tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137391242024-02-19T00:27:02.951-06:00A good book is the best of friendsThese are the stories of the books in my life. Part review, part girl-meets-book romance/tragedy story.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger419125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-83780144197735788632020-02-29T12:38:00.000-06:002020-02-29T12:38:18.753-06:00Review: Know My Name by Chanel Miller<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50196744-know-my-name" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Know My Name: A Memoir" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1567612158l/50196744._SX98_SY160_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50196744-know-my-name">Know My Name: A Memoir</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19527332.Chanel_Miller">Chanel Miller</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3205293272">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I was a little hesitant to read this book. I already find I'm too overwhelmed with the news, and already so upset by what's happening in the world. I knew about this story, was angered by it, and did I really need all the details? And yet, I also felt a need to hear this story, because victims deserve to be more than a description in a news story. When I saw that it was available at the library, I put the audiobook on hold. There was a long waiting list, but it became available fairly quickly. Once I started the book, I understood why. Very hard to put down once you start.<br /><br />This book is amazing. It's about much more than Chanel Miller's assault. This event was the catalyst for her writing and the journey through the legal system that put her life on hold for more than a year. But along the way, in this book, she tells us not only what she went through, but also observes what women in general must endure when walking down the street, when finding themselves in uncomfortable situations, when they're trying to navigate the world after an assault. She delivers her analysis with a laser sharp focus of how the world treats women. <br /><br />Her explanation of catcalling is one of the best descriptions I've ever read. I wish I could present this to the teenage boys I work with, who claim that telling strangers in random places that they're beautiful is a compliment - seemingly clueless as to why this feels more like a threat to the recipient. It's an argument we have on a regular basis, not made any better when the boys turn to a girl and say, you'd appreciate it, right, is someone you didn't know walked by you at the mall and said, "You look good." And the girl, wanting to show the boy how cool and not feminist she is, says, "yeah, it wouldn't bother me." Alas, I remain the crazy, angry feminist who knows nothing of how the real world works.<br /><br />I would listen to this book on my way to work in the morning, and sometimes during my planning period, if my classroom was empty, which meant the story was very much on my mind once my students entered the classroom. As we they were working on their art projects, and talking about life in general, I would mention the book. I was heartened to hear some of the comments from the boys in my class, and their disgust with what had happened. They were adamant that men shouldn't act like that, even if someone was drunk, so hearing things like this give me hope. I liked that this book did provide me with a way to discuss topics like this with them.<br /><br />Throughout the book, Miller reflects on other news events and the way these events are perceived by the public and the media. We very much live in a culture that devalues women, and women's experiences, wanting always to provide excuses for men and others in privileged positions. Her own experiences have allowed her to view these events through the lens of someone with first hand experience with the media, law and public perception.<br /><br />I think one of her most astute observations though was when she said, instead of everyone saying of victims, why didn't they report, she now feels, after going through this experience, "why would they?" She explains that she was in a position in which she could pursue this case - she was through with school, she was in an okay financial position, her family and boyfriend were supportive, she lived near the court house. But a lot of people don't have that, they have school, or jobs, or children that depend on them. They can't take off work or fly across the country and deal with the frequent rescheduling and long, drawn out process of the legal system. In Miller's case, there were multiple witness who saw the actual assault, there was ample evidence, and she reported within 24 hours, and still it was a long drawn out case which turned her life upside down. Even after all she went through, and her assailant still being found guilty on three charges, all he got was three months in jail - her medical expenses - including the $1,000 visit to the hospital on the night of the assault - weren't even covered. Technically, he was supposed to pay, but he was unemployed so it would have to be a payment plan, and most likely, they would find a way to get out of it. So what does a person gain by reporting they were raped? What if there weren't witnesses, what if they weren't able to gather evidence at the scene of the crime? <br /><br />Such a powerful book, one I'm going to think about and talk about for a long time. I wish everyone would read it, especially those who don't understand what women go through on a daily basis. I sort of want to buy multiple copies and hand them out to encourage people to read them. This book is so important. I'm really glad I decided to listen to it. And the audio version is read by the author, adding another element of strength to this story.<br /><br />Also, I loved that she turned to art as a means of healing. For much of my life, I'd planned to be an art therapist. Instead, I'm a high school art teacher, but I see the value of art daily and was glad to hear that Miller felt it was beneficial in the healing process. <br /><br />Miller is an excellent writer, and comes from a family of writers, I imagine there will be much more from her to be read in the future.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-43325686346251567812019-04-21T23:34:00.000-05:002019-05-27T23:35:51.782-05:00Review: In Paris with You by Clémentine Beauvais<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39803890-in-paris-with-you" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="In Paris With You" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1527204572m/39803890.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39803890-in-paris-with-you">In Paris With You</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5600739.Cl_mentine_Beauvais">Clémentine Beauvais</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2568030050">2 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I didn't like this story much at all. It's written in verse, which is not something I've ever read - except maybe in school. That didn't bother me all that much. It made for a quick read and I thought it flowed well.<br /><br />What I didn't like were the characters. I didn't think it was much of a love story at all. Eugene's a horrible jerk. He and Tatiana first met when they were teenagers, after being friends for a while, Tatiana told him she had feelings for him. He rejected her, then did something fairly awful, involving her sister and her sister's boyfriend - who was also his best friend - and it's ten years before they see each other again. They run into each other one morning, and Eugene becomes obsessed with Tatiana. Most of the story is all in his head, what he wants, what he assumes. Tatiana seems a little more sensible about the situation, but then the story took a dive when she mentions being interested in someone to her sister. Her sister then goes on about how she must do anything for love. It doesn't make sense at all because ten years earlier, this same sister completely ridiculed her then boyfriend because he was too in love - which is exactly what she's encouraging with Tatiana.<br /><br />After reading this book, I learned it was a modern take of Pushkin's Eugene Onegin - which in not something with which I am at all familiar, but it's classic Russian literature. That explains why the characters behave the way they do - they follow the original story, even having the same names, but I still didn't enjoy the story. The characters just seemed like jerks. It doesn't work in a modern setting, at least not for me. <br /><br />I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-90516721255434750892019-04-14T21:30:00.002-05:002019-04-14T21:31:04.515-05:00Review: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40597810-daisy-jones-the-six" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Daisy Jones & The Six" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1551887263m/40597810.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40597810-daisy-jones-the-six">Daisy Jones & The Six</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6572605.Taylor_Jenkins_Reid">Taylor Jenkins Reid</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2742609062">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this at first. The format is a little weird - it's like one big interview, so it's all just quotes for example:<br /><br />Daisy: I liked doing drugs and hated people telling me what to wear.<br />Jon: Daisy had big eyes and little skirts, and very long legs. Everyone looked at her when she entered the room. They couldn't help it.<br />Daisy: I didn't care it people looked at me.<br />Karen: I wished Daisy didn't put so much focus on her body.