Series Review: Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth

Call the Midwife: a Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth
Call the Midwife: Shadows of the Workhouse by Jennifer Worth
Call the Midwife: Farewell to the East End by Jennifer Worth
Publisher: Penguin Books
Publication date: Originally 2002, 2005, 2009
Source: Library
For: Love the PBS series!
Series: Midwife Trilogy (three memoirs)

 

Summary:
These are three volumes of Jennifer Lee Worth, who as a very young girl left her pretty cushy life to become a midwife and work in one of the poorest parts of London during the 1950s and 1960s.

Things I Liked:
These stories are incredible! I wish I'd read the books before watching the series, but I was still blown away! It is absolutely amazing and awful and beautiful the kinds of conditions these women who were giving birth lived in. The midwives are incredible as well, but I read some of these stories and just felt almost embarrassed at how much I have and how whiny I can be about it. A wonderful look at a specific time and place and the women who played such a vital role. The first book was the most interesting to me, being more of a general collection of stories from Worth's experiences. The second and third were more general and had fewer stories of midwifery and the interesting people she met. Still, all of them were worth every minute reading. Can't recommend it enough and I adore the series as well (though not as much with Nurse Lee gone from the scene).

Things I Didn't Like:
It's been quite some time since I read these, and I don't remember anything in particular I disliked. It is pretty frank about sex and childbirth, so not exactly light reading. Also, abuse and other awful circumstances.

Read-alikes:
Nothing I can think of!

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
yep

mrg-factor: XXX
not gratuitous, also not surprising considering the topic

v-factor: ->->
some of the stories are simply appalling

Overall rating: *****

Book Review: The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy

The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy
Publisher: Several (I read Kindle edition)
Publication date: first published 1921
Source: Free on Kindle
For: Fun
Series: The Forsyte Chronicles #1-3

Summary (if that's even possible) (from goodreads):

The three novels which make up The Forsyte Saga chronicle the ebbing social power of the commercial upper-middle class Forsyte family between 1886 and 1920. Galsworthy's masterly narrative examines not only their fortunes but also the wider developments within society, particularly the changing position of women.

My Thoughts:
Crazy, epic story. Impossible to summarize and just so broad that I don't even know where to start. I love the real characters, you get into everyone's head and you see what makes them tick. I love to love the "good" characters and love to hate the "bad" ones, even though you can see that there are neither kind, really. Just everyone mixed up with good and bad. I especially loved the family gossip sessions, that sounded so real and just what a lot of family gatherings tend to be like. I thought it was interesting and I did like watching generations of the same family struggle to understand each other and change. I also found that I was terribly bored during vast amounts of the book. Sometimes, characters went off on enormous tangents and I lost interest. It took me months and months (possibly a year?) to finish this epic. Now what I really need is to watch the mini-series (or whatever it is), so I can see it all at once, succinctly.

Read-alikes:
Uh, I have no idea

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
a handful here and there

mrg-factor: X
implied stuff, of course

v-factor: ->
a little bit

Overall rating: ***

Book Review: The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication date: August 2007
Pages: 796
Source: Purchased
For: Fun
Series: Mistborn, Book 2

Summary (from goodreads): *Spoilers for Mistborn are inevitable*

The impossible has been accomplished. The Lord Ruler – the man who claimed to be god incarnate and brutally ruled the world for a thousand years – has been vanquished. But Kelsier, the hero who masterminded that triumph, is dead too, and now the awesome task of building a new world has been left to his young protégé, Vin, the former street urchin who is now the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and to the idealistic young nobleman she loves.

As Kelsier’s protégé and slayer of the Lord Ruler she is now venerated by a budding new religion, a distinction that makes her intensely uncomfortable. Even more worrying, the mists have begun behaving strangely since the Lord Ruler died, and seem to harbor a strange vaporous entity that haunts her.

Stopping assassins may keep Vin’s Mistborn skills sharp, but it’s the least of her problems. Luthadel, the largest city of the former empire, doesn’t run itself, and Vin and the other members of Kelsier’s crew, who lead the revolution, must learn a whole new set of practical and political skills to help. It certainly won’t get easier with three armies – one of them composed of ferocious giants – now vying to conquer the city, and no sign of the Lord Ruler’s hidden cache of atium, the rarest and most powerful allomantic metal.

As the siege of Luthadel tightens, an ancient legend seems to offer a glimmer of hope. But even if it really exists, no one knows where to find the Well of Ascension or what manner of power it bestows.

