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What Are You Reading / Reviews
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What Are You Reading: Oct - Dec 2017
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Dreams of Joy - Lisa See – 3***
This is the sequel to Shanghai Girls, but this book really focuses on China and the results of the cultural revolution. The novel gives the reader an horrific look at the devastating results of Mao’s Great Leap Forward. I was already familiar with this episode in China’s recent history, but watching it unfold through these characters made is somehow “personal” and gave it much more impact. My main problem with the book was the central character: Joy. She was so immature and naïve … I just wanted to throttle her.
LINK to my review
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Dracula - Bram Stoker – 5*****
If you’ve seen any of the movies, you know the basic plot, but the original novel is so much more! To begin there is the typical Victorian theme of strong men coming to the rescue of pure damsel in distress. However, Stoker turns the tables a bit when he gives Mina the intelligence, foresight and courage to fight the evil forces in her own way. The novel is wonderfully atmospheric; time and again Stoker puts the reader smack dab in the middle of the scenes.
LINK to my review
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In the Woods - Tana French – 4****
This is a stunning debut. Gripping and suspenseful, with many twists and turns. I guessed the culprit fairly early on, but was still enthralled by the psychology of the characters – whether police, victims or perpetrator.
LINK to my review
Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon - 4 Stars Simon is a stay at home dad, while his wife is a successful lawyer. Simon cares for his 2 children, Laney and Jake. When the kids are in high school, Simon's worst fears come true. There's been a shooting at the school. Simon, like the other parents, race to the school to find his 2 children. Simon finds Laney, but as parents and students start to fade away, Jake is no where to be found. Jake has all of a sudden become a suspect in the shooting.
The story goes back and forth from Jake's early life to the current situation, with everything being told from Simon's point of view.
I enjoyed the story being told from the parent's point of view and what Simon felt when he found out that Jake was a suspect. The story flowed fairly well and left you wondering if Jake was really involved. The ending was sad and I almost cried (but I was in public reading...lol). I haven't had a book do that in a while. Still, I felt at points that the book was lacking a little. I still gave it 4 stars.
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The Three Weissmanns of Westport - Cathleen Schine – 3.5***
This is a charming re-telling of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility . I had great fun trying to match Schine’s characters with Austen’s, and trying to figure out how certain plot elements might play out. Despite my familiarity with the original, Schine surprised me more than once.
LINK to my review
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Simon is a stay at home dad, while his wife is a successful lawyer. Simon cares for his 2 children, Laney and Jake. When the kids are in high school, Simon..."
Sounds interesting ....
With Malice by Eileen Cook - 3 Stars
Her trip to Italy was supposed to be the time of her life, but Jill wakes up in the hospital with her leg in a cast and remembering nothing of the last 6 weeks.
Jill's wealthy father has had her transported from Italy to the US for the best medical care. Jill soon finds out that she was in an accident, one that the Italian government thinks wasn't so accidental.
Jill struggles to remember the events that happened in Italy and hopes that her memory isn't correct.
I kept waiting for some big twist or shocking moment in this book and it never came. It sort of slugged on throughout the story and ended on a bland note.
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Karma – Cathy Ostlere – 3***
This young adult novel is told entirely in verse, making for a very fast read. While there is a “love story” in the plot, the book includes some pretty serious matter: religious strife between Sikhs and Hindus, civil and political unrest in India, and the treatment of women. Maya is a strong female lead, despite the trauma she’s faced and her withdrawal into herself.
LINK to my review
Just started 11/22/63 by Stephen King.It pulled me in in the first 19 pages.I read 100 pages in one sitting! I am liking this book,so far! I have had it for 3 years now and felt I would have to read it in November! This is the November to read! I do not like horror stories by Stephen King,but I did like THE STAND and now 11/22/63.
