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Wednesday, August 13, 2025

My next audiobook is ...


 The Ten by E. A. Hanks (audiobook)


Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - The Good Neighbor (audiobook)


The Good Neighbor by Maxwell King (audiobook)


OVERVIEW

First off, let me be perfectly clear. Fred Rogers was an amazing educator who loved children unconditionally. Everyone was his friend and neighbor, including the "adult children". What a national treasure! 

This biography by Maxwell King was disappointing. It was poorly written, repetitive, and not the tribute to Fred Rogers he deserved. The only thing that saved this audiobook was the incredible narration by LeVar Burton. A digital or physical book wouldn't have this. 


OVERALL REVIEW: 3.0 stars


Writing: 2.0 stars 

Maxwell writes in a non-emotional, monotone way that may have been to model or pay tribute to Mr. Rogers. It didn't work. 

Additionally, much of the material was cut and pasted from other sources. This caused so unnecessary and bothersome repetition, which was annoying. 

In the extra End Credits, the author is interviewed. He states that he only talked to Fred Rogers twice - once for about an hour and a half, and the other for a brief hello. This biography really should have been written by someone who understood the nuances, quirks, and uniqueness of Mr. Rogers. I hope that another writer steps up and writes the definitive biography of Fred Rogers.

Finally, a good copywriter and editor were desperately needed for this book. The audiobook is over fourteen hours long!


Narration: 5.0 stars

The narration was beautifully done by the multi-talented and multi-hyphenated LeVar Burton. 


Character development: 3.0 stars

The main character was Fred Rogers. 

The secondary characters include many family members, friends, mentors, colleagues, and everyone who ever met Mr. Rogers in his life. I'm exaggerating, but it is fairly accurate.

The tertiary characters are the television product development, television production, television stations, educational television, and PBS television. Yes, there was a lot of television, which Mr. Rogers had nothing to do with and didn't tell much about him. It was extraneous fluff.  

The character development could have been better for Fred Rogers. He was a deep, complicated, and cerebral person. The addition of more about his personal life, including his immediate family, wife, and close friends, would have been lovely.  

 

Memorable3.0 stars

There was so much about Fred Rogers that I wanted to know, and it wasn't covered. Where did his passion for children come from? Why was he a vegetarian? What were his sons' and grandchildren's relationships like with him? On and on ...


Entertaining/Educational:  3.0 stars

There were many rumors about Fred Rogers that I had never heard. 

It was funny to think that there was a rumor about his being in Special Forces, seriously? Or being a convicted child molester, no way! Where do these crazy stories come from? 


Book cover: 5.0 stars

Perfect.    

 

Book title: 5.0 stars 

Excellent.   


Lukewarm recommend


Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow: audiobook

The Good Neighbor by Maxwell King

14 hours, 7 minutes 

Oasis Audio

Release date: 9/4/2018

 

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Fred Rogers

Goodreads review

The StoryGraph review

Oasis Audio

Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL)


TRIGGER WARNINGS

None


Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

My next ebook is ...


 All That Life Can Afford by Emily Everett (ebook)


Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - How To Kill A Witch (eARC/ebook)


  How to Kill a Witch by Zoe Venditozzi & Claire Mitchell (eARC/ebook)


OVERVIEW

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

Following the successful Witches of Scotland podcast and campaign by Zoe Venditozzi and Claire Mitchell, this book was born. OMG! This incredible book will stay with me forever. The subtitle says it all: "The Patriarchy's Guide to Silencing Women".

Salem, Massachusetts, receives all the publicity, but around 4.000 people (mainly women, of course) were accused of witchcraft for a much longer time in Scotland. This non-fiction book explores the histories of primarily Scotland as well as Salem, England, Norway, and the current day (yes, you read that correctly). 

I'm in awe of these two courageous, outspoken, and amazing women. I would love to be their friend, but since that is unlikely, I will settle for "being a quarrelsome dame" against the patriarchy!


OVERALL REVIEW:    5.0 stars


Writing: 5.0 stars

The writing is excellent, tongue-in-cheek, and incredibly sarcastic. Be still, my witty heart! 

Both of the authors are top-notch writers who write beautifully about a horrific subject matter that is an obvious passion project. This is strongly researched material, but in no way read like a boring textbook!

The explanatory footnotes throughout the book are at the end of each chapter. So you can toggle back and forth in your reading, or read them all at the end of the chapter. Such a lovely touch! 

Since this is a highly researched non-fiction book, there are a lot of resources, including a Reading Group Guide, Information About the Witches of Scotland Tartan (I had seen this on Instagram and hadn't put it together), Glossary of Scots Words, Select Resources (by chapter), and Image Credits.


