Book Nook Cafe discussion

Share with us what you read August 2018 !

Please provide:

~ A GoodReads link
~ A few sentences telling us how you felt about the book.
~ How would you rate the book

I was pleased that this month I was able to read two books that were on my Determination List (DL). However, the rating for my August Reads were not that great. Here's hoping Sept. will be better.

My August Reads were:

Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
Non- Fiction
Rate: 2/5
This book was on my DL. I was disappointed in this memoir. I didn't really connect with Jahren. I found her a bit annoying and her complaining got on my nerves. Her treatment of her grad students was unnecessarily mean and snarky. It seemed to me she took advantage of Bill, her lab partner. There also was less science in the book than I expected.

What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah
Fiction- Short Stories
Rate: 3 -
I read this for the PBS/NY Times book Club. I thought the writing was very good. She pulls you right into these poignant short stories. One of the stores actually made me gasp out-loud while I was reading it on the train. However, a few of the stories were in the magical realism genre, which is not a favorite of mine.

Ten Arguments For Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now by Jaron Lanier
Non Fiction
Rate 2
There are some really good arguments in this book. However, the writing is poor and repetitive. This probably would have worked better as a magazine article.


The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Fiction
Rate: 3 -
This novel was also on my DL. When I first began the novel I honestly had the impression that I had read this book before. I checked my book journal and I did not. The plot just seemed like one I read many times before. I also thought that at over 500 pages it could have been edited down a bit. That said, it did keep me interested for the most part. The book is very highly rated on Amazon. So don't go by my impression of it as I am in the minority. The book had a bit of a chick lit flavor to it and that is not a genre I enjoy. One of the characters in the novel was inspired by the true story of Andree de Jongh, who was a member of the Belgian Resistance during World War II. I probably would have enjoyed a non fiction story of her more.

Alias, I gave Lab Girl 2 stars as well. It wasn't very good.

You did better with The Nightingale than I did. I couldn't finish it.
I agree with the chick-lit rating. It cheapened the experience of many people who lived through these circumstances.

I'm pleased with my August reads as well:

Frankenstein (audio; 5star) - I listened to this while jogging. The story surprised me. It's much different than what I was expecting.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Maids of Misfortune (2star) - I got a cheap 4-volume ebook of this series. This book was an introduction to the character, her friends, her life, etc, while she solves a murder. The ending was really lame.
It wasn't a good start to the series but I'll give the second book a chance, just in case it gets better.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. (audio; 5star) - this was a perfect commuting book to listen to. I think this story would be great in all formats. Time travel, witches, Vikings, science.....what could go wrong?! Lots of fun.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Pharmacist of Auschwitz: The Untold Story (4star) - an account of Victor Capesius life before, during and after Auschwitz. As well a look at how Big Business profited from the camps and a little bit about the judicial climate after the war.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Surprise Me (audio; 3star) - a light look at relationships and living life together. It starts out in an overly silly way but ends up being a decent look at facing truth and opening up and loving fully.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Molloy (3star) - a strange story. This is the first of a trilogy and, as such, is an incomplete story. I will continue with the rest because I'm curious to see where this goes:
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Interred with Their Bones (audio; 1star) - if I had made a library run while listening to this, this book would have gone back. But I didn't and ended up listening to the entire thing. Horrible.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Here (graphic novel; 4star) - I enjoyed the artwork and the story of this one room through time. It's the history of a small spot of land from prehistoric times to the future. The place remains; what is on it changes. This was an interesting concept and well done.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Road (4star) - This book says a lot, yet is difficult to review and not give away spoilers. I liked the writing style. The plight of the man & the boy kept me wanting to read more. I rejoiced with them for every good event and feared with them with every bad event.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Alias, at least you were able to remove two books from your DL. That's a good feeling--i know because i buckled down & finished two, as well. One wowed me & one didn't. I'll create a separate post for that next.

It's a pity that the book about deleting social media was poorly written, as more people need to think about this issue. I've noticed a decline on Facebook, which is fine by me. I get through it faster. As usual, i rarely post there, though.

