Lovers at the Museum by Isabel Allende (ebook)
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
REVIEW - The 24th Hour ebook
The 24th Hour (Women's Murder Club series) by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
OVERVIEW
This is the 24th+ book in the Women's Murder Club series. I have read all of the novels/novellas in this long series.
The story is about the police, district attorney, and medical examiner's triumvirate of law enforcement in San Francisco with three good friends. Plus, the added drama with another friend who is a reporter.
You should read the previous novels in the Women's Murder Club series to get the full backstory and understand the characters. Or not.
OVERALL REVIEW: 3.0 stars
Writing: 3.0 stars
The writing is just blah to me now. It has been a long series with more than 24 books and novellas. The writing feels very formulatic and it appears that James Patterson doesn't even write these books anymore. Instead, he has an "assistant" writer, such as Maxine Paetro, write the books in each series.
Character development: 3.0 stars
The main characters are Lindsay (SFPD detective), Yuki (assistant district attorney), Claire (chief medical examiner), and Cindy (newspaper reporter). These gals have been personal and professional friends for a very long time.
The secondary characters are the personal partners, work partners, and assorted friends and family.
There has not been any character development with any of the main or secondary characters for a long time. The only real changes are the different "guest" characters.
Storyline: 3.0 stars
There were no big spoilers in this book, but there is a little one at the end. There was no setup to end the series so there are more novels to come.
All of the main locations were in the San Francisco Bay area.
Memorable/Informative: 2.5 stars
This series is getting tired. I would like it to come to a conclusion so I know how all of the characters end up.
Book cover: 3.0 stars
Descriptive, but doesn't go with the book itself.
Book title: 3.0 stars
Typical for this series with no real meaning.
LUKEWARM recommend
BOOK INFORMATION
NetGalley ARC (ebook)
The 24th Hour (Women's Murder Club series) by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
400 pages
Little, Brown and Company
Release date of 05/06/2024
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Monday, March 11, 2024
My next ebook is...
The 24th Hour (A Women's Murder Club series) by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
Happy reading 📚!
Dorothea 💜
REVIEW - Middletide ebook
Middletide by Sarah Crouch (ebook)
OVERVIEW
I have not read many mystery thrillers lately because I find them too gory and just too much for me. Thankfully, this book was manageable for me.
This is a debut novel by Sarah Crouch. It is about two high school sweethearts, Elijah and Nakita, who separate due to Elijah attending college out of state. They then reconnect when Elijah moves back home. There is a murder so everything in their hometown of the fictional Port Orchards, WA becomes chaotic.
OVERALL REVIEW: 3.5 stars
Writing: 4.5 stars
The writing was very well done. This author should have a great career ahead of herself if her work continues at this level and continues to develop.
Character development: 3.5 stars
This book has two main characters, Elijah and Nakita. Elijah grew up in an isolated cabin on the outskirts of Port Orchards. Nakita was born and raised on the nearby fictional Native American reservation for the fictional Squalmoah people. They become friends through their shared love of cross-country running. Elijah promised Nakita he would return after graduation, but he didn't return after the promised four years; however, he did return fifteen years later.
The secondary characters are Samuel (Nakita's father and a minister), Erin (the town doctor), Jim (the sheriff), Jeremy (the deputy), and Chitto (Elijah's friend). They are all integral to the story, but their development and motivation could be further explored.
The tertiary characters are the townspeople of Port Orchards.
Storyline: 3.5 stars
It had a great premise, but the execution of the storyline just didn't work for me.
There were just too many timelines that caused the beginning of the book to be confusing.
Yes, this was a mystery thriller, but it could have been told a little more chronologically to make it easier for the reader. Putting the full date at the beginning of each chapter also slowed it down for me as I had to stop and figure out where the chapter was in the story.
The courtroom scenes didn't ring true to me as a murder-one case would have been handled very differently regarding a defense attorney. Additionally, the sheriff and the deputy would have been much more tight-lipped.
Finally, the murder was just too perfect and tied up in a bow. It just didn't seem realistic.
The main locations were fictional - Port Orchards, Washington and the neighboring Native American reservation.
Memorable/Informative: 2.0 stars
So this novel includes a story that includes a Native American reservation and Native American characters, but this novel was not written by a Native American. This is very concerning to me even with the Author's Note.
