I was lucky to find an edition that included the original artwork which enhanced the reading experience of this classic children's tale. Having never I was lucky to find an edition that included the original artwork which enhanced the reading experience of this classic children's tale. Having never read it but seen the movie multiple times, of course, it was interesting to note how well the movie followed the plot and descriptions created by Baum. I think this would be a good book to read aloud to kids and wish I'd done it with my boys....more
A mystery, not-so-much a thriller, more a character study of two damaged sisters. Two girls witness the murder of their mom and fear for their lives wA mystery, not-so-much a thriller, more a character study of two damaged sisters. Two girls witness the murder of their mom and fear for their lives when a couple of men break into their home. Pick up the story 20 years later, both girls have become lawyers in different towns. There's a school shooting and boy, does that bring up memories/issues/pain.
So the first 1/3 of the book is about the current tragedy and flashback to the sisters' tragedy; the middle 1/3+ is about their relationship with each other, a husband, their father, etc. The school shooting becomes irrelevant and isn't mentioned. Then the last few chapters return to the shooting and a resolution is presented.
The writing is excellent, the pace quick, the dialog believable between these two sisters who haven't seen each other for years; however, that middle section seemed longer than necessary. It didn't really move the mystery along at all, but it WAS a good 'therapy' exploration so if you like that much back story on the characters and their thought processes, this is a good pairing with the mystery....more
As with most short story collections, some were enjoyable and entertaining, a couple were weird with a too vague ending. The 8 stories run the gamut oAs with most short story collections, some were enjoyable and entertaining, a couple were weird with a too vague ending. The 8 stories run the gamut of fanciful to religion based so there's something for everyone....more
Just what I need, another detective thriller series to follow - and I will be reading this one. I got this as an Amazon first read a couple years ago Just what I need, another detective thriller series to follow - and I will be reading this one. I got this as an Amazon first read a couple years ago and am sorry it took me so long to get to it. It was gripping and I didn't guess the twist (though I knew there would have to be one) till the very end. Well played!
I liked the detective character - enough background given to fill him out and like him and I liked the psychological aspect.....playing with memory and how it might affect us. Really interesting.
Picked for a #PopSugar20 challenge and now I have to go find the next in the series!...more
3.5 stars - A cute kids story about a boy given a mysterious color changing orb by a mysterious magic shop owner with a note on how to "hatch" the orb3.5 stars - A cute kids story about a boy given a mysterious color changing orb by a mysterious magic shop owner with a note on how to "hatch" the orb - which is apparently a dragon's egg. A story about dragons (with some imaginative details) but also about love and friendship and letting something go. Read for a book challenge - needed a book with a rhyming title....more
The adventurous story of a young woman (19 yo) who leaves the US and her unhappy life of multiple foster homes and heads to Bolivia to teach. Once theThe adventurous story of a young woman (19 yo) who leaves the US and her unhappy life of multiple foster homes and heads to Bolivia to teach. Once there, she discovers her living conditions aren't much better and when she loses her teaching job, takes a job at a hostel. Lily meets an attractive, charming young man, Omar and when a family tragedy forces him to return to his remote village, Lily decides to go with him.
The rest of the book describes the shocking, unexpected life she is faced with living in the jungle. The writing makes the jungle real, makes the dangers and the beauties come alive. The small community don't take to Lily right away with her red hair and pale skin, but she's in love with Omar so decides to tough it out.
Evocative, slightly scary (those jungle critters!!), developing relationships, and Lily's personal growth make this a worthwhile read....more
An excellent fantasy, first in a trilogy, and I can't wait to read the rest! Loved the telling in first person as an old man looks back on his life anAn excellent fantasy, first in a trilogy, and I can't wait to read the rest! Loved the telling in first person as an old man looks back on his life and sometimes admits he doesn't remember an event clearly or he was drugged or injured so doesn't remember a situation....made it much more real.
Set in a fairly typical medieval type world of kings and princes (good & evil), neighboring countries vying for power or help from the King, raiding from enemies, etc. Within that familiar framework exists a quiet magical ability in a few and some who are trained to use it with strength.
