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What Are You Reading / Reviews
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What Are You Reading: April -June 2020
Currently reading The other people by C.J Tudor, nearly finished it just got a few more pages. Loving it at the minute, giving it a good four stars maybe even five when finished depends on the ending. But so far it’s brilliant.
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Indianapolis – Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic – 5*****
The subtitle is all the synopsis anyone needs: The True Story of the Worst Sea Disaster in U.S. Naval History and the Fifty-Year Fight to Exonerate an Innocent Man. The authors did extensive research, including interviews with survivors and their families. The result is a detailed, thorough and still intimately personal story.
My full review HERE
The Sinner by J.R. Ward narrated by Jim Frangione
5*****
I read print. Now doing audio and print together.
Trying to keep this spoiler free.
For those familiar with BDB characters there are some very touching scenes that may not mean as much to those less familiar with what has gone before. Gotta love V when he does sweet things even if they are sometimes weird. There are a couple of scenes that had me giggling so much I had to pause reading but maybe I have odd sense of humor. (view spoiler)
Someone in another discussion asked about violence. There's a rather detailed violent scene early in the book. There are violent scenes later in the book but except for a flashback scene they are more the quick violence common in the war rather than the (view spoiler) which may be there to establish the character for those who haven't read Fallen Angels series.
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Alice and the Assassin , RJ Koreto
★ ★ ★ ★
After the assassination of President McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt becomes president. When he does he assigns a former soldier who was under him @ San Juan Hill to the Secret Service and as bodyguard to his daughter Alice, who is living in N.Y with her Aunt Anna.
When Alice learns that, Leon Frank Czołgosz, the assassin of McKinley was killed and the anarchist, Emma Goldman has been released for lack of proof that she was an accomplice, Alice decides she wants to meet Emma Goldman.
What Alice finds is that not one of the members of the Anarchist group worked w/ Czołgosz as they did not like or trust him...but she also finds is he worked in Buffalo for a shipping company, Czołgosz's brother fears for his life and other people connected to the Czołgosz's death & job at the shipping company are turning up dead as well.
It was fun & held my interest. Koreto did a fine job of writing & portraying Alice.... and I did figure out who the murderer was right away!
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The Body in the Ballroom RJ Koreto
★ ★ ★
Alice Roosevelt takes part in solving another murder this time not only is she in cahoots with Joey St Clair, her body guard, but with his sister Mariah; & Captain O'Hara of the NYPD.
Alice is at the coming out ball of her friend Philadelphia (Philly) Rutland when she witnesses a murder... a very "unreliable" man is poisoned while drinking the infamous gin punch surrounded by his wife & mistress.
The loathsome man is a part of a "club" (gang) known as XVII, those whose family have been in NY since the 1700's and are fast becoming anti-immigrant. He had become violent and taking to harassing innocent people, including Jews, one of which was a young man at the ball & Alice as well.
After the ball, Alice begins investigating by paying condolences to the widow (who honestly states that the poisoned cup of punch was her's) and next to the mistress of the dead man, who it turns out is pregnant. When the mistress is also poisoned, it seems as though someone has it out for the women involved with the "unreliable" man.
Again the book held my interest, Alice's stubbornness & high-handed manner did get a bit old, and again I did figure out "who-done-it" early on.
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Creating With Paint Sherrill Kahn
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I've had this book for a very long time (years) but I've never really used it. I kept it as a reference guide "just-in-case"... Well Just-in-case is here!
I'm working on mixed media, I've even taken two classes, but what I didn't learn was how to blend the paint once it was on the sub-strait.... and this book shows me hoe to do that & add even more interesting effects!
Great step-by-step & easy to follow illustrations!
I am so glad I saved this book!
And now you know why I haven't been reading!
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Paris By the Book – Liam Callanan – 3***
I wanted to love this book. The author is from my home town, the beginning of the book is set in Milwaukee, and then the action moves to a city I love, Paris France. Plus, it’s a book about books. But … While the book has a great premise, some marvelously atmospheric scenes highlighting Paris, and includes MANY book references, it didn’t live up to my expectations.
