Author: Bobbie Brown
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Gallery Books, 2014
Pages: 272
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: An uncensored Hollywood tell-all filled with explicit tales of love, sex, and revenge from the video vixen made famous by Warrant's rock anthem "Cherry Pie."
Who could forget the sexy "Cherry Pie" girl from hair metal band Warrant's famous music video? Bobbie Brown became a bona fide vixen for her playful role as the object of lead singer Jani Lane's desires. But the wide-eyed Louisiana beauty queen's own dreams of making it big in Los Angeles were about to be derailed by her rock-and-roll lifestyle. After her tumultuous marriage to Jani imploded, and her engagement to fast-living Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee ended in a drug haze - followed by his marriage later to Pamela Anderson - Bobbie decided it was time Hollywood's hottest bachelors got a taste of their own medicine. Step one: get high. Step two: get even.
In a captivating, completely uncensored confessional, Bobbie explicitly recounts a life among some of the most famous men in Hollywood: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kevin Costner, Mark McGrath, Dave Navarro, Sebastian Bach, Ashley Hamilton, Rob Pilatus of Milli Vanilli, Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, Orgy's Jay Gordon, and many more. No man was off limits as the fun-loving bombshell spiraled into excess, anger, and addiction.
Bobbie survived the party - barely - and her riveting, cautionary comeback tale is filled with the wildest stories of sex, drugs, and rock and roll ever told.
Review: This is not my type of book at all, but I decided to go way outside my comfort zone for the final book of 2019. Holy crap. What a bizarre world/life. Definitely wouldn't be for me, but Bobbie's antics made for some entertaining reading. I also don't believe that everything happened the way she said it did, but props for putting it out there.
The "Cherry Pie" video made Bobbie Brown famous, and I watched the video to see. You barely see her or even have a chance to get a good look at her since the images flash by so quickly. I'm incredulous that this is what launched her career. They don't call it Hollyweird for nothing.
Author: Rhys Bowen
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Amazon Publishing, 2017
Pages: 396
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: World War II comes to Farleigh Place, the ancestral home of Lord Westerham and his five daughters, when a soldier with a failed parachute falls to his death on the estate. After his uniform and possessions raise suspicions, M15 operative and family friend Ben Cresswell is covertly tasked with determining if the man is a German spy. The assignment also offers Ben the chance to be near Lord Westerham's middle daughter, Pamela, whom he furtively loves. But Pamela has her own secret: she has taken a job at Bletchley Park, the British code-breaking facility.
As Ben follows a trail of spies and traitors, which may include another member of Pamela's family, he discovers that some within the realm have an appalling, history-altering agenda. Can he, with Pamela's help, stop them before England falls?
Inspired by the events and the people of World War II, writer Rhys Bowen crafts a sweeping and riveting saga of class, family, love, and betrayal.
Review: I might have been slightly off my game, but I didn't see the ending of this coming. I read so much and so many different genres, that I really appreciate it when an author can surprise me.
I really like this author too. Looking forward to reading more Rhys Bowen novels.
Author: Hallie Rubenhold
Genre: Non-fiction
Publisher: HMH Books, 2019
Pages: 352
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine, and Mary-Jane are famous for the same thing, though they never met. They came from Fleet Street, Knightsbridge, Wolverhampton, Sweden, and Wales. They wrote ballads, ran coffee houses, lived on country estates, they breathed ink-dust from printing presses and escaped people-traffickers.
What they had in common was the year of their murders: 1888. The person responsible was never identified, but the character created by the press to fill that gap has become far more famous than any of these five women.
For more than a century, newspapers have been keep to tell us that "The Ripper" preyed on prostitutes. Not only is this untrue, as historical Hallie Rubenhold has discovered, it has prevented teh real stories of these fascinating women from being told. Now, in this devastating narrative of five lives, Rubenhold finally sets the record straight, revealing a world not juts of Dickens and Queen Victoria, but of poverty, homelessness and rampant misogyny. They died because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time - but their greatest misfortune was to be born a woman.
Review: This book had been on my "to read" list since before it was published. It sounded different, and interesting. Unfortunately, it's a long book for the material the author was able to uncover. She had to make assumptions and fill in the blanks frequently. However, her thesis was developed well, and the "Conclusion" contained some hard-hitting facts and food for thought.
A handful of serial killers will never be forgotten, and certainly Jack the Ripper has become a celebrity. This author relegated Jack the Ripper to a mere criminal, and highlighted the lives of the victims. Really well done.
