Library Lovers discussion

New year of book reading!

Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard
Tom Felton
4/5 stars
Tom Felton relates his acting career and the ups and downs of being a child actor, especially being in one of the most popular movie series of all times. Nicely written and very interesting!

Paper Money – Ken Follett – 2.5**
Before he rocketed to fame with Eye of the Needle , Ken Follett published a couple of crime novels under a pseudonym: Zachary Stone. In this one he explores how crime, high finance and journalism are connected through corruption, with the action taking place in a single day. The relatively small volume is tightly packed, with a dozen (or more) characters and a complex plot, which tested my ability to focus. I’m not sure the mid-1970s plot has stood the test of time very well.
LINK to my full review

Flower Net – Lisa See – 3***
Before she rocketed to fame with Snow Flower and the Secret Fan See wrote a short series of mysteries, of which this is the first. What I liked most about this book was the look at China – from karaoke bars to the neighborhoods housing the working class, from high-powered businessmen to prostitutes, See gave the reader a look under the blanket of the typical tourist-friendly experience. The plot is convoluted and full of twists and turns, as much political intrigue as murder mystery. Not her best book, but it held my attention.
LINK to my full review

The Sweetness of Water – Nathan Harris – 5*****
In his debut work, Harris explores rural Georgia shortly after the end of the Civil War, when slaves had been emancipated and Union soldiers moved in to enforce the terms of surrender and “reconstruct” the South. Full of complex characters and gripping scenes that move the plot forward, this is a marvelous debut. Harris explores moral dilemmas and the difficulties of trying to do the right thing against a post-war upheaval and tension. He gives us characters with strong principles who can be blind to their flaws, some of whom overcome and some who give in to those weaknesses.
LINK to my full review

Can you pin THIS thread to the top and UNpin the 2022 thread?

Button, Button: Uncanny Stories
Richard Matheson
4/5 stars
I have always enjoyed Matheson's eerie stories and this one does not disappoint. This book is a compilation of dark short stories, one which became a film and a Twilight episode. Very enjoyable!

Book Concierge wrote: "Can you pin THIS thread to the top and UNpin the 2022 thread?"

I am not the moderator for the site - I just added the 2023 Reads and Reviews since no one else did. I am not sure how to pin it to the top.

Julie wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "Can you pin THIS thread to the top and UNpin the 2022 thread?"

I am not the moderator for the site - I just added the 2023 Reads and Reviews since no one else did. I am not ..."

Mod hasn't posted in this group since January 2022. They are still on Goodreads but may not monitor this group.

Staff has the ability to add a moderator if someone wants to volunteer
https://www.goodreads.com/about/conta...

The Highway
C.J. Box
4/5 stars
Cassie Dewell, investigator, is on the lookout for 2 girls who have disappeared driving on a Montana highway. Can she find them and her ex-partner Cody Hoyt? I really enjoyed this and I look forward to the rest of the series.

Whip Hand – Dick Francis – 3***
Book # 2 in the Sid Halley series. The plot is intricate and includes a couple of different mysteries, both of which involve unscrupulous business dealings and which involve Sid’s two loves: his ex-wife Jenny and thoroughbred racing. Sid is forced to face his greatest fears and answer for himself: Is there anything you’re afraid of?
LINK to my full review

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Lady In Waiting – Anne Glenconner – 3.5***
Subtitle: My Extraordinary Life In the Shadow of the Crown. Glenconner has spent her life as an intimate friend of the royal family. As a child she played with Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. She served as a Maid of Honor for Elizabeth II’s Coronation, and as Lady in Waiting to Princess Margaret. She was married to Colin Tennant, Lord Glenconner, and they bought an developed the Caribbean island, Mustique – THE place where Jet-setters escaped in the 1970s-‘80s. A fascinating autobiography.
LINK to my full review

This Time Next Year We’ll Be Laughing – Jacqueline Winspear – 4****
Jacqueline Winspear, perhaps best known for her Maisie Dobbs cozy mystery series, turns to autobiography / memoir in this wonderful work. With honesty, humor, tenderness and compassion she explores her family background and her own childhood in the English countryside. I doubt I would have picked up this heartfelt and touching memoir were it not a book-club selection. I’m so glad I read it, and I think knowing Winspear’s own background will give me additional insight into her fictional characters.
LINK to my full review

Naughty in Nice – Rhys Bowen – 3***
Book five in the Her Royal Spyness cozy mystery series had Lady Georgiana Rannoch headed to the Riviera to try to retrieve a snuffbox that has been stolen from Queen Mary’s collection. I came late to this party, but I’m really enjoying this series. Bowen took inspiration from some real-life historical coincidences to build her mystery. Coco Chanel really did spend time in Nice with her business partner Vera Bate Lombardi; she really did put on a fashion show that featured jewels on loan from Queen Mary. I enjoyed hobnobbing with these people as much as Georgie did!
LINK to my full review

