Where has this year gone? I started a January wrap up and didn’t get a chance to finish it. I don’t know the route I want this blog to take…I barely have time to put my reviews on GoodReads, and I feel like they are not in depth at all. So far this year I have read 47 books…that would be a ridiculous summary post no-one would want to read. I have a started helping a friend get her book box off the ground by a) purchasing a subscription and b) posting videos of said subscription unwrapping. But that is on Instagram and YouTube, I don’t feel the need to post here as well, maybe I will do a review? So that leaves me as to where to go with this blog…I’m not in the book world enough to be talking about news. But I don’t know reviews are the way this works anymore either…this may take some thought to figure out.
Monday, June 28, 2021
Monday, January 4, 2021
December 2020 Wrap Up
This is aWWII true story. Hannie Schaft, Truus Oversteegen, and Freddie Oversteegen are three sisters in occupied Netherlands, in the city of Haarlem. They joined the underground resistance and became a terrifying force de resistance. They sheltered Jews, political dissidents, and fellow Dutch Resistors. They took direct actions like sabotaging bridges and railways. They transported weapons and attacked military facilities. They were assassins and seasoned spies. Tim Brady did his homework when researching these women and bringing their heroics to the worlds attention.
This book started out strong, but around 40% it started to drag. It became more a reciting of facts than a story. I felt like Hannie, Truus and Freddie were ignored. I wanted more details of them. It cam back around at the end but, it was too late I had lost interest.
*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.
This is the second book in the Village of Primm series. I read the first book last December as a OUABC selection. This book takes place just a week or so after the end of the first book. Once again Holly Banks finds herself in the middle of a mystery. Her chocolate lab Struggle digs up a lost artifact and the chaos ensues.
I gave this book a 3star because it still was a meh storyline to me, a little better than the first but not that engaging to me. I think I need to look at this series almost like a cozy, but just without murder. I liked that the characters stayed true to the writing from the first book, as it took place so soon after the first book that felt really important to me. The sarcasm was toned down a little bit, which I admit I was a little sad about. But Valerie still didn’t take her created world seriously which did make it fun. I don’t love these books, but I will still probably continue with the series which is a solid series.
I picked this book up because Ants Among Elephants was such a heavy read. This had been an impulse grocery store aisle buy. It sounded great a thriller about a daughter trying to kill her mom, sort of Gillian Flynn style was my impression when I read the back.
I really liked the book, the premise and story line was great. I loved the dynamic between the Mom Suzette and the daughter Hannah. I loved how devious Hannah was, yet still had an air of innocence. Alex seemed like a clueless shmuck, which fed right into Hannah’s plans. What I don’t like was some of Suzette’s vulgarity around sex with Alex, and some of the sex scenes. I’m not opposed to sex in a novel, it is part of life, but I felt like the scenes were put in more for shock factor than to further the storyline. They seemed abrupt and poorly placed, and when they appeared they pulled me out of the story, which broke the magic for me. But other than that it was really well written and a page turner for sure.
This was the December selection for the Book & Wine Club. They are a newsletter that pairs a book and wine selection every month for local groups to meet. It this month they decided to do a Zoom meeting, so my best friend and I joined.
This book was not as advertised, the blurb on Amazon’s and good reads said it was the history of a family as they rose above their caste to become educated, leaders and an improved life. Eventually Gilda moves from India to America and writes her family’s history. It was marketed as a rare family history from the lowest of the castes in India, and their move triumph and success. It was also supposed to be about the bonds of family. Wow that sounds enlightening and amazing right? Yeah I would love to read that book! Sadly instead I read this one. It wasn’t about family and triumph, it was recounting the deeds of the the oldest brother Satyam as he became a political activist who founded the People’s War Group, which sounded like a communist terrorist group to me
Which per my internet research is exactly what it is! I’m sure I’m now on some monitoring list for even looking it up. There was almost no discussion of the author’s mother, besides when she was being mistreated first by her Father and Brothers, then by her husband. It definitely wasn’t about woman’s rights or gaining empowerment in India. This book was horrible and the description was do misleading I felt betrayed for it being selected.
*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*
The book takes place in the 1820’s or so. It follows two kids, the book description said they were teens, although I thought they were more like 12. Yehuda Lieb, son of poor single mother and Bluma granddaughter of Tupik’s midwife, a small Jewish Villaine somewhere in Eastern Europe. They both encounter death one day, and then consequence is a journey through the Far Country, a Jewish land of spirits and demons. Where they decide to make war on Death himself.
I’m not going to lie this one left me floundering about. I was not aware of the characters at all. I suspect they are well known Jewish folk lore characters, but I had no idea who they were. Still I was able to follow the story and enjoy it. I think if I had known who they were some stuff would have made more sense. And the description is right, it did remind me of Neil Gaimen’s American Gods. I enjoyed the read, it was a solid story and I would read more from this author.
This is book 18 in the In Death Series, I started reading this series in 2015. One of Eve’s husband’s employees of fond at the scene of her husband and his lover, at fist glance it looks like an open and shut case. But things don’t add up Eve and the deeper she digs, the deeper the conspiracy goes.
This was another great one in the series, admittedly the plot isn’t new or unique. But that isn’t why I love these books, I love these books because of the characters. Eve, Roarke, Peabody, McNab, and Feeny are all old friends. They grow as characters and people, and yet they stay in their character traits enough to give me comfort.
I’m obviously feeling some comfort reads, and Eve Dallas does it for me.
I’m surprised that after all this time Robb was able to surprise me. There was a twist at the end that was completely unexpected for me. I enjoyed the writing and the way we get to see and know some side characters more intently. I love the lightheartedness of this series though too, despite all the murder there is laughter. I even read some bits to my husband, much to his confusion.