Not one of the best books I've read this year, but certainly one I'm glad to have read.
Author: Rhys Bowen
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Amazon Publishing, 2018
Pages: 352
Rating: Highly Recommend
Synopsis: In 1944, British bomber pilot Hugo Langley parachuted from his stricken plane into the verdant field of German-occupied Tuscany. Badly wounded, he found refuge in a ruined monastery and in the arms of Sofia Bartoli. But the love that kindled between them was shaken by an irreversible betrayal.
Nearly 30 thirty years later, Hugo's estranged daughter, Joanna, has returned home to the English countryside to arrange her father's funeral. Among his personal effects is an unopened letter address to Sofia. In it is a startling revelation.
Still dealing with the emotional wounds of her own personal trauma, Joanna embarks on a healing journey to Tuscany to understand her father's history - and maybe come to understand herself as well. Joanna soon discovers that some would prefer the past be left undisturbed, but she has come too far to let go of her father's secrets now. . .
Review: This novel has the honor of being the first I read on my Kindle Paperwhite, a Christmas gift from my husband. I'd like to read more by this author. I loved the characters and the way the story unfolded. There were areas and characters that could have been further developed, but all in all this was thoroughly enjoyable.
As an added bonus, descriptions of the Tuscan countryside and food will have you wanting to plan an Italian vacation immediately.
Author: David McCullough
Genre: Biography
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio, 2015
Pages: 5 discs
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: The Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Harry S. Truman, whose presidency included momentous events from the atomic bombing of Japan to the outbreak of the Cold War and the Korean War.
The life of Harry S. Truman is one of the greatest of American stories, filled with vivid characters - Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bess Wallace Truman, George Marshall, Joe McCarthy, and Dean Acheson - and dramatic events. In this riveting biography, acclaimed historian David McCullough not only captures the man - a more complex, informed, and determined man that ever before imagined - but also the turbulent times in which he rose, boldly, to meet unprecedented challenges.
The last president to serve as a living link between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Truman's story spans the raw world of the Missouri frontier, World War I, the powerful Pendergast machine of Kansas City, the legendary Whistle-Stop Campaign of 1948, and the decisions to drop the atomic bomb, confront Stalin at Potsdam, and send troops to Korea, and fire General MacArthur.
Drawing on archival material and extensive interviews with Truman's own family, friends, and Washington colleagues, McCullough tells the deeply moving story of the seemingly ordinary "man from Missouri" who was perhaps the most courageous president in our history.
Review: First, full disclosure. I started reading this book in the gift shop at Truman's home in Independence, Missouri over the summer. When we returned home, I checked it out from the library and read a few hundred pages. However, I wasn't completely absorbed into it so when it was due back, I returned it. I finished the abridged audio version for this review.
We visited Truman's home and presidential library because we were in Independence (mainly as a stopping point on our way to Kansas City from St. Louis). Knowing virtually nothing about Harry Truman prior to our visit, I found him to be a fascinating guy. His library was the first we'd ever visited, and all of us, even the kids enjoyed the experience. My favorite part was his re-created Oval Office. We've since visited Kennedy's library in Boston, and I still prefer Truman's.
All that said, this book was interesting. Truman was a popular president, and just your average American when he entered politics. The abridged version was well-done, and I don't feel as though I missed anything by choosing this format.
Oddly enough, in yet another fact-is-stranger-than-fiction moment, I finished this book on December 26, the day of Harry's death (1972).
Author: Richard Paul Evans
Genre: Fiction / Christmas
Publisher: Gallery Books, 2019
Pages: 304
Rating: Highly Recommend
Synopsis: Elle Sheen, a waitress at the Noel Street Diner, isn't sure what to make of William Smith when his sudden appearance creates a small stir in the town of Mistletoe, Utah. As their lives unexpectedly entwine, Elle learns that William, a decorated Vietnam POW, is not only fighting demons, but may also have the answer to her own past pain, leading to a remarkable act of forgiveness.
Review: My last pre-Christmas read. I read a Richard Paul Evans novel years ago and didn't care for it, but I actually really enjoyed this one. It may have ended as a neatly wrapped package, but tis the season.
Author: Laura Lee Huttenbach
Genre: Biography
Publisher: Kensington, 2018
Pages: 288
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: In 1975, Robert "Raven" Kraft made a New Year's Resolution to run eight miles on Miami's South Beach each evening. Over 125,000 miles and seven hurricanes later, he has not missed one sunset-and he has changed the lives of thousands who have run with him.
