March Wrap Up

I had a very good reading month.4 books read, including 1 ARC and 5 books that I listened to on audio.  My favorite book was Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and Wild: Lost and Found on the Pacific Crest Trail was the one I liked least.  In fact, it is rare for me to finish a book that I disliked so much that is why you will not find too many books that I rate with only one star.

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult       3.5 stars

Jodi Picoult's books are often about very timely and controversial issues.  This particular book is about a school shooting and  had me guessing until the very end how it would end.

Although I enjoyed this book and others that have read by Jodi Picoult, one of my biggest complaints are how long her chapters almost always are. I am a person, who usually likes to finish the chapter in one sitting, but that is rarely possible with the length of her chapters. I'd probably get through her books quicker, if she had shorter chapters and I could say just one more chapter...

This particular book had me guessing until the very end. I did not guess the ending until it was just about to happen and even then I did not figure it all out. That is how I enjoy most of my books; not knowing the ending until the end.

Harbor Lights by Sherryl Woods                 3 stars

Book 3 in the Chesapeake Shores series.

This book was better than the 2nd book in the series, Flowers on Main, but not as good as the first one, The Inn at Eagle Point. I found the O'Brien's particularly meddlesome, to a point where it was almost infuriating. On the contrary though, without some of their meddling, Kevin and Shanna probably would not have gotten back together. I plan to continue with this series and see where it goes.

Life Moves Pretty Fast: The Lessons We Learned From Eighties Movies (And Why We Don't Learn Them From Movies Anymore) by Hadley Freeeman   2 stars

I really had high hopes for this book. I love the eighties and 80s movies, so I though this book would be a great stroll down memory lane and some of it was. Much it as the book went on was boring with too much discussion of feminist views and talk of what is wrong with the film industry nowadays. Also, the book and chapters were way too long with some of it feeling almost duplicative. I found myself skimming way too much of the book after the first several chapters and being anxious for it to be over. I really wish I could have rated it higher, but I just can't.

I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Here Comes Trouble by Michael Moore   3.5 stars

I enjoyed this book more than I expected to. It was interesting to hear the stories of Michael Moore's life before we had heard of him once Roger & Me came out. Hard to believe that he was thinking of becoming a priest and went to a seminary boarding school for his 1st year of high school. 

The Last Juror by John Grisham   3 stars

I enjoyed this. Somewhat disappointed in the end with who did it, but don't want to say anything else about it or else it would be a spoiler. Having the story be from a newspaper owners viewpoint was interesting and not the same attorney point of view as one expects from Grisham.

33 Men by Jonathon Franklin    2 stars

Although this was an interesting event in which 33 miners were trapped in a copper mine for 69 days, it could have been much better, in that the book seemed not to flow as well as it could have. Also, it was confusing trying to keep the men straight. I listened to the audio version and I did enjoy the narrator.

American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History by Chris Kyle     3.5 stars

I enjoyed listening to this. The narrator was very good and since Chris Kyle is from Texas having a narrator who has southern accent makes the narration of the story more enjoyable and realistic.

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs   4.5 stars

This book is totally not my usual genre, but I finally decided to try it and was pleasantly surprised that I very much enjoyed it. It really difficult to decide exactly what genre it is; it's seems to be a combination: partly contemporary fiction, partly historical fiction and partly fantasy. I'll definitely go on to the next book in the series later this year.

Wild: Lost and Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed    1 star.

I really did not like this book. It is about the author's trek on the Pacific Coast Trail, along with stories about her life. I did not like the person she was and every time the story seemed to improve, it went downhill again, reminding me how much I truly disliked it. I had doubts about it before I started but I decided to take a chance and listen to it on audio. I can understand her being depressed after her mother died at 45 of lung cancer, even though she had never smoked. But she was married to a decent guy and ran off to Oregon and had at least one affair and got involved in drugs, heroin. 

When she decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, which goes from Northern Mexico to southern Canada, she was totally ill-prepared, having never backpacked before. Also at one point in the story she was talking about how her her 33 yr. old family horse needed to be put down, but since she could not afford a vet, she was going to do it the old-fashioned way and shoot the horse. Her brother stepped in and ended up doing it for her, but she describes it and describes the suffering the horse endured. This was totally unnecessary to have in this book and was quite macabre. Why she felt this was necessary to include in this book is beyond me, except to solidify my great dislike for this book and for the author. I gave this book 1 star. I had hoped the story would get better and it never did; if anything it almost got consistently worse. What a wasted 13+ hours of listening time. I later found out this was an Oprah Book Club 2.0 pick, if I had known I probably would not have read this. Most of the Oprah's book club selections that I have read, I did not enjoy. In fact, I usually will not read a book that she has recommended, since I never enjoy those books.


I'd love to hear if you read any of these books, what you thought of them or what your favorite books were that you read in March

#T5W: Top 5 Book You DNF'ed (Did Not Finish)

Top 5 Wednesdays are hosted by Ginger Reads Lainey and you can find the Goodreads page here for more information. 

