When her brother ships off to Vietnam in the 60's, Frankie signs up to be an Army nurse. While in Vietnam she witnesses unspeakable horrors, 4 stars!
When her brother ships off to Vietnam in the 60's, Frankie signs up to be an Army nurse. While in Vietnam she witnesses unspeakable horrors, and then returns home to an America that finds her service shameful.
Oh I got lots of thoughts on this one. Stealing this from something a friend said to me but my rating is more about giving the book the recognition it deserves than actual enjoyment level while reading this book. Because boy, what a fantastic work of trauma phonography. Everything that could have gone horrible wrong or bad for this main character would and did happen. To the point where I kept asking out loud, "can we give this woman a break??".
The best parts of the book for me where the parts when I learned something new. I really was never a big Vietnam War interest person so there's a lot about it I learned through Frankie's eyes, how few women there were, what life of a nurse would be like there, and how veterans were treated upon returning home. I knew most Vietnam Vets were severely traumatized, probably more so than any other previous war, but I didn't know how much the country truly abandoned them after shoving them into this conflict. I also loved Frankie's best friends in the book, they were the read MVPs.
Overall I am glad I read it, but I don't enjoy reading buckets of trauma being dumped on me. I loved Frankie the main character and wish her nothing but happiness because we got almost none of that on the page....more
Set in the 1930's Kentucky, this book follows Cussy, a blue woman who works as a travelling librarian. Shunned by the community for her rare skin coloSet in the 1930's Kentucky, this book follows Cussy, a blue woman who works as a travelling librarian. Shunned by the community for her rare skin color, Cussy travels the mountains delivering books to people in remote areas.
Well, I seem to be in the minority on this one based on all the four and five star reviews. I thought the idea and bones of the book were great, I absolutely hated the execution. Learning about the blue people in Kentucky was interesting, as well as the profession of traveling librarian. But this book read a bit like trauma porn to me, with terrible things happening all the time to the main character, and I was not in the mood for that. This book was also very simply written and melodramatic, which normally I don't mind, but it felt like reading a Hallmark movie and just wasn't for me.
I actually always wanted to read this because I had seen the "scandal" that Jojo Moyes allegedly copied this author for her book The Giver of Stars. I wanted to read this book, and then that one to compare and contrast and I still will. Curious to see if I will like that book more....more
A cozy mystery set in a grand hotel in NYC in 1958, this book follows heiress Evelyn. most people think she's an eccentric Marilyn knock of 2.5 stars
A cozy mystery set in a grand hotel in NYC in 1958, this book follows heiress Evelyn. most people think she's an eccentric Marilyn knock off, but in actuality she's an agoraphobic rich woman afraid to leave the hotel. When a guest is murdered, Evelyn decides to solve the case.
The word that comes to mind when I think of this book is "lackluster". I found the story a bit dull and the main character boring. It was fun enough to follow along and I was able to read until the end of the book. But I felt the pacing was all over the place and some of the dialogue too modern for a story set in the 1950's....more
Two rival journalists find a magical connection and love through enchanted typewriters. Iris Winnow lives a hard live with her alcoholic mother[image]
Two rival journalists find a magical connection and love through enchanted typewriters. Iris Winnow lives a hard live with her alcoholic mother and her brother fighting the war and missing in action. Her rival at her newspaper job is Roman Kitt, and the two are fighting for the same job. Iris writes letters to her brother which she places under a wardrobe where they magically disappear, and unknowingly to Iris, they go to Roman.
I read this book based on the recommendation of a book seller and I am so happy I picked it up. I didn't even realize this book was considered YA fiction, because even though the main characters are teens this read more like an adult novel/story to me. I loved listening along to what was happening with both characters, especially the world building. And the last 20% of this book broke me and I need the second book right now....more
I will admit, of the five Austen books I've read Mansfield Park is my least favorite. But I really enjoyed this YA queer retelling a lot. In 4 stars!
I will admit, of the five Austen books I've read Mansfield Park is my least favorite. But I really enjoyed this YA queer retelling a lot. In Manslaughter Park, Fanny Price hopes to solve the mystery of the person who murdered her Uncle. With help from her friends and some unexpected characters, Fanny finds herself challenged as well as uncovering many truths.
