Audrey
I've enjoyed previous books by Laura Dave such as The Last Thing He Told Me and Eight Hundred Grapes so I was excited to see another book from this author. I'd categorize this one somewhere between the two I mentioned — part mystery, part family-oriented drama. Liam Noone's death is ruled accidental, but his daughter Nora is skeptical. Her stepbrother Sam shows up, and soon Nora finds herself pulled into uncovering her father's illusive past. The story narrates in and out from past to present as we learn about Liam's past. Sadly I wasn't as into this story as I was with Laura Dave's previous books. It was enjoyable, but I think my reading tastes have changed in the couple of years since I've last read her work. I would have liked this to lean more on the side of thriller rather than romance/drama. Either way, the story itself was enjoyable, just not what I'd expected. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Element for providing a free digital ARC of the book to read and review!
A terrific blend of humor and humanity. The writing was witty and clever which I hadn't expected and admittedly took some getting used to personally, but ultimately, I was won over. Though I found myself relating to Zara the most, there were bits and pieces of a few of the characters' lives I could empathize with. I was in tears at the end because I was so touched.
A good children's book showing 9/11 through the eyes of a young boy who finds himself in the midst of the attacks on the Twin Towers.
Much like the main Lady Thea series, An Invitation To Tea has the same, cozy vibe, this time in the tone of romance. Stella and William have a sweet relationship, though it's not without a great deal of miscommunications and assumptions. Overbearing family members provide plenty of conflict as well. I also loved the rich setting of England in 1908. A spectacular read as always!
I can't say I've ever sat down and read a dictionary from cover to cover before. The Lexicologist's Handbook isn't your run-of-the-mill dictionary overwhelming in length. The pages are full of the more fun words in the English vocabulary.
What I like most about this book is that the pronunciations are presented phonetically. Some words I knew had different pronunciations than I had always assumed. There were some new words I learned as well. The definitions are easy to read accompanied by their use in a sentence. I plan to revisit this book with a notebook sometime and write down the new words I learned.
A huge thanks to the author's team for sending me a free copy of the book to read and review!
Cute, but certainly not the best children's adaption of the movie. Most of the plot lines and characters were omitted.
I had high hopes for this one and it's partly on me for being let down. I haven't tolerated any sort of pandemic fiction (or nonfiction) well since 2020, however, my main issues with the book lay elsewhere.
This Spanish Flu of 1918 hits Philadelphia. Young Pia is left to fend for herself as well as her younger brothers. A series of events lands her in an orphan asylum and separated from her brothers, who have since disappeared. She winds up working with the sick and other children, all the while trying to locate her family.
I might have had more tolerance for this story if the nuns at St. Vincent's weren't stereotypical tormentors. While I can agree these institutions were far more strict at this time in history, there are some things that have not changed such as the general teachings of Catholicism which were falsely represented here. This was a major distraction for me. Aside from this, the story itself was so-so for me. It felt more slow-paced than it needed to me. I didn't find the mystery all too intriguing, either.
It's been so long since I've read a western that I'd forgotten how exciting they can be. Even though I haven't read a bunch of books in this genre, I've never read one with a female protagonist. For this reason, I was particularly curious.
School teacher Kathleen O'Dwyer sets off on a wagon train heading to New Mexico but later ends up traveling with a mountaineer named James Colter. Though ambivalent of his character, Kathleen finds herself drawn to him. Together they go forth on a number of adventures from the Great Plains to the Rocky Mountains. Along the way, they encounter a mix of people, such as fellow travelers, Native American tribesmen, and missionaries.
The book has a lot of action (and occasionally violence), however, there is also a more character-driven side to it. The latter was my favorite part of the story. I liked Kathleen even though I couldn't personally relate much to her. Well-written and keeping a good pace, The Strange Courtship of Kathleen O'Dwyer is a nice read. Unfortunately, the ending is awfully abrupt despite the satisfying conclusion. I did a double-take when I reached the acknowledgments page. It's an otherwise rich story for being under 250 pages. I enjoyed it.
A huge thanks to the author for reaching out and sending me a free digital ARC to read and review!
A fascinating compilation of history and perceptions for the future of space travel. The dramatizations were fantastic. Kudos to the voice actors!
While there were ideas and suggestions I didn't agree with, they were mostly confined to the final episode and wouldn't be fair to judge the entire series on those moments. Going in, I thought this was going to focus solely on Moonshot and recent proposals to return to the moon. I was pleasantly surprised to find it covered other NASA missions as well as Soviet missions. The past was intertwined with what these events meant (or could mean) for the future as well as the evolution from a race of nations to a worldwide collaborative.
I went down a rabbit hole of nostalgia with the Steve Martin Pink Panther movies over the summer. I definitely owned and probably read this book as a kid and I'd completely forgotten about it until stumbling across it on eBay. So fun going down memory lane!
This is an instance where I knew I was jumping into the second book of the series without reading the first (which was not yet published at the time I requested this one), so if I'm off the mark that's completely on me. That said, I didn't find myself completely lost while reading book two of the Girl Friday series which was helpful.
Viviana and Tommy are invited by a wealthy science man to a party at his home. While hobnobbing with New York's well-to-do, a body is found. Better yet? The party is snowed in. Having recently been promoted to Tommy's partner, this incident makes Viviana question if she truly has the capacity to be an investigator. The stakes are high and the setting is out of a movie.
What drew me to this series was the time period and setting. The 1950s were an interesting time in America in a city like New York and especially for women. I've read a mix of cozy mysteries set far prior and far later. I saw a lot of potential in Viviana. As for the plot? I struggled to get super into it. I don't think this is because I didn't have a lot of the backstory and build-up of the first book but there is that possibility. The characters were my favorite part of the story. I am curious to backtrack to the first book and get to know them properly. It's a cute premise. I'd check out future books.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a free ARC to read and review.
