Carry On Simon Snow

 I selected this book in order to fulfill the Chosen One prompts in several of my challenges.  I discovered this book when I read Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl last year.   This is a spinoff of sorts from that book.  In Fangirl the characters write fanfiction about a fictional character named Simon Snow and Baz.  This book brings those characters and their world to life as the center of the story.  It is a similar story to Harry Potter with a bit more frenemies and romantic tension than those books have.   I did enjoy this book even if it took me quite a while to read it.  I had to turn it in to the library and then got busy with other books as I read and renewed the kindle book from the library.   If you are looking for a fantasy book with a bit of a twist at the end this book would be a great read.  

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

magical thriller

Generally not the gene I read but I thoroughly enjoyed this boon. The frenemies relationship between Simon and Baz grows through the book. Although there are similarities to Potter this book is very different and intense.


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #124
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #134
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #148
4. Around the Year in 52 Books #30 A long book
5. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #45 A Coming Of Age Novel 
6. The Unofficial Magnus Archives Challenge  #TMARC21  #5  The Desolation: about a Chosen One

7. BooklistQueen   #25. Coming of Age Story 
8. NJM Book Challenge  #NJMBookChallenge2021  #10 over 500 pgs  
9. Bookworm  #40. Read a book that uses the "Chosen One" trope  
10. Magic in the Books Book 6 #6 Includes the Chosen One trope
11. Pick your Poison #23-1 A book with the word "snow" in the title
12. Bloggers Bookshelf   #bloggersbookshelf #22.  500+ pages  
13. 52 books in 52 weeks  #6-2 swords and sorcerers 

One of Us in Next

 The sequel to One of Us is Lying proved to be another wonderful read by Karen McManus.  This is the 3rd book I have read by her this year and I have thoroughly enjoyed them all.  She captures the angst and drama of the teen life very well.  These books truly make me glad I didn't grow up in the age of social media with all the drama it brings with it.  I also appreciate that my son is not that interested in broadcasting his life and feelings on the internet.  

McManus wrote another thrilling drama that keeps the reader guessing until the end and continues to show the dangers of gossip and social media when manipulated by those with unhealthy needs to toy with others, emotionally and physically.  This book is a wonderful sequel in that it has the same essence of a hidden puppeteer manipulating the teens of Bayview HS once again.  The characters at the center of the story were involved in the original thriller but were not the central characters in that novel.  Those characters from One of Us is Lying are included in this entry, but are more peripheral in general. 

 All in all these are well written YA books that keep the reader engaged while pointing out the all too realistic opportunities for abuse of social media.

One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

high school continues to be a terrifying setting in this second book in the series. I sure am glad I didn't have social media when i went through high school . the mystery behind the new rumor driven truth or dare challenge is well constructed and keeps the reader in suspense until the end. There are plenty of good twists and turns and the life of a teen/young adult is depicted well in this book

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #105
2. Beat the Backlist #BTB2021  #36 second book in a duology 
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #113
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #127
5. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #107
6. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #52 Re-Do One Of The Previous 51 Categories From This 2021 Challenge-  #1 set in a school
7. The Unofficial Magnus Archives Challenge  #TMARC21  #14 The Web: with a puppeteer figure
8. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  Back to School
9. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
10. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 
• 
  
• Row 3
• Cliff, roof, high place
• Weapons
• Row 4
• Push or fall
• Detectives- Maeve/Knox
• Victims- Brandon Weber
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #72  Shot #3

Icebound

I had read a preview about this book in a literary magazine.  It had intrigued me and thus I was quite happy when my book club chose to read this book in July.  I had started it much later than several members and they had indicated it was a dry read, kind of like reading a text book.  Needless to say, expectations were not high when I started it.  Turns out I liked it better than most.

I just focused on the story and didn't worry about keeping track of characters or the overall history of expeditions to the pole that the author frequently referred to.  This was one of the issues as the book was written from the captain's logs and would be telling a narrative when suddenly the author would switch to talk about other explorers at other periods of time.  Which while interesting facts, lead to a less flowing narrative.  

All in all I enjoyed the book and could find myself visualizing the landscape and the ocean as they were described in the book.  It wasn't written quite in the voice that reads like a novel such as when I read Bad Blood.  But if you enjoy history or travel this is a fascinating non fiction read about William Barents and his polar expeditions.     