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Drums of Autumn – Diana Gabaldon – 3.5*** (rounded up)
Book number four in the bestselling Outlander series, has Jamie and Claire making their home in the mountains of North Carolina. I just love this series. Gabaldon writes compelling stories with characters I care about. Even the ones I hate (Brianna) keep me interested and engaged, and the action is non-stop.
LINK to my review
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The Hidden Child – Camilla Läckberg – 4*****
This is the fifth book in the series featuring crime writer Erica Falck and Detective Patrik Hedström, in the village of Fjällbacka, Sweden. However, it’s the first one I’ve read. Läckberg uses a dual time line to tell this story. There are the events of 1945, when one young couple’s plans are shattered by prejudice and violence. And there is the current-day mystery of an artifact that threatens to reveal long-held secrets. I look forward to reading more of this series.
LINK to my review
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In This Grave Hour, Jacqueline Winspear
★ ★ ★ ★
WW II has just begun and one by one a group of Belgium refugees still living in England since WW I are being found murdered.
Maisie is asked by a former colleague from the Belgium Embassy to investigate...
The book was well written and it held my interest. The historical references are accurate and of interest as well, as they make for a realistic plot & story line.
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Bookplate Special – Lorna Barrett – 3***
Book number three in the Booktown Mystery series. This is a typical cozy mystery, with a cast of colorful characters, and a nosy amateur sleuth who simply cannot help herself when it comes to investigating a crime on her doorstep. It’s not great literature, but it’s entertaining and a quick read.
LINK to my review
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Secrets of the Oak Woodlands, Kate Marianchild
★ ★ ★
This books covers the plants & animals that make up an Oak Woodlands. It has a lot of detailed information on each of the inhabitants & the habitat, so much information that I could barely process most of it.
As it was gifted to every Garden Docent, I know I'll be using the information in it for my tours, which makes it very useful.
I did not really like the writing or the manner in which it was arranged, so I knocked it down 2 stars.
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Harry Potter: a Journey Through a History of Magic, J K Rowling
★ ★
This book is merely snippets of information from various sources.
Included: copies of several hand written manuscript pages by the author; small copies of original drawings by the author; some historical facts on magic & witchcraft; several beautifully done portraits of Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, & Hagrid; original manuscript changes...
Overall I found it lacking and I wasn't really impressed. It is not a book I would add to my collection.
Just because it is "Harry Potter" doesn't make it good or interesting.
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Miss Julia Hits the Road – Ann B Ross – 3***
Book number four in the popular series starring Miss Julia, a widow of a certain age. I just love Miss Julia, who frequently gets embroiled in one scandal / scheme or another when she jumps to conclusions and/or fails to fully understand the implications of what she’s been told. But her heart is always in the right place. Miss Julia is just a hoot, and I was laughing aloud at several scenes.
LINK to my review
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A Piece of the World – Christina Baker Kline – 3.5***
As she did in Orphan Train , Kline uses multiple time lines to tell the story. I thought Christina Olson was a marvelous character, and appreciated the way Kline took what little is known of this real woman and expanded it to weave this narrative. I liked that she focused more attention on Olson’s relationships with her family and friends than on her connection to Wyeth.
LINK to my review
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The Blue Heron, Avi
★ ★ ★ ★
Two young people the school outcast & a troubled young girl (who has lost her father) become friends when they find out they are both stalking a Great Blue Heron.
The young boy stalks w/ bow & arrow. The young girl stalks w/ heart & patience.
The book was sad, but not as sad as I had expected it to be...
There is quite a bit of suspense as well.....
Very well written and now I know why Avi was such a popular author
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Sourdough, Robin Sloan
★ ★ ★
I'm not quite sure what to think about this:
I didn't understand the point about "technology", but it had a big part in the plot.
For me it stood out as a slowly unfolding long-distance love story between two people.
So the woman in the story: Lois, her name is Lois, writes codes for a technology company. She has little or no personal time and has come to depend on the delivery service of two brothers for the spicy & spicy dinner soup & sourdough bread they make.