Petra, i am so with you on the surprise about Frankenstein. The story itself was different from what i expected but that it was written by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley when she was right around 20 years old is amazing. It's a book which has stayed with me over the years.

I'll be interested in your final review on The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I've heard such positive and negative reviews of it, that i sometimes wonder if we read the same book. :-) I liked it very much but others wanted to know what caused the decline of civilization, etc. For me McCarthy writes so well i didn't miss the details. To be fair, i totally fell in awe of his abilities when i read Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West. The fact that it is gory, the sort of book i would usually pass by, says much about how his prose pulled me in.

It's great to see both Alias & Petra had such a good month. What a good use of a summer month!

I'm surprised to see that i read nine books last month, particularly as a couple seemed to take forever. However, more than half were fiction, which were easier to read. As mentioned above, two were from my DL list, so it's a victory.

I began The Upper Mississippi: A Wilderness Saga by Walter Havighurst before we left for Minnesota in June. It's part of the "Rivers of America" series ( https://www.goodreads.com/series/4394... ), written in the 30s and '40s. [ [author:Constance Lindsay Skinner|460581], who conceived the series idea wrote, "This is to be a literary and not a historical series. The authors of these books will be novelists and poets. On them, now in America, as in all lands and times, rests the real responsibility of interpretation. If the average American is less informed about his country than any other national, knows and cares less about its past and about its present in all sections but the one where he resides, it is because books prepared for his instruction were not written by artists." Interesting take, eh? ANYway, this book, indeed, includes mythology of the area, including tales of Paul Bunyan and his ox Babe, as well as stories of explorers traveling the upper Mississippi branches, etc. I liked it, although i balked at some of the Norwegian history, which went on too long. It helped inform our visit to the Twin Cities, though.

We've been going through our boxes of books & i found this oldie, which i thought i would read then donate. I liked it so much i decided to keep it, old fashioned though it is. John T. Faris wrote Real Stories from Our History: Romance and Adventure in Authentic Records of the Development of the United States. As you can see from the book's link, this author (& educators, it seems) also believed as Skinner did for the above book, that history is better served by better story-telling. This one covered US history from the Mayflower to colonial stories, then the beginning of steamships and the telegraph wires.

Bone Rattler is the first in a series of US colonial mysteries, written by Eliot Pattison. There were too many characters initially for me to remember, probably because they were introduced on a ship coming to the colony, so i didn't think they would be actual characters, since several died. However, i was wrong, ergo my problem. However, the story was interesting and characters well presented.

The first from my Determination List was The Train to Estelline, a novel about one woman's teaching history in a small west Texas town around 1910, told through her letters home. Author Jane Roberts Wood made the characters come alive and i appreciated the character growth of main character, Lucinda Richards. For me, she evoked scenes i could imagine my own ancestors witnessing--the sparse country, the comfort of the sound of a windmill, and such.

Murder at the Mansion is the first in a new mystery series by Sheila Connolly. I think i got the title from a list Alias shared last month. The premise is main character Kate Hamilton returns to her hometown in Maryland to see if their hopes to rejuvenate the town's economy can be accomplished by using a local mansion as the centerpiece. I liked characters met and their strong introductions. The constant repetitive questions and lists of thing she had to do got old quickly, though. I don't know whether or not i'll read further into the series, however, upon researching the author i learned she had other series, one of which called to me.

It was Buried in a Bog, which i hoped would share more about bodies in bogs, which we learned about last year in Ireland. In this series Bostonian Maura Donovan visits Ireland at the last wish of her grandmother (& only relative). In the small town where she stays she finds a job (didn't intend to do that) and very distant kinfolk, so by the end she decides to stay awhile. I didn't learn enough about bogs, of course, but i rather liked the people, so may return to the series. Or not...

