REVIEW - The Hunger Games #1 AUDIOBOOK

 

For some reason, I forgot to update that I was listening to AUDIOBOOKS now! I reviewed the Harry Potter series and reviewed it. But I forgot to add this book as a "My next book" to this blog. OOPS! So I will now add AUDIOBOOKS in the title and "My next book is" and "Review" posts.

OVERVIEW

I read this series when it first came out as my daughter wanted to read it in FIRST GRADE. I read it and had her wait until middle school to read it. She LOVES this series and has the books on Kindle. She totally was the target Young Adult audience. I am reviewing it as a first-time read! 

REVIEW: 4.0 stars

Writing: 4.0 stars

Suzanne Collins writes well for her target audience - Young Adults. It is very action-packed, but not super descriptive with any SAT words! Very easy to listen to or read!

Character development: 4.5 stars

The characters were very interesting with the juxtaposition of District 12 lives and Capitol lives. The characters were fully fleshed out and I could totally picture them in my mind. But, I enjoyed the interaction between Katniss and her family in District 12 the most as it was so real

 

Storyline: 4.0 stars

The interaction between all of the tributes in the arena was fascinating. It was interesting how some tributes were solitary and some made alliances. It is exactly what happens in the schoolyard, workplace, etc. It was a VERY compelling storyline about the Hunger Games competition!

 

Book cover: 3.0 stars

It was meh to me.

 

Gut feeling: 4.0 stars

It was what I expected, but the narration was superior.

 

RECOMMEND

 

INFORMATION/LINKS

The Hunger Games #1 by Suzanne Collins

387 pages or 10 hours, 35 minutes

5 days to listen via audiobook

Read as a Kindle library book - Los Angeles Public Library

Release date of 09/14/2008

https://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5555896783

https://www.scholastic.com/home

https://lapl.overdrive.com/

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜 

My next book is...

California Golden by Melanie Benjamin

 

DNF - The Madwoman of Paris

 

I will not be finishing (DNF) The Madwoman of Paris by Jennifer Cody Epstein. It just wasn't the right book for me.

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

My next book is...

The Madwoman of Paris by Jennifer Cody Epstein

REVIEW - Montauk

OVERVIEW

First off, I recall reading this book when it first came out as an ARC in 2019, but I didn't review it on Goodreads or NetGalley. Weird! So I am reviewing it as a first-time read! But it was worth reading a second time so you can probably predict my review! 

REVIEW: 4.0 stars

Writing: 4.5 stars

Nicola Harrison writes beautiful and descriptive prose that helps you visualize each scene of her books without getting bogged down. It is very easy to read, but so enjoyable to read!

Character development: 4.5 stars

The characters were interesting and fascinating! There were the "poor" rich ladies who left Manhattan for the summer and their husbands who only visited on the weekends.  But in contrast, there were also the "rich" poor local workers who have beautiful friendships, families, and lives. 

Storyline: 4.5 stars

The interaction between all of the characters both city and local proved that being monetarily rich doesn't make one happy. The finale of the book was so well done that it will stay with me for a long time!

Book cover: 5.0 stars

Absolutely perfect - especially the blue dress against the sepia background!

Gut feeling: 4.5 stars

Not at all what I expected, but exactly what I enjoy - historical fiction!!

Definite RECOMMEND

 

INFORMATION/LINKS

Montauk by Nicola Harrison

394 pages

5 days to read 

Read as a Kindle library book - Los Angeles Public Library

Release date of 06/04/2019

https://www.nicolaharrison.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41150486-montauk

https://us.macmillan.com/stmartinspress/

https://lapl.overdrive.com/

P.S. I updated my template for my blog reviews. Hopefully, it makes it easier for a quick review of the book! 

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

Stay OPEN!!

 

AAPI Heritage Month - Favorite AAPI Authors

 

As you may or may not have noticed, my last name is Fong!!

So in recognition of AAPI Heritage Month, I would like to recognize some of my absolute favorite AAPI authors and my favorite book that they have written.