The Boxcar Children – Gertrude Chandler Warner – 4****
This is the first in a very popular series for children. First published in 1942 it introduces readers to the four orphaned siblings: Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny. They may be alone except for one another but they are very resourceful and work well as a team. It’s a grand adventure and a charming story with a happy ending.
LINK to my full review

Neither Here Nor There – Bill Bryson – 2**
Subtitle: Travels in Europe. First published in 1993, this is not aged well. I’ve read several of Bryson’s books and found some of them hugely entertaining. But not this one. He seems far too snide and complaining, the “Ugly American” come to life.
LINK to my full review

Being Dead Is No Excuse – Gayden Metcalfe and Charlotte Hays – 3***
"The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral" is charming and has some great casserole recipes. Metcalfe and Hays have crafted a charming book on the etiquette of funerals in the South, specifically in the Delta, from the proper hymns to sing, to the use of Cream of Mushroom soup, to the power of the restorative cocktail. They sprinkle in a wealth of anecdotes on colorful friends and relatives who have had proper send-offs and give us the recipes to create our own funeral masterpieces. Funny and informative.
LINK to my full review

Cooking With My Sisters – Adriana Trigiani – 3***
Trigiani is well-known for her fiction, frequently drawing from her family history to draw her characters and launch her plots. This book is a combination of memoir and cookbook, in which she relates many family stories and provides the recipes that bring back those memories. A delicious treat.
LINK to my full review

Did someone add themselves as moderator? Or am I moding in my sleep?

Lady ♥ Belleza wrote: "Did someone add themselves as moderator? Or am I moding in my sleep?"

I did not though I could unless you want to!

Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir
Ruth Reichl
5/5 stars
I love Ruth Reichl and this book doesn’t disappoint. Ruth relates her life at Gourmet magazine from her beginnings there to when the magazine closed. The funny thing is that I remember when that happened because I was in charge of the magazine department at my library around that time. Gourmet was not the only serial to fold and we have lost a lot of magazines and it continues on as a lot of magazines have reverted to being online only. Reichl is an amazing author and I highly recommend her books!

Julie wrote: "Lady ♥ Belleza wrote: "Did someone add themselves as moderator? Or am I moding in my sleep?"

I did not though I could unless you want to!"

I could add you as moderator since I'm rarely here. I have another group that takes up a lot of my time.

Anxious People – Fredrik Backman – 3***
It starts with a really bad idea born of desperation, follows a group of strangers at an apartment viewing who are now hostages, and the two police officers (father and son), who are trying to find the truth. It’s a bit chaotic, much as the real-life scenario would be, and the reader is kept guessing as to what really happened for most of the book. The ending is totally unrealistic, but nonetheless satisfying, as befits a fable.
LINK to my full review

Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont
Elizabeth Taylor
4/5 stars
Mrs. Palfrey has decided to move into a senior housing at her age. Her son and daughter live nearby but never seem to come and visit her. Fortunately, she meets a young man named Ludo when she was shopping at Harrods and he starts to visit her. Her friends from the home all seem to think he is her son but she doesn’t dissuade them either way. This was a sweet, sad novel and I enjoyed Taylor’s writing. I would read more of her.

Lady ♥ Belleza wrote: "Julie wrote: "Lady ♥ Belleza wrote: "Did someone add themselves as moderator? Or am I moding in my sleep?"

I did not though I could unless you want to!"

I could add you as moderator since I'm rar..."

I would be moderator here - it is a small group. Let me know what to do!

Cathedral Of the Sea – Ildefonso Falcones – 4****
Spanish journalists / reviewers have called Falcones “Spain’s new Dan Brown” or proclaimed “A new Ken Follett is born!” I can certainly see why those comparisons are made. This is an epic historical novel focusing on one character’s connection to the church, and more importantly to the Virgin Mary. It’s an engaging story that kept me turning pages – all 611 of them!
LINK to my full review

The Lincoln Highway – Amor Towles – 4****
This is a quest and a road trip, a saga of family and friendship, an exploration of morals and principles against temptations which are seemingly impossible to resist. It begins when Emmett and his younger brother Billy decide to set out for California and a new start in life. But their plan gets derailed when two friends show up and suggest a “side trip” to New York. The result is an odyssey worthy of Homer, but rather than ten years, THIS odyssey takes only ten days. I loved these characters, though I am not sure I like the ending, which leaves the reader to imagine what will happen next, and hungry for more details of future adventures.
LINK to my full review