From all fifty states and over 85 countries, across all age groups and backgrounds, people come to run with Raven. In the process they find friendship, inspiration-and a nickname.
Among them is author Laura Lee "White Lightening" Huttenbach, who has logged over a thousand miles of Raven Runs. Here she explores the stories of dozens of others about why they started running with Raven-and why they keep coming back.
Raven is a legend in the running world, and his story is an invaluable reminder that the journey means little without the connections forged along the way.
Review: My "sister-in-law" ran with Raven on her 50th birthday earlier this month. We visited them just before that trip, and she told me I had to read this book.
Author: William Kent Krueger
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Atria, 2019
Pages: 464
Rating: Do Not Recommend
Synopsis: 1932, Minnesota-the Lincoln School is a pitiless place where hundreds of Native American children, forcibly separated from their parents, are sent to be educated. It is also home to an orphan named Odie O'Banion, a lively boy whose exploits earn him the superintendent's wrath. Forced to flee, he and his brother Albert, their best friend Mose, and a brokenhearted little girl named Emmy steal away in a canoe, heading for the mighty Mississippi and a place to call their own.
Over the course of one unforgettable summer, these four orphans will journey into the unknown and cross paths with others who are adrift, from struggling farmers and traveling faith healers to displaced families and lost souls of all kinds. With the feel of a modern classic, This Tender Land is an enthralling, bighearted epic that shows how the magnificent American landscape connects us all, haunts our dreams, and makes us whole.
Review: This book can be described in one word, improbable. I had such a hard time buying into this novel. I tried reading the print version, and couldn't get into it. The audio version was slightly better.
This ended well, but 3/4 of the book was almost a torture read.
This will likely appeal to anyone who liked Where the Crawdads Sing. A coming-of-age, survival novel, and I'm finding out that is not my genre.
Author: Nick Hornby
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group, 2019
Pages: 144
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: Tom and Louise meet in a pub before their couple's therapy appointment. Married for years, they thought they had a stable home life - until a recent incident pushed them to the brink.
Going to therapy seems like the perfect solution. But over drinks before their appointment, they begin to wonder: what if marriage is like a computer? What if you take it apart to see what's in there, but then you're left with a million pieces?
Unfolding in the minutes before their weekly therapy session, the ten-chapter conversation that ensues is witty and moving, forcing them to look at their marriage-and, for the first time in a long time, at each other.
Review: Cleverly told story. This was a fun read, and short, which is great for those of us trying to finish up yearly reading challenges.
Author: Debbie Macomber
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Random Publishing House, 2019
Pages: 448
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: Annie Marlow has been through the worst. Rocked by tragedy, she heads to the one place that makes her happy: Oceanside in the Pacific Northwest, the destination of many family vacations when Annie was a teenager.
Once there, Annie begins to restore her broken spirit, thanks in part to the folks she meets: a local painter, Keaton, whose large frame is equal to his big heart - and who helps Annie fix up her rental cottage by the sea; Mellie, the reclusive, prickly landlord Annie is determined to befriend; and Britt, a teenager with a terrible secret. But it is Keaton to whom Annie feels the most drawn. His quiet, peaceful nature offers her both comfort and reprieve from her grief, and the two begin to grow closer.
Then events threaten to undo the idyll Annie has come to enjoy. And when the opportunity of a lifetime lands in her lap, she is torn between the excitement of a new journey towards success and the safe and secure arms of the haven - and the man - she's come to call home.
In this heartwarming tale, Annie finds that the surest way to fix what is damaged within is to help others rise about their pain and find a way to heal.
Review: I struggled with this book. While it is "typical" Macomber in many ways, I had a hard time buying Seth Keaton as a leading man. I found Keaton and Annie's relationship to be implausible, and the pace that it moved, even more unlikely.
Cottage by the Sea is a good book, but not even close to being Macomber's best.
Author: Demi Moore
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers, 2019
Pages: 272
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: For decades, Demi Moore has been synonymous with celebrity. From iconic film roles to high-profile relationships, Moore has never been far from the spotlight - or headlines.
Even as Demi was becoming the highest paid actress in Hollywood, however, she was always outrunning her past, just one step head of the doubts and insecurities that defined her childhood. Throughout her rise to fam and during some of the most pivotal moments of her life, Demi battled addiction, body image issues, and childhood trauma that would follow her for years - all while juggling a skyrocketing career and at time negative public perception. As her success grew, Demi found herself questioning if she belonged in Hollywood, if she was a good mother, a good actress - and, always, if she was simply good enough.
