Audrey
Not a happy-go-lucky love story for sure, and honestly, I think I prefer it this way. With a beautiful summer backdrop, this coming-of-age story doesn't shy away from the gritty parts of life.
During a milestone summer vacation, Kyle meets Jack. As he brings him into his group of friends on the island, the boys (and the rest of the group) face a number of trials — many of which will have a lifelong impact on their lives. Though a work of historical fiction, time doesn't seem to make much of a difference here as the heart of the story is its characters and their lives.
I enjoyed the writing style here. It was full of heart and I found myself connecting to the characters even though they weren't personally relatable to me (nor were all of them always likable). The plot got a bit busy toward the middle, but it smoothed out again by the end. As I said in the beginning, this isn't a fluffy romance. It has a realistic feel that is, for me, a refreshing break from too-good-to-be-true romances.
A huge thanks to the author for sending me a free digital copy of the book to read and review!
A roaring 20s true crime story? I was immediately intrigued! I feel like I've heard about Fritzie Mann somewhere before, but I could be confusing her story with someone else's.
First off, I have to say kudos to James Stewart and his dedication to the research. He took a good look at every angle of the puzzle, putting them together and speculating what might have happened. The pictures were also a great addition. As for the writing, it dragged in places for me and I didn't feel my interest consistently held, but there were some interesting bits that made up for the others. Overall, a good true crime read, especially if you like the pre-forensic era and speculation.
Thanks to BookSirens for providing a free review copy. I am leaving my thoughts voluntarily.
This book has two narratives. First is the college football case, the second is the author's personal story of her abuse. I found myself more interested with the latter as it was, obviously, the more personal of the two. The case had a lot of names and pieces that it was difficult to keep all of the information straight. There were also some random facts scattered around that went on a bit long when there wasn't a direct connection to anything going on which kept throwing me off. Ultimately, my heart broke for the victims in both accounts. I wanted to jump in an help however I could.
Not liking the tone of the book in regards to religious organizations and not worth my time. The beginning was strong but the dual timeline was already becoming tedious.
A haunting concept, yet totally gripping. The first in a series of three books, The Betrayal takes a look at a dystopian future under Sovereign Alexander Wraith who comes to power after much of humanity has been wiped out. Though the world is relatively united, it's far from having archived true peace. Specifically, there is no room for non-compliance, especially when it comes to religious freedom.
Part of a rebel Christian group, Liam and Jessica are fighting the reign of Alexander Wraith. This, of course, is a dangerous venture. Jessica is more accustomed to the risks involved, Liam? Not so much. Much of the journey focuses on him as he comes to terms with the harsh realities surrounding him. With this also comes reevaluating his relationships with people as well as his job.
This is an Orwellian setting in many ways between shady dictators, surveillance, and even mind control. Accompanied by excellent writing and a good mix of action and intellect, The Betrayal is an exciting start to what promises to be a fantastic series. I especially liked the Christian elements. I struggle to find Christian fiction books that aren't sappy. I'm looking forward to reading more from Doug Dorsey!
Charming! I was in the mood for a cozy mystery and this didn't disappoint. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
I really enjoy Mark Shaw's research and I love the addition of Marilyn Monroe and RFK's roles in the Kennedy/Kilgallen story. That being said, I had anticipated this book would talk more about them but most of it was a reorganized version of The Reporter Who Knew Too Much and Denial of Justice. (Not something that would be a problem for new readers, of course, and some repetition is to be expected, but it was a lot of it here.) I hope in the future Marilyn will get a book with the same attention as Dorothy has from this author. Both accounts are so intriguing and Mark Shaw's dedication to the research and justice is admirable.
Aside from the repetition of the first two books, my other major quip is the amount of jabs taken at Trump. I'm not reading a book about him. He has no relevance to these people whatsoever. I don't care if you like or hate the man, I just want to read the subject at hand without distracting comments that disrupt the flow of the words. Something to consider.
What a lovely Christmas surprise this was! Picking up after Book 3, we follow Thea and her family at Christmastime... but it isn't all merriment for Thea.
After a year of excitement and danger, a quiet Christmas at Astermore feels a bit foreign. Thea misses her friends — a certain inspector in particular — and feels isolated being thrown back into her familial role. Uncertain of where her relationship with Leslie stands, she doesn't know how to ward off her family's not-so-subtle hints of marrying her off. Meanwhile, little Mercury has been sneaking out of the room. After one of his adventures, he brings Thea a key. A seasoned sleuth at this point, she sees this as a new mystery.