When the brothers unexpectedly have to leave the country; they leave Lois w/ their sourdough starter that has a secret life of its own & thrives on music.
Lois also belongs to Groups of other women named Lois. Her current group encourages Lois to continue to bake the Sourdough bread & enter the try outs for an up & coming Farmers' Market..... which is really where the story picked-up for me.
Hello all.I am currently listening to
by Alexandra Oliva.I am also reading
by Clive Cussler and
by Paul Christopher
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All Creatures Great and Small – James Herriot – 4****
I am definitely *not* an animal person but Herriot’s reminiscences of his early efforts to build a veterinary practice in Yorkshire in the mid to late 1930s were delightful, if a bit repetitious. This is a re-read for me, and my rating reflects my first impressions when I first read it in the early to mid-1970s.
LINK to my review
I've just started
and I'm finding it interesting. I just got done reading
for a bookclub. It was just ok for me.
Just finished reading
. I gave it a 3*** rating. I was not overly impressed but it was written really well and had some Templar history that I had not read in other Templar books. I however am still looking forward to reading additional books in the series. We will see if I get the next one for Christmas.
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..."I wasn't a big fan of it either.
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The Magician’s Assistant – Ann Patchett – 3.5***
What I have come to love about Patchett is the masterful way she draws her characters. The story unfolds in bits and pieces, much as it would in real life. You don’t tell everything at once to someone you’ve just met, and likewise Sabine and Dot each keeps some things to herself. The environment also plays a role; Sabine is a different person in Los Angeles than she is in Nebraska.
LINK to my review
Just finished
by Clive Cussler 3***It is a typical Clive Cussler novel. Problem solution twist good guy prevails. Still written very well and still has a high historic value. I think the history behind each story is what draws me to reading the stories.
I will be starting
and
.
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Victim Six – Gregg Olsen – 3.5***
A serial killer is terrorizing towns around Puget Sound. Kitsap County Sherriff’s Detective Kendall Stark is a really strong female lead character – smart, resilient, resourceful, intelligent and compassionate. This is a tightly-written, fast-paced psychological thriller. It’s not for the faint of heart; it’s about a sexual sadist serial killer, and there are some very graphic scenes.
LINK to my review
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The Xibalba Murders – Lyn Hamilton – 3***
Number one in the Lara McClintoch Archeological Mystery series, takes our heroine from her home in Toronto to the Yucatan peninsula. I am a fan of magical realism, but Hamilton’s efforts seemed heavy-handed. All in all, it was a somewhat entertaining mystery and I enjoyed learning a bit more about Mayan lore.
LINK to my review
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TEXT –
Rio Grande Fall by Rudolfo AnayaAUDIO in the car –
Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. VanceMP3 Player AUDIO –
Love, Life, and Elephants by Daphne Sheldrick
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The Lost City of the Monkey God – Douglas Preston – 4****
I was mesmerized by this adventure story, as Preston recounts the expedition’s efforts to find these ruins in the dense jungle, plagued by weather, poisonous snakes, and biting insects. Preston also give equal time to political discourse and environmental impact. And the medical mystery of aftereffects of their time in the jungle was equally fascinating, and horrifying.
LINK to my review
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The Good Lord Bird – James McBride – 3.5***
McBride looks at John Brown and Harpers Ferry through the lens of a “freed” slave, Henry Shackleford (known as Onion). I’ve seen reviews that compare McBride to Mark Twain, and I guess I see that here – an adventure tale that is about a serious event / issue, but that includes room for humor.
