Michelle
Full, weird, disclosure. Much of this is set in the town where I live, and my business name is mentioned in passing. I don't believe I know the author, and am in no way beholden to her to review positively.
I enjoyed this. I enjoyed reading about places where I've been, and I enjoyed the story. I enjoyed a mention of the big 2.5 billion year old rock my dogs pee on – THEY don't care and are not impressed.
The story, largely about parental loss, moved me, and the main twist surprised me – even though I'm not sure it should have. I would definitely read more by this author.
Murderinos will probably enjoy.
Some errors like “sick” in place of “sic.”
The Sheltie in the sling caught my eye, and was the reason I impulsively used an Audible credit to purchase it. The fact that this is true indicates I'm one bad week – who am I kidding? – three bad days from shoving one of my Shelties into a sling. For the sake of my back, maybe I'll pick my mini dachshund.
In all seriousness, I really enjoyed this listening experience. The author and the narrator told a very engaging story that made me both laugh out loud and tear up. I had to listen to some passages at a quicker speed due to my own issues ar0und loss.
Courtney Patterson, the narrator, really wowed me with the different voices and the wonderful line readings, including a woozy scene in a dental chair.
I related Judy's search for renewed creativity and her loneliness. I also related to her husband's anxiety struggles.
I could have used a few more pages wrap up, and the middle lagged for me somewhat, but this story of anxiety, and loss, and the need to love and be comforted really resonated with me.
I loved these books as a child, and I love them now! Of course, time moves on – there are moments of clear ignorant racism, spanking was the norm, pretty graphic depictions of hunting and preparing meat abound. Hides get tanned – this refers to spanking, not meat prep. I think these books have value in their own right, and as a history lesson. Love the illustrations.
I was watching the show recently, and there was a scene where everyone kept Carrie in the dark about the fate of a piglet. Cutesy. The real Ingalls girls were never in the dark.
Nice idea, especially how in the world Rush just accepts the stat updates. I am here for the relationship with Runt, the wolf, who is no longer a runt at the end. Women are underrepresented, imo, certainly in the fighter classes. If one of the messages is that a goblin can be a paladin, could we have a woman who is not a healer or meant to be love interest adjacent? (Chapter at the end for another series seems to improve on this.)
Author is funny.
Not really a clean manuscript, but not horrible. Words missing or duplicated in sentences, typos like create in place of creature.
I won a copy of this in a Goodreads raffle, but it's also free on Amazon through their program.
I started this last year, and then put it aside for a bit. I do that. It's rarely a slight against the book, more just I like to skip around and have a variety. I loved the story, the characters, and that the heroine wouldn't be considered by many to be “perfect,” while being perfect for that moment, that situation. I adored Harper's friendships with the people she met, and her brave, empathetic heart. What took the rating down to the 3 – 3 1/2 – zone was that too much was left unfinished. I am fine with a few loose ends in order to set up the next book in a series. A thriller I just read [b:Stillhouse Lake 33128934 Stillhouse Lake (Stillhouse Lake, #1) Rachel Caine https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1495714483l/33128934.SY75.jpg 53802245] did that. I get it, I even admire it when done well, and that book did it well. This time, though, I felt that too much was unsettled, and so I felt I didn't get enough satisfaction or bang for my buck. “Fall in love, break the curse” didn't get honored ... or maybe it did? We are set up to not know that in order to, presumably, pick up the next one. The next one that already promised a lot of good stuff without this left dangling. I predict the author was going for a triangle, and I'm not here – there? – for it, to be honest. I'd prefer incredible friendships to be more the norm instead of the exhausting will they/won't they of it all. Eh, maybe I'm wrong about the trajectory.
I really enjoyed this book. Unfortunately, I don't think I can continue with the series right now.
The outlook is so bleak, and reinforces my daily concern that people are growing increasingly less cruel, and that you can't count on your neighbor. I think it is a luxury to read that, better suited to a time where we're not all sitting quarantined in our homes, worried about what the people next door are thinking. In short, the characters in the book are hateful in a too familiar way.
I don't agree with the common criticism I see that Gwen would have had to have known what her husband was doing. This argument was also made IN the book, and dealt with. We make assumptions about our spouse, and we make compromises. Gwen hadn't been in her garage for years, and I have not been in mine. True story. I don't need the garage, and I don't want to fight with my husband over his need to throw “stuff” away. I don't think he's killing women there, because there's no chance there's room for that.
I also envy the people who thinks the portrayal of the online mob mentality is inaccurate. If there is a way to go after a woman, there will be a whole bunch of angry people – mostly men – who will gather up whatever excuse there is to do so, even if the excuse lacks logic. Lindy West will let you know all about that.