<br /><br />(None of those are actual quotes, just an example of the format. Other than a few italicized paragraphs at the beginning of some chapters, the entire book is like this.)<br /><br />I nearly gave up on this book early into it. Not only did the format bother me, but I got so tired of reading about how beautiful, and wonderful, and gifted Daisy was. She tells you how great she is and then everyone being interviewed talked about how great she was. And all she did was lots and lots of drugs.<br /><br />But I got used to the format and eventually the story included people other than Daisy. Daisy was by far my least favorite character in this story. At no point in this story did I like her. But I liked the other people in the band. Karen was my favorite. I really liked the relationship between Billy and his wife Camilla. That felt real. The story won me over, by about the 30 or 40% mark, I couldn't put the book down. <br /><br />I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in stories about rock bands, especially those during the 70s and 80s. It's fiction, but I felt it could describe what a lot of bands went through. <br /><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-46206454900717467462019-04-13T01:52:00.002-05:002019-04-13T01:53:55.343-05:00Review: Speak by Leslie Halse Anderson<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39280444-speak" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Speak" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1529044298m/39280444.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39280444-speak">Speak</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10003.Laurie_Halse_Anderson">Laurie Halse Anderson</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2681071175">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I liked this book a lot. It's the story of a high school student who is dealing with a traumatic event, and feels unable to talk about what happened. The story is about how she copes, or at times, doesn't cope, and eventually finds the strength to speak up.<br /><br />My students and I were moved out of our classroom a couple of week ago as a result of a competition our school was hosting. I took my things to the library, planning to do some work, but finding myself in a room surrounded by books, not much work is going to get done.<br /><br />I've been hearing a lot about this book because the author recently wrote a follow up called Shout. Speak was written twenty or so years ago, but that was a time when I wasn't reading young adult. I was in my twenties, and didn't become a teacher until my 30s. Even now, I don't read a lot of young adult because I spend all day with young adults, my reading time is my escape from them. But on that particular morning, I noticed the book prominently displayed as part of the library's March Madness competition, so I picked it up to look at it. Started reading and kept reading. (This was during my planning period, no worries, I wasn't neglecting my students.) When my students arrived, I asked the librarian if I could check out the book - I really wasn't sure if teachers were allowed to check out books, but I learned that we can.<br /><br />My biggest concern as a teacher, was the way the student perceived school and her teachers. I started asking my students if they'd read the book, and if they had, do they view school the way the student in the book does? "Do students really think teachers don't care?" - I kept asking my students, even if they hadn't read the book. One student said, "Yeah, we think that about most teachers, but not you." (Well, I am the art teacher - the one teacher in the book that shows some compassion and understanding.) "What about cliques? Does that exist at our school? Is this something that's here that I'm not seeing because I never leave the art hall?" and I got a resounding "No, our school isn't like that. That school was bad, we don't have that here." And that made me feel a little better. <br /><br />I didn't finish the book that day, and it remained in my classroom for the next week. Students kept noticing the book on my desk, and asking about it. So I would tell them what had happened so far - and then they started telling me things: "Oh, that happened to my friend at a party," one student said. A boy asked, "Did they arrest the guy?" "No, she won't tell anybody." Boy: "Why not?" And then it was explained to him that no one believes girls when they tell, and the girls are often told they wanted it or was in some way their fault. And these boys seemed so confused.<br /><br />I'm glad I read this book, because while I think I understand my students and I believe they know they can talk to me, it made me realize that there are always things happening in their lives that we don't understand, that they can't talk about. This book is powerful in that it shows students they aren't alone, that bad things do happen, but that a person can survive and overcome those things.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-45399923170564897322019-03-26T23:17:00.000-05:002019-03-27T23:18:16.952-05:00Review: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32620332-the-seven-husbands-of-evelyn-hugo" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498169036m/32620332.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32620332-the-seven-husbands-of-evelyn-hugo">The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6572605.Taylor_Jenkins_Reid">Taylor Jenkins Reid</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2759352441">2 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This book made me angry, and I despised Evelyn Hugo. I had to keep reminding myself that this was fiction, and that there was no point in getting so angry about someone who wasn't even real..<br /><br />Hugo has invited someone to write her life story, to be published after her death. It's her way of confessing her sins, setting the record straight - so to speak. She did horrible things, and to her credit, she's very blunt about all she did. She used people, she had sex with people she didn't like just to get things she wanted, she lied all the time, she manipulated the press to get attention, she treated the people she claimed to love horribly. Even in telling her story, she is completely using the person she's manipulated into writing her story - and when it's revealed why, it's really awful.<br /><br />And maybe I would have appreciated this book more if there had been some acknowledgement of what a bad person Evelyn was. But in the end, it was all summed up as if she'd done some powerful, brave thing in telling her story. How brave is it to reveal all after the person is dead? That's not brave, that is complete cowardice. Finally revealing the love of her life because she felt exposure was important - but that isn't what she did. She kept her true love hidden her entire life, only allowing others to find out in a book that would be published after she was dead. And this so-called true love, she had seven weddings that she made sure the entire world knew about - rarely for love, usually for the attention. When she decided she wanted to "marry" the person she claimed was her one true love, she made the suggestion in bed, said they should just say vows to each other - again, keeping it secret, never revealing in until her posthumous biography. Also, saying she wanted the world to know that none of it mattered, she never cared about the fame, only the people she loved. She may have said that, but none of her actions supported that, not at all. Easy to make claims like that when it's all over, when the fame is well-established and everyone she loved was gone. Of course she's saying they're important now, because she realizes what she lost. Everything she did was for the fame, and she repeatedly abused or neglected the people she said she loved so much. <br /><br />Even though so much happened, and there were so many highs and lows in the various relationship - seven husbands and several other lovers - there was a coldness to the story. I never felt any sort of emotion. The big, great love story did not feel at all convincing or passionate, and that was disappointing. The idea was great, but the presentation made it seem like just another convenience for Evelyn.<br /><br />I read this because I saw so many people saying it was great. And I admit, Hollywood stories are intriguing, but if that's what you're interested in, there are so many Hollywood biographies and memoirs out there to read - authorized or unauthorized. I've read a lot of those, and that could be another reason this book didn't work for me. I felt like the author had taken bits and pieces from stories about actual Hollywood stars to build Evelyn and they simply didn't work for me because they felt like bits and pieces, not a complete, complicated person. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-60042331902205203392019-03-11T21:02:00.000-05:002019-03-11T21:02:41.298-05:00Review: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31434883-eleanor-oliphant-is-completely-fine" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493724347m/31434883.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31434883-eleanor-oliphant-is-completely-fine">Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14558709.Gail_Honeyman">Gail Honeyman</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2648928224">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Really good book. The author captured the details and feelings of being alone so accurately. Like some of this story, the descriptions of Eleanor going about her life, the routines, the organization, hit really close to home. I can't relate to the horrible, tragic backstory, but I know very well what it's like to go through life alone - and living in a world that doesn't understand people who are alone. <br /><br />I really loved the characters, all of them. I loved seeing how Eleanor gradually began to allow people into her life. <br /><br />The twist at the end, I was sort of expecting it, but I wish there had been more elaboration. Like it was accepted so easily and they just moved on. But maybe I feel that way because I wasn't ready for the book to end and let the characters go.