Play Book Tag discussion

Personal Goals

Read 70 books for the year

Carried over from 2021
Read 4 books with over 500 pages--Finished
4/4
DNF, does not count-The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's Founding-688 pages

1.Read The Memoirs of Cleopatra-964 pages
2.Read11/22/63-1031 pages
3 Read The Dog Master: A Novel of the First Dog-544 pages
4.READ The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty 552 pages

Play Book Tag--Read

January--science
E.R. Nurses
The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun's Tomb
February--thought-provoking
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
Every Tool's a Hammer: Life Is What You Make It
March--Classics
I, Robot
DNF Gulliver's Travels: Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World.
April--detective
Morality for Beautiful Girls
May--character-driven
June--LGBT
July--memoir
Vagos, Mongols, and Outlaws: My Infiltration of America's Deadliest Biker Gangs
Where I Come From: Life Lessons from a Latino Chef
Never Give Up: My Life in the Wild
I Love a Man in Uniform: A Memoir of Love, War, and Other Battles
It Was All a Dream: Biggie and the World That Made Him
Little Victories: Perfect Rules for Imperfect Living
August-women's history
Woodswoman I: Living Alone in the Adirondack Wilderness
September-favorites
The Speckled Beauty: A Dog and His People
October-scary
In the Woods
Real Hauntings: America's True Ghost Stories
November-Book club
December- Leadership

Grab a Book & Play Booktivity-Monthly Tag--Read

January--Wintery weather( Nominated by Donna)- Read a book whose title begins with a letter in WEATHER
E.R. Nurses
Evans Above
How Y'all Doing?: Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived

February-National African American Heritage Month - Read a book that deals with Black culture, heritage or relationships-Beverly's suggestion
Skin of the Sea

March-National Crayon Day - Quote a short passage from the book you just read that includes a color.-suggested by Donna
Wolf: The Journey Home
"She Collapsed in the shelter of a brilliant red huckleberry bush"
I, Robot
"His gray eyebrows hunched low as he spoke between puffs"
To the Moon!: The True Story of the American Heroes on the Apollo 8 Spaceship
"It was Stafford who saw what they were looking for first, as the bright sunlight reflected off the back half of Gemini 7, which, unlike the dark front half, was painted a brilliant white."
The Blessing of the Animals: True Stories of Ginny, the Dog Who Rescues Cats
"Clippie is a female orange and white tiger kitten who was sitting alone in a cage in my local animal shelter."
Thunder from the Sea
"Once they approached Eastern Head, they could see beyond the ice to the sapphire blue ocean with its white spray of breaking waves."
Max's Story
"One slim gray paw shot out and whacked Baxter right on the nose."
Aquanaut: A Life Beneath The Surface – The Inside Story of the Thai Cave Rescue
"I lifted my head out of the water to find myself in a passage of pale-brown rock"
11/22/63
"I once more rapped on the trunk of the white-over-red Plymouth fury as I went by"

April-April Showers - Water on the COVER, or a major part of the book takes place on a body of water.-suggested by Koren

May-suggested by Brittany.
National Paranormal Day - Read a book with a main page genre of PARANORMAL
America's Most Haunted Hotels: Checking in with Uninvited Guests
Chasing Ghosts, Texas Style: On the Road with Everyday Paranormal

June--suggested by Carol
PRIDE month: Read a book with one or more Pride colors on the cover: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Purple

July-suggested by Beverly
4th of July: Read a book whose author's first and last initial are found in: SWEET LAND OF LIBERTY.
Where I Come From: Life Lessons from a Latino Chef
I Love a Man in Uniform: A Memoir of Love, War, and Other Battles

August-suggested by Tessa (Book Concierge).
Dog Days of Summer: Read a book with a dog on the COVER
Woodswoman I: Living Alone in the Adirondack Wilderness
Molly's Story
Shadow
Monty: The Courageous Survival of a Rescue Dog
Rescuing Sprite: A Dog Lover's Story of Joy and Anguish

September-suggested by Koren
Leaf Peeping - Read a book with a tree or leaves on the COVER.
Uphill All the Way: A Memoir of a Depression Era Family, their trials, tribulations and triumphs.

October-Suggested by Beverly
Read a book by an author whose initials are in A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT.

November-Suggested by Tessa NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) - Read a novel (fiction) first published in November of any year.