Icebound: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World by Andrea Pitzer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Interesting non fiction work

While there were times this NF work read like a research paper and took a bit to get into, I did like it. I read it like a story and didn’t try to keep all the names straight. It is a factual account of a historical event and as such there is not a lot of emotions expressed by people in the book. It is still possible to envision their possible emotions during their struggles but they are not explicitly written as the account is sourced from a captains log. If you like reading about risk takers and areas of the world that you haven’t visited this book will appeal to those interests


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #91
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes
3. Beat the Backlist #BTB2021  #20 genre you never/rarely read
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #98
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #112
6. Non Fiction Reader  #2021ReadNonFic  #6. Oceanography
7. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #16 Set Before The 17th Century
8. Pick your Poison #16-4 A book with a map on the cover
9. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2021 July – Book Set On An Island
10. 52 books in 52 weeks  #26 mushing

Murder in Red

 Book #49 by the infamous Jessica Fletcher with the help of Jon Land was an entertaining installment set in Cabot Cove, ME.  I enjoyed the humor of the characters making fun of Cabot Cover being a murder magnet.  This was probably the least formulaic of the books I have read from the series in a while and I wonder if it is due to the difference in co-author.  Either way I found it quite enjoyable.  

This book incorporated some corporate and medical ethics queries into the plot line that are definitely relevant in today's society.  I appreciated that the topics were raised without preaching on them and while presenting both sides to the issue.  This story brought Jessica's friend, George Sutherland to town and incorporated him into the storyline along with Mort and Seth.  The book introduces a few other Cabot Cove residents as well.

All in all this was a good mystery with characters and storyline with depth.  If you are a fan of the TV show then you probably already like the books but I would recommend the series to any cozy mystery fan.

Murder in Red by Jessica Fletcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This installment in the murder she wrote series is more original than many of them. it definitely felt less formulaic and seemed like it was a probable plot line. I enjoyed reading it and finished it in one day. Always fun to read a book from the series

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #64
2. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021  Murder She Wrote #49
3. Beat the Backlist #BTB2021  #1 more than one author
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #70
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #83
6. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
7. Cozy Mysteries   #17 author collaboration
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #42
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #67
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #58
11. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #20 Made Into A TV Series
12. BooklistQueen   #19. A Book Turned Into a TV Series 
13. NJM Book Challenge  #NJMBookChallenge2021  #5 made into a tv/movie
14. Spells and Spaceships Big screen
15. Medical Examiner Challenge  2 Toe Tags
16. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 
• Row 1
• Library or bookstore
• Weapons
• Row 5
• Medicine or drugs
• Detectives- Jessica/Mort
• Victims- Mimi; Laurie Ann
17. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #12  Shot #4

The Henna Artist

 I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Alka Joshi.   It was principally set in Jaipur, India in the 1950s.  It is fascinating how Lakshmi had reinvented herself after fleeing her husband in a village.   She applied the knowledge her Saas (mother-in-law) taught her on how to use natural remedies for ailments. She also developed her artistic talents into masterful henna artistry and mandala designs.  Her business relationship with Samir Singh opened doors into his wife's social circle and allowed her to develop her business.  These relationships demonstrated the caste system at work as well as the different beliefs and professions deemed acceptable within each caste.  Lakshmi is from the Brahmin's which is one of the highest castes but her status as an estranged wife is a secret that keeps her from developing her relationships in society as fully as she would normally be able to do.

Joshi captures the tenuous relationship between Lakshmi and the wealthy ladies.   Also the story addresses the maneuverings of an arranged marriage between 2 prominent families that allows them both to improve their business and social standings.  It discusses the idea of marrying for love versus an arranged marriage.  It also talks a bit about dowries and the arrangements of marital residences relative to the parents.  

The book addresses unwanted pregnancies, infertility and the influence of spiritual  advisors that impacts the Maharaja, his family and familial decisions. Be advised there discussions/ plot lines having to do with termination of pregnancy through herbal concoctions so this may be disturbing to some readers.  The tradition of multiple wives and concubines are addressed briefly as well.   All in all it is a fascinating overview of the culture of India from 60 or so years  ago.

Additionally, their are relationship struggles between Lakshmi and her sister Radha as they become acquainted and settle into a sibling relationship while also being a custodial situation.   Radha experiences many of the typical teen adjustments but they are magnified by being an villager who finds herself a scholarship student at a prominent school.   This disparity only exacerbates her ability to fit in.  How she and Lakshmi handle the situation with the help of auntie Kanta is an interesting take on the timeless theme adolescent assimilation.  

