75 Books...More or Less! discussion

1. The Good Liar by Katherine McKenzie
(NetGalley)
4 stars. This book won't release until April.

2. The Chalk Man by C. J. Tudor
4 stars
(Netgalley)
Loved the 80's Stranger Things vibe with the group of kids roaming around town on their bikes getting into adventures.

They had a secret code, as kids often do, using chalk figures drawn on the sidewalk. Everything seems very innocent and wholesome until a chalk drawing appears that leads the kids to a dismembered body in the woods. The year is 1986 and the murder is never solved. This event will haunt the kids into adulthood.

Fast forward to 2016 and Ed (Eddie) receives a package with a chalk man drawing in the mail. From here, the story line alternates between 1986 and 2016. The past haunts Ed and the mood is very atmospheric and creepy. Pretty unlikable characters and a creepy chilling tone to the book.

There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me flipping the pages and on my toes. The reader should assume nothing and trust no one.

3. The English Wife by Lauren Willig

2.5 stars
(NetGalley)
Meh, too chick-lit for my tastes. I was expecting more of a gothic mystery. Boring and found myself skimming,

4. Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney
4 stars

In a field saturated with psychological thrillers that sometimes start to all sound similar, with the same tired tropes, this book was unique and well done. The author managed to surprise me, not once, but several times! My one complaint is I thought the first 2/3 of the book could have moved along just a little faster.

5. Tell Me More: Stories About the 12 Hardest Things I'm Learning to Say by Kelly Corrigan
(Netgalley)
5 stars

What a beautiful, poignant and moving book. Reading this book is like sitting down with a good friend and chatting over lunch. She’s the friend who can say what's in your heart but expresses it so much better. She conveys these 12 phrases through offering us glimpses into her own life.

Outstanding - I loved everything about this book. The author is funny, honest, self-deprecating, and doesn't spare herself.

6. Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poirot, #10)
by Agatha Christie
5 stars
What can I say that hasn't already been said. She is the Grand Dame of the genre, deservedly so.
Fittingly, I read this during a snowstorm - perfect!

7. Bonfire by Krysten Ritter
2.5 stars
Meh, boring first half and I didn't like the resolution, I wish the author hadn't taken the story where she did.
I'm surprised this was a BOTM choice.

8. All the Beautiful Lies by Peter Swanson
3.5 stars
(edelweiss)
Pretty good but I liked his first book, The Kind Worth Killing better. The subject was pretty distasteful and overall a disappointing read.

9. The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
2.5 stars
This has been getting a lot of buzz. An interesting premise but I found it boring and skimmed. a lot of it. Disappointing!

JanB wrote: "7. Bonfire by Krysten Ritter
2.5 stars
Meh, boring first half and I didn't like the resolution, I wish the author hadn't taken the story where she did.
I'm surprised thi..."

Ugh thank you! I ended up DNF this one, it was sooooo boring. I wanted to like it because I love Krysten Ritter as an actress but this book was just awful.

JanB wrote: "9. The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
2.5 stars
This has been getting a lot of buzz. An interesting premise but I found it boring and skimmed. a lot of it. Dis..."

Another boring one? Well, this is moving down my list! Might get the audiobook from the library at some point.

JanB wrote: "2. The Chalk Man by C. J. Tudor
4 stars
(Netgalley)
Loved the 80's Stranger Things vibe with the group of kids roaming around town on their bikes getting into adve..."

I've heard really good things about this one!

Elyse, yes, try The Chalk Man, t's really good! And read the online interview with the author. It's very interesting - no spoilers - how she got the idea of chalk men, etc.
https://www.criminalelement.com/blogs...

Elyse, listening to the Immortalists would be excruciating. If I couldn't have skimmed some parts I would have abandoned. Actually I would have abandoned it if I hadn't gotten it from EW and felt as if I owed them a review. 😝
BUT some people really loved it and you may too! Just borrow, don't buy :-)

Yes, Bonfire was pretty awful. I hate trashing a debut so I'm trying to figure out how to write the review, lol. Seriously how did it get chosen for BOTM?! That's the real mystery.

JanB wrote: "Elyse, listening to the Immortalists would be excruciating. If I couldn't have skimmed some parts I would have abandoned. Actually I would have abandoned it if I hadn't gotten it from EW and felt a..."

Oh no I only buy authors I know and love. Everything else is ARCs or library! :) I'm too scared to buy a book I don't know the author of!

Elyse, smart policy! I never buy books anymore unless it's a kindle deal for a couple dollars :-) I'm betting The Immortalists will be a deal soon (lol)

JanB wrote: "4. Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney
4 stars

In a field saturated with psychological thrillers that sometimes start to all sound similar, with the same tired trop..."

I've been wondering about this bok and your review has convinced me to read it.

Marie, great! I hope you enjoy it! 😊

JanB wrote: "5. Tell Me More: Stories About the 12 Hardest Things I'm Learning to Say by Kelly Corrigan
(Netgalley)
5 s..."