So, while I buy that a woman can be unaware of who her husband really is, and that men will hunt a woman down to torture her mentally or physically, while acting like they're serving up justice, I think I needed the odds to be a little better for Gwen. It's one thing to wonder who to trust, and it's another to really, truly be unable to trust 98% of the people. I think I just needed this woman and her kids to have a little more peace or hope.
Three Agatha Christie books in 1 ... And Then There Were None, Crooked House, and Endless Night.
Christie will never be my favorite author, but drawing room mysteries will never be my favorite genre either, so...
I joke that you should do a shot every time Christie is racist. Don't come at me. She was a product of her time, and the original title of And Then There Were None could not be any more eye-poppingly horrible. I've never read a Christie novel without a racist moment or moments. I accept these are the price of admission, or baked into the cake, or something.
I did like that each novel was genuinely different, felt genuinely different, than every other novel. That's amazing, really. Crooked House was my favorite, but I would say Endless Night holds up the best in having tropes and twists that would still be used, and work, today. At the same time, this is what also makes it perhaps most predictable – the things you would assume in a modern novel are the things you can assume here, making the murderer so obvious that you immediately dismiss this person as being too obvious. And then, yeah. Even with that, I appreciated that there was clues I missed. I figured out the general thing, but there were other details in plain sight I only got when it was all laid out.
And Then There Were None was my least favorite, and felt the most dated for me. I cared about and rooted for no one, which in all fairness makes sense as everyone was meant to be a villain. Still, none of the characters came alive for me, and it was the epitome of plot at the expense of character, and I'm a fan of character above all.
I started this at some point last year. I was in a hotel room. I can't narrow it down further. I then forgot about it. But the portion I'd read was pleasant.
I stumbled across it again during a sorting out of books. I had to start it again.
Anyhow, I related to Nina's social anxiety. I, and a lot of other people, need this to be better understood. I related to those moments the most.
I appreciated the unabashed celebration of geekiness, books, and trivia. These people are my people!
For me, there were too many characters and plot lines for the author to give them the time and justice needed. She wanted Nina to be thrust into a family with tons of members, but because there was no time to deal with all these people, they were just there, taking up a bit of space. Described, even placed on a family tree, with the family tree discussed, but that was all.
One of the plots had this really predictable solution, that the characters even acknowledged as the predictable trajectory. And then that was exactly what happened. So, that felt anti-climatic.
I did not like the romantic relationship. I related so strongly to Nina's anxiety that the “hero” consistently doing things that would have made my anxiety worse, not seeking to understand her struggle, taking really personally her need for alone time, when there is nothing personal about that, made me unable to be optimistic for them as a couple.
The book seemed to portray Nina as being in the wrong for her struggles, expecting her to prove her love by risking public humiliation at the hands of the man who was ghosting her, as a penance. I mean, a guy who ghosts someone with anxiety is not exactly the pick of the litter.
To be clear, this is a pretty lighthearted read, perhaps too lighthearted when combined with all the under-explored plots, and so maybe I shouldn't take the romance seriously. However, I can't help but think people who struggle with anxiety, who already might feel they're at fault, don't need that reinforced by suggesting that the path to love involves a man who cannot allow for respecting his partner's needs.
Okay, she has a firm book night. He gets offended she will not go on a date with him that night. He is literally like the guy on the bus who won't shut up when you're reading because in his mind he isn't interrupting anything. Ending up with this guy is not a happy ending. Sorry.
A panty dropper for me would be him sending over some hot chocolate, a book mark, and a throw, with a note that he can't wait for their future date.
Marry HIM, reader ... Marry him!
Every time Jane killed someone, I heard that song from Chicago in my head ... they had it comin'!
Loved the homages to Jane Eyre, and the language used felt like a good match to Charlotte Bronte's style.
If I have a nitpick, it's that Jane Steele might acknowledge there are similarities in her story to that of Jane Eyre, but doesn't acknowledge the bonkers nature of the coincidences – Thornfield Hall for Jane Eyre, Mr. Thornfield for Jane Steele.
And the middle lagged a bit, but I forgive because I accept this is me being an impatient modern reader, since the pacing was a nice match to the original.
This was a near perfect read for me, and I want to gobble up more by this author.
I love the show, and this book was interesting and enriching in a similar way, but Jennifer Worth's personality was abrasive to me. She did a lot of great work, and memorialized a time and place in a lasting way, which is lovely, and so my not wanting to have met her at the pub does not detract from any of that.
This is a brutal read, a story that fills me with anger, outrage, and despair.