The Big Door Prize – M.O. Walsh – 3***
My F2F book club chose this book for discussion; I knew nothing going into it and expected a charming, quirky character-driven ensemble of small-town Southern America. I got some of that, certainly, but so much more. There are some pretty heavy issues here, including unrealized dreams, peer pressure, drug abuse, and grief. There are scenes that are introspective and give the reader some insight into what these characters are thinking. Other scenes are light-hearted and break the tension. And there are very dramatic scenes that made me afraid to look, and more afraid to look away.
LINK to my full review

The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man: A Memoir by Paul Newman
3 stars


I can't say I'm a major Paul Newman fan. Paul Newman died in 2008, before he finished this memoir, and his family finished the project for him. If you are a fan, I think you will like this book, although he is not always the nice guy you think he is. The title An Extraordinary life, I don't feel is accurate. Having read many celebrity memoirs, I didn't feel that this one was the most interesting. I did like that he didn't dwell overly long on making his movies, and instead focused more on his personal life. Hats off to him for donating all of his profits from his salad dressing business to charity.

Book Concierge wrote: "

The Lincoln Highway
– Amor Towles – 4****
This is a quest and a road trip, a saga of family and friendship, an exploration of morals and principles aga..."

On my list!

Stay Where You Are, Then Leave – John Boyne – 3.5***
The Great War (WWI) began on Alfie Summerfield’s 5th birthday, with the result that few people attended his birthday party. That was okay … more cake for Alfie! This is a book suitable for middle-school children, but deals with some serious issues, including poverty among the families of fighting men, conscientious objectors and “shell shock” (now called PTSD). Alfie is a marvelous character. He’s curious, intelligent, a hard worker, resourceful and tenacious.
LINK to my full review

No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality by Michael J. Fox
5 stars


Michael J. Fox has written two memoirs before this, so I wondered what he could come up with that he hasn't already talked about. In this book, he focuses on his Parkinson's diagnosis, a disease he has dealt with for over 30 years. This book gave me new insights into what a Parkinson's patient goes through. I have two friends with this awful disease that takes so much away from young people.

This House Is Haunted – John Boyne – 3***
It is 1867 and Eliza Caine, whose father has just died and left her virtually penniless, responds to an advertisement for a governess position at Gaudlin Hall in Norfolk, England. In this work, Boyne focuses his considerable talent on writing a classic gothic ghost story, with a writing style that is reminiscent of Dickens and Bronte. Eliza is a great heroine. The big climax is a bit overdramatic, though typical of the genre. But the ending is downright chilling.
LINK to my full review

The Exiles – Christina Baker Kline – 3***
Historical fiction that looks at the issues of “transport” wherein women convicted of crimes were sent to Australia territories to “work off” their sentences. Kline also deals with the issues surrounding colonialist’s treatment of the indigenous population, with the story of Mathinna, the orphaned daughter of an Aboriginal chief, who is taken in by the new governor of Van Diemen’s Land (now known as Tasmania). The treatment these women endured was brutal and dehumanizing, but Kline’s characters band together to support one another and triumph.
LINK to my full review

An Elderly Lady Is Up To No Good – Helene Tursten – 3***
This was a book group selection so I was expecting a fun romp of a story, and was surprised by the murder. The book is actually a series of short stories, all featuring 88-year-old Maud and her interactions with various neighbors in her apartment building. It’s a fast read with an interesting premise.
LINK to my full review

All My Friends Are Going to Be Strangers
Larry McMurtry
3.5/5 stars
Danny Deck is going to have his first book published but his female relationships are not going as well as he planned. On top of all this turmoil he takes off, leaving Houston to hopefully get his life back on track.
Nicely written!

The World According to Bertie – Alexander McCall Smith – 3***
Book four in the 44 Scotland Street series continues the varied stories of the current (or former) residents of the apartment complex. What I love about the ensemble series is that each book gives us just a glimpse into their lives. We pick up where the last book left off, and end with many issues still unresolved. It’s the same way we encounter casual friends, catching up when we see them, but not knowing how things will turn out once we depart. And yet, happy to see them again and catch up once more.
LINK to my full review

Rubyfruit Jungle
Rita Mae Brown
3.5/5 stars
This is a coming of age story about Molly Bolt, a young woman adopted by a poor couple, living in the South who vows to go her own way and forge her own path and loves who she wants to without any regard to what her family and friends want for her. I have never read anything by this author but am looking forward to reading more of her and I feel this book though written in 1973 still holds up!

The Reading List – Sara Nisha Adams – 3.5***
A troubled teen with a summer job in the library and an aging widower who still feels lost without his wife forge an unlikely alliance based on a reading list found tucked into a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird . This is a very good debut for Adams. The characters are complex and have a variety of issues. On the surface one wouldn’t expect them to have anything in common or to be able to relate to one another at all. But Adams brings them together, first by happenstance, and slowly by shared experiences and their individuals needs for human connection.
LINK to my full review

4 stars from me, no review because it's pretty polarizing, but I tagged it recommended.

