Stalking Jack the Ripper

4/5
I really liked this book. Kept me interested and kept me guessing. Loved our character Audrey Rose was not your typical female of the times. She had her own path to blaze. The other characters are just as good. Her partner Thomas was the perfect balance for her. Loved the twist at the end. Just when I thought I knew who it was it, wasn’t.
Looking forward to reading this series from this author. Hope all the same characters are kept throughout the series.

The Noel Diary

3/5


Was another easy fast read. I liked the main character and understand why his thoughts and feelings changed near the end of the story.

I did not like how even though part of the story takes place in 1986 with a diary of another character, the book makes you think it’s way back in the 50s or 60s with the thought process and religious views and actions. Especially when it involves young women. One character just go on my nerves with all the indecisiveness and lack of ability to stand up for herself.Was not a bad book. Had a nice message about forgiveness and grace.

The Christmas List

4/5
The Christmas season is here. Nothing like a good Christmas book or story to help keep you in the mood.
The Christmas List is better then I expected. Just right for the Christmas Season. It was an easy, quick read with a positive message about forgiveness. You see the changes a man goes through after reading his own obituary. From cruel businessman to a forgiven one. Like the epilogue, tells what happens after the list.

A Holiday for Murder(Hercule Poirot's Christmas)

4/5

The draw back to this book for me was the print, it was hard to read, and was an older book so the pages were darker as well.


I loved the ending, did not see who was guilty coming. was a great book. The characters were interesting that's for sure. Poirot, whom I love. Great book. Enjoyable read.

Lilac Girls

When I first started this book, I thought it would live up to some of the not so positive reviews. As I got further into the book, it was not so. It is told from the 3 different points of view, 3 very different, 2 of which were real women. I found this to be a good thing as you can see also for 3 different ages of 3 different women. I will admit, when we are first introduced to Caroline, I thought her to be a bit boring and just another socialite. This was not so. She is very much a part of the story and needed to be included.

The war puts is in different places, and I found it heartbreaking what one human can do to another. One of the places we are placed is, Ravensbruck concentration camp exclusively for women. It is here I went thru several emotions. Sad, mad, horror, grief, disbelief and the loss of sympathy. I never heard of the Ravensbruck Rabbits till this book, I did not know if this was true so I looked it up. I learned not only were they true but there were more then first read about. Of course if I had waited I would have known that later on in the book.

Some reviews said there was a lack of growth in the characters nor was Caroline needed in the plot, again not true, I am not gonna say all of them "grew" but if you did not see the growth then you may not have understood the book, I saw the growth, of the characters. War changed people but being in a concentration camp probably changed people in a more altering way and growth came in a way no one could understand. If you think about it, think of being tortured daily for years, starving, praying to wake up the next day or to die. Years of sole crushing torture and loss. It's amazing when these camps were liberated, the people did not have help needed physiologically to help deal with the it. So they had to do the best the could to heal, as the characters in the book.

All that said, I could not put this book down, I had to finish it. I had to know what happened. I thought it to be a really good book. The author's notes say 2 of the 3 people were real and the third is based on another. The author's note did answer a couple of questions that were not in the story. I do recommend this book and the author's notes.

5/5

In the Dark Dark Wood

I have been busy but was finally able to read today. What a disappointment. I was excited to find and read this book, had many good reviews. 

First of all it was pretty slow to being in with. Then there are things done at this hen do I disagree with had me less then thrilled. Our heroine doesn’t want to participate, but does anyways. Then when thing finally get moving, it’s pretty predictable. You have to wonder about this heroine, she just seems not so bright or able to stand up for herself. Then the ending, really ?? Has she learned nothing throughout this book ?? Not my favorite at all but wasn’t my worst either.

3/5

The Last Time I lied

3.5 stars rounded up.


The story was easy enough to read, and actually had me wondering what could she have possibly lied about that was so bad. When it’s revealed I didn’t it was all that bad, but at her age, it made some sense. The action after and the ‘secret’ was revealed, I think they could dine more with that.  Finding the spot and more revealing of secrets I liked. The ending, I think made the book. I enjoyed the read and  really liked the ending. Worth the read.

The Woman in the Window

I liked this one, loved the references to the movie Vertigo, and many other classics, which I know and like/loved. I also loved she uses a Nikon camera. I am Nikon girl myself. There were many things I liked about this book, but there were a few moments you're like you can't do that, or pointing out things that were not right. I do this with movies to and it drives my family nuts. Like taking pictures thru a window. Not an easy thing to do, especially if the windows are not clean and at that focal length. Yes, I am a photographer. What bothered me the most was the wine and medications, but then she redeems herself and you understand so much more about Anna. I felt a range of emotions while reading this book, which is good, I was mad, I laughed, and I questioned. I figured out the villain and still the book was a good read, had a couple of twists and turns that made the book enjoyable.

