A Princess for Christmas

 

A Princess for Christmas by Jenny Holiday
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

a modern fairytale

This is a fun modern fairytale that highlights the fact that things are not as they always seem in others’ lives This book had a bit more graphic bedroom scenes than I had expected; I was anticipating more rom com but it did fit with the development of their relationship. There is a bit of grief central to the story so those who. Don’t want that in their books might want to avoid this one

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 71 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  59 
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #64
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #52
5. 52 books in 52 weeks  #8 once upon a time
6. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #16. About Royalty
7. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #36 first in a trilogy
8. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge  June 21 - Love is Love

the marriage portrait

 The Marriage Portrait is a novel selected by my book club for our April read.   I wasn't really sure what to expect as this is the first book I have read by Maggie O'Farrell.  The group read Hamnet earlier in the year but I was not at the meeting so I did not read the book.  For fans of readers of historical fiction not set around WWI and WWII this is a good pick.  It is set in 1500s Italy.  I did find it a bit difficult to follow at first as there are multiple time points that are bounced between. as well as different narrators.  The story is about Lucrezia Medici and her role in the family's place in Renaissance Italy.  Having visited Florence and seen the Medici palace adds another layer of intrigue to this book for me.  

Free spirited in her youth and suddenly thrust into marriage, Lucrezia plays a vital role in the Medici heritage.  This is an interesting historic fiction novel that is a bit of a suspense work as well.   

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great historical period piece set in 1500s Italy. Even more engaging if you have been to Florence and the Medici palace. There is quite a bit of jumping between 3 time periods so sometimes it is a bit confusing to remember which point in the story you are at. Otherwise a great read

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 55 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  43 
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #48
4. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #4
5. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #18 Set During a War other than WWI or WWII
6. Around the Year in 52 Books #41. A book from the NPR “Books We Love” lists
7. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #4. With More Than 500 Pages
8. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #52 picked out by a friend with no context
9. HP Quidditch 23 #46 Weasley is our King: Contains royalty
10. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #44. Read a book set around wartime
11. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 # 37. SELECTED BY FAMILY OR FRIEND
12. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #29 A book your friend recommended
13. Pick your Poison  # 114 A book about our ancestors
14. Diversify your reading #DYRC23  Mar Literary Fiction

A Proposal They Can't Refuse

 This rom-com by Natalie Cana was a complete surprise to me.  I didn't know much about A Proposal They Can't Refuse, other than it involved the trope of fake dating and mixed-heritage dating.  I was pleasantly surprised to find it was set in Chicago and thus fulfilled my geography prompt for IL as well as had some location familiarity for me.  

I found this to be a bit spicier than many rom-com works, with a bit more detail about bedroom activities that aren't always included in lighter rom-com books.  This book definitely developed the characters of Mila and Liam as well as their interactions with their families.   I also appreciated that it wasn't just a comedy of mistakes but rather some rather serious miscommunication that lead to issues among the couple and the families.  While it is an overall feel-good book, there are definitely some poignant moments, I would compare it to the JoJo Moyes, Me Before You series.  There are some intense emotions and character history to absorb.  Overall I really enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the next book in the series, ,due out at the end of Oct.  

A Proposal They Can't Refuse by Natalie Caña
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

a rom com with depth

I really didn’t know much about the book when I started; only that it had a fake dating trope which fulfilled a challenge prompt for me. I found this book to have many happy and funny moments but it definitely had intense ones as well. It is most certainly not all happily ever after. For those looking for a rom com with some added depth and spice this is a great pick

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  46
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   38
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  IL
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #40
5. Around the Year in 52 Books #48. A book with an unusually large version of an animal in the story
6. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #34. Genre You Don’t Usually Read
7. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #7  fairy/folktale you haven’t heard of before
8. HP Quidditch 23 #48 Wronski Feint: Includes misdirection
9. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #29. Read a book where the two main characters are "fake dating"
10. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #8. ROMANCE OR HORROR
11. Pick your Poison  #133 A book you wish you'd written 
12. Read with Allison #1 23 Letters in the Title
13. Read Your Bookshelf   A book that is in a different genre than your March book

MS Marvel Vol 4

 I have selected the Ms Marvel Vol 4  this year to continue reading the series as it covers multiple prompts from my challenges.  There is almost always a prompt where G Willow Wilson as an author meets the requirements.  Additionally this year there were prompts about graphic novels in genres I don't normally read and although Parable of the Sower would have fit the prompt, I utilized that graphic novel for other prompts.  