All in all I enjoyed this book and can recommend it to those interested in reading historic fiction based in India.     

    

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fascinating story full of culture and growth

This story was layered with characters and relationships that were both frustrating and wonderful. It was amazing to see Lakshmi develop her relationship with he sister Radha and Malik. The book showed some aspects of the caste system and socioeconomic differences specific to India but global as well. The growth of the characters and their realization of what is important is well written and powerful. I found myself hoping for happiness for the good people and forgiveness for those who need it

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #62
2. Beat the Backlist #BTB2021  #48 bought it for the cover
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #68
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #81
5. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #10
6. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #43. The book on your TBR list with the prettiest cover
7. Around the Year in 52 Books #7 A book that fits a prompt suggestion that didn't make the final list -- A book where the protagonist adheres to a religion that is not your own
8. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021   #44 Includes A Garden
9. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2021 #21. BOUGHT BASED ON COVER
10. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2021  May – Book Set In India
11. Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge  Yes Southern Asia
12. Unruly Reader Bingo  #3 eye catching

The Four Winds

 This is the second book I have read by Kristin Hannah.   She does a wonderful job of capturing historical settings.  This book is set in the Texas Panhandle during the Dust Bowl era of the 1930s.  Her characters, Elsa, Tony, Rosa and Rafe, all represent the strength and frustration of the human spirit during an unbelievably challenging time.  

Character development is a strength of Hannah's talent.   It is easy for the reader to put themselves in the story and to feel attachment to the characters.  As you read, it would be difficult not to feel sorrow and frustration just as Elsa does during the saga.  Hannah develops her as a strong female character who truly does not believe in her own strength and resilience.  Her's is a hard life, but she soldiers on and does what is necessary for her family.

It is easy to envision the scenery and the strife that the farmers and other residents of the Great Plains experienced in this unbelievable period of time.  Hannah's descriptions are vivid representations of the hardships and the terrain the people of the time and region suffered.  Her ability to draw a reader into her story is amazing.

This novel is a very engrossing read and I look forward to reading more of Hannah's works;  I have The Great Alone on my shelf and may prioritize it now that I have read this work. I had previously read The Nightingale and it is also a great demonstration of female strength and resilience.  

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kristin Hannah's ability to draw you into the lives of her characters is an amazing talent. As I read it was easy to visualize myself in the place of the characters. The angst and the heartbreak come through in her writing. Her descriptions of the terrain in Texas and CA is vivid and moving. I truly cannot imagine what it was like to live during the Dust Bowl or to have experienced this level of uncertainty for your own survival. Hannah's ability to tell a story that draws you in continues in this latest work

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  TX
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #61
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #73
4. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #8
5. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #21 Book By Kristen Hannah
6. BooklistQueen   # 51. Borrowed from a Friend
7. A Pretty Mess Challenge # 4. Borrowed from a friend
8. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2021 #24. BETWEEN 460 - 495 PAGES
9. Bookworm  #51.) Read a book with the word "wind" in the title
10. Pick your Poison #17- 1 A book with a primarily black cover
11. Diversify your reading #DYRC21  May: History & Biography

Prospect for Murder

 I selected this book by Jeanne Burrows- Johnson from Kindle Unlimited because it was set in Hawaii.  I was intrigued by the description and decided to use it for the Literary Escapes challenge.

Initially it started out very slowly and I was not really finding it engaging.  I will admit I almost set it aside for good.  It finally caught my attention and held it about a quarter of the way into the book.  I think the beginning was just very descriptive without much action so it was hard to stay engaged.

I think part of what I liked about the book was all the cultural and geographical refrences to Oahu.  We lived in the islands for 4 years when I was young.  In fact, I started school there.  Additionally, having lived in California for most of high school and college we vacationed there quite a bit.  Hawaii is to the west coast what Florida is to the East and Midwest.   I had never been to Florida until I graduated college.  

The author talks a lot about parts of the island and the Navy life which resonated with me.  I know many of the locations and terminology she references.  I think this definitely lead to my enjoyment of the book, probably more so than someone who doesn't have that familiarity.   

An additional feature that I found interesting is the in depth descriptions of Mrs. Wong's memories of China and Hong Kong.  I found this cultural piece interesting as well as how it tied into Natalie's research and work on projects.  I think history buffs will definitely like this series even though it is not a true work of historical fiction.  