As much as her story is about adversity, it is also about tremendous resilience. In this deeply candid and reflective memoir, Demi pulls back the curtain and opens up about her career and personal life - laying bare her tumultuous relationship with her mother, her marriages, her struggles balancing stardom with raising a family, and her journey toward heartedness. Inside Out is a story of survival, success, and surrender - a wrenchingly honest portrayal of one woman's at once ordinary and iconic life.
Review: I have low expectations on the rare occasion I read a celebrity memoir. I have a hard time relating to the rich and famous who try to portray themselves as just like you. This was more interesting, and maybe even a little relatable.
I do feel a certain amount of honesty was lacking, and she remains a bit out of touch with herself and reality, but it was interesting. I was more interested in her childhood because, let's face it, even a teenager in the 90s, I knew Demi had a story because she was doing things and behaving in ways "normal" people don't. The last chapter of her life thus far - the Demi/Ashton Kutcher story was glossed over in the book, but maybe not enough time has passed that she can put it into perspective.
I read this for entertainment, and entertained I was.
For the record, of the Demi Moore movies I've seen, A Few Good Men was my favorite.
Author: Debbie Macomber
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: MIRA Books, 2016
Pages: 384
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: People are feeling good about living here again - the way they used to. They're feeling confident about the future.
Stalled lives are moving forward. People like Margaret Clemens are taking risks on new ventures and lifelong dreams. On happiness. Margaret is a local rancher who's finally getting what she wants most. Marriage to cowboy Matt Eilers. Her friends don't think Matt's such a bargain; neither did her father. But Margaret is aware of Matt's reputation and his flaws. She wants him anyway.
And she wants his baby. . .
Review: This is book 3 in the Dakota Trilogy, and it addresses the heaviest themes. It was also my least favorite in this series. I wanted more about the main characters from the other two books in this one, but these had continuing subplots and new characters.
The Dakota Series
1. Dakota Born
2. Dakota Home
3. Always Dakota
Author: Debbie Macomber
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: MIRA Books, 2016
Pages: 400
Rating: Highly Recommend
Synopsis: People have started moving to Buffalo Valley, North Dakota - people like Lindsey Snyder, who came as a teacher and stayed, marrying local farmer Gage Sinclair. And now Lindsey's best friend, Maddy Washburn, has decided to pull up stakes and join her in Buffalo Valley, hoping for the same kind of satisfaction. And the same kind of love.
Jeb McKenna is a rancher, a solitary man who's learned to endure. Maddy - unafraid and openhearted - is drawn to Jeb, but he rejects her overtures. Until one of North Dakota's deadly storms throws them together. . .
Those few days and nights bring some unexpected consequences for Maddy and Jeb. Consequences that, one way or another, affect everyone in Buffalo Valley.
Review: I think I liked the first book, Dakota Born, in this series better, but that's not to say I didn't thoroughly enjoy this one. There are conveniences and improbably situations in this book, but I was able to adopt a suspension of belief and it worked. Macomber is the perfect cold-weather, cozy author.
The Dakota Series:
1. Dakota Born
2. Dakota Home
3. Always Dakota
Author: Debbie Macomber
Genre: Fiction / Christmas
Publisher: MIRA, 2002
Pages: 240
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: That summer - more than ten years ago, while they were still in high school - Noelle McDowell and Thomas Sutton fell secretly in love. Secretly because their mothers had been locked in a bitter feud for decades. But despite the animosity between Sarah McDowell and Mary Sutton, Noelle planned to elope with Thom. Until he jilted her.
This Christmas Noelle McDowell is home to celebrate the holidays with her family. (After all, December 25 is also her birthday.) Unfortunately, Noelle's feelings about home-or rather, her hometown of Rose, Oregon - were changed forever the day Thomas Sutton broke her heart.
This Christmas the feuding mothers find themselves working together to fill Christmas baskets for charity. What irony! And what an opportunity for reconciliation. . .if only they could see it.
This Christmas Noelle and Thom discover they're still in love. Regardless of their mothers' reactions, they want to be together. Is that possible? Can old rivalries be set aside? Will Sarah's Christmas daughter have a second chance with Mary's charming son?
Maybe she will. . .this Christmas!
Review: I'm on a Debbie Macomber kick. They're cozy, happy ending stories that seem to appeal to me this time of the year. I thoroughly enjoyed this for what it was, light, predictable, sweet, and Christmas themed.