December-Suggested by Licha-Olivia
Holidays: Read a book revolving around a holiday: Christmas, Boxing Day, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc.
The Christmas Dog
A Dog Named Christmas
Christmas with Tucker
Colorado Christmas Magic

Play Book Tag--Challenge- Did not complete
Who's PBT's Favorite?
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

SouthWestZippy vote tracking
(VOTES and votes only, not participation points)

1/2/2022-Albom, Mitch -Finding Chika-1
Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family

Running total: 1

1/09/2022-See, Lisa-China Dolls-1
China Dolls

1/14/2022-Bowen, Rhys-Evans Above-1
Evans Above

Running total: 3

1/17/2022-Allende, Isabel-A Long Petal of the Sea A Long Petal of the Sea

Running Total 4
---------------------------------------------------
Participation Point Tracking

Bracket A - See,Lisa / China Dolls /China Dolls

Bracket B - Allende, Isabel/ A Long Petal of the Sea/ A Long Petal of the Sea

Bracket C - Bowen,Rhys / Evans Above / Evans Above

Bracket D - Albom, Mitch/Finding Chika/ Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family

--------------------------------------------------------------
Round 2
SouthWestZippy vote tracking
(VOTES and votes only, not participation points)

Participation Point Tracking
Round 2: 32 authors

Bracket A-Kingsolver, Barbara-Prodigal Summer-Prodigal Summer
Bracket B
Bracket C-Ishiguro, Kazuo-The Buried Giant- The Buried Giant
Bracker D-King, Stephen/11/22/63/11/22/63

Grab a Book & Play Booktivity
Fun With Challenges
CHALLENGE RULES
• one book per letter
• books must be 100+ pages
• use 1st letter of title (exclude A, An, and The)
• use 1st letter of Author FIRST/LAST name

January-Happy New Year Challange-Finished
P- The Pale-Faced Lie by David Crow
E-E.R. Nurses
A- Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family by Mitch Albom
C- China Dolls by Lisa See
E-Evans Above

February-Going For The Gold Challenge-Finished
B- Bailey's Story by W. Bruce Cameron
O- Fourteen: The Murder of David Stukel by Bill O'Connell
B- Brush Up Your Mythology! by Michael Macrone
S- Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen
L- The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America by Elizabeth Letts
E- Every Tool's a Hammer: Life Is What You Make It by Adam Savage
I- In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O'Brien
G- Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande
H- Hell in the Heartland: Murder, Meth, and the Case of Two Missing Girls by Jax Miller

March-St Patrick's Day Challenge-Finished
P- The Blessing of the Animals: True Stories of Ginny, the Dog Who Rescues Cats by Philip Gonzalez
A-Wolf: The Journey Home by Asta Bowen
T- Thunder from the Sea by Joan Hiatt Harlow
R-Aquanaut: A Life Beneath The Surface – The Inside Story of the Thai Cave Rescue by Rick Stanton
I- I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
C- Max's Story by W. Bruce Cameron
K- To the Moon!: The True Story of the American Heroes on the Apollo 8 Spaceship by Jeffrey Kluger

April- INSECTS-Did not Finish
M- The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
A-America's Most Haunted Hotels: Checking in with Uninvited Guests
N
T
I- The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
S- Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith

May-PROM Challenge-Skipping
June-Midsummer's Night Dream Challenge-Skipping

July- Summer Fun Challenge
Go FISHING-Finished
7/7
F-Vagos, Mongols, and Outlaws: My Infiltration of America's Deadliest Biker Gangs by Charles Falco 7/5/22
I-I Love a Man in Uniform: A Memoir of Love, War, and Other Battles by Lily Burna 7/16/22
S-Where I Come From: Life Lessons from a Latino Chef by Aaron Sanchez 7/11/22
H-Was This Man a Genius?: Talks With Andy Kaufman by Julie Hecht 7/18/22
I-It Was All a Dream: Biggie and the World That Made Him by Justin Tinsley 7/26/22
N-Never Give Up: My Life in the Wild by Bear Grylls 7/15/22
G-Little Victories: Perfect Rules for Imperfect Living by Jason Guy 7/31/22

August-School is just around the corner. Which were your favorite subjects?- Finished
Music- 5/5
M- Molly's Story by W. Bruce Cameron 8/7/22
U- The Lance and the Shield: The Life and Times of Sitting Bull by Robert M. Utley 8/18/22
S- Shadow by Michael Morpurgo 8/10/22
I- In an Instant by Suzanne Redfearn 8/23/22
C- Coached Red-Handed by Victoria Laurie 8/30/2022