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-43906514332783847122019-02-02T18:18:00.000-06:002019-02-03T18:19:14.070-06:00Review: The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Kamala Harris <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40861864-the-truths-we-hold" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Truths We Hold: An American Journey" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1544386786m/40861864.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40861864-the-truths-we-hold">The Truths We Hold: An American Journey</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3143641.Kamala_Harris">Kamala Harris</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2685599259">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I am very much a political junkie, and so as soon as I saw this was available at the library, I requested it. I like what I know about Kamala Harris, but I don't know all that much, so, of course, I wanted to learn more.<br /><br />I was a little worried this was going to read too much like campaign literature, but I actually found it very interesting and an enjoyable read - and I'm now an even bigger fan of Kamala Harris.<br /><br />This book is a bit about her personal life, we learn some about her parents and her childhood and her education, but much more so about the work she'd done in her career as district attorney in San Francisco and Attorney General in California - and how her personal life has influenced the decisions she made at work. <br /><br />Through her work, Harris has dealt, in-depth with topics such as crime, trafficking, immigration, the housing crisis, and health care. By reading this, I felt as if I gained a much stronger understanding of so many of these issues that are affecting the United States right now. Much more information that can be gained in tweets and soundbites on TV. She talks about how these issues affect the government, policy making, communities, and of course, individuals. One thing I liked most about the book is way it makes the political personal - we all hear, "this law does this and this" and in this book, it's explained in such a way to also show how these policies effect families, such as your neighbor who doesn't have a platform on the evening news. <br /><br />Also, what I liked about this book is that while she does present issues that are having dire consequences on the U.S., she also presents ways to solve those problems. She has ideas, a vision. this isn't just complaining and pointing out what's going wrong. She backs up every problem with a way to fix it - and she's blunt about saying, this way may not work, but you won't know until you try - and nothing will change if you don't try to change it. As depressed as I often feel about the state of the world, this book provided a sense of hope. <br /><br />I'm trying to make sure I write this as a book review, and not a review of Harris. So suffice it to say, I did enjoy the book. I think anyone interested in politics and wanting to learn more about what's happening in the United States would gain from reading this book, even if you don't consider yourself a Harris supporter. This book has a lot of good information in it. After reading this, I feel like I have a better understanding of what's happening with regard to immigration and the opioid crisis - both topics I hear about all the time but knew little about. <br /><br />Also, since Harris announced her candidacy - there have been a lot of horrible things said about her on social media by people of both parties - and a lot of that is addressed - such as some of the laws she supported in California. It's easy to misinterpret things when you don't know the whole story. I felt better about supporting her after reading this. <br /><br />This is a good book if you're interested in stories about people involved in politics, especially modern day politics - because Harris has been on the front lines for a lot of this. It's well-written, has a very thorough notes and index section - so if you're doubting any of this information, you can click on any of those links if you've got the e-version and read the full stories. I'm very glad I read the book - and I'm especially glad Harris is running for president - based on what I read in this book, she understand the law, knows how it works, and cares about the people she represents. <br /><br /><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-613043419846610342019-01-21T21:31:00.000-06:002019-01-21T21:31:54.735-06:00Review: Claiming the Wolf by Michele Hauf<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16037581-claiming-the-wolf" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Claiming The Wolf" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348178480m/16037581.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16037581-claiming-the-wolf">Claiming The Wolf</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/117339.Michele_Hauf">Michele Hauf</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/663605831">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I just finished reading This Strange Witchery, in which a character from this book is mentioned. Having read a lot of books set in this same world, I was surprised that I wasn't familiar with the character. But at the end of the book, the authors lists the other books in which characters are mentioned. I looked up this book and for some reason it was marked as "maybe" - I think maybe this character was mentioned in another book that I read a while ago and I didn't like him so I wasn't going to read his book? I'm not sure why I would have marked this as maybe because I read just about anything I can find by this author.<br /><br />Anyway, I downloaded the book last night to read it. It's a novella, so it's a quick read, but still a really good story. Because of the shorter format, the characters don't waste anytime to getting to know each other. This story is so hot - but still in a way that seems real and convincing. A werewolf gets bitten by a vampire. He's furious that he now craves blood, and goes to confront the vampire. He can't stay angry with her though because he realizes that she's also trapped in a situation in which she never asked to be. There they find common ground and realize it makes more sense to help each other out than remain enemies. It's a really nice love story, as well as being really sexy. <br /><br />And because of the book I read last night, I sort of know what the future holds for these characters, so that was nice.<br /><br />I enjoyed this story a lot. Read most of it while at the salon getting my hair highlighted, but it was a great way to pass the time and make the most of a day off work.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-12442620590774812882019-01-20T21:34:00.000-06:002019-01-21T21:35:30.458-06:00Review: This Strange Witchery by Michele Hauf<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40637060-this-strange-witchery" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="This Strange Witchery" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1536740166m/40637060.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40637060-this-strange-witchery">This Strange Witchery</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/117339.Michele_Hauf">Michele Hauf</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2529419170">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I'd been annoyed with myself for taking so long to read this book, and then once I started, took a while for me to find the time to sit and read - but how appropriate that I finish it just an hour or so before I get ready to go out to watch the lunar eclipse for the super blood wolf moon. Now it almost seems intentional, since in the book, they're having to wait for the blood moon to perform the spell, and there's an eclipse that night.<br /><br />Wonderful book, loved the characters, loved the story and all the character background. As always, the romance is great, and so sexy. The characters are quirky and funny, and also so noble as they do their best to try to do the right thing, even when it means struggling with their wants and needs and a battle between the heart and mind. I always enjoy the Paris setting, and the descriptions of magic - such beautiful imagery. And it's always nice to see characters from other stories - makes me want to go back and read their books again, but there are still so many books I've not read yet. <br /><br />I'm sad that this is Michele Hauf's last Nocturne with Harlequin, because this is Harlequin's last Nocturne. I know she's going to be writing some different things for a while, but I do hope she returns to this world of Beautiful Creatures that she's created. It's really one of my favorite worlds to visit in books. I've enjoyed these characters so much.<br /><br />I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-60116915182267570062018-12-09T19:55:00.000-06:002018-12-10T19:56:02.125-06:00Review: Big City Christmas Wish by Wynter S. K.<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42859787-big-city-christmas-wish" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Big City Christmas Wish: A Sweet Holiday Romance" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1542567937m/42859787.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42859787-big-city-christmas-wish">Big City Christmas Wish: A Sweet Holiday Romance</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14819450.Wynter_S_K_">Wynter S.K.</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2604328007">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
