Book: You weren't meant to be Human

 Book: You weren't meant to be Human

Author: Andrew Joseph White

Pages: 336

This is my 40th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Festering masses of worms and flies have taken root in dark corners across Appalachia.  In exchange for unwavering loyalty and fresh corpses, these hives offer a few struggling humans salvation.  A fresh start.  It's an offer that none refuse.  Crane is grateful.  Among his hive's followers, Crane has found a chance to transition, to never speak again, to live a life that won't destroy him.  He even met Levi: a handsome ex-Marine and brutal killer who treats him like a real man, mostly.  But when Levi gets Crane pregnant - and the hive demands the child's birth, no matter the cost - Crane's desperation to make it stop will drive the community that saved him into a devastating spiral that can only end in blood.

Stars: 2

Book: The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder

 Book: The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder

Author: CL Miller

Pages: 304

This is my 39th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

What antique would you kill for?  Freya Lockwood is shocked when she learns that Arthur Crockleford, antiques dealer and her estranged mentor, has died under mysterious circumstances.  She has spent the last 20 years avoiding her quaint English hometown, but when she receives a letter from Arthur asking her to investigate - sent just days before his death - Freya has no choice but to return to a life she had sworn to leave behind.  Joining forces with her eccentric Aunt Carole, Freya follows clues to an old manor house for an advertised antiques enthusiast's weekend.  But not all is as it seems.  It's clear to Freya that the antiques are all just poor reproductions, and her fellow guests are secretive and menacing.  What is going on at this estate and how was Arthur involved?  More importantly, can Freya and Carole discover the truth before the killer strikes again?

This books wasn't great.  I had picked it up (and its sequel) at a used book store after reading the inside cover.  Sounded interesting, but it really was a bit dull and convoluded.  Not well written.  Story was choppy and with no flow.  I am not sure I will pick up the sequel, but I do have a problem not finishing things I bought, so we shall see.

Stars: 2.5

Book: The Little Lost Library

 Book: The Little Lost Library

Author: Ellery Adams

Pages: 323

This is my 38th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

When an elderly Miracle Springs resident, Lucille Wynter, arranges for Nora to deliver an order of books to her creepy, crumbling Southern Gothic mansion on the outskirts of town, Nora doesn't expect to be invited in.  An agoraphobe, Lucille doesn't leave Wynter House.  But when Lucille doesn't come to the door to collect her books, Nora begins to worry.  Forcing her way into Lucille's dilapidated home, Nora is shocked to find rooms bursting with books and a lifeless Lucille at the foot of her stairs.  After reading a note left behind by Lucille, Nora wonders if her death was an accident.  Did she fall or was she pushed by someone seeking a valuable item hidden within Whynter House?  Lucille's children are clearly confident the house contains something of value, because they hire Nora to sift through the piles of books.  Nora's obsession with Lucille's colleciton becomes cause for concern among her friends in the Secret, Book and Scone Society - she's even neglecting her bookshop!  But Nora does find something valuable deep inside Wynter House - a revelation about Lucille's terrible past - and a secret worth a small fortune.  But there's someone who'd do anything to keep the truth buried amid the moldering tomes, and it's up to Nora and her friends to track down a murderer before Wynter House's lost library claims another victim.

This book was fine.  I think I am just tired of them.  I have now read this whole series (a bit out of order), and the last few I have just not enjoyed.  The main character is easily offended and I have grown a bit tired of it.  Her snark -in my opinion - does not fit with what I invision for a bookshop owner in a small town.  

Stars: 3

Book: His and Hers

 Book: His and Hers

Author: Alice Feeney

Pages: 320

This is my 37th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

When a woman is murdered in Blackdown, a quintessential small town, reporter Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case.  Detective Jack Harper is suspicious of her involvement, until he becomes a suspect in his own murder investigation.  Someone isn't telling the truth, and some secrets are worth killing to keep.

This was a pretty good book.  I did watch the TV show first, and then found out it was a book, but it followed it okay.  The gist of the TV show was in here - same characters, same ending, but there were some details they changed.  The book is decently written, and I liked how the chapters went back and forth between Jack and Anna.  It is a fast read, and I think most people might be surprised by the ending (if they have not seen the show).

Stars: 4

Book: Challenger

 Book: Challenger

Author: Adam Higginbotham

Pages: 576

This is my 36th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

On January 28, 1986, just 73 seconds into flight, the space shuttle Challenger broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 7 people on board.  Millions of Americans witnessed the tragic deaths of the crew, which included New Hampshire schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe.  Like the assassination of JFK, the Challenger disaster is a defining moment in 20th century history - one that forever changed the way America thought of itself and its optimistic view of the future.  Yet the full story of what happened, and why, has never been told.  Based on extensive archival research and meticulous, orginial reporting, Challenger follows a handful of central protagonsits - including each of the seven members of the doomed crew - through the years leading up to the accident, and offers a detailed account of the tragedy itself and the investigation afterward.  It's a compelling tale of ambition and ingenuity undermined by political cynicism and cost-cutting in the interests of burnishing national prestige; or hubris and heroism; and of an investigation driven by leakers and whistleblowers determined to bring the truth to light.  Throughout, there are the ominous warning signs of a tragedy to come, recognized but then ignored, and later hidden from the public.  Higginbotham reveals the history of the shuttle program and the lives of men and women whosestories have been overshadowed by the disaster, as well as the disigners, engineers, and test pilots who struggled against the odds to get the first shuttle into space.