I am 51 years old. While I was not alive for these events, I've lived long enough to understand the truth of how our perceptions of abuse, and who is capable of being an abuser, has evolved. Equal for me to the facts of the case was the material about the invention and evolution of policies, procedures, and professions put in place to protect children.
Lord knows children are still so vulnerable and at risk, but there was a time within memory of many when children had no safety net at all. Today, this story would be an epic failure of the system ... back then there was hardly a system at all.
Before I criticize the book, I want to say I felt like Sherlock Holmes when I read the name and location of a relative of the murderer, and realized this woman (June Bol) was the mother of the guy who invented Little Free Libraries, Todd Bol. She was one of the few people in this book who tried to protect children, and she raised a son who – as an homage to her – started a program that's enriching communities and changing lives. Her legacy stands in sharp contrast to that of Lois Jurgens, the murderer of Dennis, the abuser of other vulnerable children.
Okay, the central story was fascinating, as was the aforementioned history of the treatment and handling of child abuse. The rest was so dull, so dry, so unnecessary. The founders of White Bear Lake probably didn't care this much about the minutiae of the founding and running of White Bear Lake. Locals were mentioned for pretty much no purpose, but we know the author did his research. There could have been an interesting thread there about the rise and fall of the optimism and prospects for this town, but instead of it being merely a thread or a ribbon, it was an – I don't know – absurdly large handkerchief.
Quite talented writer, book marred by serious flaws that I imagine I'll elaborate upon at some point.
Okay, on 4/3/20, I'm elaborating. It's day whatever of my captivity, and I imagine yours as well, so might as well make a respectable Goodreads showing.
For whatever ridiculous reason, YA books with gay boys corresponding is my jam. How is this a thing? Oh, right – thank you, Simon. ;)
My issue with this book is the author got to have her cake and eat it too to a bonkers degree. If you decide to have the book be epistolary ... told solely through letters ... you have to take the limitations. That means the reader can't always be present, and you figure out how to credibly fill in some of the gaps this creates, and then allow some gaps to remain.
To have these boys recite minute details back to one another of events they both witnessed is jarring, artificial, and unacceptable to me. These flaws inherent in not excepting the limitation mars a book that should have been able to be listed with the best of the best of not just this sub-genre, but also YA.
I can wave away both characters having the seasoned writing skills of professional novelists. Mostly. But the “cake-eating” just got more jarring and absurd.
I think the author is really terrific, though. My fault is not with her, but with the people who should have fixed or made her fix this devastating error. She could have self-pubbed if she weren't going to have guidance.
And I would totally read another book by this author.
Mild Spoilers Ahead:
So much good here, like the handling of the repercussions of abuse. I personally appreciated the discussion of how someone can technically be an adult, a physically strong adult, and still allow abuse by parental figures. As someone who experienced this, I carried shame for along time, and making clear that the psychological power people wield due to their position in your life can then allow them to wield physical power as well, even as the abused are no longer minors.
Also, Prince and Minnesota, so that's all good! :)
I was sent an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed it, and there were a couple nice twists. Also, the story raised actual ethical questions. I particularly liked Jess second guessing constantly if she was being tested. The relationship between the msin characters was engaging. The climax fizzled a bit for me, with little of the anticipated tension. Would definitely read more by these authors.
This was a terrific read/listen – I bought the Kindle edition, and then realized I was an idiot for not getting the audioversion for B.P.'s narration. I mean, right? So I am the person who really does the immersion reading Amazon is always talking about in order to increase their sales.
Anyhow, the author comes across as honest, personable, tough, a terrific friend, and quick to own her flaws. I pretty much read/listened in two sessions because I didn't want to stop.
“Suicide isn't the only way you can lose someone to depression.”
I really liked “Darius,” and the way the author explored depression, family, friendship, and self-esteem. I know what it's like to be “inexplicably” sad in a way that just seems ridiculous and spoiled to people who haven't been there. I know what it's like to say the worst, meanest things to people I care about. I know what it's like to see every human interaction in the darkest, most suspicious light. I know what it's like to feel I've disappointed a parent by just being me.
Anyhow, the Iranian setting was also amazing! I loved how Darius became more himself by meeting this portion of his family, and realizing he belonged to something bigger than himself, when he stopped worrying about being Persian enough.
I thought it was terrific how the reader could see that one of the kids Darius went to school with (in America) wanted to be friends, but Darius wasn't in a place where he could see it, not until he returned home.
Darius's friendship with Sohrab was great, but what made the book for me was the exploration of Darius's relationship with his father, and now what can seem like rejection is really based on that person's pain, their feelings of failure and inadequacy. They're not rejecting you so much as dealing with their own issues.