My full review HERE
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The Merchant's Mark, Pat McIntosh
★ ★ ★
From the inside cover:
"The barrel should have contained books---instead it held treasure and a severed head....
Gil Cunningham and his auld acquaintance, Glaswegian merchant Augie Morison had been expecting a delivery of books from the Low Countries, and they found the gruesome substitute. They report their find to the Provost but at the inquest the next morning Morison is accused of murder and imprisoned. To prove the merchant's innocence, Gil sets out with is friend and future father-in-law, Maistre Pierre, the French Master-Mason, to track down the treasure's owner and identify the dead man.
The trail they follow leads them from the court of James IV at Stirling, to an unexpected death on the bare slopes of the Pentland Hills"
In addition Gil's sister, Kate, & his future wife, Alys, are taking care of Augie Morison's two young daughters while at the same time doing some investigating of their own.
I like the characters, the story was interesting, but I felt it was longer in details that I could have done without & so I skipped over parts.... The Scot's dialect was difficult to understand in parts and made me pause in order to ken what was being said. Therefore - 1 ★!
Tana French In the Woods. Also on my kindle I'm reading The Poisoned Glass. I also just finished the Illuminae Series.
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A Good Yarn – Debbie Macomber – 3***
This is book two in the Blossom Street series, featuring Lydia Hoffman and the people who come to her Seattle yarn store for knitting classes. The reader follows the ensemble cast through ups and downs, financial hardship, and business success, failed marriages and new love. Enjoyable, mind-candy comfort reads.
My full review HERE
The Princess Bride by William Goldman.
I am about a third of the way through it but I am quite enjoying it (I am also a fan of the movie). I'll probably give it 5 stars when I am finished.
"A fairy tale adventure about a beautiful young woman and her one true love. He must find her after a long separation and save her. They must battle the evils of the mythical kingdom of Florin to be reunited with each other."
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Rough Collier, Pat McIntosh
★ ★ ★
I hated the first chapter of the book and I almost put the book down... but I'm glad I didn't.
From the inside flap:
"1493. When the peat-cutters came to report the dead man, Gil Cunningham was up in the roof-space of his mother's house teaching his new young wife, Alys, swordplay.
The finders believe the corpse in the peat to be that of Thomas Murray, missing from the coalmine on the estate of Sir James Douglas, Gil's godfather. Murray's wife and the autocratic widow who run the coalmine are sure it is someone else, but Sir James's steward, the officious (idiotic zealot) David Fleming, accuses them of having killed Murray by witchcraft. And if the corpse is not the missing man, who is it?
Gil, trying to establish the truth of the matter is helped by an old acquaintance from Glasgow, hindered by the steward, and finds himself dealing with the peat-cutters and salt-boilers, colliers and priests, and five verra different women of the missing man's family."
Another problem I have w/ the author is that she switches back and forth, often in the same paragraph, of her characters speaking in a thick Scots accent and regular English, which ye ken, makes for difficult reading.
I learned a bit about salt and yew... and I figured out Murray & who done it. What was never revealed was, who the body in the peat was...
But after the first chapter I was able to settle in & finish the book.
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Daughters of the Fifth Sun
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I have very mixed feeling about this offering:
On one hand it it beautiful, poignant, honest, lyrical, & poetic: On the other the honesty is brutally truthful, real, raw, & gritty, not in the least pretty, romantic, or happy.
I want to shout: "BRAVO", but the wounds presented therein hurt and make me want to hide.
Here there is no privilege, no entitlement, no easy life: only hard-scrabble life lessons of those living in an impoverished & often misogynistic environment.
The authors: I've read several prior to this collection.... only in this collection I did not walk away with a sense of accomplishment or victory; I found no joy, no salvation nor any comfort.
I do not believe that this was written for the faint at heart nor those of us who have had an easy life. These are not "First World Problems" and therein lies the power of this collection.
I'll give this 5 Stars, only for the truth/honesty of its authors & their writings; not because I liked/loved it.