This was a good book.  It is dense, but learning more about the personal lives of the Challenger fleet was worth the read.  Reading up to the point of the disaster, and what it was like for their famlies, and then the search for survivors was hard to read.  There are large stretches of this book that is technical and about trying to figure out who to blame, but overall - a good read.

Stars: 4

Book: Heartstopper Book 2

 Book: Heartstopper Book 2

Author: Alice Oseman

Pages: 320

This is my 35th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Nick and Charlie are best friends, but one spontaneous kiss has changed everything.  In the aftermath, Charlie thinks that he's made a horrible mistake and ruined his friendship with Nick, but Nick is more confused than ever.  Love works in surprising ways, and Nick comes to see the world from a new perspective.  He discovers all sorts of things about his friends, his family, and himself.

Stars: 3

Book: March

 Book: March

Author: John Lewis

Pages: 128

This is my 34th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Congressman John Lewis is an American icon, one of the key figures of the civil rights movement.  His commitment to justics and nonviolence has taken him from an Alabama sharecropper's farm to the halls of Congress, from a segregated schoolroom to the 1963 March on Washington, and from receiving beatings from state troopers to receiving the Medal of Freedom from the 1st African-American president.  Now, to share his remarkable story with new generations, Lewis presents March, a graphic novel.  March is a vivid first hand account of John Lewis' lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation.  Rooted in Lewis' personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement.  This book spans John Lewis' youth in rural Alabama, his life-changing meeting with MLK Jr the birth of the Nashville Student Movement, and their battle to teat down segregation through nonvilent lunch counter sit-ins, building to a stunning clamax on the steps of City Hall.  Many years ago, John Lewis and other student activits drew inspiration from the 1958 comic book "MLK and the Montgomery Story"  Now his own comics bring those day to life for a new audience.

This was a good book.  I read it for a reading challenge, and it has been on one of my daughter's bookshelf for awhile.  (she read it).  It is a quick read, but covers a lot of ground and is well done.  I think it would be a good book for middle grade to learn about John Lewis and how he became the activist he is.  There are 2 more books in the series that continue with his work as an adult.  Check this one out.

Stars: 4.

Book: Madly, Deeply the diary of Alan Rickman

 Book: Madly, Deeply the Diary of Alan Rickman

Author: Alan Rickman

Pages: 480

This is my 33rd read for the year

What Amazon Says:

From his breakout role in Die Hard to his outstanding, multifaceted permormances in the Harry Potter films, Galaxy Quest, Robin Hood and more, Alan Rickman cemented his legacy as a world-class actor.  His air of dignity, his sonorous voice, and the knowing wit he brought to each role continue to captivate audiences today.  But Rickman's ability to breathe life into projects wasn't confined to just his performances.  As you'll find, Rickman's diaries detail the extraordinary and the ordinary, flitting between wordly and witty and gossipy, while remaining utterly candid throughout.  He takes us inside his home, on trips with friends across the globe, and on the sets of films nd plays ranging from Sense and Sensibility, to Private lives, to the final film he directed, A Little Chaos.  Running from 1993 to his death in 2016, the diaries provide singular insight into Rickman's public and private life.  Reading them is like listening to Rickman chatting to a close companion.  Meet Rickman the consummate professional actor, but also the friend, the traveler, the fan, the director, the enthusiast; in short, the man beyond the icon.

This was a good book.  It was a little tedious - and it is LONG.  He was an avid journalist with small bits of quips and info from his day to day, but not sure it needed to be made into a book.  I would have loved it more if it was.....more.  It would have been better in biography format.  Most of it was not that interesting.  I did find that he didn't have a lot of love for Harry Potter or the final director of those films - Daivd Yates.  Did I learn a lot about Alan Rickman from this book?  No.  Would I suggest you read it?  Probably not.

STars: 3.

Book: The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County

 Book: The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County

Author: Mark Twain

Pages: 123

This is my 32nd read for the year

Read this one for the Rory Gilmore reading challenge

Stars: 3.5

Book: The Children's Blizzard

 Book: The Children's Blizzard

Author: David Laskin

Pages: 307

This s my 31st read for the year

What Amazon Says:

The gripping true story of an epic prairie snowstorm that killed hundreds of newly arrived settlers and case a shadow on the promise of the American frontier.  January 12, 1888 began as an useasonably warm morning across Nebraska, the Dakotas, and Minnesota, the weather so mild that children walked to school without coats and gloves.  But that afternoon, without warning, the atmosphere suddenly, violently changed.  One moment the air was calm; the next the sky exploded in a raging chaos of horizontal snow and hurricane-force winds.  Temperatures plunged as an unprecedented cold front ripped through the center of the continent.  By the morning, some 500 people lay dead on the drifted prairie, many of them children who had perished on their way home from country schools.  In a few terrifying hours, the hopes of the pioneers had been blasted by the bitter realitites of their harsh environment.  Recent immigrants from Germany, Norway, Denmark, and the Ukraine learned that their free homestead was not a paradise but a hard unforgiving place governed by natural forces they neither understood nor controlled.