Author: Debbie Macomber
Genre: Fiction
Publisher:
Pages:
Rating: Highly Recommend
Synopsis: Like many small towns, Buffalo Valley is dying. Stores are boarded up, sidewalks are cracked, houses are in need of a coat of paint. But despite all that, there's a spirit of hope there, of defiance. The few people still left here are righting for their town.
Lindsay Snyder is a newcomer. She's an outsider, even though she spent childhood vacations here. Now she returns to see the family house again, to explore family secrets and to reevaluate her life. And soon after she arrives a local farmer named Gage Sinclair. . .
Lindsay decides to stay in North Dakota. Her decision marks a new beginning for Buffalo Valley and for her. Because in this broken little town she discovers the love and purpose she's been seeking.
Review: This was the right book at the right time, and I devoured it within 24 hours. I loved these characters, and lost myself in their world. I'm looking forward to continuing this series.
The Wild West always held a certain amount of romanticism and appeal for me, and visiting The Dakotas in 2018 sealed the deal. Macomber transported me back.
The Dakota Series:
1. Dakota Born
2. Dakota Home
3. Always Dakota
Author: Rory Feek
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Nelson, Thomas Inc, 2019
Pages: 256
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: With frequent stories of his and Joey's years together, and how those guide his life today, Rory unpacks just what it means to be open to new experiences. Much like Jesus' biblical parable, when we scatter our seeds, some will grow in teh fertile land and warm sun. Rory contends that it's the same way with our dreams, but we must always pay attention to what our story is teaching us.
It's been long said that timing is everything, and it is, unless you haven't done the work to be prepared. What does it mean to cultivate life, to be open to new directions, to invest in another person as a way of connecting with God? Through his wealth of stories and vulnerable spirit, Rory opens up on those struggles in his own life and, in the process, shows the way for us all.
"This isn't a how-to book, it's more of a how we or more accurately how He (God) planed us on a few acres of land and grew something bigger than Joey or I could have ever imagined."
It's an ongoing story of a new frontier, all woven into a new season of learning to grow a new life and love in the land that his wife loved so much.
Review: While this book was missing the tear jerker element that was a huge part of this first book, this was good. I don't love his writing style, but he's a songwriter, not a novelist. It was a quick, solid read to finish out the month.
Author: John Marrs
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Hanover Square Press, 2018
Pages: 416
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you'll be matched with your perfect partner - the one you're genetically made for.
That's the promise made by Match Your DNA. A decade ago, the company announced that they had found the gene that pairs each of us with our soul mate. Since then, millions of people around the world have been matched. But the discovery has its downsides: test result have led to the breakup of countless relationships and upended the traditional ideas of dating, romance, and love.
Now five very different people have received the notification that they've been "matched." They've each about to meet their one true love. But "happily ever after" isn't guaranteed for everyone. Because even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking than others. . .
A word-of-mouth hit in the United Kingdom, The One is a fascinating novel that shows how even the simplest discoveries can have complicated consequences.
Review: This was highly recommended to me by a college friend, and since I already had a full stack of reading material, I went for the audio book. I would have flown through the print version. I had favorite couples/story lines, and each chapter ends with a cliffhanger. It's well worth reading.
Author: Sandie Jones
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group, 2019
Pages: 304
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: THE WIFE: For Alice, life has never been better. With her second husband, she has successful business, two children, and a beautiful house.
HER HUSBAND: Alice knows that life could have been different if her first husband had lived, but Nathan's arrival into her life gave her back the happiness she craved.
HER BEST FRIEND: Through the ups and down of life, from celebratory nights out to comforting each other through loss, Alice knows that with her best friend Beth by her side, they can survive anything together. So when Nathan starts acting strangely, Alice turns to Beth for help. But soon, Alice begins to wonder whether her trust has been misplaced.
The first mistake could be her last.
Review: This was a slow starter, but once the story was set-up, I couldn't turn pages fast enough. Not the best thriller I've ever read, but it was good.
Author: Adrienne Brodeur
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: HMH Books, 2019
Pages: 256
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: On a hot July night on Cape Cod when Adrienne was fourteen, her mother, Malabar, work her at midnight with five simple words what would set the course of both their lives for years to come: Ben Souther just kissed me.
Adrienne instantly became her mother's confidante and helpmate, blossoming in the sudden light of her attention, and from then on, Malabar came to rely on her daughter to help orchestrate what would become an epic affair with her husband's closest friend. The affair would have calamitous consequences for everyone involved, impacting Adrienne's life in profound ways, driving her into a precarious marriage of her own, and then into a deep depression. Only years later will she find the strength to embrace her life - and her mother - on her own terms.