Things I Liked:
Brandon Sanderson - he has a gift for creating these intriguing worlds and people in them.  I really like his stuff and I always feel very engrossed when I'm reading his books.  The worlds come to life for me and there is so much depth and history.  I also really don't have a clue where the plot is going, even when I think I do.  Give me more of this story (I mean, it's already out there, but I just need to pick up the book). I kept being surprised by what happened and what motivated people.

Things I Didn't Like:
They are very, very long.  I keep thinking there has to be stuff to cut, and I'm sure there is, but all of it kind of seems relevant.  Still: long.

Read-alikes:
Start with Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
Reminds me a bit of Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a few

mrg-factor: none
that I recall

v-factor: ->->
there's always some fighting

Overall rating: ****

Book Review: Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: July 2015
Pages: 278
Source: Library
For: Harper Lee, duh!
Series: Sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird

Summary (from goodreads):

Maycomb, Alabama. Twenty-six-year-old Jean Louise Finch--"Scout"--returns home from New York City to visit her aging father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise's homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town and the people dearest to her. Memories from her childhood flood back, and her values and assumptions are thrown into doubt. Featuring many of the iconic characters from To Kill a Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman perfectly captures a young woman, and a world, in a painful yet necessary transition out of the illusions of the past--a journey that can be guided only by one's conscience. 

Things I Liked:
I enjoyed a number of parts of this book.  I really liked seeing Scout and just who she had grown up into and the funny things she said and thought.  I loved that part of her.  I really struggled with what the story was actually about, her seeing the truth of her hometown and father and not idolizing them anymore.  It was hard to read, hard for me to understand, and just not what I wanted to read, I guess.  It was a smart book, and definitely changes your perspective and thoughts in relation to To Kill a Mockingbird.  Still, I found as it went on that I wasn't much enjoying my read.  I did like it, but I didn't like it too.  Makes perfect sense, right? I read the book probably six months ago, but I'm only posting it now, just in time to hear of Harper Lee's death. Wish we had more from her!

Things I Didn't Like:
Think I covered both in the previous paragraph.

Read-alikes:
Well I'd start with To Kill a Mockingbird...and maybe end there too :)

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a few

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
maybe a little off-page

Overall rating: ***

Book Review: Pioneer Girl by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Pamela Smith Hill

Pioneer Girl by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Pamela Smith Hill (editor)
Publisher: South Dakota State Historical Society
Publication date: November 2014
Pages: 400
Source: Library
For: Fun

Summary (from goodreads):

Pioneer Girl follows the Ingalls family's journey through Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, back to Minnesota, and on to Dakota Territory sixteen years of travels, unforgettable experiences, and the everyday people who became immortal through Wilder's fiction. Using additional manuscripts, letters, photographs, newspapers, and other sources, award-winning Wilder biographer Pamela Smith Hill adds valuable context and leads readers through Wilder's growth as a writer. Do you think you know Laura? Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography will re-introduce you to the woman who defined the pioneer experience for millions.

Things I Liked:
This took me AGES to read.  Mostly because I could only check it out two weeks at a time and everyone kept putting it on hold, so I couldn't renew it.  It is also a very big book and a bit daunting at times.  Still, I am so glad I persisted.  I don't even remember if I've read the Little House books all the way through, or just listened while my mom read them to my siblings.  It didn't really matter, because this story is the true one.  I loved how very detailed and full of notes it was.  I can't read something with that many footnotes often, but when I do, I usually love it.  It was fun to see the author differentiate between what was real and what they changed for the kids novels.  If you are a huge fan of the Little House books, pick this one up.  It will more than satisfy every question about her life you may have.

Things I Didn't Like:
It was a bit dry at times.  I guess life can be that way :). You have to be a real fan to take this one on, I think.

Read-alikes:
The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder :)

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Code Talker by Chester Nez

Code Talker by Chester Nez
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: September 2011
Pages: 320
Source: Library
For: Interesting!

Summary (from goodreads):

Although more than 400 Navajos served in the military during World War II as top-secret code talkers, even those fighting shoulder to shoulder with them were not told of their covert function. And, after the war, the Navajos were forbidden to speak of their service until 1968, when the code was finally declassified. Of the original twenty- nine Navajo code talkers, only two are still alive. Chester Nez is one of them.

In this memoir, the eighty-nine-year-old Nez chronicles both his war years and his life growing up on the Checkerboard Area of the Navajo Reservation-the hard life that gave him the strength, both physical and mental, to become a Marine. His story puts a living face on the legendary men who developed what is still the only unbroken code in modern warfare.

