Pretty Little World by Elizabeth LaBan and Melissa DePino (Read 1/21/19 to 1/23/19)

This is a Mom’s Book Nook Book of the month. It is the story of three families that tear down their walls literally and combine their three individual homes into a single large home.  My best friend lives 3 houses down from me and we do lots of stuff including holidays together, but sharing a kitchen and living rooms sounds like the end of our friendship to me.

The wives are for,  2 of the 3 husbands are ok with the idea. The hold out changes his mind when he had a medical scare and the crazy commune idea begins.  It went about like how I expected, drama and weirdness, and not really working out.  But only one family was broken up, and that break up really had nothing to do with the commune.  I liked the writing, it was easy and light and the story moves at a good pace.  It felt predictable, but that is ok.  Sometimes it's nice to have a fun light book to read.

Bird Box by Josh Malerman (read 1/20/19)

So this has been on my TBR pile for a while, but it got moved up because of the Netflix movie release. I literally read this on one sitting.  This was so suspenseful and easy to read.  I had to know what happened to her housemates and if she made it to where she was going.  I could not find a stopping place. The writing was so fluid and vivid.  The details so sharp that even with the few given it creates an image that is intense and dark.  I really like the idea of limited imagery, because the characters are blindfolded, and really it much more visceral than that, and the writing invokes that darkness and suspense with an ease, I didn't find it scary, I found it thrilling.

** SPOILERS***

Watched the movie.  They changed so much, the way Malorie joins the house, who is in the house, her sisters name and death. The way she travels down the river. Although John Malcovich as Don/Douglas is amazing casting though, even better than I imagined.  They are on the River much longer than in the book too.

Malorie never would have made one of the kids look at the rapids, the one part where she had to pick the right river fork, she looked. Tom lived past the birth!  What?  Tom’s death so much more dramatic. The kids never disobeyed.  But the ending was perfect.

Bone Street Rumba Series by Daniel Jose Older

Half-Resurrection Blues (read 1/1/19 to 1/11/19)

This is a re-read so I can remember what happens before I read the next two in the series for my original review see http://adventuresofabibliophile.blogspot.com/2015/12/half-resurrection-blues-bone-street.html

This was a much slower read on the second round, I couldn’t seem to get into it as much as the first time I read it.  I also went on vacation, and strangely didn’t have time to read while away. 

Midnight Taxi Tango (read 1/11/19 to 1/14/19)

This picks up a few months after Half-Resurrection Blues, and Carlos is still a bit of an emotional mess.  There is some strange deaths in the park that he is investigating, and this takes him down a very complicated and twisty path of conspiracy and devious actions.  Older is including the points of view this time.  Kia’s and Reza’s viewpoints.  I like  Kia’s character I’m glad she is getting an expanded role.  We also get to meet Reza, who is my favorite character I think.  She has this bad ass attitude, that is absolutely not fake.  She just oozes coolness and is scary too.  It amazes me how well Older is able to switch between point of views for a seamless storytelling.  This could have been very jolted, but his skills as a writer really shine.  This story line goes off into a far more sinister and overreaching plot than the first book.  It was not as lighthearted, but really well done.  It has a lot of twits and turns but wraps up nicely, with room fo rate next one to fill in some blanks.

**SPOILER**

If Sasha killed Carlos originally, does that negate that Carlos killed her brother, so they can be together?  Or does it make things so messed up they will never be together?

Salsa Nocturna: Stories (read 1/14/19 to 1/17/19)

I found this when I went to see if there were more books in the series, it is marked as being book 2.5.  So I didn’t realize that this was a collection of short stories.  And per the introduction really a prequel to Half-Resurrection Blues.  Once you start to read it though, it’s ingenious the way each story can stand alone, yet when read in order make up a much larger story. I had planned to do a blurb for each story, but realizing that each story makes up the part of a bigger picture, I erased my comments.

Battle Hill Bolero (read  1/17/19 to 1/20/19)

I think on this one Older had too many narrators.  I couldn’t get into the story as much because it was made up of too many threads and not enough connections.  I felt like it dragged, although it took me less time to read than some of the others in the series.  But it did wrap the series very nicely.  I’m glad it had a satisfying ending.

Here is a Catch up Post because I uh Suck

So I seem to have sucked this year, lol I have read a bunch, but I haven't really written much about them, it is silly to a single post for each book, so I'm going to do a mass one and be better in the future I swear.  (fingers crossed behind my back)

Alice Takes Back Wonderlandby David D. Hammons (Read 2/27/18 to 3/6/18) – 3 Stars

  I got this in a book box a few years ago, and it was ok.  It brought in too many other fairy tale characters and made it all very complicated 

The Batterer as Parent: Addressing the Impact of Domestic Violence on Family Dynamics by Lundy Bancroft (Read 3/6/18 t0 3/20/18) – 3 Star

 I read this one because of how much I learned from the angry men book, but it was just very dry and text book like. It also repeated a lot of what I had already read in a much more technical jargon style.