Yet another novel was next. This one i read about in The New Yorker. Convenience Store Woman is set in Japan and introduced me to a different sort of work environment. Apparently these companies, which i envisioned more akin to 7-11 than anything else, exist and have a significant corporate culture. So, that alone fascinated me. While writing her previous books, author Sayaka Murata continued to work in such a store, which explains the details, i guess. Her main character is Keiko, who finds all she was missing in her life at the store--mostly rules to follow and why they mattered. This is one long chapter, fewer than 200 pages (i'm thinking it was 150-60), and a remarkable character. There is humor, although i wasn't certain of that as i read, because i thought the character might have been autistic.

Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History was a spotty book, imo. There was almost as much about men who created planes as there was about the women. Here, i think Keith O'Brien let his readers down. To be fair, for many of the women, not much is known to this day. One thing he did for me was elucidate how feminist Amelia Earhart was. I knew she was a pioneer but this is the first time i've seen some of her quotes, such as the following: ""And the work of married men and women should be split. She should taste the grind of earning a living--and he should learn the stupidity of housework.” . Amen! I was also unaware of how vicious the male aviators, writers and officials were toward the women.

Finally, the other DL removed from my list, Great Maps of the Civil War: Pivotal Battles and Campaigns Featuring 32 Removable Maps, written by William J. Miller but it's the maps which were the stars. The book covers many of the major battles of the war but mostly from the angle of how maps played a part in the proceedings. Along the way i learned much about how few reliable maps were to be had, how the military carried all sorts of equipment to aid map makers and how vital they were in losses. Despite this, the maps weren't really good for showing what occurred during the battles, which is one thing i thought they would be, so that aspect disappointed me. We bought this at one of the battlefield sites which are now National Parks. It's a handsome book & i'm glad we have it, even though it wasn't quite what i hoped it would be.

Madrano wrote: "I'll be interested in your final review on The Road by Cormac McCarthy. ..."

I've added my review to my post now. It's not my best review but I hope it gets across that this is a story worth reading and well written.

Petra, i liked the way you put many of your comments, particularly this line, Cormac McCarthy has a way of writing that brings the bleakness& bareness of this world alive, while somehow keeping a sliver of hope. This is one aspect of the earlier book i mentioned, Blood Meridian did. Awful times but richly written.

Thanks, Deb! I plan on reading more of his books and will keep Blood Meridian in mind.

Great array of books read in August.

The Pharmacist of Auschwitz: The Untold Story seems very telling, relating how war horrors were profitable for some people.

Petra, if you are thinking about reading Blood Meridian, i must caution you of its graphic violence. Frankly, it was a turn off which had me wondering why he included it. By the end, i suppose i guessed he felt he was fleshing out the "romance" of the Old West US with grisly details. Still, i could have done without that. But, oh, the writing...

Barbara, it sounds as though that could be a depressing book, despite the truth of it all.

My August reads:

At the Gate by Myla Jo Closser
Genre: Short Story
Review: Such a beautiful story! Perfect for any animal lover. A must-read!!! :) :) - Rating: A+++
Link to the story: At the Gate by Myla Jo Closser

Tisuću noći by E.K. Johnston
Genre: Historical Fiction; Fantasy; Classics Re-telling, YA
Review: A fantasy, a historical fiction and a classic retelling, all in one. I bought the book because I was mesmerised by the cover.
This is a sort-of a retelling of One Thousand Nights and One Night, Volume 1. A young girl manages to stay alive by telling stories to the king. Add to that a bit of fantasy, and you have a whole new dimension of a beautiful story. - Rating: A

The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn by Robin Maxwell
Genre: Historical Fiction
Review: The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn is a story of Anne Boleyn's rise to power written as a combination of her secret diary read by her daughter Elizabeth, now-queen of England. - Rating: B

The Dragon in Postonja Cave by Srečko Šajn
Genre: Children's Literature; Mythology
Review: A short children's book I bought while visiting Postojna Cave in Slovenia. It tells the legend of the dragon of Postojna Cave. The Cave has a population of endemic "human-fish" and the local legend says that the human-fishes or baby dragons are the children of the great bad dragon that pestered the good citizens of the village of Postojna. - Rating: C