Ghostbuster's Daughter: Life with My Dad, Harold Ramis
Violet Ramis Stiel
4/5 stars
This was a very interesting book on the Ramis family and her father Harold Ramis who was probably best known as one of the Ghostbusters but was also involved in writing and directing. She relates her unusual rearing and also talks about her children and partners along with talking about her father’s many films.

Great Or Nothing – Joy McCullough, Caroline Tung Richmond, Tess Sharpe, Jessica Spotswood – 3***
This re-imagined Little Women set during World War II began when Jessica Spotswood posted a story idea she found daunting on Twitter. Her fellow authors joined with her to flesh out this story where Jo is queer and working in a factory, Amy has run away to join the Red Cross in London. With four authors, the four sisters had more equal roles than in the original work, which really focused on Jo. And, while the time frame is World War II, this is NOT a soldier’s story, but of how the women left behind dealt with their fears, and rose to the challenge of supporting those fighting overseas.
LINK to my full review

Beautiful On the Outside – Adam Rippon – 3.5***
Memoir of Olympic medalist and self-proclaimed America’s Sweetheart Adam Rippon. Gosh this was fun! Rippon details his life growing up as the oldest of six children, and the sacrifices his mother made to help him achieve his dream of making it to the Olympics. From his childhood in Scranton, Pennsylvania to the independent Adam being too poor to eat anything but the free apples at his gym, he covers it all with grace and humor, while sharing the life lessons he learned. Rippon is more than just a pretty face (and the world’s BEST spinner), he’s also a thoughtful and assertive spokesperson for LGBTQ rights. I’ve always loved his skating, but now I love HIM even more!
LINK to my full review

The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle – Matt Cain – 3***
A 64-year-old postman about to retire decides to make one more effort at finding his lost love. This was just delightful. My heart went out to Albert and I loved watching him bloom as he slowly made efforts to truly connect with the people on his route, and to begin searching for his lost love. Once Albert comes out of himself a bit he learns that many other people have struggles and face heartaches of their own. He learns much about compassion and friendship, and learns to open up and live rather than just exist. He certainly deserves his HEA!
LINK to my full review

Strangers On a Train – Patricia Highsmith – 4****
Two men meet on a train, and one is an alcoholic psychopath who proposes a plan for two perfect murders that will solve all their problems. It’s a wild ride. The suspense comes from one man’s clever and persistent pursuit of the other, not just as an accomplice to murder, but as a best friend. He behaves like a love-sick boy, and his careless actions are bringing an equally determined detective closer and closer to the truth. Will they truly get away with it? If not, who will get blamed? Who will crack first?
LINK to my full review

Last Night At the Telegraph Club – Malinda Jo – 4****
I really liked this YA work of historical fiction that focuses on the Chinese-American experience during the McCarthy Red-Scare period. Lily is a typical teen of the era, but somewhat naïve. When she stumbles on a book depicting a lesbian relationship she is puzzled, intrigued and excited. Coming out in this time period was not easy and fraught with danger. Though Lily starts out naïve and unsure, she shows herself to be principled, compassionate, and willing to stand up for herself. I really appreciated the author’s note at the end which detailed the history of the era.
LINK to my full review

Crocodile on the Sandbank
Elizabeth Peters
3.5/5 stars
Amelia Peabody, orphaned and who has inherited a fortune takes off on a trip to Cairo and is soon ensconced in a mystery after she meets Evelyn, a young woman who was dumped by her lover. Is there a plot against Evelyn? What is the mystery of a mummy running amok? Does Amelia have the grit to uncover these mysteries? Interesting story!

Paradise Valley
C.J. Box
4/5 stars
Cassie Dewell was working for the sheriff’s department in North Dakota while trying to apprehend the Lizard King, known for his kidnapping and murdering women but things fell apart and she is now on her own. In the meantime, a young man Kyle and his friend take off and are kidnapped by Ron Pergram. His grandma wants Cassie to look for them and so she tries to trail them and return them home. I am enjoying this series!

The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket – John Boyne – 3***
Eleanor and Alistair Brocket are perfectly normal, and that is what they want. But their youngest child, Barnaby, is decidedly and obviously “different.” This is a fable and a children’s adventure story full of improbable and exciting adventures but teaching a lesson about acceptance and compassion and courage. The entire story is a lesson on tolerance.
LINK to my full review

In on the Joke: The Original Queens of Standup Comedy
Shawn Levy
4/5 stars
Levy relates the fascinating tales of how these female comedians made it into show business. He includes Moms Mabley of the Black vaudeville circuit, Jean Carrol, Minnie Pearl, Sophie Tucker, Phyllis Diller, Elaine May, Totie Fields and Joan Rivers. He goes fairly in depth about their lives and careers.