As always, I enjoyed visiting Thea's world. This one has a slightly different vibe than the other books with the absence of some key characters from the rest of the series, but it was interesting getting a glimpse of what Thea was like before they entered her life. There are some appearances from some of the minor characters from past installments which was also fun to see. I'll be on the edge of my seat until the next book!
A huge thanks to the author for sending me a free digital ARC of the book! I will also be purchasing a physical copy.
My interest in the assassination of John F. Kennedy might make me biased, but I think most people would agree that there is not a better situation suited for a thriller. I've read one other novel/thriller that involves this moment in history, however, it ended up being a relatively small portion of the book. I was excited when Ask Not! set the stage with it in the first pages.
Hank never thought much about John F. Kennedy's assassination. He had no reason to believe anything but the official story: Three bullets shot by Lee Harvey Oswald. A random act. Suddenly he's thrust into the world of polaroids and conspiracies. What's more, is that his own life may be at risk thanks to his brother Benjamin.
There are several different theories that the book explores. While some are outlandish, some appear plausible. As Hank does his own investigation, he encounters a number of different people who have their takes, including a couple of witnesses. He doesn't know what to make of these claims, much less what to believe. He wonders if believing in a conspiracy is easier than believing that a single human can change the course of history in a single act of randomness.
Along with talk of the JFK assassination is Hank's own story and that of his brother's. Hank's drive to clear Benjamin's name from a homicide accusation is the driving force. Christine (Chris) is also a nice addition to the story and compliments Hank's character.
Fast-paced and gripping, this book flows wonderfully with fantastic dialogue and lots of action. I devoured the book in two sittings and then regretted not pacing myself more because it was over all too quickly. Having read several other books on different facts and conspiracies from this event, it was fun to see some of them presented here (and in the form of a novel). I was particularly impressed to see a section that discusses Dorothy Kilgallen. I don't understand why other authors on the subject tend to overlook her place in the theories. I was glad Tom Avitabile didn't hold back!
I appreciated the character list at the beginning of the book to help me keep track of all of the names and roles. Also included is a polaroid, again, setting the stage right off the bat. It's evident that a lot of thought, research, and care went into this book. This is a perfect read for crime/thriller fans, but also readers looking for a hint of nonfiction in their novels.
Norman has his life together. He's prim and proper and holds his head high above the rest of the world. When he's called to meet with God Himself, he's not all that surprised.
Sidney is the opposite of his neighbor, Norman. He's messy, forgetful, and some days he can't pull himself out of bed. When he's called on by God, he's certain he's in trouble.
Each of them learn an important lesson in their meeting, and though Sidney and Norman are complete opposites, the first message they receive is the same: That God loves them.
I don't think a children's book has ever made me weep before. The book is so touching, especially if you're a Sidney. The moral of the story is an important one for children and adults alike. I listened to the audiobook but promptly ordered a physical copy to keep. I needed to hear this story.
I'm catching up on my book reviews and I barely remember this one aside from generally feeling ‘meh' about the characters and story. Disappointing as the book is based on a true story. Just wasn't memorable for me.
3.5 - An interesting book. I'd never heard of the Idaho Falls incident (or if I did, it was just in passing). I didn't find the book all too engaging, but the facts were there and ultimately what I wanted.
I don't think I've ever read a more personal account of trauma before, at least not this on this level. Teresa Giglio's writing style is personal, making it feel like a rapport between author and reader has already been established.
The name Kalady rings familiar to me, but I didn't know anything beyond that until reading this book. Along with the author's personal (and horrific) experience, we get a look at this monster parading as human and the crimes he committed and got away with for far too long. The memoir portion gives a general idea of the abuse and endangerment that was going on during the author's childhood but states specifically in the beginning that she will refrain from going into the gory details. While there are still moments that paint a gruesome picture, I appreciated the plea for privacy. Many of the names have been changed as well.
I Saw The Devil's Face: My Life With Joseph Michael Kalady is the first in a proposed series and is a great start as well as a standalone. If you are a fan of true crime, this book is an exceptional read.
A huge thanks to the author for sending me a free digital ARC to read and review!
