Book Reviews
1.) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This was our book club pick for April 2019. The last time that I read this book I was a sophomore in high school. I loved it then and I love it now. It is the quintessential American novel and it is most definitely a classic.
From Goodreads:
The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.
This coming-of-age story talks about life in a small town in Alabama during the Great Depression. The cast of characters are compelling, full of life, and absolutely unforgettable. Scout, Jem, Atticus, Calpernia, Tom, Miss Maudie, Dill, and Boo Radley... I loved them all. The story unfolds from Scout's perspective and her voice and humor were absolutely fantastic. What an incredible and feisty little protagonist!
The novel tackles hard topics such as injustice, racism, intolerance, and what it means to be a human being in a powerful and yet simple way. Through the eyes of a child. Lee's writing is beautiful, polished, and smooth. It flows with waves of humor and emotion. This is such a well-written and finely crafted novel.
I particularly loved the parent/child (ren) relationship that Atticus had with Scout and Jem. Their dynamic was so interesting and loving. Atticus is remarkable.
There is something so special and compelling about this book. It draws you in immediately and doesn't let go. It continues to resonate and touch hearts nearly sixty years after it was first published. It is a wonderful timeless story of courage, kindness, compassion, and integrity with a message that is still needed in our world today.
My Rating: Unforgettable. I highly recommend.
2.) Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell
This is the 3rd book in the Lost Kingdom series. The saga continues as we follow Uhtred as he sets out on his own to avenge the death of his adopted father along with his adopted brother Ragnar the Younger. I love it any time that Uhtred and Ragnar are together in this series and when they fight along side one another it is spectacular!
From Goodreads:
The year is 878 and Wessex is free from the Vikings. Uhtred, the dispossessed son of a Northumbrian lord, helped Alfred win that victory, but now he is disgusted by Alfred's lack of generosity and repelled by the king's insistent piety. He flees Wessex, going back north to seek revenge for the killing of his foster father and to rescue his stepsister, captured in the same raid. He needs to find his old enemy, Kjartan, a renegade Danish lord who lurks in the formidable stronghold of Dunholm. Uhtred arrives in the north to discover rebellion, chaos and fear. His only ally is Hild, a West Saxon nun fleeing her calling, and his best hope is his sword, with which he has made a formidable reputation as a warrior. He will need the assistance of other warriors if he is to attack Dunholm and he finds Guthred, a slave who believes he is a king. He takes him across the Pennines to where a desperate alliance of fanatical Christians and beleaguered Danes form a new army to confront the terrible Viking lords who rule Northumbria. 'The Lords of the North' is a powerful story of betrayal, romance and struggle, set in an England of turmoil, upheaval and glory. Uhtred, a Northumbrian raised as a Viking, a man without lands, a warrior without a country, has become a splendid heroic figure.
I really enjoy this fun series and the complex character of Uhtred. In book three he has matured and experienced more of the world and his progression has been interesting to follow. This book was all about the Ragnarson boys out for revenge and I loved it! It was fast-paced and interesting. Great historical fiction!
My Rating: Great! Already onto book #4.
3.) The Rock, the Road, and the Rabbi by Kathie Lee Gifford
This book took me completely by surprise and was absolutely unexpected. Kathie Lee Gifford?! What the heck?! I listened to Kathie Lee on Jamie Ivey's The Happy Hour podcast and was blown away and then again on the Jen Hatmaker podcast. She was so smart and interesting as she spoke of her faith, her study of the Bible, and her trips to Jerusalem. I was intrigued.
From Goodreads:
As a lifelong student of Scripture, Kathie Lee Gifford has always desired a deeper understanding of God’s Word and a deeper knowledge of God Himself. But it wasn’t until she began studying the biblical texts in their original Hebrew and Greek—along with actually hiking the ancient paths of Israel—that she found the fulfillment of those desires.
I loved this unique book. I did not expect to but I did. I loved learning more about many different Biblical areas. I shared many insights and stories from the book with my family during our own scripture study and the knowledge that I gained added another deeper level to what we were already studying. I loved learning more about the Jewish faith, traditions, symbolism, and the different meanings and translations of words that are in the Bible, and more about the Holy Land. It was especially interesting reading the perspective of a Messianic Jew (the co-author of this book). It was fascinating to me. I was taking notes and book marking things all over the place. So interesting.
My Rating: An unexpected but interesting read.
4.) Sword Song by Bernard Cornwell
This is book #4 in the Last Kingdom series by Bernard Cornwell. I am flying through the series.
From Goodreads:
The year is 885, and England is at peace, divided between the Danish Kingdom to the north and the Saxon kingdom of Wessex in the south. Warrior by instinct and Viking by nature, Uhtred, the dispossessed son of Northumbrian lord, has land, a wife and children-and a duty to King Alfred to hold the frontier on the Thames. But a dead man has risen, and new Vikings have invaded the decayed Roman city of London with dreams of conquering Wessex...with Uhtred's help. Suddenly forced to weigh his oath to the king against the dangerous turning side of shifting allegiances and deadly power struggles, Uhtred-Alfred's sharpest sword-must now make the choice that will determine England's future.