The perfect Christmas book. Very sweet - at times, maybe a little too sweet for my tastes, but I'm a bit of a Grinch, so don't let that deter you. If you want something sweet, and completely saturated in the holiday spirit - family, snow, New York City, decorations, the spirit of giving, reconciliation, romance and a touch of Santa's magic - this is really the ideal holiday romance novel.<br /><br />I enjoyed this, it's written in such a way that I didn't ever want to put it down once I started reading it. And while a few of the situations are a bit unbelievable and a little over the top, for a Christmas novel, it works fine. I'm willing to suspend my belief a bit to indulge the magic of the season. Great characters, nice, hopeful story line. <br /><br />Would definitely recommend this to anyone searching for a sweet, holiday romance. Really good book.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-4562118628563219742018-11-25T23:21:00.000-06:002018-11-26T23:17:37.669-06:00Holiday reads<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1Ypm7fGvtF-SPC36TkrHgNmKQZ4fHcTzlXwoiTYnIzZL3ZV3YuY10LTXlWqjImQ-byHEpTf3x_0k4XbroQVYrmJudMZ4BAbgIwVrGLA0fgJSKu2FardPyUvcc8QmrCyOtMce/s1600/covent+garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1Ypm7fGvtF-SPC36TkrHgNmKQZ4fHcTzlXwoiTYnIzZL3ZV3YuY10LTXlWqjImQ-byHEpTf3x_0k4XbroQVYrmJudMZ4BAbgIwVrGLA0fgJSKu2FardPyUvcc8QmrCyOtMce/s200/covent+garden.jpg" width="128" /></a>I used to binge holiday romance novels as soon as I made it through Thanksgiving. I'm not a big romance person, not a big holiday person, but something about these books made me happy. But last year, I didn't love them as much, so wasn't planning on reading many. But then I start seeing all the sales and book covers and it makes me want to read them again.<br />
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So currently looking for holiday recommendations.<br />
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I've already bought a few - Big City Christmas Wish by Wynter S.K., No One Cancels Christmas by Zara Stoneley, Chasing Christmas Eve and Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis, A Christmas Gift by Sue Moorcroft, and It Started With Christmas by Jenny Hale. I probably have a lot more but those are the first on my current to-read list. I also have a few anthologies.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphentfvjShE6IT-u1nZ6jqt0Pvij-Ree-duoHdGF2OWDj60pOpby9-CZ_At88_UIocRcIWQBxog-LnCgwvXxlSEh7SigtpmxZxxYXUexC5HbTMv4Kn8qxEv8KHNwWflz7XGaPP7/s1600/naughty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphentfvjShE6IT-u1nZ6jqt0Pvij-Ree-duoHdGF2OWDj60pOpby9-CZ_At88_UIocRcIWQBxog-LnCgwvXxlSEh7SigtpmxZxxYXUexC5HbTMv4Kn8qxEv8KHNwWflz7XGaPP7/s200/naughty.jpg" width="126" /></a><br />
Anyway, some of my holiday recommendations:<br />
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Last year I read a book called Covent Garden in the Snow by Jules Wake and I loved it. Highly recommend.<br />
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Other favorites inclue Sarah Morgan's Sleigh Bells in the Snow, Jo Leigh's Definitely Naughty and Jenny Oliver's Parisian Christmas Bake Off.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-44665372584177988422018-11-24T19:18:00.000-06:002018-11-25T19:19:32.961-06:00Review: Goodbye, Paris by Anstey Harris<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3cA6njAERGJW2GjSrTIeh02ODqNeqArTcKPWNDVhAuMOSrbsnqgt6qMdpbzBCgTTkzf5KeBUzbPjcGpSrlPtuYvR4BXJJr_ln7bzkRnIzCk_stKBW18Vk7wJ3TxnLaQ4uKtmp/s1600/goodbye+paris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3cA6njAERGJW2GjSrTIeh02ODqNeqArTcKPWNDVhAuMOSrbsnqgt6qMdpbzBCgTTkzf5KeBUzbPjcGpSrlPtuYvR4BXJJr_ln7bzkRnIzCk_stKBW18Vk7wJ3TxnLaQ4uKtmp/s320/goodbye+paris.jpg" width="208" /></a>I didn't like this book much at all. Unfortunately, I was right at the 50% mark when I realized how much I disliked this book - and I'd been reading for an hour or so in the airport, and that's really some of the only quality reading time I get, and I didn't want to waste it by completely abandoning the book. So I kept reading, hoping maybe something would happen to improve my feelings about the story, but, no, that didn't happen.<br />
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In this book, we have Grace, a former musician, currently an instrument maker, who is in a long term relationship with a married man in France. She lives near a Eurostar station in the UK, and visits him in Paris often - though he lives with his family in Strasbourg. One night, when they go out, something happens which attracts media attention - and David is upset because he's afraid his children will find out he's in this relationship. Then the wife is upset because everyone now knows her husband has a mistress, even though she's always known and was okay with the arrangement. The huge social media response and the extreme attempt to hide this seems a bit much, and was one of the issues I had with this story. <br />
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Eventually, Grace learns something horrible about David and has a breakdown, and her two friends, a man in his 80s and a teenage girl help her come to terms with what happened. I realize this is supposed to be a story about her finding herself and learning to move on without this man in her life, while also coping with some horrible things in her past, but it didn't feel that way to me. She didn't have much choice. She was, for the most part, dumped. She had to face the reality that the life she thought she had wasn't ever going to happen. I didn't find the story especially empowering, but rather very sad.<br />
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I think what really set me off is that this story included items that I consider to be pet peeves of mine, and I know it's something that doesn't bother other people, so maybe take my intense dislike with a grain of salt.<br />
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I'm so tired of books in which the main story line is a seemingly intelligent woman deeply involved in a very, very bad relationship with a horrible man. (In this book, we spend about half the book being told he's a really great guy, everyone likes him, he's supportive of her interest and career, attentive and caring, and then all of a sudden we learn he's the worst.) But even more than that, I'm tired of stories in which these same women enter into long-term relationships because of an accidental/unplanned pregnancy. This is becoming a thing, or maybe I just keep selecting the wrong books. Several books I've read in the last few months involve a woman in a bad relationship or in most cases (not in this case) a marriage all because they got pregnant - didn't like the person all that much, or know him all that well, but hey, we have no other option because BABY and that's the most important thing in a woman's life, right? - cringe. Also, in almost all of the cases, the pregnancy ends in miscarriage, but the relationship continues, everyone so very sad and hopeless because there's no baby. In one of the books, the baby died after a year or so, and the woman remained in the marriage even though the pregnancy was the result of break-up sex, and eventually walked in on her husband having sex with his secretary. I long for stories about women who take some sort of control over their lives and realize that getting pregnant doesn't automatically mean having a baby or, even if they do want the baby, realizing marriage isn't necessary.<br />
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Spoilers - lots of them, so stop reading if you don't want to know what happens in this book - in this particular book, Grace meets a man, David at a party. His wife is at the party, but leaves early. David goes back to Grace's place, he tells her he's married, and she's perfectly okay with them still having sex, despite knowing this. Then a few weeks later, she realizes she's pregnant by this man she knew only a few hours, but immediately her whole world becomes all about having a baby. She informs David, he's not thrilled about this, as he has two children and a pregnant wife. But we're told he suddenly becomes a wonderful, caring boyfriend. After Grace has a miscarriage, she becomes obsessed with getting pregnant again, and when this doesn't happen, she goes through all kinds of tests, with David right beside her holding her hand - but failing to mention he's had a vasectomy. WTF? Did I mention, he's the worst?<br />
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And since I'm providing spoilers anyway, the end of the book, in which we see Grace overcoming some of her teenage traumas, we then learn the teenage friend is pregnant. Grace suddenly knows this because the girl looks fierce and confident, or something absurd like that. (She contrasted the girl whose diary she read with the girl she saw performing earlier and this change in her disposition led Grace to realize the girl what pregnant? Okay.) So yet again, we're celebrating an unplanned pregnancy. This girl has dropped out of school, has been having sex with her friend's boyfriend, and had a bit of a coke habit, but hooray, she's going to have a baby now! We couldn't have instead had her, oh, I don't know, get noticed as being a skilled musician and get accepted into a prestigious school or offered a job with a great symphony? No, babies, always babies.<br />
