Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

 Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is the 2nd book by Taylor Jenkins Reid that I have read.  I have enjoyed both of the books.   The prior read was an audiobook of Daisy Jones and the Six.  I plan to read another one of Reid's books later this year- Carrie Soto is back.  

Evelyn Hugo is a fun book that is based on the life of a Hollywood starlet.   The story is reputed to be loosely based on Elizabeth Taylor, Ava Gardner and  Rita Hayworth's lives.  I enjoyed how on the surface it is a fun and engaging book with snippets of the life of the famous.  There are deeper topics covered within the story.  

Additionally, the format of the book is a somewhat different approach.  Monique is called by Evelyn Hugo to hear her life's story and publish the biography upon Evelyn's death.   The book delves into both of their characters and what drives their personalities.  The reader is not really sure whether they should like Evelyn or dislike her.  Evelyn believes she lived her life as true as possible given the circumstances of her fame.   She doesn't regret her decisions and says she would do it all again.   It is hard to be sure if that would really be the case but it certainly makes for a polarizing character in the story.  

If you are looking for a relatively light read that does address deeper issues and gets you to think this is a great choice for you.  

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

very engaging read. hard to put down

Jenkins Reid certainly addresses some questions about people and how they define their truths to themselves. Evelyn Hugo was viewed by the public as an icon and celebrity this book shows the cost and benefits of this fame. If you ever wish you were famous this book will make you think twice about having the world wanting to know your business. And this was before social media

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  92
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 75  
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #84
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #65
5. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #6
6. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #  25 A Fashionable Character
7. 52 books in 52 weeks  #22 book to movie
8. Around the Year in 52 Books #49. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2022 or 2023  
9. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #14. Recommended by a Librarian
10. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #14  a character is lost royalty
11. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #11 A book about or set in Hollywood
12. Pick your Poison  # 67 A book you want to dive into
13. Diversify your reading #DYRC23   August: Contemporary Fiction
14. Read Around the US   Aug California
15. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge  July 19 - Opposites Attract

saint x

 I selected Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin because I needed a full-cast audiobook for the month of July for one of my challenges.   Saint X looked like an intriguing read and thus I selected it.  I'm glad I did as it was an engaging suspense novel with some depth in characters.  The motivation behind people's actions and desire to seek the truth is well-plotted and interesting.  While this is a tragic mystery behind the death of Alison, while on vacation in Saint X the book feels more about the discovery of who her sister is, who Clive is, and what really happened on that day of Jan in the 1990s.  

The book does jump around time frames so if you don't like that style this is not a book for you.   I really enjoyed the narration and think it contributed to my decision to give this book 4 stars.  If you are looking for a suspense novel with minimal graphic descriptions this is a good choice. 

Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an intriguing novel with suspense throughout. But in a nice balance, there was plenty of character depth. I listened to the audio and it was a great read with a full cast doing the narration. The story moves between different time periods quite well. There were fluid shifts with the story starting out focusing on the past (1990s) and then current day. In the present time the narrators reflected back on their past this connecting the 2 periods of time plus Clive’s childhood. This book built the suspense well and had a very surprising ending

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  89
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  73 
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge 16
4. AtoZ   #2023AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge  X
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #81
6. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #63
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #67
8. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
9. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #2. 2023 ADAPTATION
10. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #20 A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2023
11. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 8 Made Into A Series Or Movie
12. Beyond the Bookends  June- Listen to a full-cast audiobook

The Mother in Law

 The Mother In Law, by Sally Hepworth is an ebook I have had on my Kindle for a while.  I uncovered it when I went looking for a thriller set in Australia in order to fulfill prompts from different challenges using the same book as the month was nearing an end.  This book has quite an intriguing set of characters and a suspenseful story based in Melbourne.   The story bounces back and forth between the present when the matriarch of the family has passed away and into the past at different times to set the stage for the story.    The book grabbed my attention enough to stay up until 2am to finish it on the 2nd day of reading.  I plan to look into other books by Hepworth.  

