Audrey
I'm not sure how to do a proper review on this given the content, age, length, and subject matters, so I'll keep it simple and say that this made for great Lenten reading. I hadn't planned on choosing this until it caught my eye at the bookstore. I'm glad I picked it up, heavy and dizzying as it could be at times. I feel like I've come away with a lot of insight as well as a lesson in this historical period that I don't often study. I found it often repetitive which made some parts more difficult to sit through than others. Still, I would not have opted for one of the abridged versions just to avoid this.
From the start, I've had an apprehensive relationship with this book. It caught my eye when it dropped as a Book of the Month selection. I ultimately passed on it because I couldn't determine if it would be something I would enjoy. I liked the premise but after seeing so many fantasy tags, I decided to put it on the back burner (and eventually bought the Kindle version). When a buddy read opportunity came up I figured I'd finally put my curiosity at rest. In the style of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Jack Masterson holds a contest at his home, Clock Island, which is the backdrop of his famed children's books. The prize is his newest book in the ‘Clock Island' series — the only copy. Four contestants all have their reasons for wanting to win, however, the story focuses heavily on the contestant Lucy Hart. She hopes to win the book especially for her young student Christopher. Though she knows it's merely wishful thinking, she hopes to adopt him. I feel like a lot of good intentions went into this book... but they came out in all of the wrong ways. Lucy's relationship with Christopher is unhealthy and, frankly, inappropriate. Not in an abusive sense, rather, she's imposed herself into his life, taking on the role of mother when she is hardly in a position to take care of herself let alone a child. Very much on the surface, it's a sweet bond, especially connecting through the ‘Clock Island' books, but when you look at the situation, it's unsettling, especially in today's climate. Another instance of this is with Jack admitting that he'd always wanted a child and was not in a time, place, or situation that would allow him. But it goes beyond that. This man received letters from children, many of them along with their wishes (as per the theme of his books). Sadly, many of these wishes centered around tragic home lives... to which Jack would reply with what many people would point out as a red flag in the real world. Despite that, we are left to assume his intentions were good-hearted. To go even further, we hear about an occurrence with one child who took up one of his offers to live with him on ‘Clock Island'. Were there some scenes I got sucked into? Enjoyed? Definitely. Did they matter in the greater scheme of the book? Sadly, no, and I can only recall the details of one of them due to it being a buddy read discussion. The book lacked direction as a whole. At the beginning of the book I thought it was going to be multiple POVs, then the focus on Lucy took over, and then the other contestants seemed to be mostly forgotten as Hugo and Lucy's friendship grew. (Some of that early stuff is likely on me as I was under the weather, but given how the book progressed, I stand by it.) On top of this, I found the characters superficial, albeit, not without potential. Unfortunately, those characters with the most promise have the major strikes against them that I've already mentioned. Lastly, there is a strong YA voice presented in the writing, which is fine and complements the plot, however, it's not being marketed as such. Even making Lucy say, 20, would explain the way she presents herself (to a certain degree). I'm also confused as to why this is being so heavily tagged as fantasy. I'd say there are whimsical elements at best but it is otherwise very much a piece of contemporary fiction.
My monumental excitement for this book had me convinced that I was going to devour it in a matter of days. Instead, it exceeded my already high expectations and I found myself waiting for proper reading sessions where I could take my time and jot down annotations along the way. Written by the author of the Midwest Today article ‘Who Killed Dorothy Kilgallen?', Sara Jordan-Heintz compiles years of thorough research into this book covering Dorothy Kilgallen's early life, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and Kilgallen's own mysterious death in 1965. I would go as far as to say that her original article brought Dorothy's story to a new generation. Her death aside, Dorothy's life is one that should be celebrated in history books. She was a trailblazer for women, finding herself at the top of a male-dominated industry in the early-mid 20th Century. In addition, she was also a radio host, television personality, socialite, wife, and mother. Yes, the book gives an intimate background on Dorothy's life and career, however, the larger portion of the book is dedicated to her investigation of John F. Kennedy's assassination. In addition, there is also a section that delves into the assassination itself. Sara Jordan-Heintz writes extensively about different eyewitness accounts, the problem with the Warren Commission's findings (which Dorothy herself challenged), a background of Lee Harvey Oswald, and much more. While Dorothy is mostly absent here, it provides important context for the last section of the book. On November 8th, 1965, Dorothy Kilgallen was found dead in her New York townhouse. It is largely believed that her death was the result of her investigation into JFK's death (which had already led her to be under surveillance). Too much didn't add up between where she was found and her state of attire to name just a couple of the red flags. What's more is that her investigation notes have not been seen since.