This was a good book. Hard to read the reality of what the people went through.  I had read the Historical Fiction version of this story a few years ago, and was interested to read more about it.  The parts of this book that are personal accounts of the families was heartbreaking and the best parts of this book.  The other parts about weather and thoughts on how this storm came about were a bit dry.  But overall a good book.

Stars: 4 

Book: Letters To A Young Poet

 Book: Letters To A Young Poet

Author: Rainer Maria Rilke

Pages: 81

This is my 30th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

At the start of the 20th century, Rainer Maria Rilke wrote a series of letters to a young officer cadet, advising him on writing, love, sex, suffering, and the nature of advice itself.  These profound and lyrical letters have since become hugely influential for generations of writers and artists of all kinds, including Lady Gage, Patti Smith.  With honesty, elegeance, and a deep understanding of the loneliness that often comes with being an artist, Rilke's letters are an endless source of inspiration and comfort.  

Read for a reading challenge

Stars: 4

Book: The Fall Risk

 Book: The Fall Risk

Author: Abby Jimenez

Pages: 81

This is my 29th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

It's Valentine's Day weekend, and Charlotte and Set are not looking for romance.  Armed with emotional-support bear spray, Charlotte is in self-imposed isolation and on guard from men.  Having a stalker can do that to a person's nerves.  Just across the hall and giving off woodsy vibes is Seth, a recently divorced arborist.  As in today recently.  Heights, he's fine with.  Trust?  Not so uch.  But when disaster traps them one flight up and no way down, an outrageously precarious predicament forces a tree-loving guy and a rattled girl next door to embrace their captivity.  Soon their defenses are breaking away.  Considering how close they both are to the edge, Charlotte and SEth could be in danger of falling - in love.  

This book was fine.  It is a free short read from Amazon that I had, and fit a book challenge, so I read it.  I like Abby's books well enough.  This one didn't really go far since it was a short story.  Things move way too fast between these two basically strangers for her to give him all the details she did.  I won't go further - this isn't my favorite genre, so I am not a good judge of these books.

Stars: 3

Book: Eleven Numbers

 Book: Eleven Numbers

Author: Lee Child

Pages: 50

This is the 28th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Nathan Tyler is an unassuming professor at a middling American university with a rather obscure specialty in mathematics - in short, a nobody from nowhere.  So why is the White House calling?  Summoned to Washington, DC, for a top-secret briefing, Nathan discovers that he's the key to a massive foreign intelligence breakthrough.  Reading between the lines of a cryptic series of equations, he could open a door straight into the heart of the Kremlin and change the global balance of power forever.  All he has to do is get to a meeting with the renowned Russian mathematician who created it.  But when Nathan crashes headlong into a dangerous new game, the oddes against him suddently look a lot steeper.

This book was fine.  Believe it or not, I have not read any Lee Child books - my husband has read all of them.  This came up as a free short read on Amazon, so I thought I would give it a go.  The characters were fine and the story moved along just fine.  Have I said the word fine enough in this review yet?  There was a lot of math.  Not particularly exciting.  Not sure this would make me want to try his Reacher stories (which this was not).

Stars: 3 

Book: Bad Date A Short Story

 Book: Bad Date: A Short story

Author: Ellery Lloyd

Pages: 58

This is my 27th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Fay Roper is a divorced single mom and a globally famous actress.  She's also unlucky in love.  Maybe becasue the last thing Fay wants in a man is yet another superfan.  But somehow, every time she ahs a boyfriend who isn't a stalker, he abruptly disappears from her life.  With the help of her best friend and right-hand woman, Poppy, Fay decides to change the game and join an exclusive net dating app uder a false identity.  A subscriber named Oliver takes the bait.  But Oliver likes to play games too.  And only one of them can win.

This book was just okay.  It was a free read from Amazon and is a short story, and I don't think I could get into it well enough in these 58 pages.  The characters were just so so, as was the story.  

Stars: 3 

Book: 84 Charing Cross Road

 Book: 84 Charring Cross Road

Author: Helen Hanff

Pages: 112

This is my 26th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

This funny, poignant, classic love story unfolds through a series of letters between Helene Hanff, a freelance writer living in NYC, and a used-book dealer in London at 84, Charing Cross Road.  Through the years, though never meeting and separated both geographically and culturally, they share a sharming, sentimental friendship based on their common love for books.  Discover the relationship that has touched the hearts of thousands of readers around the world, and was the basis for a film.