Father Pyrlig is back! That was basically the highlight for me along with Erik. This book in the series really started to feel a bit formulaic. Too many battles....yada yada yada. I would have loved a bit more character development. Cornwell has some amazing characters with interesting plot lines and I wish that they would get more page time. I loved the star-crossed lovers. How about a *little bit* more of that and a few less descriptions of "Kill them all!!" with its hacking and gore. Plus, no Ragnar. Down a star for that right there! LOL. This book is still entertaining but so far it is my least favorite in the series. Still...onto book #5.
My Rating: Good
5.) Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis
I have followed Rachel Hollis via social media for about 4 years. Her rise to fame has been interesting to watch. I also read her previous book Girl, Wash Your Face and enjoyed it. I was looking forward to reading her follow up book Girl, Stop Apologizing.
From Goodreads;
Rachel Hollis has seen it too often: women not living into their full potential. They feel a tugging on their hearts for something more, but they’re afraid of embarrassment, of falling short of perfection, of not being enough. In Girl, Stop Apologizing, #1 New York Times bestselling author and founder of a multimillion-dollar media company, Rachel Hollis sounds a wake-up call. She knows that many women have been taught to define themselves in light of other people—whether as wife, mother, daughter, or employee—instead of learning how to own who they are and what they want. With a challenge to women everywhere to stop talking themselves out of their dreams, Hollis identifies the excuses to let go of, the behaviors to adopt, and the skills to acquire on the path to growth, confidence, and believing in yourself.
In this book Hollis helps you to identify your dreams, set goals, and gives you the tools to follow through and achieve them. The book is divided up into three sections: letting go of excuses, behaviors to adopt, and skills to acquire. I am a goal-setter and into personal development. I also have a small business and I found this book to be very motivating both personally and professionally. She gives practical advice and step-by-step instructions to help you start achieving your goals. She encourages women to start believing in themselves, to reach for their dreams, and to take control of their lives. She believes that women need to start LIVING right now not waiting for *someday* and to become who they were meant to be. I agree.
Rachel Hollis isn't for everyone. Her tone is blunt and sometimes harsh and occasionally a bit self-indulgent. But I agree with her that so many women need to be motivated to stop apologizing for who they are and to start actually LIVING their lives. I particularly liked the section where she talks about setting boundaries with family and friends, saying no to certain obligations, and not worrying if other people don't *get* the life that you want to live.
Since I have followed her for several years, watched her documentary, and read her previous book the information can get a bit repetitive. There is definitely a lot of overlap. But in the years that I have followed her on social media she has inspired me to reach for more and to be a better version of myself. I have made a lot of positive changes in my life and business because of that motivation.
I really liked this book. It is funny and motivating...I marked it down a star because the tone can sometimes come off as a little show-offy and "look how awesome I am"...but the basic information is good and helpful.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is goal-oriented, wants to be goal-oriented, is into personal development, or wants to be motivated to be a better version of themselves...in a tough love way.
My Rating: Good
6.) The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood
This was our book club pick for May 2019. Confession... I started watching the TV show when it first came out and watched one episode and gave up. Too depressing. I am not a fan of dystopian novels. They make me feel unsettled and panicked. But I had heard so many great things about Margaret Atwood's writing that I was interested in giving The Handmaid's Tale another try but in book form this time.
From Goodreads:
Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now...
I find it fascinating that this book was written in the 1980s. This dystopian story is a woman's nightmare. One of oppression, injustice, and misogyny. I felt heavy and stifled just reading it and that is Atwood's point. Her prose is simple and stark.The protagonist, Offred, often speaks in a stream of consciousness type way. That detachment serves a purpose. Offred cannot allow herself to think or feel. Therefore she describes the details of a chair or the ceiling or a tulip. That kind of cold and flat affect speaks volumes of Offred's despair and desperation.
I liked the juxtaposition of the current story and what happened *before*. The going back and forth made The Handmaid's Tale even more disturbing as we see how easily this new world came to be. In one generation what has gone before can be completely wiped out for the next generation. That was truly terrifying. The book is definitely thought-provoking and one to discuss.
I didn't care for the ambiguous ending and the incomplete world building. I wanted to know more about this strange world. What was happening in other countries? How exactly did the coup take place? What exactly happened that caused the present circumstances? Who are the resistance groups? Where are they located? And on and on...
My Rating: I didn't love it but it was interesting.
7.) Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This book has been all the buzz. This isn't my usual genre or subject matter but I decided to try something different. I will also add that it came highly recommended.
From Goodreads:
Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity . . . until now. Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.
Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road. Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.
The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies.
This book was different from anything that I have read/heard before. I actually listened to it on audible because that was the way that it was recommended to me. The narration is fantastic! The format is a series of interviews that tell the origin story of the fictional 1970s rock band Daisy Jones and the Six. It tells the story like a rock documentary. I loved that format and how everything unfolded. You get the perspective of everyone. It was a really interesting way to tell a story.