I appreciate this book, but have to confess I didn't enjoy it all too much. I liked the premise of the book, and yet I rarely felt engaged. I, predictably, liked the portions that reminded me of books like [b:Moxie 33163378 Moxie Jennifer Mathieu https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494950979s/33163378.jpg 46824140] and [b:The Nowhere Girls 28096541 The Nowhere Girls Amy Reed https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1507458184s/28096541.jpg 48100738] – where students start underground movements to create change in their schools, and face the danger of discovery. However, I came away feeling like the author felt the best response to injustice was a strongly worded petition. This could be a misread, but the group's efforts seemed to be portrayed as too radical based on a chance that the wrong person might be blamed through circumstantial evidence for an underground paper and some graffiti. I guess I just don't want to see a book targeted to younger readers that encourages them to follow the rules and only work within a broken system, and that's what this felt like – point out injustices up until their might be repercussions. The relationships, other than the romantic relationship, could have used more attention, making the portrayals a bit superficial. Of course, this is just me, others might enjoy HA more, and get more out of it, but this book had a lot of hype behind it which, upon reading, I'm not sure it earned.
Eleanor Oliphant, the heroine of Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine, won by heart by stating, “You can???t have too much dog in a book.”
You really can't have too much dog in a book.
This is the second time in a short period of time when i fell utterly under the spell of a story about a woman/goddess/heroine dealing with the trauma of a cruel childhood with by seeking solitude with the exception of a fierce and loving animal companion by her side. The first book was Circe, by Madeline Miller.
These books are wringing me out emotionally, Eleanor Oliphant included, though I read that last year.
I don't think Deerskin is the right read for everyone, but what I loved about it, and loved about Circe – well, I loved a lot of things about both – is the author takes her time with the story, and her main character. This could have been a much faster paced novel, and that would have contained its own advantages.
Instead, we stay with Lissar in her deep pain and sorrow, and we stay with her during a brief period of peace, and we stay with her when she finds her strength once again. The result is ... whew ... a deeply moving experience. Other people might just find it plodding.
But not everyone wants that, or always wants that. I am the queen of gauging my mood to decide what to read. There are times when a book like this, or Deerskin/Lissar, or Eleanor Oliphant, would have been too much for me.
Certainly, a reader should be advised that the book takes very seriously sexual abuse and the trauma done by a horrible parent. I read a 1 star that disagreed, and I can't comprehend that since Robin McKinley, in my opinion, gives her all to saying some pains are deep, persistent, and crippling.
But, my dear, my poor child, don???t you understand yet that healing carries its own responsibilities? Your battle was from death to life no less than Ash???s is now; would you deny it? But you have not accepted your own gift to yourself, your gift of your own life. Ash is looking forward to running through meadows again; can you not give yourself leave to run through meadows too.
But to return to the no such thing as too much dog, the relationship between Lissar and her dog Ash is at the heart of this book – their love, connection, willingness to live and die for one another. So amazing!
It is a much more straightforward thing to be a dog, and a dog???s love, once given, is not reconsidered; it just is, like sunlight or mountains. It is for human beings to see the shadows behind the light, and the light behind the shadows. It is, perhaps, why dogs have people, and people have dogs.
There is a romance here as well, built on shared connection, built over time, built on kindness. It's better than all the stories of love at first sight combined, because it's about a love that heals and endures.
I do not have to understand, he said. I have seen the scars you carry, and I love you. If you and Ash cannot run quite so far as you used to because of old wounds, then we will run less far together. ???I was never a runner anyway,??? he murmured aloud, and Lissar stirred but made no answer.
If I have to complain, although the book is chock full of love of dogs, much disdain is given to lap dogs, and at least one comment involved the hero worrying a lesser dog might be bred to a purebred. Mutts and little dogs are amazing too!
Anyhow, I think I need to read something super light now, super silly. I'm exhausted from too many emotions.
???Go. Run,??? I snarled. ???I don???t ever want to see you again. And if you kill any more zombies, I???ll hunt you down and eat you. Then I???ll kill you.??? Heh. I cracked myself up sometimes.
This was a cute, fun, easy read. It resembled iZombie, but had its own vibe. I'd definitely read the next book in the series at some point when I was looking for something not too serious.
All the covers are amazing!
Good, but of course mostly just past tweets from a very stable genius. Tweets were shared, and commented on, by theme. Felt repetitive and old news at times, inevitably, but I genuinely chuckled at the juxtapositions and commentary. Reminded me once again how no one person can remember all the lunacy. (“Oh, yeah, how did I forget that one?”)
Did you know that 45 has tweeted about the store Tiffany the same amount of times as his daughter Tiffany? (6) But has tweeted about Ivanka – well, a lot. In fact, more tweets about Ivanka than Melania. Huh.