This was a great little book.  A read it in a few hours because it is just letters, but what fun.  She was quick witted and generous and the bookshop sweet and caring.  The things she sent them over the years - especially as London struggled after the war (this was written in the late 40s) was remarkable.  All because this became her favorite books shop - 1000s of miles away - and in some way her favorite people.  Good little read.

Stars: 4.5

Book: Under Her Care

 Book: Under Her Care

Author: Lucinda Berry

Pages: 275

This is my 25th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

On a humid summer day in Alabama, a mayor's wife turns up brutally murdered under a railroad bridge.  Standing next to her body is 14 year old Mason Hill, the autistic son of former Miss USA Genevive Hill.  The locals are quick to level their verdict on young Mason: he did it.  The town detective calls in local autism expert Casey Walker to consult on the case.  At first, CAsey tries to keep an open mind.  But the more time she spends with genevieve, the more her unease grows, and she suspects that Genevieve is doing more than just protecting her son.  Casey's misgivings surrounding Genevieve's story only intensify when she meets Savannah, Genevieve's 19 year old daughter.  Savannah, as it turns out, has some disturbing secrets of her own.  But as Casey dives ever deeper into the Hill family dynamic, her search for the truth leads to another shocking murder - one that shatters her understanding of the human condition in ways she never imagined.

This wasn't a good book.  It was one of my monthly free reads from Amazon, and it fit a reading challenge category, so I read it.  I was hoping it would be a good mystery, but it wasn't well written and I didn't like any of the characters.  It started to redeem itself a bit in the middle, but then fell completely apart at the end.  The ending was really terrible - just.....ended.  No resolution.  Skip

Stars: 2 

Book: Dark Tower Book 1 - The Gunslinger

 Book: Gunslinger Book 1

Author: Stephen King

Pages: 288

This is my 24th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Roland of Gilead: The Last Gunslinger.  He is a haunting figure, a loner on a spellbinding journey into good and evil.  In his desolate world, which mirrors our own in frightening ways, Roland tracks The Man in Black, encounters an enticing woman named Alice, and begins a friendship with a boy from NY named Jake.

This was a weird book.  I am determined to read all of Stephen King's book, and I am down to just a few and the Dark Tower series.  It is pretty big, and this book did not give me hope that I am going to be able to finish this series or want to.  I migth try one more book, but this book is dense for 288 pages.  I had a hard time getting into it and was glad when it was over. It wasn't necessarily bad, it was just a hard read and not really my style.  So we shall see.

Stars: 3

Book: Dream School

Book: Dream School

Author: Jeffery Selingo

Pages: 352

This is my 23rd read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Attending college has long been a rite of passage for millions of teens and a bedock of the American dream.  But that well-worn path has lately taken a wrong turn, denying admission even to super-achievers and putting intolerable stress on family finances.  Now, in Dream School Jeffrey Selingo shifts the spotlight from how colleges pick students to how students can better pick colleges.  With est-optional policies and grade inflation leveling the playing field for applicants, getting into prestigious schools has become a kind of lottery.  "Plan A" may work out, but increasingly it isn't- so Selingo urges families to ditch the "Top 25 or bust" mindset and look beyond the usual suspects.  Hidden-gem schools with increidble value and rich opportunities are wiating to be discovered.  Backed by unparalleled research - and an eye-opening survey of more than 3000 parents - Dream School revelas what really matters in a college: strong job prospects after graduation, hands-on learning experiences, and a sense of belonging.  To help students find their perfect match, Selingo highlights 75 accessible and affordable colleges that will satisfy those priorities.  Organized into 3 easy-to-digest sections, Dream School explains why elite college degrees turn out to matter less than you think, why many parents and students are choosing value over prestige, and how to make sure the degree really pays off.  In these pages, Selingo's engaging style and expert insights turn what is often an unnavigable maze into a clear roadmap.

This was a great book.  I have followed Jeff for the last few years as my last two children navigated the college landscape.  My kids graduated last year - the height of a "baby boom" of kids going off to college.  They had so much competition, and being good students, it was wild to navigate the waters with them.  Jeff is grounding.  His first book - "Who gets in and why" brought me down to reality and helped me help the kids make smart decisions about where they wanted to go to school based on more than a name.  And they have ended up at terrific places that fit them well thanks in part of guidance of Jeff and his videos and sessions over the last year.  I knew I needed to read his new book and if you are in the middle of looking for colleges for your kids - this book is for you.  He helps you make sense of the landscape and realy helps you focus on helping your kids find the next step that makes sense for them.  My favorite line in the book was "HOW you go to college matters much more than WHERE you go to college"  No truer words.

Stars: 4.5 

Book: As Long as The Lemon Tree Grows

 Book: As Long As The Lemon Tree Grows

Author: Zoulfa Katouh

Pages: 432

This is my 22nd read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Salama Kassab was a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom broke out in Syria.  She still had her parents and her big brother; she still had her home.  She had a normal teenager's life.  Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs, helping the wounded who flood through the doors daily.  Secretly, though, she is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law, Layla, gives birth.  So desperate, that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion, Khawf, who haunts her every move in an effort to keep her safe.  But even with Khawf pressing her to leave, Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country and her conviction to survive.  Salama must contend with bullets and bombs, military assaults, and her shifting sense of morality before she might finally breathe free.  And when she crosses paths with the boy she was supposed to meet one faeful day, she starts to doubt her resolve in leaving home at all.  Soon, Salama must learn to see the events around her for what they truly are - not a war, but a revolution and decide how she too will cry for Syria's freedom.

