UPDATED Glossary

 

There are some important terms to understand when you love to read books and read blogs about them. Here are some of the ones that I quickly thought of:

ANTAGONIST - Normally, the villain or "bad guy" in a book, novel, or other literature. There can be primary, secondary, or tertiary antagonists. 

ADVANCE READER COPY (ARC) - There are many other definitions for this acronym, but I like Advance Reader Copy best. Many publishers gift physical books or ebooks to interested or previous readers of the author's works to create buzz by reviewing the books. Sometimes the invite to read the book comes directly from the author, publisher, or 3rd party site.

BOOK CLUB - A group of people with common interests (usually women) who get together to discuss a specific book, gossip, and maybe drink wine!

BIBLIOGRAPHY - A list of books that an author has written.

BOOK HAUL - The huge amount of books that you have received in the mail or purchased at a bookstore!

BOOKSTAGRAM/BOOKTOC - A bookworm's Instagram/TikTok (VERY creative and artistically posed photos of books). Interestingly, some of the posts are not of books that have been read by the original poster - they are just a creative outlet. This type of posting does NOT work for me as I am not artistic and I only post about books/audiobooks that I have actually read! 

BOOKWORM - A book lover - me, me, me! For more cool translations of the English word, bookworm, check out:

Other Bookworm names. 

BUDDY READ - Reading a specific book with a friend! Book clubs are buddy-read on a larger scale.

CURRENT READ (CR)- What book(s) that you are reading right now!

DID NOT FINISH (DNF) - In my opinion, there are too many books and not enough time to read them all. I do not spend time on books that aren't what I expected, don't interest me, or don't add value to my life. An author friend of mine said to read page 46 of a potential DNF to see if it is interesting - if not, DNF it.

EBOOK -  An ebook or digital book. I primarily read Kindle books via the Amazon Kindle application on my phone or Kindle tablet. 

GOODREADS - A reader-driven review site for all types of books! "Goodreads is the world's largest site for readers and book recommendations" (quote from the Goodreads website). It is also a great place to keep track of the books you have read or want to read, get great recommendations, and follow your friends and favorite authors. 

Goodreads

KINDLE - An electronic device to primarily read ebooks. Some Kindles have Internet access and many other applications, but simple is best for me. Here is the Amazon link to similar Kindles to the one that I have and love! I just need to use it more than I currently do.

Kindle

MAIN CHARACTER (MC) - The leading or main character in a book, novel, or short story. A synonym for a main character is the protagonist. There can be primary, secondary, or tertiary main characters.

NETGALLEY - A third-party site that "helps publishers and authors promote digital review copies to book advocates and industry professionals" (quote from NetGalley website). This is my to-go site as it is free and many authors and publishers that I love use it. There are MANY other free websites out there to explore! 

NetGalley

PHYSICAL BOOK - The good, old-fashioned, but beautiful books that have been around since the Gutenberg Bible!! That wonderful book smell!

POINT OF VIEW (POV) - This is usually for the main character or other important characters.

TO BE READ (TBR) - A specific list of To Be Read books on Goodreads or in a pile on your nightstand!

YOUNG ADULT (YA) - A genre of books for young adults from about 12ish to 21. But, many non-young adults love these books!

I will add more glossary terms as I encounter them or think of them!!

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

ETA: Updated 10/23/2023

DNF - Crazy Rich Asians AUDIOBOOK

I will not be finishing Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. What I listened to, I really enjoyed. 

But, I cannot listen to novels as audiobooks. It doesn't work for me. There is too much to focus on (characters, plot, characters) so I prefer memoirs as audiobooks.  

So now to read this as an ebook! 

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

My next audiobook is...

 Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

My next ebook is...

 No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister

I am reading this due to the recommendation of one of my favorite authors, Camille Di Maio!! I hope it is a GOOD one!!

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - The Connellys of County Down

 

OVERVIEW

This is the second book by Tracey Lange and I thoroughly enjoyed it!!

The basic story is about three siblings who are left to fend for themselves after their mother dies and their father abandons them. The three of them are tight-knit even though they experience the worst and best of life. 

The character development is very strong which I love! Additionally, the fairy tale that the mother tells her three children is enchanting. It was a lovely part of the book! 

This book was very good and I really look forward to Tracey Lange's NEXT novel!!

OVERALL REVIEW: 4.0 stars

Writing: 4.0 stars

Tracey has a really crisp yet descriptive way of writing. You can visualize the scenes and be "in it", but it doesn't get bogged down by over-wordiness. 

Character development: 4.0 stars

This book has three main characters: Tara, Eddie, and Geraldine. They each take their "assigned roles" in the family and in their mother's fairy tale. They are hard-working people who have been dealt a very poor hand in life. The characters are flawed like all of us. I like that there is still so much growth for the characters in the future.

The secondary characters are Brian and Hank (police officers), Conor (Eddie's son), and other assorted town characters.