September-Football Game-HALF-TIME CHALLENGE
5/5-Finished
T-The Last Men Out: Life on the Edge at Rescue 2 Firehouse by Tom Downey 9/30/22
U-Uphill All the Way: A Memoir of a Depression Era Family, their trials, tribulations and triumphs. by James Sloter 9/19/22
B-Bark to the Future by Spencer Quinn 9/4/22
A-The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty by Caroline Alexander 9/10/22
S-The Speckled Beauty: A Dog and His People by Rick Bragg 9/12/22

October- The Macabre and Eerie Challenge, Edgar Allen Poe.
Raven
2/5--Did not Finish
R-Real Hauntings: America's True Ghost Stories by Hans Holzer 10/27/22
A
V
E
N-Nowhere for Very Long by Brianna Madia 10/8/22

November-unusual celebrations in the month of November.Skipping
Spell-out one/more of the ALL - CAPPEd Celebrations below:
(11/14) National PICKLE Day
(11/13) National Hug a MUSICIAN Day
(11/11) National HAPPY HOUR Day
(11/9) Go to an Art MUSEUM Day
(11/4) Love your LAWYER Day
(11/30) National MASON JAR Day
(11/28) Red PLANET Day
(11/11) National ORIGAMI Day
(11/21) Odd SOCKS Day
(11/18) National PRINCESS Day


December-A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens-Skipping

Shelfari 50 Book Challenge--Goal 70 books

1. Finding Chika by Mitch Albom
2. The Pale Faced Lie by David Crow
3. China Dolls by Lisa See
4. E.R. Nurses by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann
5. Evans Above by Rhys Bowen
6. A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
7. The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun's Tomb by Candace Fleming
8. The Boys by Ron Howard & Clint Howard
9. How Y'all Doing? by Leslie Jordan
10. For One More Day by Mitch Albom
11. The Stranger in the Lifeboat by Mitch Albom
12. Where the Deer and the Antelope Play by Nick Offerman
February
13. Inkfoot by Michael Dahl
14. Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
15. Washington: The Indispensable Man by James Thomas Flexner
16. The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts
17. Every Tool's A Hammer by Adam Savage
18. Hell in the Heartland by Jax Miller
19. In The Lake of the Woods by Tim O'Brien
20. Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen
21. Brush Up Your Mythology! by Michael Macrone
22. Fourteen: The Murder of David Stukel by Bill O'Connell
23. Bailey's Story by W. Bruce Cameron
March
24. Wolf: the journey home by Asta Bowen
25. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
26. To the Moon! by Jeffrey Kluger
27. The Blessing of the Animals by Philip Gonzalez
28. Thunder from the Sea by Joan Hiatt Harlow
29. Max's Story by W. Bruce Cameron
30. Aquanaut by Rick Stanton
31. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
32. 11/22/63 by Stephen King-1031pages
April
33. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
34. The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
35. Blood in the Library by Michael Dahl
36. Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
37. Morality For Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith
May
38. A Superior Death by Nevada Barr
39. America's Most Haunted Hotels by Jamie Davis Whitmer
40. Chasing Ghosts, Texas Style: On the Road with Everyday Paranormal by Brad Klinge, Barry Klinge, Kathy Passero
41. Finding Me by Viola Davis
June
42. The Dog Master: A Novel of the First Dog by W. Bruce Cameron
July
43. Vagos, Mongols, and outlaws by Charles Falco
44. Where I Come From: Life Lessons from a Latino Chef
by Aaron Sanchez
45. Never Give Up by Bear Grylls
46. I Love A Man in Uniform by Lily Burana
47. Was This Man a Genius by Julie Hecht
48. It was all a dream by Justin Tinsley
49. Little Victories by Jason Guy
August
50. Woodswoman by Anne Labastille
51. Molly's Story by W. Bruce Cameron
52. Shadow by Michael Morpurgo
53. The Lance and the Shield by Robert M. Utley
54. In an Instant by Suzanne Redfearn
55. Coached Red-Handed by Victoria Laurie
56. Monty: The Courageous Survival of a Rescue Dog by Janet Squires
57. Rescuing Sprite: A Dog Lover's Story of Joy and Anguish
by Mark R. Levin
September
58. Bark to the Future by Spencer Quinn
59. The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty by Caroline Alexander
60. The Speckled Beauty by Rick Bragg
61. Uphill all the way by James Sloter
62. The Last Men out by Tom Downey
October
63. Nowhere for Very Long by Bianna Madia
64. In the Woods by Tana French
65. Real Hauntings: True American Ghost Stories by Hans Holzer
November
66. Deadly Target Cristine Adams
December
67. The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson
68. A dog named Christmas by Greg Kincaid
69. Christmas with Tucker by Greg Kincaid
70. Colorado Christmas Magic by Caitlin McKenna
71. Biblical: Rob Halford's Heavy Metal Scriptures by Rob Halford