Fanny Price was never my favorite classic character, but I really enjoyed the interpretation of her in this book. Plus I thought a queer retelling fit quite well as Edmund never really stood out to be as a great hero. I know a lot of people were upset by this book (as I saw from all the reviews) but I feel if you go into this book with an open mind and know it will be different (like the first two books) I think it would be a fun read....more
I really don't have much to say about this book except I wish it had been historical fiction/spy thriller without the romance. I loved reading about sI really don't have much to say about this book except I wish it had been historical fiction/spy thriller without the romance. I loved reading about spies during the Civil War and knowing most of these characters were based on real people was really cool. But the romance was very lackluster, it brought down the book honestly....more
If there’s one thing I’m going to do, it’s read a Jane Austen retelling. Seriously, I love them. And Tirzah Price’s teen murder mystery take 4 stars
If there’s one thing I’m going to do, it’s read a Jane Austen retelling. Seriously, I love them. And Tirzah Price’s teen murder mystery take on Austen’s novels is just so much fun.
When Mr. Dashwood dies unexpectedly, sisters Elinor and Marianne work together to solve the unusual circumstances around his death. Very soon they suspect that he was murdered and embark on their own investigation. After being all but thrown out of their home by their brother, the sisters must relies on themselves and new friends to make a new start and solve their fathers murder.
You don’t see a lot of Sense and Sensibility retellings which is a shame because it’s one of my top two Austen novels. I loved this take on the story and though Price kept very true to the nature and personalities of her characters while changing other details such as occupation in the book. I always wish with every version of this story, that there was more of Brandon and Marianne. But this one really needed more than what we got.
At the heart of this story is two very different sisters who love each other dearly and in their own way, works hard to keep their family together and safe. I am SO excited for Manslaughter Park next year and I wish Price was adapting all six of Austen’s novels instead of just three (but I am greedy)....more
Mallory is a Canadian detective in Scotland caring for her ill grandmother. When she is attacked while on a run one evening, she is transpor 5 stars!
Mallory is a Canadian detective in Scotland caring for her ill grandmother. When she is attacked while on a run one evening, she is transported 150 years earlier, into the body of a 19 year old housemaid. Confused and desperate to get home, she does her best to pretend she belongs there. Until there is a murder and Mallory may be the key person to solve it…
I’ve been a big fan of Kelley Armstrong ever since her Darkest Powers series and luckily she has a huge backlist of books. I got the audio of this one from the library and ended up loving it way more than I expected to. It’s an odd concept and can be difficult to market I think. But reading the actual book I fell into the story and all the wonderful historical facts and fun characters. Having a modern day detective investigate Victorian age murders in that time? It was actually a lot of fun.
I loved all the characters and felt they really brought balance to the story. Mallory a modern girl stuck in an old time, a doctor she works for who is a bit of an outcast based purple on his race, his half sister a widow and a chemist. They were all fantastic and I am excited to read the next book and equally sad it is not published yet....more
In the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence, Beatriz finds herself the daughter of a disgraced general and relying on the charity of 4 stars!
In the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence, Beatriz finds herself the daughter of a disgraced general and relying on the charity of her relatives to survive. When Don Rodolfo offers to marry her, she takes it right away even with the rumors surrounding the death of his first wife. But when Beatriz arrives at Hacienda San Isidro she can tell right away there is something rotten inside the house. And that dark something in the house, doesn’t want her in it.
I really enjoyed this book which is funny because I almost quit when I began listening. But after an hour or two of the audiobook it took a turn for the better and I became enthralled by the story. It’s marketed as Mexican Gothic meets Rebecca and that’s pretty accurate, it’s less gory than Mexican Gothic (thank god because I am a wimp) and it’s similar to Rebecca but with more supernatural involved. The story was the perfect amount of creepy to listen to at the start of spooky season and I could still sleep at night so there’s a bonus.
I really liked the main character Beatriz, even though I think she made some stupid decisions (I understand why, but horror genre is filled with people making dumb choices) and I really loved the character of Andres, the priest who helps her. Both characters had great chemistry and motivations to drive the story and it all came together really well.
This is a book worth reading and I will be recommending it a lot....more
In post-World War II England, a bookshop that’s been in business for one hundred years faces some changes, mostly from the three women who ha 3 stars
In post-World War II England, a bookshop that’s been in business for one hundred years faces some changes, mostly from the three women who have been hired to work there. Vivien, Grace, and Evie: all with different backgrounds and yet all three have the goal to be taken seriously by the men in their professions. When big changes hit the bookstore, all three women take the opportunity to try and make some changes for a better future.