In the 60 years since the assassination, there have been countless writings, documentaries, and discussions on what might have truly happened that day in Dallas. We can assume while reading this book that Dorothy must have had similar findings and more thanks to having a multitude of connections. Given in 2024 the ‘official' story is still being pushed by those in power, it's not unlikely that someone of Dorothy's stature and reach would be silenced at that time. What impressed me the most about this book was how so much information was fit into a relatively short number of pages. It brought back a lot of things I've read about in other books on the topic, both a mix of things I'd forgotten as well as tidbits I've held onto and can't get out of my mind. Having so much at my fingertips now in one book makes me ecstatic. I have read three of the four books author Mark Shaw has published on the subject of Dorothy Kilgallen and I worried that I would be spending a lot of time comparing this book to those. Instead, I felt as though I was looking through fresh lenses despite going in with some facts memorized. The books offer quite different narratives even though a lot of the information, of course, remains similar. The delivery and organization of this book were a better fit for my personal preference. I have been an admirer of Dorothy's for several years now and it still boggles my mind that after first watching episodes of What's My Line? it took a good year or two before I realized she was such a renowned journalist, never mind the fact that she had a connection to JFK's assassination. It's a travesty that her life and accomplishments have been a forgotten part of history. Whether her death is the cause of this, I couldn't say, though I do think it adds to the suspicion in a time where we so fervently celebrate women. I'm glad there are people out there telling her story so that she will be remembered for years to come.
I somewhat blindly picked this book up after reading Operation Mincemeat by Ben Macintyre. Though it was quite interesting, the subject, Ursula Kaczynski codenamed ‘Sonya', covered so much of the WWII-era Europe that I struggled to keep track of it all. To her neighbors, Ursula seemed like a typical housewife. In actuality, she was an intelligence officer working for the Soviet Union. Though several agencies went after her, ultimately, it was her gentle appearance that kept her from danger. That's not to say there were never any close calls. Her career as a spy and her life in general are what the book explores in detail. Listening to the first few chapters, I honestly didn't know what I was getting myself into given the way the atmosphere was being built. Once Ursula's story found its footing I was more interested, though I still found the (written) narration chaotic. I didn't get as much out of it as I'd hoped because of this.
I'm a big fan of Carole King, especially after seeing the touring production of Beautiful. I didn't realize then that she'd written a memoir so I was super excited when I came across the audiobook. More than a linear autobiography of Carole King's life, the book is more of a series of vignettes from different times in her life. Naturally, there is a large focus on her music career. Her narration is wonderful, interspersed with a few musical moments. She seems as genuinely down to earth as she appears in her music. I certainly have a deeper appreciation for her music now knowing some of the stories behind the songs or the times they were written and recorded. An uplifting read!
After reading Babel a while back, I had assumed Yellowface would follow a similar style. Though it hadn't been a book I loved, I liked the writing enough to give this one a go when it was selected for a group read. I was so excited when I realized this book is more of a thriller. After the death of her friend and rival Athena Liu, June Hayward takes Athena's first draft of her latest book. With some editing, June claims it as her own. How long can she get away with feigning a heritage that doesn't belong to her? While I was taken in by the premise, I spent most of the book feeling uncomfortable. Yes, that is the purpose of the book, but I wasn't prepared for it and wasn't in the mood for this type of read. I'd hoped at least for some character growth. The voice of the narrator left me feeling I was on the outside of an inside joke.
Try as I might, I don't have a whole lot to say about this one. It was good, yet, I can't say I particularly enjoyed it. The pacing was good, the writing was great, the mystery was as expected for the tone of the book, and yet, I was left uninvested. I struggled to keep the characters straight and overall didn't connect with them. Not for me, I guess. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy a quieter mystery that emphasizes the prose over the thrill.