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A True Cowboy Christmas – Caitlin Crews – 3***
I was surprised by how entertaining I found this, despite some totally ridiculous dialogue. I thought the miscommunication between Abby and Gray was belabored. Would have liked to see a more gradual coming-to-agreement, meeting-of-the-minds story arc rather than the abrupt “Come to Jesus (i.e. Christmas)” turnaround. But hey, it’s a cowboy Christmas romance, so it’s okay. And I did like looking at that cover ….
My full review HERE
Badger to the Bone
by Shelly Laurenston
narrated by Charlotte Kane
5*****
I was laughing so hard I had to pause this several times. I expected to find this fun and I did. I expected to see some characters from Pride series and I did, some of them unexpected. I was delighted to see characters from the Magnus Pack series. This book demonstrates once again it's not the size of the shifter in the fight it's the size of the fight in the shifter. No one has more fight in them than these badgers who prove once again that when you mess with one sister you mess with them all.
I thought this was the final badger book but this book introduces more badgers so maybe there will be more books.
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Giovanni’s Room – James Baldwin – 4****
A classic of gay literature explores the coming of age of a young American living in Paris in the 1950s. Baldwin’s writing is evocative and atmospheric. His characters are well drawn and reveal their strengths and weaknesses through their thoughts and actions. David’s struggles to be true to himself while living the life he feels is expected of him leads to tragedy. I feel for all these characters as their dreams and aspirations are slowly destroyed. I can only hope that after this story ends, David finds some happiness in his life.
My full review HERE
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Let It Snow – Nancy Thayer – 3***
Thayer writes a lovely, quick romance set against a charming backdrop of Christmas in Nantucket. The characters are mostly straight out of central casting, but I’m not complaining. I read these books because they are comfort food. I know exactly what I’m in for and I’m happy to get it.
My full review HERE
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Song of the Lion, Anne Hillerman
★ ★ ★
Bernie, Dineh police officer & Jim Chee's wife is at the Oldtimer's basketball game when she feels a big movement... Outside a bomb has destroyed a new BMW and a young man is found nest to the car in poor condition. A vehicle speeds away, some kids take off, the a.h. rookie arrives & makes things worse. Then the young man dies...
The man that the car belongs to is a big time lawyer who is working w/ the Dineh, Havasupai, Grand Canyon business, Hopi, & other tribal/state/federal/private interests to mediate the possibilities & concerns regarding a proposed resort on the Easter side of the Grand Canyon... on sacred lands.
Jim Chee is assigned as the lawyer's bodyguard, but isn't too successful as the man keeps taking off & disregarding Chee's concerns. The Lawyer's estranged son shows up & another rift begins....
Oddly the Lawyer, they dead young man, the bomber, & Lawyer's son are all connected...
Leaphorn didn't really seem to be in the picture much, but he held the missing link between the characters.
Actually, I was able to connect the dots as well.
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Let's Pretend This Never Happened Lawson
Minus 1 ★
"Let's Pretend This Never Happened"?
Well, it's too late for that; but seriously folks, I do wish I could pretend this book never happened and that I never happened to read it:
In fact here's a Real Lesson for all ya'll: "You Can Not Judge a Book by Its Cover"
It is the truth, I love the cover, that little mouse in a white ruff & cape: So Verrrrra Cute! Made me want to read the book... and now I'm sorely disappointed that what was inside of the cover was nothing but pure drivel & carp...
The writing is the pure coma inducing stream of consciousness of a foul mouthed, raving, ADD, deluded gal who mistakenly thinks she is funny and entertaining.
As I stated: Let's Pretend This [book] Never Happened: We'll all be happier for it!
Make It Stick: The Science of Successful LearningThis book is about ways for a person to sharpen their skills in learning. It gives an analysis and a story for each tip to memorize something. Overall, I give this a 5 star rating. I recommend this book for anyone who is interested in self-development!
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Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict – Laurie Viera Rigler – 2**
I should have read the book jacket and put the book aside. This was just ridiculous on so many levels, and Courtney was a total idiot whom I wanted to slap on about every other page. At least it was a fast read, and mildly entertaining.