Legenda o Veroniki Desiničkoj - riječju i slikom by Nadica Jagarčec
Genre: Brochure; Popular Legends
Review: The brochure tells the most famous version of the legend about Veronika of Desinic and her forbidden love affair and marriage with Frederick of Celje, mentions all of the authors from the 19th century onward who wrote their own versions of the story (and thus kept it alive) and also gives us a version written of the story, written in the second half of the 20th century, in which the young nobleman Frederick of Celje is not such a noble person. Great piece of information! :) - Rating: A

El Lazarillo de Tormes by Anónimo
Genre: Fiction; Classic Spanish Literature
Review: Lazarillo de Tormes is one of most famous Spanish classics written in the 16th century by an as of yet unknown author. The scholars have different theories as to the author but all the theories are pure guesses. - Rating: C

Big Blonde and Other Stories by Dorothy Parker
Genre: Short Story
Review: A short story about the role of women in the 1930's. I really liked this story. Parker writes with a matter-of-fact style not showing any sympathy nor judgement towards the protagonist. She leaves it up to you to decide on that. - Rating: B

Platero y yo by Juan Ramón Jiménez
Genre: Narrative Poetry, Classic Spanish Literature, Nobel Prize
Review: I am absolutely enchanted by this collection of poems that deservedly won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1956.
It's a collection of poems not written in verse that tells stories from the life of the poet and his friend, a good and tender donkey, Platero. At times, the poet speaks to Platero (speaking about his childhood, when Platero was still not present in his life), and at times he mentions him in third person. The collection is considered to be for children, but I think that whoever first decided to categorise it as such, was wrong. - Rating: A+++

Guia de museos y centros de interpretacion de la provincia de Sevilla by Turismo de la provincia de Sevilla
Genre: Brochure
Review: A great overview of the majority of museums and interpretation centres that can be visited in the city of Seville and the villages/towns that form part of it's province. - Rating: A

El Barroco por la provincia de Sevilla by Turismo de la provincia de Sevilla
Genre: Brochure
Review: An overview of all the monuments in Seville's province (this time excluding the city of Seville) that constitute Seville's baroque heritage. - Rating: A

Obidos: Villa Medieval by Vitor Vieira
Genre: Brochure
Review: A short tourist brochure about a charming medieval town of Obidos, in Portugal. I was there in February for the sole purpose of sleeping in it's 19th century monastery-turned hotel/library/bookstore. Obidos is also known as a literary city of Europe. - Rating: C+

Flamenco en la provincia de Sevilla by Turismo de la provincia de Sevilla
Genre: Brochure
Review: A nice overview of the everything related to Flamenco in general and places in the province of Seville most known for Flamenco. - Rating: A

El legado de Roma en Sevilla by Turismo de la provincia de Sevilla
Genre: Brochure
Review: An overview of Roman legacy in the province of Seville. These free brochures acquired for free in the Seville Tourist Info Centre are a well of great information. - Rating: A

Caminos a Santiago por la provincia de Sevilla by Turismo de la provincia de Sevilla
Genre: Brochure
Review: Another great brochure about the official pilgrims' paths to Santiago de Compostela passing through the province of Seville. This is one thing I really want to do someday, I just don't know yet which path to choose. - Rating: A

Petra wrote: "I'm pleased with my August reads as well:

Frankenstein (audio; 5star) - I listened to this while jogging. The story surprised me. It's much different than what I was expecting.
Rev..."

Nice month, Petra !

I was surprised at how relevant Frankenstein can be. I enjoyed it quite a bit.


Petra wrote: --The Pharmacist of Auschwitz: The Untold Story (4star) - an account of Victor Capesius life before, during and after Auschwitz. As well a look at how Big Business profited from the camps and a little bit about the judicial climate after the war.

I'm going to check this one out. It sounds interesting.

Madrano wrote: Finally, the other DL removed from my list, Great Maps of the Civil War: Pivotal Battles and Campaigns Featuring 32 Removable Maps, written by William J. Miller but it's the maps which were the stars...."