1.
5 stars and added to favorites
Haiti Albom operates Faith Haiti Orphanage, this is where he meets Chika Jeune. Chika was born In 2010 three days before the earthquake hits the Haiti area sending the family to live in extreme poverty. Sadly her mother died while giving birth to her brother when she was three years old and Chika was sent to the Orphanage.
This is not only a little of her story but is the story of the family she found. Beautifully written and presented in a simple elegant manner. Finding Chika is one of the few books that brought tears to my eyes.

2.
5 stars and added to favorites
I'm not going to write up a synopsis of this book because I am finding it impossible to find a good starting and ending point to the whole very strange family drama.
David Crow grabs you from page one and does not let go. The Children were terrors when they were young and the Father was the worst human being I have read about in a very long time. He had no business being a parent or a Husband. David is very open, honest, and straightforward about the life he lived and how he and his siblings pulled themselves out of the nightmare little by little.
The ending of the book just blew my mind.

3.
2 stars
A story about Grace, Ruby, and Helen, three girls that meet at nightclub auditions at Charlie Low's Forbidden City in San Francisco's Chinatown. Their relationships are complex plus their life choices.

I am giving it two stars because I could not get into the book. Each character gets a chapter to talk about, which got old quickly and I found the storyline to be off at times. I also felt a couple of things were put in the storyline for shock value only, which was not needed.

4.
5 stars
A fascinating collection of short stories from the nurses that have just about seen and heard it all. Some are heartwrenching, many are graphic, others touching, and a couple funny but all show the reality of working in the ER where you must be ready for anything. I have one complaint, I would have liked to see the picture of the person put with the story instead of at the back of the book.
I am in ah of anyone who makes this career. I highly recommend this book.

5.
1 star
Taken from the book "Constable Evan Evans is new in Welsh village of Llanfair. Betsy, lusty busty barmaid, vies for his favors with sweet teacher Bronwen. Teen Dilys begs him for a dance, then vanishes."
"Child molester, flasher, and prisoners released early are on the loose. Who pushed two men off Snowdon mountains? And who vandalized Mrs. Powell-Jones' prized tomatoes?"

I just could not get into this book. I even started another book(which is rare for me) to help me clear my mind. The story had a few interesting parts but was overall boring and need more character development. I found some things not necessary, felt a little like an agenda was being presented.

6.
2 stars
I can't write a better synopsis than what has been presented on the book information page so I am going to skip writing one.

I picked this book for a couple of reasons, it is historical fiction and is set in during the Spanish Civil War.

I have an ancestor who fought in the Spanish Civil War and a few who fled.

I tried very hard to give it my full attention but found myself struggling to follow the storyline. As much as I dread saying this I will, I enjoyed the romance part of the story. Romance stories are just not my type of book but this one was not over the top sappy sweet and has a nice balance within the storyline.

The story has a bit of scandal, hardship, and triumph. Overall It is a good story with strong and weak characters and a good mix of historical history and romance. I wish I could have given it more than two stars but I just can't do it.

7.
5 stars

Candace Fleming did a wonderful job with the telling of the story of two friends Howard Carter and George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon, and their quest to find Tutankhamun's tomb. The first chapter goes into reasons why King Tut’s Mummy has not been found and then each chapter after that explains each milestone with the exploration and a little on what was going on behind the scenes. The pictures throughout the whole book are wonderful to look at and help put you in the place and time when all this took place. Candace's writing style completes the picture. Example. "Closing his fingers around it, he drew the bolt back. Then carefully...slowly...he opened the double doors. The ancient hinges creaked and Carter's light caught the curves of a delicate canopy sewn with golden rosettes-a funerary pull." This type of writing gives me goosebumps.

Included is a map of Egypt, a timeline of Dynastic periods, a brief bibliography, primary and secondary sources list, source notes, Photograph and illustration credits list, and an Index. The book would a great for a research paper for ages group 5th to 12th but I believe adults would appreciate it too.