My full review HERE
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Planting Stories – Anika Aldamuy Denise – 5***** and a ❤
Subtitle: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré. This picture book biography is marvelously illustrated by Paola Escobar. The story is simple enough for children to absorb, but detailed enough to engage an adult.
My full review HERE
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Above the Bay of Angels, Rhys Bowen
★ ★ ★
After her mother dies, Bella is sent to work as a scullery maid in order to support her drunk father (who has fallen from grace with his Viscount Uncle) & younger sister.
On her way into town, Helen Barton (who is on her way to interview for Queen Victoria's kitchen) is struck down & killed by a horse drawn trolley. While Bella attempts to comfort Helen, she finds the note of interview & takes the opportunity to interview for the position, using Helen's name.
The book is mainly about Bella's time in the kitchens working her way up to Pasty Chef while the Queen is staying at her hotel in Nice, France.
There is a spot of trouble for Bella (as Helen), a murder, and romance.
A nice story which held my interest.
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Cave of Bones Anne Hillerman
★
Tribal Officer, Bernie Manuelito (Jim Chee's wife) is assigned to give a talk to a group of "troubled" teenage girls, who are out on a retreat doing a solo over-night stay in the Malpais Lava Flow: While Chee, is taking classes on advanced police work and having to deal with Bernie's spoiled, p.i.t.a. sister.
One of the counselors goes missing after locating one of the more problematic girls who left her campsite.
There is more to the story, but I really can't tell you because I found it dis-jointed with too many different sub-plots and I read through it quickly just to be done with it. I never warmed up to the story and I didn't like the majority of the characters, they were just shallow ugly people.
Also disappointing is the gratuitous mentions of Joe Leaphorn... It seems he's only written because he is expected to be a part of the story and the author really doesn't know how to fit him in.
As I stated I found this dis-jointed, confusing, rambling, & not really well written...
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An American Marriage – Tayari Jones – 4****
This is a marvelous character-driven study of relationships, in the broader context of modern society’s inability to grant a Black man the basic premise of “innocent until proven guilty.” Despite this great injustice, the central focus is really the characters’ lack of communication and honesty with one another. My loyalties shifted back and forth between Celestial and Roy as they took turns narrating the story. I think it would be a great choice for a book-club discussion.
My full review HERE
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As Nature Made Him – John Colapinto – 5*****
Subtitle: The Boy Who Was Raised As a Girl. This made me so angry! The unmitigated arrogance and superior attitude of Dr John Money made me want to hunt him down and do an experiment on HIM! In writing the book, Colapinto did an excellent job of researching the various players in this tragedy. He provides considerable background on the development of sexual/gender identity theory, including interviews with many researchers and reporting from numerous professional journals. I think the book is balanced and truthful. I applaud David Reimer for the way he managed to survive the horror that was his childhood.
My full review HERE
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Ahab’s Wife – Sena Jeter Neslund – 4****
Melville’s classic Moby Dick contains perhaps three or four sentences that reference Ahab’s wife, but those brief references were enough to inspire Neslund to write this tome. Una is a marvelous character: intelligent, forthright, adventurous, principled, loyal and loving. The novel takes her from her childhood in rural Kentucky to her later years in Massachusetts. Along the way she encounters many colorful characters, from slaves to judges, but make no mistake, the story is Una’s, first and foremost.
My full review HERE
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Blue Asylum – Kathy Hepinstall – 2**
Iris Dunleavy is confined to a Florida island asylum for the obvious madness she exhibited in defying her husband. Perhaps Hepinstall was trying to give the reader a sense of the disorientation a truly sane person must feel in such a mandated confinement. If that was her intention, then she mostly succeeded. But, like Iris, I just wanted to escape.
My full review HERE
The Priory of the Orange TreeThis is an epic tale of dragons and magic. Like Game of Thrones but less sex and more action - women leading the way.
It is a brick of a book but well worth the massive read
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Pies and Prejudice – Ellery Adams – 2**
I’ve been drawn to this basic premise – food’s magical qualities – since reading Citra Banerjee Divakaruni’s The Mistress of Spices. I’ve read other series books by Adams as well, and enjoyed them. But she really missed the mark here. Ella Mae is just too clueless, and the cast of “eccentric” characters just too over-the-top. Thank heavens it was a fast read.
