Book Review: Starting Over by Stacy Finz

Starting Over (Nugget series #4)
Stacy Finz
Kensington/Lyrical Press
320 pages
Two and a half stars

Synopsis:
The mountain town of Nugget, California, may be tiny, but with its breathtaking scenery, fresh air, and lovable locals, it has everything. Not to mention it’s the perfect setting for firsts—and seconds—of all kinds…

On the day of her glitzy New York City wedding, society girl Samantha Dunsbury ditches her Wall Street groom, and hops in her convertible. Her only plan is to head west. But when a pit stop lands her at a lovely Victorian inn in Nugget, she doesn’t want to leave. And when the innkeeper needs someone to fill in, Sam is thrilled to take the job—her first! For once, she’s going to do what makes her happy. She just has to figure out what happy looks like. She never expects it to look like her surly new boss…

The last thing Nate Breyer needs is a debutante dilettante mucking up his business. How his sister—and co-owner—could’ve hired Sam is beyond him. Nate’s known women like Sam before—he was engaged to one once. With no options, he’ll just have to keep his eye on her while also keeping his distance. But to his surprise it turns out Sam’s got a knack for the job, and for putting folks at ease—including Nate. As business—and pleasure—heat up their relationship, Nate finds himself ready to do anything to persuade the runaway-bride to stay permanently gone.

My view of the book:

I'll start out that I love this series, but Nate. the male protagonist in this book, I just could not stand. I really liked Samantha, but found Nate to be a total @$$ for most of this book. I definitely could not get into them as a couple and was even somewhat repulsed by how he acted. I had thought at first of just giving this 2 stars, but when the story did not involve Nate, I liked the book. I'd probably give this book 2 and a half stars if I could. I look forward to future books; I just hope   I'll start out that I love this series, but Nate. the male protagonist in this book, I just could not stand. I really liked Samantha, but found Nate to be a total @$$ for most of this book. I definitely could not get into them as a couple and was even somewhat repulsed by how he acted. I had thought at first of just giving this 2 stars, but when the story did not involve Nate, I liked the book. I'd probably give this book 2 and a half stars if I could. I look forward to future books; I just hope they do not include much of Nate. I received this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review

December Wrap Up/2015 Wrap Up

 

 2 stars

 

I started December finishing Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward Countywhich I started end of November.  This was a true story of a county in Virginia that closed its public schools, rather than desegregate them.  the schools remained shut down for several years.  The whites of the county opened a private school for their children, while the African-Americans had to send their children to live with other relatives in other counties or states to create crude classrooms, where they learned less than the basics.

 

 2 stars

 

Next, I read an ARC provided to me by NetGalley.  Operation White Christmas: Escape to the Country novella was reviewed earlier in December.  To keep it brief, I wasn't a big fan of this book.  Overall, I really didn't feel a connection or care about the characters.  The author is Australian and I believe her books often take place in Australia; therefore I may give the author another read , but this time with a full page novel.  I often don't enjoy novellas since. they are too brief to get into proper character development, etc.

 

2 stars

Cimarron Girl was another ARC through NetGalley. It is children's literature (probably 8-10 year olds)  and is the story of a young girl during the Great Depression in Oklahoma (the Dust Bowl) and later California.  It's kind of a child's version of the Grapes of Wrath.

4 stars

Next a library book came in, A Frontier Christmas by J.A. Johnstone and William Johnstone.  The Johnstones have written prolifically in the western genre.  They write mostly for men, but their Christmas series, of which there are currently 5, is written for both men and women

 

2 stars

 

Over the last half year, I've slowly been reading Yell Less, Love More: How the Orange Rhino Stopped Yelling at Her Kids and How You Can Too by Sheila McCraith.  I wasn't too crazy about it and gave it only 2 stars and thus, took me nearly half a year to get through.

 

3 stars

 

The last book that I finished in December and in 2015, Tom's River: A Story of Science and Salvation by Dan Fagin. I did a  review of this book at the end of December when I finished it on audio.  I gave it 3 stars, but if it had not been so full of a confusing discussion of the science of chemicals, carcinogens, and the epidemiology of disease, which would be confusing if not somewhat boring to the average reader unless they have a scientific background, I would have given it 4 stars as the writing was good and it was very well-researched, but more of a laymen;s discussion would have been more appreciated.

 

I only started this blog in mid-November, but I had set a Goodreads goal of 50 books and I ended up completing 56 books in 2015, five of which were audiobooks, one was a hardcover, and the remaining 50 were read on my Kindle.  About 41% of what I read were ARCs through NetGalley, about 30% were from the library and about 27% were my own books.  I read 70% fiction and 30% non-fiction; 25% of the books were by male writers and 75% were by female writers.  None of these stats were especially surprising, but I wish I had read more of my books, so I could decrease my TBR pile.  I know I have at least 20-something more ARCs to read, but I will try not to request any more new ones, except those by a small handful of favorite authors, umtil I get most of these read and reviewed.  It probably will take me all year, since I know I will have some books from the library and I need to read some off my TBR pile!