Character development: 5.0 stars

There are thousands of characters in this book. Accused, convicted,  condemned, and executed witch hunt victims (actually murder victims in my viewpoint). If available, the accusers and judges (powerful men and religious leaders who salaciously examined the accused for prurient reasons for the "mark of the Devil") are named, as well as the location.  The biggest commonality is that the vast majority of them were women. Patriarchy, much?

Unfortunately, due to non-existent, "lost", or never created court records so long ago, some of these victims have no names, backstory, location, or ending to their stories. Hopefully, this information will someday be found and these victims acknowledged and remembered.


Storyline:  5.0 stars 

The storyline is brilliant! It explains the reasons these victims were accused and what a money-grabbing racket it was. Many of these victims have their accusations, backstories, and murders explored and explained. 

Geez, I would have been in big trouble during these witch hunts as I am outspoken, have moles and skin tags, can be quite quarrelsome at times, and am a woman.


Memorable/Informative:   5.0 stars

The biggest takeaway is that a witch hunt does not mean what politicians (cough, right-leaning) such as #47 use it for. Not shocking, at all!  

Also, as someone with about 21% Scottish ancestry, I am pretty certain that I had someone in my family who was accused or an accuser. What a sad legacy!


Book cover: 5.0 stars

Perfect and powerful!

 

Book title: 5.0 stars 

The Title and Subtitle are on fire!  

 

Highly recommend


NetGalley eARC/ebook

How to Kill a Witch by Zoe Venditozzi & Claire Mitchell

315 pages

Sourcebooks

FUTURE release date: 9/30/2025

 

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Zoe Venditozzi

Claire Mitchell

Goodreads review

The StoryGraph review

Sourcebooks

NetGalley


TRIGGER WARNINGS

Violence, violent murder, executions, sexual content, sexism, misogyny, suicide, grief, war, classism, xenophobia, and graphic cursing and sexual content.  


Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

Sunday, August 10, 2025

My next eARC/ebook is ...


 How to Kill a Witch by Zoe Venditozzi & Claire Mitchell (eARC/ebook)


Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - A Dark and Deadly Journey (eARC/ebook)


 A Dark and Deadly Journey (Evelyne Redfern #3) by Julia Kelly (eARC/ebook)


OVERVIEW

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

This is my eighth book by Julia and the third book in the Evelyne Redfern series. This book had so many twists and turns, and ups and downs that I'm unsure if my head is facing in the correct direction! 

I love this series - I know, it's World War II, but this author gets a pass on my embargo. It is a historical murder mystery without graphic sex scenes or graphic language.  

This is not a stand-alone novel, so I suggest reading books one and two in the series before this one! 


OVERALL REVIEW:    5.0 stars


Writing: 5.0 stars

The writing is excellent, and Julia is beautifully descriptive in her writing, but not overly so. I enjoyed the descriptions of the period clothing, food, and Portugal.  

The violence and murders (yes, this is a murder mystery novel) are written in a "cozy" way. The reader understands what happens without being subjected to reading all the gory details. Clear as mud?


Character development: 5.0 stars

The two main characters are Evelyne and David, who are partners in the British SIU (Special Investigation Unit). 

The secondary characters are coworkers in the SIU, family, friends, victims, and the suspects. 

The tertiary character is Lisbon, Portugal. The city is described as fascinating and beautiful, and is the perfect setting for this murder mystery. 

The character development is always strong with Julia's books, and this was no exception!


Storyline:  5.0 stars 

My goodness! There is a missing operative in Lisbon in late 1940 whom Evelyne and David are tasked with locating. But, everything is not what it seems for almost all of this novel. Oh, my, this book ended on a wild note, so I can not wait for book four in this series! Please, Julia!

The primary locations were London and Bristol, England, and Lisbon, Portugal.    


Memorable/Informative:   5.0 stars

Lisbon sounds amazing. I loved all the descriptions of the city, people, language, and food. It is now on my personal bucket list!


Book cover: 5.0 stars

Perfect.   

 

Book title: 5.0 stars 

On point.  

 

Highly recommend


NetGalley eARC/ebook

A Dark and Deadly Journey (Evelyne Redfern #3) by Julia Kelly

304 pages

Minotaur Books

FUTURE release date: 9/23/2025

 

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Julia Kelly

Goodreads review

Storygraph review

Minotaur Books

NetGalley


TRIGGER WARNINGS

Mild cursing and sexual content, gun violence, non-descriptive violence, alcohol, sexism, death of a parent, grief, suicide, misogyny, classism, war, and xenophobia. 


Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜





Friday, August 8, 2025

My next eARC/ebook is ...


A Dark and Deadly Journey (Evelyne Redfern #3) by Julia Kelly (eARC/ebook)


Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜


REVIEW - The Austen Affair (eARC/eBOOK)


 The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell (eARC/ebook)


OVERVIEW

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

This is my first book written by Madeline Bell. This is her first adult novel after writing two Young Adult novels.   