This was a former DNF that I wanted to give another go. I chose to listen in audio form this time and didn't find it any more interesting than I did several years ago. I kept reading as it was a quick listen and I really did want to enjoy it. Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of my favorite films and I wanted to learn more about how it was made and its cultural impact. Instead, this book reads more like a Hollywood gossip column with very little substance and a lot of speculation.
My biggest takeaway was realizing that the way I've interpreted the film has been, evidently, vastly different than the majority of people. I've read Truman Capote's original novella as well, which might have influenced some of my perspectives without my realizing it, but I've never thought of the film as a gateway to the ‘sexual revolution' of the 1960s. Of course, this could also be in part of being born decades later, but for me, the film has always been more about the lost souls of the characters and it being a story of how they try to come into themselves in an overwhelming world. Holly's lifestyle (and Paul's for that matter) has always appeared to me to be a harsh reality, not something that would ever inspire me to take on that lifestyle let alone empower me. She lives a sad life, and it's only when she accepts the honest love of another that she can begin to feel free. (This is all based on the film, not Capote's original work.)
This was a former DNF that I wanted to give another go. I chose to listen in audio form this time and didn't find it any more interesting than I did several years ago. I kept reading as it was a quick listen and I really did want to enjoy it. Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of my favorite films and I wanted to learn more about how it was made and its cultural impact. Instead, this book reads more like a Hollywood gossip column with very little substance and a lot of speculation. My biggest takeaway was realizing that the way I've interpreted the film has been, evidently, vastly different than the majority of people. I've read Truman Capote's original novella as well, which might have influenced some of my perspectives without my realizing it, but I've never thought of the film as a gateway to the ‘sexual revolution' of the 1960s. Of course, this could also be in part of being born decades later, but for me, the film has always been more about the lost souls of the characters and it being a story of how they try to come into themselves in an overwhelming world. Holly's lifestyle (and Paul's for that matter) has always appeared to me to be a harsh reality, not something that would ever inspire me to take on that lifestyle let alone empower me. She lives a sad life, and it's only when she accepts the honest love of another that she can begin to feel free. (This is all based on the film, not Capote's original work.)
I try to avoid picking up books mid-series but I was drawn to both the cover and description when this book showed up in an email. I'm glad I took the chance. With a lovely cast of characters and a great setting, it was a nice read. A target of a decades-long revenge plot, Captain Murino turns to Nonna Maria for help. On the other side of the island of Ischia, another person connected to Nonna Maria offers forth an old treasure map. This, too, is brought to Nonna Maira and the book follows both plot lines. It took some getting used to the dual plot in a cozy mystery, at least how it was presented here. Both were easy to follow, I just can't recall ever reading a book with this format in this particular genre. There is a great deal of action in the book which helped keep both plots moving along well. Though third in the series, Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure stands well on its own. As with any series, I think you get the best experience reading in over, however, I didn't find it completely necessary. That said, I would love to go back and read the first two books. A huge thanks to Random House and NetGalley for providing me with a free digital ARC of the book!
The Inheritance Games is my guilty pleasure series. It's so wild and something I wouldn't normally enjoy, alas, here I am for the fourth installment. Though this wasn't my favorite in the series, it was still a fun time by the end. Brothers Grayson and Jameson are at the forefront of the games this time around with a heavy focus on Grayson and his sisters. We see some over Avery, but this one is ultimately for the boys. It looks like I'm not alone in feeling like the first half of the book dragged. I was, frankly, so bored that at one point I stopped reading during a commute and opted just to stare out the train window instead. It took a little while to pick back up again. Thankfully, the last third of the book picked up immensely. Of all the brothers, Grayson and Jameson are the ones I care about the least. I felt like Jameson's story was summed up decently in The Final Gambit alongside Avery. Grayson? Meh. I'm a Nash girl. (Side note: I think a lot of this book tried to amplify a reader attraction to the brothers and I am not in the age group where I have any interest on that front. So that was weird.) I was disappointed that we didn't see much of Nash and Xander. The book left me more confused than pumped for another installment. There are questions left unanswered but without an urgency that was found midway through the first two books. I don't think this book needed to exist to make the series complete. Will I read a fifth book? Sure. Will I have the same level of excitement I initially had about book four? No.