Wild Game is a brilliant, timeless memoir about how the people close to us can break our hearts simply because they have access to them, and the lies we tell in order to justify the choices we make. It's a remarkable story of resilience, a reminder that we need not be the parents our parents were to us.
Review: At only 256 pages, this should have been a fast read, but between reading a 5 star historical fiction novel prior to this, and maybe not being totally in the mood for a memoir, my progress was slow.
I enjoyed this novel, it's crazy to read the lives some people are born into and endure, but I never got sucked into this and turning pages so fast it was over before I realized what happened. The author failed in conveying just how consumed she was in her mother's affair. I didn't get the sense that it was the focal point of her own existence, until she would say exactly that. Something was just "off" in the telling of this story. It was also a bit disjointed from time-to-time, but it is worth reading.
Author: Susan Meissner
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group, 2019
Pages: 400
Rating: Highly Recommend
Synopsis: In 1918, Philadelphia was a city teeming with promise. Even as its young men went off to the fight in the Great War, there were opportunities for a fresh start on its cobblestone streets. Into this bustling town came Pauline Bright and her husband, filled with hope that they could now give their three daughters, Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa, a chance at a better life.
But just months after they arrive, the Spanish Flu reaches the shores of America. As the pandemic claims more than twelve thousand victims in their adopted city, they find their lives left with a world that looks nothing like the one they knew. But even as they lose loved ones, they take in a baby orphaned by the disease who becomes their single source of hope. Amidst the tragedy and challenges, they learn that they cannot live without, and what they are willing to do without.
Review: Fantastic. Books like this are the reason I love reading historical fiction. Factually correct, and thoroughly engaging, I lived in this world for all 400 pages.
To say more would spoil this, but this ended as a neatly wrapped package that was both satisfying, and not. Life isn't a neatly wrapped package very often, but I can appreciate the gift the author tried to give us with ending this one that way.
This book also tied in nicely with Influenza, an audio book I read a few weeks ago. The author gives credit to that book as being a source in her research.
Note to self. . .read more books by this author.
Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2014
Pages: 288
Rating: Do Not Recommend
Synopsis: A. J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his life over - and see everything anew.
Review: Talk about a book with an identity crisis. First, I thought it was just simply "fiction." Then, a little mystery was introduced. That got pushed aside, and a little romance blossomed. Good lord, it's a mess.
The occasional f-bombs don't seem to fit the characters or the situation. I'm not sure what the author's motivation was for including them.
Can I rate this "Highly Not Recommended?"
P.S. I like the cover.
Author: Kristin Harmel
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Gallery Books, 2019
Pages: 400
Rating: Highly Recommend
Synopsis: Champagne, 1940: Ines has just married Michel, the owner of storied champagne house Maison Chauveau, when the Germans invade. As the danger mounts, Michel turns his back on his marriage to begin hiding munitions for the Resistance. Ines fears they'll be exposed, but for Celine, half-Jewish wife of Chaveau's chef de cave, the risk is even greater-rumors abound of Jews being shipped east to an unspeakable fate.
When Celine recklessly follows her heart in one desperate bid for happiness, and Ines make a dangerous mistake with a Nazi collaborator, they risk the lives of those they love-and the champagne house that ties them together.
New York, 2019: Liv Kent has just lost everything when her eccenstric French grandmother shows up unannounced, insisting on a trip to France. But the older woman has an ulterior motive-and a tragic decades-old story to share. When past and present finally collide, Liv finds herself on a road to salvation that leads right to the caves of the Maison Chauveau.
Review: Two "wow" books back-to-back. It's been a great week for reading.
I'm not sure what compelled me to request this book. I've basically sworn of World War II novels because the market is flooded. I also don't know what is with the current trend of putting "wife," "daughter," "sister," or "girl" in the titles of books. Are publishers/editors/authors that unimaginative these days.
I'm glad I broke all my rules and read this book, although I would still contend the title does the book no justice. It's amazing. The author is right when she says you will never drink champagne again without thinking of this book, these characters, or the history of that part of the world.
If I have one complaint, it's that the present-day timeline was unnecessary, and I had a hard time believing a 99 year old woman would be able to keep up in the way Grandma Edith did, but those are minor details. Okay, so that's two very minor complaints. Read it anyway.
Truly an "unputdownable" novel.