8.
5 stars
Ron and Clint Howard take turns telling a little about their lives before acting and how they became child actors then move on into their adventures while growing up and trying to be normal while actors. I am not surprised about what all was shared or exposed about themselves with the exception of a couple of things about Clint.
I did not grow up(born in 67) watching a lot of TV so a lot of the shows they mentioned I found when I was in my late teens and adulthood. I had forgotten about or not heard of a few of their movies/shows.
The book has great pictures in the middle so I can put faces with people. It is a smooth read with very little, to no bashing, just a straightforward tell-it like it is telling of how they saw things while growing up about other fellow actors. To me, they are both as nice as they seem to be.

9.
4 stars
Leslie Jordan tells stories about his work life more than he does his private life in the book but you do get a picture of what it was like growing up plus his adult life. I enjoyed his humor and don't hold back, just move forward and be your self approach to living. I did find out a couple of things I did not know about him, one is his love for horses.

10.
1 star
The synopsis in the book description says it all so I am going to skip writing one.

I did not like this book even a little and it all has to do with my own past with family.

11.
2 stars
Synopsis from the book "Adrift in a raft after a deadly ship explosion, nine people struggle for survival at sea. Three days pass. Short on water, food, and hope, they spot a man floating in the waves. They pull him in.
“Thank the Lord we found you,” a passenger says.
“I am the Lord,” the man whispers."

Each Chapter flips around to Sea, Land, or News.
The Sea chapters tell the story as it happens. The Land chapters tell about what happens around a year after the explosion happens and is under investigation and they find a notebook that was used by one of the survivors. The News covers the whole timeline as it happens. This is very annoying and hard to follow at times.
The characters are not well developed enough and I found myself questioning a lot of the talk in the scenes, just not believable. I am still giving it two stars and not one because it held my attention and made me think.

12.
2 stars
I guess we have gotten to a point in our world where we can't talk about anything without putting in our two cents about Politics, ethics, or views on wrongs are handled wrongly.
I agree with so much of his thinking but not all so I will give it two stars.

13.
5 stars
I am enjoying this series that my Grandson found for me. Part of the storyline takes place in a Library where an overdue book is being returned and that is all I am going to say to not give away any more of the book.

14.
5 stars
Being Mortal is a collection of short stories about how people handle getting older and how the system can either make it worse or better for them. I found this book and Atul Gawande's insight on people's lives to be very thought-provoking. From my personal experience, so much of the book hit home. I grew up in hospitals and nursing homes. My Mother had lots of health problems before she passed as well as a lot of my other relatives. I spent a lot of holidays and birthdays growing up in waiting rooms and eating in the cafeterias. From those observations alone I knew that growing old all depends on you are living your life with grace or fighting it all the way.

My Grandmother and my Mother also worked in nursing homes so I was put to work as a volunteer when they needed an extra hand in an area that did not require a payroll person. That showed me the beautiful and very ugly side of people and that too lightly touched in the book.

I highly recommend this book to anyone in the medical field and to premed students.

15.
4 stars
This was a well-researched book. The chapters are broken down into different time periods of his life and show the home man as well as political Washington. It also includes people that came along and influenced his path in life and political adversaries. I enjoyed the illustrations throughout the book but I do have one complaint. I would have liked better maps of the areas. Some of them just pinpoint the direct area and a full picture of the whole territory would have been nice to see now and then.

----------------------------------
In Memory of
Regina Lindsey rated it four stars and her review.
This is a good broad view of the life of the MAN George Washington rather than the mythological figure with which most people are familiar. Beginning with life in England the reader has an opportunity to see what changes take place in his life as he develops the philosophy from which Washington will govern.

16.
4 stars
Between 1954 and 1956 a farmer named Annie Wilkins, along with two horses and her dog, started her journey of over 4,000 miles from her home state of Maine to California so she could see the Pacific Ocean before she died. This was against the wishes of her doctor who told her she did not have long to live so take it easy and rest. She faced some hardships, fears, love, and respect along the way. Annie is a feisty woman with a lot of determination.
The story is fascinating and well put together but a dry read.