It wasn't until after I finished the book that I realized I've had the original memoir on my shelf waiting to be read. I'm not disappointed that I ended up reading the graphic adaption first. The illustrations added so much to the story. I was in tears. I hope to see Fr. Gereon Goldmann canonized someday.
Picking up shortly after the first book, The Corpse at Ravenholm Castle is a perfect sequel. There are several twists and turns which I always love and some I found very surprising. With some return appearances, we get to know some of the characters better and watch relationships evolve. The new characters, Bridget for example, meddled wonderfully with the originals as well. The balance of mystery, humor, and romance makes for delightful reading. Looking forward to the next installment!
After a brief introduction in the A Bookworm of a Suspect anthology, Jessica Baker has embarked on a new cozy mystery series. This time the story is set in the present, however, it maintains a classic feel all while incorporating elements of fantasy. Lenore loves nothing more than writing stories on her great-grandfather's old typewriter. As she's working on a novel, she starts to notice strange things happening around her. Almost as though the story is coming to life... Cats and ravens appearing out of nowhere, missing jewelry... Lenore tries to put the pieces together, but ultimately it's the new face in town, Sean, who brings the conclusions. I'm not usually one for books bordering on the paranormal. If I read one it's only under very specific circumstances. But of course, I'm going to read anything Jessica Baker writes. I'd file this one under magical realism which I do enjoy when done well. And it is! The story is charming and captures a wonderfully cozy small-town feel. I'm looking forward to book two.
I keep finding myself drawn to books about dirigibles for some reason. This book was interesting enough, but I retained next to nothing. Whether it was a narrator issue or the dryness of the text, even as I was listening to it I knew it was going in one ear and out the other. Good research and all, it just didn't capture my attention.
The disappearance of MH17 boggles my mind. Though I remember when it initially happened, the bizarreness of the situation didn't dawn on me until years later. This book offers a brief account of the known facts (at the time of publication) as well as speculation of what might have happened based on what is known. I wish the book had been longer but it was an interesting account from a reporter's perspective, especially where he was also involved in the private investigation side of things.
A series of stories set in a small Canadian town. I liked the generational connections between them all and the themes of loss and grief.
I'm not really sure how I feel about this book. It's an interesting concept and in its way a chilling read, but I didn't feel connected to it at all. Something was off for me, but I don't know what.
I had the honor of getting to hear José Hernández speak while I was visiting the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. His story and outlook on life are inspiring. I spent most of the lecture thinking, “I hope he's published a book...” The answer was yes! I was even happier to have the chance to meet him and have my copy signed. In this memoir, astronaut José Hernández takes us through his journey to NASA from his roots as a young migrant boy living half the year in Mexico and the other half in California. Rich with inspiration, culture, and faith, it's difficult to put the book down and not feel rejuvenated. I savored every page. Everything written is a testament to what determination and dedication can do for people's lives even when the odds seem stacked against them. I can only wish that I knew with such certainty what I want from my life now as José Hernández did as a child. Even so, the roadmaps he presents for any accomplishment or dream gave me the pause I needed. While I was reading the book, I saw the trailer for A Million Miles Away which is the movie based on José Hernández's life. It's been a while since I've been this excited about a movie! It's coming to Prime Video on September 15th (2023). I'm sure it will be as wonderful as the book.
I'm fascinated with Roswell theories. Though the one I've latched onto the most doesn't involve aliens, I still like hearing the extraterrestrial takes.
This book is a detailed account of Philip Corso's alleged encounter with the aftermath of the Roswell incident including documents and alien bodies. The story spans a surprising length of time and also discusses other UFO related situations around that time.
Do I believe the information presented? Parts of it. I like to keep my opinions objective. Some of what was said seems a little out there for me. However, what I struggled with was how many different subjects the book trialed off to. It was more about UFOs in general.
This book immediately caught my eye around its release. I have a faint memory of the Waltham murders having grown up in Massachusetts. I was fairly young at the time, so the details are murky and most of what I remember are general comments made by family members. Now as an adult, I was curious to learn more. While the book provided a refresher, I don't feel any more educated on the topic. Despite the tagline on the cover, I didn't realize that this book was going to be more of a memoir than a walkthrough of the crime and all of those things that go into a true crime book. That's not to say that the crime as a whole was not discussed, only that it was told in such a disjointed way that it was difficult to follow and left me feeling confused about what is fact and what is speculation. When the author came to her conclusion toward the end of the book, I felt blindsided. It lacked the evidence to back up the assured statements made. This isn't a crime I've followed in any capacity so I'm not disputing any of the author's claims. I don't know what happened and that's the main reason why I picked up this book in the first place. While I sympathize that the author had a connection to one of the victims and I admire her passion for her investigation, this was ultimately two separate books poorly rolled into one.
Farrah Glickman hasn't had an easy life. After being released from a mental health facility (guarded by toxic parents), she is appointed a therapist who instructs her to keep a diary. Going back through traumatic events in her life, she tells her story and finally begins to open up.
Narrated by Farrah, the writing is raw and cuts no corners. It's a grisly look at what was a grim life to start. As well as being character-driven, there's also quite a bit of intrigue which I hadn't expected going in. Always a treat. There's a lot to unpack in under 250 pages.
Farrah is an interesting character study, especially in interactions/relationships with other people. I liked the contrast between her overall narration and her journal entries. Her reaction to this exercise also packed a wallop.
Now That You Have Seen Me is the epitome of dark humor. What a ride this was!
A huge thanks to the author for reaching out to me and offering to send a free copy to read and review! The book can also be found on Kindle Unlimited which is where I opted to read it.