LINK to my review
The Sistine Secrets: Michelangelo's Forbidden Messages in the Heart of the Vatican
By Benjamin Bleech & Roy Doliner --- 3.5 * * *
Many questions are raised and answered. Why is the Prophet Zechariah the introductory figure in the Chapel? In the Creation why does God "moon" the viewer? In the Garden of Pardise why do Adam and Eve eat from a "fig" tree and not an "apple" tree? Why on the ceiling are there 300 figures from the Old Testament and none from the New Testament? Who are the Sybils and what is their purpose? Why is the Prophet Jonah the most important figure on the ceiling? Why are cherubs making obscene gestures? In the Creation why does God touch Adam's left hand? In the Last Judgment why does Mary turn away from Jesus? Who is Jesus looking at in the Last Judgment? What is the significance of King Minos and his punishment? How did the painter sign his painting? Finally, why were all these secrets hidden in the painting or did the authors of this book make all this up? I wish I had read this book before I saw the Sistine Chapel.
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A Gentleman in Moscow – Amor Towles – 5***** and a ❤
Well this book cements Amor Towles in my list of favorite authors. I love the Count and the way he leads his life. His accommodations may be limited, and he may be confined to the hotel, but his life is certainly *not* limited. They may take his possessions, they may restrict his movements, but they cannot make his less a gentleman.
LINK to my review
Book Concierge wrote: "A Gentleman in Moscow
– Amor Towles – 5***** and a ❤
Well this book cements Amor Towles in my list of favorite authors. I love the Count and the way h..."
We just picked this for our Book Club.
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Rio Grande Fall – Rudolfo Anaya – 2**
Book two in the Sonny Baca mystery series is set during the Albuquerque NM Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. I like magical realism, in general, but this series has gone too far. I wasn’t interested and all the spiritualism detracted from the plot (what little there was of it).
LINK to my review
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Love, Life And Elephants – Daphne Sheldrick – 4****
Subtitle: An African Love Story. This is a wonderful memoir that takes the reader from Sheldrick’s birth and childhood through her teen years, and first love, on to the love of her life, David Sheldrick, and the work they accomplished together. She writes in a frank and open manner, describing her missteps as openly as her triumphs.
LINK to my review
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A Man Of His Own – Susan Wilson – 3***
Three people connected by one dog, this is a kind of romance novel with a twist. There’s plenty of drama with three characters who are all emotionally fragile, and yet somehow are “guided” by this remarkable animal. That synopsis sounds trite and predictable, and in a sense the book is that, but I have to say that I was entertained and engaged by the story.
LINK to my review
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The Uncommoners: the Crooked Sixpence, Jennifer bell
★ ★ ★
This was a delightful read: Suspense, bad-guys, good-guys, mystery, & magic.
After their grandmother is hospitalized from an accident, Ivy & Seb Sparrow begin a strange adventure.
Their house is ransacked and odd characters show up and begin chasing them, leading the pair underground to a very "uncommon" world and the truth about their family.
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Rio Grande Fall
– Rudolfo Anaya – 2**
Book two in the Sonny Baca mystery series is set during the Albuquerque NM Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. I like magical reali..."
Sad, so I'll pass
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Murder at Maypole Manor, L.B. Hathaway
★ ★
"Posie Parker": first the name put me off; did they mean Nosy Parker or Nosy Rosie? I suppose that maybe, it was suppose to be cute, perky, & modern?
This is not the first book in the series, but the first that I have come across... being I am a "ROO", it didn't bother me much.
So this PI, Posie, is alone for the New Year, living in her offices as the heat in her building is non-existent, and her friends & boy-friend are all away for the holidays.
She receives a call from Scotland Yard asking her help by posing as a rich mystery novelist wife to the Inspector's Barrister at an exclusive New Year's party at a secluded cliff-top Dover Manor.
The party will also be the venue for an exchange of top secret war-plane blueprints & M15 business.
No one at the party is whom they claim to be or has a clean past and it all comes crashing down with the murder of a nasty tempered film star and the alleged suicide of the host.
I found the book interesting to start and was satisfied through the middle as well, but the ending (most of which I had figured out) was convoluted and a bit much over-done.
I will try reading another, but at this point I have no hope for continuing the series.