The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this thriller set in Australia. I liked both the suspenseful storyline and the characters developed in the story. The family dynamics in the story are very relatable to many readers I am certain. There are background stories that all weave together to tell a story of relationships and death.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  77
2. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2023  Book # 8
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #57
4. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #58
5. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #105  Shot #1
6. Medical Examiner Challenge 3 Toe Tags
7. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #23 recommended by a bookseller
8. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #8. Book that is set in the decade you were born in 
9. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #26. RECOMMENDED BY BOOKSTORE
10. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #21 A book set in the decade you were born
11. Pick your Poison  # 24 A standalone book
12. Read with Allison #17 Bookstore Recommendation:
13. Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge  Jun Set in Australia
14. Diversify your reading #DYRC23  June: Thriller

Demon Copperhead

 Demon Copperhead is the 2nd book by Barbara Kingsolver that I have read.   The first was Poisonwood Bible many years ago.  I do remember enjoying that book very much.  I liked the writing and the character development in Demon Copperhead but due to the heavy and depressing nature of the story, I ended up DNFing it as I just couldn't take the sadness at this point in my life.  We are dealing with some serious health situations with my husband and I just don't want to read books that are depressing and make me any more upset than my current life is.  I only read this book because it was a selection for my book club and wanted to try to complete the June book but just ended up getting a synopsis of the ending from a fellow member.  

I gave the book a 3 star rating because I did think it was a well-written adaptation of David Copperfield and the characters certainly grabbed my emotions.  

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

while the book is good and the characters well developed and easily to show empathy toward most of them I had to DNF this book as the topic was far too heavy and unsettling for me to read at this point. I was reading it for our book club selection and just couldn't bring myself to finish it entirely For those looking for a book with serious topics and great character development this is a good book. It highlights how so many of the horrific aspects of society- drug use/ under education/ failure by the system is very socio-economic in nature.

Trigger warnings:
Drug Additction/ Domestic Violence/ Neglect

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 76 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   64
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge 15
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #69
5. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #25 standalone
6. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #12.  Goodread's 2022 Winner or Nominee
7. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #25. SUN, MOON OR STARS ON COVER
8. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #49 The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list
9. Pick your Poison  # 27 A book with a toy on the cover
10. Sci and Nature # 18 Element from the Periodic Table in the Title:
11. Beyond the Bookends  August- Read a book about the impact of poverty

Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

 

Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake was an interesting cozy set in northern Maine.  Sarah Graves captured the feel of that area and the New England demeanor is captured well.  The willingness of the residents to help one another fits with the geographic setting.   The mystery itself was a bit all over the place with some aspects seeming to be a bit outlandish but overall I enjoyed reading about Jake and Ellie.  Their dedication to each other was very apparent.  I also enjoyed the relationships Jake had with her family and her willingness to open her home to help others.  I definitely want to read more in this series.

Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake by Sarah Graves
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very enjoyable book set in a small northern MSI e town. Jane and her friend Ellie are friends in business and crime solving. They don’t have much choice when a dead body is found in their kitchen. Some of the action is a bit far fetched but overall the mystery was interesting and all the loose ends cleared up by the end

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  68
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   56
3. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
4. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
5. What an Animal Book #22
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #61
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #51
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #29
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #52
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #45 
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #103  Shot #1
12. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
13. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #23 An Alliterative Title
14. Cozy Mysteries   #12 A past Book Chat selection you haven't read
15. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #50 A book with alliteration in the title
16. Beyond the Bookends  May- Read a detective books

Less

 I will admit this was not my favorite read of the year by any means and it was really more like a 3.5 star read for me.  It was slow to get moving and it was a bit confusing at times.  I ended up liking it at the very end but it definitely is something you need to stick with to get to the good part.  Arthur Less is a man who is lacking in self-confidence and his place in life.   That is probably the strength of the story, the character development.  The narrator was a bit confusing for me and I think it would be something that would be gained by revisiting the early chapters.  

Less by Andrew Sean Greer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

interesting read

This was a bit of a slow burn in my opinion. The first half to 3/4 is a bit slow and drawn out for me. The story picked up a bit at the end. I am still confused on why it won a Pulitzer. I found the twists and turns interesting

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  67
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  55 
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Morroco
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book # 60
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book # 50
6. Around the Year in 52 Books #26. A book related to pride
7. Bookworm #20 Read a book with a one-word title
8. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #15 won an award
9. HP Quidditch 23 #38 Fred Weasley: Read a duology (book 1)
10. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #13. A book with one word in the title
11. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #22 A book with a queer lead
12. Read with Allison #28 Book in a Duology (1): 

7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle has been on my TBR list for a while.  I intended to read it last year and never got to it.  I started out reading it and then when I needed to drive to Chicago every day in April I decided to try this one as an audio.  I thoroughly enjoyed the proper British accent of the narrator.  It definitely added to the mood and setting the environment.  

This book was one of the most creative I have ever read.  It is hard to explain but it is a sort of a time loop with different hosts to the narrator in each section.  From the get-go as a reader you figure there is a twist to the story but I had no idea it was going to be what it was.   I definitely felt as though Turton was paying homage to Dante and the rings of Hell.  I really ended up enjoying this book once I got involved in it.  For those struggling to read the book and stay engaged, stick it out, it is worth it in the end!