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All that being said, I know a lot of people love books that focus on women having babies, women discovering their true purpose by procreating. I'm sure this book will be wonderful for people like that.<br />
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I really, really wish I'd picked a different book to read while traveling over the Thanksgiving holidays.<br />
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I received a copy of this via NetGalley.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-16421876055824044932018-11-11T10:59:00.000-06:002018-11-11T10:59:02.864-06:00Review: Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics by Lawrence O'Donnell<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34346496-playing-with-fire" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1489639939m/34346496.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34346496-playing-with-fire">Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2911797.Lawrence_O_Donnell">Lawrence O'Donnell</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2582867826">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book. It's read by Lawrence O'Donnell, so if you're a fan of his, I imagine you'll also enjoy this. The story is riveting, and so well-written and read. Despite already knowing what was about to happen, I was in tears hearing the details of Bobby Kennedy's assassination. The details all that happened during this era make the story fascinating. After listening to this, I feel like I have a much better understanding of the U.S.'s involvement in Vietnam, as well as the political maneuverings of the different parties. <br /><br />I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is interested in American history and or politics.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-89238170292638805732018-11-10T19:15:00.000-06:002018-11-10T19:15:19.197-06:00Review: Dracul by Dacre Stoker<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36193316-dracul" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Dracul" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1524797501m/36193316.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36193316-dracul">Dracul</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2909175.Dacre_Stoker">Dacre Stoker</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2568434892">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I'm so glad this book exists. Such an interesting take on origins of Bram Stoker's novel. I love Dracula so much, and this book, while feeding my interest in the character, also makes me crave more. I plan to search for all the texts mentioned by the authors at the end of the book. <br /><br />The book took a bit longer for me to read that I would have liked, but I feel that had more to do with so many things going on in the real world rather than anything wrong with the book. However, because of that, it was a slow start for me. But once I finally had a chance to sit down and read, I sort of flew through the last half of the book. Plenty of action and suspense, as well as history and a healthy dose of gore to keep this story moving.<br /><br />I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in Bram Stoker's Dracula. I checked this out from the public library, but I'll eventually be buying a copy because I feel I'll be re-reading often in the future, along with my frequent re-reads of Dracula.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-10466131537717112592018-10-21T21:21:00.000-05:002018-10-21T21:21:21.598-05:00Review: Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16255.Tales_of_the_City" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Tales of the City (Tales of the City, #1)" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1483075229m/16255.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16255.Tales_of_the_City">Tales of the City</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10022.Armistead_Maupin">Armistead Maupin</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/876368584">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Really enjoyed this. When I was in high school, I watched the TV series on PBS and loved it. I wanted so very much to someday find my own place at 28 Barbary Lane. <br /><br />That was twenty-five years ago. I'd not thought much about the story until last weekend, when I decided I wanted to visit San Francisco for my birthday. That's when I remembered why I had once yearned to go to San Francisco. Turns out, I already had the book on my kindle.<br /><br />To prepare for my trip next weekend, I decided to read Tales of the City. And it was wonderful. <br /><br />Really a fun book about a group of friends living in San Francisco during the late 70s. Deals with so many issues that remain relevant today. The story didn't feel dated at all. I now want to read the rest of the series - I think I've got several of the books at my parents' house, so will wait until after the holidays before purchasing what I don't already have. <br /><br /><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-80341389697655426942018-10-14T00:00:00.000-05:002018-11-26T00:01:01.288-06:00Review: Whiskey & Ribbons by Leesa Cross-Smith<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36139786-whiskey-ribbons" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Whiskey & Ribbons" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1503938935m/36139786.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36139786-whiskey-ribbons">Whiskey & Ribbons</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6569545.Leesa_Cross_Smith">Leesa Cross-Smith</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2499381177">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I enjoyed this book, it kept me up reading well into the early morning hours. Really a heartbreaking about a woman who has lost her husband, and how she and his brother come to terms with the loss. I liked that we are able to see how the relationship began, because then you see why their grief is so intense. This was a happy marriage, they were expecting their first child, and then it ended.<br /><br />The brother steps in to take care of his brother's wife. His brother, who was a police officer and often worried that he might not survive the job, had often asked that his brother take care of his wife should something ever happen to him.<br /><br />I would have liked this book a whole lot more if the ending had been different though. The ending this had made me a little uncomfortable, wrapped things up a bit too conveniently. I think it would have made more sense if they had realized what was happening to them was the result of grief and a shared love for the man they lost. But that's just me. Still a really good book.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-60564123940609745242018-10-13T20:16:00.000-05:002018-11-25T20:29:13.833-06:00Review: Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzZTegGT2GIqjW67vgi_PeE3D9zO5c4ilP_y_rGrLxHF10oLwyJsPxtRMNuDQU3wfb6OlCXV-XygwqC_d6RfSW4uT4ZPXOjFveCsy5q2_FXdNHxS4Bcv843GnzcLCdXsm8gaB/s1600/spark+of+light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzZTegGT2GIqjW67vgi_PeE3D9zO5c4ilP_y_rGrLxHF10oLwyJsPxtRMNuDQU3wfb6OlCXV-XygwqC_d6RfSW4uT4ZPXOjFveCsy5q2_FXdNHxS4Bcv843GnzcLCdXsm8gaB/s320/spark+of+light.jpg" width="214" /></a>Such an important and timely story, and I'm so glad an author with Picoult's clout chose to tell it.<br />
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This tells the story of the people working at a women's health clinic when they're attacked by a "pro-lifer" wanting to avenge his daughter who had an abortion. (As the story progresses, you realize his daughter didn't even have an abortion there, but that's what he thinks when he shows up and starts shooting.)<br />
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I thought Picoult did a good job of showing what everyone was going through - the doctors, nurses, office staff, as well as the patients, and the police officers outside. I also realize that she was making an effort to show all side of the story and claim that the pro-lifers aren't really evil. That's nice and all, but it's a little difficult to convince me there's any good in anyone who feels women shouldn't be allowed to control what happens to their own body. But respect to the author for making that extra effort to try and claim they don't really want to control women.<br />
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Anyway, I was glad to see that the author was showing the necessity of abortion clinics and how they work to help women. These people are putting their lives at risk every day so that someone else can live the life they want. She went into the different reasons why people - the doctors and patients - found themselves in these situations. These women aren't there because they're selfish, they're doing what they think is best at this point in their lives.<br />
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I didn't love the way in which the story was written, going back an hour with each chapter. It made the story feel a bit repetitive because we already know what's happened to a lot of the people. I know the purpose is to reveal more about each character, but it made it too easy to set the book down. Also, there's a bit of a twist in the story involving the nurse, and it's there for shock effect, and I know Picoult's books tend to have something like that in them. But I didn't like it, it felt very unnecessary and a little confusing. There's an even bigger twist involving some of the other characters. That part, I thought was interesting. In the end though, what you realize is there are so many people living lives they didn't want because of accidental or unplanned pregnancies. They did what they felt they should and brought the unplanned child into the world, and in doing so, had to give up their own dreams and plans. Even if their lives turned out okay, it wasn't the life they'd wanted, and years later, they find themselves in a constant state of disappointment, missing the life they gave up in order to bring a child into the world.<br />