I have several books I did not finish.  Here's a list of 5 of them.

I just was not enjoying this book.  I know many did, but I heard either you loved it or hated it.  I guess I was one of the latter.

Another that was loved by many, but not me.  It was compared to Gone Girl, so I should have proceeded with great caution or even avoided it all around.  I believe in the future if a book is compared to Gone Girl or Girl on the Train, I will just skip it.

I was skeptical about reading this, as dystopians are not in my comfort zone.  I decided to listen to the audio version and really gave it more than a fair chance.  I just could not get into it, so marked it DNF.

I had  read this entire series and enjoyed the first several books, but after awhile I just found the bew characters that were being given major storylines, I was enjoying less and less.  The older characters that I did like were given smaller and smaller storylines.  Finally, I was no longer enjoying these books, so I I stopped reading them.

This book was just too dry and boring. I've read a few book about 9-11 - some are good and others like this were not or at least not for me.

February Wrap Up

I had another very successful reading month with 5 audiobooks listened to and 5 books/ARCs read.

This was an audiobook that I listened to and initially, I gave it 3 stars (thinking it deserves 2.5 or 2.75), but I have decided to change it to a 2.  It really is a forgettable book.  I've read other books on this subject that are much more memorable. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1530279297

Another audiobook; I gave this 4 stars and wish I could give it a 3 and a half or 3 and 3/4.  I enjoyed this.  It is a very interesting read or listen in this age of immigration.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1533744894

This was another audiobook, where I changed my rating of 3 stars to 2.  It is young adult and maybe I just can't enjoy books for this age group anymore, but the premise sounded interesting.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1535087331

This book is by one of my favorite authors, whom I have read since the 90s.  It is in fact a re-read and I very seldom ever re-read a book, but since it has been around 20 years or so since I read it and the author wrote a sequel l has another one coming out later in the year, I thought I better re-read the original book.  Back in the 90s, I gave this what would 5 stars, but this time around I gave it 4 stars, although if Goodreads allowed us to give it half stars, it would have received 4 1/2 from me.  There's no better way to spend time than with a Rosanne Bittner novel.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1496699685

This ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) deserves 5 starts and is a great book for children and parents of all races to remember the great accomplishments of African-Americans.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1496725315

I enjoyed this audiobook more than I thought I would and give it 4 stars.  I found it very interesting that the 3 brothers were all quite different, but all became successes in their various fields in which they worked.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1541967653

This book was hard to put down and deserves 5 stars.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1544166405

 Nearly a 5 star book by one of my newly found authors.  Full of suspense and hard to put down.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1553020243

This is another very good children's book, to which I gave 4 stars.  I read it as an ARC and it will not be out until August as of now.  I never knew of this particular woman and found it very interesting.  Like I Like My Black Skin Because, this is a good book to read with parents or in school.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1558591003

The last book I finished in February was an audiobook.   I looked forward to reading this for a long time, and give it 3 stars.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1552619991



I'm in the middle of reading Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes about a school shooting, which I will be finishing in March.



Book Review: Mermaid Moon by Colleen Coble

Mermaid Moon (Sunset Cove series #2)
Colleen Coble
Thomas Nelson Publishing
352 pages
4.75 stars

Synopsis

Mallory s mother died fifteen years ago. But her father s last words on the phone were unmistakable: Find . . . mother.

Shame and confusion have kept Mallory Davis from her home for the last fifteen years, but when her dad mysteriously dies on his mail boat route, she doesn t have any choice but to go back to Mermaid Point.

Mallory believes her father was murdered and childhood sweetheart Kevin O Connor, game warden in Downeast Maine, confirms her suspicions. But Kevin is wary of helping Mallory in her search. She broke his heart and left without a word years ago.

When Mallory begins receiving threats on her own life and her beloved teenage daughter, Haylie their search intensifies. There s a tangled web within the supposed murder, and it involves much more than what meets the eye.

As answers begin to fall into place, Mallory realizes her search is about more than finding her father s killer it is also about finding herself again . . . and possibly about healing what was broken so long ago with Kevin. She just has to stay alive long enough to put all the pieces together."

My view of the book

This is a fantastic book by Colleen Coble. It is fast-paced suspense and I think I liked this book even better than the 1st in the Sunset Cove series, The Inn at Ocean's Edge. There is a third book coming out in September and I look forward to that one . I don't want to give away too much of the story, which is filled with so many twists. The book starts out right away drawing you in and it continues to the very end. I hated to put this book down, and that is a sign of a truly great book. Although this book is from a Christian book publisher, there are very few references to god and unlike many Christian books, no biblical verses found in the book. If you are turned off by the many Christian fiction books that seem to try to convert you to their way of thinking or ram Biblical theology down your throat this is pleasantly not one of those. There really are no sex scenes and although suspenseful, there is no violence or at least a very mild dose, just a very clean, but suspenseful story filled with twists and turns. I give this 4 stars out of 5, but it deserves 4.5 or even 4.75 stars

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

T5W: Best Suggested Books You Loved (books recommended to you)

Top 5 Wednesdays are hosted by Ginger Reads Lainey and you can find the Goodreads page here for more information.  I have not participated in  Top 5 Wednesday for a while, as I did not really care for any of the topics.