I did find this book, a series of books really, to be a bit more difficult to follow than previous volumes I have read.  I think it is much more intended for the die hard Ms Marvel fans and Avengers fans in general.  I like them but more from the entertainment factor of the movies rather than a devotion to the Marvel universe.  

That being said, I do enjoy the fact Kamala is portrayed as a strong young woman who overcomes many challenges including her family background to be someone that is admired and respected, even if it is her alter ego.  I would recommend reading the volumes in order as there are portions of previous stories that are built upon in this one and it gives context to have read the others.  

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 4: Last Days by G. Willow Wilson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I found this volume of Ms Marvel to be a bit confusing. Not really sure if the story has to do with Thanos in the Marvel timeline or not. Also the last of the volume feels a bit miah mash with sudden random mix ups with Spider Man. I found myself quite confused and feeling as though I was lacking context to the storyline. This book felt as though it was better suited to hard core Avenger followers

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 45 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  37 
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  NJ
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #39
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #34
6. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #3. By a Black Author
7. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #12 name in the title 
8. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #3  A book outside of your comfort genre's 
9. Read with Allison #36 Fantasy
10. Read Your Bookshelf  March: The title starts with the next letter in the alphabet from your Feb book.
11. Diversify your reading #DYRC23 May: Young Adult

Last Tang Standing

 This debut novel by Lauren Ho was a great read.  While light and breezy at times there is definitely depth to the characters, especially Andrea.  Her struggles to decide the direction of her life both professionally and personally feel real and probable.  She has spent her entire life trying to make her mother and employers happy as she reaches her 30s she is starting to question what it is she wants in life.  She finds herself torn between what she thinks she wants and what she believes others what.  Last Tang Standing is a deeper book than it first appears.  It is especially appealing if you have ever spent time in Singapore or around high-achieving Asians.  Tiger moms have a reputation for a reason.  

Last Tang Standing by Lauren Ho
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

funny but thought provoking read

Well on one hand this is a light hearted story with many laugh out loud moments it is also a reflection on what makes us happy in life Andrea is so driven to do the things that make her mother happy that she often forgets about her own happiness. I’m sure many people pleasers can relate. The internal struggle is well presented in the epistolary style of diary writing and the reader can tell how troubled Andrea is with her decisions. I really liked it after she had taken control of her life how she was able to find ways to be successful. My only regret is not knowing how her relationship work out

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  23
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   19
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes Singapore
4. AtoZ   #2023AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge L
5. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  L
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #21
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #17
8. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #42 Time in the Title
9. Around the Year in 52 Books #10. A book related to one of the Spice Girls' "personalities"  -  Posh
10. Bookworm #42 A book set in Asia or an Asian-inspired culture
11. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  # 7. Character with a Disability
12. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #47 epistolatory or an unusual writing style
13. HP Quidditch 23 #31 Ravenclaw: Related to Ravenclaw house/traits
14. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #37. Read an author's debut book
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #21. BETWEEN 380-430 PAGES
16. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #36 A book you think your best friend would like
17. Pick your Poison  # 76 A book with a cover that matches your shirt (on the day your start it)
18. RAD Challenge #aradreadingchallenge #5 Disability Represented (Author or Character)
19. Read with Allison #26 Debut Author
20. Sci and Nature # 37 With a Disabled Character:
21. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 10 Hotels
22. Unruly Reader Bingo  #20 Drama Club
23. Diversify your reading #DYRC23 February: Romance
24. Read Your Bookshelf Feb
25. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge Feb Getaway

Parable of the Sower

 I must admit I wasn't looking forward to this prompt from the 52 book club.  In general, I am not a big fan of specifying a specific author to read, I prefer the more generalized "pick an author that fits certain criteria" prompts.   The reason I wasn't too keen on reading Octavia Butler is I am generally not a science fiction or a dystopian reader.  As far as I know, her books fall into those tropes.   That being said, I picked Parable of the Sower in a graphic novel format to fulfill this requirement.  

