I picked up this book because I'm from Baltimore and it's about the 1980-1981 Dunbar High School Poet's Basketball team, which is in Baltimore. I had I picked up this book because I'm from Baltimore and it's about the 1980-1981 Dunbar High School Poet's Basketball team, which is in Baltimore. I had not actually realized that Muggsy Bogues, who went on to play for my alma mater Wake Forest, was also on that team. That was just an extra bonus of enjoyment for me.
I really just like inspirational sports stories, and this book following a high school team that wound up yielding 4 NBA players was something I would have enjoyed even if I had no other connections to it. Danois does a really good job of following the players as well as their coach, Bob Wade. He of course writes about their games and the work they do as a team, but also the challenges these players face as their city gets overtaken by the crack epidemic.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves sports stories.
Merged review:
I picked up this book because I'm from Baltimore and it's about the 1980-1981 Dunbar High School Poet's Basketball team, which is in Baltimore. I had not actually realized that Muggsy Bogues, who went on to play for my alma mater Wake Forest, was also on that team. That was just an extra bonus of enjoyment for me.
I really just like inspirational sports stories, and this book following a high school team that wound up yielding 4 NBA players was something I would have enjoyed even if I had no other connections to it. Danois does a really good job of following the players as well as their coach, Bob Wade. He of course writes about their games and the work they do as a team, but also the challenges these players face as their city gets overtaken by the crack epidemic.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves sports stories....more
After transferring schools late in her college career Haley moves in with her older brother and his roommate Cade. Haley and Cade are immediately drawAfter transferring schools late in her college career Haley moves in with her older brother and his roommate Cade. Haley and Cade are immediately drawn to each other, but he's a well known player and is under strict instructions from Haley's brother to leave her alone. If you're into romance novels with a lot of sex then this is a good book for you. I thought the story was okay. There's less of the romantic build-up in this book than romances I prefer because it's more focused on the erotic. Also I did not buy the college part of this story at all. It's obviously been a very long time since this author has been in college.
Merged review:
After transferring schools late in her college career Haley moves in with her older brother and his roommate Cade. Haley and Cade are immediately drawn to each other, but he's a well known player and is under strict instructions from Haley's brother to leave her alone. If you're into romance novels with a lot of sex then this is a good book for you. I thought the story was okay. There's less of the romantic build-up in this book than romances I prefer because it's more focused on the erotic. Also I did not buy the college part of this story at all. It's obviously been a very long time since this author has been in college....more
This book is very loosely inspired by the real life story of a friendship that developed between a Confederate soldier's wife and a Union officer. ThiThis book is very loosely inspired by the real life story of a friendship that developed between a Confederate soldier's wife and a Union officer. This book feels like a bit of a departure from normal Chris Bohjalian books in that it's a pretty straightforward book without any big twists. While I enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about the experience of the Civil War through the novel, I think I found the author's note more interesting than the book itself. Made me sort of wish it was a non-fiction book about the actual people the story was based on....more
I get what the author was trying to do with this book in highlighting someone who has internalized what it means to be a man and is struggling with hiI get what the author was trying to do with this book in highlighting someone who has internalized what it means to be a man and is struggling with his own internalized homophobia. However, I just could not get past the whole thing where a character falls for his school bully and says that he had feelings for him even back when he was being bullied. Both characters also keep talking about how much this relationship means to them despite really barely knowing each other, getting in constant fights, and then having sex. Nothing about the relationship felt healthy to me. ...more
After revealing that she was once in a cult on the Drama Queens, One Tree Hill rewatch podcast of which she is a co-host, Lenz decided to write this bAfter revealing that she was once in a cult on the Drama Queens, One Tree Hill rewatch podcast of which she is a co-host, Lenz decided to write this book about her experiences being the cult at the same time she was on the show. She does a good joy of trying to dissect why she and other people are susceptible to being lured into these types of situations and how the leaders prey on certain vulnerabilities. I did think it was a little odd that she never used her ex-husband's name in the book despite it being public knowledge and that she gave her child an alias when she uses her name on the podcast all the time or if that's an alias that she didn't use the same one. I get why she says she gave aliases to other people though. ...more
When she was a teenager a fortune teller told Frances she would be murdered, and she spent the next 60 years convinced that the fortune was true and tWhen she was a teenager a fortune teller told Frances she would be murdered, and she spent the next 60 years convinced that the fortune was true and trying to figure out who her killer would be. Then on the very day her great-niece Annie, who has never met her, and a number of other people are summoned to her house to discuss her will, she does indeed turn up murdered. Now Annie is determined to figure out who murdered her aunt, but it may put her in danger as well. The story switches back and forth from the present day with Annie's story and Frances' story starting with her murderous fortune and what happened after that when one of her friends goes missing. Could the two things be connected? A lot of this book seemed very contrived, but it was sort of a fun little mystery....more
It's 1974. Jenny and Nick are an unlikely pair to travel around Europe together. She's a college dropout hoping to find a new life for herself, and heIt's 1974. Jenny and Nick are an unlikely pair to travel around Europe together. She's a college dropout hoping to find a new life for herself, and he's a World War I veteran hoping to right a wrong from all those many years ago and he hires her as his companion for the trip. There is also the story of Enzo who created something called the Museum of Tears in Naples. It's pretty easy to figure out early on how the two stories will eventually entwine, but I don't think it's meant to be any big mystery. I have some quibbles about the end of the book, but overall I found it to be an enjoyable read that created a good sense of time and place....more
Dave Holmes writes a memoir that covers his childhood through present day including his years working as an MTV VJ. He frames the book using songs, whDave Holmes writes a memoir that covers his childhood through present day including his years working as an MTV VJ. He frames the book using songs, which I thought was an interesting and fun way to do it. Although at times I did lose track of the songs being used. He talks a lot about how he never felt like he fit in throughout most of his life. It was an entertaining memoir and definitely of interest to people who themselves feel like they are the odd man out.
Merged review:
Dave Holmes writes a memoir that covers his childhood through present day including his years working as an MTV VJ. He frames the book using songs, which I thought was an interesting and fun way to do it. Although at times I did lose track of the songs being used. He talks a lot about how he never felt like he fit in throughout most of his life. It was an entertaining memoir and definitely of interest to people who themselves feel like they are the odd man out....more
Another excellent Chinese historical fiction book by Lisa See. This time the book is based on a real life woman doctor from 15th century China whose mAnother excellent Chinese historical fiction book by Lisa See. This time the book is based on a real life woman doctor from 15th century China whose medicines were saved in a book and based down through the centuries. As my historical education was very European history based I always appreciate getting to learn a little bit more about other cultures throughout history....more
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