Things I Liked:
This book really intrigued me.  I loved reading about those Native Americans who played such a unique and vital role in WWII.  His particular experiences made me realize just how little I know about the treatment of Native Americans in our history. I mean, I know it's always been bad, but this wasn't even always deliberately bad, just neglect and ignoring the kinds of things they experienced.  It was eye-opening and just plain sad.  I liked hearing it from his perspective and he never sounded bitter or angry about it.  His experiences during the war seemed so different from what the "usual" soldiers might have felt, but was still very painful and hard.  An inspiring and interesting read.

Things I Didn't Like:
I did like how it was really his words written down, but that also made for some grammar issues that I would notice and be annoyed about before remembering it was his direct narrative.

Read-alikes:
Can't think of any

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
some

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->->
he went to war!

Overall rating: ****

Book Review: The Bungalow by Sarah Jio

The Bungalow by Sarah Jio
Publisher: Plume
Publication date: 2011
Pages: 320
Source: Library
For: Recommended by a friend

Summary (from goodreads):

In the summer of 1942, twenty-one-year-old Anne Calloway, newly engaged, sets off to serve in the Army Nurse Corps on the Pacific island of Bora-Bora. More exhilarated by the adventure of a lifetime than she ever was by her predictable fiancé, she is drawn to a mysterious soldier named Westry, and their friendship soon blossoms into hues as deep as the hibiscus flowers native to the island. Under the thatched roof of an abandoned beach bungalow, the two share a private world-until they witness a gruesome crime, Westry is suddenly redeployed, and the idyll vanishes into the winds of war.

Things I Liked:
I picked this one up after a friend of mine raved about it - her favorite book! This was kind of a sweet story with some dark elements to make it feel more realistic.  I have to admit at times it was a little unbelievable, but I sure don't know enough about that time and place to really know.  I thought it was interesting and engaging, but kind of lacked a little substance.  There are a few things that you pick up on long before the main character, which can be annoying.  Still, the ending was surprising and a little bittersweet.

Things I Didn't Like:
I wanted something more from it. Not sure what, but I just felt like it never quite achieved what it could have.

Read-alikes:
I can't think of any right now...

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
maybe a few

mrg-factor: X
some vague scenes

v-factor: ->

Overall rating: ***

Book Review: As You Wish by Cary Elwes

As You Wish by Cary Elwes
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Publication date: October 2014
Length: 7 hrs, 1 min
Source: Audiobook from library
For: Fun!

Summary (from goodreads):

The Princess Bride has been a family favorite for close to three decades. Ranked by the American Film Institute as one of the top 100 Greatest Love Stories and by the Writers Guild of America as one of the top 100 screenplays of all time, The Princess Bride will continue to resonate with audiences for years to come.

Cary Elwes was inspired to share his memories and give fans an unprecedented look into the creation of the film while participating in the twenty-fifth anniversary cast reunion. In As You Wish he has created an enchanting experience; in addition to never-before seen photos and interviews with his fellow cast mates, there are plenty of set secrets, backstage stories, and answers to lingering questions about off-screen romances that have plagued fans for years!

Things I Liked:
I listened to this on audio, read mostly by Cary Elwes, as suggested by a number of people.  I do recall my mind drifting during quite a bit of the beginning where Elwes tells his story about joining the cast and meeting everyone and all that preproduction stuff.  When it finally got to the stories from the movie, I really enjoyed it.  I loved all the funny, quirky, and hilarious antics they all seemed to get up to.  It sounds almost like an extended family reunion.  It was a lot of fun to hear it in their own voices (some of them) too.

Things I Didn't Like:
Yeah, the beginning was hard for me.  Otherwise, it was super fun to hear about one of my favorite movies.  I watched it again not that long ago and took great pleasure in pointing out things about the scenes that I learned from the book to my husband.

Read-alikes:
Can't think of anything...

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
maybe one or two

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****

Book Review: The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: 2012
Pages: 669
Source: Library
For: More Kate Morton stuff

Summary (from goodreads):

During a summer party at the family farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house and is happily dreaming of the future. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and watches as her mother speaks to him. Before the afternoon is over, Laurel will witness a shocking crime. A crime that challenges everything she knows about her family and especially her mother, Dorothy—her vivacious, loving, nearly perfect mother.

Now, fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress living in London. The family is gathering at Greenacres farm for Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this may be her last chance, Laurel searches for answers to the questions that still haunt her from that long-ago day, answers that can only be found in Dorothy’s past.