17.
3 stars
Taken from the book "Every Tool’s a Hammer" is a chronicle of my life as a maker. It’s an exploration of making, but it’s also a permission slip of sorts from me to you. Permission to grab hold of the things you’re interested in, that fascinate you, and to dive deeper into them to see where they lead you."
The best way to describe this book is the tell you the titles of some of the chapters.
Chapter 1: Dig Through the Bottom of the Rabbit Hole
Chapter 4: Use More Cooling Fluid
Chapter 7: Increase Your Loose Tolerance
Chapter 9: Share
Chapter 10: See Everything, Reach Everything

If you are looking for an Autobiography then you might not like this book. Yes, it does have a few facts of his childhood and Adult life sprinkled in here and there. Overall it is a book about his mind and how it processes and him giving you permission to get into there find what you like to do and create without worry.

18.
1 star
I read this fast, not because it was that good, but because I did not like it and wanted to get it over with. I did not care for the style of writing, the layout of the book, or the over-the-top unnecessary details plus it is nonemotion matter-of-fact storytelling.
The story itself is very interesting is why I finished the book.
In 1998 a young man is killed, in 1999 Two bodies were found in a burned trailer house, two girls go missing, and in 2015 a reporter decided to ask questions and find answers.

19.
1 star
This is one of those books you either get it or you don't, I did not get it.
I am not going to try and write a synopsis so this is taken from the book.
"On a Lake deep in Minnesota's north woods, John and Kathy Wade are trying to reassemble their lives. John, a rising political star, has just suffered a devastating electoral defeat. Kathy attempts to comfort her husband, but soon it becomes apparent that something is horribly wrong between them, that they have hidden too much from each other. " " Then one day Kathy vanishes. "
I will say the first page grabbed me but with each turn of a page, I became lost, confused, frustrated, and disinterested in the characters and storyline. The layout is very strange plus you can't complete a full picture of what the heck is going on because of all the jumping around in time.

20.
3 stars
Taken from the book.
"Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata--a mermaid--collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home.

But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi goes against an ancient decree and does the unthinkable--she saves his life. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy the gods."

The beautiful cover caught my eye and the synopsis made me want to read it. Very happy I did, Mermaid stories just fascinate me. I did enjoy much of this book but some things just did not connect. The characters were underdeveloped and they needed more background story.
It is The Little Mermaid Story set in West African mythology so, more developed characters, background story, and explanations of the mythology part would have given the storyline a little more understanding.

I will read this next one in the series in hopes that more light will be shinned on some of Simi's beliefs and ways of life and why she is the way she is.

21.
3 stars
A good reference book with a short summary of who and what kind of God, Beast, Creature, etc they are and who their parents are or what they were made from. The author uses humor which I think is a nice touch. If you are wanting stories then this is not a book for you but again, a good reference book.

22.
2 stars
David Stukel was murdered on September 16, 1968, at the age of fourteen. This is a horrible crime committed by two very sick men, Billy Rose Sprinkle and James Perruquet.
I got tired of the excuse of not having a great family life being used for Billy and James' actions.
I did not care for the layout of the story. I did like the fact that he took the time to interview people that knew David, it showed what a nice kid he was and liked by many plus the Author knew David too. Pictures are sprinkled throughout the book of David, his family, his friends, his killer, and the killer's accomplice.

23.
4 stars
This is the story of Bailey in his words as he sees the world around him. He is taken in by 8-year-old Ethan and his family. This is a Children's book and is broken down into a smaller(kid-friendly) book series from the adult book "A Dog's Purpose" so it would be easier for children to get through.
I enjoyed this touching story and I liked how the author keeps it real by showing the good and bad in humans.

24.
3 stars
This is a, in your face, real look into the life of Wolves, the good, the bad, and very ugly.
The book is a bit depressing but it does have a few feel-good moments. I am giving it three stars because stories like this one need to be heard and told. I just wish it would have not been such a dry read.

"She Collapsed in the shelter of a brilliant red huckleberry bush"

25.
1 star
This book is a collection of Science Fiction short stories. I can see why so many liked/loved this book and I can see why so many disliked/hated this book. I struggled to finish but happy I did. Written in the 1950s the robot concept part is wow for the time. What I did not like is the presentation of the storyline. It lacks a full picture of what is going on at times and overkill of details other times.
I liked the movie and the book is nothing like the movie other than it does paint a picture of what could go wrong or right in a robot world.

26.
5 stars

I enjoyed reading about the experiences of everyone involved with the Apollo 8 spaceship before and after arriving in space. In parts of the book, it reads like a fiction book, this is a nice touch, it gives a full picture of the families on earth and what the astronauts are going through. Book has a nice collection of pictures in the back and an Apollo 8 Glossary. This Children's book is put together well and gives a well-rounded look into the mission to beat the Russian cosmonauts on the space race.