The narrator, Fitz, is a little boy at the beginning of the story and this first of the trilogy is his COA segment as he grows up - he's the bastard of a favorite prince which does him no favors. He endures lessons, bullying, being ignored, and all the "Cinderella" type of behavior toward him, but in spite of it all he grows to be a honorable young man under the tutelage of the stablemaster who is another great character. Fitz's affinity and connection to animals is a wonderful part of him and a soft spot in the harsher storyline.
The plotting is excellent; the story moves steadily forward with enough intrigue and action and friendships made and betrayed to keep me constantly wanting to know what happens next. I can't wait to move on to the next.....So good (and recommended by my youngest son - thanks Eric!)
Reading challenge: #BooklistQueen: about politics and #Bookworm20: about an assassin...more
This book harkens back many years to a book he wrote about a super smart dog, Watchers. I remember being totally caught up in how smart that dog was! This book harkens back many years to a book he wrote about a super smart dog, Watchers. I remember being totally caught up in how smart that dog was! This time, sort of, but not quite as much. The dog is likeable and ultra smart and the twist of how it communicates is interesting. The autistic boy character seems a likely receptacle for the openness needed to communicate with the dog(s). I didn't like the genetic mutation of the bad guy as the antagonist.....so very contrived. And yet, it was a story that pulled me in and moved right along to a satisfying, if unsurprising, finish. ...more
3.5 stars - Although he's one of my favorite authors, this isn't one of my favorite books. Although it's peopled with his trademark quirky characters 3.5 stars - Although he's one of my favorite authors, this isn't one of my favorite books. Although it's peopled with his trademark quirky characters and they all have interesting issues and the plot premise is different, I just didn't love it. I didn't like ANY of the characters. That doesn't usually bother me but for some reason I just couldn't warm up to the story. ...more
Read 30 pages and just COULDN'T finish. Hated the writing. Though the forward made Wilde's personal story interesting, the book was NOT.Read 30 pages and just COULDN'T finish. Hated the writing. Though the forward made Wilde's personal story interesting, the book was NOT....more
I finally read this book! It's been on my radar for YEARS but I've been reluctant - I'm not a fan of 'classic' books. I found this one.....just okay. I finally read this book! It's been on my radar for YEARS but I've been reluctant - I'm not a fan of 'classic' books. I found this one.....just okay. The dated language didn't put me off as is often the case, and the story was generally interesting enough. However, told in the first person by the second Mrs de Winter (did we ever learn her name??), I found the story dragged quite a bit as she rambled through her dreams/nightmares and her many imaginings of what her life could/should be. Way too much of that. I can see why Mrs Danvers got her reputation and the way the estate, Manderley was practically a character in itself. I'm happy to be able to say I've read it, but don't think I'll be recommending it - didn't love it.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #ThomasandMercer for the advance copy of this book - the following opinions are my own.
Though this is the 5th in a series andThanks to #NetGalley and #ThomasandMercer for the advance copy of this book - the following opinions are my own.
Though this is the 5th in a series and I haven't read anything else by this author, this could totally be read as a standalone. I always appreciate when the author of a series doesn't spend half of the current book explaining back story. There are a couple of prior events referenced, but only in passing, and they don't impact this story at all. Well done!
This is a strong police procedural with red herrings everywhere but Oldroyd, the main detective, keeps pushing and eventually solves the puzzle. Almost as interesting as the murder investigation is the great descriptions of the dales and fells and general landscape of the area - clearly the author loves this part of England. And the town names! I actually went onto Google maps to see if they're real, and sure enough - there they all were.....a bunch of little villages in the back of nowhere in the middle of GB.
So, a good cozy murder mystery with a good variety of characters, very evocative of a place, and a satisfying ending - what else could you possibly want? ...more
I finally got around to reading this classic coming-of-age story set in Brooklyn at the turn of the century about a little girl growing up 3.5 stars;
I finally got around to reading this classic coming-of-age story set in Brooklyn at the turn of the century about a little girl growing up in abject poverty. The writing is strong and some of the realizations this young girl comes to as she grows up are insightful and some are comic. I can't say I loved the book......it's a lot of nothing happening, but, it kept me engaged in spite of that. I guess I'd say it's a quiet book about a nice little girl growing up.......