Dorothy’s story takes the reader from pre–WWII England through the blitz, to the ’60s and beyond. It is the secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds—Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy—who meet by chance in wartime London and whose lives are forever entwined. The Secret Keeper explores longings and dreams and the unexpected consequences they sometimes bring. It is an unforgettable story of lovers and friends, deception and passion that is told—in Morton’s signature style—against a backdrop of events that changed the world.

Things I Liked:
This book has a complicated plot filled with all kinds of secrets and mysteries and written in the perfect way to keep you guessing all the way to the ending.  This was signature Kate Morton (though, I'm pretty sure I've only read two of her other books).  It was also quite long.  It was engaging and I couldn't stop reading to find out just what in the world happened all those years ago. I was completely thrown for a loop when some of the stuff was revealed, though I did have an inkling about other things.

Things I Didn't Like:
Yeah, it is dark and creepy and at times kinda depressing.  Also, long.  But, I am really impressed at Morton's skills at weaving a complex web of uncertainties all the way to the end.  And I really have no idea how Laurel could even pretend to feel normal after what she saw.

Read-alikes:
Other Morton books will satisfy your "like this book" craving

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !#$
a fair few

mrg-factor: X
some

v-factor: ->->
rather more than I enjoy

Overall rating: ****

Book Review: As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley

As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication date: January 2015
Pages: 392
Source: e-book from library
For: Flavia!
Series: Flavia de Luce, Book 7

 
Summary (from goodreads): *Spoilers are inevitable for the first 7 books*

Hard on the heels of the return of her mother’s body from the frozen reaches of the Himalayas, Flavia, for her indiscretions, is banished from her home at Buckshaw and shipped across the ocean to Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy in Toronto, her mother’s alma mater, there to be inducted into a mysterious organization known as the Nide.

No sooner does she arrive, however, than a body comes crashing down out of the chimney and into her room, setting off a series of investigations into mysterious disappearances of girls from the school.

Things I Liked:
More Flavia! It was different, what with being in a completely different setting.  It was kind of fun to see her try to figure things out in her school.  I got rather confused a number of times, since I could never tell which student or teacher to rely on.  At least at home she could depend on certain people to be good, but here everyone was a suspect.  It was a boarding school romp for Flavia and such fun for me to read.

Things I Didn't Like:
The ending left me a bit confused - why did she go there in the first place? I'm trying not to spoil it, though I doubt it would ruin the story, but it seemed like everything was negated by the ending.  I'm hoping for more, just so I can read more Flavia.

Read-alikes:
Start with The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
maybe one or two

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
there's a bit of the macabre

Overall rating: ****

Book Review: Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty

Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Publication date: 2003
Pages: 356
Source: e-book from library
For: Book Group

Summary (from goodreads):

Lyn, Cat, and Gemma Kettle, beautiful thirty-three-year-old triplets, seem to attract attention everywhere they go. Together, laughter, drama, and mayhem seem to follow them. But apart, each is dealing with her own share of ups and downs. Lyn has organized her life into one big checklist, Cat has just learned a startling secret about her marriage, and Gemma, who bolts every time a relationship hits the six-month mark, holds out hope for lasting love. In this wise, witty, and hilarious novel, we follow the Kettle sisters through their tumultuous thirty-third year as they deal with sibling rivalry and secrets, revelations and relationships, unfaithful husbands and unthinkable decisions, and the fabulous, frustrating life of forever being part of a trio.

Things I Liked:
And, more of the same rather depressing lives of Moriarty characters (shouldn't have read it back-to-back with Big Little Lies).  I really didn't much care for any of the sisters, though I could relate a few times to what they experienced.  I'm not quite sure what to make of the ending, as it isn't really happy, just kind of accepting.  Plenty of twists and drama and of course the terrible husbands that make appearances in all of her books (I am avoiding The Husbands Secret, as I already know that's a terrible husband book).

Things I Didn't Like:
Just not really that enjoyable to read.  Kind of like watching a soap opera, though, if you like those.

Read-alikes:
Her other books seem rather similar

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@$#@
tons

mrg-factor: XX
yep

v-factor: ->->
unfortunately

Overall rating: **

Book Review: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication date: January 2014
Pages: 512
Source: Library
For: Because I liked What Alice Forgot

Summary (from goodreads):

Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest (how is this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?).

Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay.

New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all.