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Mrs Jeffries Rights a Wrong, Emily Brightwell
★ ★ ★ ★
Inspector Witherspoon is a good man & diligent detective who always solves his crimes, however he's not as bright as his superiors believe him to be. His housekeeper on the other hand, Hephzibah Jeffries, Nosy Parker, is.
Whenever Inspector Witherspoon has a murder to solve, Mrs Jeffries, the house-staff, neighbors, & friends of the Inspector get together without his knowledge and investigate.
Each evening, Mrs. Jeffries has a sherry before dinner with her employer gently urging him to share his thoughts & worries about the crime, which she then shares with the others...
In this book a confidence man sees specters of his dead past appear before him and it literally kills him.
As always, Inspector Witherspoon comes to the "Wrong" conclusion it is up to Mrs Jeffries to make it "Right"
I really liked the plot & the story. The book held my interest, I read it straight through, without interruption. The characters involved in the crime were interesting & all had solid motives.
I'm not too keen on the fact that the author always has the Inspector be the ninny and Mrs. Jeffries the bright shine that plants the correct solution into his thoughts. I'm also not keen on a good portion of the series's story lines so I generally tend to pass them over.
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Queen of the Air – Dean Jensen – 4****
Subtitle: A True Story of Love & Tragedy at the Circus. This is a love story, a tragedy to rival Shakespeare, a history of early twentieth century America, and a thrilling adventure. Lillian Leitzel and Alfredo Codona were the biggest stars in the early twentieth century Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. I was completed engaged and enthralled by their story.
LINK to my review
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Mr Miracle – Debbie Macomber – 2**
Book ten in the Angels Everywhere (a.k.a Angelic Intervention) series. Harry Mills is on his first assignment on earth and he rather smugly believes he’s got it all covered. But he didn’t quite count on human emotions. It’s a cheesy Christmas romance, and the plot is what you’d expect from that genre. It’s not great literature, but it’s perfect for the season.
LINK to my review
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Born a Crime – Trevor Noah – 4****
Trevor Noah had a white Swiss German father, and a black Xhosa mother, at a time when such a relationship was punishable by up to five years in prison. This is his memoir of growing up under Apartheid and the years as it was being dismantled in South Africa. Honest and interesting.
LINK to my review
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The Winter Garden Mystery – Carola Dunn – 3***
Book number two in the Daisy Dalrymple series has our heroine traveling to Occles Hall to research her latest article for Town and Country on England’s country manor houses. Lady Valeria is none too pleased at this intrusion, and even less so when Daisy finds a body buried in the winter garden. A satisfying cozy mystery with an intrepid heroine, set in 1920s England.
LINK to my review
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A Charming Crime Tonya Kappes
★ ★
June is a young gifted herbalist who has taken over where her mother, Darla, left off...
After June's workshop burns down, she moves to a local magical village and takes over her mother's former shop & home.
Weird things happen, threats, murder, and June seems to be the main suspect.
I never warmed up to the main character, June.... I wanted more: the plot premise is very similar to Heather Blake's "Wishcraft" mysteries, but this is seriously lacking depth of character development, ambiance, & dialog.
I understand that this particular book is the first in a series, so I'm going to try reading another to see if there is any improvement.....
I am reading BRITT-MARIE WAS HERE by Frederick Beckman.I am liking it so far! I have been reading a chapter at a time, haven't had time to just sit and read,but today is the day.It is frigid and snowy here and I am hunkering down with tea and the book!
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Books mentioned in this topic
Britt-Marie Was Here (other topics)A Charming Crime (other topics)
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood (other topics)
The Winter Garden Mystery (other topics)
Queen of the Air: A True Story of Love and Tragedy at the Circus (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Daphne Sheldrick (other topics)Rudolfo Anaya (other topics)
J.D. Vance (other topics)
Clive Cussler (other topics)
Alexandra Oliva (other topics)
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