Book Review: Tom's River: A Story of Science and Salvation by Dan Fagin

 

 

Tom's River: A Story of Science and Salvation

by Dan Fagin

Random House Audio

18 hours, 31 minutes

3 stars

 

Synopsis: The riveting true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, Toms River melds hard-hitting investigative reporting, a fascinating scientific detective story, and an unforgettable cast of characters into a sweeping narrative in the tradition of A Civil Action, The Emperor of All Maladies, and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

One of New Jersey’s seemingly innumerable quiet seaside towns, Toms River became the unlikely setting for a decades-long drama that culminated in 2001 with one of the largest legal settlements in the annals of toxic dumping. A town that would rather have been known for its Little League World Series champions ended up making history for an entirely different reason: a notorious cluster of childhood cancers scientifically linked to local air and water pollution. For years, large chemical companies had been using Toms River as their private dumping ground, burying tens of thousands of leaky drums in open pits and discharging billions of gallons of acid-laced wastewater into the town’s namesake river.

In an astonishing feat of investigative reporting, prize-winning journalist Dan Fagin recounts the sixty-year saga of rampant pollution and inadequate oversight that made Toms River a cautionary example for fast-growing industrial towns from South Jersey to South China. He tells the stories of the pioneering scientists and physicians who first identified pollutants as a cause of cancer, and brings to life the everyday heroes in Toms River who struggled for justice: a young boy whose cherubic smile belied the fast-growing tumors that had decimated his body from birth; a nurse who fought to bring the alarming incidence of childhood cancers to the attention of authorities who didn’t want to listen; and a mother whose love for her stricken child transformed her into a tenacious advocate for change.

A gripping human drama rooted in a centuries-old scientific quest, Toms River is a tale of dumpers at midnight and deceptions in broad daylight, of corporate avarice and government neglect, and of a few brave individuals who refused to keep silent until the truth was exposed.

 

My view on the book: The actual story behind this book was interesting, but the book is filled with scientific explanation and history of the chemicals and epidemiology (I think that's the word I mean - the history of the spread of disease, etc. that I found myself bored out of my mind at times.  It also felt that somethings were explained more than once, but with so much scientific and technical language that may not be the case. I ended up giving this only 3 stars, because all the scientific jargon had me feeling lost and confused at times.  I enjoyed Full Body Burden: Growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow of Rocky Flats by Kristen Iverson, more though.



#T5W: Top 5 Books of 2015

Top 5 Wednesdays are hosted by Ginger Reads Lainey and you can find the goodreads page here for more information.
Sorry that I haven't been around here much to post.  Just the usual holiday, family, work busyness.   So without anymore delay, here are my top 5 books that I read in 2015.  For a change, I had 7 or 8  5-star books, so deciding which to include in my top 5 was not easy.

Thunder on the Plain is by my favorite author, Rosanne Bittner.  She's been writing since the 80s and I started reading her books in the 90s.She's written over 60 novels and is still going strong.  Her novels are historical romance novels with usually western themes and with a lot of history written in to make it authentic and written in a way to be very engaging.  This book is about ther building of the transcontinental railroad.  Like most of her books. this story covers a span of time, in this case 12 years. Here's my Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/734411016.

Finding Hope by Stacy Finz was an ARC that I received through NetGalley and thi9s has become my newest favorite series.  This is the second book in the Nugget series, which centers on a small town in the Sierra Nevadas. Reading this book first, really did not affect my enjoyment of this book and seies; actually I found that I enjoyed this book more than the first book, Going Home. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1101248907

Dogtology: Live, Bark, Believe by Jeff Lazarus was another I received through NetGalley.  If one is a dog lover or at least a former or current dog owner, you'd probably appreciate this book. It is so funny and even if you are not a fanatical dog lover/dog owner, you'll find bits of yourself as well as others you know in this book.  Just a very enjoyable and funny book about our love and sometimes obsession in our furry, canine friends.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1392578757

Red Blood, Yellow Skin by Linda L.T. Baer This was the true story of a young This was more of an autobiography of the author's life, rather than a history of the war.Vietnamese  girl/woman who grew up and came of age before and during the Vietnam War.  This made the story more personal and allowed you to see the Vietnam War through the eyes of a civilian.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1361578770

Bent Creek by Marlene Mitchell  I read this early in the year when I had a trial period to Amazon Prime and this was my monthly free book.  Although I do not remember a lot of specifics of thisbook, I do remember that I loved the story.  It was written in a way that was very different from other books that I read.  This book took place mostly in Appalachia and you felt immersed in the story https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1210014309

#T5W: Books To Read By The Fire (winter/holiday recommendations)

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





My top 2 favorites are in the Christmas series by William W. and J.A. Johnstone.  Most of their many books are westerns probably aimed at men, but this series has a good blend of action, adventure, and romance, tied up perfectly for both women and men to enjoy.  every year, this being the 4th year in a row, I have enjoyed the next book in the series.  I am a year behind, but this way my library has the book for me to read.  A new book came out this year, so I know I will have another book to enjoy next Christmas, when hopefully a 6th book in the series comes out.