Things I Liked:
I have to admit Moriarty can really write interesting stories about everyday people.  But man, her characters' lives really suck.  It seems that only bad things happen to them and everyone around them and pretty much every man everywhere is cheating on his wife.  This one kind of broke my heart with the children and their stories.  Also, that ending was a little bit crazy and I'm not entirely sure what to make of it, but I suppose it's telling you about it all along. Not ready to be a school mom yet :)
 
Things I Didn't Like:
It's full of vulgarities and isn't something to read when you're already feeling depressed about life.  I guess her books are just full of really crappy lives to me.

Read-alikes:
Like Moriarty's other books, really

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#$%
lots!

mrg-factor: XX
lots of this too!

v-factor: ->->->
domestic violence

Overall rating: ***

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication date: October 2013
Pages: 352
Source: Library
For: Fun

Summary (from goodreads):

I come from a country that was created at midnight. When I almost died it was just after midday.

When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.

On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive.

Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Things I Liked:
What a beautiful story! I love how down to earth Malala and her father sound, yet they are making an extraordinary difference in their country.  Her story makes you think you could stand up and make a difference too.  She is inspiring in her tireless efforts to not back down when told to stop going to school.  I'm amazed at her courage and strength, especially for one so young.

Things I Didn't Like:
It wasn't the most well-written book, but I think that is part of what makes you feel like you connect well with her.

Read-alikes:
Nothing I can think of...

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none 

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
she kind of lives with violence in her part of the world

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Packing for Mars by Mary Roach

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach
Publisher: W.W. Norton and Company
Publication date: August 2010
Pages: 336
Source: Library
For: Book Group

Summary (from goodreads):

Space is a world devoid of the things we need to live and thrive: air, gravity, hot showers, fresh produce, privacy, beer. Space exploration is in some ways an exploration of what it means to be human. How much can a person give up? How much weirdness can they take? What happens to you when you can’t walk for a year? have sex? smell flowers? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a space walk? Is it possible for the human body to survive a bailout at 17,000 miles per hour?

To answer these questions, space agencies set up all manner of quizzical and startlingly bizarre space simulations. As Mary Roach discovers, it’s possible to preview space without ever leaving Earth. From the space shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA’s new space capsule (cadaver filling in for astronaut), Roach takes us on a surreally entertaining trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth.

Things I Liked:
Mary Roach, where have you been all my life? Just kidding, but I really love the way she writes interesting nonfiction. I struggle to want to read NF a lot, but this book made me love it.  I love space, and pretty much would have loved a dry, boring book about all the crazy stuff that zero-g does to humans, but Roach made this book awesome by just basically being funny the whole time.  Seriously, if you have to write about puke and poop on space shuttles, you may as well make it fun.  I could pull quotes from pretty much every page that made me laugh.  She's witty, she's good at what she does.  Interesting stuff.

Things I Didn't Like:
She has a serious potty mouth and everything has something to do with sex.  And sometimes, I was a tad bored, but I still loved it.

Read-alikes:
Stiff by Mary Roach

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
quite a few, several f-bombs

mrg-factor: XXX
plenty of talk about sex, a bit of it crude

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication date: November 2010
Pages: 576
Source: Library
For: Book Group

Summary (from goodreads):

A long lost letter arrives in the post and Edie Burchill finds herself on a journey to Milderhurst Castle, a great but moldering old house, where the Blythe spinsters live and where her mother was billeted 50 years before as a 13 year old child during WWII. The elder Blythe sisters are twins and have spent most of their lives looking after the third and youngest sister, Juniper, who hasn’t been the same since her fiance jilted her in 1941.

Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother’s past. But there are other secrets hidden in the stones of Milderhurst, and Edie is about to learn more than she expected. The truth of what happened in ‘the distant hours’ of the past has been waiting a long time for someone to find it.

Things I Liked:
Yes! I loved this deep and twisty and complicated story about family and secrets and what really happened and all that history stuff.  This was very well plotted and written and I couldn't put it down.  I first thought I had things figured out and then I changed my mind (three or four times).  Really, it kept me guessing right down to the final chapters.  I really enjoyed it.

Things I Didn't Like:
I have to admit, the ending, despite being quite surprising was a little bit too much.  Stretched a bit too far?  It felt very different from the rest of the book, in that it was a bit unbelievable, if quite a good fit for the story.  Still, I enjoyed it very much and need to get myself more Kate Morton right away!

Read-alikes:
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
a few

mrg-factor: none
on page, anyway

v-factor: ->
some kind of implied

Overall rating: ****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom

The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom
Publisher: Hachette Books
Publication date: September 2012
Pages: 240
Source: Library
For: Book Group

Summary (from goodreads):

In this fable, the first man on earth to count the hours becomes Father Time.