Author: Axton Betz-Hamilton
Genre: Memoir / True Crime
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing, 2019
Pages: 320
Rating: Highly Recommend
Synopsis: Axton Betz-Hamilton grew up in small-town Indiana in the early 90s. When she was 11 years old, her parents both had their identities stolen. Their credit ratings were ruined, and they were contsantly fighting over money. This was before the age of the internset, when identity theft became more commonplace, so authorities and banks were clueless and reluctant to help Axton's parents.
Axton's family changed all of their personal information and moved to different addresses, but the identity thief followed them wherever they went. Convinced that the thief had to be someone they knew, Axton and her parents completely cut off the outside world, isolating themselves from friends and family. Axton learned not to let anyone into the house without explicit permission, and once went as far as chasing a plumber off their property with a knife.
As a result, Axton spent her formative years crippled by anxiety, quarantined behind the closed curtains in her childhood home. She began starving herself at a young age in an effort to blend in - her appearance could be nothing short of perfect or she would be scolded by her mother, who had become paranoid and consumed by how others perceived the family.
Years later, her parents' marriage still shaken from the theft, Axton discovered that she, too, had fallen prey to the identity thief, but by the time she realized, she was already thousands of dollars in debt and her credit was ruined.
The Less People Know About Us is Axton's attempt to untangle an intricate web of lies, and to understand how and why a loved on could have inflicted such pain. Axton will present a candid, shocking, and redemptive story and reveal her courageous effort to grapple with someone close that broke the unwritten rules of love, protection, and family.
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Review: Do not read the Acknowledgements section prior to reading. I almost always do, but in this one, there's a big spoiler. After reading the spoiler, I debated on whether or not to continue with the book, and I'm so glad I did. This is a great memoir, readable with likeable "characters."
It's hard to remember a world pre-internet, but this memoir will take you back, or open your eyes to it. Amazing.
This book and the author's story will stay with me for a long time.
Author: Anne Perry
Genre: Historical Fiction / Christmas / Christmas Mysteries Series
Publisher: Random House, 2004
Pages: 192
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: Featuring Lady Vespasia Cumming-Gould - one of the most memorable characters from the Thomas Pitt series - appears here as a lively young woman, the ultimate aristocrat who can trace her blood to half the royal houses in Europe.
It's Christmas and the Berkshire Countryside lies wrapped in winter chill. But the well-born guests who have gathered at Applecross for a delicious weekend of innocent intrigue and passionate romance are warmed by roaring fires and candlelight, holly and mistletoe, good wine and gorgeously wrapped gifts. It's scarcely the setting for misfortune, and no one - not even that clever young aristocrat and budding sleuth Vespasia Cumming-Gould - anticipates the tragedy that is to darken this light-hearted holiday house party. But soon one young woman lies dead, a suicide, and another is ostracized, held partly responsible for the shocking turn of events.
To expiate her guilt, Isobel Alvie, sets out for the Scottish Highlands, hoping to explain to the dead girl's mother the circumstances surrounding the sorrowful act - and to bring her back to England for the funeral. Isobel's sole companion of this nightmarish journey is Vespasia. As Vespasia learns more about the victim and the ugly forces that shaped her desperate need, she understands the heartbreaking truth of the tragedy.
Review: I don't get into reading Christmas novel like a lot of my friends, but this one sounded like it might be different.
This is not a Hallmark movie in print, but it's good. I enjoyed it, and it's short - a good thing, since I just picked up a stack of 16 books from my library.
Author: Kerry Winfrey
Genre: Fiction / Chick Lit
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group, 2019
Pages: 288
Rating: Do Not Recommend
Synopsis: Annie Cassidy dreams of being the next Nora Ephron. She spends her days writing screenplays, rewatching Sleepless in Seattle, and waiting for her movie-perfect meet-cute. If she c ould just find her own Tom Hanks - a man who's sweet, sensitive, and possibly owns a houseboat - her problems would disappear and her life would be perfect. But Tom Hanks is nowhere in sight.
When a movie starts filming in her neighborhood and Annie gets a job on set, it seems like a sign. THen Annie meets the lead actor, Drew Danforth, a cocky prankster who couldn't be less like Tom Hanks if he tried. Their meet-cute is more of a meet-fail, but soon Annie finds herself sharing some classic rom-com moments with Drew. Her Tom Hanks can't be an actor who's leaving town in a matter or days. . .can he?
Review: I like light and fluffy sometimes, but this book didn't do it for me. There was no substance, and it was far too cliche. That's exactly why some will love it though.
