Review - Brothers (audiobook)

 Brothers by Alex Van Halen (audiobook)

OVERVIEW

This audiobook was not what I expected at all. From the title, it could be assumed that it would be a deep dive into the relationship between Alex and Ed Van Halen. Unfortunately, it was all over the place, ended abruptly after the release of the 1984 album, and was somewhat superficial. 

Alex details the brothers' early life in Holland, immigration to the US (Pasadena, California), and the family's financial difficulties. Also, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and rocker lifestyle are fully discussed. It was also shocking to me how badly the band was handled with their contract which is still happening today - it is all about money for the record label. 

NOTE: there is a lot of raw language, drug use, and alcohol abuse. If these are triggers for you, don't read this book. 

FULL DISCLOSURE: I am one degree of separation from Van Halen as my husband was friends with Nathan Roth, David's father. I have never met David, but my husband has and it was not a favorable opinion of him or his behavior.

 

OVERALL REVIEW: 3.5 stars

Writing: 3.5 stars

Alex writes well and from the heart, but I believe there was a ghostwriter. If not, kudos to Alex!

There are a lot of quotations from books, magazines, interviews, etc. It was a bit overdone and got to be a "bit". I expected more about Alex's thoughts, feelings, and observations about his relationship with Ed. Maybe, with some quotations from Ed sprinkled in. 

The writing was great for an audiobook. But, it may not translate well to a Kindle or print book. 

Narration: 4.0 stars

Alex was a good narrator and it was as if he was in the room with you having a coffee. He had the appropriate inflection and emotions as it was his and Ed's lives together. 

The only bothersome thing was that Alex would crack up at his stories. 

 

Character Arc: 3.0 stars

This audiobook was mostly chronological, but it went back and forth in time a lot. Alex would talk about something and then say, "I'll get back to that" which would ruin the flow of the stories and narrative. 

Normally, my issue with books is more editing is needed. Not this book, as it ended in 1984 and I want more of the brothers' relationship. Alex doesn't need to discuss the details of Ed's passing or other personal issues as it is none of my business. But, much more of their time together was a valid expectation.  

Memorable:  3.0 stars

The biggest takeaway was how difficult the transition from Holland to the US was for the Van Halen boys and family. I wanted more stories of the family and the interactions between the brothers. 

Entertaining:   3.0 stars

It was good. I liked it, but I didn't love it. There was so much opportunity that was missed. 

Book cover: 5.0 stars

Great picture.       

Book title: 5.0 stars 

Perfect.  

RECOMMEND

STATISTICS

Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow (audiobook)

Brothers by Alex Van Halen

Blackstone Publishing, Inc.

6 hours, 9 minutes

Release date of 10/22/2024

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Alex Van Halen

My Goodreads review

Blackstone Publishing Inc.

Los Angeles Public Library

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

My next audiobook is...

 Brothers by Alex Van Halen (audiobook)

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - On Living (audiobook)

On Living by Kerry Egan (audiobook)

 

OVERVIEW

Firstly, this book was recommended by my very dear friend, Jennifer. Jennifer recommends the most thought-provoking and introspective books with this being no exception. But, the most amazing part is that Jennifer is working on her Masters degree to become a chaplain, which, is her true calling in life. I have repeatedly told Jennifer she should write a book, but Kerry beat her to it about being a chaplain! I'm still waiting for your book, Jennifer!

This is a short, but powerful book. It is packed with amazing hospice stories as Kerry is a hospice chaplain. The stories are meaningful, powerful, and unforgettable including the author's ketamine post-partum psychosis. 

I loved listening to this beautiful book as an audiobook. 

OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars

Writing: 5.0 stars

The writing was well done, thoughtful, and honest. Kerry writes from the heart and mind with such realness. 

Narration: 5.0 stars

The narration was spot on. Kerry has a nice voice, good inflection, and the appropriate emotional response to what she is reading. 

Character Arc: 5.0 stars

This audiobook was grouped into chapters with lovely titles that were keys to what the chapter unlocked. There was no character arc as this was not a memoir per se, but it was formatted perfectly. 