The inventor of the world's first clock is punished for trying to measure God's greatest gift. He is banished to a cave for centuries and forced to listen to the voices of all who come after him seeking more days, more years. Eventually, with his soul nearly broken, Father Time is granted his freedom, along with a magical hourglass and a mission: a chance to redeem himself by teaching two earthly people the true meaning of time.

He returns to our world - now dominated by the hour-counting he so innocently began - and commences a journey with two unlikely partners: one a teenage girl who is about to give up on life, the other a wealthy old businessman who wants to live forever. To save himself, he must save them both. And stop the world to do so.

Things I Liked:
Interesting thoughts about what time means and how much it rules our lives.  I am very much a clock watcher and I hate to be without my watch.  I can see how it sort of takes over my life in getting places at certain times.  An interesting look at humanity and the importance of individuals and relationships.

Things I Didn't Like:
I don't much care for the style of writing.  It's very simplistic and at times annoyed me that way.  I also thought it kind of ignored how we do have to pay attention to time to function in our world.  Not everything associated with keeping time is bad.  Not much nuance there.  There's a nice line between being obsessed by it and acknowledging it's importance.

Read-alikes:
I got nothing...

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ***

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Longbourn by Jo Baker

Longbourn by Jo Baker
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Publication date: October 2013
Pages: 352
Source: Library
For: Book Club

 

Summary (from goodreads):

If Elizabeth Bennet had the washing of her own petticoats, Sarah often thought, she’d most likely be a sight more careful with them.
 
In this irresistibly imagined belowstairs answer to Pride and Prejudice, the servants take center stage. Sarah, the orphaned housemaid, spends her days scrubbing the laundry, polishing the floors, and emptying the chamber pots for the Bennet household. But there is just as much romance, heartbreak, and intrigue downstairs at Longbourn as there is upstairs. When a mysterious new footman arrives, the orderly realm of the servants’ hall threatens to be completely, perhaps irrevocably, upended.

Jo Baker dares to take us beyond the drawing rooms of Jane Austen’s classic—into the often overlooked domain of the stern housekeeper and the starry-eyed kitchen maid, into the gritty daily particulars faced by the lower classes in Regency England during the Napoleonic Wars—and, in doing so, creates a vivid, fascinating, fully realized world that is wholly her own. 

Things I Liked:
This was one of the most interesting and best spin-offs of a Jane Austen book I've read. Probably because it had nothing really to do with the story. Makes you think of the Bennet family much differently - maybe not love them as much. It definitely opened my eyes to the working classes at the time and the struggles they dealt with (ugh the description of diapers just about did me in - and I used cloth diapers! :).

Things I Didn't Like:
I really was annoyed with James and what he did near the end of the book - it seemed pretty stupid. Also, the ever switching of points of view got rather annoying sometimes. I didn't notice just how often it happened until someone pointed it out. It happened mid-paragraph sometimes!

Read-alikes:
Tons of Pride and Prejudice retellings and spin-offs out there :)

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
probably a few

mrg-factor: XX
some implied and not so implied stuff

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Mini Reviews 18

Hey, not only is this the last of the mini reviews (for a while), but it's the last of my 2014 book reviews! I'm only five months behind - yeah?


Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

Summary:
When Elizabeth Darcy's sister Lydia shows up unannounced at Pemberley, the Darcy's quiet world is shattered.  Wickham and their friend Denny got into an argument and Denny is found dead.  Wickham is the chief suspect and that brings even more shame to the Darcy family name, as Mr. Darcy's brother-in-law.  Can Elizabeth and Darcy hold their position and their family together under such pressure?

My Thoughts:
This one suffered in comparison to the mini series.  I watched it first and then read the book and not only was the fun taken out of the mystery, since I knew who had done it, but I found it a lot less exciting and intense than the show.  I admit the mini series took some liberties that I laughed at, particularly with regard to Lizzy's role in the whole thing.  Still, it made the book seem a lot slower and more boring.  Plus, mystery still isn't my favorite genre of choice.  Meh.
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The Shadow Throne by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Summary:
Carthya is on the brink of war and Jaron is fighting to keep his throne.  But when an unexpected threat arises, he is about to risk all in order to keep what is his.  He is ready to make a desperate move to save the kingdom, the throne, and those he cares about. Will it be enough?