The tertiary character is the symbiosis of the three siblings - it is like a real character!

Storyline:  4.0 stars

Wow, the story gets off to a start very quickly and continues from there. Tara is released from prison for drug trafficking and then it is set up and fast-paced very quickly! 

All of the main locations were in the state of New York. 

Memorable/Informative: 4.0 stars

This novel makes a strong point about how quickly one's life can spiral out of control because of one bad decision. 

Book cover: 4.0 stars

Pretty.

Book title: 4.5 stars 

Perfection.

DEFINITE recommend 

BOOK INFORMATION

LAPL (Los Angeles Public Library) Kindle book

The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange

288 pages 

William Morris

Release date of 10/10/2023

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Tracey Lange

My Goodreads review

Celadon Books

LAPL

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

UPDATED Goodreads Review Ratings

So with this update (10/07/2023), this is how I will be reviewing books going forward. I just feel like some consistency is needed as I am working hard to make this blog useful and fun for me and my readers!

First off, I really wish that Goodreads had 1/2 stars, but unfortunately, they do not. However, I do include 1/2 stars in the books that I review in the "review section" of Goodreads, NetGalley, and in this book blog. Here is my breakdown of reviews:

5-stars are the best of the best! These are the books that I cannot stop recommending to my friends!! They have moved me deeply and are books that I will think about and remember forever. Also, these are the books that I normally buy for my personal library and are the "HIGHEST Recommendation"! I also will call some of them masterpieces and expect them to be read for years to come. 

4.5-stars are outstanding books. They were great reads and very enjoyable, but these books didn't reach into my soul like the 5-star books. These are "HIGHLY recommend" books! 

4-stars are excellent books. Please, don't get me wrong, they are definitely worth reading and are books that I would "DEFINITE Recommend". They are great books and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

3.5-stars are very good books. But, I would definitely read them as I enjoyed them. A lot of these are more "fast food" reading, but these are not the mainstay of my reading choices. These are "Recommend". 

3-stars are okay, but just okay. I enjoyed the book, but it wasn't memorable to me. Something missed the mark - plot line, character development, or writing. These are "LUKEWARM recommend".

2-stars or 1-star are normally books that I would "DNF" (Did Not Finish). These are also books that I would not review, period. I don't like leaving negative reviews - instead, I just don't review the book. 

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - Making It So AUDIOBOOK

OVERVIEW

This is Sir Patrick Stewart's memoir at the age of 83 years old young!! It is the best memoir that I have listened to in 2023 so far. That is a huge achievement as I have listened to a lot of great audiobooks this year! The biggest bonus was listening to his melodious voice - fabulous!

Patrick Stewart grew up in Yorkshire, England the youngest son of a former Sergeant Major in the British Army and a homemaker/weaver. He grew up in borderline poverty which has impacted him to this day. Sir Patrick worked hard and had some serendipitous events happen to make him the huge theater, movie, and television star that he is today. 

The amazing thing to me was Sir Patrick's long-life friendships, kindness, modesty, and humbleness. He sounds like the perfect person and his wife to enjoy appetizers and wine while talking for hours and hours!! I have not watched his biggest hits and now want to watch them!

This memoir is for you especially if you like theater, Shakespeare, Star Trek TNG, and/or X-Men!! 

OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars

Writing: 5.0 stars

The writing for this memoir is top-notch! 

This memoir is poignant and hysterically funny. Sir Patrick is very self-effacing and tells stories with just perfect timing - he is a magical storyteller. The Sting and Honda Prelude stories make me chuckle every time I think of them!!

Narration: 5.0 stars

OMG! Who could narrate his own memoir better than a trained Shakespearean actor? No one! Sir Patrick has a lovely, rich and beautiful voice that I could listen to him read the newspaper out loud and I would love it!!

Character Arc: 5.0 stars

The memoir covers the time from Sir Patrick's birth (and before) until the present day. It was such a satisfying memoir as he covered everything I wanted to know about him! He is quite a multi-dimensional person!!

Memorable: 5.0 stars

It was a memorable memoir. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Sir Patrick and his life. It was fascinating to learn so much about Great Britain during and after WWII. 

Entertaining: 5.0 stars

It was educational as I knew next to nothing about Great Britain after WWII. I learned how much the war impacted his family life and Great Britain as a whole. Additionally, Sir Patrick is a hoot - he constantly made me laugh. But, he also brought me to tears as he read about his losses. It was just so well done.

Book cover: 5.0 stars

Perfection. 

Book title: 5.0 stars 

Excellent! 

Suggestions: 

I didn't really know all the individuals that Sir Patrick mentioned in different theater settings, but it didn't really matter. 

HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION

STATISTICS

Making It So by Patrick Steward

18 hours, 50 minutes

Listened to as an audiobook from the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL)

Release date of 10/03/2023

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Patrick Stewart

My Goodreads review

Simon and Schuster

Los Angeles Public Library

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

P.S. Listen to the very end of the audiobook as Sir Patrick reads a selection of Dicken's A Christmas Carol - AMAZING!!

REVIEW - The Leftover Woman

OVERVIEW

Every single book of Jean Kwok's book is good, but this is a GREAT book!! 

The best part is that I learn more and more about Chinese culture. I married into a Chinese family about 25 years ago and still don't know everything about the culture and never will. 

I truly thought that I knew what the ending was going to be. Um, I was totally wrong, wrong, wrong!

After going through the review, this is ANOTHER 5-star book for 2023!! YES!!

OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars

Writing: 5.0 stars

Jean has a beautiful, poetic way of writing that still is easy to read. What a gift that she has to tell stories in such a gorgeous way. 

Jean also tells the stories that need telling like THIS book. There is so much about unethical adoption, human trafficking, and undocumented "social" clubs that needs exposure to stop it once and for all!

The amazing thing is that English is not Jean's first language plus she also speaks Chinese and Dutch fluently. Impressive writing from an immigrant - they really do contribute to our society!!!

Character development: 5.0 stars

This book had three main characters: Jasmine, Lucy, and Rebecca. These three women learn and grow so much during the course of the book. Their back stories are interestingly developed from the two poor immigrants from China to the one wealthy American. The three characters intersect in a huge crescendo that is a huge bombshell!  

The secondary characters are Fiona, Wen, and Brandon. A child and two men who have shared pasts and differing views of the future. Another huge bombshell!

The tertiary characters are the co-workers, relatives, friends, and assorted others.

Storyline:  4.5 stars

It was a very good storyline, but it took me a little bit to get into the book. The very beginning was exposition and it was quite a bit to set up. But, once I got past that, I tried to "ration" this book and just couldn't do it. I stayed up late last night reading the end of the book. Typical of me.  

The main locations were New York City and China. 

Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars

One of the horrible realizations was the intrinsic bias in society toward parents who adopt children from a different race. I have encountered comments about my bi-racial daughter but it was very rare compared to what these adopted parents and children must endure. So, so wrong!

Book cover: 5.0 stars

Gorgeous.

Book title: 5.0 stars 

Perfection.

HIGHEST recommendation 

BOOK INFORMATION

LAPL (Los Angeles Public Library) book

The Leftover Women by Jean Kwok

268 pages 

William Morris

Release date of 10/10/2023

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Jean Kwok

My Goodreads review

William Morris

LAPL

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

My next read is...

 The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok

So two books that I want to read came in about eight hours apart, so I will read this one first as I have been so excited to read it. A book by one of my favorite authors!!

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

My next read is...

 The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - So Fetch: The Making of Mean Girls

 

FYI - Okay, this book is NOT a memoir, but it is more memoir-like than novel-like. So I am using the memoir review format!!

OVERVIEW

This book is about the making of Mean Girls as an adaption from the incredible book by Rosalind Wiseman (which I read and loved) to the movie and screenplay to the musical. This book has it all - the good, the bad, and the ugly. 

If you are a Mean Girls junkie, this book is for YOU! I love the movie so this book was intriguing for me!

OVERALL REVIEW: 3.5-stars

Writing: 3.5-stars

The writing was very good. I was surprised because I expected an in-depth analysis of this movie to be a tell-all that would have been ghost-written by a National Inquirer writer.

The author wrote a very good book with interviews and lots of annotated research detailed "Notes" in the last 20% of the book. Thankfully, there were NO footnotes to distract me! Impressive!

This was a lot of fun to read! 

Character Arc: 3.5-stars

The story begins with Rosalind Wiseman's amazing book which was the basis for the screenplay. Tina Fey adapted this amazing book into a screenplay and was involved in the entire process of the movie from writing to casting to almost everything!

I really enjoyed learning about how Tina Fey's real life was included in the screenplay. From the jokes to hard and difficult stories. It was very interesting. 

Memorable: 3.5-stars

It was a memorable memoir because I really loved the movie. Finding out about what happened to make this movie so fantastic was really fun. 

Entertaining: 3.0-stars

It was a fun read. The book did get a bit bogged down to me when it was talking about the theater production of Mean Girls as I really was only interested in the movie.

Book cover: 3.5-stars

Cute.

Book title: 3.5-stars 

Cute. 

Gut feeling: 3.0 stars

I had no clue as to how I would feel about this book. I was very pleasantly surprised!!

Suggestions: 

A listing of the characters and who held the part (in the movie and theater production) would have been great! 

Recommend

STATISTICS

NetGalley ARC (Advance Reader Copy)

So Fetch: The Making of Mean Girls by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong

272 pages

Dey Street Books

Release date of 01/16/2024

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Jennifer Keishin Armstrong

My Goodreads review

Dey Street Books

NetGalley

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