Contact by Carl Sagan (Read 3/9/18 to 3/23/18) – 4 Star

  This was an ok read, a little dense.

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson (Read 3/23/18 to 4/3/18) – 3 Star

This was a really hard book for me.  I thought the information was great, but the stories didn’t really interconnect for me, so I think I would have liked it much better if it had been 2 separate books.

The Taster by V.S. Alexander (Read 0 4/4/18 to 4/10/18) – 3 star

 This is a #OnceUponABookClubBox book.  I really enjoyed this book, but I love WWII historical fiction.  I enjoyed the twists that not everyone was as clear cut in their roles as it seemed.

RoverandomJ.R.R. Tolkien (Read 3/25/18 to 4/24/18) – 3 Star

  I actually didn’t enjoy this book, the story was a little too disjointed for me, but I bet my kids would love it.  Which is who it is aimed at.

Love Is a Choice: The Definitive Book on Letting Go of Unhealthy Relationships by Robert Hemfelt (Read 4/10/18 to 4/25/18) – 3 Star

This was a hard book to make it through.  There was a lot of Christian teachings, and it really bogged things down for me.  Lots of bible verse and trust in God.  I actually felt after reading this book that my assessment from the Lundy book was correct, that I wasn't truly a co-dependent, so much did not apply to me.  IF you could make it through all the religious muck, it did have some good points about boundaries.  Also that being a helpful person, doesn't automatically make you an enabler, the extent that you go to help makes you an enabler.

The House on Harbor Hill by Shelly Stratton (Read 4/29/18 to 4/30/18) – 4 Star

 This is a #OnceUponABookClubBox book.  This was another winner for me, the characters were great and I enjoyed seeing how their stories unfolded.

The Scribe of Siena by Melodie Winawer (Read 5/1/18 to 5/14/18) – 2 star

I hated this book!  I did not like the characters, the story had no movement.  The only reason this got the 2 stars was because the scenery was written very well.

The Kreutzer Sonata and Other Short Stories by Leo Tolstoy (Read 4/26/18 t0 5/25/180 – 1 Star

  I didn’t enjoy this book at all. It was sooo dry.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty (Read 6/2/18 to 6/10/18) – 5 Star

 I loved this book like most of Moriarty’s books, I couldn’t wait to see who she choose.

Little Girls Can Be Mean: Four Steps to Bully-proof Girls in the Early Grades by Michelle Anthony (Read 5/27/18 to 6/13/18) – 2 Star

 It seemed to repeat things I already knew, so I didn’t find it helpful at all, but maybe I am a better tuned in parent than I thought.

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly (Listened 6/12/18 to 6/18/18) – 4 Star

 This remined me of Devil in the White City, it was far more facts than story.  I enjoyed it, but I think it would have been better for me to read than to listen, I could have kept characters straight better I think.

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1) by Rick Riordan (Read 1/17/18 to 6/18/18) – 5 Star

I read book with my son's class in school, so the progress was very slow.  I really enjoyed the story though.

The Emotionally Abused Woman: Overcoming Destructive Patterns and Reclaiming Yourself by Beverly Engel (Read 6/13/18 to 6/19/18) – 3 Star

On Basilisk Station (Honor Harrington, #1)by David Weber (Read 6/16/18 to 6/26/18 ) – 5 Star

  This was recommended by my boyfriend, and I loved it.  The characters were great and it reminded me of historical fiction in space!

Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman (Listened 6/19/18 to 6/27/18) – 3 Star

  This was great to listen to, and Britt-Marie was a great expansion of a character from My Grandmother told me tell you she was sorry. I really enjoyed reading about the most hated character, it was fun to see she was the way she was for various reasons.

Lose Your Mummy Tummy by Julie Tupler (Read 6/20/18 to 6/29/18) – 2 Star

  Eh…seems a bit like bunk to me.  LOL so I still have my mummy tummy.

Heartstoneby Elle Katharine White (Read 6/27/18 to 6/29/18) – 4 Star

  This was a fun read.  It’s Pride and Prejudice with Dragons!

Belzharby Meg Wolitzer (Read 6/30/18 to 7/3/18) – 4 Star

  Wow, I knew the twist sort of from the start, but the way it was reached was a fun tangle of a story.

The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland (Read 7/3/18 to 7/5/18) – 5 Star

  This is a #OnceUponABookClubBox book.  I LOVED this book.  It really took some warming for me to like Loveday. But my book club and I decided that was the point, Butland wrote her that way on purpose.  I really liked all the characters, even the “bad guys” were well written and well developed.  There were some twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout the entire book.

Emotional Blackmail: When the People in Your Life Use Fear, Obligation, and Guilt to Manipulate You by Susan Forward (Read 7/6/18 to 7/13/18) – 4 Star

 This is just another great book about how I got to where I was, not as relevant because I have moved on so much.

Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poirot, #10)by Agatha Christie (Listened 7/13/18 to 7/14/18) – 3 Star

  I was bored, I don’t think the audio book did the story justice.