I will be interested to see how the next book in the series goes.  

Prospect for Murder by Jeanne Burrows-Johnson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Although this cozy started out slowly I am glad I stuck with it. It was a well written story with plenty of Chinese and Hawaiian history and culture presented. If you are looking for a mystery with more depth without much violence this is a great pick . I especially liked it as I spent 4 years of my childhood living in the islands and can relate on a deeper level

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Hawaii
2. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
3. Cruisin thru Cozies  free choice 28
4. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #52
5. Craving for Cozies  Book #44
6. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #30 Watch Out For Dragons!
7. BooklistQueen   # 32. About an Immigrant
8. Spells and Spaceships Dragon Badge
9. Pick your Poison #13-2  A book about the immigrant experience
10. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
11. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 
• Row 2
• Lawn

Row 4

Street or sidewalk

• Weapons
• Row 1 
• Falling object
• Row 4
• Push or fall
• Detectives- Natalie Seacrest/Keoni Hewitt
• Victims- Ariel/Rob Bishop
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #61  Shot #1

I Feel Bad about my Neck

 

This is a humorous book by Nora Ephron.  I had not previously read any of her work.  I am happy we had picked this for a book club read as I don't know if I would have otherwise selected this.

The book itself is a series of short chapters organized by topics.  Some of the chapters are Nora's observations on life and some of the daily activities women undertake to stay youthful and stylish.  She definitely pokes fun at her own behaviors in the process.  Other chapters are more specific to episodes in her life and how they can be categorized as different observations/advice.  I enjoyed the fact it is laid out in short chapters so it was easy to start and stop as time permitted.

The book as a whole felt like a download from a mother/grandmother to a young woman who is going off on her own.  Sort of a playbook on the stages of life and how to not get too trapped in the little things.  There was definitely no diva aspect to her tone and stories.   I especially enjoyed her tales involving New York as I spent 4 years living there.  Anyone who has lived in Manhattan knows about the divide between West Siders and East Siders.  Her reference points about Zabars and H&H bagels were spots I can relate to, they were right by my gym when I lived there.  For the record, I never had an 8 room apartment- more like 4 if you count the bathroom :)

I found Ephron's stories to be very enjoyable and decided she is someone I wished I had known.  I can only imagine the energy a dinner with her would have.  I really knew nothing about her until I read the book and found her life fascinating when I read more about her.   I will add some of her other works onto my TBR list for sure.  If you are looking for a light enjoyable read be sure to pick this one up. 

I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was the first work by Nora Ephron I have read. I really enjoyed the book and how it felt like an advice book from a mother/grandmother to a young woman. The organization of the different life tales into different categories made for a fun read. It is a humorous book you can read in spurts as each chapter is a unique insight.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #46
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #56
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #66
4. Memoir  #15. Written by someone over 40
5. Non Fiction Reader  #2021ReadNonFic  #4. Essay Collection
6. Humor  Book #4
7. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #14 Written By An Author Over 65 (When Published)
8. BooklistQueen   #11. Recommended by a Colleague
9. A Pretty Mess Challenge # 20. Celebrity memoir
10. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2021 #35. AN EMOTION IN TITLE
11. Pick your Poison #27-5 A collection of essays
12. 52 books in 52 weeks  #23 your choice

Toasting Up Trouble

I selected this cozy by Linda Wiken because it was a book set in Vermont and I had noted that one of the main characters was named Connor.  This provided a book for a prompt to select a book with a male family member as a character.   I lucked into finding an enjoyable new cozy series that I plan to read more of in the future.   I liked the event planning business that was the occupation of the main character, JJ and her friend/boss Skye.  There are some wonderful subplots in the book and the mystery itself is well developed and has a surprising ending.  Lots of suspects that seem feasible and the elimination process is realistic and logical.  If you are a foodie you will enjoy reading about the Culinary Capers group that JJ belongs to and the dinner parties they host.  