27.
5 stars and added to favorites.
This is a follow-up book of The Dog Who Rescues Cats: True Story of Ginny. It goes into what happened to him and Ginny after they became well known and the talk shows they went on plus the blizzard of 1996 and what all they did to keep helping the cats. I really enjoyed reading about the Blessing of the Animals service they attended. Gives updates on the cats they took in and live with them. I will warn you one of the stories does not have a happy ending so if you can't handle those types of stories then skip the book. It's hard to believe his first book came out in 1995 and this book came out in 1997. I wish I would have gotten to this book sooner but I did not and it was bittersweet reading about a wonderful Dog knowing she passed away in August of 2005.

28.
1 star
** spoiler alert **

The writing is wonderful, the author pulls you in and does not let go until the very end. I just wish I liked the story. It is a typical story, a child finds a dog, grows to love the dog, the dog saves humans(even the stupid humans), a human finds the correct dog owner, and a discussion has to be made and the real owner gives up the dog. Put in a couple of bullies, a woman who must hush the fighting men and top it all off with a man with a gun who "knows better" about what to do, shot first, and ask questions later. Yep, I really hated this story.

29.
3 stars
W. Bruce Cameron gives you a fun story about a feisty Dog and a naive human. It can be a quick read for an adult and a good chapter book for a child. It does point out the importance of adoption and not giving up.

30.
3 stars
Taken from the book. "In July 2018, twelve boys and their football coach disappeared into Tham Luang Cave in Thailand. Trapped miles beneath the surface, not even that Thai Navy SEALS had the skills to bring them to safety. With the floodwater rising rapidly, time was running out..."
The book is about leading up to the rescue, during the rescue, and a little about after the rescue. Also has a few stories about other cave diving explorations and people he has met during those and other adventures. The story is good and gives a lot of background information on what all had to be done to even start the rescue and during the rescue. Rick Stanton comes across as arrogant at times and does a little bashing here and there.
I wish more acknowledgment would have been given to Petty Officer Saman Gunan who lost consciousness and passed away on his way out of the Tham Luang cave complex, where he had been delivering air tanks.

31.
1 star
Written nearly 300 years ago. I Stopped reading on page 63 because I did not like it even a little bit.

32.
1 star
I knew in the first three chapters I was not going to like this book even a little bit but I kept going. Yep, I hated it. I did not like the storyline and the time travel aspect, it gave no real concept of just what the plan was when doing the time travel. Was it to heal, change things, witness what happened, or something else? I got lost so many times on what was going on I almost gave up. I will say after finishing this large book I am not sure if I made the right choice in pushing through it, I did not get anything out of it and remember very little.

33.
3 stars
I don't know what I was expecting when I started this book but I was not prepared for what I read. It is both thought-provoking and boring. Yes, I know, how can a book be both? This is how I can relate to a lot and other parts I can't. Nora Seed is overthinking and torturing herself by reliving too much in her life. In the moment choices are just that, in the moment choices, good grief move on, and live in the day and move on. Just try not to repeat the bad, stupid, and dangerous choices then smile and enjoy the good, beautiful, and inspiring choices. I know easier said than done. I deal with myself so I can relate to this part.

I will give you a couple of quotes that had my full attention.

"Nora had always had a problem accepting herself. From as far back as she could remember, she'd had the sense that she wasn't enough.'

"She imagined seeing herself as just another brilliant freak of nature."

I can't put my finger on just why I can't give it more stars maybe it is my mindset. This has been a stress-filled year for me and it is only four months in then not been truly prepared to read about a woman's rehashing her whole life choices all while preparing to die. Just wrong timing is all I can say.

34.
1 star
The following two quotes are taken from the book.
"The Buried Giant begins as a couple set off across a troubled land of mist and rain in the hope of finding a son they have not seen in years."

"Sometimes savage, often intensely moving, Kazuo Ishiguro's first novel in nearly a decade is about lost memories, love, revenge, and war."

It felt like it took me forever to finish this book and I will admit I found myself skimming here and there. The story is there but slow-moving and at times too complex to follow.
This is my second Kazuo Ishiguro book to read I gave the first one-star too so Ishiguro is not an Author for me.