Stars: 4

Book: Legends and Lattes

 Book: Legends and Lattes

Author: Travis Baldress

Pages: 304

This is my 21st read for the year

What Amazon Says:

After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her swod for the last time.  The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune.  But old and new rivals stand in the way of success - not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.  if Viv wants o put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone.  But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way.  And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she could ever have dreamed.

This was a good book.  I liked the cozy story mixed with a bit of fantasy.  It is an easy read - finished it in a day and a half.  A lot of likable characters to continually root for.  Nice world building as well.  I will be reading the next one in the series.

Stars: 4

Book: The Lost House

 Book: The Lost House

Author: Melissa Larsen

Pages: 352

This is my 20th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

40 years ago, a young woman and her infant daughte were found buried in the cold Icelandic snow, lying together as peacefully as though sleeping.  Except he mother's throat has been slashed and the infant drowned.  The case was never solved.  There were no arrets, no conviction.  Just a suspicion turned into a certainty: the husband did it.  When he took his son and fled halway across the world to California, it was proff enough of his guilt.  Now, nearly half a century later and a year after his death, his granddaughter, Agnes, is ready to clear her grandfather's name once and for all.  Still recovering from his death and a devastating injury, Agnes wants nothing more than an excuse to escape the shambles of her once-stable life - which is why she so readily accepts true crime expert Nora Carver's invitation to be interviewed for her popular podcast.  Agnes packs a bag and hops on a last-minute flight to the remote town of Bitfrost, Iceland, where Nora is staying, where Agne's father grew up, and where, supposedly, her grandfather slaughtered his wife and infant daughter.  Is it merely coincidence that a local girl goes missing the very same weekend Agnes arrives?  Suddenly, Agnes and Nora's investigation is turned upside down, and everyone in the small Icelandic town is once again a suspect.  Seeking to unearth old and new truths alike, Agnes finds herself drawn into a web of secrets that threaten the redemption she is hell-bent on dlivering, and even her life - discovering how far a person will go to protect their family, their safety, and their secrets.

This was a decent book.  This was one of my Amazon free reads I am working my way through this year.  However - I decided to listen to this one.  It also was fulfilling a reading challenge.  It was a decent story, with an interesting Icelandic background.  Pretty predictable mystery overall and Agnes was a bit of an exhausting character.  But it was a good book to listen to - to hear all the Icelandic names pronounced.  Glad I read this one.

Stars: 3 

Book: Hazelthorn

 Book: Hazelthorn

Author: CG Drews

Pages: 368

This is my 19th read for the year

What Amazon says:

Evander has lived like a ghost in the forgotten corners of the Hazelthorn estate ever since he was taken in by his reclusive billionaire guardian, Byron Lennox-Hall, when he was a child.  For his safety, Evander hasbeen given 3 ironclad rules to follow:  He can never leave the estate.  He can never go into the gardens.  And most importantly, he can never again be left alone with Byron's charming, underachieving grandson, Laurie.  That last rule has been in place ever since Laurie tried to kill Evander 7 years ago, and yet somehow Evander is still obsessed with him.  When Byron suddently dies, Evander inherits Hazelthorn's immense gothic mansion and acres of sprawling grounds, along with the entirety of the Lennox-Hall family's vast wealth.  But Evander's sure his guardian was murdered, and Laurie may be the only one who can help him find the killer before they come for Evander next.  Perhaps even more concerning is how the overgrown garden is regusing to stay behind its walls, slipping its vines and spores deeper into the house with each passing day.  As the family's dark secrets unravel alonside the growing horror of their terribly alive, bloodthirsty garden, Evander needs to find out what he's really inheriting before the garden demands to be fed once more.

This book was fine.  This is really not my genre, and as I have stated many times, I am really getting away from enjoying YA.  It is written well enough, but the characters are a bit infuriating - especially Evander.  It gets a little convoluded at the end, but I finished it and no unhappy I read it.  Bit predictable horror story and an unsatisfying ending.

Stars: 3

Book: When I Fell From The Sky

 Book: When I Fell From The Sky

Author: Juliane Koepcke

Pages: 256

This is my 18th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

The true story of one woman's miraculous survival.  On December 24, 1971, the teenage Juliane boarded the packed flight in Peru to meet her father for Christmas.  She and her mother fought to get some of the last seats available and felt thankful to have made the flight.  The LANSA airplane flew into a heavy thunderstorm and went down in dense Amazon jungle hundred of miles from civilization.  She fell 2 miles from the sky, still strapped to her plane seat, into the jungle.  She was the sole survivor among the 92 passengers, which included her mother, and Julian's unexplainable survival has been called a modern-day miracle.  With incrdible courage, instince and ingenuity, she crawled and walked alone for 11 days in the green hell of the Amazon.  She survived using the skills she'd learned in assisting her parents on their research trips into the jungle before coming across a loggers hut, and with it, safety.  