This is the second book by Daisy Wood I've read and it had all of the charm I remember from the first. With both an intriguing plot and lovable characters, it's a lovely read. After their parents are killed, sisters Hanna and Sophie are separated. Sophie is taken to America while Hanna is sent to Windsor Castle where she is tasked with translating letters. In modern-day Philadelphia, Lacey comes across her grandmother's papers and sets out to discover her past. I used to enjoy past and present timelines but lately, I haven't been enjoying them as much. It was done well here and both parts of the plot flow together well, so it totally comes down to a preference thing for me. I loved the setting and history surrounding King Edward. I'm not well-versed in British Royalty, so this was a new one for me. A huge thanks to Harper360 for sending me a free ARC of the book!
I'm going to jump straight into this review and ask the question I've been asking myself from page one: Why is a book set in 1939 opening with a quote about Bitcoin? On the one hand, I understand it. The book has a focus on money, knowledge, power, wealth, etc. and that could be an attempt at a modern perspective. On the other, it set a tone of confusion that I didn't shake, especially with continued quotes that sometimes only slightly correlated with the chapter it was opening. Ansel Luxford, a tax attorney, fears the worst for Germany at the close of the 1930s. At this point in time, America is neutral in the conflict and in foreign affairs, yet Ansel finds himself being called up to join a Washington underground team to fight the Nazis. Instead of using weapons, they play to the economy, or, ‘economic warfare'. The concept? Unique and I'm sure intriguing to some. Unfortunately, I discovered while reading that I don't have much interest in economics. It was a new perspective on the war for me, though, so that was a big takeaway. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with a free digital ARC of the book!
I'm a huge fan of Elizabeth Wein's fiction books and I've been looking forward to reading this nonfiction work of hers.
The charm I've come to love from this author was surely there, however, for a nonfiction book, I felt like so much was missing and that there was a lack of cohesion. I had trouble keeping up with which woman of the prominent three featured was being discussed as the narration jumped back and forth between them with little rhyme or reason. The book was short, too, and I managed it in one sitting. I would have loved a lengthier dive into such a fascinating area of history.
Elizabeth Wein's passion for the subject is evident and makes for an enjoyable read, but ultimately, I felt like I hadn't learned as much on the topic as I would have from a couple of Google searches. I would love to see her make a novel adaption showing the live of these brave ladies.
I'm a huge fan of Elizabeth Wein's fiction books and I've been looking forward to reading this nonfiction work of hers.
The charm I've come to love from this author was surely there, however, for a nonfiction book, I felt like so much was missing and that there was a lack of cohesion. I had trouble keeping up with which woman of the prominent three featured was being discussed as the narration jumped back and forth between them with little rhyme or reason. The book was short, too, and I managed it in one sitting. I would have loved a lengthier dive into such a fascinating area of history.
Elizabeth Wein's passion for the subject is evident and makes for an enjoyable read, but ultimately, I felt like I hadn't learned as much on the topic as I would have from a couple of Google searches. I would love to see her make a novel adaption showing the live of these brave ladies.
I have been striving to find a quiet yet thought-provoking work of literary fiction ever since finishing Dirt Music last year. Mercury hit all the points I was hoping for and more. Marley is a newcomer in the small town of Mercury. Before long, she is involved with the Joseph family. Having been raised by only her mother and longing for the experience of a full family, she tries to make a place for herself at their table. She becomes Waylon's wife, Mick and Elise's daughter-in-law, Shay and Baylor's sister-in-law, and Theo's mother. Instead of finding the stability of a family, she is thrust into a life of secrets and pretense. What does it mean it be a Joseph? Though the book is quite eventful, it's told in a quiet and calculated way. We get a good glimpse of all of the characters, granted, some more than others. Each ends up with their own perceptions of certain events and relationships that all weave together by the end of the story. Shay had my heart throughout so much of the book, but toward the end found myself completely latched onto Baylor. Marley was a strong protagonist, too, and her dominant point of view was strong. I enjoyed the subtle (and some less subtle) effects of complex family trauma and the characters navigating their dysfunctional family unit. I do feel like there were a few matters that fell by the wayside and never got resolved, but it didn't hinder the overall story.
