Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Well, October has been a great month
for reading. I read 11 books total with 7 audiobooks and 4 ebooks!!
I also have a first in my monthly best book for October 2024! It is a TIE between When We Flew Away by Alice Hoffman AND Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine. Both books were amazing reads but covered difficult topics (The Holocaust/enslavement). I couldn't decide as both books moved me deeply so I mad the executive decisions, it is my blog after all, and declared a tie!
2nd ANNUAL
“booksbydorothea” BEST BOOKS OF 2024:
All We Were Promised by Ashton Lattimore (January) 5 stars (ebook)
Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles (February) 5 stars (ebook)
The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer (March) 5 stars (ebook)
How To Read A Book by Monica Wood (April) 5 stars (ebook)
Here One Moment by Liane Moriarity (May)
4.5 stars (ebook)
The Friday Afternoon Club (June) 5 stars (audiobook)
The Bookstore Wedding by Alice Hoffman (July) 5 stars (ebook)
The Briar Club by Kate Quinn (August) 5 stars (ebook)
The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates (September) 5 stars (audiobook)
When We Flew Away by Alice Hoffman (October - TIE) 5 stars (ebook)
Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine (October - TIE) 5 stars (ebook)
GOODREADS READING GOAL:
My goal is to read 100 books in 2024. As
of 10/31/2024, I have read 80 books, or 80% of my goal.
OCTOBER 2024 STATISTICS:
11 total books
4 ebooks; 7 audiobooks; 0 physical
books
3 books were ARCs (Advance Reader
Copy)
3 books were library books
0 books were purchased
0 books were an Amazon First Reads
0 books were a Book Club Girl
Audio listening time in October:
66 hours, 34 minutes
Pages read in October: 1,387
pages
Average review rating: 4.50 stars
OCTOBER BOOK RATINGS with
BOOK COVERS:
5.0-star book (6)
Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten (audiobook) LINK
When We Flew Away by Alice Hoffman (ebook) LINK
The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop (audiobook) LINK
Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine (ebook) LINK
Sonny Boy by Al Pacino (audiobook) LINK
4.5-star book (1)
What I Ate In One Year by Stanley Tucci (audiobook) LINK
4.0-star book (3)
Something Lost, Something Gained by Hillary Rodham Clinton (audiobook) LINK
The Author's Guide to Murder by Beatriz Williams,
Lauren Willig, and Karen White (ebook) LINK
A Death in Diamonds (Her Majesty The Queen Investigates #4) by S.J. Bennett (ebook) LINK
3.5-star book (0)
3.0-star book (1)
From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley/Riley Keough (audiobook) LINK
If you want to read my full review of
any of these books, there are individual review links for each ebook or
audiobook next to the book title and author. Click on the specific
book link to get to that book review!!
Happy reading!
Dorothea 💜
P.S. You can find out more
about my book ratings HERE.
OVERVIEW
Writing: 5.0 stars
Al mentions early in the book that English was the only subject he liked in school (he didn't finish high school). So, his strong writing is due to his voracious personal reading and varied material as an actor especially as he is self-read.
Narration: 5.0 stars
As a professional actor, Al does a great job. But, what takes it to a higher level is that he is self-deprecating, humble, and a fantastic storyteller. I loved his scratchy and distinctive voice which set his words off to perfection.
Character Arc: 5.0 stars
The audiobook is told chronologically from his early life through early 2024. Of course, he deviates in parts to add context, but it was done really well.
Memorable: 5.0 stars
Al has lived a tough life with very young parents and a father who left when Al was two. He came from an Italian-Sicilian family and grew up with his mother and grandparents who struggled to make ends meet in the South Bronx. Unfortunately, Al didn't learn money management and other pertinent life skill sets from his family so he was burned by unscrupulous people multiple times.
But, Al doesn't live a pity party. He could have been like his friends from the neighborhood who died of heroin overdoses. Al credits his mother, especially, for helping him survive and thrive - the last bit of the book is a beautiful tribute to her.
Entertaining: 5.0 stars
Oh, my goodness, Al can really tell a good story!
His stories remind me of my dad and his friends reminiscing about growing up south of the I-10 freeway near Downtown Los Angeles. The neighborhoods, people, and socio-economic levels sound so very similar!
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Perfect.
Book title: 5.0 stars
So very appropriate!