My full review HERE
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Montana Sky – Nora Roberts – 3***
A schlocky cowboy romance with some fun sex scenes. The romance was more than enough to hold our attention, with sibling rivalry and the push/pull attractions between the couples entertaining enough to keep even this curmudgeonly reader turning pages. And I did love picturing all those rippling muscles on the big, strong men! But that serial killer subplot! Totally unnecessary.
My full review HERE
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The Fourth Crow, Pat McIntosh
★ ★ ★ 1/2
A widow taking a vow of renouncement & living insane is tied to the cross of St Mungo for healing.... In the morning when the family comes to retrieve her, they instead find a corpse tied to the cross....
After much arguing & closer examination, the corpse turns out to be that of a local hoor. Now Gil has two mysteries to solve, the murder of the hoor and the disappearance of the widow.
Along the way there are two more murders and the discovery of goods being stolen from St Mungo's.... all related to the widow.
I liked this better than the last two I read, one which I put down & did not review. It held my interest and thankfully, not all of the characters were as loathsome as in the last two books. I also like Gil & his wife Alys and how they work together as a team.
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Bandit, Molly Brodak
★ ★ ★ 1/2
Imagine your father being a slick-talking, manipulating, gambling, bank-robber....
That is what this book is about, how Molly got through her childhood knowing that something was 'wrong", that her father could lie to everyone straight-faced & then smile afterwards....
It describes growing up, her parents relationship, her relationship (or lack-thereof) with her sister & her parents.
It was very interesting and a highly compelling read that I could not put down except to finally sleep @ 2:00 am.
Other than the bank-robbing, she described my sibling to a T.
Only two chapters towards the end gave me problems, where she wrote to explain his predilection for questionable actions. Maybe she was just attempting to put it all into writing for herself to better understand.
Her writing is lyrical & hypnotizing at the same time honest and poignant.... All in all, very well written.
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The Only Road – Alexandra Diaz – 5***** and a ❤
This is a powerful story of twelve-year-old Jaime and his fifteen-year-old cousin Angela’s harrowing journey from their village in Guatemala to El Paso Texas as they flee gang warfare. They face many dangers on this long journey, but find within themselves the courage, tenacity, inventiveness and compassion they need to see them through. I loved these characters. Very well told young adult novel without graphic violence but still giving a sense of the real dangers such refugees face. Both heart-breaking and inspiring.
My full review HERE
The Bromance Book ClubLyssa Kay Adams
narrators: Andrew Eiden, Maxwell Caulfield
4****
I re-listened to this before listening to the new one because there are so many characters I wanted to refresh my memory of who's who.
The basis for series, men reading romances to learn about women, is fun but the men are serious about learning about women and what they want.
Main characters Gavin and Thea. The first book is sports romance/romantic comedy. The Bromance Book Club bringing in Gavin as new member. He needs help to save his marriage and they and the book they recommend help him. The recommended book is a regency about a man romancing his wife and those parts are narrated by Maxwell Caulfield.
Undercover BromanceLyssa Kay Adams
narrator: Andrew Eiden
4****
Main characters Mack, founder of the Bromance Book Club and Liv, Thea's sister. Romance with some humor and some suspense. Liv is a pastry chef working for a horrible celebrity chef who is revealed to be even more horrible than Liv imagined. The men in the book club are ready and willing to help Mack and Liv with romance and bring down the celebrity chef. There is a second romance with older couple. There are reveals about established characters. I'm wondering if new characters who are introduced will be featured in the next book. I missed the Maxwell Caulfield reading the Bromance Book Club chosen book but it wouldn't have fit.
This book is about Athens' elite people in a drinking party. Each person gave a speech about their perspective on love. Overall, this book is a good read. I would recommend it for people who are interested in Philosophy.