Once I began reading the book and got past the initial adjustment to the format and learning the characters, I ended up appreciating the book.  I found there to be lots of thought-provoking aspects to the plot and the actual verses contained within the story.   I found myself stopping and reflecting on society and my own personal beliefs, particularly about religion.  I am a firm believer that the world would be a better place if we all just treated each other with the kindness and respect we would like to receive.  Instead of judging and critiquing others assume the best.   If their actions prove to be unsatisfactory for your morals and ethics then chose to move on;  judging others based on their appearance, background, and beliefs without getting to know them is a recipe for a lot of anger in your life.  Knowing someone's story gives you a better chance to know them, and even if you don't agree on all things it doesn't mean you cannot get along and be friendly.   Our diversity is what makes the world an interesting and unique place.  Much of this story aligns with this thought process and I appreciated that.  

I felt Butler brings her perspective as a Black woman without being too judgemental, but rather provides an opinion without lecturing, allowing the reader to take in the story and form their own perspective.  I am glad I read this book but won't be rushing to read any more in the Parable series soon as I really do not care for the doomsday tone of dystopian stories.  

Parable of the Sower by Damian Duffy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

food for thought

While dystopian stories are not my normal reading choice I did find this one engaging once I got into the story. There are many aspects of belief presented here and how amongst horrors people can find hope. Much of the book is about survival and the story talks about the different ways people can be enslaved. While there is discussion of race and discrimination it felt as though it was about economic disparity as well. There are definite parallels to the struggles seen in inner city US today and the story highlights illiteracy and drugs as a factor in the issues. Many ways it feels like a warning of what can come if we as a nation don’t start caring and respecting life and each other instead of constantly being at odds and choosing sides

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #19  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 16  
3. AtoZ   #2023AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge P
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #18
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #14
6. 23 in 2023 # 15 A book about a religion you don't practice
7. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #48 A Book by Octavia E Butler
8. 52 books in 52 weeks  #24 speculative fiction
9. Around the Year in 52 Books #11. A book about a person/character with a disability
10. Bookworm #50 Read a book where the main character is a Villain or Anti-hero
11. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #47. Modern Classic
12. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #41 graphic novel outside your fave genre
13. HP Quidditch 23 #35 Angelina Johnson: Written by a BIPOC author
14. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #36. Read a graphic novel, manga, or comic
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #32. A BILINGUAL CHARACTER
16. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #23 A book with a map
17. Pick your Poison  # 79 A book with something that can be lit by a match on the cover
18. Read with Allison #36 Fantasy
19. Sci and Nature # 15 Cli-Fi (Climate Fiction)
20. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 11 LGBT Graphic Novel
21. Unruly Reader Bingo  #7 Apple
22. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  Gardens and Library
23. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge Feb Getaway

     

A Christmas Candy Killing

 

A Christmas Candy Killing is the first book in the Killer Chocolate series by Christine Romeril.   While I am not sure I would partake of the chocolates with poison names, I have a feeling I would change my mind if I entered Murder and Mayhem run by the twins in this story.  It was a charming book and was full of quirky characters and drama.  I look forward to reading more in the series.  I'm glad I picked up this book based on its title font reminding me of a Christmas Story. 

A Christmas Candy Killing by Christina Romeril
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What’s not to love about a bookstore and chocolate shop all in one place. Too bad it’s fictional but then I’m not sure I could eat chocolates named for poisons. The mystery and it’s characters reminded me of the Aurora Teagarden mysteries in the group meeting to discuss crimes. Jane seems like a motherly lady who’s a lot like Miss Marple. The small town atmosphere makes the suspects secrets all the more realistic and makes the discovery of the guilty party that much more difficult. The clues are unraveled well and are there in retrospect. I look forward to reading more in this series as they are published

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #17  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 14  
3. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  R
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #16
7. Cruisin thru Cozies  Holiday #1
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #13
9. Craving for Cozies  Book #11
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 96 Shot #1
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 6 Toe Tags poison
12. 23 in 2023 # 23 A book that makes you happy
13. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #9 Book with a Dedication
14. 52 books in 52 weeks  #3 northern
15. Around the Year in 52 Books #13 A book that has an object that is repeated on the cover
16. Bookworm #54 Read a book that has an illustrated cover
17. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #1 Winter Read
18. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #17 no romance
19. Cozy Mysteries   #7 A Cozy that matches the season
20. HP Quidditch 23 #44 Viktor Krum: With a character who speaks a different language
21. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #33 A book that has a cover you love
22. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #5. DEBUT AUTHOR
23. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #48 A book that features two languages
24. Pick your Poison  # 78 A book about twins
25. RAD Challenge #aradreadingchallenge #6 About your Favorite Holiday
26. Read with Allison #19 Set During Your Favorite Season:
27. Sci and Nature # 39 About Gardens or Gardening
28. What's in a Name   #5 Celebration 