I was super drawn to books about Asian American families last year and this fit the bill perfectly. It turned out to be even more than I'd expected featuring a non-verbal autistic character. I have twin cousins similar to Eugene, so it was like getting a closer glimpse into what a day might look like from their perspective. When Adam Parson doesn't come home with his son, Eugene, his family desperately searches for answers. It seems as though only Eugene has the answer, but given he doesn't speak, his mother, siblings, and the detective working on the case can't hear his side of the story. Unfortunately, given Eugene's history of outbursts along with some scattered bits of evidence, he is made a suspect. The story is narrated by Mia, Eugene's older sister. She helps to decode her father's journal which is the family's best lead they have to finding out what happened. In their findings, several different scenarios are compiled. I was more interested in Eugene's storyline than I was in the overall mystery, though it did have its intriguing moments. Though ultimately important to the plot, I grew bored whenever there were readings from Adam's journal. Some parts of the story felt unnecessary while others felt unresolved, but for the most part, I had a good time reading.
I blindly picked up this book only knowing it was historical fiction. I'd read Once Upon A Wardrobe by Patti Callahan Henry a while back and enjoyed it, so when this came up as a Book of the Month pick last year, I selected it without even glancing at the synopsis. Like many children living in London during World War II, Hazel and Flora are sent to the country away. The girls spend their days lost in stories about the ‘Whisperwood' to distract themselves from the horrors of war — a secret story only the two of them know. Despite having been taken in by a loving mother and her son, a different tragedy hits their family when Flora disappears. Years later and into adulthood, Hazel still holds out hope that her little sister will be found. She doesn't believe her sister drowned as many speculate. When she comes across a book at work depicting the ‘Whisperwood', she is certain it will lead her to Flora. Paired with the rich historical setting, the mystery is one I found myself so invested in that I listened to/read it in one sitting. Despite wanting to know how everything works out immediately, I didn't find myself wholly invested in the characters. I'm not sure why. They were all likable and even though there were some dark themes running through it, there was ultimately a cozy atmosphere. Whatever the case, it was still a sweet book.
(3.75 rounded up to 4)
The summary of this book gave me Daphne Du Maurier vibes right off the bat. A gothic mansion secluded when the tide comes in and wives dying under suspicious circumstances? Yes, please!
Fearing she's on the verge of a scandal, Emeline is sent away by her guardians to wed the twice-widowed Captain Graves. Though reluctant, she devises a plan to leave Halifax for good to be with her true love Frederick, a lieutenant in the Navy. Captain Graves' private peninsula will be the perfect place to watch and wait for Frederick's ship.
To her surprise, she arrives at the mansion to discover that the second Mrs. Graves has not yet passed, nor is she ailing from what she'd been told. She's relieved to have some more time to wait for her rescue but soon grows suspicious of Georgina's illness and wonders if she's in danger herself.
The tone of this book lies somewhere between gothic and cozy mystery. Emeline's personality grated on me, though still found her likable. That's pretty much how I feel about the book as a whole. I liked a lot of it and had an enjoyable time reading it, but what I enjoyed didn't fully make up for where it lacked. There was not a lot of characterization, in turn, Emeline's relationships with the other characters fell flat. I was particularly confused by the ending. She sets out a plan for her future in one scene and then abandons it in the next with no further reference. The element of romance also felt forced. The mystery was intriguing enough that love interests did more interrupting than building upon the plot.
My issues aside, I did have a good time reading and often lost track of time when I picked it up. I'm not a fan of supernatural elements in books, but for some reason, I didn't mind it so much in the context of this plot. I'm curious to read more from this author.
Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with a free digital ARC of the book!
Thanks to random YouTube rabbit holes, I was somewhat familiar with Henrietta Lacks and HeLa cells going into this book. Had I realized there was a book at the time, I would have read this a lot sooner. The book discusses Henrietta Lacks' life and death, the discovery of her extraordinary cells, the controversy surrounding the acquisition of those cells, and the author's quest to make this woman known to the world. There's also a great deal of focus on Henrietta's children and the impact of her death and legacy on them. There's a great mix of science and emotional family history. I do wish that the book had separated these things more, maybe telling Henrietta's life all in one section before moving on to the author's pursuit of her story (or vice versa). As it is, the first section of the book is back and forth from past to present. Thankfully, it smoothes out as the book goes on and the focus shifts to the present and her living children. Fascinating stuff here. It's mind-blowing to me that anyone reading the book could access these cells at the click of a button. It breaks my heart that her family didn't receive any of the revenue, especially when they had their own medical bills to pay. Even without the discovery of HeLa cells, their family story is one to be told.