Amy Tan - The Joy Luck Club

Jamie Ford - The Many Daughters of Afong Moy

Amulya Malladi - A House for Happy Mothers

Lisa See - On Gold Mountain

Gail Tsuyiyama - The Color of Air

Jean Kwok - Girl in Translation

These six AAPI authors are authors who I will read their books even if I have no clue or details about the book! These books are an AUTOMATIC addition to my Goodreads list! They are amazing storytellers, teachers, and writers!!

Please check out their websites and read their books - you will not be disappointed!! The biggest takeaway that I have to share is that I have learned so much about the different AAPI cultures - I particularly am eager to know more about Taishanese/Cantonese culture as that is my husband and daughter's heritage!! 

The more we learn about each other as persons, the more alike we are. Read, learn, act!!

For more information:

• Amy Tan http://www.amytan.net/
• Jamie Ford  https://jamieford.com/
• Amulya Malladi https://www.amulyamalladi.com/
• Lisa See https://lisasee.com/
• Gail Tsuyiyama https://www.gailtsukiyama.com/
• Jean Kwok https://www.jeankwok.com/

AAPI Heritage Month https://www.asianpacificheritage.gov/

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

 

Harry Potter books 1-7 AUDIOBOOKS

As you may or may not know, my entire family recently had Covid about a month ago. However, I was already listening to the Harry Potter series via audiobook and was going along at a good pace, and then Covid hit. I listened to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5) over and over again for two weeks as I kept falling asleep and then would wake up several chapters later. The narrator's voice, Jim Dale, was especially soothing while I was recovering.

Please note that I normally listen to an audiobook as I fall asleep while concurrently reading an ebook at the same time. It really helps to have something nice to listen to and enjoy as I drift off to sleep!!

Once we had started to really recover (and didn't fall asleep all the time), the eight Harry Potter movies were something fun to watch while in isolation together.

After finishing the seventh book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7), this morning, I realized how much better the book series was than the movie series. Don't get me wrong, the movies are fun and enjoyable. But the books are AH-MA-ZING. 

Please bear in mind that I really, really do not like J.K. Rowling's viewpoints on almost everything. But the woman can REALLY write the heck out of a book series!! Plus, these books created a generation of READERS!!

 OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars

    Writing: 5.0 stars (progressively more intricate to match the reading levels of the core readers)

    Character development: 5.0 stars (so many amazingly interesting characters)

    Storyline: 5.0 stars (creative and unique storyline)

    Book cover: 5.0 stars (Absolutely beautiful - all seven of them)

    Gut feeling: 5.0 stars (More than what I expected as I had already READ the books!)

Definite RECOMMEND

INFORMATION/LINKS

4,142 pages 
116 hours, 21 minutes listening time
One and 1/2 months to listen to and finish (Covid intervened, UGH!)
Listened as an audiobook from the Los Angeles Public Library
Release dates of 1997-2007
https://www.jkrowling.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/ (NO reviews on Goodreads)
https://www.pottermorepublishing.com/
https://lapl.overdrive.com/

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

P.S. Going forward, I will review a book series as individual books as I think it is more meaningful and helps to understand the flow of the series better!

 

Pulitzer Prizes - Fiction

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulitzer_Prize_for_Fiction

Okay, I may be the odd woman out, but I normally do NOT like the books that win the Pulitzer Fiction awards. I just looked at the list of winners since its inception in 1918 and here is my breakdown.

My list of Pulitzer READ books are:

• The Good Earth 
• Gone with the Wind
• The Yearling
• The Grapes of Wrath
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Olive Kitteridge
• The Goldfinch

My list of FAVORITE Pulitzer books are:

• The Good Earth 
• Gone with the Wind
• The Grapes of Wrath
• To Kill a Mockingbird

So out of over 100 years of Pulitzer Fiction books, I really only LOVED four. Plus, these four are all older than I am. Of the other two, I liked Olive Kitteridge and did not care for The Goldfinch. 

So, my dear readers, I am NOT a Pulitzer Fiction lover. It's okay - there are plenty of great books out there. Life is too short to read books that don't make you happy or that you enjoy!!

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

 

Goodreads 2023 Reading Challenge INCREASED!

Of course, I had to increase my Reading Challenge from 48 to 60. It is only May 15, 2023, and I have read 46 books. Don't be surprised if I have to increase it AGAIN!!

What's YOUR Reading Challenge for 2023???

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

My next book is...