This was an interesting book.  The story of her crash and survival for 11 days in the jungle were the most captivating part of the book.  It isn't especially well written, but she lived quite the life, so it is easily overlooked.  It was a terrible tragedy that affected the rest of her life.  In 1998 they made a short documentary about her ordeal when she returned to Peru with a film crew to re-walk her path of survival.  She is quite the woman.

Stars: 3.5

Book: Committed

 Book: Committed

Author: Adam Stern

Pages: 320

This is my 17th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Adam Stern was a student at a state medical school before being selected to train as a psychiatry resident at one of the most prestigious programs in the country.  His new and initially intimidating classmates were high achievers from the Ivy League and other elite universities around the nation.  Faculty raved about that group as though the residency program had won the lottery, nicknaming them "The Golden Class" but would Stern ever prove that he belonged?  In his memoir, Stern pulls back the curtain on the intense and emotionally challenging lessons he and his fellow doctors learned while studying the human condition, and ultimately, the value of connection.  The narrative focuses on these residents, their growth as doctors, and the life choices they make as they try to survive their grueling 4 year residency.  Rich with drama, insight, and emotion, Stern shares engrossing stories of life on the psychiatric wards, as well as the group's experiences as they grapple with impostor syndrome and learn about love and loss.  Most importantly, as they study how to help distressed patients in search of a better life, they discover the meaning of failure and the preciousness of success.  Stern's growth as a doctor, and as a man, have readers rooting for him and his patients, and ultimately find their own hearts fuller for having taken this journey with him.

This book was okay.  I liked the idea of it, and found a lot of the cases he was involved in interesting.  He is a psychiatrist here in Boston, so that drew me in.  The book was telling two stories though - his personal life and his cases, where after awhile the personal story took over.  It isn't necessary a bad thing, but it seemed to lose the basis for the book which was to talk about his training as a psychiatrist.  It isn't especially well written, but not terrible either.  Glad I read this - found it for a few dollars at a used book store - but not sure I would recommend it.

Stars: 3 

Book: Paper Cuts

 Book: Paper Cuts

Author: Ellery Adams

Pages: 308

This is my 16th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Nora escaped her past a decade ago.  So it feels like a visit from another world when Kelly Walsh - the woman her ex-husband left her for - walks through the door of Miracle Books along with her son.  Kelly hasn't come to gloat, though.  As it turns out, she's been dumped too.  She's also terribly ill, and all she wants from Nora is forgiveness.  Shockingly, however, this woman who's been the victim of so much misfortune is about to become a murder victim.  Who would do such a thing?  Certainly not Nora, but that doesn't stop the gossip and suspicion - especially after Kelly's brother claims that he saw the 2 women arguing.  In seeking justice for Kelly, The Secret, Book, and Scone Society joins forces with the sheriff's department, but they've barely begun their probe when life throws another wrench.  After serving a 20 year sentence Estella's father returns to Miracle Springs.  And when his past comes back to haunt him, it might be more than the 4 friends can handle.

This was an okay book.  I am working through all 8 of these books by Adams, and they have all been fine.  The first one was my favorite, and they have gotten more "meh" the more I read.  They are easy reads, but I have liked the main character, Nora, less and less.  Adams keeps writing her with a bit of a "Bite" that I don't think you would find in a bookshop owner.  That is my own opinion, but it just doesn't fit what I see for this character, so her snarkiness, and a few things she does in this book seems out of what I felt the norm should be.  Nit picky for sure, but it rubs me the wrong way.  

Stars: 3

Book: Dungeon Crawler Carl

  Book: Dungeon Crawler Carl

Author: Matt Dinniman

Pages: 464

This is my 15th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

You know what's worse than breaking up with your girlfriend?  Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat.  And you know what's worse than that?  An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalatic game show.  That's what.  Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world - or just get to the next level - in a video game - like, trap filled fantasy dungeon.  A dungeon that's actually the set of a realit television show with countelss viewers across the galaxy.  Exploding goblins.  Magical potions.  Deadly, drug-dealing llamas.  This ain't your ordinary game show.

This was an excellent book.  I decided to listen to it because I heard that the audio version was top notch, and it was.  There are a lot of voices and it is highly entertaining this way.  It is clever, and well written, and Carl is a very likable character.  Princess Donut as well.  There are a lot of books in this Dungeon Crawler series, and I am anxious to keep reading to hear where the whole story is going.  Check this one out.