This Middle Place was so good!!

Andrea, this one was even better!! :)

JanB wrote: "5. Tell Me More: Stories About the 12 Hardest Things I'm Learning to Say by Kelly Corrigan
(Netgalley)
5 s..."

I love her books; I have read her previous 2 and am so looking forward to reading this one as well. She is a very gifted writer!

Dawn Michelle wrote: "JanB wrote: "5. Tell Me More: Stories About the 12 Hardest Things I'm Learning to Say by Kelly Corrigan
(Ne..."

Dawn Michele, she is very gifted and is able to say what's in your heart, but say it so much better. You will love this one!

10. The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

4 stars
Loved this one - a slow beginning but when things start to turn it becomes a page-turner. Not great literature, but I thought it great fun!

11. Grist Mill Road by Christopher Yates

2.5 stars
meh, big build up only to be let down when the motivation for the crime is finally revealed. I was underwhelmed by this one and annoyed that we were supposed to feel sympathy for a character that deserved none. A tough life does not excuse bad behavior.

12. Gods of Howl Mountain by Taylor Brown

4 stars
Southern Grit Lit at its best! Descriptive writing which is usually the kiss of death for me, but here I liked it. The characters of Granny May and Rory were memorable.

13. Everything Here is Beautiful by Mira T Lee

4 stars.
It lagged a bit in the middle but the exploration of these two Chinese-Americans sisters and the effect mental illness has on an individual and their family is excellent. The author has dealt with this in her own family and it shows.

14. The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

Excellent and thought-provoking collection of short stories. It's fiction based on his experiences in Viet Nam but I have a little bit of an issue with the way he inserted himself in the fictional stories in the first person. It's what he calls "story-truth". Still, this was a great book to read after watching the excellent PBS series, Vietnam. O'Brien is interviewed in the documentary.

15. The French Girl by Lexie Elliott

2 stars
A case of a missing person turns into a murder investigation when the body of Severine is found 10 years after she disappeared. A group of friends who vacationed next door are the main suspects. This one is sloowww, with a lot of emphasis on the lives of a group of unlikable young adults who apparently have not matured since their college days. Worse yet, the ghost of Severine appears to one of the characters but she doesn't speak or do anything except languidly laze around. The resolution was ridiculous.

16. Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

No, just no. I won't even dignify it with a star rating or review. The mystery is how this got picked up by St Martin's Press.

17. Let Me Lie by Claire Mackintosh

2 stars
What a convoluted mess of a story. A huge disappointment!

18. The Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin

4 stars
The lives of Mary Pickford, America's Sweetheart and Frances Marion, a woman screenwriter, during the early days of Hollywood.
Narrated by Frances, what these two women accomplished over a century ago in a male-dominated world was nothing short of amazing. The historical details of how movies were made in the early days and the formation of the major studios was interesting reading. It was a little over long and tended toward some melodrama and angst, but still enjoyable.

JanB wrote: "18. The Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin..."

I still have this to read from NetGalley! I've enjoyed 2 of her previous novels and I still have The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb and The Swans of Fifth Avenue to read as well!

JanB wrote: "10. The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

4 stars
Loved this one - a slow beginning but when things start to turn it becomes a page-turner. Not great l..."

Tim O'Brien is on my list for this year.

I LOVED The Girls in the Picture. O M GOSH that was a good read. I liked Frances' story better, but it was still an excellent read.

Dawn Michelle wrote: "JanB wrote: "10. The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

4 stars
Loved this one - a slow beginning but when things start to turn it becomes a page-turner..."

Dawn Michele, It's a very worthy book and a great one for a group or buddy read so you can discuss as you read!
Re The Girls in the Picture, Mary Pickford did not come across so well did she? I wonder if it was all fact? She did help found a production company so was obviously a pretty savvy woman but may have been a victim of typecasting. Frances was less well known but she was quite accomplished as well. Impressive women!



Elyse wrote: "JanB wrote: "18. The Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin..."

I still have this to read from NetGalley! I've enjoyed 2 of her previous novels and I still have [book:The Autobiography of Mrs. T..."

Elyse, I think you'll enjoy this one! I have Swans on my tbr list too but read this first because it was a NG book :-)

JanB wrote: "Andrea, this one was even better!! :)"

I requested it from the library, I'm #11 on two copies..ugghhh

19.
The Glass Forest
4 stars
Atmospheric, suspenseful tale with a dual story line set in the 1940s/1960s. It's a slow burn, suspenseful character-driven novel that I read in one day. There are hints from the start that all is not well within the Glass brother's families. The ending wasn't perfect, but all in all I really enjoyed this creepy tale.
* copy from Netgalley

20.
The Great Alone
4 stars
The author is a skilled storyteller and this one is fantastic. I flew through this very quickly despite being hefty.
The author does a great job capturing the brutal conditions. It’s an unforgiving place, where even a simple mistake can cost you your life. Alaska is a character in the story and I particularly enjoyed this aspect of the novel. The beauty, isolation, and grandeur is captured perfectly, but family relationships and dynamics are the main focus of this novel.
*There are themes of PTSD and domestic abuse
* copy was from Netgalley

21.
Surprise Me
3 stars
A rom-com with a premise I had a little difficulty accepting. Light and predictable with a message. This is only my second Kinsella, the other being My Not So Perfect Life. I enjoyed that one a bit more, but still, this would be an easy book to toss in your beach bag.