#PopSugar reading challenge #33, book with more than 4 rating on GR...more
I was prepared to love this story - the premise sounds so good. However, it's not the first time the book blurb has over promised and under delivered.I was prepared to love this story - the premise sounds so good. However, it's not the first time the book blurb has over promised and under delivered. I enjoyed it, but ultimately I was underwhelmed. Mind you, it isn't terrible. It just seems to not quite reach 'there' - Violet is a strong enough character and I appreciate her growth throughout the story. I appreciate the attempt to tell the story of the surplus women after WWI. But, all together, there wasn't anything to make this story memorable. Not my fave historical fiction this year.........more
A different kind of fantasy novel in that there's not much world building, but in place of that there is some pretty imaginative 'character building'.A different kind of fantasy novel in that there's not much world building, but in place of that there is some pretty imaginative 'character building'. Sybel, the heroine, is a young woman happily living alone on Eld mountain with her magical creatures. The story evolves when a man delivers a baby to her for care, politics and war from the kingdoms down in the valley intrude on her quiet life, the baby grows up and hard decisions are made.
This is a short book for a fantasy which seem to run over 500 pages frequently. And yet, it is complete and it's strength is in the writing style. I found myself intrigued and then noticing my pleasure in reading the turn of phrase, the dialog (no contractions, make it more formal and medieval feeling), and the descriptions of her powers.
This book wasn't for me. I know how much effort goes into writing a book and I wanted to like this one, but I just couldn't. I read about half and gavThis book wasn't for me. I know how much effort goes into writing a book and I wanted to like this one, but I just couldn't. I read about half and gave up. The premise of a woman who hits her head in a bike fall and then has memory problems sounded intriguing. What it was is confusing. The storyline jumps around, I couldn't track the characters, it jumps from past to current day. Maybe the jumping around is meant to mimic her brain, her thoughts after the brain injury - if so, I'd hate to be in her brain because it was really hard to follow. I feel like I wasn't given enough info about the main character to care that she is confused and can't remember things......
Thanks to #NetGalley and #CounterpointPress for the ARC kindle copy....more
Thanks to the author for reaching out and sharing his book - the opinions are my own.
This is a pretty quick read with lots of action - chase scenes anThanks to the author for reaching out and sharing his book - the opinions are my own.
This is a pretty quick read with lots of action - chase scenes and escapes and close calls. The dystopian story is set in the future when an asteroid hit has decimated most of the world and the US has consolidated into 15 walled cities. Everywhere else is a wasteland populated by gangs and thugs.
The premise is interesting: a man (with some former military experience) is asked to drive thru the wastelands, retrieve someone from another city and return to Manhattan within 48 hours. The dangers he faces along the way, the people he meets that change his outlook, and the final confrontation are all somewhat formulaic and kind of superficial. I don't feel like there was enough attention given to the why in his change of heart. None of the characters was particularly memorable; they had fairly common personalities.
For me, the book had too much tech toys to be truly dystopian, so from that standpoint, it didn't meet my expectations - which is no fault of the author's. If you enjoy stories with a strong military vibe and some cool new tech stuff, this is likely a book you'll enjoy. I'd probably rate it a 2.5-3. ...more
Surprisingly, I've become a big fan of de los Santos! I guess I sort of avoided her books for a long time because I thought they'd be too "fluffy", toSurprisingly, I've become a big fan of de los Santos! I guess I sort of avoided her books for a long time because I thought they'd be too "fluffy", too sweet. Her plots aren't necessarily original BUT her characters are superb and I have to say, I love her writing. I enjoy her phrasing and the way she presents her characters' dilemmas and challenges.
One of my biggest gripes in these sort of semi-romance, problem laden family stories is that the protagonist (usually feminine) is too full of angst and every few pages is filled with the same problematic questions swirling over and over - too much hand wringing.
Not so in any of her books so far. The characters are complex and interesting but don't devolve into whiny people. I love the depth and growth of the main character even though I could see where the story was going from a long way off. Didn't matter, her writing kept me fully engaged.
I highly recommend you pick up her books if you've been reluctant or putting it off. Now's the time!
Written in 1980, this book is short for a Stephen King tale. It's typical King - horror with creepy critters hiding in the mist and a group of people Written in 1980, this book is short for a Stephen King tale. It's typical King - horror with creepy critters hiding in the mist and a group of people caught in a grocery store trying to figure out how to survive the unexplainable. Story moves right along, plenty of squishy, gross descriptions of creepy, squishing things that go bump in the night. The ending.....ambiguous. :)...more
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