Review: Alexander Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For almost 10 years, this book has sat on a shelf. For almost 10 years I said, "I need to read this". Finally almost 10 years later thanks to a dude name Lin-Manuel Miranda I got it out. Took me about 10 years to read it, but I loved it. Why did I wait so long? I study Washington, Jefferson, and Madison....and read a book on Burr (Gore Vidal---superb); not once had I read a book on A. Ham. I rather enjoyed getting to know him. As a matter of a fact, this book introduced me to A. Ham fiction and books on duels. I have visited a few sites on Alexander and taken photos but it was because I knew he was FIRST Treasury Secretary, not because he was so intriguing. Thanks LMM for introducing a NON Presidential hero to me.

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Review: This Is Where It Ends

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I am still very unsure of how I feel about this book. My emotions are very mixed. I am upset, I am shocked, and I am a little unnerved. I think you should read this one for yourself if want to know how good it is. Just expect brutal scenes. If you visualize when you read, this is just horrible in spots (the action).

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Review: The Princess Diarist

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

All those months of waiting.....that was quick. For sure a journal entry of her relationship with Harrison Ford. Carrison as she refers to it, doesn't appeal to me. I never really thought Carrie and Harrison would be a match. This proves it. I like them as Leia and Han, that's all. I did see by LISTENING to this, that I am correct in my assumption Harrison has one mood.....SERIOUS.

Overall, this is fine if you want to listen to someone's diary, the nerd in me just wanted more SW stuff.

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Review: The Dollhouse

The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love a book that sucks you and and won't release you. This book fit the bill perfectly. Picture this....it's 1952, you are in a hotel in NYC. It's a hotel unlike hotels we have these days, this one was for ladies only. Many of the girls were attending college or modeling during the day and having fun at night. It is in this setting where Darby from a small town finds herself. She is in NYC to go to a college she doesn't want to attend studying a profession she has no desire to do.

The people she meets will change her life.

Flash forward to 2016...because this story takes place in 1952 and 2016. Rose lives in the same hotel (now condos) that Darby lived back in the day and STILL lives there! Rose will reveal secrets of the past and solve mysteries of the present all the while dealing with an ill father, work drama and a crappy boyfriend.

Darby will change Rose's life.

This book is full of twists and turns. I thought I knew what was going to happen, but then BAM I was wrong and the story turned. What a great book to finish my 2016 reading challenge.

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Review: A Bridge Across the Ocean

A Bridge Across the Ocean by Susan Meissner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Here's the thing. I love Susan's books, so I knew I would love this for that reason. The second reason was because it was about the RMS Queen Mary and I do love ocean liners. The third reason for me to love the book, it has sprinkles of WWII heroines interlaced all through the story. The fourth reason....the twist. It is a perfect read for me!

The story is set in modern day with the character Brette that sees ghosts. I know this part was strange to me as well, trust me, it will make sense.

In our journey we travel back to times during and post WWII. We follow GI War Brides as they leave their European homes and come to America to be with their grooms.

The story will have you hooked from the beginning, the twists will have you on the edge of your seat, the book will be so hard to put down so save some time to just read. So far it is my pick book of 2017.

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Review: The Wicked City

The Wicked City by Beatriz Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is nice to have the Schuyler sisters make another appearance! That was a pleasant surprise. This book did go from 1924 and 1998 and how the timelines intertwine. I always like this in a fictional read. Ginger is our 1924 gal. We follow her through her day to day life and learn of traumatic event in her childhood. When her mother gets sick, her past comes right back to smack her in the face.

Ella, our 1998 friend, life has completely changed from what she envisioned when she married Patrick. She has to learn how to live all over again....and somehow she gets connected to Gin in 1924.

Look to see who is connected to the Schuyler family and what that connection is.

I enjoyed the 1998 timeline better, but I realize I couldn't have that timeline without Ginger being a flapper in 1924.

As for Ms. Williams, she is on the list of authors I MUST read. Tiny Little Thing is still my favorite, but I have loved them all.

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Review: Love and Other Consolation Prizes

Love and Other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Ford
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

They say "don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened", but that is very hard. I was sucked into the book and could NOT let go. Ernest is a character you fall in love with the second he appears. You want to hug him in the first chapter. Then when he goes to America you want to hug him again. The World's Fair will make your mouth drop because of the things Ernest experiences there and how a simple fair will change the course of his life forever. He will meet Fahn and Maisie in this new life and form bonds that will take him to the "present" day portion of the novel which is the early 60's. He will never break the bond form with these 2 little girls.

What I took away....Jamie can take dark places in the world and explain how it was and show that there can be good in unpleasant things. What Jamie does with his pen is explore good and ugly and takes the reader right with him. I have a couple of reasons why he is my favorite present day author.
1. He introduces me to parts of America (Seattle past) I didn't know existed, but I should have.
2. He makes me care about his characters and ache when they hurt and rejoice when they prosper.

Today begins the day that I start longing for his next book. Thank you Jamie.

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