Phyllis
During the pandemic, I came across Minnie Smalls' YouTube channel. About a year and a half beforehand, a friend got me into Let's Make Art, which used to have really fun free YouTube watercolor videos and optional physical art boxes providing materials for the tutorials.
Back to the point! I didn't have the luxury of extra time some folks did during the pandemic (had less!), but I did have a lot of time for art. And looking for tangentially related art YouTube channels (not just the Welsh Twins). That's how I found Minnie Smalls! She has lovely videos about sketchbooks and blogs and many other things-well worth checking out!
Lo and behold, I was browsing through our books at the library this summer and came across this great sketchbook inspiration book! I completed 5 or so of the prompts and really enjoyed Minnie's instructions and examples from her own sketchbooks. I also really enjoyed the variants and sub-exercises offered.
This is one of the best sketchbook inspiration books I've seen so far and am very likely to buy!
The first two thirds of this book were really good with some of the best character development I've seen in the chick lit/romance genre for quite awhile. I zoomed through and was really enjoying the book.
Then, the book got super ridiculous. The “ball,” small business rejuvenation, and insta-perfect romance just went too far. Also, if the two love interests were hard-nosed, New York, ballsy business people at the beginning (not to mention jerks most people,) they're not certainly going to change into two completely different people by the end of this book. It took me forever to finish the book because it just got done.
I have a smaller bone to pick with the author. I don't for one minute believe that a very pregnant woman is going to pick a house to rent for nearly a month that doesn't have a driveway or anything but tons of stairs that goes up to it. I also don't believe that two women are going to rely entirely on taxis and walking around an unknown Southern town instead of renting a car. For nearly a month. Just because someone is from New York City doesn't mean they don't understand cars are needed in other places.
Blehhhh. The author states that you can loose weight just by meditating. There's a lot of repetitiveness and “you go girl” crap in this book. If I had looked up the other books this author previously released, I wouldn't have picked this one up.
It seems that Tessa Bailey forgot her character sketch of Hannah from the first book AND also decided to spend a lot of time on text exchanges between Fox and Hannah for what felt like an interminable amount of time. I DNFed this book about 30% of the way through because it was BORING. I couldn't even make it to the smut!, which is okay because other reviewers mentioned the prevalence of massage oil and use of “buns.”
The author, Ann Burgess, was a key member of the famous “Mindhunter” FBI unit, who created breakthroughs in profiling and tracking down serial killlers (they coined the term, in fact).
While there are rather gruesome descriptions of victim mutilations and deaths, each one contains fingerprints of the killers. Ann provides interesting background on me on framework she developed while working in academia. She further developed and refined this tool to the FBI, which brought formality to the assessment process used in connecting dots between murders and who might have committed them. I also enjoyed getting the author's viewpoint as an outsider (a female from academia in the 1970s and 1980s).
“56 Days” is the first book I've read where the COVID-19 pandemic played a major role. And it's quite popular; this book sat in my library hood queue for at least a few months. So, I was all geared up to be annoyed/put upon/not to like it.
I was most pleasantly surprised! This was a real page-turner that I read in one evening (on a work night, no less). Catherine Ryan Howard does a great job shifting time and perspective while keeping a nice pace. The characters have real voices and act like real people. I don't want to say too much because this is a book you should just read for yourself!
The audiobook version from Brilliance audio is narrated by an automaton, making it almost impossible to enjoy any insights provided by Pinker. I highly recommend avoiding this version at all costs!
This third installment in Helene Tursten's Inspector Huss series is a bit more choppy than the first two books. Ultimately, the murderer sort of made sense, but almost seemed like a caricature and had too many unusual “fingerprints” mashed together. The path to finding the murderer also seemed overly complex.
One element less evident in this book is the home life of Inspector Huss, which sets this series apart from similar books. I hope the next few books return to weaving in the impact of a detective's grueling and uncontrollable schedule on her husband and children.
The premise? Not bad. The execution? Dragged out. Marissa Levien started off well, but the intermittent chapters about what happens to the world (in this book) “after” really bogged the action down and didn't add to the story. I also found the world-building lacking. If a ship contain what's left of earth-dwellers, there would be efficiencies and a lot more recycling. The ship would be unlikely to contain a giant dessert where no one lives or other geographic features that would make fuel requirements insane. Finally, both of the main characters were too precocious
A solid 3.49 stars! I dig the mystery within a mystery trope in this series.
However, I really don't like Susan Ryland very muc and find her sections of the book far less compelling. That was the case for me in the first installment in the series, but the story in book 1 was better. It seems like this book went out of its way to be complicated as opposed to creating interesting characters.
This is the second book in a row in which I was lured into reading the book by an interview with the author. I first read Ruth Ozeki's “My Year of Meats” almost 25 years ago and really liked it, so I didn't need much of an excuse to pick up another book of hers. And a book about books, at that.