Memorable:  5.0 stars

It was obvious that Kerry learned so much about herself, the process of dying, and how to live as a chaplain. She is an amazing chaplain who helps her patients do the hard work which is a beautiful gift.

The most important part for me was the takeaway that dying is a verb, not the definition of a person. So insightful.

Entertaining:   5.0 stars

There were funny parts in a book about hospice and dying. The one that stuck in my head was an elderly patient who wanted to feel the wind on certain body parts. Hysterical!

But, this book was more enlightening than entertaining. It was just so well done!

Book cover: 5.0 stars

Lovely.        

Book title: 5.0 stars 

Perfect.  

HIGHLY recommend

STATISTICS

Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow (audiobook)

On Living by Kerry Egan

Penguin Audiobooks

4 hours, 11 minutes

Release date of 10/25/2016

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Kerry Egan

My Goodreads review

Penguin Audiobooks

Los Angeles Public Library

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

My next audiobook is...

On Living by Kerry Egan (audiobook) 

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - If Jewels Could Talk (audiobook)

 

If Jewels Could Talk by Carol Woolton (audiobook)

OVERVIEW

This was a fascinating audiobook by Carol Woolton, jewelry historian and jewelry editor at British Vogue, and podcaster. She discusses the seven most important types of jewelry: hoops, rings, beads, charms, brooches, cuffs, and head ornaments. This self-appointed "history nerd" loved hearing all about the origins of the seven types of jewelry from prehistoric times to the current. 

Unfortunately, Carol works with jewelry and knows all the cool, specialized names for everything which I don't. Since I couldn't see the spelling of some of these terms, it would be hard to research further. I just went with the flow and enjoyed the audiobook. 

If I had read this as an ebook, it would have been less enjoyable as I would have researched as I read. It would have completely ruined the flow. 

OVERALL REVIEW: 4.0 stars

Writing: 4.0 stars

The writing was well done, but it was written as if the reader knew fashion and jewelry. Since there weren't explanations about these specific terms, it made it hard to follow.  

However, this book was very well-researched and thorough. There was so much fascinating information about the origins and history of jewelry. Since the author is a podcaster, it is possible that listening to the podcasts first would have been helpful. 

Narration: 4.0 stars

So the narration was weird for me as Carol has a strong British accent which I quickly acclimated to. The problem was the fashion and jewelry language, primarily in French. 

 

Character Arc: 4.0 stars

This audiobook had a chapter for each type of jewelry with sub-chapters for the different types. This made it easy to follow and focus on each jewelry type. 

Memorable:  4.0 stars

The big takeaway is that humans have always adorned themselves with whatever was available. This could have been furs, leather, or flowers. When metal was used, jewelry became important for trading and business. 

Entertaining:   4.0 stars

This was not an entertaining book, per se. It was more informative. 

I liked this book but didn't love it. 

Book cover: 4.0 stars

Pretty.        

Book title: 4.0 stars 

Appropriate.  

STRONG recommend

STATISTICS

Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow (audiobook)

If Jewels Could Talk by Carol Woolton

Simon & Schuster Audio UK

7 hours, 50 minutes

Release date of 7/26/2024

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Carol Woolton

My Goodreads review

Simon & Schuster Audio UK

Los Angeles Public Library

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

My next audiobook is...

 If Jewels Could Talk by Carol Woolton (audiobook)

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

Goodreads Choice Awards 2024

 

Hi, everyone! 

Well, I picked THREE of the Goodreads Choice Awards 2024 winners. I also had many of the nominees and semi-finalists!

The three winners were all five-star reads and wonderful reads! I have included the Goodreads blurb about the winning book with a link to my blog review that includes my Goodreads review! 

Please note that I read The Women in 2024 and Somewhere Beyond the Sea and The Third Gilmore Girl were read as audiobooks.

HISTORICAL FICTION WINNER

The Women by Kristin Hannah (ebook) LINK

FANTASY WINNER

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune (audiobook) LINK

MEMOIR WINNER

The Third Gilmore Girl: A Memoir by Kelly Bishop (audiobook) LINK

To review all of the Goodreads Choice Awards 2024, click HERE.