Deb, you had a really nice eclectic month. Congratulations on knocking two off your DL.

I had to smile when I saw your read the book with maps as I just ordered from Amazon
Geography of the World

National Geographic Family Reference Atlas of the World

The Historical Atlas of World War II

I couldn't decide which one I wanted so I purchased all three. Amazon makes these purchases way too easy. LOL




I already own
Essential Atlas of the World
It's just okay. I wanted something that I could I could use when I come across various countries in my readings. I'll admit my knowledge of geography is poor. I thought this might be a pleasant way to improve.

Madrano wrote: Yet another novel was next. This one i read about in The New Yorker. Convenience Store Woman is set in Japan and introduced me to a different sort of work environment. Apparently these companies, which i envisioned more akin to 7-11 than anything else, exist and have a significant corporate culture. So, that alone fascinated me. While writing her previous books, author Sayaka Murata continued to work in such a store, which explains the details, i guess. Her main character is Keiko, who finds all she was missing in her life at the store--mostly rules to follow and why they mattered. This is one long chapter, fewer than 200 pages (i'm thinking it was 150-60), and a remarkable character. There is humor, although i wasn't certain of that as i read, because i thought the character might have been autistic...."

This sounds interesting. I'm adding it to my TBR.

I read a non-fiction convenience store book that takes place in Brooklyn.

Is this the start of a new genre ? LOL

The one I read is:
My Korean Deli: Risking It All for a Convenience Store

Barbara wrote: "Great array of books read in August.

The Pharmacist of Auschwitz: The Untold Story seems very telling, relating how war horrors were profitable for some people."

Regarding business and WWII, this reminded me of other books on my TBR list.

IBM and the Holocaust: The Strategic Alliance Between Nazi Germany and America's Most Powerful Corporation-Expanded Edition

Nazi Nexus: America's Corporate Connections to Hitler's Holocaust

Henry Ford and the Jews: The Mass Production Of Hate

I think this is the Ford book on my list.

Samanta wrote: "My August reads:

At the Gate by Myla Jo Closser
Genre: Short Story
Review: Such a beautiful story! Perfect for any animal lover. A must-read!!! :) :) - Rating: A++..."

Wow ! You've been busy, Samanta. You had a very nice August. Thanks for sharing.

Alias Reader wrote: "Samanta wrote: "My August reads:

At the Gate by Myla Jo Closser
Genre: Short Story
Review: Such a beautiful story! Perfect for any animal lover. A must-read!!! :) ..."

I was surprised with the number, too, Alias. Then again, I had 14 days of vacation. :) :)

Samanta, what a full month of reading. Travel brochures are such a mixed lot, i believe. We used to keep all of the ones gathered on our holidays but upon rereading, often realized they only presented what we already knew. Now that we travel much more, we take home many fewer brochures. Ones with concrete, new info we save.

The Jimenez book sounds neat & i relish the idea of the donkey presenting the story. Thanks for sharing the title--i hope i can find it here.

Alias, i enjoy looking at maps and seeing what's around where i am. However, i am the World's Worst Navigator with maps, so the family makes sure they know the route before giving me the map when we travel. I am responsible for far too many u-turns on highways--keeping me from maps would probably decrease US reliance on petroleum. :-) Still, maps intrigue!

I had to laugh about the fact you bought more than one. There used to be a map store nearby, which was a pleasant place for us to visit. However, we realized we were buying maps (& other travel items, to be fair) far beyond our needs. It was just like entering a book store for us "Abandon hope all ye who enter!" Fortunately (?, maybe) they went out of business, probably while we were out of the country and no one else was buying.

Funny question about the Convenience Store genre. Who knew?

madrano wrote: "Samanta, what a full month of reading. Travel brochures are such a mixed lot, i believe. We used to keep all of the ones gathered on our holidays but upon rereading, often realized they only presen..."