The premise is a good one. I won't recap the plot, but will say that the promise of the premise isn't delivered. In fact, I was really bored and found myself not caring, ultimately deciding not to continue around 1/3 through.
This is a 2.8 star book for me.
I liked a where Stephen King was going with Billy Summers and the slow build up to Billy's one last hit in this book. I also liked a lot of the side characters that were introduced in the first half.
However, once Alice Maxwell is introduced, I felt like King was trying to mash too many things together. I also didn't feel like the person who ordered the hit made much sense; it would have been more interesting if it was someone from Billy's past.
Also, if I'm a hit man, I'm not stopping for days or weeks to write a book or assuming everything is hunky dory after I go shoot up a house full of people. It's like Billy forgot he was a hit man the second half of the book.
Anyway, a decent read, but nothing is read again.
Well, this book is due back to the library and I'll leave off a star rating because I couldn't finish. And I'm not sure I really want to continue.
This inability to finish a Louise Erdrich book is a real surprise to me. She is one of our great living American writers, yet this book seems rushed or not as carefully constructed as the other books I've read. Louise Erdrich can take almost any topic and weave a story out of it, so it may be my own personal roadblock that's preventing me from getting further.
There is a really nice list of books at the end I'm definitely putting in my to-read list.
Also, Louise Erdrich owns Birchbox Books in Minneapolis, which is on my to-visit list.
https://birchbarkbooks.com
The only thing I liked about this book is what most other reviewers hated: the interspersed letters from a rabid fan. Maybe I liked these bits of commentary on the preceding chapter because they criticized differences in American and Australian word/phrase choice or weaknesses in characterization, plot, etc. Otherwise, this is one of the worst locked-room mysteries I've read. All of the characters begin and end as caricatures with no development.
I'd also like to know how many writers can afford to eat out every meal in expensive Boston. Or why the author chose to set the book during the COVID-19 pandemic, but not one of our main characters ever seems to wear a mask, avoid going out, or take notice of a worldwide plague other than creating a device to keep the fanboy at home for awhile.
I could go on about how many things are wrong with this book, but it's partially my fault; I know better than to read a book with woman or girl in the title.
Really cute rom-com in book form! This one does a nice job of building up the characters and romance. Plus, the female characters are smart, strong scientists! I look forward to her next book.
A popular fiction book club at my local library chose this book for the March 2025 meeting. After reading the synopsis, it put me in mind of another book, “The Other Wes Moore.” While this book does follow a different path, there is the commonality of considering how different life is for someone who also shares some of your name.
I had not heard about this book before, which is sort of surprising because I would've thought I'd heard the related “This American Life” podcast (https://www.thisamericanlife.org/492/transcript). I certainly intend to listen to it now that I finished the book.
The first 40% or so of the book moved along a clip and was full of suspense. In fact, this book reads more like a suspense book then what one usually expects from nonfiction books. And it was relatively easy to read.
Once we learn that the other Dr. Gilmer (Vince) had Huntington's disease, the book ratcheted down to a much slower pace. To be fair, that could be because it took years and years for the author and a team of lawyers and medical experts to work on a clemency application to Virginia's governor for Dr. Vince Gilmore.
Huntington's disease is truly horrible. My Aunt's second husband's family has it: my uncle‘s first wife, one of his daughters, and one of his grandsons have/had Huntington's and it is a horrible thing to watch happen to somebody. At one point, Dr. Benjamin Gilmore describes Huntington‘s as Lou Gehrig's plus Parkinson's plus Alzheimer's. And that's a pretty accurate summation from my experience (my Gran had Lou Gehrig's).
It is the last third of the book that also includes more of Dr. Benjamin Gilmer's crises of conscience and disappointed expectations. Again, when you work and work then wait and wait and wait, your mind has nothing to do but spin. From a purely critical perspective, this section could have been tightened up a little. But, this Dr. Gilmer does seem to truly care about his patients, family, and particularly the other Dr. Gilmer who had an unfair trial.
Personal aside: It was l fun to hear Dr. Benjamin Gilmer mention wonderful Asheville gems I'd been to (before the horrific 2024 flood).
Wow, this was a cracking good read! This is the second book I've read by James M. Cain (the first being my book club's Valentine's Day pick: “The Postman Always Rings Twice”).
What is a career and what is company loyalty? Can one have friends? Is love at first sight real? What is love? Does anyone really know anyone? What makes people “change?” Can you plan the perfect crime? Is insurance fraud an interesting frame for a noir novella?
In just 114 pages, James M Cain explores every one of those questions and more. He manages to build characters who are well fleshed out with very compact, powerful dialogue. “Double Indemnity” may have been published in 1935, but the story could still work today. Reading this book is reading the work of a master.