HIGHLY recommend
STATISTICS
Release date of 10/15/2024
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
This is a debut book. This historical fiction novel is just amazing. It is beautifully written, with incredible characters, and an otherworldly storyline.
This is the first historical novel I have read that is focused on the lives of the enslaved people and not the white oppressors. Most stories about enslaved people are written in a manner that skims over their lives and instead focuses on the white folks. This novel turns that narrative on its head!!
This novel is loosely based on the author's 3rd great-grandmother Jane. What a life that Jane lived that is mirrored in the main character of Junie.
NOTE: I am being careful to not spoil anything as there are some major twists and turns in this novel so I am vague at times!
Writing: 5.0 stars
This is Erin's debut novel and she has hit it out of the park. Her writing is just so lusciously nuanced, appropriately descriptive, and thought-provoking. I will reminisce about this story for a long time as it has touched me deeply.
I cannot wait to read whatever books that Erin chooses to write. I predict that she will be a superstar writer!!
Character development: 5.0 stars
The main character is Junie. She is the name of the book, the story that the book is about, and is THE book! Junie is an enslaved young woman who is a ladies' maid in Alabama just before the start of the Civil War.
The secondary characters are Violet (Junie's enslaver), Caleb (Junie's friend), and Minnie (Junnie's sister).
The tertiary characters are Junie's family and the Violet's family on the plantation.
Storyline: 5.0 stars
The storyline is the first book about enslavement I have read that allows you to learn so much about the inner thoughts, dreams, and wishes of the enslaved people. The family bonds are fully explored even the heartbreak of a family member dying or being sold off. The Black story was the story and took its place at center stage!
The main location was Montgomery, Alabama, and the surrounding environs.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
The biggest takeaway is how inherently evil the white enslavers were. Even though some enslavers were "kind" or "friendly", the enslaved were still owned "property" by the enslavers living according to their wishes and not their own. Some of the storylines almost broke me because I could feel what these enslaved human beings had to live like. Horrific!
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Appropriate. Gorgeous!
Book title: 5.0 stars
Short and sweet.
HIGHEST recommendation
BOOK INFORMATION
NetGalley ARC (ebook)
Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine
368 pages
Ballantine Books
Release date of 2/4/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
OVERVIEW
Writing: 4.5 stars
Stanley can write! He writes descriptively and sometimes too descriptively as I was lost. But, overall, he is a good writer!
Narration: 4.5 stars
As a professional actor, Stanley definitely can narrate well and with emotion. He has a lovely reading voice that was so soothing that it often lulled me to sleep.
Character Arc: 5.0 stars
The audiobook is told chronologically throughout 2023. As always, I prefer it this way.
Memorable: 4.5 stars
Stanley is a very well-known and talented actor. However, I loved his emotion and rawness when talking about his late wife, his love for his family specifically his parents, and his mortality.
Stanley has to have two Stanleys for self-preservation (professional and personal). However, when the two Stanleys collided, was when this audiobook shined!
Entertaining: 4.5 stars
Stanley has my favorite type of humor - snarky and dry! But at times, it was hard to tell if he was kidding especially about his wife.
Book cover: 4.5 stars
Nice.
Book title: 4.5 stars
Could there be anything else?
STRONG recommend
STATISTICS
Release date of 10/15/2024
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop (audiobook)
OVERVIEW
Writing: 5.0 stars
Kelly is a great writer and was so real and honest. She wrote about her turbulent childhood with an abusive father, but a wonderful mother. Kelly also writes about her mistakes, triumphs, and dreams without sugar-coating them!
Narration: 5.0 stars
Kelly has that gorgeous, gravelly voice that I have always wanted. She could read anything for me and I would love it.
Character Arc: 5.0 stars
The audiobook is mostly told chronologically which is what I prefer in memoirs.
Memorable: 5.0 stars
I knew Kelly was incredibly talented, but I had no idea about her Emmy winner for "A Chorus Line". I have seen it several times in local theater because I love it! Kelly explains how "A Chorus Line" came about which is a fascinating story!
The best part for me is that Kelly always stayed true to Kelly. She spoke up for what was right and advocated for herself in the male-centric theater eras and in Hollywood.
Entertaining: 5.0 stars
Kelly was funny, open, and just a great storyteller. She is the type of individual you could talk to for hours and not realize how much time had passed.
Book cover: 5.0 stars
So pretty.
Book title: 5.0 stars
Perfect!
HIGHLY recommend
STATISTICS
Release date of 9/17/2024
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