I read this book based on a raving review from a bookseller I like, despite it not being my usual genre. And it was cute and everything, but I found the book overall to be a bit tedious and slow paced. I’ve noticed lately we are getting these feminist slice of life fictional books that take place in the 1950’s (like Lessons in Chemistry) and while I love the idea of these books, I don’t think they’re my preferred section of historical fiction. Also the women in this book are all ranging in age from 20s to 40s so I don’t like that they are referred to as girls in the title. Not sure why that irked me so much but it did. It reminds me of men who refer to employees as ladies instead of staff....more
Thorough her career as a professional tennis player, Carrie Soto shattered every record set by those before her. Deemed the "Battle-Axe" by c 4 stars
Thorough her career as a professional tennis player, Carrie Soto shattered every record set by those before her. Deemed the "Battle-Axe" by commentators, Carrie was ruthless and made no friends along the path to greatness. Now, six years after her retirement, Carrie watches new player Nicki Chan become close to taking away all of her accomplishments. So, working with her father and coach, Carrie makes a plan to come out of retirement and reclaim her titles.
First of all, reading a book about tennis is not usually something I would choose to do, sports and me? Not a good mix. But this is Taylor Jenkins Reid, so of course I am going to read it. And the way TJR writes, even though I don't know much about tennis I was able to follow along and enjoy the story easily.
I really loved Carrie as a main character, I've always been a sucker for an "unlikeable" heroine. I felt that was TJR's intention with this character was to show how women who aren't nice or kind yet successful are treated with derision or scorn and it was a focal point in this book. To me there's nothing wrong with a confident woman knowing what she's capable of and not being afraid to use it/show it.
There's a smidge of romance in this book and I really enjoyed those parts and Carrie's love interest, I think they were perfect for each other. The real love story of this book is the love between a father and daughter and how strong that bond could be. My favorite parts of this book were the moments between Carrie and her father, sweet or not. There was a lot of emotion packed into small moments between them and I feel their relationship was the true heart of this book.
I have lots of thoughts and feelings about this being a book about a Latina woman written by a white woman, I definitely feel like this should not be checking the diversity box for anyone reading it. I don't really feel it's a white woman's place to be writing the stories of marginalized people and I did wonder why she chose to do this when she even said herself in an article that we need to be boosting minority writers. I think her intention is to use her power and spotlight to highlight minority voices, but I'm not sure if it's the right path. I'll be very curious to read opinions by non-white reviewers who read this book and see how they feel.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I also received an ALC through the libro fm librarian program. Neither of these affected my thoughts or opinions on this book or my review ...more
A historical novel set in Martha’s Vineyard in the early 19th century, Show Me a Sign is about Mary Lambert, a young deaf girl in a deaf c 3.75 stars
A historical novel set in Martha’s Vineyard in the early 19th century, Show Me a Sign is about Mary Lambert, a young deaf girl in a deaf community on an island. On this island there are a mix of hearing and deaf people who live together and who all sign, unusual for its time. A strange scientist comes to the town to research Mary and her people, and he drags Mary into a cruel experiment.
I’ve mentioned this before, but my grandmother and great grandparents were deaf and I love seeing deaf representation in literature. I had never heard of this community on Martha’s Vineyard and I absolutely loved learning about it in this book and will probably read more about it outside of this book. I think this was a fantastic middle grade book, written very well and I’ll be recommending it a lot to families who visit my library....more
This is sad because I was really excited about reading this book and it turned out to be one of my most disappointing reads this year. Basically a bunThis is sad because I was really excited about reading this book and it turned out to be one of my most disappointing reads this year. Basically a bunch of nothing really happens and then at the last minute, the Titanic sinks.
The plot, which started out really strong, fell flat about 150 pages in and never picked back up. Lots of characters that were never really developed (despite having lots of potential for being interesting) and after another 150 boring pages, the boat sinks abruptly and I hated the ending. Overly complicated and convoluted, I’m sad to say I really didn’t enjoy this book....more
Three women, two different centuries. Present day in London we have Caroline visiting from the United States, who finds a mysterious bottl 3.75 stars
Three women, two different centuries. Present day in London we have Caroline visiting from the United States, who finds a mysterious bottle washed up from the River Thames. In the 18th century we have Nella who runs an apothecary that deals in poisons for women to use against men who wronged them, and Eliza, her unexpected new customer. All three women have dilemmas they need to work out, and all of them may find themselves in trouble before they know it.
I went into this book mostly blind, so I think that helped my enjoyment of the story as I’ve read many people thought it would be different based on the description. I would say this book is a mix of historical fiction and women’s fiction. I actually really liked the present day portions over the ones in the past, but I think that’s just because they were faster paced. Also I really liked Caroline whereas I didn’t love Nella or Eliza. I think I’m the opposite of most readers of this book, everyone else said the modern day portions should be cut out. Maybe I’m weird! I liked it.