Stunning short story collection that I'm thinking about over a month after I started. I'm looking forward to more writing from this talented author who is great at capturing different characters and making them breath.
One star for the audiobook version, which I got through Libby/Overdrive from my local library. Each story is read by a different person, starting off with a bang by the great Levar Burton. The title story at the end felt a little dry for some reason, perhaps because the narrator never seemed to change tone all that much (it's a thought-provoking and sad premise worth reading).
Such a disappointing book.
I heard an interview with the author and was hooked in. Margaret Verble discussed her inspiration for this story, which was a small amusement park in her childhood neighborhood that included horse divers like the fictional Two Feathers.
The book, however, isn't as compelling as I hoped. The characters and story meandered to meh after a good start. It also seemed like there were just too many characters and side stories, which really weren't needed when a few of the main characters had rich enough stories/back-stories to fill several books.
Also, I was personally annoyed with umpteen sentences starting with a verb, no matter which character whose point-of view was being presented.
Blehhhhhh. Maybe it's my fault for reading another chick lit/light romance right before this book. Or maybe this book is just boring.
I really looked forward to this book after reading Jones' excellent “The Only Good Indians.”
The premise sounded good, yet Jones did nothing with it. The book is extremely slow interspersed with boring essays the main character has written to her history teacher. Each essay goes on and on about various slasher topics.
For such a talented author, the writing in this book was sub-standard. Most of the time, it was hard to follow dialogue or who was doing what; it's as though there was no editor overseeing this novel. Most of the characters weren't fleshed out and Jade was supper unsympathetic, even once we get a reveal about her towards the end.
The ending? Completely ridiculous.
This is a great guide to accompany a trip to both Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons National Parks.
The number of sites and hikes to see in Yellowstone is almost overwhelming. This book can help you see some of the highlights or visit less-trafficked areas of the park. I also enjoyed some of the well-written (and quirky) descriptive passages.
I'm having a tough time rating this book. And here's why.
1. Tia Williams CAN WRITE. When she's really in the groove, in one sentence, she is hilarious, keenly observant, and pulling at your heartstrings. The first two pages of the book are worth checking out this book (for adults only!). The next few chapters did a great job of setting up the characters and hinting at the story. Despite what I'm going to lay out in this review, I will most certainly try a few of her other books.
2. Sometimes, additional points-of-view don't add to the story. There are two character featured in single chapters and I think both could have been removed without affecting the story. No stars deducted.
3. Second-chance romances are probably my favorite type of romance (here's looking at you, “Persuasion”). There's so much that can be done with character growth and blending different settings/times/characters. I wouldn't say that “Seven Days in June” qualifies. A week-long bender (and the only time Eva and Shane spend together the first time around) leading to the near-death of Eva doesn't qualify in my mind. Both of them already had serious self-harming behavior, addictions, and lack of family support (that's putting it mildly for Shane), so things in common? Yeah, but do they really establish a relationship? My vote is no. Also, the reason Eva “hated” Shane for leaving didn't make any sense. She knew that they were squatting in a giant house in a room laden with drugs, never mind both of them being super high and her ODing at the end of the week. Did she really think he should have stuck around given his personal situation as a runaway from the orphan's home?
4. Both Shane and Eva use writing, heading in totally different directions, as a way to work out all the feelings they have about themselves and the other person.
5. The current-day romance is underwhelming. Is the chemistry great and sex hot? Yes, but neither character is really open to or easy for a relationship. They're still working on keeping addiction at bay and they turn to co-dependency?
6. The ending was too sappy, but I also get this is what the reading public wants. The almost-ending, where Ewa recognizes she's not ready to start a serious relationship with Shane and follows her family's story, was GREAT. It is a happy ending to choose yourself and a creative idea that had been lurking for months. If Shane was THE GUY, he'd be there for her down the road.
7. It was really brave of the author to let Eva show us what living with ultra chronic migraines is like. Until recently, this is something Tia Williams kept under wraps. I cannot think of another book I've read that went into what life with such a debilitating condition is like.
8. Some other reviews docked this book for including lots of brand references. However, I think they made sense. Shane's running accoutrements were a piece of his sober armor. And Eva's fancier clothes were her armor at public events to both hide her disability and give her the gumption to speak in public. The only reference that hit me wrong was “Windex eyes.“
This book should be added to high school history curriculums across the United States.
Clint Smith takes us on a journey through parts of American history that are not taught or known by most Americans. From Monticello to the Whitney Plantation to the Blandford Cemetary, the author talks about stories of the enslaved people and the awful legacy of treatment of black and brown Americans. He also include the study of his grandfather and how this journey impacted him personally.
Clint Smith is also a tremendously talented author, blending solid journalistic techniques with poetry and soaring language. Next, I'd like to read his poetry and Atlantic articles. He also narrates the audiobook version, which I found even more compelling.