A West Side Love Story

 A West Side Love Story is a retelling of the classic Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet.   This was a such a great read.  I loved all the drama and indecision that was felt by Mariana and Angelo.   Having to choose between their growing attraction for each other and their loyalty to family is tearing them both apart.  The generation-long dispute between the 2 families comes to a head during the San Antonio Mariachi Battle.  I loved how Priscilla Oliveras mixed the culture and traditions within a modern story.  The subtext about the dangers of gentrification and its unintended consequences was well-written without being an in-your-face lecture.  I appreciate that the story presented both sides with room for the reader to think about the topic on their own. If you are looking for a great romance with minimal steamy scenes this is a great read.

West Side Love Story by Priscilla Oliveras
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

an emotional story of forbidden romance

This book was a wonderful example of a retelling of Romeo and Juliet. The growth of the relationship between Mariana and Angelo amidst the strains of a decades long feud was full of emotion and stress. Both adept at managing their own and their family’s needs and struggles makes their burgeoning relationship that much more complicated. You cannot help but root for them to succeed. I also liked the details of the mariachi music and other aspects like the importance of family in their culture. I really appreciated the way the Spanish was woven into the prose and then translated. It was clever and flowed amazingly. If you are looking for a Feb romance read with some steamy scenes that centers around devotion to family while trying to make a forbidden romance work then this is a read for you

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 18 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #15   
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  TX
4. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  O
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #17
6. 23 in 2023 # 11 A book by William Shakespeare or a retelling
7. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #20 a Book about siblings  
8. 52 books in 52 weeks  #18 isn't it romantic
9. Around the Year in 52 Books #30 
10. Bookworm #52 Read a "Found Family" story 
11. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #33. About Adoption 
12. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #37 all the romance 
13. HP Quidditch 23 #22 Chudley Cannons: Includes a battle
14. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #15  Read a retelling
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #1. RECOMMENDED BY THE NERD DAILY
16. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #14 A modern retelling of a classic
17. Pick your Poison  # 119 A book about finding hope when life is challenging
18. RAD Challenge #aradreadingchallenge #4 Retelling of a Classic
19. Read with Allison #16 Romance
20. Sci and Nature # 7 About Women in Science
21. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 17
22. Unruly Reader Bingo  #25 After School Special
23. What's in a Name   #4 Chess Piece 
24. Diversify your reading #DYRC23  February: Romance
25. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge jun romance

The Sentence

This is my first read by Louise Erdrich and I can understand how she is such a revered author when it comes to representation of the Native cultures of the US.   Overall I liked the book even though I did not agree with much of her political comments and at times found them to be unnecessary to the story.  I appreciated the explanations of the different tribal cultures and customs and felt like they were very enlightening to begin to understand the history of the Indigenous culture in the US.  I did have concerns about the presentation of some of the storyline as it was written as being a historical account of the Covid era in the US and much of the summer protests following the George Floyd murder in Minneapolis.  I felt this was well written and explained with emotions as perceived by the characters (and much of the nation), but then Erdrich's representation of what happened in Kenosha was inaccurate and I worry about people taking all the story as 100% factual when some of it was incorrectly represented.  I did like the story on the whole and do look forward to reading more of her work.  

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

interesting book that provides many perspectives

Thought provoking book with interesting perspectives on Indigenous lives in the US. While I found the story to be engaged and well plotted to fit with current events I did find some event of 2020 to have been misrepresented, specifically the Kenosha death that lead to rioting there. In some ways it made it harder for me to view the rest of the plot and messages as openly when I knew this event was being incorrectly portrayed All in all I found the book quite good and thought provoking