When I started The Winds of War, I told myself I wasn't going to get so invested that I went on to War and Remembrance. Where the action had significantly picked up at the end of book one, I found myself not only invested, be eager to read book two. The beginning of the book maintained the faster pace that concluded the previous and I was ecstatic. However, this is still a 1000+ page book. It slowed down again. While consistently interesting, it is long. Picking up after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the book continues to follow the members of the Henry family (Pug, Rhoda, Warren, Byron, and Madeline) as well as Byron's wife Natalie and their son Louis, her uncle Aaron Jastrow, Pamela Tudsbury, and a few others. Each of them is facing a different aspect of the war: Pug, Byron, and Warren in the Pacific, Natalie, Louis, and Aaron in Europe evading the Nazis at all costs, and Rhoda and Madeline on the Homefront. Their circumstances offer unique perspectives of war to the pages, perhaps most profoundly Aaron Jastorw's ‘A Jew's Journey' facing antisemitism and the Holocaust. Like The Winds of War, there are multiple mediums of writing that discuss the characters' lives as well as general World War II history. Both are interesting, but having them side by side in a single narrative breaks the flow of storytelling immensely. While the characters are in 1943, the next chapter can talk about the end of the war — events that the characters have yet to experience. I found it distracting and sometimes frustrating. Another issue I have is with the way the book is organized. Even though the book is broken up into different parts and names the key event of that section, most of the time a majority of the chapters are not even focused on the characters named or the situation highlighted. The narrators are inconsistent, and despite having spent so much time reading, there are still some characters that made such a brief appearance that I had no idea who they were and why they were suddenly telling the story from their point of view. Other instances left characters completely abandoned, such as Janice Henry and for the most part, Madeline, who may as well have not existed at all. I didn't find much purpose to her character in the first book and she had even less of a purpose in this book. Her life gets put together in the background with little reference to book one. My complaints aside, I do think this is a wonderful work of historical fiction. The writing is thorough as well as the research, and though it makes for chaotic storytelling, it is interesting that the book covers so many different aspects of life during the war right down the the strain on families. I wish it spent a little less time on the ‘romances', as the characters have such little room to develop strong personalities and a rapport with the reader, but I digress. Given the time the book was written and published, the length of both of the books is not surprising with all the research that had to have been collected. If someone plans on only reading one work of World War II fiction, this would be the one I would suggest for the history factor alone. It's above all an informative read even for someone well-versed in this time period.
I've grown fond of Indrajit Garai's writing through newer works such as The Bridge of Little Jeremy and The Man Without Shelter. This short story collection didn't hit the mark for me as the other two did, but it showed the promise early on in the author's career that has since been achieved. The book includes stories titled The Move, The Listener, and The Sacrifice. Every story shows different ways the characters make sacrifices for the sake of others. The Move and The Sacrifice stood out the most to me and in a way fit together more with the father/son and grandfather/grandson parallels. Overall, the stories were more depressing than uplifting or inspiring. The message might have had a greater impact if the plots had been novel or even novella length and had deeper characterization. It didn't help that I chose to read it during gloomy weather, so all around it wasn't a good match for me. While I didn't find the content itself super enjoyable, I could appreciate the themes as well as the writing, especially knowing how much the author's craft has improved over time. I will certainly be reading more of Indrajit Garai's works in the future. A huge thanks to Estelle for reaching out and offering to send me a free copy of the book to read and review! I have chosen to read through KindleUnlimited.
I heard about this text in an episode of Ancient Aliens and was super intrigued, especially by the Book of Giants found among the Dead Seas Scrolls. Sadly, I was underwhelmed. It was difficult to read between broken/missing text in one section and then author's notes and scripture comparisons in between passages in another. There were a lot of interesting bits, but a headache to comprehend with so much deviation. There were also a number of typos.