess some of my other books are just too loud and they drown out gems like this.

I have one more book on the list to get all 16. It's been a good reading (or actually maybe listening as many of them are audiobooks) year.

#120 Poster Girl This distopian tale has a distinct Orwellian vibe to it. A young woman is held prisoner for the crimes of her parents after a rebellion puts a new regime in power. She is given a task which if completed could set her free but she must do the impossible without breaking the rules. I enjoyed this new one from Veronica Roth. 3 always watching you stars. Audiobook. YA/SciFi-Distopia.

#121 Kindness Goes Unpunished The second in the Longmire series. The sheriff goes to visit Cady. She is attacked and Longmire has to break up a drug ring to avenge his daughter. Really loving this series. 4 cowboys and indians in the big city. Audiobook. Mystery.

#122 Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin's Wrath Bill Browder writes about his crusade to have countries enact legislation that would freeze the assets of those who violate human rights. As a result he is pursued by the Russians who would like to silence him. His crusade even plays into the election of Trump as President of the United States. I'm not sure I followed it all but this was bad stuff. 3 history in the making stars. Audiobook. Nonfiction-Political.

#123 Night of Miracles A beautiful sequel to The Story of Arthur Truluv about hope and reaching out to other people. 4 hopeful stars. ebook. Contemporary Fiction.

Star Tally 2023
5 stars - 15
4 stars - 57
3 stars - 47
2 stars - 4

Current:
Night Train to Lisbon ebook. Slogging along.
They Turned the World Upside Down: A Storyteller’s Journey with Those Who Dared to Follow Jesus Audiobook.
Strange the Dreamer ebook. Only a few pages in.

Saving some of the best for last. Finished Night of Miracles.

This is the second in Mason series and a sweet follow up to The Story of Arthur Truluv. This book concentrates on Lucille and her final days but also introduces a whole community of new characters. Lucille knows that her days are numbered but continues with her cooking school reaching out to others. She takes on a new assistant and helps her heal. She sits with the boy next door whose mother is battling cancer and gives him comfort and hope. And all the time she bakes her perfect desserts.

Elizabeth Berg has written such a beautiful series. The story is a quiet one but the stellar writing speaks out loud and clear. It tells a story of hope, a story of love and a story of how reaching out to others can change lives. I love when a writer has the skill to take everyday life and highlight all the small miracles that it entails.

4 makes me want a slice of caramel cake stars.

Quotes that I like:

“You take one step of pure and good intention and the universe accommodates.”
― Elizabeth Berg, Night of Miracles

“When Lucille was a girl, a carnival came to town one summer and they had a ride called the Whirligig. You sat in some wooden contraption that jerked you here, there, and everywhere. One minute you’d be going forward, the next backward or sideways or tilted over so far you thought you might fall out. It was never still and you had no idea what might come next. That’s life. You’re born, and you get a ride on the Whirligig.”
― Elizabeth Berg, Night of Miracles

“There’s always hope when a kid—or an adult, for that matter—likes to read.”
― Elizabeth Berg, Night of Miracles

Alissa wrote: "Started Book #12! When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill


"

I'm anxious to hear your report on this one. I'm interested but hesitant.

Listening Hard.

#117 Hot Six I had to jump right into the next Stephanie Plum to see who she called in the cliff hanger from book 5. Stephanie manages to collect another batch of misfits and solve the case once again but still can't figure out her love life or hang onto a vehicle. Meanwhile, Grandma Mazur gets her drivers license and declares independence. 3 always makes me laugh stars. Audiobook. Mystery.

#118 Evergreen The second in this historical mystery series. A young Japanese/American woman tries to solve the murder of an older Japanese man in a turbulent Los Angeles as the Japanese return from the internment camps and try to regain their lives. I think I enjoyed this book better than the first in the series. 4 things are not what they appear stars. Audiobook. Mystery.

#119 The Secret Book of Flora Lea Two young sisters are evacuated from London during the WWII Blitz. The younger sister is lost. The older sister never gives up on finding her. A pretty but implausible tale. 3 power of story stars. Audiobook. Historical Fiction.

Star Tally 2023
5 stars - 15
4 stars - 55
3 stars - 45
2 stars - 4

Current:
Night Train to Lisbon ebook.
Poster Girl ebook.
Kindness Goes Unpunished audiobook.

Lea wrote: "You're making me want to get back into my Stephanie Plum books. They are such silly fun."

They are fun. I really love the Grandma. She makes me laugh out loud.