The Honor of the Queen (Honor Harrington, #2)by David Weber (Read 7/14/18 t0 7/17/18) – 4 Star

 The next book in the series, it had its slow parts, but was still really great.

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen...and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber (Read 7/5/28 to 7/19/18) – 3 Star

 Haha so much of the same stuff other parenting books have said, some good ideas of how to make some changes.  Some of conversation tips were nice ideas.  But not much more than be involved and talk to your children, make them feel important, and show an interest in what they say. Why do we have to be told to do this. 

The Lost Vintage by Ann Mah (read 7/20/18 to 7/22/18) – 5 Star

  This is another #OnceUponABookClubBox book.  I devoured this book, and drank a glass of wine as I did so.  I really enjoyed the twists and turns and the character development.  I wouldn’t say this was as heavy as the Taster, but it was still great.

The Ruined City by John Wilson (Read 7/22/18 to 7/29/18) – 2 Star

  This was received as an Advanced Reader Copy through Librarything.com Early Reviewers program from @orcabook.  This had a slow beginning for me, I really had a hard time getting into the book, and I never did truly connect with the characters.  However, I am not the age of the target audience.  I do feel that it would be appropriate for my 9 year old son to read, some of the names may cause some issues for his reading level, but I think the story will be at his level.  As I said, I never felt like I got into a good pace on this book, and then when the story did pick up it was suddenly over.  I do think however that this will translate into a good movie, and when/if it does come out, I plan to see it.

The Short Victorious War (Honor Harrington #3) by David Weber(Read 7/29/18 to 8/9/18/18) – 4 Star

I’m really enjoying this series.  I admit some of the military jargon and details overwhelms me some.  And I think for future books I will need a notepaper with the ship name and captain name to keep the information straight in my head, I got a little confused this time. I fully understand why my boyfriend likes these books so much, the military details are great, the tactics and weapons and political environment of a military agency seems right on the dot to me.  What I like about it however is the characters, they grow with each book, they are engaging and interesting to read about.  I am starting to really get a feel for Honor and Webber has her acting true to her nature, just as I feel she should.  I really hate in series when they have the characters act differently than the previous books indicate they should.

Gumshoe on the Loose (Mortimer Angel, #3) by Rob Leininger (Read 5/25/18 to 5/26/18) – 3 Star

Disclaimer…I was a little critical of this book, I am an IRS Agent that lives in the Reno, and that influenced my opinion ALOT. 

Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of the US Government. None of the ideas expressed in this blog post are shared, supported, or endorsed in any manner by my employer.

So I liked the story, it was a nice easy read. The plot moved along nicely. Things seemed a bit unfinished at the end but it was an ending. I really liked the Reno details, he was spot on for directions and areas, it was great to read. In fact, I probably would have picked up his other books if he wasn’t such an asshole about the IRS. That probably won’t bother anyone else, but it really detracted from the story for me. I know the IRS has a bad reputation, and we get a lot of negative commentary from the media, congress, and just people in general. But the way he portrayed us, as heartless souls suckers was too much for me. The people I work with have some the most generous hearts, and I (and I know some of my co-workers) believe that we are providing a service for our country. We are doing our duty and providing the funding for all the things everyone love, parks, roads, clean water, and yes government functions. I don’t personally know any IRS agents that are as cold and heartless and awful as Mr. Leininger made us out to be. It was really hard to read because of that. As a result, I will not read any more in this series, and probably none of his other books. It’s bad enough I see my career, that I am very proud of, smeared in the news on regular basis, I refuse to read about it in a book I picked up for pleasure.

Why Does He Do That? Inside the minds of angry and controlling men by Lundry Bancroft (Read 2/25/18 t0 3/4/18) – 5 Star

This was an amazing book!  It made me rethink so many things.  This is one of the first books that has said that I am not a co-dependent or in some way enabled the abuse to happen.  In the introduction it said “Counseling men is difficult work.  They are usually very reluctant to face up to the damage that they have been causing women, and often children as well, and hold tightly to their excuses and victim blaming.”  I have felt that way often about my ex-husband, that it didn’t seem anything was helping him and he wasn’t taking any responsibility for HIS actions, but so many books put partial blame on me, that I enabled this behavior somehow. Near the end of the book where Bancroft is talking about abusive men changing he said “there are no shortcuts to change, no magical overnight transformations, no easy way outs.  Change is difficult, uncomfortable work.”  “The men who make significant progress in my program are the ones who know that their partners will definitely leave them unless they change, and the ones on probation who have a tough probation officer who that really demands they really confront their abusiveness.”  I hope and pray my ex’s probation officer is tough, for my children’s sake because I have left and that wasn’t motivation enough.  There were so many point made in this book that hit home with me, points that confirmed ways I already felt, and points that put words to things I had been unable to describe.  I absolutely recommend this book to anyone that has been in an abusive relationship.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving (Listened to 3/1/18) - 2 Star

This was a quick audiobook filler. The story is what I remembered from high school.  It was a nice light quick story.  I didn’t like it anymore or any less this time around.