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Overall though, a very good book providing a lot to think about.<br />
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I received a copy via NetGalley.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-83657793879089830742018-10-07T18:28:00.001-05:002018-10-07T18:28:31.427-05:00Book recommendations - comforting/empowering reads I'll get right to the point: I'm very much a feminist, and quite liberal, and on some topics, I'm even something of a radical. So, I was a bit shocked and horrified when I began to see tweets in my feed supporting ideas that I find, well, horrible. Who the hell was I following that would re-tweet this kind of trash into my timeline?<br />
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Alas, it was a romance writer whose books I've read and bought in the past. I immediately unfollowed the author on twitter, went to facebook and unliked her fan page. Mostly though, I was feeling kind of disgusted for having spent money on her books. Sad about the time I'd spent reading her books.<br />
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That same day, not too long after I noticed this, I saw quite a few other people commenting on it. Clearly, I wasn't the only person upset - for me, this is the benefit of twitter, knowing others feel the same. Turns out she wasn't the only author expressing some rather icky opinions. I wasn't familiar with the other authors, but suffice it to say, I won't be reading any of their work. I very much appreciate the book bloggers who put together a list of authors to avoid.<br />
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Maybe a writer's political opinion doesn't bother some readers. That's fine. No judgement. But for me, I feel like the way a person thinks will reflect in their work. Also, time and money are limited and I don't want to be wasting either on people who hold beliefs I find abhorrent. There are so very many books out there to read. Right now, I've got 871 books on my "to-read" list, and that isn't even counting the hundreds of free kindle books I've gotten from amazon. It only makes sense that I would choose to focus my reading time and money on people I don't mind supporting.<br />
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I don't think it's a random coincidence that most of the authors I love tend to hold similar beliefs to mine. Their work resonates with me for a reason.<br />
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Now to the point of this blog post. I felt like a I directed a lot of energy toward "authors to avoid" last week. But now, I want to direct some attention to authors I love. These days, a lot of us need an escape into fiction, and these are a few of the books and authors I recommend for that. The following are books I consider to be comfort/empowering reads.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nsIENOtTJrbmAhm8LkdlcnfMUsx3XzD32415NoqCyVBv39HT7gYzTGbd1it2zh9Kr2siqHGzwdjV_OTxQCHSVwvanzqSx_fbVG6RY6Auvdlq88JJgakwumnirne8E7lZsaTA/s1600/set+the+night+on+fire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nsIENOtTJrbmAhm8LkdlcnfMUsx3XzD32415NoqCyVBv39HT7gYzTGbd1it2zh9Kr2siqHGzwdjV_OTxQCHSVwvanzqSx_fbVG6RY6Auvdlq88JJgakwumnirne8E7lZsaTA/s200/set+the+night+on+fire.jpg" width="133" /></a>One of the books I keep thinking about lately is Jennifer Bernard's <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KS6W3HI/ref=series_dp_rw_ca_1" target="_blank">Set the Night on Fire</a>. The story is very relevant to one of the big stories that has been dominating the news lately - except on more of a small town political level - not the Supreme Court. The first time I read this was in July of 2017 - and I feel almost certain there was a similar news story happening at the time, but I don't remember the details, only that after I read the book I thought, "It's so nice to read a story in which the corrupt, bad politician gets what he deserves." I recommended the book to all of my friends at the time. Now, it seems appropriate to do so again. I thought Bernard did a great job at showing what a woman goes through in keeping a secret like that, believing she needs to protect her family, and knowing the risks associated with coming forward. Also, Jennifer Bernard writes the best contemporary romances. I don't read a lot of that genre, but I try to read everything she writes. Her books are so good, really sexy, with great story lines and interesting characters.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_2f0M8fEzF18TqHym4kh90AWWPUJNH15yFVzl6NpYXCBs_gt61ClrGjhC9Ws3XxvKmsh9dNp2TIm_wr9QWswUfvenVpmeFvgxBI_ItD1JMu34A5ooYlh7WPfCgnL_0Tke_mn/s1600/american+witch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_2f0M8fEzF18TqHym4kh90AWWPUJNH15yFVzl6NpYXCBs_gt61ClrGjhC9Ws3XxvKmsh9dNp2TIm_wr9QWswUfvenVpmeFvgxBI_ItD1JMu34A5ooYlh7WPfCgnL_0Tke_mn/s200/american+witch.jpg" width="126" /></a>Paranormal romance tends to be more my thing. My favorite author in that genre is Michele Hauf. Her books, set in her Beautiful Creatures world are often my escape when the real world is too much to handle. The one I'm going to recommend now though is called <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B076B2PXNB/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i7" target="_blank">An American Witch in Paris</a>. I liked the way Hauf directly addressed issues such as feminism and consent. It felt very relevant. Besides all of that, the story is exciting - they're saving the world from falling angels - and very sexy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdqKrql1LxB6VEV_FtgoiWb4eogsn-jmUdGTNK0v2fRByntMx_pdkLpNWNzzE6vxJk_4kn0tKo56Uc74HJYfqpSdkvg5v_XN7bN5rk87ln1YXAScgPGL5eAqP2PXuiEZAf0SR/s1600/pas+de+deux.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdqKrql1LxB6VEV_FtgoiWb4eogsn-jmUdGTNK0v2fRByntMx_pdkLpNWNzzE6vxJk_4kn0tKo56Uc74HJYfqpSdkvg5v_XN7bN5rk87ln1YXAScgPGL5eAqP2PXuiEZAf0SR/s200/pas+de+deux.jpg" width="133" /></a>Another great romance that I have read recently is <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MRUHLM0/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1" target="_blank">Pas de Deux by Wynter S.K.</a> I hadn't heard much about the book, but the description intrigued me. I don't know much about the author, this is the only book of hers I've read - but I thought she did a great job of showing people realistically dealing with trauma and its effects - both mental and physical. And it is one of the most beautiful love stories I've read in a while. Really wonderful book about a couple who have to endure a lot before they can get to a point where they are truly honest with each other.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrG_m0mrfS-CglXvAzdK5WzIRcRgRm5VUQTYPXLGlkfcPyPk6c9p6qLj_uX66C4C20OBnRkc0ZmlRgZXtS9H30_7BXGIhXpLW_04X04fXV3k4ITeNmjb3pnV_cd6xbwGIGzJq/s1600/dow+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrG_m0mrfS-CglXvAzdK5WzIRcRgRm5VUQTYPXLGlkfcPyPk6c9p6qLj_uX66C4C20OBnRkc0ZmlRgZXtS9H30_7BXGIhXpLW_04X04fXV3k4ITeNmjb3pnV_cd6xbwGIGzJq/s200/dow+cover.jpg" width="130" /></a>My next recommendation is a favorite of mine. I read it every October. <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B004DI7HZ6/ref=series_dp_rw_ca_1" target="_blank">Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness</a> is the perfect fall read - witches and vampires, libraries filled with magic, history and science - it's all there. It's a story about discovering that love looks beyond differences and long-held prejudices, and families are built on much more than blood connections. Once you read that book, you'll want to read the whole trilogy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjivXpAnSEXumbv8VOtDu9asw9snc7jKMfrFyZP4RzTwJF6RfhfOI1e8dPa_sh9WKLEdDo945FLpz0RO7Vffv7Lmu3bulFK-1wc-1mgH-jmi98_Vzcj3FU7UAKcizetWOcqnV/s1600/city+of+darkness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="304" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjivXpAnSEXumbv8VOtDu9asw9snc7jKMfrFyZP4RzTwJF6RfhfOI1e8dPa_sh9WKLEdDo945FLpz0RO7Vffv7Lmu3bulFK-1wc-1mgH-jmi98_Vzcj3FU7UAKcizetWOcqnV/s200/city+of+darkness.jpg" width="127" /></a>My last recommendation, because I felt like I should have five books, is <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C54ML9G/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i8" target="_blank">City of Darkness, City of Light</a> by Marge Piercy. This one, unlike my other recommendations, isn't a romance. It's a story about the French Revolution that focuses on the women involved. These days, we're kind of bombarded by stories of horrible things happening to women, and it might help to read about women trying to claim a bit of power in shaping the direction of their country.<br />
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Those are what I could think of right off the top of my head. I'm sure I'll think of others as soon as I post this.<br />
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<i>I've attempted to hyperlink the book titles to amazon because that's where I tend to buy books, but I have no affiliation with them. </i><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-67742420596524924792018-10-06T00:05:00.000-05:002018-11-26T00:06:49.883-06:00Review: Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35048585-beneath-a-scarlet-sky" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Beneath a Scarlet Sky" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493684470m/35048585.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35048585-beneath-a-scarlet-sky">Beneath a Scarlet Sky</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/127642.Mark_T_Sullivan">Mark T. Sullivan</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2344817982">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Listened to this audiobook and very much enjoyed it.<br /><br />I have a very strong interest in WWII, but most of what I've read is set in France. I know very little about the war in Italy, despite having visited the country a few times. This story is set mostly in Milan, a city I've visited once, and loved, though I only spent a day there. Was interesting to imagine the action taking place in the areas near the Duomo and La Scala.<br /><br />I found this story fascinating because it's told from the viewpoint of a young man who was forced into the war. He was going to the movies one evening, waiting and hoping for the woman he'd asked out earlier to show up and next thing he knows he's in the midst of bombing.<br /><br />The story traces his involvement in the war, which spans about two years. From his time of helping Jews to escape to working for the Allies as a spy among the Nazis. There's also a bit of a love story. <br /><br />Not entirely sure I would have liked this book as much if I'd read it rather than listened because when I read, I notice that I skim over details relating to war, and this is fairly descriptive. But listening to the story, that wasn't an issue at all. <br /><br />Would definitely recommend to anyone interested in WWII or Italian history. <br /><br />I was telling students about the book the other day and someone says, they should make that into a movie. Had no idea until a few minutes after I finished listening to the book that there is a movie in production. Looking forward to seeing that.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-12040314076963880172018-09-21T20:59:00.000-05:002018-11-25T21:01:45.306-06:00Review: Paris Ever After by K.S.R. BurnsI didn't like this book very much. This review is sort of regarding both this book and <i>The Paris Effect</i>, who which <i>Paris Ever After </i>is a sequel.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheqAn5IMwWzHmB7gjqJSHyLQh5s40RXq-nXOmfCCBqUbokfUzjD2s5eomJB9fZ_LR_E0acfsx3o-0uSuM1B45U9g1N6F2oZ07gu0tJRR_NdYrd-E-RhA7poyflDqx6l6OJtwrY/s1600/paris+ever+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheqAn5IMwWzHmB7gjqJSHyLQh5s40RXq-nXOmfCCBqUbokfUzjD2s5eomJB9fZ_LR_E0acfsx3o-0uSuM1B45U9g1N6F2oZ07gu0tJRR_NdYrd-E-RhA7poyflDqx6l6OJtwrY/s320/paris+ever+after.jpg" width="212" /></a>First, lots of respect to the author for writing something so weird and different. When I first saw the book, thought it was another story about a woman who runs off to Paris to escape her dull life and find herself. And it is that, but it's a lot more. The characters are bizarre. The Paris in this story is not the one we're used to seeing or reading about, but rather one of underground clubs and insane English women, and creepy, lying men. No one is what they seem.<br />
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As for the main character, she's equally complicated and disturbed. She's married to a man she doesn't love and married only because she was pregnant - but had a miscarriage very early in the pregnancy and has since been miserable in her marriage for years. A big part of the story involves her grieving the loss of her best friend, who was also her lover in college though her confusion about her sexual orientation is never really addressed. (I was kind of hoping the story would end up with her finding an amazing woman in Paris but finally realizing maybe she was never happy in her marriage because she was lesbian, but that didn't happen - big missed opportunity because the actual romance that got tacked on at the end of this book was super boring.)<br />
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There are several characters suffering from some fairly serious mental issues and no one seems to be especially concerned about this. The English woman who lies and manipulates people, her daughter who is either a liar or suffered something fairly traumatic that no one is addressing, and then the creepy guy who pretends to be wealthy. Then we have the main character's eating disorder that is only sort of addressed - mostly in the first book, less so in this one.<br />
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I didn't really like the characters in this book. Amy, the main character, is selfish and irresponsible. She runs off to Paris while her husband is away on business, thinking she'll be back before he returns. Then she gets sick, loses her phone, ends up being completely dependent on total strangers. That was the first book. And I didn't like it all that much, hadn't planned to read next book - but then I saw in on NetGalley and I was curious as to what happens next because as I said, I was quite impressed with how bizarre the story was.<br />
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In this book, Amy has a fight with her husband, takes off to Paris again. She essentially abandons her marriage and then, surprise, realizes she's pregnant. So again, she's expecting these people she barely knows to care for her. And her constant referring to her unborn child by name is so annoying - once in a while, okay, but it's constant, the baby (I don't remember the name) likes this, the baby was doing this, the baby wants this. That kind of made me hate the character.<br />
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Also, as I've said in other reviews, many times I'm sure, I despise stories in which the accidental pregnancy is the most wonderful thing ever - the last thing this woman needs is a baby. She doesn't even have a place to live, or any source of income or any real plans at all regarding her future.<br />
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Clearly, I didn't like the book very much.<br />
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I received a copy via NetGalley.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-2941248826255486782018-09-15T23:32:00.000-05:002018-11-25T23:33:19.827-06:00Pas de Deux by Wynter S. K.I loved this book so much!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZs50B9fGhA7tq-Nv4tAfwUpVeSemmG_D_ATE00y9cIGG6Pocihv-W4aucXEux2vP-2QNZDLTs_ynJZEV1qNfXh8G8S7X-K9nwv3Mz-PGghUX3SxFpzMziqK5hn98J2iGyWJR/s1600/pas+de+deux.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZs50B9fGhA7tq-Nv4tAfwUpVeSemmG_D_ATE00y9cIGG6Pocihv-W4aucXEux2vP-2QNZDLTs_ynJZEV1qNfXh8G8S7X-K9nwv3Mz-PGghUX3SxFpzMziqK5hn98J2iGyWJR/s320/pas+de+deux.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
Every time I picked it up to read it, it was nearly impossible to put it down. I'd do the whole, "just one more chapter, then I'll... " whatever it was I needed to do - go to bed, go to work, eat dinner, you know. Maybe I've been in a bit of a book rut, but it's been a while since I had that feeling for a book.<br />
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I stayed up well into the early morning hours to read this. The characters are wonderful. Likable and real - not perfect, but interesting and well meaning. They've both been through some very rough experiences, and they're doing their best to move forward, but they're also struggling to deal with their emotions and learning to trust people again.<br />
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I loved the way the relationship developed. They became friends first and very carefully moved into something more than a friendship. I never wanted this book to end.<br />
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Highly, highly recommend. This is such a beautiful love story.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-26857120945806669612018-09-08T21:40:00.000-05:002018-09-09T21:40:30.480-05:00Review: Room on Rue Amelie by Kristin Harmel<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35297316-the-room-on-rue-am-lie" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Room on Rue Amélie" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1511798249m/35297316.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35297316-the-room-on-rue-am-lie">The Room on Rue Amélie</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/165006.Kristin_Harmel">Kristin Harmel</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2345366785">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I really wanted to love this book. I very much enjoy stories about the French resistance. And in the beginning, I liked it a lot. But the last part of Ruby's story was a bit too out there and difficult to believe for me. <br /><br />Overall though, it's a pretty good book. Certainly held my interest. I know it looks like it took me a week to read it, but it was really two sittings, I read one half last weekend, and read the entire half the next time I was able to pick it up. I struggled a bit with the love story. Didn't appeal to me for some reason. That was a little disappointing because I'd really hoped for a good love story. If I go into detail, I'm afraid I'll spoil the book. <a class="jsShowSpoiler spoilerAction" href="https://www.blogger.com/null">(view spoiler)</a><span class="spoilerContainer" style="display: none;">[ I think I would have enjoyed this so much more if the love story had been about her and husband, and how he grew to respect her more as she played a role in the resistance. Instead, he's viewed as evil for wanting to shield her from his own involvement and then he's killed off and she takes his place and falls in love with a pilot she's hiding. <a class="jsHideSpoiler spoilerAction" href="https://www.blogger.com/null">(hide spoiler)</a>]</span><br /><br />The cover is beautiful, and that's what drew me to the book. Also, I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of Paris. I had my iPad out as I was reading, mapping out the streets. I found the stories about the French citizens involved in the resistance to be interesting. I am however, really glad I waited and borrowed this from the library.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-15015635767984613072018-09-01T21:12:00.000-05:002018-09-09T21:53:39.672-05:00Tempting the Dark by Michele Hauf<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-wDlKt3TAS4FmxllehBJavN5EZSb6RZIJ3R3l3e3LXjcLiTLyUaikvy2iYsBjdgjoFGyKQnFsbSx6eHcYlOfMqtYJHbBktg8YLFo2wg6WZ_6AWIE8KiFoiESvTWYmLMX-zjB/s1600/tempting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-wDlKt3TAS4FmxllehBJavN5EZSb6RZIJ3R3l3e3LXjcLiTLyUaikvy2iYsBjdgjoFGyKQnFsbSx6eHcYlOfMqtYJHbBktg8YLFo2wg6WZ_6AWIE8KiFoiESvTWYmLMX-zjB/s320/tempting.jpg" width="202" /></a>Took me a while to get into this - but that was not the book's fault, more along the lines of I had too many other things happening to allow myself to sit and read for a while.<br />