I didn't like Annie for 3/4 of the novel, and I was more interested in her friend Chloe's "relationship" with her boss Nick. This was a struggle read, and I think it convinced me once and for all that this genre is not for me.
For the genre, this was a 5 star read, I'm sure. For me though, 2 stars, three, if I'm being generous.
Author: Jill Childs
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing, 2019
Pages: 320
Rating: Highly Recommend
Synopsis: Time stops for Jen when her beloved daughter, Gracie, is involved in a terrible car crash. After the little girl is pronounced dead at the scene, it's a miracle when paramedics manage to resuscitate her.
The relief Jen feels at Gracie's recovery is matched only by her fury at the drive of the car - her ex's new girlfriend, Ella. Jen has never trusted Ella, and now her worst fears have been confirmed.
But then Gracie begins to tell strange stories about what she heard in the car that day, and what she saw in those moments near death. It's clear that there's something shocking hidden in Ella's past. . .but exposing it could tear all their lives apart.
Review: In a rare moment when I was actually able to browse the library shelves, rather than searching books online and requesting, I found Gracie's Secret.
I went into this thinking it was fiction, but then bam, it turned thriller. I was hooked from the beginning, and it held my attention til the end. I'm annoyed that I picked up on subtleties early on, but that's almost par for the course. Whether it's intuition or because I read so much, I don't know. Regardless, I do know I must read more by this author.
Author: Gillian Flynn
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Crown/Archetype, 2015
Pages: 64
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: A canny young woman is struggling to survive by perpetrating various levels of mostly harmless fraud. On a rainy April morning, she is reading auras at Spiritual Palms when Susan Burke walks in. A keep observer of human behavior, our unnamed narrator immediately diagnoses beautiful, rich Susan as an unhappy woman eager to giver her lovely life a drama injection.
However, when the psychic visits the errie Victorian home that has been the source of Susan's terror and grief, she realizes she may not have to pretend to believe in ghosts anymore. Miles, Susan's teenage stepson, doesn't help matters with his disturbing manner and grisly imagination. The three are soon locked in a chilling battle to discover where the evil truly lurks and what, if anything, can be done to escape it.
Review: This is an R-rated book for sexual content, but the story itself was great. The ending slayed me though. Really? That was it? Such is the life of a short story. Enjoyed it.
Author: Jeremy Brown
Genre: Non-fiction
Publisher: Atria Books, 2018
Pages: 272
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: On the 100th anniversary of the devastation pandemic of 1918, Jeremy Brown, a veteran ER doctor, explores the troubling, terrifying, and complex history of the flu virus, from the origins of the Great Flu that killed millions, to vexing questions such as: are we prepared for the next epidemic, should you get a flu shot, and how close are we to finding a cure?
While influenza is now often thought of as a common and mild disease, it still kills over 30,000 people in the US each year. Dr. Jeremy Brown, currently Director of Emergency Care Research at the National Institutes of Health, expounds on the flu's deadly past to solve the mysteries that could protect us from the next outbreak. In Influenza, he talks with leading epidemiologists, policy makers, and the researcher who first sequenced the genetic building blocks of the original 1918 virus to offer both a comprehensive history and a roadmap for understanding what's to come.
Dr. Brown digs into the discovery and resurrection of the flu virus in the frozen victims of the 1918 epidemic, as well as the bizarre remedies that once treated the disease, such as whiskey and blood-letting. Influenza also breaks down the current dialogue surrounding the disease, explaining the controversy over vaccinations, antiviral drugs like Tamiflu, and the federal government's role in preparing for pandemic outbreaks. Through 100 years of advancement in medical research and technology have passed since the 1918 disaster, Dr. Brown warns that many of the most vital questions about the flu virus continue to confound even the leading experts.
Review: This book interested me on two fronts. First, as a mom. Flu vaccines are a hot topic every year in the various mom groups in which I participate. To vaccinate or not to vaccinate. After nearly 13 years in this role :-), I just go with my gut every year and vaccinate, but I don't know if that's the right thing to do or not.
Secondly, my grandmother was born in March 1918, and I enjoy reading books that are set or discuss issues of the world during her formative years. She was oldest girl, but not the oldest child in her family so I like to imagine what the world would have looked like then. What did my great-grandmother think having a 6 month old when the flu first broke out. At any rate, they were fortunate enough to not lose immediate family members in that pandemic.
This was interesting listening, and I feel like I learned "something."
Synopsis: An uncensored Hollywood tell-all filled with explicit tales of love, sex, and revenge from the video vixen made famous by Warrant's rock anthem "Cherry Pie."