Book cover: 4.0 stars
Very pretty.
Book title: 3.0 stars
This is never explained to my satisfaction.
Recommend
EBOOK DETAILS
NetGalley ARC (ebook)
Middletide by Sarah Crouch
288 pages
Atria Books
Release date of 06/11/2024
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading 📚!
Dorothea 💜
Friday, March 8, 2024
My next ebook is REALLY...
Middletide by Sarah Crouch
Yes, I am back to reading Middletide!!!
Happy reading 📚,
Dorothea 💜
REVIEW - Crying in H Mart ebook
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (ebook)
OVERVIEW
So I am one of those readers who normally isn't a fan of best sellers. So I am going to be the outlier who likes this book but doesn't love it. It just didn't resonate as deeply for me as for others and that is okay.
Michelle Zauner is a beautiful writer, but this memoir felt more like a cathartic project for her than a memoir for the broader reader. Yes, she had a lot to process while nursing and caring for her mother and then ultimately losing her to cancer. As a mixed-race or hapa woman, she seemed to have lost her connection to her Korean heritage with the passing of her mother. But, food and music helped her reconnect with her remaining Korean family on a very intense level.
As I know very little about Korean food or culture, this book was difficult for me as I am not familiar with the food or language at all. My husband is an ABC (American-born Chinese) so the Chinese culture and food are what I am more comfortable and familiar so I need to broaden my horizons.
OVERALL REVIEW: 3.5 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
The writing was very strong, most especially as a debut book. She is a young woman (34 years old) and her future writing will deepen and develop with a long career ahead of her, I truly believe.
Character development: 3.0 stars
This book has two main female characters: Michelle (the author) and Chongmi (her mother). We do not learn much about Chongmi until after she passes and Michelle learns more about her as a young woman. Their relationship is tortured, but we really didn't learn why exactly. I still am not certain whether the issues were due to being raised in different countries or simply being different people.
The secondary characters are Joel (her father) and Peter (her husband). Her father comes across as a very weak and dependent man and Peter comes across as a strong man who supports Michelle during this difficult time of her life.
The tertiary characters are Michelle's Korean family, her in-laws, her friends, and the Korean community in Eugene, Oregon.
Storyline: 3.0 stars
This memoir is told chronologically with the appropriate flashbacks. However, it is written more like a novel than a memoir to me. Most especially, I wanted more about Chongmi's life in Korea.
The main locations are primarily in New York City, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Seoul, South Korea; and Eugene, Oregon.
Memorable/Informative: 3.0 stars
Okay, I initially thought that this was a novel until the last few chapters when I realized that this was a memoir. Yes, I must have been under a rock. But, normally I do not read reviews about a book before I read it. Also, in my defense, this book came out during the pandemic when I was not reading at all.
The biggest takeaway for me is that Korean food is spicy, fermented, and served blazing hot!
Book cover: 3.0 stars
Okay.
Book title: 3.0 stars
I don't get it. Was it a metaphor?
Recommend
EBOOK DETAILS
NetGalley ARC (ebook)
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
243 pages
Knopf
Release date of 04/20/2021
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading 📚!
Dorothea 💜
Thursday, March 7, 2024
My next audiobook is...
The House of Hidden Meanings by RuPaul (audiobook)
Happy reading 📚,
Dorothea 💜
Monday, March 4, 2024
My next ebook is...
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
I have been waiting for months for this hold to become available at the library, finally!! Anyway, I will pause my reading of Middletide by Sarah Crouch to read this more time-sensitive hold!
Happy reading 📚,
Dorothea 💜
Saturday, March 2, 2024
REVIEW - Still Just a Geek audiobook
Still Just a Geek by Wil Wheaton (audiobook)
OVERVIEW
OMG, OMG, OMG! This memoir is just AH-MAZING!!
I knew Wil Wheaton from his work on Stand by Me and The Big Bang Theory and a bit from Star Trek (I am a below-average watcher). I really didn't know much about him at all and that is why I enjoy reading memoirs to learn about people that I don't know much about.
Well, Wil is my So Cal brother. We grew up not far from each other in So Cal, loved KMET (RIP), used similar non-PC language that we have had to unlearn, have strong left political leanings, have mental health issues, and had somewhat similar dysfunctional childhoods. Oh, and he uses the same swear word that I prefer, HA! Wow, that is a lot of commonality.
