The Great and Only Barnum - Candace Fleming

The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P. T. Barnum by Candace Fleming
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So after watching The Greatest Showman, I wanted to learn more about P.T. Barnum. This middle grades biography is the only thing my library had to offer. But it ended up being really good. Just enough information on most of the areas I wanted to learn more about/compare movie vs. fact. It was very readable, well organized, and contained great pictures.

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Mary B. - Katherine J. Chen

Mary B: An Untold Story of Pride and Prejudice by Katherine J. Chen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Oh, this is a hard book for me to review and even more challenging to rate. I moved from 2 stars to closer to 4 stars and then down to 1 when the author ruined it all for me. And I can’t even go into details about that without spoiling it for those who haven’t read it. So this might be a short and vague review. My apologies in advance.
When I received an email from NetGalley alerting me of a new book centering on Mary Bennet, I was intrigued. I like Austen literature in many of its forms. Specifically, I’ve always felt for Mary in that chaotic household, overshadowed by her lovely older sisters and overwhelmed by her vivacious younger sisters. This novel starts just before Pride & Prejudiuce does, extends itself through that timeline from Mary’s perspective, and wraps up several years after P&P ends.
The story started slow. Mary’s narration started out very cerebral and pedantic. However, as I got used to the style and realized in reflection that is probably how Mary was. So I warmed up to it and really enjoyed the middle section of the book. I enjoyed seeing the other characters from Mary’s perspective and get some additional behind the scenes. I even really liked the beginning of the time after the original story line. But then, due to one plot decision, I hated it. Passionately and thoroughly. Read it. I’m sure you’ll know exactly when my change of heart happened.
So I’m settling on 1.5 stars rounded to 2. Some might enjoy the plot twist that I abhor.
Trigger warning: Sex, not super graphic but present.
Thanks to Random House via NetGalley for the ARC.

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Wolf Hollow - Lauren Wolk

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk


2017 Newbery Honor Winner

I’m working my way (very slowly) through the Newbery Award winners. The winner in 2017, The Girl Who Drank the Moon, didn’t really appeal to me. Since Wolf Hollow was also a Golden Sower (Nebraska) state award for 2018, I thought I’d give it a try. And I’m so glad I did.
This middle grade novel deals appropriately with weighty themes of bullying, PTSD, prejudice, lying, and more. Annabelle is a young girl growing up with her multi-generational family on their farm. They have a peaceful existence until Betty comes to town. She sees Annabelle as an easy target, and things escalate from there.
I loved how the story was written. The prose was wonderful. The dialogue was appropriate for each character. Beautifully done. I can easily see how it has won awards.


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Still Life (Chief Inspector Gamache #1) - Louise Penny

Still Life by Louise Penny
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book was my local book club pick for the month. It has been on my TBR list for quite awhile as Anne Bogel (Modern Mrs. Darcy) and others have been raving about the series for years. Because of that, I think it was a case of expectations and reality for me that I ended up thinking the book was just “meh.”
This is the first book in the series by Louise Penny that centers around Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. On Thanksgiving Sunday, he is dispatched to a murder scene in the rural village of Three Pines, Quebec. Jane, who seems to be universally loved by the town members, is dead in the woods. Inspector Gamache and his team need to determine foul play and whodunit.
There were a lot of nuances and mentions about the English Canadians and the French Canadians throughout the book. Those were completely over my head.
There was one character, Agent Nichol, who’s continued story I would like to know. But not enough to invest reading time into the other books in the series (13 to date).
A lot of emotions and thoughts. I felt some characters were decidedly stereotypical.
However, I will say this book (and series) has won numerous awards. And everyone else I know who has read it really enjoyed it. So, I’m the odd one out. Give it a go if you like mysteries, especially of the somewhat cozy variety.



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The Read-Aloud Family - Sarah Mackenzie

The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids by Sarah Mackenzie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked this book by podcaster Sarah Mackenzie. The first sections are a reminder about how important reading aloud to your kids are, even once they can read for themselves. I borrowed a copy from the library but definitely want to purchase one to have on my shelf. She presents 10 questions you can use for book club type discussions with any book. And then there are book lists at the back, broken out by level, along with activities to keep your kiddos hands busy while you read. A great resource to keep handy.

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Everything I Never Told You - Celeste Ng

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lydia is dead. This is not a spoiler, but the opening line to the novel. It is the story of a Chinese American family dealing with the aftermath of their daughter/sister’s death. There are flash backs to give you history on the family and their lives – together and individually. It is a, inspection of family and secrets and grief.
This was the book for my old book club this month. And I so wish I was there to discuss it; a lot of things to ponder and dissect.
I went into this book expecting one thing. Then it really wasn’t that at all. Which left me conflicted on giving it a rating. One part of me thinks it deserves more stars due to its portrayal of human intricacies so well. At the same time, it was very cerebral and heavy and detailed for me. Which probably wasn’t what I was needing in my reading life at the time. At another time, I might have appreciated that more.
This book really delved into how people and relationships affect those around us. How impressions and memories are in the eye of the beholder. It was a quiet novel.
I’m glad I read it. I want to read her Little Fires Everywhere. But I think I’ll wait a bit on that one.
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The Romanov Empress - CW Gortner

The Romanov Empress by C.W. Gortner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Maria (Minnie) Feodorovna was a Danish princess destined to marry the tsarevich of Russia during the Romanov dynasty. In her life, she saw the reign of three tsars – her father-in-law, her husband, and her son. Her son Nicholas, coming to the throne in a tumultuous time, is the last tsar of Russia. This is a fascinating look at the final years of Imperial Russia’s royalty, seen through the eyes of a daughter, wife, and mother.
This book came across my NetGalley radar. A recent read or two of the Romanovs’ story caused this book to pique my interest. Plus, I enjoy learning and immersing in a great historical fiction story. This one certainly didn’t disappoint. I also didn’t realize until I was done reading it and digging into CW Gortner a bit more that I had already read an enjoyed another book by this author.
I found there to be a good balance between description and character development/dialogue. I was glad to be reading the Kindle version, so I could just quickly click on words to learn their definition. As expected, a lot of Russian terms I wasn’t familiar with.
The whole book flowed smoothly. I was engaged throughout, anxious to get back to it and learn what happened next.
The character of Maria Feodorovna was well formed. She was complex and sympathetic. Really, all the characters were nicely fleshed out. My only complaint, which is superfluous if you want historical accuracy, is that there were so many characters, and some had similar names. I got confused a few times but nothing that was detrimental to the overall enjoyment of the book.
I’ll be the first to admit my knowledge of Imperial Russia is slight. However, based on what I do know, this book seems well researched and in line with history.
Triggers: Violence – which makes sense for the time frame, and it’s not at all gory or gratuitous.
Read if you’re a fan of the Romanovs, historical fiction, or just good books.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine Books for giving me access to the ARC.

Crazy Rich Asians - Kevin Kwan

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with boyfriend Nick, not realizing he's basically Asian royalty. Drama ensues.

I saw the preview for the movie, and it looked so funny. And the book definitely had some funny (not laugh out loud but maybe smirk) parts. But I didn't love it. It's probably 1.5 stars for me. I rounded up to 2 stars because I think some of my lack of enjoyment of the book stemmed from having absolutely no knowledge of the "crazy rich" level of society in the Far East. In fact, I'm only assuming it's a real thing based on the author's extensive footnotes (which were incredibly helpful). I felt like all of the characters were very stereotyped. Which I kind of get as it was satire but still would have liked to have a bit more depth. I didn't really get engaged with any of their stories. The character I liked most appeared towards the end and played a pretty small role in Astrid's story line.

Quite a bit of language and discussions (not scenes but retelling of scenes) of sexual nature.

I was hoping to love it, be thoroughly entertained, and read the rest. I wasn't, and I won't.

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When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book has been on my To Read list for a bit. It pops up in blogs I read and podcasts I listen to fairly regularly. Plus Atul Gawande wrote a blurb for it.
Paul Kalanithi is wrapping up years of medical training as a neurosurgeon when he is diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. This is his story of living through dying. And was so eloquent. His last paragraph of the book (to his daughter) and his wife's epilogue did me in.
3.5 stars for sure.

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This Is Me: Loving the Person You Are Today - Chrissy Metz

This Is Me: Loving the Person You Are Today by Chrissy Metz
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Chrissy Metz is one of the stars of the hit TV series, This is Us. Love the series. Didn't love her book.
I couldn't decide if it was trying to be a self-help book or a memoir (so shelved as both). It probably did a better job being a memoir than self-help, but part definitely had more the self-help feel. Those sections were very trust and confidence in self, if you believe it and speak it and do good, your dreams will come true. While I agree that self-confidence and trusting your gut are good to an extent, this was a bit out there for me.
I did enjoy reading about her path to success in Hollywood.
Triggers: Some language

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Just As I Am: The Autobiography of Billy Graham

Just As I Am: The Autobiography of Billy Graham by Billy Graham
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Whew! This book took me awhile to get through. Longer than I had even anticipated when first realizing it's length. I think I had it checked out from the library three or four different times getting it finished. There were a lot of names throughout, which made for some tedious reading. It was also sort of chronological but not really. So that made it hard to follow at times.
I'm glad I read it. I did really enjoy the more personal aspects that he wrote about. Shortly after his death, a blogger I read mentioned what a disservice he did to his family through his ministry and if that was really what God called him to. And I have been pondering that ever since. I was glad that he did address this towards the end of his autobiography. It helped me understand where his heart was on that issue.
Just amazing to read all that happened through the life of this one man who chose to surrender to God and act on what he believed God was telling him.

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Mr. Popper's Penguins - Richard Atwater

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A Newbery Honor book from 1939, this fanciful tale about an average man (and his family) who unexpectedly receives a penguin is cute. I did try to read it to my three- and four-year-olds. They lost interest after the first few chapters. But I think they were just not ready for it; nothing against the book itself.

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Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy - Kate Abbott

Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War by Karen Abbott
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book covering four female spies (two from the North and two from the South) during the Civil War should have been infinitely interesting. But it wasn't. Because the four stories rotate based on chronology, it took me about half the book to keep people straight. The pace was slow, and it took me far longer to read than it should have. I'm not entirely sure why, as the content is something that would normally intrigue me. So I just have to chalk it up to presentation.
1.5 stars

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The Space Between Us - Thrity Umrigar

The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story focuses on two women and their relationships - with each other, their husbands, their children, and, more subtly, the modern India at large. Bhima has worked for Sera for decades, providing for her own family's sustenance. It's an intimate and thought provoking look at their lives.

This was the book choice for the club I am currently leading. And it definitely gave us a lot of discussion points. Reading it was really a cycle of hope and despair. The ways the lives intertwined was intriguing to me. I am looking forward to the second book coming out June 2018

Trigger warnings: abuse

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An Update

Super behind on reviewing all the books I've been reading.  So stay tuned for a blast of micro reviews on the blog.