I, actually, wanted to read the brochures about Sevilla (they were free, while the Obidos one was quite expensive for such a short brochure) to throw them away, but while reading relised they were a well of real information with a lot of text. I'm definitely keeping them and when I get back to Seville, I'm going to go and look for the ones I still don't have.

madrano wrote:Alias, i enjoy looking at maps and seeing what's around where i am. However, i am the World's Worst Navigator with maps, so the family makes sure they know the route before giving me the map when we travel. I am responsible for far too many u-turns on highways--keeping me from maps would probably decrease US reliance on petroleum. :-) Still, maps intrigue!..."

I guess Amazon saw my map splurge and recommended this one. I thought I would pass the title along to you, deb, since you are fond of maps. It was a NY Times bestseller. Most of the Amazon reviews are 4 & 5 stars.

Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics~~~Tim Marshall


In this New York Times bestseller, an award-winning journalist uses ten maps of crucial regions to explain the geo-political strategies of the world powers—“fans of geography, history, and politics (and maps) will be enthralled” (Fort Worth Star-Telegram).

Maps have a mysterious hold over us. Whether ancient, crumbling parchments or generated by Google, maps tell us things we want to know, not only about our current location or where we are going but about the world in general. And yet, when it comes to geo-politics, much of what we are told is generated by analysts and other experts who have neglected to refer to a map of the place in question.

All leaders of nations are constrained by geography. In “one of the best books about geopolitics” (The Evening Standard), now updated to include 2016 geopolitical developments, journalist Tim Marshall examines Russia, China, the US, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Japan, Korea, and Greenland and the Arctic—their weather, seas, mountains, rivers, deserts, and borders—to provide a context often missing from our political reportage: how the physical characteristics of these countries affect their strengths and vulnerabilities and the decisions made by their leaders.

Offering “a fresh way of looking at maps” (The New York Times Book Review), Marshall explains the complex geo-political strategies that shape the globe. Why is Putin so obsessed with Crimea? Why was the US destined to become a global superpower? Why does China’s power base continue to expand? Why is Tibet destined to lose its autonomy? Why will Europe never be united? The answers are geographical. “In an ever more complex, chaotic, and interlinked world, Prisoners of Geography is a concise and useful primer on geopolitics” (Newsweek) and a critical guide to one of the major determining factors in world affairs.

About the Author
Tim Marshall is a leading authority on foreign affairs with more than twenty-five years of reporting experience. He was diplomatic editor at Sky News, and before that worked for the BBC. He has reported from forty countries and covered conflicts in Croatia, Bosnia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Israel. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps that Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics and A Flag Worth Dying For. He has written for The Times (London), The Sunday Times (London), The Guardian, The Independent, and Daily Telegraph, and his blog Foreign Matters was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize 2010. He is founder and editor of the current affairs site TheWhatandtheWhy.com.

How many times have we complained that political and even battle books do not have maps? This book would be so helpful today. Thanks for drawing it to my attention, Alias.

My Reads for August:

Wrapped in Rain by Charles Martin
5/5
This is about two brothers who reconcile when one goes missing from a psychiatric facility and the other tries to find him. The inner story is how their upbringing lead them to where they are and this is shown through a lot of flashbacks to their childhood.

Soft Target by Stephen Hunter
4/5
Gritty fiction of a former Marine who takes action when terrorists take over one of the biggest malls in America.

The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore

4/5
This is the third book in the series that started with I am Number Four. The Loric Guarde are searching for their eighth member in India. This is a fast paced sci-fi of teenage Aliens fighting for the survival of their race against another race of Aliens on Earth.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
5/5
I really loved this realistic sci-fi coming of age story. Wade Watts lives in the poorest section of town, the Stacks, a leaning tower of trailer homes. He escapes real life by spending most of his time in the OASIS, a virtual reality game. The creator of the OASIS has died and left "easter eggs" in the OASIS. The first to discover the "easter eggs" and complete their challenges receives the OASIS's creator's fortune and control of the OASIS. However, it has now been several years since the challenge was first made public with nothing discovered at all. Does Wade have a chance at winning? He'll have to face off against not only several fellow "gunters", easter egg hunters, but also against a shadowy corporation that wants to take control of the OASIS and will stop at nothing to get it.