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The Preacher’s Daughter – Beverly Lewis – 2**
I think Lewis does have a knack for exploring the Amish and Mennonite cultures, and contrasting their perspectives against those of modern-day America. I’m glad she gives voice to people who struggle with the basic tenets of faith and a way of life that may not completely suit them. However, I think Lewis’s ambitions got away from her. There is just too much going on in this novel and none of if it satisfactorily explored.
My full review HERE
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The Crane Wife, Patrick Ness
★
I have very mixed feelings about this book, based on a Japanese Folktale.
From the inside flap:
"When George and his daughter, with their seemingly ordinary quirks and heartbreaks, are befriended by an enigmatic woman, art beauty and myth become living forces in their lives. This poignant novel echoes with the longings and sorrows of of the ages. But what comes as a most delightful delightful is the humor and humanity that Patrick Ness brings to this story" -- Eowyn Ivey author of "The Snow Child" Well, I certainly missed the humor
"George Duncan is an American living and working in London. At forty-eight, he is the owner of a small print shop, divorced, and lonelier than he realizes. But one night her is awoken by an astounding sound - a terrific keening, coming from somewhere in his garden. When he investigates he finds a Great White Crane, a bird taller than even George himself. It has been shot through the wing with an arrow. Moved more than he can say, George struggles to take out the arrow from the bird's wing, saving its life before it flies away into the night sky.
The next morning, a shaken George tries to go on with his daily life, retreating to the back of his store and making cuttings from discarded books - a harmless, personal hobby - when through the front door of the shop a woman walks in. Her name is Kumiko, and she asks George to help her with her own artwork: cuttings made from what look like the most delicate slices of feathers. George is dumbstruck by her beauty and her enigmatic nature and begins to fall desperately in love with her. She seems to hold the potential to change his entire life, if he could only get her to reveal the secret of who she is and why she has come to him.
Witty (not on your life), magical, and romantic (pushing it), 'The Crane Wife' is a story of passion and sacrifice that resonates on the level of dream and myth, a novel that celebrates the creative imagination and the disruptive powers of love."
I found the story intriguing, then it made me angry and I put it down, but I wanted to know about Kumiko who sacrificed her life for George until the very end.
There is also an ongoing lyrical & magical narrative of a flying woman who loves a Volcano that loves her, as they try to not destroy each other, and that was difficult to follow as it was a metaphor.
I disliked the rest of the characters: George was an idiot & wishy-washy; his daughter was a bitch; his ex-wife was jealous & bitchy; Rachel, Amanda's insane boss & unbeknownst to Amanda, one of Georges former girlfriends is worse than all the other women put together.
The only characters I found to be decent beings & have redeeming qualities were: JP, George's grandson; Henri, Amanda's ex-husband; Amanda's co-worker Mei Lo; and Hank, George's ex's new husband.
So I hated the book but I liked the underlying original myth....
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The Gown – Jennifer Robson – 3.5***
The subtitle is all the synopsis anyone needs: A Novel of the Royal Wedding. Princess Elizabeth’s wedding to Phillip Mountbatten, that is. I really liked the friendship between Ann, the scrappy Brit, and Miriam, the French immigrant who had survived the Nazis. However, the dual timeline has become the latest fad in historical fiction and I’m over it. Nevertheless, the story captured and held my attention.
My full review HERE
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Earle Wayne's Nobility Mrs Georgie Sheldon
★ ★ ★
Well this was a strange book, but considering when it was written and by a woman who was considered a "dime novelist", maybe not so strange after all.
Earle Wayne comes across two burglars and after they flee the scene he is arrested & found guilty of the burglary, even though there is no evidence except that of a dropped bracelet that was found at the scene and is convicted to 3 years in prison.
Earle is in love w/ Editha, the young woman whose bracelet it is and she promises to wait for him, but her father is a right tight mamzer and waylays the weekly letters & tokens of friendship she sends him.
The young woman is left a fortune by her Uncle with the promise to give Earle $10,000 and a packet of letters upon his release.
Unbeknownst to Earle, his mother who died in near poverty, was still the legal heir of the marquis of Wycliffe and Earle the current Marquis.
The book goes on & on in a series of misfortunes for Earle & Editha and the "nobility" that gets them through the worst of trials and to forgiveness.....