Definitely glad I listened to the audiobook of this one, it helped keep the pace and tone going forward. I can see how if someone read it instead of listening, it would be boring. It’s a slower pace than most books....more
Hour of the Witch takes place in Boston in 1662 and follows Mary Deerfield, a young woman married to a cruel man twice her age. After her h 3.5 stars
Hour of the Witch takes place in Boston in 1662 and follows Mary Deerfield, a young woman married to a cruel man twice her age. After her husband drunkenly stabs her in the hand with a fork, Mary decides to take matters into her own hands and attempts to divorce him. But Mary’s neighbors conspire against her and soon she may find herself being accused of witchcraft.
I liked this book, but it’s not one I can see myself rereading for recommending really. I found the historical details and the research done to create this story was very well done, but the plot was at times very slow. There were two main issues in this book, divorce and witchcraft. I understand why the author included both but I felt it made the story drawn out and too long. And while most of the plot was pretty predictable, I didn’t see the ending happening the way it did so it was a pleasant surprise.
If you’re looking for a historical fiction novel as a readalike to The Crucible or want to learn more about this area and time, this is the book for you. I didn’t see it as a mystery or thriller at all....more
I listened to this book for over 4 hours and never connected with it. The prose wasn't to my liking and there wasn't a single character I feDNF at 35%
I listened to this book for over 4 hours and never connected with it. The prose wasn't to my liking and there wasn't a single character I felt invested in. I think I'm in the minority on this one because based on friend reviews it is well loved. ...more
Set in 1970’s Baltimore, this book is about fourteen year old Mary Jane who is hired as a babysitter for a psychiatrist and his wife. Mary Ja 4 stars
Set in 1970’s Baltimore, this book is about fourteen year old Mary Jane who is hired as a babysitter for a psychiatrist and his wife. Mary Jane is used to a straight laced/rigid lifestyle, so she’s shocked when the Cones have a relaxed lifestyle with almost no social family norms in place. And then a rock star addict patient and his movie star wife come to stay for the summer, and Mary Jane begins to question who she is and what she wants in life.
I have to admit, the beginning of this book was a little bit rough for me because I didn’t realize this book is more of a “in the life of” or a “slice of life” kind of book without a conventional plot structure. I kept thinking to myself while listening “where is this going?” and then I realized I needed to let that go and enjoy the ride. And I did, and I am really glad I read this book.
The majority of this book is Mary Jane witnessing and experiencing new things and then altering her life perspective from there. I would say not much drastically takes place, but when you grow up in a rigid white household with strong conservative ideals, seeing things more relaxed and free can be a shock, and I think Mary Jane handled a lot of her situations with grace (way more than I would have if I was a teenager in her situation). And while this book is from the perspective of a teenager, it is not a young adult novel. It is an adult fiction novel 1000% based on the happenings of the book and the subject and I will die on that hill.
If you like audiobooks I would recommend listening to this book instead of reading it because there were quite a few musical elements and the audiobook was great at adapting those and it really enhanced the story....more
I blame myself for the low rating because I went into this book blind after seeing it on a fantasy list and didn’t realize it was a retelli 2.5 stars
I blame myself for the low rating because I went into this book blind after seeing it on a fantasy list and didn’t realize it was a retelling of The Great Gatsby from the perspective of Jordan. Had I known that, I probably never would have picked this book up.
Nghi Vo is a very talented writer, I’ll give her that. Her writing has a very strong voice and she did an excellent job with the tone of the novel. Where this book fell flat was the worldbuilding. It’s The Great Gatsby but with magic and demons right? Except Vo spent no time developing this and it felt very random, forced, and just thrown in every once in a while. It was distracting more than anything and didn’t fit at all with the rest of the book. That and while Jordan was the main and most interesting character, this book was about everyone except her.
If you love The Great Gatsby and don’t mind random fantasy thrown in for the heck of it, this book is for you. But it really just didn’t work for my reading tastes. ...more
I think had I read this years ago when this book came out, I would have loved it. And it’s beautifully wri 2 stars
Overhyped, long-winded, and boring
I think had I read this years ago when this book came out, I would have loved it. And it’s beautifully written, but my god it didn’t need to be 500+ pages. And with so many fictional novels out there on World War II, this is not one I would find myself recommending.
Anyways, it was okay. Will definitely watch the miniseries when it (eventually) happens but this just wasn’t the book for me....more
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