Stars: 5

Book: The Family Across The Street

 Book: The Family Across The Street

Author: Nicole Trope

Pages: 256

This is my 14th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Everybody wants to live on Hogarth Street, the pretty, tree-lined avenue with its white houses.  The new family, the Wests, are a perfect fit.  Katherine and John seem so in love and their gorgeous 5 year old twins race screeching around their beautiful emerald-green lawn.  But today, they won't invite you in when you knock, they brush away offers to babysite and the children haven't been seen.  Every family has secrets, and on the hottest day of the year, the truth is about to come out.  As a tragedy unfolds behind closed doors, the dawn chorus is split by the wall of sirents.  And one by one the families who tried so hard to welcome the Wests begin to realize: Hogarth Street will never be the same again.

This was an okay book.  I had it as a Kindle free read, and I am really trying to get through those more this year.  It had a few surprsies, but not many and I found it overall too wordy.  Large amounts of past lives information that just could have been shortened to move the story along.  It is a fast read - read it in a few hours - so I will give it that.

Stars: 3

Book: William Shakespeare's Star Wars

 Book: William Shakespeare's Star Wars

Author: Ian Doescher

Pages: 176

This is my 13th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Experience the first installment of Star Wars all over again, now with all the drama and prestige of Shakespearean theater.  

This book was read to fulfill a book challenge category of a book without quotation marks.  Those are hard to find!  This was an easy and quick read, and pretty entertaining for what it was.

Stars: 3.5 

Book: A Forbidden Alchemy

 Book: A Forbidden Alchemy

Author: Stacey McEwan

Pages: 480

This is my 12th book for the year

What Amazon Says:

Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson are 12 years old when they are whisked away from the shadows of their disenfranchised mining towns to dazzling Belavere City to discover their magical potential.  Those who pass Belavere's test will become Artisans, wielders of powerful elemental magic destined to fulfill the city's grand ambitions.  For Nina, the Artisan School symbolizes a dream and an escape from her harsh reality, while Patrick yearns to return to his Craftsman family, whose extraordinary physical strength serves the idium mines keeping the city alive.  And then they uncover a devastating truth: Artisans aren't born, they're chosen.  They part ways on very different paths, leaving them to carry the burden of this secret alone.  In the years that follow, a Craftsman revolution ignites, thrusting Nina and Patrick into opposing factions of a brewing war.  Now an elite Artisan with the very rare talent for charming earth, Nina has turned her back on the fight, haunted by the loss of her found family.  But fate intervenes when she is captured by Patrick's rebel group.  Despite the years and conflict that separates them, Patrick hasn't forgotten Nina.  He desperately seeks her help for a mission that could shift the tides against Belavere City.  Reluctantly, she agrees, battling the sparks flying between them.  But when Nina's first love reappears, asking her to betray Patrick for the sake of the Artisans, Nina faces an impossible choice that could alter the fate of their world.

This was a pretty good book.  Stacey's Glacian Trilogy is one of my favorites, so I was hopefuly when I saw she started a new series.  This has some strong points.  I like the magic elements, and the few twists that appeared that I didn't see coming.  But it is just a bit too much YA romance for me - felt there were a lot of skippable parts in that vain.  Just getting too old to really enjoy that anymore - find it more of a distraction from the main story than anything else.  The ending is a cliff hanger for the next book that comes out in July, and I think I will read it just to see where it goes.  The overall story is good enough to find out.

Stars: 4

Book: Live Like a Guide Dog

Book: Live Like A Guide Dog

Author: Michael Hingson

Pages: 288

This is my 11th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Michael Hingson's inspiring true story captivated the world when he and his guide dog Roselle escaped the Twin Towers together on 9/11.  During decades of walking with guide dogs, he had learned a surprising truth that helped save his life that day:  Being afraid can be a positive thing, one that prepares us to deal with any situation that befalls us.  Here he reveals how to get equipped for watever obstacles or challenges you may encounter as you make your way through the world; train yourself to be brave, just like a guide dog's training equips handler and dog to prepare for the unexpected; learn to use your natural fear reactions as a way to focus and concentrate to make better decisions and turn your fear into courage and confidence; apply 11 principles Michael has learned with his guide dogs to overcome the fears that you face every day.

This was a pretty good book.  I read Michael's first book - "Thunder Dog" about his escape from the World Trade Center with his guide dog and have followed him ever since.  He is a terrific public speaker and his story of his decent down the stairs with his dog was one not to miss.  This book goes from his childhood to 2023 and all the guide dogs he had over the years and all the ways they helped him navigate and get through his work day.  I encourage you to read his books and learn how someone who has been blind since birth gets past his fear to not let anything get in his way of living a full life.

Stars: 4

 

Book: Best Offer Wins

 Book: Best Offer Wins

Author: Marisa Kashino

Pages: 288

This is my 10th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

18 months and 11 lost bidding wars into house-hunting in the overheated Washington, CD suburbs, 37 year old publicist Margo Miyake gets a tip about the perfect house, in the perfect neighborhood, slated to come up for sale in one month.  Desperate to escape the cramped apartment she shares with her husband Ian - and in turn, get their marrige, plant to have a baby, and whole life back on track - Margo becomes obsessed with buying the house before it's publicly listed and the masses descend (with unbeatable, all-cash offers in hand).  A little stalking?  Harmless.  A bit of trespassing?  Necessary.  As Margo infiltrates the homeowners lives, her tactics grow increasingly unhinged - but just when she thinks she's won them over, she hits a snag in her plan Undeterred, Margo will prove again and again that there's no boundary she won't cross to seize the dream life she's been chasing.  The most unsettling part?  You'll root for her, even as you gasp in disbelief.  