The story was seriously a bit much & soppy, but it held my interest & I was up until 5:00 am in order to finish it.
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The Gift of Rain – Tan Twan Eng – 5*****
Historical fiction set in Malaya during World War II. The 15-year-old main character, youngest son of an established British family, comes of age in a very unsettling time, and becomes the unwitting accomplice to a Japanese spy. The writing is atmospheric and poetic. The characters are complex and nuanced. I was on the edge of my seat in certain scenes. And Eng managed to have me empathize with all sides at one time or another.
My full review HERE
Author Penny Reid First two books in the Knitting in the City series
Romantic comedy with suspense elements
The Neanderthal Box Set 4**** (Free on Amazon)Read kindle book and listened to audios.
Audio versions:
Neanderthal Seeks Human by 4****narration by Jennifer Grace 3***
Neanderthal Marries Human 4****narration by Jennifer Grace 3***
narration by Sebastian York 4****
The first book can be read as a stand alone but Reid considers Marries to be a continuation of Seeks and has released ebook of them together. I have the kindle book of the two together and that is what I read along with the audios. I agree reader will get more out of Marries if Seeks is read first but I'm not sure it is absolutely necessary. Marries is a full length book by itself.
I haven't read anything else by Reid so don't know if this is typical for her but each book has humor and suspense. Each book has one extremely funny laugh out loud scene, the kind where I had to go back and listen again to be sure I hadn't missed something due to laughing.
I started Seeks at end of April. Took me longer to finish these than usual but think that's me not the books. Enjoyed the characters and stories and think I will enjoy the series.
I liked both books but enjoyed the audio of Marries more because Sebastian York was added as narrator. I disliked the overly feminine voice Jennifer Grace used for important secondary character Steven. Grace continued to have him sound more feminine than women in the knitting club in the second book. It threw me out of the story because I wondered what woman was speaking and it took a moment for me to figure out it was Steven not a woman.
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
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Guts, Kristen Johnson
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I had no idea what to expect, but it wasn't this honest, insightful & well written book on Kristen Johnson's addiction and recovery....
It had little to do with her fame & stardom and there was only the slightest mention of 3rd Rock....
I did not find her descriptive narrative loathsome, boring, or pitiful... There was no "poor me", although she did describe the "poor me" attitude she held while recuperating in a London Hospital w/ ruptured ulcers/stomach, & intestines....
As I stated, I liked the writing: clear and intelligent, not emotional and I read it straight through in less than 6 hours!
Yea for Kristen Johnson ♥
Overall: 5 Stars
This book is about many ways that happy, successful, people do things differently. There are 9 parts that give over 100+ advices that relates to each part of this book. Anyone can read this book. For anyone who wants to know how they can start transforming their lives, this book is an amazing book to do so!
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A Discovery of Witches, Deborah Harnkess
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
That being said: So I had this & got rid of it, then I got another copy & put it away.... I just finished another book & walked by my table and there it was. Once I picked it up, I seriously could not put it down.
The short of it: "Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell."
Previous to the above: Diana's parents (powerful witches) go to Nigera & there they are murdered, leaving Diana an orphan raised by her Aunt... All while refusing to use her magic.
After finding the magickal tome, Matthew (a vampire) falls in love with her & Diana with him.... and her magic occasionally comes to life... and he protects her taking him home to France with him.... and the uglies pursue her and him....
Sometimes the characters acted stupidly, her Aunt Sarah was a pita.... but the tale was riveting and for the most part well written.
A fantastical & magickal tale.... Again up until 5:00 am finishing.
When reading this book it shows you how to have self discipline. To have it one must follow a goal and make sure they maintain it. This book is well written and whoever is looking to be more disciplined, this book can help. Overall 5 Stars!
This is another book that teaches self-discipline. The difference between this book and the one I previously mentioned is that this gives a more profound insight on what is self-discipline. Plus, this book gives more tips on how to be well disciplined. For anyone who wants to improve themselves in terms of discipline, this book is a good book to do so. Overall I give this book 5 stars!
Mod
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
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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