I so enjoyed this book.  It is filled with funny anecdotes and stories of Ed Butchart's career of playing Santa.  I read this last year and it put me in such a Christmassy mood.  I really need to read it every year or two.



This is the 16th book in the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr.  Although it is a series one does not have to read any or all of the books.  They can also be stand alones since enough of the back story is found in each book, but it is also more enjoyable reading them from the beginning and meeting up with old friends in future books.



This is a very short story of only 40 or so pages, but it is very sweet and puts you in the holiday mood.  Whenever there is an adorable dog or cat on the cover of a book, the chances of the book being a good one increases.

Book Review: Operation White Christmas

Operation White Christmas: An Escape to the Country Novella
by Nicki Edwards
Momentum Books
Advanced Reader Copy, Kindle edition Pages: 153 (approx.)

2 stars

Synopsis: Hollie Douglas has dreamed of a White Christmas ever since she was a child, but her dream implodes when her fiancé breaks her heart two months before their big day. Convinced by her best friend to go ahead with her planned honeymoon anyway, Hollie doesn't expect to find herself stuck in a snowstorm in rural Canada two days before Christmas.

Jim Bell has been dreading another Christmas without his wife. When one of his orphaned animals goes missing in the middle of a snowstorm, he didn't expect he'd be rescuing a stranded Australian tourist as well. He quickly realizes Hollie is carrying as much emotional baggage as him, and when she accepts his offer to seek shelter at his farm, he wonders if he's doing the right thing.

As Jim helps Hollie fulfil her White Christmas dreams, the winter wonderland and spirit of Christmas work their healing magic on both of them.

A sweet Christmas romance in the tradition of Melissa McClone and Alissa Callen.

My view of the book:  Although this was a sweet story, being a novella of just slightly over a 150 pages, everything had to happen quickly, so I often found myself thinking this is ridiculously implausible. Had this been a full 300+page novel, things would have probably happened at a more realistic pace and over a longer timeframe.  I received this as an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Although I may not have enjoyed this novella as much as I would have if it was a longer novel, the basic story  was good, but the characters were not developed as well as they probably would have been in a full-length novel. I would possibly read a future book by Nicki Edwards. 

If you enjoy novellas and sweet romances, you probably would enjoy this.

November Wrap Up!

I had a very good reading month in November with 8 books completed, one in process and one that I just could not finish.  

I'm currently reading Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County: A Family, A Virginia Town, A Civil Rights Battle by Kristin Green about a county in Virginia that closed down their public schools rather than integrate their public schools in the late 50s and early 60s. 

2.5 stars

Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses, I reviewed a few days ago.  So check my previous post, please.

 4 stars

I also reviewed Soldier Girls by Helen Thorpe, which I listened to the other week

 5 stars

and also read and reviewed Dogtology by Jeff Lazarus.  These also can be found as separate blog posts.

3 stars

Over the past 2 years, I slowly read Chicken Soup for the Adopted Soul by Jim Canfield.  It is made up of some very good short stories by persons involved in different ways with adoption.  Some were not as enjoyable, but overall, I enjoyed it. 

 5 stars

Heartsong Cottage is the 10th book in the Eternity Springs series and was an ARC I received from the publisher through NetGalley.  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1406151727

 3 stars

My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me: A Black Woman Discovers Her Nazi Past by Jennifer Teege was listened to on audio and is about a biracial young woman, who although she knows she is adopted, finds out her maternal grandfather was Nazi commandant. Amon Goeth.

 2 stars

I also listened to Candyfreak: A Journey Through The Chocolate Underbelly of America.  It was really just an okay book.

3 1/2 stars
Beyond Belief: My Secret Life in Scientology and My Harrowing Escape was a very interesting audiobook.  It is by the niece of the current leader of Scientology.  It is a very bizarre religion (cult) and it makes one wonder how seemingly intelligent  people, including celebrities Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Kirstie Ally, etc. can believe in it.  I very much am interested in reading Leah Remini's new book about her life in it and why she left. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1428096206

I started Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich on audio.  Why I specifically chose it, I am not sure; I guess it sounded like a good premise.  I got about halfway through and there was soft-core submission and domination and I could not go on.  It was not the two main characters, but I did not care to stick around anymore and waste my time reading this.  

I pretty much don't plan out my reads enough to do a monthly TBR.  But in December, I plan to finiksh the book I;m reading and read a couple Christmas stories.  I know I have an ARC Christmas story, Operation White Christmas: An Escape to the Country Novella by Nikki Edwards.  I just noticed that uit is part of a series, but I'll give it a try and hope it can be read without reading the previous ones.  I have 1 or 2 library books coming I think and I recently picked up a free copy of the classic, A Christmas Carol.  I've seen countless movies, but don;t think I  ever read the actual book.  I actually need to start reading the occasional classic.