The book is atmospheric. You are right there in the 1970s LA music scene...it's all sex, drugs, and rock and roll. The story is layered and complicated. The characters are flawed and often unlikeable especially Daisy. I didn't like her at all. But I did like some of the other characters and that made up for her. It is a story of fame and addiction. Neither of which were glamorized. The book is unique and edgy. It is an intriguing look into the music industry...with a 70s Fleetwood Mac vibe. Did I love it? No. But I didn't hate it either. I read that Reese Witherspoon bought the rights to this book. Will I watch whatever she does with this book? Probably.
My Rating: Okay...but didn't live up to the hype.
8.) The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton
I love Kate Morton and will read whatever she writes but I have to say that it is time for authors to get a bit more creative with their book titles. How many ____'s Daughter or _____'s Wife books can there be?! Also I had heard that this book was not great from a few sources. I was not deterred and I am glad that I decided to read it anyway.
From Goodreads:
In the summer of 1862, a group of young artists led by the passionate and talented Edward Radcliffe descends upon Birchwood Manor on the banks of the Upper Thames. Their plan: to spend a secluded summer month in a haze of inspiration and creativity. But by the time their stay is over, one woman has been shot dead while another has disappeared; a priceless heirloom is missing; and Edward Radcliffe’s life is in ruins. Over one hundred and fifty years later, Elodie Winslow, a young archivist in London, uncovers a leather satchel containing two seemingly unrelated items: a sepia photograph of an arresting-looking woman in Victorian clothing, and an artist’s sketchbook containing the drawing of a twin-gabled house on the bend of a river. Why does Birchwood Manor feel so familiar to Elodie? And who is the beautiful woman in the photograph? Will she ever give up her secrets?
Be warned. This book is slow...very slow... and I can see why some people DNFed it. It took forever to get the ball rolling and some of the characters weren't all that interesting. Hello Elodie. But some were such as our ghostly narrator and that was what kept me reading and also Morton's writing. I love the elegance of Morton's writing and I love the twisty way that she tells a tale. I also love the lush settings that become characters in their own right. Morton's style of historical fiction interwoven with a bit of Gothic mystery is my literary sweet spot. Her books are the exact kind of books that I most enjoy.
This story is centered around the mysterious Birchwood Manor and is told from multiple points of view over the course of many years. From the mid 1800s to the present. The timelines jump around which is the norm for Morton and some timelines are more interesting than others. Some characters I connected with and some I did not. I wanted more time with certain characters and I definitely wanted less time with others. But the writing is so vivid and descriptive and once the story finally got going it became more engaging especially when the threads of the storyline began to come together. Then I was hooked.
In conclusion, The Clockmaker's Daughter is not my favorite Morton book but it is certainly not the worst book that I've read this year. Yes, it is slow. Yes, the ending was rather weak and implausible. But it was still an enjoyable book to read.
My Rating: Not my favorite of Morton's books but still enjoyable.
9.) The River by Peter Heller
This pains me to say it but...I think I am going to have to stop taking Anne Bogel's (Modern Mrs. Darcy) book suggestions and that bums me out. We just don't like the same kinds of books. We aren't book twins. She has been raving about this book for months on multiple podcasts. She used words like "thriller" and "page turner". I was excited to read about two college friends who go on a canoeing trip in Northern Canada and end up running for their lives. I am sad to say that I HATED this book.
From Goodreads:
This is the story of two college friends on a wilderness canoe trip--a gripping tale of a friendship tested by fire, whitewater, starvation, and brutality. Wynn and Jack have been best friends since freshman orientation, bonded by their shared love of mountains, books, and fishing. When they decide to canoe the Maskwa River in Northern Canada, they anticipate long days of leisurely paddles and picking blueberries, and nights of stargazing and paperback western novels. But a wildfire making its way across the forest adds unexpected urgency to the journey. When they hear a man and woman arguing on the fog-shrouded riverbank and decide to warn them about the fire, their search for the pair turns up nothing and no one. But: the next day a man appears on the river, paddling alone. Is this the man they heard? And if he is, where is the woman? From this charged beginning, master storyteller Peter Heller, unspools a head-long, heart-pounding story of desperate wilderness survival.
This novel was slow paced and boring. It was full of outdoorsy tangents and camping minutia. I kept reading for the *twist* that many reviews said was coming. Did I miss it?! What was the twist? I kept reading to see how the mystery was resolved. Did I miss the *mystery*?! The plot just flat lined for me. What was the purpose of the married couple? How did they get to the point that we meet them at? There was no explanation for a few plot points and no resolution.
The characters were flat and cliched. The dialogue was straight up horrible. Every time the Texans spoke to one another it was cringey and cheesy. It was pretty bad when Jack and Wynn spoke too. That ruins a book for me. If the dialogue is bad...it's hard to enjoy the book.
If you like a very slow survival story...and clearly some people do... and if you are into extremely detailed descriptions of nature, canoeing, fishing, camping, and even extremely detailed descriptions of camping equipment (not joking) you might like this book. But if you are hoping for a mystery or a thriller this isn't the book.
My Rating: Hated it.
10.) Our Best Bites: 400 Calories or Less Cookbook
I am a fan of the Our Best Bites ladies and their cookbooks. I am glad that they made a healthier/lower calorie cookbook. There are about 10 recipes that I am looking forward to trying.
My Rating: Looks promising. I will let you know.