Dru, you had a great reading month. Those are high ratings.

I also enjoyed Ready Player One.

Wrapped in Rain sounds really good.

Finished and really enjoyed the Audio version Then She Was Gone byLisa Jewell

My Review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/2538443780

Dru83 wrote: "My Reads for August:

Wrapped in Rain by Charles Martin
5/5
This is about two brothers who reconcile when one goes missing from a psyc..."


My husband really loved Ready Player One now you make me want to read it too Madrano.

I really liked Ready Player One, too, Dru. Have you seen the movie? I am not sure i want to, so much did i like the book.

Dem, that is high praise indeed for the Jewell book. I have a difficult time remembering which thriller (or mystery, for that matter) is which by year's end.

Dru83 wrote: "My Reads for August:


Congrats on the your August. It's nice when you can give them all a good rating.

Madrano, I haven't seen the movie. I do want to see it, but I'm kind of nervous about it. I know there's no way that they'd be able to fit everything in there into a movie. There's just so many neat 70's, 80's, and 90's pop culture references that there's no way that they'd all stay in a movie. I think part of why I liked it so much was because I was born in the 80's, so a lot of the references were things I understood and remembered from my childhood.

Dru, i was the opposite. While i was alive in the '80s i had two young children and barely remember the culture, other than the fact Reagan was President. The rest is pretty much a blur. Still, i know eventually i will watch the film, as i'm eager to see how they create some scenes.

I didn't realize it, but I had read a lot of books in August 2018! lol :) Here are my 4 and 5 star reviews! :)

Eyes on You by Steven Jenkins - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


Dark Entry by John B. Kachuba - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


Thresher: A Deep Sea Thriller by Michael Cole - 5 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Evil at Heartby Chelsea Cain - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Bigfoot Hunters by Rick Gualtieri - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Devil Hunters by Rick Gualtieri - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


Whisper by Michael Bray - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

This is a goodly number of books, Marie. The first, Eyes on You, has the best cover of the lot, imo. It just looks creepy for some reason--the eyes, probably.

The Crypto-Hunter series sounds neat because it will cover many different sorts of creatures--Jersey Devil! Bigfoot! What's next?

Like you, i've not heard of a Thresher shark. Yikes.

The suspense you built in your review of Whisper was neat.

But your Dark Entry review had me wondering because you mentioned you didn't have to leave the lights on. Do you often feel the need to do so? I probably would for most of the books you've mentioned in this August list.

madrano wrote: "This is a goodly number of books, Marie. The first, Eyes on You, has the best cover of the lot, imo. It just looks creepy for some reason--the eyes, probably.

The Crypto-Hunter series sounds neat ..."

Actually that is a great question Madrano and my answer is this: Yes I have left the lights on with some books before as sometimes certain authors know how to dig their magic down into your subconscious mind. Normally leaving lights on tend to be the books that are true or based on true stories.

For me "knowing" the book is true will give me more of the "creep" factor and will mess with my head more. (lol) I will give you an example as I haven't reached the book yet to put on here is a book that deals with Ed and Lorraine Warren - one of their books I had to literally the leave the lights on for about two or three days as the book delved its way into my subconscious to the point that I had a hard time sleeping.

But that has not deterred me from reading their books as I love true horror as much as I love fiction horror. :)

madrano wrote: "This is a goodly number of books, Marie. The first, Eyes on You, has the best cover of the lot, imo. It just looks creepy for some reason--the eyes, probably.

The Crypto-Hunter series sounds neat ..."

Thank you for liking all my reviews Madrano! :) I am happy that I was able to provide suspense in my reviews! :)

Thanks for replying to my question, Marie. Lights on is a great way to read supernatural thrillers. For me, i try to read them during daylight hours! Your comment about the increased intensity of stories known to be true sounds right to me. They'd be creepier just because they have occurred! Yikes.