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very creative thriller/mystery. For those who love a puzzle when they are reading this will be a real treat. The only reason I did not give this a 5 star is the difficulty getting engaged at the beginning of the book. I promise it is worth sticking it out. If you really get stuck, try it in audio format- the British accent will win you over and keep you listening. At times it can be confusing to keep all the characters straight but eventually it all makes sense.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   54
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge 14
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #59
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #49
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #51
7. Medical Examiner Challenge 12 Toe Tags
8. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #5
9. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #37 Written in Present Tense
10. Around the Year in 52 Books #40. A book with a full name in the title
11. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #16 here there be monsters
12. HP Quidditch 23 #7 Bludger: A book you think will knock your socks off (or off your broom!)
13. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #26. Read a book that has time travel in it
14. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #50. HISTORICAL OR FANTASY
15. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #43 A book that takes place entirely in one day
16. Pick your Poison  # 134 A book with a chess piece on the cover
17. Sci and Nature # 12 That Plays With Time:
18. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 #24 Takes Place In A Day
19. Beyond the Bookends  January- Read a book coming to the screen in 2023
20. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO   May In  it to Win It

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

Criminally Cocoa

 Criminally Cocoa is a fun novella in the Amish Candy Shop series.   Amanda Flower set it in NYC rather than the usual OH Amish country.  In this book Charlotte, Bailey and Cass find themselves in NY filming a tv show starring Bailey.  This book has a more innocent feel to it as the narrator is Charlotte.  This perspective allows Flower to explain much of the Amish point of view as well as many of the concepts of Rumspringa.  This makes for a change of pace from the usual Englisch frame of reference the reader gets when Bailey is narrating.  While the story is more innocent it is fun to see the city from the perspective of Charlotte who has lived her whole life in rural Ohio.  Never fear though there is still a mystery to be solved and the antics of Jethro are still alive and well.  A fun interlude in the series.  I read this book out of order and it did not impact the plot of the next book in the series.  I read and reviewed Toxic Toffee in 2020.  

This book in addition to being the 2nd book with the word Cocoa in it while being read at Easter time met the challenge prompts to find a book with a Rabbit on it and a mini challenge for April by 52 Book Club.  This latter is the prompt to have an egg on the cover.   

 

Criminally Cocoa by Amanda Flower
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

a fun novella in the Amish Candy Shop series. I really enjoyed reading a story from Charlotte's perspective and learning more about the Amish experience of Rumspringa. I found it especially fun to see Charlotte's take on NYC as I lived there when I was about her age but I had seen more of the world than she has.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #   
2. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023 Yes the Amish Candy series.  
3. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 3.5
4. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 1
5. What an Animal Book #14
6. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2023  Book # 7
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #38
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #20
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #39
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #35
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #102  Shot #1
12. Medical Examiner Challenge  Toe Tags
13. 23 in 2023 # 12 A book with a rabbit on the cover or in the title
14. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #10 bought and forgot it
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #10. A COMING-OF-AGE STORY
16. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge # A book with a rabbit on the cover
17. Pick your Poison  # 132 A book you can read in a day

Larceny in Liverpool

 Who ever thought I would read a cozy mystery starring the Beatles.  Larceny in Liverpool by Kal Smagh is a clever cozy that does just that.  There's a bit of a mystery surrounding stolen lyrics surrounded by a lot of fanaticism in the early days of the Beatles.  There are glimpses of famous locations such as the Cavern Club and plenty of strange fan mail.   The book is clever if not super deep in the clues.  I am not sure how the series will continue but I am willing to give the next installment a go;   particularly since they are in Kindle Unlimited.  

Larceny in Liverpool by Kal Smagh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

such a fun premise

What a totally unique idea for a cozy mystery. It’s fun to read about secrets within the inner circle as the Beatles first struck out in their career. There are lots of components people will be familiar with but the story and larceny are unique I look forward to reading more of Helen’s story telling

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  47
2. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
3. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #41
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #35
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  Historical  #1
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #36
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #32
9. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #101  Shot #1
10. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book # 2
11. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #7 A City or Country name in the title
12. Around the Year in 52 Books #29. A book that is light
13. Cozy Mysteries   #22 Cozy without murder
14. HP Quidditch 23 #4 Quidditch Throughout the Ages: A historical fiction
15. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #23. Read a historical fiction novel
16. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #14. A BOOK YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT
17. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #34 A historical-fiction book
18. Pick your Poison  # 61 A fiction book with a real person as protagonist
19. Read with Allison #8 Historical Fiction
20. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge April- Unusual Historic Fiction

Calypso, Corpses and Cooking

 I was so excited to read this second Caribbean Kitchen Mystery by Raquel Reyes.  Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking did not disappoint.   I really appreciate Reyes' method of incorporating bilingual characters in her storylines.  I cannot help but envision what a cute family they are and to feel the frustrations Mia has been dealing with her very bigoted MIL.  Mia's adjustments to returning to her hometown but under a different economic and cultural environment than her childhood makes for interesting reading and adds a bit deeper thought than many cozy mysteries bring.   Anyone who loves delicious food, especially Latin selections, will find their mouth watering while reading this story.    I learned about some new dishes that I am anxious to find and sample.  The mystery itself is well done and has plenty of twists and turns leading to an unexpected resolution. 

Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking by Raquel V. Reyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

cozy mystery with a Latin flair

I really like this series a lot. I love how Reyes seamlessly blends the use of Spanish into the storyline with a logically included translation. The food descriptions will make your mouth water for anyone who likes flavorful food The mystery is well constructed with an ongoing nefarious scheme underlying the story so it is best to read the series in order.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  29
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  23 
3. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  Series: 7 Book #1
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 2
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 +3
6. What an Animal Book #7
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #25
8. Cruisin thru Cozies Holiday #2
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #21
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #18
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 4 Toe Tags
12. Around the Year in 52 Books #    37. A book with the theme of returning home
13. HP Quidditch 23 #43 Cedric Diggory: Includes vampires
14. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #42. set at a carnival or circus
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #47. A HOLIDAY THAT ISN'T CHRISTMAS
16. Pick your Poison  # 39 A book with a four word title
17. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #47 A book about a holiday that's not Christmas
18. Read with Allison #51 Holiday Scene on Cover
19. Sci and Nature # 17 Native Word in the Title
20. Unruly Reader Bingo  # 9 World Languages   

Dead Heat

 I started reading Dick Francis novels again last year and have remembered how much I enjoy his work.  I think the stories are a bit more engaging to me now as my son's girlfriend rides and I have now been exposed to the horseshow world peripherally.  This allows me to have more of a connection to the details in the novels Francis has written.  This one was written in 2007 after he had taken a break in writing and just returned to publication in the previous year.  

I really enjoyed Dead Heat and the character in the lead, Max.  There were several references to contemporary restaurants and chefs that made the connections to the story even stronger.   I think that is one of the aspects of Francis' writing that I enjoy.  He gives depth not only to his characters but also to the topics discussed in the stories.  In this case, there was a great deal about running a restaurant and being a chef since that is Max's career.   

There was also a great bit written about the polo scene.  It was interesting to learn some of the subtleties of the sport both in its play and rules and also the descriptions of the spectators and participants.  I appreciate that much of this information is conveyed either by the reflection of discovery by Max's research or conveyed through conversations with other spectators at the match.  It is far more interesting than just reading a factual paragraph or two.  

I found myself connecting with Max on an emotional level because his experiences and emotions were portrayed in a realistic manner.   He is a civilian exposed to some extreme violence and he reacted in a manner typical to how I would expect someone to process such an experience.  Rather than making him stoic and a hero we see his emotions and weaknesses which makes him that much more appealing as a character.  

Overall I really enjoyed this book both based on the plot and the mystery it entailed as well as the characters. There are some graphic descriptions of the violent aftermath of a bombing so readers should be aware before reading the novel.

Dead Heat by Dick Francis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dick Francis did it again with another suspense filled novel set amongst the horse world This one have a glimpse into the life of polo and explained some of the basics as well as some unique nuances. The storyline was well written with the various unknowns being unraveled at appropriate times. I felt the experience Max had and the way it haunted him was an realistic representation of how someone would react to the situation he found himself in. I always enjoy reading Dick Francis and this book was no exception

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 21
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  England
3. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge   F
4. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2023  Book # 2
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #16
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #15
7. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #42  Shot #3
8. Medical Examiner Challenge 22 Toe Tags
9. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #28 Includes a Funeral
10. Around the Year in 52 Books #27. A book by an author from continental Europe
11. Bookworm #36 Free Space! Pick any book
12. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #49 horses. that’s the prompt.
13. HP Quidditch 23 #52 Double Eight Loop: Written by multiple authors
14. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #31.Read a book with two or more authors
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #17. BOOK WITH ORANGE SPINE
16. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #33 A book about an athlete/sport
17. Pick your Poison  # 66 A book with a person jumping on the cover
18. Read with Allison #37 Bought Secondhand
19. Sci and Nature # 8 About Science Gone Wrong
20. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 
21. Unruly Reader Bingo  #8 Fire Drill
22. Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge  Feb Western Europe

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 

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