22.
The Perfect Nanny
A crime based upon the real life horrific case in NYC where a nanny killed the children in her care. The book opens with the crime and what follows is a retrospective look at the events that led up to that day. This is a character study that makes a statement on class and privilege. Avoid if you like your crime novels tied up in a bow at the end. There are no easy answers, and just like in real life the why of the crime is elusive.

The Queen of Hearts
DNF at 23%. Too vapid and silly for me

23.
The Almost Sisters
4 stars
Recommended for fans of southern fiction who enjoy quirky characters and their humor with a touch of mystery and social commentary. Topics covered are marital difficulties, unplanned pregnancy, dementia, racism, sibling relationships, along with a mysterious trunk in the attic. All delivered with Jackson's trademark humor. The audiobook is narrated by the author and is terrific.

24.
The Broken Girls
4 stars
Terrific gothic mystery with great characters and a ghost who preys on your deepest fears and weaknesses. A dual story line and I enjoyed both. There were perhaps too many plot lines going on and the resolution may have made my eyes roll a time or two, but still, for most of the book I was riveted.
* I received a copy of the book from Edelweiss

25. White Houses

* I received my copy from Netgalley

This is a well -written novel about the friendship and presumed lesbian relationship between Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok. The historical details were great but I don't care for fictional stories based upon real people. in this case I think Eleanor and Hick should have been left to rest in peace.

I'm on the waiting list for Surprise Me. I generally enjoy Sophie Kinsella. My Not-So-Perfect Life was really good, though my favorite of hers is I've Got Your Number.

Charleen wrote: "I'm on the waiting list for Surprise Me. I generally enjoy Sophie Kinsella. My Not-So-Perfect Life was really good, though my favorite of hers is I've Got Your Number."

Charleen, I'll be watching for your review - I hope you get it soon and enjoy. This was only my second Kinsella and she's a great choice when I'm not in the mood for a darker more serious book.

26. How to Stop Time

Loved this book about Tom Hazard a man who ages at 15x slower rate than the rest of us. He is over 400 years old and can expect to live till he's nearly 1000. Sound perfect until you realize there are members of the scientific community who would like him captured and used as a lab rat for studies on longevity. And everyone he knows he's loved and lost. This was a quirky story, a travel through time as he reminisces on his life's experiences and the (famous) people he has met. I found myself highlighting many quotes that spoke to me.

27. Winter Garden

4.5 stars
Touching and heartfelt story about the mother/daughter bond, dysfunctional relationships, and the healing that can happen when we know each other's stories. Chapters alternate between the past, when the sisters' mother lived through the siege of Leningrad, enduring much hardship and tragedy, and the current day story of the mother and her 2 daughter's fragile relationship. I loved it even though the ending was little too neat and tidy and had several unlikely coincidences.

28. The Family Next Door

4 stars
This book has a fun vibe reminiscent of the TV show, Desperate Housewives. There are plenty of secrets behind the closed doors in this Pleasant Court neighborhood, and there are enough twists and surprises along the way that kept me flipping the pages.
Fun and entertaining, perfect for a book in between heavier reads.

29. Educated: A Memoir


2.5 stars
I'm afraid I am the outlier. The first half of the book had inconsistencies that left me with more questions than answers, and there is some controversy with family members who have come forward saying there are inaccuracies. A memoir is the telling of events from the perspective of the author. It's her story to tell. I hope she wrote the book in good faith, and this is her perception of the truth as she remembers it. Perhaps her interpretation of some of the events are different than her siblings. It happens.

The second half of the book is not only about her education, it's a horrific description of the physical abuse she suffered from one of her brothers. She writes with clarity the emotional devastation and consequences of the abuse and the pain of her parents disbelief and lack of support. I wish the author the best and hope she and her family can get the help they need and find a way to heal.

30. Salvage the Bones

4.5 stars

I love Jesmyn Ward's beautiful writing. This book details the 12 days leading up to Hurricane Katrina for a poor, black, rural Mississippi family already struggling to survive. The children are motherless and the dad is an alcoholic. I really felt deeply for these children and the when the storm hits I was glued to the page. The author knows what she writes: she herself rode out Katrina. The author has a way of writing that makes me feel as if I am right there with them, feeling what they are feeling.