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

 

REVIEW - Cher (audiobook)

 Cher: The Memoir (Part 1) by Cher (audiobook)

OVERVIEW

Wow! Cher lets it all hang out in Part 1 of her memoirs. This book covers her life before she was born and ends with her move to New York to pursue her acting career without a man in her life in approximately 1980. 

She details her marriages with Sonny Bono and Gregg Allman and relationships with David Geffen and Gene Simmons. She also discusses her music career including the ups and downs including her television shows and tours. It is a Cher fan's dream!     

But there is a lot of sadness in this book also. Cher had a difficult childhood so she would run wild to escape and explore. She was kicked out of her mom's home as a teenager setting her up to meet Sonny Bono who would change her life at sixteen. 

Finally, Cher was lucky in her career breaks, but biggest of all was surviving the '60s and '70s when so many died young. 

Full disclosure: there is a lot of raw language. So if that offends you, don't read this book. 

OVERALL REVIEW: 4.5 stars

Writing: 4.0 stars

The writing was perfect for an audiobook, but I'm unsure if it would be the same for a Kindle or print book. She has a warm, but honest style of writing. She talks about her recollections about events and people with some of these stories ending tragically or badly. Cher is real when talking about the "casting couches" in movies and the cut-throat music business. 

I think Cher had a ghostwriter to "clean up" the writing, but it ultimately came across as HER writing and her book.  

Narration: 4.0 stars

So the narration was really unusual for any audiobook that I had read. Cher has dyslexia which I didn't know. So narrating the entire book would have been difficult for her to say the least. 

A workaround was created where Cher would narrate the beginning of each chapter and then her narrator would take it from there. It worked well. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Cher so the transition to the narrator was somewhat jarring. 

 

Character Arc: 3.5 stars

This audiobook was in a somewhat chronological order, but it went back and forth in time which wasn't easy to follow. This method of storytelling is exactly how I think Cher tells stories in real life. But in an audiobook, it can be difficult to follow. 

Also, there were so many different people in this book from writers, directors, singers, musicians, and other people in her life that I didn't always understand Cher's relationship with them. However, it was easy to just ignore the lack of context and enjoy the audiobook. 

I would also say that some editing would have helped this memoir. This is only Part 1 of her memoir so there is still more to learn about Cher and her life!

Memorable:  5.0 stars

Since this was a tell-all memoir, it really told it all! From what Cher discusses, Phil Spector was bizarre even back then, Sonny was a womanizer and control freak, and she met some very good people along the way including David Geffen and Bob Mackie. 

By telling her issues with the men in her life, she will help others who read her book realize they can leave their controlling husbands or boyfriends. Cher wrote the ultimate female empowerment self-help book and it was awesome. 

As another California girl, Cher sounds like a girls girl, and would be amazing to have a nice long dinner with her by the beach in Malibu. 

Entertaining:   5.0 stars

This is so obviously top-notch. Cher knew everyone who was anyone! She has wild stories from Salvador Dali to Cass Elliot. It was fun to listen to and I am grateful she survived it.

Part II of her memoir should be another fun ride. 

Book cover: 5.0 stars

Perfection.       

Book title: 5.0 stars 

Perfect.  

STRONG recommend

STATISTICS

Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow (audiobook)

Cher: The Memoir (Part 1) by Cher

HarperCollins

15 hours, 47 minutes

Release date of 11/19/2024

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Cher

My Goodreads review

HarperCollins

Los Angeles Public Library

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

Update - Postponing Current Book (ebook)

 

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 💜

Amazon First Reads - December 2024

Hi, everyone!!

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):

What the Light Touches by Xavier Bosch (ebook)

The Paris Assignment by Rhys Bowen (ebook)

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 💜

NOVEMBER 2024 - Monthly Wrap-up

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.

 

2^nd 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)

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune (audiobook) LINK

The Unexpected Diva by Tiffany L. Warren (ebook) LINK

4.5-star book (1)

City of Time and Magic by Paula Brackston (ebook) LINK

 

4.0-star book (2)

Eight Flavors by Sarah Lohman (audiobook) LINK

You Never Know by Tom Selleck (audiobook) LINK

3.5-star book (2)

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher (audiobook) LINK

An American Story by Wilmer Valderrama (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.