This book is an updated, annotated memoir that Wil published in 2004 - it is NOT a new memoir. It is a long audiobook - over 23 hours. It has the cringy, original writings of a young thirty-something Wil updated with the 49ish writings of an older, more mature Wil. It is a compelling methodology.
This is a very powerful memoir. Please read or listen to it.
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
The method applied to this updated memoir is so good! I loved hearing how Wil's writing improved and improved. Now, it is REALLY good - I mean, gut-wrenching and powerfully good.
I also really enjoyed the asides that Wil used throughout the audiobook to further explain a situation or story. It made it so rich and interesting. Some people may have issues with this style, but I loved it!
Narration: 5.0 stars
Wil is a strong narrator. He is telling his own story and it was difficult to listen to it at times and triggered a lot of childhood memories for me. However, I cried and laughed with Wil and thoroughly enjoyed his narration.
Character Arc: 5.0 stars
This is told chronologically from his previous memoir with some essays, speeches, and blog posts along with Wil's asides sprinkled liberally throughout the memoir. The updates and asides make this memoir so very strong.
Memorable: 5.0 stars
As someone who grew up in Southern California in the shadow of Hollywood, I had no idea until the past twenty years or so how horrible it is especially to young actors. Hollywood sucks and more controls need to be in place to protect our children who are involved in the business. The Coogan Law needs to be updated - 15 cents on every dollar earned is not enough to be placed in trust for child actors.
Entertaining: 5.0 stars
Wil is a great writer and narrator. He tells the stories vividly and I could picture it happening as he tells it in the audiobook. Wil made me laugh, cry, and be very thankful for my therapist.
I would love to have a burrito with Wil (inside story from the book)! He is very funny and a fantastic storyteller
Book cover: 4.5 stars
Nicely done.
Book title: 5.0 stars
Perfect!
HIGHEST recommendation
STATISTICS
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow (audiobook)
Still Just a Geek by Wil Wheaton
HarperCollins
23 hours, 51 minutes
Release date of 04/12/2022
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading 📚,
Dorothea 💜
Friday, March 1, 2024
February 2024 - Monthly Wrap-up
Hi, everyone!
Well, I am shocked that I read as many books as I read this month. This month included the week that I took off for our Anniversary trip to Cambria, California.
But the weird thing is
that February was a month with three HIGHEST recommendation books (5.0 stars) and three LUKEWARM
recommend books (3.0 stars). What a dichotomy!
2nd ANNUAL “booksbydorothea”
BEST BOOKS OF 2024:
All
We Were Promised
by Ashton Lattimore (January) 5 stars
Miss
Morgan's Book Brigade
by Janet Skeslien Charles (February) 5 stars
GOODREADS READING GOAL:
For 2024, my goal will be 100 books from the very start!!! As of 02/29/2024, I have read 15 books, or 15% of my
goal.
FEBRUARY 2024 STATISTICS:
10 total books
7 e-books; 3 audiobooks; 0
physical books
5 books were an ARC
(Advance Reader Copy)
3 books were library books
0 books were purchased
2 books were Amazon
First Reads
1 book was a Book Club
Girl
Audio listening time in February:
19 hours, 46 minutes
Pages read in February:
5,173 pages
Average review rating:
4.05 stars
FEBRUARY BOOK RATINGS with BOOK COVERS:
5.0-star books (3)
Deaf Utopia by Nyle DiMarco REVIEW
The Food of Love by Amanda Prowse REVIEW
Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles REVIEW
4.5-star books (2)
Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams REVIEW
Shelterwood by Lisa Wingate REVIEW
4.0-star books (1)
A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda REVIEW
3.5-star book (1)
Boys in the Trees by Carly Simon REVIEW
3.0-star books (3)
Ladykiller by Katherine Wood REVIEW
An American Princess by Annejet van der Zijl REVIEW
Face It by Debbie Harry REVIEW
If you want to read my
full review of any of these books, there are individual review posts for each ebook
or audiobook below the picture of the book. You can just click on the specific
book link to get to that book review!!
Happy reading 📚!
Dorothea 💜
P.S. For more information about my book ratings, you can find out more HERE.
Thursday, February 29, 2024
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