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 16 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #13   
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  MN
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #15
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #13
6. 23 in 2023 # 21 A book containing Latin or that has been translated to or from Latin
7. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #51 Doesn't Fit Any of the Other 51 prompts
8. 52 books in 52 weeks  #12 spirituality
9. Around the Year in 52 Books #9 A book nominated for an award beginning with W 
10. Bookworm #44 Read a Folklore book or book based on Folklore 
11. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #32. Contemporary Fiction Bestseller
12. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #13 multiple points of view
13. HP Quidditch 23 #29 Gryffindor: Related to Gryffindor house/traits
14. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #35 A book that has mental health aspects to it
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #46  #OWNVOICES AUTHOR
16. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #5A book with mythical creatures
17. Pick your Poison  # 33 A book about a werewolf
18. RAD Challenge #aradreadingchallenge #1 By an Activist
19. Read with Allison #46 Indigenous Author
20. Sci and Nature # 28 By an Indigenous Author
21. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 31
22. Unruly Reader Bingo  #17 Humanities

Cheddar off Dead

 If you can finish Cheddar Off Dead without craving cheese you must not like cheese.  I loved how Karina Moss mixes cheese information and recipes into this first story in her Cheese Shop Series.  I look forward to reading more about this crew in the cheese store and the other businesses around the small town in the Sonoma Valley.  

Cheddar Off Dead by Korina Moss
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great first book in a series. I really liked learning about cheese and the processes that make them unique. I appreciated the team sleuth approach and that they were a diverse set of ages and genders. The black sheep aspect of some of the characters made it that much more intriguing and suspenseful. There were many suspects with legitimate doubt cast on who to trust Lots of secrets lead to people doubting one another and misdirecting the authorities. I look forward to reading the next book in the series

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #15  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 12  
3. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  M
4. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  Series:  Book #
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
7. Color Coded #5 Brown
8. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #14
9. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #2
10. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #12
11. Craving for Cozies  Book #10
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 95 Shot #1
13. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags stab
14. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #32 Published by MacMillan
15. 52 books in 52 weeks  #11 western
16. Around the Year in 52 Books # 52. A book with an unusual or surprising title  
17. Bookworm #51 Read a book that has a title that is punny and/or alliterative 
18. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #45. A Book That Makes You Happy 
19. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #39 your favorite genre
20. Cozy Mysteries   #18 Judge a book by it's cover
21. HP Quidditch 23 #18 Seeker: Includes a found family
22. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #48 Read a new to you author
23. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #9. QUOTED BY AN AUTHOR YOU LIKE
24. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #4 A book by a first-time author
25. Pick your Poison  # 67 A book you want to dive into
26. Read with Allison #48 Two Colors on the Cover
27. Sci and Nature #25 Fungi on the Cover

The Trial

 The Trial is a novella that falls between the 15th and 16th books in the Women's Murder Club series by James Patterson.  I think I didn't appreciate this book as much because it had been a while since I read those books and the storyline has moved on.  Additionally, I didn't remember a lot of the backstory that goes with the case this is related to.  The story is a fun quick read as it is a Book Shot and it was good for an afternoon of relaxation but it wasn't my best read of the year.  

The Trial by James Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this novella from the women's murder club series. I really give it a 3 1/2 star because I felt the story line was a bit hard to follow if you haven't just read book 15- I am currently caught up on the series on the main novels. I think the suspense would have been more impactful if the reader had read 15 recently. Also, I felt like the ending with Lindsay and Joe was a bit rushed. A paragraph or two discussion how they resolved issues would have been beneficial to make it a bit more realistic. The twist at the end was a wonderful conclusion though.

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  12
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 11  
3. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  P
4. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  Series: 4 Book #1
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 15,5
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 1
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #12
8. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #11
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #9
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #77  Shot #3
11. Medical Examiner Challenge  7 Toe Tags
12. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #50 Related to the Word "Murder"
13. 52 books in 52 weeks  #13 15
14. Around the Year in 52 Books #22  A book with a faceless person on the cover 
15. Bookworm #2  Read a book under 300 pages
16. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #40 By an Author You Love 
17. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #28 less than 170 pages
18. HP Quidditch 23 #23 Holy Head Harpies: Includes a group of strong females
19. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #30  A book set in a place where you have visited 
20. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #20 AN AUTHOR YOU LOVE
21. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #26 The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list
22. Pick your Poison  # 5 A thriller
23. RAD Challenge #aradreadingchallenge #7 Can read in a Day
24. Read with Allison #40 Thriller
25. Sci and Nature # 19 About BIPOC in Science

Distant Thunder

 As the 63rd book in the Stone Barrington series, Distant Thunder is rather formulaic but I still enjoy reading the adventures he finds himself mixed up in.  I did discover while reading this book that Stuart Woods penned every one of these books as opposed to outlining the story and having a co-writer compose the novel.  I also discovered this book was published posthumously so I am not sure how many more there will be in the series given he wrote them himself.  Time will tell how many are left in the works.  