My Thoughts:
I really liked the start of the series, and I am satisfied by the ending and how everything turned out. I remember enjoying the action and the excitement of watching Jeron do crazy things for his throne and his love.  I love how Nielsen is able to plot twists that are fantastic and that I don't usually see coming, though a few of them I do.  But, to be honest, it's been a few months and I can't remember much of what happened.  So, I guess there's that against it.
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Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger

Summary:
Sophronia continues her training as a spy and this time is caught up in a conspiracy brooding in London.  As their floating school makes its way straight into the heart of the trouble, she and her friends must discover who is behind this plot before it's too late for them all.

My Thoughts:
Well, this series is fun to read when you just want a lark.  There are plenty of politics (of the supernatural variety) and intrigue going on to keep you reading.  Also, I really like Sophronia, despite her doing some really annoying things in the romance department.  I think I do read them for the characters and the silliness.  Definitely a nice break from serious stuff (not that I was reading serious stuff anyway.)
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In the Dark Streets Shineth: A 1941 Christmas Eve Story by David McCullough

Summary from goodreads:

Christmas Eve, 1941. Mere days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt met at the White House. As war raged throughout the world, the two leaders delivered a powerful message of hope that still resonates today.

My Thoughts:
This is basically a transcript from a program McCullough did with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for a Christmas program (I did read this around Christmas - I was super proud of myself for doing some thematic reading, since I don't usually - too bad I didn't get a review posted until May).  But it was too short and I really wanted more details about the historical period.  There was an interesting address by PM Churchill that made me want to read a bio of him (now to figure out which of the 3 billion to read).
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Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Summary:
An autobiography of the author written in verse, describes her childhood and youth and all that led her to writing stories and becoming the person she is today.

My Thoughts:
Love, love love it!  This was fantastic.  I know why this won the National Book Award (and other delightful shiny stickers). It is written so, so well (and I sometimes have a hard time with verse novels).  The story is amazing and I adored hearing more about the time period and the things Jacqueline dealt with.  Her family were awesome (well, most of them)!
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Chime by Franny Billingsley

Summary:
Briony is living with so many secrets and so much guilt, she can hardly breathe some days.  Determined never to let anyone know just what she's done, she leads a painful life of deception.  Until she begins to see that things might not have been as she thought.

My Thoughts:
This book was super weird and interesting and confusing.  I can't believe how long it took me to get to it (I got an ARC way back when).  I was sucked in from the first page!  The story was convoluted and I had no idea what was going on a lot of the time, but I have to admit I was wowed.  I loved how the end came about and how things just sort of clicked.  Intriguing, strange, and very gorgeously written!

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Mini Reviews 16

The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah M. Ladd

Summary:
Amelia Barrett is a wealthy heiress and content in life, until her friend dies and begs Amelia to care for her baby.  Amelia is ready to do everything in her power to honor that promise, including proposing to the child's father, despite all social expectations.

My Thoughts:

A sweet and fun historical romance that had a different enough plot to remain interesting, if predictable and a bit forgettable. I rather liked the religious aspect too.
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Death Cloud by Andrew Lane

Summary:
Sherlock Holmes is only fourteen and not yet grown into his powers of observation and deduction.  But when he determines to discover the cause of the deaths of two people while he's on break from school, he is about to begin a life-long career of solving mysteries.

My Thoughts:
Kind of a fun book introducing us to a young Sherlock and his first mystery adventure. I found some of it a bit dull, but managed to enjoy it despite its rather implausible plot.
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Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

Summary: *Spoilers are inevitable for the first two books*
Blue and her friends are getting closer and closer to finding Glendower and the path to him is becoming increasingly perilous.  When Blue's mother goes missing, they become even more hopelessly tangled in the search for the king.

My Thoughts:
I still love these characters and I crave more of their adventures. I'm somewhat tired of waiting for the end to come, but I enjoyed the story, if not the smattering of f-bombs.
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Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Summary:
Nyx is betrothed to the monster that enslaved her people. Her destiny is to marry him and discover a way to kill him so they can all be free.  But she doesn't count on the unyielding attraction she feels for the smooth, charming monster.

My Thoughts:
I listened to this audio and it took me forever, but every time I started listening I was sucked into the story. It felt unique despite being a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and some Greek mythological inspiration. I adored the very much flawed characters, especially Nyx. The ending was strange and surprising and also satisfying. I was deliciously entertained and can't wait for more from her! (I'm currently reading Crimson Bound and enjoying it, though somewhat less than this one.)
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Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper

Summary:
Avery Roe is desperate to take her place as the witch on her island, protecting the people from storm and other dangers at sea.  Her mother is determined to keep her from that destiny.  But when Avery sees a disturbing vision of her own future, she must find a way to escape her mother and become the witch.