The Couple Next Door

Wow, a definite page turner. Had me guessing til the very end. Kept me interested the whole way thru. Interesting characters and intriguing plot. Enjoyed reading this book and looking forward to reading more by this author.

4/5

The Silent Patient

 I should note I have read and watched many mystery stories like this. This is a book I enjoyed reading, not a hard read, but kept me interested the whole time. I especially liked the different point of views offered, from Alicia's point of view and from those the Doctor interviewed. I also liked the twist at towards end, but I saw it coming. Never the less I enjoyed it. I loved how the Greek Tragedy, Alcestis was weaved into the story with Alicia's.  I did not like the way every time the couple went to bed together it was "we had sex." There are very few people I know that would write that every single time. The author could have changed that up a bit since it was found in the diary of a female. The ending was interesting. 

I say overall it was a good read and had a few moments of pure curiosity,  and ah hah moments. I am looking forward to reading more from this author. 

4/5

Pop Goes the Weasel

I liked this book. Liked the return off some of the characters from the first book as well as those we love to hate. Should have caught on to who done it but didn’t. The character development of Helen Grace was good. You see a side of her that is normally hidden. This is one series I will continue to read.

4/5

Four Perfect Pebbles

Wow, powerful story. I could not put this book down. I am truly amazed what this family overcomes. I even learned a couple things I did not know, which is good.

The father, Walter, was smart in such ways to trying to keep his family safe and together. The Nazi’s however, seem to be just one step behind every move that is made. The one chance they have to finally make it to America, gets blown up. The hardest part for me to read the death and funeral of Walter, who never makes it to America but kept a German to American English Dictionary as the most important item in his life, a life in which he never gave up hope. Hope of going to America. Hope of survival.

One of the best parts of this book, the author goes further then the liberation of the of the camps and Death Train. It was good to know what happened to the family in the following years. How they survived and stayed positive. There is an afterword, which is good, then since this is the 20th since publishing a second afterword.

The book was written, so many could read it. Adults, young adults, maybe elementary. She tells the story without overwhelming you with violence and many horrific details. Instead it’s a story of hope, and survival, and strength.

5/5

T4

I honestly do not know how to rate this book. When I heard about it my thought process was “hey, I’m deaf and I think, it’s good to see more about deaf in the Holocaust  Especially since the author herself is deaf.”  I read reviews about how bad it was but again thought since the author was deaf she maybe using ASL speak and that’s why people are complaining about the poetry form.

When I finally got this book in I was shocked at how thin and small it was. Still thinking it will redeem itself. I read in 15 minutes. I’m not sure about the poetry stanzas but it looked like she just hit enter in most of it and couple times hit the enter button during the middle of a thought.

The story itself was not bad but was lacking. This girl hides for years and it the details are missing.  She finally learns to sign from one of the people who hides her, with Signing she uses pen and paper to help communicate. I was expecting more since the author was deaf. The book is as if the girl dance around the whole subject. Not many details. It was as if the girl dances around the edges of the whole war and Holocaust. A simple basic, I left my parents, Nazis are killing people because or T4,  priest took me somewhere, then priest took me somewhere else, made a friend, went back home and brought my friend, the war ended. This review is probably longer then the book. Not saying a small book is bad, or a short story can’t be great.

I read in a review it was a children’s book. If this is so then that would make sense on lacking many details. I have not found for sure it it is truly a children’s book. I can see a third grader reading and understanding this book.

The best part to me was the author’s note, where the names came from and where to find out more about deaf and the Holocaust. I don’t want to just throw hate on the book. I don’t  hate it, just could  be better. Maybe I’m missing something.

3/5

The 71/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

I gave it 3 1/2 stars. 

I was excited to finally get this book. It was somewhat a let down. It could have been I had a lot of things going on and have been extremely busy.

It took me awhile to get into the book. Then things started happening and I was into it. Then it drags. Then it picks up again and I wanted to see what happens. I didn’t like they killed the characters I liked but I knew it was coming. One of which was a favorite. The biggest let down ?!? The ending. I realize what the author was trying to say about redemption and forgiveness, but the ending is just a let down. 

The book was not all bad. I loved the twists and turns. Just when you think you have it all figured out plot twist. That I liked. I did have some already figured out but not others. The characters were different and well done. I liked how each character has positive and negative attributes. One old and wise while another is young and crime savey .  It did have an Agatha Christie feel to it. 

All in all it was not a bad book, and maybe if I hadn’t been so busy or a lot thoughts about different things it might have been better. 

One For The Money

Time for an easy read. Thought I would try a Stephanie Plum book.