35.
5 stars
What happened to the Librarian?
I am enjoying this series my Grandson introduced me to. Not over the top scary but gives you the chills. Good book/series for kids fourth grade and up.

36.
1 star
I liked the brief description of the book and I love the fact that it is set in the Appalachian mountains. I did not like what I read.

A very Honry woman meets a man and has sex with him right then and there moves on to drama drama drama more sex sex sex all while trying to be good Christians and make sense of their lives. I got bored out of my mind and could care less about any of the characters. There are a couple of more small storylines but ugg not even worth talking about, they are just cliches of mountain people and life.

37.
5 stars
I find it hard to write a synopsis for a book that has lots of them already out there so I am going to give a brief one. A Government Man's brother has been allegedly poisoned so the agency is investigating the who, and why. Precious Ramotswe has decided that her fiance is a good man and is going to marry him but things become complicated.

I enjoyed this book, the humor is just right and I sure like that sassy, the two are a good mix. I would have liked some of the scenes of the book to be at a faster pace is my only complaint.
1 like

38.
2 stars
Taken from the book.
"Park ranger Anna Pigeon returns, in a mystery that unfolds in and around Lake Superior, in whose chilling depths sunken treasure comes with a deadly price. In her latest mystery, Nevada Barr sends Ranger Pigeon to a new post amid the cold, deserted, and isolated beauty of Isle Royale National Park, a remote island off the coast of Michigan known for fantastic deep-water dives of wrecked sailing vessels. "

In a remote area Isle Royale National Park, in Lake Superior, A man named Denny Castle is found floating dead in a lake. With a lot of suspects, Anna finds herself once again putting the puzzle together on who and why Denny was killed.

I did enjoy some of this book but I just could not get into it all of it. It has a touch of romance, a touch of drama, a touch of working life, and a touch of trying to put it all together and live life. I had some issues with some of the interactions being pushed and overdone but overall just found most of the book boring and the story done to death.

39.
3 stars
A nice little collection of short stories of Jamie Davis Whitmer's adventures while staying in haunted hotels. Whitmer gives a brief history of the hotel, its location, and its inhabitants that may or may not be doing the haunting. She also provides eyewitness accounts plus her own feelings and experiences while on her stay. It is a good book if you are looking for a tour guide type book but if you are looking for a don't read before bed scary book then pass on this book. Yes, it has a couple of spooky stories but overall, just to get to know the Hotel and the ghost book.

40.
4 stars
Brad and Barry Klinge are paranormal investigators and are on a television show called "Ghost Lab". "Chasing Ghosts Texas Style" gives you an open, honest look into their lives filming the show and how and why they become obsessed with the paranormal. I enjoyed that they told their own background stories and gave a behind-the-scenes look at some of their cases. They had to deal with some very strange assurances and fake people. I enjoyed the book as much as I enjoyed the TV show but have room for improvement. I would have liked updates on what happened after the show aired and after they left the investigation in the book and less background music and talk while playing the recordings.

41.
5 stars
WOW just WOW, this is by far the most upfront in your face, raw, celebrity book I have read in a very long time. The first half of the book is about her growing up in a dysfunctional family and the abuse she, her mother, and her siblings had to endure. The second part of the book was a little bit of a letdown, in some places it felt like a list, I would have liked more storytelling and insight like the first half. I am still giving it five stars because I have new eyes and an understanding of where she comes from plus I admire her don't quit, give it all you got, don't back down and her, this is me take it or leave it way of life.

42.
1 star
A wolf/dog story set in the middle of a drama filled human world that has been described in excruciating details. I had a hard time finishing this book, I had to put it down many times. I could not get into the story because of the jumping back and forth story lines and unnecessary details.

43.
1 star
Horrible storyteller. I felt like I was reading a child's take on very graphic events, no beginning, middle or end, just all over the place story after story with very little full picture. I did not finish reading the last to chapters, just skimmed. It just got to the point of, I don't care.

44.
3 stars
Aaron Sanchez does a good job on giving you a little look into his childhood. He also talks about his mother, Zarela and her love for cooking plus the success she found when she moved to NY. Aaron also goes into his wrongs, rights and dealing with depression all while becoming the Man and Chef he is.
I was not surprised about a lot of content and his paths, good and bad, but I did learn some things about him I had not heard before. I like that he gives a very honest, raw look into his life and that he put a few recipes throughout the book. I would have liked a little more of a peek into the behind the scenes of each show that he has been involved in. Overall, I was pleased with the book.