All in all an enjoyable book with more in the series to explore

Toasting Up Trouble by Linda Wiken
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

good solid cozy with a slightly different lean where the MC works with a PI to solve the mystery. Wiken does a good job of slowly revealing clues and character backgrounds to build suspense and help conceal the identity of the guilty party. looking forward to reading more in the series

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  √

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #43
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  VT
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #51
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #60
5. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  free choice 21
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #44
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #37
9. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #6 A Character With The Same Name As A Male Family Member
10. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  yes books on the menu
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tag
12. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 
• Row 2
• Lawn
• Weapons
• Row 2 
• Knife
• Detectives- JJ/Ty Devine
• Victims- Antonio Marcotti

 

Daisy Jones and the Six

 This mockumentary interview style book was an unexpected gem.  I really wasn't sure what to expect especially given all the hype the book has received.  

Taylor Jenkins Reid did a wonderful job of creating a realistic story of a band from the 70s.  It is so realistic if you google you will find just how many people thought they were a real band.  The format of interviewing the different band members and telling a retrospective of the bands formation and subsequent dissolution is quite a unique approach and very entertaining.  

I listened to the audiobook and can highly recommend that format.  Each character is voiced by a different person.  This really made it feel like a documentary that you would find on MTV.   There are even a few surprise twists at the end.  All is all it is a great look at the personalities and dynamics of rock and roll in the 1970s- including all the sex and drugs.  Definitely has mature topics that are not camouflaged.   I found this to be one of my best reads of the year so far.  

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was an unexpected find and I highly recommend the audiobook for it. The book is written like a biographical interview of band members years after their career. The book is so well developed that it seems like a real band and there are plenty of google searches to show that many feel it is a real band. The style is unique and worked perfectly. It was a book that made me think of the MTV where are they now or rockumentaries. There are times you cannot stand some of the characters and you wish they could get their lives sorted out. It was easy to get invested in the characters and to feel as though they were real people. There are even some twists at the ending that surprise the reader. Highly recommend this book

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #40
2. Beat the Backlist #BTB2021  #18 all about the music
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #48
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #54
5. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #7
6. Around the Year in 52 Books #38. A book related to a word given by a random word generator- Dad
7. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #42 An Epistolary
8. The Unofficial Magnus Archives Challenge  #TMARC21  #21. Piper: music is a plot element
9. Bookworm  #54.) Read a book that takes place in the 1960s
10. Pick your Poison #26-2 A book about self care or recovery
11. Diversify your reading #DYRC21 hist fiction
12. Audiobook  #2021AudiobookChallenge #2

Salt to the Sea

 This was the second book I have read by Ruta Sepetys and I enjoyed it as much as I did The Fountains of Silence.  This book was about a lesser known maritime disaster that occurred during WWII.  The sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff was something I was unfamiliar with but it was an intriguing aspect to this historical fiction book.  I appreciated the variety of the characters, including some you did not like.

I enjoyed how the book was written in chronological order but was told by alternating narrators.  Sepetys does a wonderful job of revealing each of the narrators' back stories and secrets.   The ending had a twist to it that was intriguing and wasn't all sunshine and roses which made for a more realistic outcome.  

I will definitely continue to work my way through Sepetys' catalogue of works as I enjoy her blending of historic facts and a fictional story.

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this historic fiction book based upon the little know sinking of the Wilhelm Guatloff. Sepetys writes a good YA book that appeals to adults. Her characters are well developed and have aspects to their personality that make them like able and unlike able. The story is well written by different narrative voices while on the same timeline. There is a nice build up to the back stories of each character and a nice twist at the end. There is a good balance of happy ending with tragedy as well. Rather than everything coming out perfect it mixed both outcomes. I look forward to reading more by this author

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√

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

Possible prompts

I will decide as the year goes along which prompts I use it for on several challenges since it meets multiple criteria within the challenge.

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #39
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Prussia
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #47
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #53
5. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #6
6. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #6 A book with a gem, mineral, or rock in the title 
7. Around the Year in 52 Books #6 a love story
8. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #28
9. Monthly Book Awards #AwardReadingChallenge  Audie winner 2017
10. Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge  yes Prussia
11. Beyond the Bookends    Read/listen to Audie Winner
12. Backpacking Bookworm  #bbReadingChallenge2021 teaches you something new 

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

 This is the 27th book in the Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke.  Amazingly, the books still manage to maintain original plots and develop character relationships as the series progresses.   This installment actually centers around a very unlikely victim and Hannah's family is in the center of the investigation yet again.   There are several good plot twists and a fairly surprising ending.  I appreciated the development of the character of Stephanie Bascombe.  She is portrayed as more than just a victim and her motivations and relationships with her husband are explored.   The book does a wonderful job of portraying strong women but also showing the importance of their relationships with other women and the men in their lives.  I look forward to reading the next book in the series whenever it is published.

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyable read about Hannah Swenson and her family and friends. Fluke does a wonderful job of keeping the stories fresh and unexpected even when on book 27. If you love reading books with recipes then this cozy is for you

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #37
2. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021 series 7, book 2 Caught up on Series
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #45
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #50
5. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  free choice 15
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #36
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #30
9. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #49 A Flavor In The Title
10. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  Yes food motif
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
12. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 

Row 5
Home or business office

• Weapons
• Row 2 
• Pointy object
• Detectives- Hannah/Andrea/Norman
• Victims- Richard Bascombe
13. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #49  Shot #3
14. 
    

One of Us is Lying

One of Us is Lying is an intense YA book by Karen McManus.  It has been on my To Read list for over a year and I am very glad I finally made sure to read it.  It is a fairly high paced thriller set in High School.   Think of all the worst things about High School you can remember and now add onto that cell phones (cameras/videos) and Social Media.  It makes high school in the 80s feel tame.  

McManus does a magnificent job of capturing teen angst, insecurity, selfishness and immaturity.  This book has been described as Breakfast Club and that is apropos in my opinion.  The eclectic mix of student types that are all serving detention together sets the stage for a very strange occurrence.   The reader then witnesses the ensuing chaos through the eyes of the different characters in the novel.  These characters hit the stereotypes of high school and capture much of the emotions and concerns of a typical teenager.

It is easy to find oneself rooting for the unlikely heroes and relationships in this novel.  The unlikely friendships that form are based on actually getting to know the real people, not just the outward stereotypes and appearances that are given off by a teen trying to fit into a certain role/group.  The twists and turns are well written and feel very real and accurate.  While I did suspect the outcome before it was revealed it still had some crazy twists that left me stunned.  I am very excited to begin reading the next book in the series, One of Us is Next.  

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great thriller with YA romance and angst

I really enjoyed this book more than I expected to. It is definitely Breakfast Club meets social media. The story captures so much of high school accurately. No matter how much time has passed the drama is all the same. Only it’s amplified with social media and cell phones. The twists and turns are well done and I look forward to reading the next book

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #32
2. Beat the Backlist #BTB2021  #2 dragons OR lizards
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #40
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #45
5. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #32
6. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #5. A dark academia book
7. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #1 Set In A School
8. BooklistQueen   # 45. A Book About Technology
9. What's in a Name   #1-  "ONE"
10. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2021 #29. ROMANCE OR YA 
11. Bookworm  #13.) A book from https://www.whatshouldireadnext.com
12. Magic in the Books  Book 6 #4 set in a school
13. Pick your Poison # 4-4 A book about dealing with suicide
14. Monthly Book Awards #AwardReadingChallenge  South Carolina Book Award Young Adult (2020),
15. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #72  Shot #1

 

Confessions on the 7:45

 I had this book by Lisa Unger on my to read list for a bit of time while waiting for the library hold to become available.   The title caught my eye and then the summary captured my interest as well.  While waiting for the book, I read several blog reviews and online chatter that gave the book mixed reviews. It seems to be an either you love it or you don't kind of book.

Well, I found myself really liking the book.  At first I thought I was going to give in and put it aside as I had difficulty keeping the characters straight at the beginning.  There are quite a few characters and they take turns as the narrator.  In addition to the different points of view, the book also jumps around in time between present day and the past.  The timeline in the past moves forward quickly and ends up being brought forward 3 years or so.  The present day portion is only set over the course of a week or so.  This can be a bit tricky to follow at times.  That being said, I really liked the story and the suspenseful nature of the narrative.

Unger builds the characters in such a way that you feel strongly toward them.  I felt invested in their stories, particularly Selena's and wanted to see her succeed in finding a happy resolution.  There are plenty of twists and turns to the plot during the story.  Even though I thought I had figured out the big mystery, there were still surprises right up until the last chapter.   I appreciated Unger wrapping up all the different story and character threads.   You finished the book with a feeling of resolution, even if you were left wondering how on earth people could behave the way they did in the story.  The characters are far from perfect but it is easy to find empathy and some understanding in most of the characters and the relationships that evolved during the story.

If you like psychological thrillers with lots of plot twists then you should enjoy this book.  If you don't care for multiple timelines mixed with multiple point of views then you might want to steer clear of this one. 

Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Intense til the end

This is a suspenseful thriller that keeps the reader on the edge til the bitter end. Once you are able to settle into the story and keep the characters straight the story flows quite well. If you don’t like books with changing points of view and timeline jumping then this is not a book for you. Under does a wonderful job of maneuvering through both. It is easy to relate to how torn Selena would feel in the circumstances and your heart aches for her little boys. The relationships between characters are well developed and there are twists and turns til the end. Even when you think you have it figured out there are more twists. I appreciate the fact Unger tues up all the loose ends and tells you where characters and relationships stand at the conclusion of the book. Great read if you like psychological thrillers

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #30
2. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  "U"
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #38
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #43
5. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #30
6. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #25 A Book With Multiple Character POV
7. The Unofficial Magnus Archives Challenge  #TMARC21  #38. Gerry: about ghosts/MC is a ghost
8. BooklistQueen   # 43. Psychological Thriller
9. Bookworm  #50.) Read a book about orphans
10. Magic in the Books Book 2 #3 Includes a haunting
11. Pick your Poison #11-1 A horror story or thriller
12. Medical Examiner Challenge  3 Toe Tags
13. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 55 Shot #1
14. 52 books in 52 weeks  #34 all aboard

A Burning

 This is the debut novel by Megha Majumdar.  It is a very good book that highlights many aspects of Indian culture that many Americans are most likely unaware of.  I have many Indian American friends so I am familiar with their culture particularly since they have immigrated to the US.  I don't think you can truly understand the deep division in socio economic situations and opportunities unless you travel there. This book definitely brings many of those issues to the forefront and they are a big factor in the interweaving stories in the book.  The idea of wealth and those having a life you want is all very perspective based, many want wealth and power, whereas there are those in this story who just want a basic existence- to not be hungry and have somewhere safe to live.  

There are  deeper undertones in the book about what people are willing to sacrifice and do in order to reach their dreams.  There are characters who are willing to turn their backs on others in order to get ahead, no matter the cost.  

What is interesting is how there are many parallels with the US and how the media and politics are able to set a narrative that then has much of the public following along regardless of facts.  The other takeaway for me from the novel is just how much better off the opportunities are in the US than in other parts of the world.  There are those who suffer in this country and that needs to be addressed, but for the most part we are offered more opportunities and basic needs than in many of the third world nations.  The ability to freely speak your opinions without being arrested is a true blessing our Constitution provides.  

The reason I only gave this book 3 stars is the feeling of incompleteness I had when I finished the book.  There were several story threads that did not feel completed to me.  They were characters and storylines that supported the main thread but still left unanswered questions that I would have like to have seen resolved.  

If you are looking to immerse yourself in another culture and read about the decisions people make shen faced with opportunities to improve their lot in life then this is a book you should read.

A Burning by Megha Majumdar
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book provided a thought provoking read about the differences in opportunities based upon socioeconomic as well as gender. The book is set in India but many of the deeper issues can be reflected upon within our lives here in the US. This book highlights how easily people can be swayed by public opinion, particularly by the narrative the media might take. It also shows how seemingly good people can be caught up in bad situations. The reason I did not give it more stars is I felt the story lacked a resolution for many of the characters. I finished with a sense of incompleteness, there were certain story threads that were just sort of dropped and hinted at, but no real resolution occurred. The book was a good read and demonstrated the fact we should appreciate what we have in life and be sure to provide kindness and assistance to those who need it= no matter how little we might have, there are others with less.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #29
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes India
3. Beat the Backlist #BTB2021  #25 book centered around politics
4. 2021TBR  #2021ReadingChallenge # 17 own voices
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #37
6. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #42
7. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #34 A book about a social justice issue
8. Around the Year in 52 Books #45. A book related to a codeword from the NATO Phonetic Alphabet
9. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #10 Related To The Word "Fire"
10. The Unofficial Magnus Archives Challenge  #TMARC21  #33. Tim: with fire on the cover
11. BooklistQueen   # 15. Own Voices Story
12. A Pretty Mess Challenge # 18. A book on a controversial topic
13. Bookworm  #8.) Read a book where the main character is a High School or College Student
14. Magic in the Books Book 7 #2 Ugly Cover
15. Pick your Poison #14-3 A book about oppression
16. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  set in India
17. Backpacking Bookworm  #bbReadingChallenge2021 celebrates diversity
18. 52 books in 52 weeks  #5 silence