Review
I really liked this book nice easy read with enough baiting, snarkiness between two people who seem to actually like each other. Nice mystery with a dash of humor. Caught myself laughing several times. No hot steamy ‘romantic’ scenes which was good for me. Don’t mind them if I’m in the mood for romance but you don’t always want that, and this made this book better for me. Hopefully the rest of her books will be just as fun as this one.

The Book Thief

Saw and loved the movie, when I heard the was different(as usual) it became a must read.


Review
I saw the movie and liked it, matter of fact it's one of my favorites. So I decided to read the book. WOW the movie had parts of the book in it but not near the book. I liked the characters, which I admit I saw them as the movie actors/actresses. This book spans over about five years, and Max staying in hiding with the Hubbermans for over two years. The scene between Hans and the Jewish man was completely different then the movie and brought tears to my eyes. The author did a great job with his descriptions and characters. Just when you thought you had a favorite character, you find out you have more then one. The book held my attention, and even though it's a long book it's worth the read. Several times he pulled at the heart stings and the tears welled up. I am no crier, usually most people find it odd I don't cry. You see so much more in the book especially with Rudy and Liesel. There is so much more to these characters. The same can be said for Max, we finally know what happens to him, and why he left. Even tho I knew what happens in the end, I kept wanting it to change, and wanted all the characters to stay alive, especially Rudy. You also actually get to see and understand the books that was stolen and how they relate to the story. I did look them up to see if they were real stories or just made up for the book. It also might surprise you that Liesel only steals three books and all of them are symbolism to the story. This is another story that will stay with you long after you read it.


8/10

Deafening

Throughout my disease, I learned I would become deaf. I am indeed deaf. I found it hard to find any books with deaf characters. I asked people and looked on the internet and seems there really is not any to be found. When I found this book at my local library at their fill a bag for five dollars I was excited. When I read the story's inspiration was the authors deaf grandmother, I was even more excited. 

The hero, became deaf after a bout with scarlet fever. Her family tries to help but as so often does not, she feels isolated and alone.Her saving grace is her grandmother, Mamo. When it finally becomes clear she can not thrive in the world of the hearing, her parents finally send her to a deaf school and things change. The school teaches her to read and write, and how to communicate. I am hoping thru sign language. 

After graduation, she stays on and works at the school. She meets a man and they begin a friendship that becomes more. As it takes place during WWI. He is sent to war. They write letters back and forth to keep their love going. 

Hoping I will like it, and not disappointed like I did with "All the Light We Cannot See"

review

The story takes place in Ontario, Canada, in the time before and during the WWI. The O'Neil family owns and runs a hotel in the town of Deseronto. The book follow Grania O'Neil who became deaf at a very young age because of scarlet fever.

When I found this book, I wondered if it would be true to the deaf and deaf culture. I am pleased to say it did. She did an excellent job with describing signs that I knew the signs. Quiet, sit, potato, etc. What most hearing people don't know is sign language is NOT universal. Also very few hearing people, do not know that our sign language (ASL) is derived from the French, so that could explain why I knew the signs. One of which is definitely a deaf bing. I was also impressed she touched on A.G. Bell and his need to change deaf people, believing deaf is better off using only oral method, and his eugenics, believing deaf should not marry deaf, deaf should not marry hearing. Nor should they have children. Deaf almost lost a a beautiful language because of him. He was no friend to the deaf, even though he was married to a deaf woman and his mother was deaf. 

I also loved how she drew the family together. especially the two sisters, and Mamo. With Mamo's help she learns oral method and does well. Mamo buys a book, Sunday book and helps Grania learn words and sounds. Grania begs her sister often to yell in her ear what she thinks she should know. The family is a tight knit family and I loved reading about her adventures, going to Bompa's house, school, and going into town. The way the author describes how Grania felt, and how people treated her seems pretty spot on. 

When the parents finally send her to a deaf school, it takes some time but she finally learns sign language and oral method. She excels in both. She also realizes that the world is different in the land called school then the hearing world. Gania stay after graduation to work and help the school. 

Then she meets Jim, get's married, and he is sent to war. It is WWI. I was not to fond of the war scenes, but it was what was happening in that time frame. We see how Grania and her family and well as Jim handles the war.

Over all I liked the book. It kept me interested. Frances Itani did a great job with the who aspect of war, family and deaf. I enjoyed the characters. There was no big love scenes with Jim and Grania as the were courting, as in that time people usually didn't, especially during the war time. I think it's worth the read.

