Inn for Murder: Cozy Romance Mystery by Harper LinMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
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Welcome to my altered journey through life. You never know if I will be into home improvements, knee deep in a good book, on an Alaskan cruise or just being silly. I hope this blog will give you tips, tricks, ideas and books to add to your TBR list. Thanks for stopping by.
21 January 2024
15 January 2024
08 January 2024
February Book Pick
I have been waiting for so long to share this month's book pick and bonus pick. Yes, we get two picks this month. That is because on January 31 on FX there is a series starting that I cannot wait to see. Let me give you a back story.
I have always been fascinated by Truman Capote, In Cold Blood is one of the best-written books I have ever read. As brilliant as his writing was, the opposite is true about his personal life, it was an utter train wreck. He had a long-time boyfriend, Jack, but he often cheated on him. Jack was so loyal, Truman just could not be faithful. Truman also loved drugs. Drugs to keep him thin, drugs to keep him going, and just drugs because he liked drugs and alcohol.
There was a bright spot in his personal life, he was best friends with Babe Paley. Babe was rich, connected, thin, beautiful, and did I say rich? With the friendship of Babe came more women whom Truman called his "Swans". Lee Radizwell (Jackie Kennedy's sister), Ann Woodward (she would murder her husband), CZ Guest, Slim Keith, Gloria Guinness, and Joanne Carson (he would die in her home). Just Google these women, they were gorgeous! Truman would write a book (unpublished) about these women, betraying them all. In the end, only Joanne and Lee would still love him. With just this little bit of info, you can just feel the drama and want to see how this will play out, right? Well, you can!!!! Feud: Season 2 is all about the Swans and Truman. The season premieres on FX on January 31 and the next day on Hulu.
Now, I do believe you will want more info before this show premieres, this is where my book picks enter the scene. Just like I am with Wallis Simpson, I read every book I can find about the Swans and these are two of the best. I am going to give you a fiction and a nonfiction book. The main pick is fiction and the bonus is the nonfiction.
The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin
This book is based on Babe Paley and the life she led with her husband, Bill (the founder of CBS). It wasn't a good life for Babe until Truman entered lighting up her world. Bill and Truman would become friends and Truman would take take of them both. Why? Because they paid for everything and had a social standing that Truman craved. When Babe's life spins out of control Truman betrays her on a level no one thought possible.
The Bonus book is the nonfiction version, where you will learn a lot about all the Swans. In real life, there was a murder committed by one of the Swans, and wait until you read what happened to her!!!! As a matter of fact, this book explains in great detail exactly how Capote betrayed his friends and why. Capote's Women is very interesting and I had to keep reminding myself, this stuff is TRUE!!!!
I hope you enjoy them both.
23 December 2023
20 December 2023
19 November 2023
November Book Pick
Beatriz Williams is one of those authors that I either love her book or hate it. The last one did not make me happy, but the one before thrilled me. Of course I am going to read every book she writes because she has written far too many that I like to avoid her. I found this one to be fantastic! We meet Emilia, who is very smart, but realizes she won’t go to college, her destiny is to take care of her mother. Everything changes when she meets Olive. She beginning by babysitting for Olive and then gets wrapped up in a world she never expected. She will juggle this new world that has Olive, a boyfriend with money, the possibility of college and a life outside of Winthrop.
Fast forward a few year, Emilia achieved some of her goals in life, the love of her life is gone, and Olive has re-entered her world…..this does no make Emilia happy. What the reader finds out here is how Emilia and Olive split and why Emilia wants far away from Olive.
I liked the mystery aspect of this one, the fact it happens AFTER WWII and it has a lovely setting. Give this one a whirl and see what you think. I would love for you to drop a comment with your thoughts.