I read this book almost 4 years ago.  It was highly recommended by the Facebook group, Readers of Kindle Books.  This historical novel takes place in antebellum Virginia, pre-Civil War, which is one of my favorite time periods.  I loved this story and highly recommend it.

The Virgin River series was recommended by many on the Facebook group, Readers of Kindle Books.  There are about 18 books in the series, so reading the series can be a rather big undertaking, but so worth it.  No book received less than 3 stars and most 4 or 5 stars.  One does not have to read them in order, but it is much better that way, since most of the earlier characters appear in later books and characters who have a smaller part in an earlier book has his/her own book later in the series.  These characters feel like friends and family and it is wonderful to visit them in later books.

Another book that was recommended by so many of the good folks on Facebook's Reader of Kindle Books page.  I loved this book and read it almost 4 and a half years ago.  This is ow one of my favorite authors and had it not been for RKB, I don't know if I ever would have read these books.

You guessed it another book that was recommended by those on Readers of Kindle Books' Facebook page.  I'm so glad I read this; it was just hysterical!

 

Although I heard of this book way before, I was on Readers of Kindle Books, it wasn't until I received so many recommendations there and on Goodreads that I finally picked up this book.  I'm so glad I did for it was wonderful, although it is sad that so many people felt that a whole segment of our American population should be treated as sub-human. 

Book Review: I Like My Brown Skin Because

I Like My Brown Skin Because
Julia A. Davis
Epps-Alford Publishing
160 pages
5 stars

I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.. This book came about when the author's 4 year old grandson asked her if her brown skin ever makes her sad. Her response resulted in her writing this book and in it she shows all the ways her brown skin reminds her to be proud of it. This book is great not just for middle elementary school children, but their parents and anyone who wants a good synopsis of how African-Americans have not only endured terrible life circumstances through out American history, but made great contributions in all facets of life which have resulted in an improvement of life not only for other African-Americans, but all people in general. I definitely recommend this book and it would be an excellent resource for classroom teachers and schools and libraries in general. I can't wait to share it with my son. I am a white adoptive parent of an African-American child and this book will serve as an excellent way to talk about the difficult topics of racism and the empowerment of African-Americans.

January Wrap-Up

I can't believe this is so late.  It has been a crazy beginning of the year and the time has flown by, although I got a lot of reading and listening done.  Since I'm so late, I'll limit what I say about each book and just include a link to my Goodreads review.  I ended January reading/listening to 10 books and another 2 I started and will finish in February.

I listened to The Dressmaker of Khair Khana  and give it 3 stars.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1494787162?book_show_action=false

I love this series by Stacy Finz, but Starting Over was my least favorite of the series so far.  I could not stand Nate the main male character in this book.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1474285383?book_show_action=false
I did give this 3 stars, but it was due to the other characters and stories, not Nate.  In fact, it may have gotten a higher rating if Nate had not been so infuriating and unlikable.

My favorite audiobook of the month and one of my top two books of the month.  I gave this 4 stars but it was a high 4 stars.  It is actually written for the middle grades or junior high, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1496354393?book_show_action=false

A reporter goes "undercover on Facebook and Skype and poses as a young, newly-converted Muslim woman and gets involved with a Jihadist in the Islamic State. Another audiobook that I give 4 stars to.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1503942771

My favorite read of the month with 4 stars.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1496762561?book_show_action=false

2 stars.  This was by the same author who wrote the 1st book in the series, while the others were written by others.  I did not enjoy this anywhere near what I did with her first book, Small Town Secrets.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1392694644

I listened to this book, but really was not crazy about it.  It could have been so much better and I was rather disappointed.  1 star.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1524799243?book_show_action=false

Another book that I listened to.  I gave it 2 stars.  It was just okay, but it is interesting how there is similarities between myths from different regions of the world and some of them overlap with Bible stories, etc. 

Another book that I gave 2 stars to and listened to on audio.  Although, it was interesting in parts, I found James P. Loewen's "Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism", much more interesting.

 

 

The one last book that I finished in January.  Like the last few I listened to this one and also thought it was only OK and therefore gave it only 2 stars.  I had heard how great this series was and thought I'd try it; it maybe that I am nowhere near the age group that this book is written for and if I was nearer that age group, I may have  enjoyed and think I probably would have.  There are 4 books in this series and although I see the characters growing in their thoughts and deeds within the book, I do not think that I will continue with this series..

 

I ended January listening to another book, as well as reading a favorite that the author decided after over 20 years to make into a series, I will include those thoughts in my February wrap-up.