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Reviews for January 2025: New Year, New Author
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This Lovely City – Louise Hare – 4****
Hare’s debut work captured me from beginning to end. There are several twists in the story as we learn a bit about these young people’s background and history, and watch their relationship mature. London shortly after the war is still experiencing rationing. And while the Jamaicans who have come to London were invited to come (and are British subjects), they are not necessarily welcomed by all the residents. Prejudice and discrimination are the rule rather than the exception, and things get ugly. But these two face the future with hope.
LINK to my full review
Squeeze Me-Brittany Cournoyer
Part of the Bears-4U Series
Genera: M/M Romance/Daddy/boy
5★
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop4 stars
If you don't know who Kelly Bishop is, you have probably seen her as the mother in Dirty Dancing and in one of my favorite television series as the mother in Gilmore Girls. She started her career as a dancer and there is a lot of that here in the book, actually more talk about her early days when no one knew here and not really very much about her more well-known roles. She talks a lot about her relationships but seldom gives names. There is seldom any negativity in this book. She loves everything and everybody and admits she's had a very lucky life. At times I was bored with this book, but I love the characters she has played.
Risk The Fall - Riley Hart - (Oregon)
Narrator: Kale Williams
Genera: M/M Romance/Drug & Violence in Parts
4★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir by Griffin Dunne4 stars
The author's father is the well-known author, Dominick Dunne. He has an equally well-known aunt, author Joan Didion. There is never a dull moment in this book. He has many celebrity people in his life and knows all the gossip about them. Ordinarily, I might say there is a lot of name-dropping in this book (which there is) but this guy has really spent his life surrounded by famous people. There is a section of the book that is dedicated to the murder of his beloved sister by her boyfriend. It is not overly detailed so if you want to know more about the murder or read an unbiased version, there are probably other books or articles about it. While it is a lengthy book, it seems to end abruptly around 1990 with the birth of his daughter and just briefly mentions his parents and aunt and uncle's deaths in the acknowledgements. He does not mention his divorce from Carey Lowell or subsequent marriage that lasted only a year or his many professional accounts after that year. Perhaps a subsequent memoir is in the planning stage?
1.
The K team by David Rosenfelt
3 stars
This is my first book to read by David Rosenfelt, so I am not familiar with Andy Carpenter.
This book is about Andy Carpenter's wife Laurie, her former partner Detective Corey Douglas and his K9 partner Simon Garfunkel who all become private detectives. Andy Carpenter does make an appearance now and then but not enough to really tell me about his character.
Overall, I found the book to be ok. The case they were investigating was not predicable and not laid out very well. That being said, I am going to give the series another chance, this is just the first book in this series, so I am just going to look at it as a set up book. Simon the K9 does not make much as an impact as I would like but I sure did enjoy the one major placement of his character at the end of the book. That alone needs a star so giving the book three stars.
The Chestnut Man - Soren Sveistrup - (Denmark)
Genera: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
4.5★
Possible Trigger: Mutilation
Reviews: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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The Measure – Nikki Erlick – 5*****
It begins with a surprise delivery. All over the world, adults receive a box. A seemingly plain wooden box with an inscription: The measure of your life lies within. Will knowing your relative fate help you live your best life? Will it hinder you? This is a remarkable debut work of literary fiction. I don’t remember the last time a work of literature made me think so long and hard about my life, my goals, my experiences, my dreams.
LINK to my full review
The Ballad of Tom Black - Victor Lavalle - (New York)
Genea: Paranormal/Dark Fantasy/Novella
3★
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Normal People - Sally Rooney
Genre: Psychological Fiction
Rating: 3/5
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
1 star
Taken from the Goodreads synopsis "Pachinko follows one Korean family through the generations, beginning in early 1900s Korea with Sunja, the prized daughter of a poor yet proud family, whose unplanned pregnancy threatens to shame them all. Deserted by her lover, Sunja is saved when a young tubercular minister offers to marry and bring her to Japan.
So begins a sweeping saga of an exceptional family in exile from its homeland and caught in the indifferent arc of history. Through desperate struggles and hard-won triumphs, its members are bound together by deep roots as they face enduring questions of faith, family, and identity."
One big family drama carried on through one generation to the next. I found this book to be very depressing and lacking happiness in any one's life. The family focus in looks, money, what they can get out of other people’s relationships, OH and getting laid. I don't see the big deal and why so many people love or liked this book. Characters are shallow, the whole story was overwilling and I finished it because it a challenge book, otherwise I would have stopped reading about halfway through the book.
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Second Chance Grill – Christine Nolfi – 2.5** rounded up
The plot is both typical and unrealistic (think Hallmark movie), but the book fit a couple of challenges. Perfect light romance to fill the time. Glad to get this one off the tbr.
LINK to my full review
Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead - Jenny Hollander - (New York)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Psychological Thriller
4.5★
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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What Would Frida Do? – Arianna Davis – 2**
Subtitle: A Guide to Living Boldly. This is a selection for my Hispanic book club. It’s a combination biography and self-help guide. Frankly, I could do without the self-help advice, and would rather read a straight-on biography of Frida Kahlo.
LINK to my full review
2 stars
The Merlin of St. Gilles' Well (Joan of Arc Tapestries #1)
by Ann Chamberlin (
The writing is wonderful, but the title and the synopsis is misleading. This is a set up book leading you up to Joan of Arc. The book is more about trying to hang on the pagan beliefs while fighting against the Christain ways. I am not going to read any more of this series because of this book, it has too much fiction fantasy and lacks any connecting to the why people feel about powers of the two beliefs Christian and Pagan to give a full picture of why people are fighting for their ways. Overall, the story lacks the energy for such a tell.
Cross Her Heart - Melinda Leigh - (New York/Pennsylvania)
Bree Taggart series Book #1
Genera: Mystery & Suspense
5★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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World of Wonders – Aimee Nezhukumatathil – 5*****
Subtitle: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments. I loved this collection of essays about the natural world. Nezhukumatathil’s writing transported me to various scenes – from tropical jungles to Arctic oceans to urban parks and my own backyard. I got this book from the library to read for my book club, but I’m going to buy a copy to keep (and maybe a few more to give as gifts). And I look forward to reading more of her writing.
LINK to my full review
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Orbiting Jupiter – Gary D Schmidt – 4****
When Jack Hurd is in sixth grade, his parents agree to take in a foster child, Joseph Brook, on their Maine farm. Joseph is in eighth grade, has been in juvenile detention (convicted of attacking a teacher), and has a daughter, Jupiter, out there, somewhere. What a wonderful coming-of-age story this is! Though the circumstances are sad and tug at the heartstrings, there are moments of hope and even joy for Joseph and for Jack, who narrates the story.
LINK to my full review
The Kiss Curse - Erin Sterling
Graves Glen Series Book #2
Genera: Small town Rom Com Romance/Witches/Magic
3★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Grab a Book & Play Booktivity!
Books mentioned in this topic
The Kiss Curse (other topics)Orbiting Jupiter (other topics)
World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments (other topics)
Cross Her Heart (other topics)
The Merlin of St. Gilles' Well (other topics)
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Our January 2025 theme is:
New Year: Read a book by a new-to-you author.
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