18 November 2023
October Book Pick
John Grisham will forever be one of my favorite authors. I have read every book he has published, loved most of them and hated a couple (sports ones). The Firm was the first book of his that I read and immediately became a fan. When I read that Mr. Grisham was going to publish a sequel to The Firm I was all over it. I counted down the months til the release and was lucky enough that NetGalley let me get a copy before the release date. I devoured it!!! Right out of the gate, Mitch showed us that he is the same guy, just living a new life in New York. The fact that he and Abby were still together, with kids, thrilled me!!!
If you loved The Firm, you need this book in your life. If you didn’t read The Firm, I think you had better pass, or read it and then this one.
04 November 2023
Review: Living the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans
Living the Beatles Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans by Kenneth WomackMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Mal’s presence is heavy in photos of The Beatles and most recently in the Get Back movie. If you have read books about The Beatles you know who Mal is and why he was important to the Liverpool lads. What you may not know until you read this book, is that life was glamorous, but not easy. This book is going to take you deep into the famous roadie’s life, deep. I 100% admit that I knew who Mal was, I could recognize him in photos, Help and knew exactly what his job for the lads was and knew about how he died, but I knew nothing about his life when he went home. Mal lived two lives, that of a guy deeply imbedded into a mayhem world and a guy married with children.
I am going to recommend this for any Beatles fan, but maybe not someone just looking for a bio to read, it is deep in the Beatles world. I very much enjoyed it.
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08 October 2023
Review: The Exchange: After The Firm
The Exchange: After The Firm by John GrishamMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I had to have this book once I found out it was bringing back Mitch McDeere, The Firm is the book that made me fall in love with Grisham novels. This one did not disappoint. I read it in one day because. I could not STOP! First of all, Mitch will get into a case that he simply can't turn away from. We have Abby back as well (I am so glad of that)...She kind of surprised me a bit at first (didn't like her character's directions) and then I loved the turn her character took and how she developed. Well done Mr. Grisham. Mitch was just as great as you remember him. Writing reviews for a thriller is hard because you don't wish to spoil anything, I will just say if you like Grisham, you will love this. If you have not read The Firm, do that before you read this book. I have read it so many times that I didn't miss a beat, but you might need to at least read the synopsis if it has been a while since you visited the Memphis-based book. All in all, I would not change a thing about this one. It wasn't what I expected and I think that is what I loved most. Give this one a whirl.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me get my hands on this one.
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27 August 2023
20 August 2023
19 August 2023
September Book Pick of the Month
I really like the books that Melanie Benjamin writes, she tends to drop me, the reader, in spots that I could never find myself in and they are all very interesting. This month's pick is one that is set on the beach, that in itself is a place I don't much care for (the sand!), but I found myself sucked into this one from the start. It is the story of two sisters, Mindy and Ginger, that bonded in childhood simply because they were afraid social services would tear them away from their mom. Their mom wasn't an abuser, she was just a mom. that wasn't present. Her life revolved around surfing and doing whatever it took to keep her top surfer status. She would cart the girls off to many different locales but would tend to ignore them so she could compete. The system the girls put in place worked beautifully for a while and then the girls were old enough to surf with mom. Here is where the story gets interesting, think about it, two girls about to go through puberty and trying out their talents at their mom's sport.
Fast forward a bit and the girls are apart, they don't even know where the other one is living. You will have to read to find out what happens to cause this and how the book ends, but I think you will enjoy the ride.
Isn't the cover gorgeous?
30 July 2023
04 July 2023
19 June 2023
18 June 2023
July Book Pick
The July Book Pick debuted at our Overbooked book club which meets at the McCracken County Public Library on the second Monday of each month. If you live in Paducah, come on down next month, we would love to have you.
Next meeting: July 10, 5:30pm in the upstairs meeting room
Here is my review of the book from when I read it last year.
