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Christine
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May 06, 2020 02:28PM
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Pecan Pies and Homicides – Ellery Adams – 1*
Book three in the “Charmed Pie Shoppe” series gets more ridiculous. I guess I need some pie, because I’m no longer charmed by the eccentric characters and the lead character, Ella Mae, drives me crazy. Oh, well. It was a fast read and it satisfied a challenge.
My full review HERE
The Last Romantics – Tara Conklin – 3***
A family epic following the four Skinner siblings over several decades. I love character-driven novels, getting to know and understand the psychology of the characters as they cause and/or react to events in their lives. That these four people are damaged by their childhood is without question. The ways they find to cope, or not, is what fascinated me in the novel. I was sorry that COVID19 interrupted our book club’s scheduled meeting on this work. I would certainly have enjoyed that discussion.
My full review HERE
Notorious RBG – Irin Carmon & Shana Knizhnik – 5*****
Subtitle: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Oh, my stars, but this is one HELL of a woman! I've admired her for some years, but I really enjoyed learning more about her. I thought the authors did a great job of making this a very approachable biography. There is no truth without Ruth!
My full review HERE
Upstairs At the White House – J B West & Mary Lynn Kotz – 4****
Subtitle: My Life With the First Ladies. J B West served as the chief usher in the White House from midway through the years of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s terms through the beginning of the Nixon administration. This is an interesting and engaging memoir of his experiences running the private residence for a variety of first ladies. Some interesting behind-the-scenes tidbits, but no real juicy gossip. Discretion was – and is – a chief characteristic of JB West’s.`
My full review HERE
The Right Stuff – Tom Wolfe – 4****
This is the story of the Mercury Astronauts and how they came to be chosen – evaluated to ensure they had The Right Stuff to succeed in this vital mission. Wolfe does a great job of giving us the background of those first seven astronauts – warts and all. I was fascinated by the extensive testing they underwent to evaluate their fitness for this work. And I think Wolfe did a great job of explaining the differences in their personalities that resulted in success, or missteps.
My full review HERE
Enrique’s Journey – Sonia Nazario – 4****
Subtitle: The True Story of a Boy Determined to Reunite With His Mother. Journalist Sonia Nazario first heard of mothers who leave their children behind from her cleaning lady. Her interest piqued, she sought to document what such a journey entails … for the mother who goes ahead, for the children left behind, for the boy who was determined to travel nearly 2,000 miles alone to find the mother he had not seen for more than a decade. Their stories are heartbreaking and eye-opening.
My full review HERE
By Book Or By Crook – Eva Gates – 3***
Lucy Richardson leaves a failed engagement and her job at Harvard’s library for a visit with her Aunt Ellen on Bodie Island in the Outer Banks. There she snags a job as assistant librarian for the Lighthouse Library. And becomes enmeshed in a mystery when a priceless first edition is stolen during a private party and a body is found. Interesting premise if a few bumps in the execution. Still, I was entertained and I’ll likely read more of this series.
My full review HERE
I started a new series and I am loving it. The author is Dane and, of course it is translated, so I prefer to read it in French. But the English translation is also available.This is book #1 in French
and in English
The Keeper of Lost Causes
The series is called Department Q so you can find them in order.
The author's bio on Goodreads is also fun to read.
The Snow Leopard – Peter Matthiessen – 2.5**
In general, I love nature and wildlife nonfiction, especially when it deals with endangered species and the efforts to protect them from extinction. The snow leopard is one of the most endangered. Unfortunately for me, and for my rating, this book isn’t really about the snow leopard. As in real life, the creature is extremely elusive in the book, hardly ever mentioned, and not making an actual appearance until late in the journey. Instead this is more Matthiessen’s personal quest for enlightenment. I grew bored and struggled to keep reading.
My full review HERE
Murder Plain and Simple – Isabella Alan – 3***
I found this moderately entertaining as cozy mysteries go. There’s a decent premise, and I did like Oliver (her bulldog, who is afraid of birds). Alan gives the reader the beginnings of a possible love interest, which will likely develop in subsequent books in the series. And there’s a reasonable cast of supporting characters.
My full review HERE
I'm reading The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James and Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano!
Just finished I’ll be seeing you by Mary Higgins Clark. My third by her. 5*
I just finished Miséricorde and I feel like I can finally breathe! What a ride this one was. I can't bring myself to give 5* to a book with so much cruelty... (my problem!) but I can tell you that the two main characters are absolutely great. I am sure they are still full of surprises (especially Hafez el Assad!) and I will love discovering them. But I will have to take a brake before getting to the next one and read something much more "gentle" first.My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Here are the book covers in paperback French and English (US) translations.
Two For the Dough – Janet Evanovich – 3***
Book two in the series starring totally inept bounty-hunter Stephanie Plum. The great cast of supporting characters carries the series for me: Lula, Steph’s long-suffering mother, and especially Grandma Mazur. A fast, fun read.
My full review HERE
Because Of Winn-Dixie – Kate DiCamillo – 5***** and a ❤
DiCamillo has written a lovely book that deals with some serious issues. India and her father struggle to come to grips with their new reality now that her mother has left and they’ve moved to a new community. But with the help of a smiling dog, they begin to heal. No, everything doesn’t turn out perfect, but DiCamillo gives her readers a sense of hope that India (and her father) will come out of this period of their lives with full hearts.
My full review HERE
The Overstory – Richard Powers – 3***
I am having a very hard time pinpointing what it was about this book that I found so interesting. I tend to gravitate towards character-driven works, and this is certainly that. But nine “main” characters is a daunting task and I think it detracted from Powers’ message of environmental stewardship, and what a bad job humans are doing of that.
My full review HERE
It’s a Long Story – Willie Nelson – 4****
Oh, Willie! I’ve had a long-standing crush on the “red-headed stranger” and am glad to have learned more about him, because I like him even more now. Willie lays it all out there … from childhood to stardom, the good, the bad, the ugly and the shiningly beautiful.
My full review HERE
The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories – H P Lovecraft – 2**
Of course, I’ve heard of H P Lovecraft for years, but I’d never bothered to read anything by him. Just not my genre of choice, but I needed “science fiction” for a challenge, and I happened to have this one in the house. First, these stories are mostly NOT science fiction. Second, as horror stories, I didn’t find them all that horrifying. And reading them one after another in this collection made them seem formulaic and dull.
My full review HERE
The Simplicity of Cider – Amy E Reichert – 3***
Yes, the plot has been done before and includes most of the rom-com tropes. Yes, the heroine’s hard shell will be cracked by the genuine goodness of the hero. Yes, she – a confirmed avoider of children – will come to love the hero’s precocious son. Yes, there will be major obstacles to their getting together. But has that ever stopped a couple in a rom-com? Well, Reichert is not about to break that mold. It’s a fast, fun, enjoyable read. And I loved the food references!
My full review HERE
I'm either starting Against A Loveless World by Susanna Abulhawa, or They Never Learn by oh darn um...
Against The Loveless World I meant and They Never Learn by Layne Fargo
I am reading, A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza. So far, I am really enjoying it. I am also trying to keep reading, To the Lighthouse, by Virginia Woolf. I am finding it difficult to get thru. Each sentence is so long and endless. I hope I can start to like her style better.
Just started Turtles All the Way Down on audio and The Aviator's Wife in print. Too early to tell on either, but based on others' reviews, I'm sure both will be good.
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