8/10

Beauty and the Beast Lost in a Book

I loved Stepsister by Jenifer Donnelly, so I thought I would give this one a try as well. This book takes place at the Beast's castle, in his library. Belle is captive, but has become familiar with the castle and all of its enchanted items, including a book in the Beast's library. The book is call Nevermore and the more she reads it the more she is pulled into its magical world. The world is full of glamour and intrigue, adventures Belle has always wanted and imagined. The dreams she was forced to give up when she became a prisoner. Now they seem reachable. As most bookworms she is charmed by the characters that she meets with in the book, and they offer her all the things she can dream of, one of which is a reunion she never thought possible. Belle need to uncover the truth about Nevermore before she herself is lost there forever.

Review

I liked the book. Stepsister, I think is a bit better. This was an easy read, read it in a couple of days, being busy I have to read as I had the time. When I did have the time, it did not take me long to finish it. It was a little predictable but still had some good characters that were not in the movie. I did not like how the portrayed Belle in a couple of scenes but I think it had to be that way to make the story move along. I think, it could serve as a cautionary tale for those of us who love books and "escape"

thru them.

7/10

All The Light We Cannot See

My current read, so far it is starting off pretty good, I have a feeling this book is gonna be a good one. It is a pretty lengthy novel. I have been looking forward to reading this one, and well as the many I have in my "To Read Pile" seems like the more I read the more books I want. My house however is not too happy about this.

This novel is about a blind girl, a German boy and a gem. Obviously there is more to it, like the war, the Museum of Natural History, and an old Uncle. The girl, who is blind lives with her father who works at the museum, and when she is 12 the Nazi's occupy,  the city in France the live in, the twosome then move in with an uncle a reclusive fellow. What the carry is dangerous and valuable. A gem, real or fake, no one knows. Then we have the German boy, who is growing up with his sister. He finds a radio. He receives news and stories thru the radio he found.  He also learns how to build the radios and fix them as well. He tracks down the Resistance, which is how his, and the girls lives become intertwined.

I am excited to start this book and hoping it will be as good as I think it will be.

Review

I was not disappointed with this book. I found it hard to put down. I cheered on those who needed it, I shouted, I wanted to cry, but most of all I loved the story. It was truly a good book. There are several lessons to be learned in this book I believe, and of course the biggest is the light in the dark world.  There was a scene that I thought was odd and wondered how it could relate to the story at the time it was being told. When I looked up the fact that Netflix is making it a movie, I happened upon a discussion of the book. Someone pointed out how the scene made sense to her and wrote why. Looking at what she said makes total sense and even better the scene in the story. This is one of those stories that will stay with you. It may possibly be my new favorite book.

The movie Netflix is in creative stages right now and will be released in limited episode form. The company that acquired Stranger Things and Big Little Lies will be translating it to movie form. I love Stranger Things, and I love All The Light We Cannot See. I am hoping they do a good job but as always, the book is better then the movie. I do not want this book to have more episodes then needed. Big Little Lies was so popular they decided to have a second season, how can you do that when the book ends ?? 

10/10

Partners in Crime

Was a hard decision this time, would it be the continuing stories of Tommy and Tuppence or  Lost in a Book with Belle from Beauty and the Beast ??  Partners in Crime won out ever so slightly because it is a book full of short stories involving our Adventures Duo.


update
I did like this book, but it was all the short stories that kinda made it easy to put aside till later, I would read two or three short stories and been done for that time, my life has been extremely busy as of late but I did read it and enjoy it, the last and first story connects all the stories together in an odd sort of way. I was also able to figure out a couple of the mysteries before the end. Some of the stories just ended without the usual ending. It was just over, and then the next story.

7/10

The Secret Adversary

Ah, yes, Agatha Christie. One of my favorite authors since reading "And Then There Were None." This it the first book in the Tommy and Tuppence series. Looking forward to reading this one, and the rest of the the series.  Will continue to update as I read, if you would like to read along please do and let's talk about it !!



update
I finished this bool last night. It took a chapter or two to get into the book, but that may have been because I was tired. Once into the book, I liked it. I did miss a clue or two, and there was a couple of unexpected twist and turns, all the way till the end. It was a good read.

8/10

Stepsister

My current read, I did not know at the time I bought this book it was a YA book. So far I am really liking this book, I went to bed and read, before I knew it three hours had passed and I am rooting for the ugly stepsister. When I bought this book, I thought it would be a typical Cinderella story, except more Grimmish. I was wrong, it picks up after, Cinderella and her prince are at the castle. I have like to say I like all the twist and turns added. The characters are surprisingly more then what the seem.

Edit
I finished this book, tonight and was happy with the it, the ending is a little predictable but happily so, I turned the pages quicker wanting to find out did she ?? what now ?? Had she truly found what she wanted ??

In the end, the stepsister showed there was more to the human then just being pretty. She grew and learned so much about herself that you can actually relate.

I give this book a definite 8.5/10 stars.