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When I did finally have some time to read this, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Michele Hauf's paranormal romances are my go-to escape when I cannot deal with the rest of the world. She creates the most beautiful stories, full of interesting characters dealing with life and love, and the complications caused by the magic they harbor inside.<br />
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In this particular story, Savin runs into a friend he believed he'd lost twenty years earlier. As children they fell into Daemonia - a world inhabited by demons. Savin managed to escape, but believed Jett had died there. He returned with a demon trapped inside of him, and now spends his days working with others who have magical abilities to send trouble causing demons back to Daemonia.<br />
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He's overjoyed when he sees Jett again, but something has changed inside of her. As much as she wants to return to the human world, she and Savin both have to accept that she's no longer completely human.<br />
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This is a story about battling demons - both real and mental. The characters have to face their guilt and the truth about who they are and what happened to them in order to truly find their way back to each other. To make matters more difficult, since Jett's return, Paris has been suffering from an influx of demons. Much to Savin's dismay, he discovers the only way to protect the city may involve a horrible sacrifice.<br />
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As always from this author, a very sexy, very fast paced, engrossing story set in the beautifully described city of Paris.<br />
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Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys sexy, paranormal romances full of magic.<br />
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I received a copy of this via NetGalley.<br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-79772409959105943792018-08-04T14:24:00.000-05:002018-08-05T14:26:13.903-05:00Review: The Paris Secret by Karen Swan<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28535922-the-paris-secret" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Paris Secret" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1462971586m/28535922.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28535922-the-paris-secret">The Paris Secret</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1112862.Karen_Swan">Karen Swan</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2474675368">2 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I really could have done without the whole "my sweet, gentle brother who would never hurt a soul is being wrongly accused of rape by a crazy woman who is obsessed with him because their one night stand didn't mean more" story line. Ugh, really? Maybe he shouldn't have put himself in that situation. Maybe he shouldn't be having one night stands. I'm kidding, but isn't that what women get told all the time? I just felt that part of the story was unnecessary - I especially didn't like the way it was built up. For about half the book we know the brother has been wrongly accused of something awful, and it's going to ruin their family and reputation, but we don't know what it is. And then it's really easily resolved after it causes a bunch of problems in Flora's newest relationship. The whole thing felt icky to me.<br />
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I found the story interesting - I always enjoy stories that tie back to WWII and art. But that part of the story played such a small role in this book. It was much more about Flora and the men who wanted her and the men she wanted. And the big relationship at the end didn't make much sense because they supposedly hated each other, but turns out that hate was really attraction. Are they ten? <br />
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There were too many twists in this story that didn't feel very developed. They were all resolved with hunches or feelings, not much actual explanation. Flora looks at things and suddenly knows the truth. <br />
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Did not love this book.
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739124.post-32944004897233785602018-07-29T21:57:00.000-05:002018-11-25T21:58:40.263-06:00Review: Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNE7rMHNOhPsX24ou1T0HE68j7wD0Otc5lIuWAHYeFat39qdiJ1IPq4i7ANUKoK0dzHjPb1zhT5zSwANn2j8DqE5_v7OJj6HmfzEZWYPIAmhMNPG8CauXs_oNHzLjHBrfXBBve/s1600/sarahs+key.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNE7rMHNOhPsX24ou1T0HE68j7wD0Otc5lIuWAHYeFat39qdiJ1IPq4i7ANUKoK0dzHjPb1zhT5zSwANn2j8DqE5_v7OJj6HmfzEZWYPIAmhMNPG8CauXs_oNHzLjHBrfXBBve/s320/sarahs+key.jpg" width="222" /></a>I'd wanted to read this book for so long. I noticed the audiobook available from my library, and decided to check it out for a long road trip. Big mistake. Being on a road trip meant that when I realized I didn't like this book, I was kind of stuck with it.<br />
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So many issues with this book. I was bothered by the way the author described the French. For example, she keeps saying her in-laws dislike her because they regard her as "that American feminist" as if to imply that feminism is an American thing. Really? Because I can think of several French women who are internationally known for their contributions to feminism. In general the French are much more open to feminism and Americans still have quite a ways to go. When people think American women, I doubt their first thought is how feminist we are. But anyway. Also, I didn't notice anything particularly feminist about the character - she works, but I imagine most French women do. She's kind of pathetic in her marriage to a man who openly cheats on her and doesn't seem to like her all that much - that's not what I consider feminist.<br />
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The main character is a journalist, and she uncovers the tragic story of Sarah. While that's the basis for so much of this book, there's not a lot of info with regard to Sarah. The historical aspect is important, that's why I gravitate to books like this, but the contemporary story line was dreadful. The woman is obsessed with this story as a way to avoid the miserable state of her own life. She also goes on and on about how the French ignore their history and the role they played in collaborating with the Germans. This may have been the case at the time the story was written, but the times I've been to Paris and seeking out WWII sites, it was very clear to me that the French acknowledge the role they played - I remember being taken aback by how clearly it is stated that the French police rounded up French citizens. But maybe this is a more recent thing. I believe the book is set in 2002, and my own experience in France only dates back about ten years.<br />
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The part of the book that turned off completely is the character learning she's pregnant - says they've tried for years and had given up - only to have her husband insist that she have an abortion. If she was really the feminist she claims to be, she wouldn't even entertain his suggestion if that wasn't at all what she wanted, and clearly it wasn't. But she ends up in the abortion clinic, wondering how many other women will be "having their babies scraped out of them" - another very un-feminist view of what should be regarded as a normal medical procedure. Then she claims the people at the clinic are chasing her down, trying to force her to have this abortion that she doesn't want. Ah, yes, because people who work in abortion clinics are evil? Whatever. That's when I would have quit the book - but was still an hour and half away from my destination, driving on the highway, so couldn't exactly pull over and download a new book.<br />
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And then to end the story, she's chasing down the people who were related to Sarah, forcing them to confront her history, even though the man has no desire to learn all of this. The whole thing was very uncomfortable and stalker-ish. But then I guess they fall in love in the end which didn't make much sense at all.<br />
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Overall, didn't like this book at all.<br />
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