5 stars!!! Do not pass on this one! Whew, I am going to begin by telling you a little bit about the book. This will show you two women that are expecting babies near the same time. WWII is about to break out and one woman is in love with a man on the wrong side of the Germans, and the other is just trying to mind her bookshop with her family. Elise, is a hunted woman, as the Germans are seeking her and she knows that will mean death, so she makes the ultimate sacrifice to give up her child in hopes she will live. She finds her bookshop-owning friend, Juliette, and asks her to take on her child. Juliette has children of her own, but will gladly take a child that she views as not wanted by her mother.
Fast forward to the end of the war and both of the women's lives have changed, but what has happened to the children? Oh, I can't spoil this for you, but I hope you have become interested because there is most of the book left. There are many times when my heart was on the floor with emotion. I will also add that this book is hard to put down so plan accordingly.
11 June 2023
07 June 2023
06 June 2023
04 June 2023
27 May 2023
08 May 2023
2023 Summer Reading Guide
The new guide is here!! This summer I chose books that I loved that I hoped you would love too. I added some different categories that could fit into our busy lives. I would love to know what you think about any of the books on this list.
Click the link for a downloadable copy and thank you for stopping by.
June Book Pick
I will be the first to admit that I don't enjoy country music, but I will also admit that there are some excellent stories in those classic country songs. This book was like a country song from start to finish, trials, tribulations, sex, cheating, rags to riches....it is all here.
Lillian Water's doctor told her she will soon lose her health battle and the voice that made her a country music mini-queen. She knew she had to go out and do the thing she loved the most, play music. She gathers her band and heads out for that Farewell Tour. While we travel with Lillian through life and touring, she gives us a look into her past. It is an ugly past full of alcohol and forced sexual encounters (this is a warning if you don't like to read about these subject matters).
Lena was born poor, she went to work when she was a child because it was the only way that she could eat. From an early age she loved music and one day she figured out how she could get that first guitar. Once the guitar goal was obtained she headed to make her dreams come true. The guitar was her everything. She escaped her horrible young life for a life of music, but here at the end of her career, she needs to go home to fix some broken fences.
I read the print book because of the cover, I mean look at this, it is gorgeous, then I loved the book so much that I did the audio.
I am going to recommend the audio because the narrator embodies what you think Lena/Lillian would sound like and in a couple of spots, she sings to us.
07 May 2023
16 April 2023
May book pick
I finished this book back in November and could not wait to share it with the world!!! Susan Meissner is my top favorite author right now. She always writes a book that gives me a story I didn't expect, a setting that is familiar, but not like other books and she gives me a book that I have trouble putting down. I would love to know what you think about this one. It hasn't become my favorite Meissner book, but I would say it is a solid #3. What are 1 and 2???? A Fall of Marigolds and As Bright as Heaven
Here is my review from November....
Susan can always tell a story that will pull me right into the middle and make me feel all of the emotions and this one is no exception. This one is about a young lady named Rosie, who is raised on a vineyard where her father was employed. One day her family was killed in an accident and she was the sole survivor. The vineyard owners, Truman and Celine, took Rosie in as her guardians. The whole plan was to use Rosie as a maid and not raise her as their child. The story pivots on one fateful night and Rosie later discovers that she is pregnant.
There is a second storyline that features Truman's sister, Helen, as a caregiver for children overseas in pre-war Europe. She and Rosie had developed a relationship over the years whenever Helen visited the vineyard and Helen had written letters to Rosie. They both had a deep friendship.
War then breaks out and uproots everything. Pregnant Rosie is sent away and Helen is struggling to survive in Europe. Each of them longs to talk to the other one and is trying to discover a way out of the turmoil around them.
You're going to love this one!!
19 March 2023
Review: King Charles
King Charles by Maria Isabel Sanchez VegaraMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
These little books are so thrilling. They aren't too in-depth and gloss over some points of the subject's life, but they are fun and brilliantly illustrated. I enjoyed this one because we get Charles III early life, and how he was groomed for the day that has now arrived for him. If you have not checked out this book, or any other book of this series, do yourself a favor and try one, or ten.
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