I loved the premise of the book, but I didn't enjoy the execution.  It was a fun and fast novel, which was so different from my recent heavier reads. I liked this novel, but did not love it. 


OVERALL REVIEW:    4.0 stars

 

Writing: 4.0 stars

The writing is good, most especially for a new adult novelist. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the countryside, the homes, and the clothing. 

But it felt like Madeline was referencing commercial items to earn a marketing share. All the commercial references were a little grating. 


Character development: 4.0 stars

The two main characters are Tess and Hugh (actors in a Northanger Abbey).  

The secondary characters are Hugh's family in Hampshire and London. 

The tertiary characters are co-workers, neighbors, friends, and villagers in Hampshire.   

The character development wasn't overly strong, but it was good. There were back stories for the main and secondary characters. 


Storyline:  5.0 stars 

The storyline was creative and interesting. The two main characters, Tess and Hugh, accidentally get electrocuted and travel from 2025 back to the same spot in 1815. 

Since both characters had done research for their parts in the movie, they were able to primarily pass as non-anachronistic. It was great fun to compare what they saw in 2025 versus 1815 in the exact same locations. 

The primary locations were Hampshire and London, England.   


Memorable/Informative:   3.0 stars

It is a sacrilege to have strong cursing, sexual content, and a very graphic and gratuitous sex scene while writing about Hampshire, England, during the Regency era, while referencing Jane Austen. I don't think the hard-core Janeites are going to like it one bit. No, nope, no way! I certainly did not like that at all!


Book cover: 4.0 stars

It was meh to me.   

 

Book title: 4.0 stars 

Good.  

 

Definite recommend


NetGalley eARC/ebook

The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell

441 pages

St. Martin's Griffin

FUTURE release date: 9/16/2025

 

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Madeline Bell

Goodreads review

Storygraph review

St. Martin's Griffin

NetGalley


TRIGGER WARNINGS

Strong cursing, graphic sex scene, sexual content, violence, alcohol,  death of a parent, grief, sexism, misogyny, and xenophobia. 


Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜


Wednesday, August 6, 2025

My next eARC/ebook is ...


 The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell (eARC/ebook)


Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - The Wilderness (eARC/ebook)

 



The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy (eARC/ebook)



OVERVIEW

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

This is my first book written by Angela Flournoy. It is her sophomore novel, ten years after her award-winning, The Turner House (added to TBR). Hopefully, she continues to write beautiful stories. 

I absolutely loved this book because I really connected with the four main characters, who feel lost, uncertain, and adrift during their 20s and 30s. This novel explores societal themes, including social media, identity, and the pressures of growing up in the digital age. Most especially, the fear of failure and the angst of adulting during a recession, 9/11, the pandemic, and Black Lives Matter are highlighted. 

My favorite bonus is that it is set in my hometown of Los Angeles and Southern California. 


OVERALL REVIEW:    5.0 stars

 

Writing: 5.0 stars

The writing is stunningly beautiful! That is all that needs to be said.


Character development: 5.0 stars

The four main characters are Desiree, January, Monique, and Nakia (friends from various points in their lives).  

The secondary character is Danielle (Desiree's estranged sister).  

The tertiary characters are assorted friends, family, lovers, partners, husbands, boyfriends, coworkers, and other folks in the main and secondary characters' storylines.  

Angela writes about each main character's point of view as if they are right in front of you, with intriguing backstories and full character development. Be still, my bookish heart! 


Storyline:  5.0 stars

This book is very unique. It is not chronologically organized, with random years going forward and backward in time. Additionally, each chapter includes the four main characters individually or in various groupings. The beautiful chaos of this novel matches the confusion of the characters' 20s and 30s. Perfection!

This may not be everyone's type of storyline, but it really worked for me as I inhaled this novel. 

The primary locations were Los Angeles and New York City.   


Memorable/Informative:   5.0 stars

This beautiful book showcases the chosen family experiences of four unique Black women born into the Millennial generation. The novel specifically focuses on about twenty years in their lives from 2008 onward. 

It was very relatable to me, even though I am not a digital native (thank God!) and am about twenty-five years older than the characters. Some of their experiences could have been mine, but I am not sharing! 

The homages to Octavia Butler were beautiful and powerful. 


Book cover: 4.0 stars

It was meh to me.   

 

Book title: 5.0 stars 

So perfect!  

 

Highly recommend


Book Club Girl gifted: eARC/ebook

The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy

386 pages

Mariner Books

FUTURE release date: 9/16/2025

 

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Angela Flournoy

Goodreads review

Storygraph review

Mariner Books

Book Club Girl


TRIGGER WARNINGS

Abandonment, violence, gun violence, alcohol, drug use, death of a parent, sexual situations, death, sexual assault, police violence, misogyny, and strong cursing.


Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜






Tuesday, August 5, 2025

My next audiobook is ...


 The Good Neighbor by Maxwell King (audiobook)


Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