I accidentally read the two books in this series out of order. Thankfully, they each read as a standalone.
Much like I felt with the book about MKULTRA, this book is a good summary of the history of human experimentation in the U.S. and prompts the reader to further their research.
I don't think I've ever read any of the Winnie the Pooh books from start to finish despite how big a part of my childhood the movies and TV shows were. Even though I've only read bits and pieces up to now, this book was so nostalgic. The stories are so cozy and innocent. It's no wonder that ‘silly old bear' is still popular today.
A wonderful and inspirational collection of quotes from Fulton Sheen. This showed up by surprise in my mailbox at a good time, too. Thank you Dynamic Catholic!
Personally, I'm not someone who believes in past lives, so until this book was presented to me, I never thought of it to be a focus in a fictional plot. My curiosity was piqued! The book begins in modern times, following Adam through a turbulent time in his relationship with Fiona. Adam eventually finds an interest in exploring his past life. There, the story shifts to 1836 where we see Adam/Augustus and his relationship with a girl named Roselyn. I loved the writing and ease of dialogue. For some reason though, I was thrown off by the time period switch despite knowing it was coming. Thankfully, it didn't take too long to switch gears. I found both halves of the stories strong and with promise for an equally compelling continuation. A huge thanks to the author for reaching out and offering to send me a free copy of the book to read and review! I opted to read this via KindleUnlimited.
I'm a huge fan of Elizabeth Wein's fiction books and I've been looking forward to reading this nonfiction work of hers.
The charm I've come to love from this author was surely there, however, for a nonfiction book, I felt like so much was missing and that there was a lack of cohesion. I had trouble keeping up with which woman of the prominent three featured was being discussed as the narration jumped back and forth between them with little rhyme or reason. The book was short, too, and I managed it in one sitting. I would have loved a lengthier dive into such a fascinating area of history.
Elizabeth Wein's passion for the subject is evident and makes for an enjoyable read, but ultimately, I felt like I hadn't learned as much on the topic as I would have from a couple of Google searches. I would love to see her make a novel adaption showing the live of these brave ladies.
Such a cute and lighthearted read! I especially loved it because many of the illustrations reminded me of my little black kitten both in looks and personality. A great pick-me-up kind of book, especially if you're a cat lover.
Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing a free digital ARC of the book to read and leave my honest review.
Normally, I'd give this book a rating somewhere around four stars now that I'm reading it from start to finish a second time after several years, but I'm a sap and just really love almost anything relating to the Annie universe. Cliches aside, it is a sweet retelling of the movie.
Before reading, I paid minimal attention to what this book was about. I was halfway through before I realized this is in the true crime genre and not a crime novel. I jumped right into it. Had I realized right away I might have taken it in differently.
In 1959, four members of the Clutter family are murdered in their small-town Kansas home. A well-liked family, their deaths shook the town, and no one was able to figure out a reason as to why. Looking at the background of the Clutters as well as their murderers, we're taken through each movement of the capture and trial.
Not surprisingly, the writing is fantastic. The biggest issue for me was how slow it was. It picked up in the second half, but by then my interest had dwindled. I'm glad to have read it, though. Again, I might have appreciated the pace more if I'd realized off the bat that this was a work of nonfiction. It's interesting to see how much true crime books have evolved since the time of this book's publication.
It's been a while since a prologue gripped me as much as the beginning of Husbands & Lovers. 10/10 hook for sure. Had this book solely followed the modern storyline I think this could have been a five-star read. After a summer camp incident involving a poisonous mushroom, Mallory's son Sam is in need of a new kidney. With no matches in her immediate family, the obvious choice could potentially be Sam's father — someone Mallory has spent the last decade trying to forget. This historical portion of the book is set in the 1950s, centering on Hannah, a Hungarian refugee living in Cairo torn between two men, one of them the father of her baby. Though the two storylines do of course tie together, Hannah's portion had little significance in the long run. It was a separate story next to Mallory and Monk's story which was far more fleshed out. I struggled through the historical timeline, especially given Mallory has a number of flashbacks into the past.
Though I typically like character-driven literary fiction, this book is just too long and too unrelatable for my stage of life. I wanted to push though, especially more than halfway through it, but I could not bear the idea of reading another 300 pages. It's a book I may revisit in a decade or so.
