The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston (ebook)
Hi, everyone,
I am going to need to postpone another book that I started. This time, I am getting bombarded by audiobooks! So I will now shift my focus to catching up on my multiple audiobook holds.
What I have already read is amazing as it always is with a book by Paula Brackskton. Back to the TBR list!
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Did you know as part of your Amazon Prime Membership you receive a FREE monthly Kindle book available?? It is called Amazon First Reads!! You can find out more about the program here: Amazon First Reads.
I received my Amazon First Reads email this evening! A free Kindle book and a select Kindle book are FREE (free Kindle book must be redeemed by December 31, 2024). For more information on the FREE select Kindle book, you can find out more HERE. But as a heads-up, after ordering your First Reads book, you need to wait for an email from Amazon with a link to process the book for free.
My Amazon First Reads and FREE select Kindle book choices for December 2024 are, of course, historical fiction and WWII (I cannot leave this war behind):
So what Kindle book are you SELECTING?!?
Also, as a reminder, remember to "buy" AND download the FREE books from Amazon! You can't read a book or a short story that hasn't been downloaded! Ask me how I know?!?
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Hello, everyone!!
Well, November was another great month
for reading especially audiobooks. I read 8 books total with 5 audiobooks and 3
ebooks!!
There is also another tie in my monthly
best book of November 2024. It is a tie between The Unexpected Diva by Tiffany L Warren AND Somewhere Beyond the Sea by
TJ Klune.
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)
The Unexpected Diva by Tiffany L Warren (November – TIE) 5 stars (ebook)
Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune (November –
TIE) 5 stars (audiobook)
GOODREADS READING GOAL:
My goal is to read 100 books in 2024. As
of 11/30/2024, I have read 88 books, or 88% of my goal.
NOVEMBER 2024 STATISTICS:
8 total books
3 ebooks; 5 audiobooks; 0 physical
books
1 book was an ARC (Advance Reader
Copy)
6 books were library loans
0 books were purchased
1 book was an Amazon First Reads
1 book was a Book Club Girl
Audio listening time in November:
50 hours, 51 minutes
Pages read in November: 820
pages
Average review rating: 4.06 stars
NOVEMBER BOOK RATINGS with
BOOK COVERS:
5.0-star book (2)
4.5-star book (1)
4.0-star book (2)
3.5-star book (2)
Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher (audiobook) LINK
3.0-star book (1)
The Answer Is No by Fredrick Backman (ebook) 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: 4.0 stars
The writing was perfect for an audiobook, but I am not sure how it would have translated to a Kindle or physical book.
Narration: 5.0 stars
As a professional actor, Tom narrates beautifully with depth and feeling; however, it feels like listening to an old friend while having coffee. Tom nailed it!
Character Arc: 3.5 stars
This audiobook was not in chronological order, skipped around, and went back and forth in time.
Tom doesn't discuss his life in depth before attending high school or after completing Magnum P.I. He also doesn't discuss all of his movies but devotes an entire chapter to Frank Sinatra guest-starring on Magnum P.I. It felt as if a lot of his life wasn't covered, but that was his choice.
Memorable: 4.0 stars
Tom appears to be a kind, generous, and accommodating actor on his movie and television sets. He worked hard to have reasonable hours and good pay for the cast and crew and would use his Hollywood capital to make any needed changes.
Also, this was not a tell-all book which I appreciated. Tom was careful not to name-drop actors, producers, or directors he had negative experiences with. Overall, everyone was treated with great dignity and respect.
Entertaining: 4.0 stars
At times, the stories Tom would tell were quite funny. My favorite were the family stories, of course.
Book cover: 4.5 stars
Good picture.
Book title: 3.5 stars
It was okay.
DEFINITE recommend
STATISTICS
Release date of 11/19/2024
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
The Stone Witch of Florence by Anna Rasche (ebook)
Hi, everyone,
My mistake, but I missed that this book is set during the Black Plague of the Middle Ages. The time is just a little too much for me right now. I will add this book back to my TBR list!
What I have already read is wonderful and beautiful, but the period isn't hitting right!!
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
The New York Times released its "100 Notable Books of 2024" with the link HERE. I have read four books on this list - two fiction and two non-fiction books. Also, these books, except The Women, were not on the NPR list. It means that many different books are being recognized and spotlighted which I love!
Below are my four reads with the book cover, title, author, and a link to my original review!
Please note that I read The Women as an ARC in 2023 and that both non-fiction books were audiobooks. All four of these books have 5.0-star reviews on my blog and are exceptional books.
FICTION
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Hi, everyone!!
NPR just released "Books We Love 2024" and I have read eight books by nine authors on this list!! Here is the NPR link HERE with the list going back to 2013.
My eight reads are spotlighted with the book cover, title, author, and a link to my original review!
Please note that I read The Women as an ARC in 2023 and The Friday Afternoon Club as an audiobook! Also, all of my books from this list are 5.0-star reviews, except for Here One Moment which is 4.5 stars! Great reads!
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
OVERVIEW
Writing: 4.5 stars
Sarah is a great writer and educator. She thoroughly explained each flavor without making the listener feel uneducated about the research that she uncovered. The author has a warm and friendly writing style which I enjoyed.
Narration: 4.0 stars
The author is a good narrator. She narrates well while also being funny and breaking the "third wall" at appropriate times. Sarah did a great job at keeping me interested in this book.
Character Arc: 4.0. stars
The audiobook has a chapter or chapters dedicated to each American flavor. It made it easy to listen to one or two chapters about a flavor and then stop. The end of each flavor was an easy stopping point as was its own little flavor book.
My biggest issue is the inclusion of siracha. This condiment is relatively new to the American food scene and hasn't had enough time to prove that it is a "keeper" and not a food trend. Personally, I would have preferred salt, cinnamon, or oregano.
Maybe, Sarah can do another book on American flavors!! She could do chocolate, coffee, salt, cinnamon, and oregano - that's already five flavors!
Memorable: 3.5 stars
The biggest takeaway is that Thomas Jefferson and the author are fellow migraine sufferers. Also, MSG does not cause migraines or "Chinese restaurant syndrome".
Entertaining: 4.0 stars
Sarah is a good storyteller. She must be so much fun to prepare, eat, and discuss food with.
Book cover: 4.0 stars
A little cramped and busy.
Book title: 4.0 stars
On point.
DEFINITE recommend
STATISTICS
Release date of 12/6/2006
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