Distant Thunder by Stuart Woods
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A decent plot line with several twists and turns. The feasibility of the crimes and revenge actions seem more plausible than many of the previous installments. The story is enjoyable and an opportunity to lose one self in a story. It isn’t an award winning novel by any means but an enjoyable read.

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 10 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 9  
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  NY
4. AtoZ   #2023AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge D
5. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  W
6. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  Series:1  Book #1
7. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 63
8. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 +3
9. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #10
10. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #9
11. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #9
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #93  Shot #6
13. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
14. 23 in 2023 # 18 A book set in at least three different cities 
15. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #13  Published Posthumously
16. 52 books in 52 weeks  #15 eastern
17. Around the Year in 52 Books #45 A book whose author has published more than 7 books
18. Bookworm #15 Read a book that involves a lot of traveling
19. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #23. Domestic Thriller
20. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #24 point-of-view character is an adult (18+) 
21. HP Quidditch 23 #26 Tutshill Tornados: Includes a weather event
22. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #21 A book set in NYC
23. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #11 PROTAGONIST STARTS WITH 'S'
24. Pick your Poison  # 112 A book with a tree on the cover
25. Read with Allison #32 Main Character is Older Than You
26. Sci and Nature # 20 Tree on the Cover
27. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 21  Middle-Aged Characters
28. Unruly Reader Bingo  #10 English

Lessons in Chemistry

 My first 5-star read of the year.  I am so glad I finally put this book at the top of my to-read list after seeing so many recommendations online in the various book groups I follow.  As someone who experienced studying engineering in college as the solo woman in my small department and then going to work on Wall Street, I encountered my fair share of doubting males.  But, I also encountered my share of Calvins that didn't differentiate based on my gender.  I was also fortunate enough to have many strong female managers who helped me in my career.  I appreciate the struggles women like Elizabeth endured to enable me to have the career I did in the 1990s.  

I think the aspect of this book I liked the most was although it is a serious topic and the struggles were represented well, they were not in your face like a lecture.  Rather the reader was able to process and intuit the differences in how Elizabeth was treated and the societal rules she was challenging.  I loved her belief that Life is Change and Chemistry is Change which helped her to encourage change and courage in many other women, most of whom she didn't know.  

Readers looking for an empowering read will like this novel.   There are some trigger scenes involving rape and inappropriate interactions in the plot.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book lived up to all the hype in my opinion. It is far more serious than the title would imply. I still felt like there were many light-hearted moments that brought a smile to my face. There is a level of seriousness to the story as well. Elizabeth and Calvin had rough lives before they met, each keeping secrets of their childhood but someone they were able to find each other and related to each other like none before. Both are very logical and pragmatic personalities and anyone that tends to lean toward that in their lives will definitely relate. As someone who feels they have a B****y resting face, I can certainly relate. The underlying story about the struggles women, particularly those working in scientific fields, encountered in the 50s and 60s was well written without feeling like it is a lecture. I cannot recommend this book enough, especially for women who have ever worked in a male-dominated career.

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  24
2. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  G
3. What an Animal Book #5
4. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2023  Book # 3
5. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #1
6. Humor  Book #1
7. 23 in 2023 # 22 A book about the body, medicine, or science
8. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #43 A Book "Everyone" has read
9. Around the Year in 52 Books #35. A book with a school subject in the title
10. Bookworm # 55 Read a book that takes place in at least two different decades
11. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #2. Goodreads Winner in 2022
12. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #11 2022 debut novel
13. HP Quidditch 23 #25 Puddlemere United: With multiple points of view
14. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #10. Read a book that is hyped online
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #36. CHAPTERS HAVE TITLES
16. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge # 39 A book you wish you could read for the first time again
17. Pick your Poison  # 72 A book whose cover makes you think of a middle school girl
18. Read with Allison #3 Read By #readwithallison in 2022
19. Sci and Nature # 1 About a Scientist
20. Unruly Reader Bingo  #23 Chemistry
21. Beyond the Bookends  February- Read a historical romance