My Thoughts:
I really wanted to like this more. I tried to love the characters, but really just hated Avery. She did some really stupid things and didn't often realize how dumb they were, even later. Her obsession with her magic and how to get it felt just a bit ridiculous to me. I did enjoy the writing, the vivid setting and some elements of the plot, but ultimately felt like it fell short and was forgettable. Especially the romance. Meh.

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Mini Reviews 15

The Caller by Juliet Marillier

Summary:
Some spoilers for the previous two books in the Shadowfell series: 
Neryn is seeking to complete her training with all the guardians, but the task is proving difficult.  Then, just when she thinks she might finish in time, another unforeseen threat arises that makes her position even more precarious, and Neryn must decide to put herself in a dangerous situation to help save them all.

My Thoughts:
I really enjoy everything by Juliet Marillier that I read.  She has an amazing writing talent, in her descriptions and word choice, but especially in her ability to bring fairy stories to life.  The fairy world she's created feels very real and the characters, both human and fairy, are so intriguing and fascinating.  I love the way the fair folk speak, because it honestly makes them even more real.  And makes me want to visit this place, despite its despicable tyrant.  The story was a bit contrived and the ending rather convenient, but I still enjoyed it.  Can't wait for more from this author!
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The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie

Summary:
Colonel Protheroe was murdered - at the vicarage, in fact, and the police are having a difficult time figuring out just who might have done it.  Everyone seems suspect, especially considering how unpopular the colonel was.  But the unlikely Miss Jane Marple, a white-haired old lady, is the keenest detective in town and will have the mystery figured out in no time.

My Thoughts:
It took me ages to listen to this on audio (thank you, Sync), but I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I'm not much of a mystery person, but there's a reason Agatha Christie is famous for her books.  Throughout the story, I was sure the murderer was one person, then another, then someone else entirely.  I was completely surprised.  Interesting characters and story, not to mention the look at small-town life where everyone knows and talks about everyone else.
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Don't Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon

Summary from goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Noa has been a victim of the system ever since her parents died. Now living off the grid and trusting no one, she uses her hacking skills to stay anonymous and alone. But when she wakes up on a table in a warehouse with an IV in her arm and no memory of how she got there, Noa starts to wish she had someone on her side.

Enter Peter Gregory. A rich kid and the leader of a hacker alliance, Peter needs people with Noa’s talents on his team. Especially after a shady corporation threatens his life in no uncertain terms. But what Noa and Peter don’t realize is that Noa holds the key to a terrible secret, and there are those who’d stop at nothing to silence her for good.

My Thoughts:
I really tried to like this one more (I couldn't even write a summary).  I thought it sounded intriguing and loved the idea of it.  The characters were uninteresting and worse, I disliked them.  I couldn't even bring myself to root for them.  The story seemed to be a little bit all over the place.  It's been a while since I read it and I can't even remember much of what happens.  Too bad, since it really sounded interesting.
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Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Summary:
Not sure I can even do a summary.  Let's say this: evil emperor, underdogs making an effort to overthrow him, seriously cool powers: allomancy, fabulously created fantasy world.

My Thoughts:
This was my first adult Brandon Sanderson book.  Wow, he really does have a talent.  Yes, the books are thick and detailed and full of world-building.  I loved every second of it.  I adored the characters and I need to find the time to read the rest of this series.  This world is fascinating and complicated and I am so in awe of Sanderson's ability to create multiple worlds of this depth.  Need more!
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Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan

Summary from goodreads: *Spoilers for the previous two books in the Lynburn Legacy series*

Kami has lost the boy she loves, is tied to a boy she does not, and faces an enemy more powerful than ever before. With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami must rely on her new magical link with Ash for the strength to face the evil spreading through her town.

Rob Lynburn is now the master of Sorry-in-the-Vale, and he demands a death. Kami will use every tool at her disposal to stop him. Together with Rusty, Angela, and Holly, she uncovers a secret that might be the key to saving the town. But with knowledge comes responsibility—and a painful choice. A choice that will risk not only Kami’s life, but also the lives of those she loves most.

My Thoughts:
I have to admit, the first book in this series was my favorite. I found as I continued the series that I was less and less interested.  Yes, things are more scary and dark.  Yes, Kami is still fabulous and her entire personality fascinates me.  The dialog and the interactions of all the characters is the most interesting thing about this series.  I love the humor and how they still manage to be teenagers despite the horrible stuff they're fighting.  The end seemed a little crazy and all over and what in the world is going on here, but satisfying too.  Even if a cried so much over a particular part :(

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage