The Honeymoon from Hell

 This is the 7th book in the cruise series by Lizzie Josephson.  I appreciated this one focusing on Keith and Adriana and their relationship.  It is enjoyable to see the recurring characters that appear in the books.  It makes the series feel like a weekly tv show where you know who the good guys and the bad guys are each time.  This book focused on a Caribbean itinerary with visits to St. Marten, Curacao, Guadelope and Grenada.  There is a nice level of detail on the things to see and do in those different locales.  Always enjoyable to read these series' entries. 

 I look forward to reading the spin off series about fun cruises aboard a less formal set of ships.  This spin off was introduced in this book and will seem to focus on the singles cruises that Cosmo cruise sales director likes to propose. 

I only gave this book a 3 star because the editing was a bit lacking in this book.  There were some redundant conversations and story segments that detracted from the flow  of the book a bit.  

The Honeymoon From Hell: Book Nine: The Cozy Cruise Mysteries by Lizzie Josephson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fun adventures in the Caribbean for Keith and Adrianne. This book explains the spin off series I had seen this year by Lizzie Josephson. I look forward to reading that series to see how she portrays the less formal fun cruises in those adventures. This book had a nice adventure and visits to Caribbean islands. There were a few editing errors so that's why I gave it a 3 instead of a 4

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Grenada
2. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021 Series 9 #8
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #138
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #153
5. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #93
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #130
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #111
9. BooklistQueen   #24 a summer read
10. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  yes 
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #43a  Shot #3

The Picture of Dorian Gray

 Well  I must say that between my book club and the challenges I have read a number of books that I would not have chosen otherwise this year.  This book by Oscar Wilde certainly falls in that category.  There is a story that is captivating in itself but then there is a much deeper philosophical discussion going on within the book as well. You can definitely see the influence of Wilde's life and experiences in this work and it definitely feels like a great big stick it to the upper class of England  novel as well.  This is definitely a novel with layers and it feels like a gothic novel with some super natural elements as well.  If you are looking for a classic for the Halloween season this would be a good choice

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Wow is this book a bit creepy and deep. Definitely not a quick read but it is engrossing. Makes you stop and think about who is good and evil in the world. Definitely need to remember the era it was written in when reading it. A good classic that isn't necessarily heavily read.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #114
2. Beat the Backlist #BTB2021  #16 banned book 
3. 2021TBR  #2021ReadingChallenge # 3 friend recommendation 
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #121
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #135
6. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #12. A book you have seen on someone’s bookshelf
7. BooklistQueen   #16. Published in the 1800s 
8. NJM Book Challenge  #NJMBookChallenge2021  #8 written pre 1900
9. While I was Reading  #1 A book published before 2000
10. Pick your Poison #11-4 A book with a monster on the cover 
11. Bloggers Bookshelf   #bloggersbookshelf #15 mentioned in a tv show or film 
12. Beyond the Bookends  mental health fiction

  

Steampunk Poe

 This is the first book I have ever truly DNF'd.   There have been other books I lost interest in and set aside to never have picked up again yet, but this one I made a conscience decision to stop reading.  I had selected this book to meet a prompt regarding steampunk.  I am still glad I did so as I thoroughly enjoyed looking through the book at all the illustrations.  I just could not adjust to Poe's reading style.  I tried several of the stories- Tell Tale Heart (reread),  The Masque of the Red Death, The Fall of the House of Usher and the poem the Raven.   I just struggled to read the language and finally decided to stop instead of forcing myself through the book just because it's a classic author and a book I picked up at the library.  Boy did it feel good to make that decision.

Steampunk: Poe by Edgar Allan Poe
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I must admit I ended up DNF thins book. I just could not get past the formal old style of writing. I tried reading 3 stories and several poems but just found myself not enjoying the reading. I gave this a 3 star because the steampunk illustrations were wonderful. I found myself lingering over the drawings and really seeing them relate to the stories Poe wrote. If you enjoy the classics and Poe this is a book worth checking out

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #110
2. Beat the Backlist #BTB2021  #49 written in verse
3. 2021TBR  #2021ReadingChallenge #  9 a classic 
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #117
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #131
6. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #13
7. BooklistQueen   #9 Poetry
8. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  - Shadow/ black cover
9. 52 books in 52 weeks  #3-4 steampunk

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

View all my reviews

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 Dutch House

 I had read wonderful reviews about the audiobook version of this novel by Ann Patchett.  It is narrated by Tom Hanks and I must concur he does a wonderful job on the narration.  I really enjoyed the story and the development of the relationship between Maeve and Danny as well as their parents.  It is amazing to see the differences in relationships that develop between parents and children of the opposite genders.  Their experiences with their father are very different due to the differences in how they interacted with him while growing up.

The age difference between Maeve and Danny also created a bit of 2 different families situation.  Maeve has many more memories of their mother from her childhood while Danny effectively grew up with minimal memories of her and thus was more attached to Maeve as a maternal figure than his own mother.  The 2 also had very different relationships with Andrea, their stepmother due to their ages when she married their father.

The novel highlights how different people will react to the same trauma in different ways.  It also highlights how every story has 2 sides and maybe we shouldn't be so quick to condemn others and more willing to forgive or at least forge a new type of relationship.  The book showcases many grudges that are often just a transference of frustrations and hurt that could have been avoided had any real conversations taken place.  There were many years lost due to a bitterness that is just a said statement but is truly a common occurrence in many families.  It is often easier to hold a grudge than look at our own role in a situation and admit we all play a part in a conflict or disagreement.  It is rarely all someone else's fault when it comes to family matters.  

This book has an amazing story of Maeve being so spiteful that she creates a path for Danny that isn't at all what he desires.  But, his need to make his sister happy and to maintain their strong relationship prevents him from speaking up for himself.  Ultimately he is just pushed along by his sister and his future wife, Celeste and never really carves his own path until very late.  Everyone's desire to have Danny be a doctor for their selfish reasons ultimately backfires and leads to many disappointments and unsettled emotions.

I enjoyed this book and really loved listening to Tom Hanks narrate it.  Unfortunately I feel a bit of the book's timeline jumping was confused by listening to an audiobook since much of the book was a reflection on Danny's life.  It wasn't always clear where in time the stories he was relaying occurred and that took away a bit from the flow of the story.   

Readers who like reading stories about families and the dramas and conflicts through the generations will enjoy this book.  

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this book as an audiobook and while I loved Tom Hanks as the narrator I think the audiobook may have made it more confusing for me at times. The timeline of the book narration jumps all around and at times it is difficult to determine where in Danny and Maeve’s life story the anecdotes occur. I think reading it might have been easier to follow that aspect.
The book characters are certainly well developed and it is amazing how even characters that are portrayed negatively can have somewhat of a perspective awakening occur. Ever story has two sides and then there’s the truth rings very true in this story.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #58
2. Beat the Backlist #BTB2021 #28 on the Indie Bestseller list in 2020 or earlier 
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #65
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #78
5. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #9
6. BooklistQueen   # 49. A Book Everyone Is Talking About
7. Audiobook  #2021AudiobookChallenge  book #6

Botched Butterscotch

 This novella by Amanda Flower  takes place between the 4th and 5th books in the Amish Candy Shop series.  Bailey is providing Swissmen Sweets desserts to a Mother's Day fundraising brunch when a mystery unfolds.  On top of her overwhelming need to help get to the bottom of this, she is balancing the visit of her mother and father to her Amish community in Ohio.   Her parents left the community and her father, the church, after high school;  seldom to come to visit even.  Their New Englander demeanor is quite apparent during this visit and it is easy to feel for Bailey as her mother manages to make unintentionally offensive observations.  To top it off, Aiden's mother, Juliet Brody, is intent on involving Bailey's mother  in her campaign to get Aiden and Bailey engaged.   This plot line leads to some very humorous moments.  

This is a nice short book that reminds me that I want to get back to reading the series as a whole and will continue with Marshmallow Malice soon.

Botched Butterscotch by Amanda Flower
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What's not to love about candy, a pet pig and a mystery

A well written and fun novella in the Amish Candy Shop series. We meet Bailey's parents in this quick read. There is definitely some family Bonding and drama in this short mystery. As usual Ms. Flower captures the dynamics between people well and mixes humor in with her mysteries. A good mystery without a murder that keeps the reader engaged

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021  Amish Candy Shop #4.5
2. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2021  Book #13
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #76
4. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  free choice 37
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #61
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #53
8. The Unofficial Magnus Archives Challenge  #TMARC21  #17. Too Close: a novella
9. BooklistQueen   # 50. You Own But Haven’t Read
10. A Pretty Mess Challenge # 24. Book you own but haven't read
11. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 
• Row 3
• Free square-  church
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #6  Shot #3

First Comes Like

 This is the third installment in the Modern Love series by Alisha Rai.   Similar to the first 2 books Rai continues to write fun books with strong female characters.  I had to laugh there were even references to passing the Bechdel test in the book as just one example of the lighthearted humor the book contains.

Jia is an influencer who is struggling to manage her success and her family expectations.  She is a Muslim Pakistani American who is balancing her religious beliefs, her family's traditional expectations, and her more outspoken American personality.    Rai does a wonderful job of demonstrating the balance as well as the struggles Jia faces.  

There are some very comical scenes with her family of 4 sisters and traditional parents as well as the Bollywood famous family of Dev.  Underlying all the story though is a tale of desire for acceptance and happiness.  I appreciate how Rai intertwines this and other messages in an enjoyable romance with minimal graphic sexual detail.   There is some but it is an appropriately placed plot line rather than gratuitous lust as many books are keen to present.

I hope this series continues so readers have a chance to watch the relationships of Jia, Rhiannon, and Katarina grow.  I'd imagine the next book would have to be about Lakshimi or Luna if it keeps to the pattern focusing on a different MC in each book.  Only time will tell.

First Comes Like by Alisha Rai
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyable comedic tone with strong female leads

This 3rd installment in the series focuses on Jia. Her portrayal is a well balanced one showing struggles I'm imagine are real.especially for young women balancing 2 cultures. it is easy to see her inner struggles with keeping her Pakistani/Islamic upbringing at peace with who she wants to be in LA as a modern American woman. Rai represents the struggle between traditional and modern well and the reader cannot help but cheer for Jia to find happiness and success

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #55
2. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021 Modern Love #3 
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #62
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #74
5. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #3. A book that has a heart, diamond, club, or spade on the cover
6. Around the Year in 52 Books #13. A book written by an author of one of your best reads of 2020
7. BooklistQueen   # 18. Longer Than 400 Pages
8. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2021 #7. PART OF A TRILOGY
9. Pick your Poison #9-4 A book about how radio, television, or the internet has changed us
10. Beyond the Bookends  faux celebrity protagonist

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

View all my reviews

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

Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea

 

I selected this book by Barbara Demick from the recommended list for the Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge challenge.  I had the book escape from Camp 14 in my TBR pile and decided to read this one as well for variety on the topic.  

Demick does an amazing job of capturing the stories and perspectives of several North Koreans who ultimately escaped the country.  Their stories are amazing and the most interesting part for me was the degree to which the people of the country are completely unaware as to what is going on in the world outside North Korea.  For that matter there is minimal information and communication within the country.

Demick took an interesting approach to the work by focusing on individuals with a connection to the same locale within North Korea.  She identified people from different backgrounds which helped to highlight the caste system that exists in the country.  Many of the individuals were actually supporters of the regime and members of the Working Party.   The stories detail how their transformations and decisions to leave came about.  

There are some heartbreaking and honest depictions of the suffering that occurred especially during the famine of the 1990s.  Demick does a good job of presenting the stories of the defectors and minimizes adding political opinions to the accounts, unless they were the observations of the individuals featured in the work.  Demick also shared factual observations from her own visits to North Korea.  

All in all this is an eye opening account of just how 3rd world that nation is and the struggles the people are suffering through even still today.  

Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amazingly terrifying account

This account of the true experiences within N Korea is written in such a way it can be easy to forget it is non-fiction. In fact at times the horrors described made me wish it was fiction. I knew on a high level the atrocious lives much of the residents of N Korea live but this details it in the stories of those who lives it. The defectors came from various walks of life within the same region and their stories are amazing.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #51
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  North Korea
3. Non Fiction Reader  #2021ReadNonFic  #8. Indigenous Cultures
4. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #15. A book with a black-and-white cover
5. BooklistQueen   # 5. About a Pressing Social Issue
6. Spells and Spaceships Post Apocalyptic Badge  post apocalyptic or dystopian setting
7. Pick your Poison #18-3 A book by a journalist or news photographer
8. Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge  Asia – North
9. 52 books in 52 weeks  #36  dystopian

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

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

  

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

The Lost Apothecary

 This debut novel by Sarah Penner is a wonderful mix of historical fiction with a touch of fantasy.  I original discovered this book while reading the Book Pages magazine from my library.  The book sounding interesting so I placed a hold on it prior to its release at the beginning of March.   I am glad I did.  

The author did a wonderful job of interweaving a historic "mystery" with a modern investigator.  Caroline and Nella are both women who were betrayed by men they loved, only 300 years apart.  It is a timeless tale that is  captured in contrasts between the options available to  women of the 18th century versus the modern era.  Both are strong women who found their way to move forward in the face of adversity.  Each found a new purpose and quest.  

The story had a very little bit of fantasy/supernatural that was presented in both times in the dual timeline.  It is up to the reader to decide whether there were other magical forces at work or just the coincidence of the universe.   Either way the tale that is woven is very engaging and a great combination of timelines and multiple points of view of 3 very different women.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This debut novel does a wonderful job of mastering a dual timeline and 3 female points of view. I appreciated the contrasts of how similar misfortunes for women are represented in the 2 timeframes. Women in 1790s had very little recourse if their marriages were destroyed versus 2020. I enjoyed how the themes of betrayal and self definition was presented in both Caroline and Nella. The innocence of Eliza is such a wonderful contrast but her wiseness beyond her years was also well developed. I enjoyed the ending and how you weren't sure if there was supernatural elements at play in both the 18th and 21st centuries. This book was an unexpected pleasure and I am glad I discovered it in a book publication previewing it before its release.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #35
2. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  "P"
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #43
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #48
5. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #5
6. BooklistQueen   # 22. A Highly Anticipated Book
7. A Pretty Mess Challenge # 14. A book everyone is talking about
8. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2021 #3. GOLD ON COVER
9. Magic in the Books Book 5 #1 Read a fantasy novel 
10. Pick your Poison #17-3 A book with a shape on the cover that reminds you of a Rorschach test
11. Bloggers Bookshelf   #bloggersbookshelf #7 with foiling on the cover
12. Monthly Keyword #MonthlyKeyWordGXO-  "Lost"
13. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2021  Historical Fiction Novel Featuring Inspiring Women
14. Diversify your reading #DYRC21  Historical Fiction 
15. Medical Examiner Challenge  3 Toe Tags
16. Unruly Reader Bingo  #3 eye catching

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

Hush Hush

 This is the 56th book in the Stone Barrington by Stuart Woods.   The series is a fun escape but are by no means pieces of serious literature.  The book leads the reader on a trip around the different parts in the world where Stone Barrington owns properties.  Unlike many of the books in the series this one really doesn't have a mystery element, it is more thriller suspense in nature.  If you are looking for a fun quick escape then this is a great book for you.

Hush-Hush by Stuart Woods
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a typical gun toting, sexual encounter filled book featuring Stone Barrington. It was an entertaining chase around the world amongst the different properties Stone owns. Many of the typical characters appear with several new characters. If you are looking for an action packed story that borderlines on a spy thriller then this is a good choice for you.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #24
2. AtoZ   #2021AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge "H" 
3. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021 current on Stone Barrington series
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #32
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #35
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #25
7. Around the Year in 52 Books #39. A book involving an immigrant
8. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #31 Shares A Similar Title To Another Book
9. BooklistQueen   # 34. An Author You Love
10. NJM Book Challenge  #NJMBookChallenge2021  #15 by one of your fav authors
11. What's in a Name   #2 Doubled word (ex. In a Dark, Dark Wood; Wolf by Wolf)
12. Pick your Poison #24-3 Anything you want 
13. Medical Examiner Challenge  11 Toe Tags (shot)
14. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 
• Row 1
• Pathway or forest x7
• Row 2
• Alley or mews x1
• Lawn x1

Row 3
Bar, store, restaurant x2 

• Weapons
• Row 2 
• Hand gun
• Row 5
• Rifle or shotgun
• Detectives- Ed Rawls/Dino Baccheti/ Lance Cabot/ Stone Barrington/ Rocky
15. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #5b  Shot #3

American Royals

 This was an unexpected find in this novel by Katherine McGee.  I really had no idea what this novel was about when I put it on my hold list at the library.  I had spotted it right after finishing Red, White and Royal Blue (see blog post here)  It is a fun spin on the history of the US.  What if instead of becoming a democracy we had become a monarchy?  Fast forward to the modern day and the newest generation of heir coming of age.  This story is about that royal family and all the obligations and responsibilities that come with being royal.  The different family members have different perspectives and feelings about their royal responsibilities and the expectations of them.  The book allows us to see the growth of the siblings both individually and with each other.   This is definitely a YA book with lots of optimistic relationships and young love but it also is forthright about the difficulties of growing up and finding oneself while in the public eye.  The reader can definitely sense the weight of this responsibility and the burdens that come with the privileges.   I must say this book definitely reinforced my belief that I would not wish fame upon my worst enemy.  The story is a fun book that has its moments that cause deeper reflection but all in all it is a YA book at heart and is mostly about the relationships particularly of the romantic variety.  There are additional books in the series that I assume will expound upon the relationships found in this book.    

American Royals by Katharine McGee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fascinating book of alternate history

This book is a nice blend between a chick lit and a alternate historical fiction. It’s set in present day but based upon a change in the history of the US. What if we’d taken on a new king versus becoming a democracy. The book has many layers and develops the characters well. They are believable and realistic in their actions and emotions. The book definitely had me thinking about what it would like to be to grow up with a pre determined future and always live your life knowing your role and place. I found myself considering what it would be like to be Kate and William or Harry and Meghan. This provides a different perspective on those relationships
I’ve always said I wouldn’t wish fame on my enemies and I feel that way even more after reading this novel

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #23
2. Around the Year in 52 Books #27. A book with a character who can be found in a deck of cards
3. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #39 An Alternate History Novel
4. BooklistQueen   # 48. Genre You Don’t Usually Read
5. A Pretty Mess Challenge # 8. More than 400 pages
6. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2021 #32. A DASH OF ROYALTY
7. Magic in the Books Book 5 #7 Read a love story
8. Pick your Poison # 1-1 A book about an empire
9. 52 books in 52 weeks  #8 paradox

Booklist Queen 2021

Booklist Queen Challenge

BookList Queen 2021

 I will attempt this challenge again in 2021.  It is hosted by Rachel on her BooklistQueen blog.  Bolded topics include link backs to Rachel's blog with suggested reading choices.  

Completed:   43/52 Prompts

 1. A Productivity Book IDEA: TBD

 2. Book Becoming Movie in 2021 IDEA: Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI

 3.√   Goodreads Winner in 2020

• Midnight Library by Matt Haig
•  Blog Post and Good Reads Review 1/20/21

 4.√  Biography 

•  The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede
• Blog Post and Good Reads Review 2/20/21

 5.√  About a Pressing Social Issue 

• Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 4/30/21

 6√ . A Book About Books

• Murder by the Book by Lauren Elliot

• Blog Post and Good Reads Review 2/6/21

 7.√  Set in the 1920s

• The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict

• Blog Post and Good Reads Review 1/25/21

 8.√   An Author Who Uses Initials 

• Ms. Marvel, Vol 2   Generation Why by G. Willow Wilson
• Blog Post and Good  Reads Review 2/12/21 

 9.√ Poetry IDEA: Steampunk: Poe

• Steampunk Poe by Edgar Allen Poe  DNF
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 10/5/21

 10. A 2020 Bestseller IDEA: Carnegie's Maid

 11.  √ Recommended by a Colleague 

• I Feel Bad about My Neck by Nora Ephron
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 4/20/21

 12. √ With a Number in the Title 

• The Three Mrs. Wrights by Linda Keir

• Blog Post and Good Reads Review 1/29/21

 13. Bottom of Your To-Read List IDEA: The Light Between Oceans

 14. Reread a Favorite Book IDEA: The Secret Garden

 15.√ Own Voices Story 

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Blog Post and Goodreads Review 6/23/21

 16.√ Published in the 1800s 

• The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 10/21/21

 17. Local Author IDEA: The Other Mrs.

 18. √ Longer Than 400 Pages 

• First Comes Like by Alisha Rai
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 5/11/21

 19.√ A Book Turned Into a TV Series  

• Murder in Red by Jessica Fletcher
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 5/29/21

 20.√  A Book That Makes You Think 

South Pole Station by Ashley Shelby

Blog Post and GoodReads Review 1/18/21

 21.√ A WWII Story 

• Olive Bright Pigeoneer by Stephanie Graves
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 3/7/21

 22 .√ A Highly Anticipated Book 

• The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 3/24/21 

 23.√  Eye-Catching Cover 

Felicia's Food Truck Bite Size Cozies by Celia Kinsey

Blog Post and Good Reads Review 2/20/21

 24.√  A Summer Read 

• The Honeymoon from Hell by Lizzie Josephson
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 11/23/21

 25. √ Coming of Age Story 

• Carry On Simon Snow by Rainbow Rowell
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review  11/16/21

 26.√ Bestselling Memoir 

• The Answer Is by Alex Trebek
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 3/10/21

 27. √  Book Club Favorite 

A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline

Blog Post and Good Reads Review 2/17/21

 28. √  A Book About Friendship 

• The Red Address Book by Sofia Lundberg
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 2/13/21

 29.  √ An Audiobook

• Frontier Follies by Ree Drummond
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 3/12/21

 30.  √ Set in Australia 

• Fatal Reservations by Lucy Burdette
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 6/12/21

 31. By a Nobel Prize winner IDEA: TBD

 32. √ About an Immigrant 

• Prospect for Murder by Jeanne Burrows-Johnson
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 4/25/21

 33. √  Time Travel Novel 

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

Blog Post and Good Reads Review 2/7/21

 34. √ An Author You Love 

• Hush Hush by Stuart Woods
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 3/9/21

 35.√  Childhood Favorite 

• Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review  11/18/2

 36. Classic Read in High School IDEA: The Great Gatsby

 37. √  Borrowed from the Library

•  Choppy Water by Stuart Woods
• Blog Post and Good Reads Review 1/21/21

 38.√  Nonfiction New York Times Bestseller 

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

Blog Post and Good Reads Review 2/6/21

 39. √  From an Indie Publisher 

Laughing at my Nightmare by Shane Burcaw

Blog Post and Good Reads Review 1/30/21

  √ 40. Fantasy

• The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 2/27/21

 √ 41. A Sequel 

• Forests, Fishing & Forgery by Tonya Kappes
• Blog Post and Good Reads Review 2/2/21

 √  42. Recommended by a Librarian

Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson

Blog Post and Good Reads Review 1/15/21

 √ 43. Psychological Thriller 

Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger

Blog Post and Goodreads Review 3/17/21

 44. Oprah Winfrey Book Club Pick IDEA: The Twelve Tribes of Hattie

 √ 45. A Book About Technology 

• One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus

• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 3/20/21

 √ 46. Title with Three Words

• The Sinister Superyacht by Ana T. Drew  
• Blog Post and Good Reads Review  1/4/21

 √ 47. Debut Novel of Famous Author 

•  The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie  
• Blog Post and Good Reads Review 1/5/21

 √ 48. Genre You Don’t Usually Read 

• American Royals by Katherine McGee
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review  3/7/21

 √49. A Book Everyone Is Talking About

• The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 5/21/21

 √ 50. You Own But Haven’t Read 

• Botched Butterscotch by Amanda Flower
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 5/13/21

 √  51. Borrowed from a Friend 

• The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 5/9/21

 √ 52. A 2021 New Release 

Misalignment and Murder by Cathy Tully  

Blog Post and Good Reads Review  1/26/21