This book was wild.  It was recommended by a friend so we could talk about it, and I am glad she lent it to me.  I didn't like any of the characters - except the little girl Penny.  They were all awful people.  Amazon said in their review "you'll root for Margo - our main character - even as you gasp in disbelief".  No.  Was I in disbelief?  Heck yes.  But did I root for her?  No way.  She was psycho.  And not likable.  I read this book in a day.  It is well written- I will give it that.  Nice to see with a debut author.  But the characters - WOW.  The author was a journalist for real estate in Washington, and I think I read that she wrote this based on some of the wild stories she heard.  If this was even a tiny bit true - I would never become a realtor.

Stars: 4

Book: Beyond All Reason

 Book: Beyond All Reason

Author: David Smith

Pages: 271

This is my 9th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

The author recounts his marriage to Susan Smith, the reasons for the breakdown of their relationship, and the impact on his life of her murder of their two young children.

This book was not well written, but I am not going to judge it based on that.  This poor man got caught up in a terrible situation with a very unstable partner.  He was no saint.  They had a terrible relationship right from the start.  Were living apart even before their second child was born.  I watched an updated documentary on this whole story a few months ago, and David is with the woman he was with when he and Susan got divorced and Susan is still in jail.  She was denied parole and apparently she has not been the model prisoner.  

Anyway - glad I read it just to learn a little more about a situation I remember well from when it happened, but what a mess this poor family was.  Those poor boys.

Stars. 3

Book: The First Time I Saw Him

 Book: The First Time I Saw Him

Author: Laura Dave

Pages: 288

This is my 8th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

How far would you go for a second chance?  5 years after her husband, Owen, disappeared, Hannah Hall and her stepdaughter, Bailey, have settled into a new life in Southern California.  Together, they've forged a relationship with Bailey's grandather Nicolas and are putting the past behind them.  But when Owen shows up at Hannah's new exhibition, she knows that she and Bailey are in danger again.  Hannah and Bailey are forced to go on the run in a relentless race to keep their past from catching up with them.  As a thrilling drama unfolds, Hannah risks everything to get Bailey to safety - and finds there just might be a way back to Owen and their long-awaited second chance.

This was a pretty good sequel to "The Last Thing He Told Me".  It has been a few years since I read that one - but I did watch the show on Apple TV.  Moves along at a good pace and gives us good insight into how Owen and Hannah got into this position to start with.  Has a good ending, and my guess is there won't be any more books in this series based on how she wrapped it up.

Stars: 4

Book: Death Row

 Book: Death Row

Author: Frieda McFadden

Pages: 74

This is my 7th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Talia Kemper is on death row for murdering her husband.  She has an alibi and no known motive, yet Talia's unwavering protestations of innocence have always been ignored.  Then one day in the visiting area, she sees a recognizable stranger she's certain is her husband.  It turns out the man she's been convicted of killing may not be dead after all.  But as the days tick away toward Talia's execution, what will it take for her to be believed?

This is one of my Amazon short reads and it was pretty good.  I don't think I have read any of McFadden's books, but this one was worth a read.  Had a good story a good ending and a good twist in just a few pages.

Stars: 4

Book: The Tattered Cover

 Book: The Tattered Cover

Author: Ellery Adams

Pages: 304

This is my 6th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

As the residents of Miracle Springs, NC, select their costumes, plan parties, and get excited for a night of tricks or treats, Nora joins in on the festivities by hosting medium memorist Lara Luz at the bookstore. Charismatic and compelling, Lara mesmerizes the audience with her life story.  Struck by a bolt of lightning as a child, she was pronounced dead only to be resurrected with the ability to connect with those on the other side,  Lara performs a reading for a select group of bookstore patrons when the encroaching storm knocks out the power.  In the sudden darkness, howling cold winds intensify, and Lara clutches her heart, collapsin dead without warning.  But Nora doesn't believe she died of natural causes.  Not one member of the psychic's reading group - which includes the town's widower pharmacist, and urgent care nurse, a mystery author, and even truculent Deputy Hollowell - were admirers of Lara.  Nora confirms this when she stumbles upon Lara's journal in the aftermath of her death.  For within its leathery bound pages are the medium and her clients' deepest and darkest secrets, written in code. Now, Nora and the Secret, Book, and Scone Society must sift through the suspects and their motives to uncover which one of them is a killer before he or she is tempted to strike again.

This was a pretty good book.  I have been working my way through her books - not always in order (this is the 8th and newest one in her series), but it doesn't seem to matter.  They are good quick reads with interesting stories.  Make good books to listen to - if you are looking for an audiobook that doesn't take a ton of attention to get through.

Stars: 4