Review: A Deadly Bridal Shower

A Deadly Bridal Shower by Harper Lin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Once again, I'm thoroughly entertained by Harper Lin. I can always count on an afternoon well spent. The books are short, but full of action.

Sometimes I want to murder a character myself. This book had two such characters for me.....but I love that! Suspects are found around every corner, but will you figure it out?

View all my reviews

Review: Five Presidents: My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford

Five Presidents: My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford by Clint Hill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wanted to read this book just because the Secret Service is kind of fascinating to me. I had no idea until I got into the book that I knew of this guy and what he did on a very important day in history. I also learned by reading this more of what LBJ and Ike were like. I have read a lot on each guy, but this was the more personal spin on their lives. While I know there was much left out this was a good read. I did like that he rarely spoke of his family, and you see he rarely saw that family because of his job...so it fit right with history.

PS, the cream of the crop was meeting Mr. Hill in Oct 2017 and hearing him tell the story and answer questions.

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

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).

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

Review: Lafayette in the Somewhat United States

Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was a tad apprehensive about reading this book.
1. I had never read anything by the author
2. The cover didn't thrill me
3. I like Lafayette and wanted to keep liking him.

I am happy to say that the first 2 on my list didn't matter because from the first page, I was captivated. The author wove history around modern day experiences and places. She very successfully connected the past with the present and took a road trip in the process. What a brilliant move!

She is correct that most folks don't know about Lafayette. Don't realize how vital he and his friends were to America gaining independence, but this book could help them understand where all the Lafayette Square are Lafayette Drives across got their name.

That brings me to #3 on my list. I still like the Marquis de Lafayette. I like him a lot and I am so grateful to him and all his friend's sacrifices so we could become a nation.

View all my reviews

Review: The Magnolia Story

The Magnolia Story by Chip Gaines
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is very fast. Only took a couple of hours to finish. It's told in the he/she type of banter that they employ on the show. While I have only watched the show a few times, I respect them and what they do. I applaud them for being so honest in their book and working their way up to where they are today. Taking chances and trusting God. I am all about that, so I respect them more.

View all my reviews

Review: The Hollywood Daughter

The Hollywood Daughter by Kate Alcott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have never been a huge fan of Ingrid Bergman, but I knew enough to have a background on the character written in this book, but I don't think it's necessary to have any background at all. Most of the story centers on Jesse (Jessica) Malloy and her family, who are devout Catholics and their religion plays a big part in the events that shape their family dynamics. Jesse's dad is Ingrid's publicist so you see quite a bit of Ingrid as Mr. Malloy is working to make Ingrid a MASSIVE star....until Ingrid falls in love. Once that happens everything changes for all the Malloy's.

Personally, I enjoyed the book and had a hard time putting it down. I do enjoy most book with an early Hollywood story woven through the mix.

My only disappointment was that I knew enough of Ingrid's story to know why her career took a turn here in America and I expected the Hollywood daughter to be HER daughter, not her PR guys daughter. I wasn't expecting it this way.

View all my reviews

Review: Americanos, Apple Pies, and Art Thieves

Americanos, Apple Pies, and Art Thieves by Harper Lin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Harper's books never fail to entertain me. This one was right up my alley...an Americano and an art show. Fran and Matt have developed the cutest little relationship, mischief happens and Fran is right there in the middle of it all. As usual, there are extra characters you like, you don't like and some you hate and just when you think you know where the story is going....there's a twist!



Ms. Lin's characters have really grown over the course of this series and I really like all of them. If you haven't read this series, pick up book one and get started! It would be a wonderful day to spend a rainy afternoon, a day at the beach or commute time.

View all my reviews

Review: Goodnight From London

Goodnight From London by Jennifer Robson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WOW!! I have been waiting to read this because I needed the ebook since I didn't want to mess up my autographed copy. It was well worth the wait. Once I opened the ebook I devoured the text. It was a wonderful journey. We met Ruby who seems like an incredible girl that has some deep secrets. Her secrets will be revealed and she will fall for a man that also has deep secrets. Ms. Robson writes the most perfect books for me, there is some romance, but not trashy and the books are FULL of history from the early 20th century wars. This one will focus on WWII, you will actually be right in the middle of the blitz in London.

I simply adore this book.

View all my reviews

Review: The Road Taken

The Road Taken by Rona Jaffe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was FANTASTIC! From the second I started it, I had NO desire to put it down and was sad that I could not just sit down and devour it from start to finish.

The book opens with a little girl (born 1900) experiencing the death of her mother. Throughout the book we follow this little girl and her siblings as they grow up, have children and grandchildren, through wars, peace time, famine, sickness, health, differences and similarities, love and hate....and a century.

A fabulous journey....I really didn't want to end.

View all my reviews

Review: Cold Case and Cupcakes

Cold Case and Cupcakes by Harper Lin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This Cupcake Mystery series keeps getting better. I am really growing fond of Amelia. I feel like I know her much better too and I love that. She made me angry a couple of times in this book, so that means I am getting invested. :) I think this series is so fun. It's a quick read where you can try to figure out the whodunit or you can just sit back and enjoy.

View all my reviews

Review: Nevertheless: A Memoir

Nevertheless: A Memoir by Alec Baldwin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I do enjoy watching Alec Baldwin, I've always been a fan. I think he's opinionated (like me) and he makes me think with his off the wall thinking, but this book made me see a different side of Alec. A compassionate man that loves his kids, not at all the smart a** he asks like in public. This man loves his wife and family and always has. I knew he liked old movies and it was nice to hear him talk about it and then at the end adding his faves (he left out Norma Shearer, how could one leave out Norma?). I enjoyed the book immensely and was sorry to see it end.

View all my reviews

Review: The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince

The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince by Mayte Garcia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am certain the ever private Prince would hate this book. I am certain he would be furious with the knowledge of it's publication, but I am glad for it. I feel that this book has truth to it in many ways. I don't entirely believe that Mayte knew nothing about his drug use being with him for so long, but maybe she didn't as she was blind by love. Reading the story of the loss of her son made me cry. You could feel the pain pouring out in every word Mayte wrote, it oozed all over the place. I knew Prince was no where near perfect, I hate more than anything I know about him to know that he abused drugs though. The gifted guitar player, the extraordinary dancer, the talented fashion designer...he was outstanding. What he wasn't was faithful to his ladies and that to me is a bit wrong. He seemed close to Mayte, he shouldn't have cheated. Well, he is gone and we can't take it back, what we can do is read this and get a glimpse of the day to day life of Prince Rogers Nelson.

View all my reviews

Review: Granny's Got a Gun

Granny's Got a Gun by Harper Lin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am giving this book 5 stars! It is a quick weekend or beach read. You don't have to do a lot of thinking, just enjoy. I think you may even laugh out loud in some parts. This was fun that an ex CIA agent that just happens to be a grandma can still kick some butt in the crime dept.

Barbara is retired and missing her exciting life as a CIA agent. She lives in a sleepy little town, goes to her book club meetings and hangs with her friends...it's just not enough...until...one of the book club members dies right in front of the gang. Barbara will need a little assistance to solve this crime, maybe even help from her grandson.

View all my reviews

Review: Becoming Marie Antoinette

Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I am going to admit, that I struggled through this one. I am not sure why as the subject matter thrills me, I don't think it was the entirely the writing. Even though I like tales that grip you and don't let go and this one just did not. I did try to read this while reading a Chernow book and maybe that was some of the issue. I am going to read the 2nd one just because as I stated, I love the subject matter.

View all my reviews