Let's Call Her Barbie by RenÊe Rosen (audiobook)
Happy reading,
Dorothea đ
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
REVIEW - Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old (audiobook)
Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old by Brooke Shields (audiobook)
OVERVIEW
I'm unsure how I feel versus how I should think about this audiobook. In some ways, this pseudo-memoir was a positive treatise on aging and the systemic erasure of women over forty. But, at times, it was a commercial for Shields' new hair product line product, Commence.
There are some gossipy tidbits, but most have been discussed on morning shows and in celebrity magazines. So if you are looking for her to "spill the tea", this isn't the memoir for you. But, if you want a cheerleading session and her experience as an aging woman, you will enjoy this memoir.
Brooke and I are only four years apart and are later in life moms so I relate to much of what she discusses in this book. But some just didn't apply or work for me.
TRIGGER ALERT: Post-partum depression, alcoholism, medical violence, and sexual assault.
OVERALL REVIEW: 4.0 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
Brooke writes well as she has a Princeton education. She writes deeply, emotionally, and hopefully which is how she comes across as a person.
Narration: 5.0 stars
The narration by Brooke as a professional actress was strong, emotional, and gut-wrenching at times. But, also fun and self-deprecating. Her voice is perfect in this audiobook.
Character Arc: 3.5 stars
The audiobook is a chronological grouping of essays set in chapters. Each chapter could stand alone except for some of the backstories in the early chapters. This memoir covers Brooke's personal and professional life from birth to current with most spent on her life after forty.
At times, the discussion of Commence got repetitive. Yes, I understand it is her new "baby", but it grated on me.
Also, Brooke discusses her celebrity friends a lot. A lot! But, I understand that that is her social circle, but her "civilian friends" sounded interesting also.
Finally, she quotes a lot of studies and articles. The reference material could have been handled with footnotes instead of quoting the citations as it slowed the narration.
Memorable: 3.5 stars
I had no clue that Brooke had had two major health scares. Older women unfortunately must deal with this as we age. I would have appreciated some suggestions or treatments to help with physical aging.
Some of her stories were horrifying, disgusting, and rude. My heart hurt for the young Brooke who I wanted to give a big hug!
Entertaining: 4.0 stars
This book was entertaining and informative, at times. Brooke has an engaging personality even when discussing difficult topics. She is real and raw in this memoir.
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Beautiful.
Book title: 4.0 stars
I like it, but long. It reminded me of Fall Out Boy song titles. IYKYK!
DEFINITE recommend
STATISTICS
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow (audiobook)
Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old by Brooke Shields
Macmillan Audio
9 hours, 1 minute
Release date of 1/14/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea đ
Monday, January 20, 2025
My next eARC/eBOOK is...
Come Fly with Me by Camille Di Maio (eARC/eBOOK)
Happy reading,
Dorothea đ
REVIEW - The Bookstore Keepers (eARC/eBOOK)
The Bookstore Keepers (Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories #3) by Alice Hoffman (eARC/eBOOK)
OVERVIEW
This was another great short story by the amazing Alice Hoffman. This is the third and final short story in The Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories about a family bookstore on the fictional island of Brinkley's Island, Maine. I loved this sweet and lovely series.
Caveat: Please read the first two books in this short story before this one!
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
Alice Hoffman is my favorite author, period. Her writing is beautifully spectacular, poetic, and brilliant. This short story was another great read!
Character development: 5.0 stars
The two main characters, the Gibson sisters, Isabel and Sophie run the family bookstore. The sisters have been close in the past, but Isabel lived in New York City for many years and returned as the prodigal daughter.
There are a lot of secondary characters including Johnny (Isabel's husband) and Violet (Sophie's daughter).
The tertiary character was the island and the bookstore.
Storyline: 5.0 stars
This short story concerns family, loss, grief, and unconditional love.
Johnny and Isabel receive bad and good news plus a secret. Violet returns home from college with a secret. Isabel guilts Violet into staying to run the bookstore.
We receive a lovely ending to this wonderful short story series!
The main location is the fictional Brinkley's Island, Maine.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
This was a perfect read with today being Inauguration Day and having finished a heavy WWII book yesterday. It isn't a life-changing book, but it made my heart and soul happy!
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Gorgeous.
Book title: 5.0 stars
Perfect!
HIGHLY recommend
BOOK INFORMATION
NetGalley
The Bookstore Keepers by Alice Hoffman
50 pages
Amazon Original Stories
FUTURE release date of 2/4/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea đ
Sunday, January 19, 2025
My next eARC/eBOOK is...
The Bookstore Keepers (Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories #3) by Alice Hoffman (eARC/eBOOK)
Happy reading,
Dorothea đ
REVIEW - Paris Undercover (eARC/eBOOK)
Paris Undercover by Matthew Goodman (eARC/eBOOK)
OVERVIEW
This was a dense, well-researched, and relatively unknown story about two female friends in pre-WWII Paris to post-WWII. This tells the story of these women rescuing Allied soldiers for four months until they were caught by the Nazis, most specifically, the Gestapo. They are both tried, convicted, imprisoned, and sentenced to death under German military law.
I recommend this book to history nerds who like the footnotes, citations, references, historical researchers, and interviews with the families. Note that about a 1/4 or more of the book is all of the reference materials for this book including the Allied military that were saved.
Yes, I said no more WWII books, but the premise of this book was intriguing to me!!!
TRIGGER WARNING: Warfare, military invasion, medical diseases, starvation, rape, physical and mental abuse i.e. torture, incarceration, death by suicide, and just the overall horribleness of WWII.
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
The writing was incredible. It was sarcastic at times, graphic yet appropriate, and incredibly researched.
The story behind the story (I don't want to give too much away) is fascinating, yet sad. There are so many individuals like these two women living in Paris who saved so many Allied lives. Heroines!
Character development: 5.0 stars
The two main characters are Kitty/Kate (British-born with French citizenship) and Etta (American Jew living in Paris). These two characters are completely developed from their early lives until their deaths. Amazingly well done!
The secondary characters are the Allied military saved through an escape, the co-conspirators, WWII, and Paris. So much is learned about these characters and how devastating the war was for them so they fought back.
The tertiary characters are the German military, prisons, the Russian military, and the military assistance centers after the war.
As is true for most novels, this historical had many characters to round out the storyline.
Storyline: 5.0 stars
This story is about two women who help Allied soldiers escape into Unoccupied France and then to safety. One of the women spends almost four years in brutal German prisons, is horribly mistreated, and finds out her friend's betrayal after her release. The second woman spends a few bad months in German prisons, receives an early release, goes home, and then "writes" a fictionalized story with ghostwriters about the events.
The main location was Paris, France with various German prisons around Occupied Germany.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
This will stay with me for a very long time as this historical novel was about older women who try to do their part to help Allied soldiers escape death, and incarceration in POW camps.
The great contributions of women in history are horribly underreported, underrepresented, or even written about. This was so inspiring and meaningful to read.
Book cover: 5.0 stars
So perfect!!
Book title: 5.0 stars
The full, long title says it all!
HIGHLY recommend
BOOK INFORMATION
NetGalley ARC (eARC/ebook)
Paris Undercover by Matthew Goodman
428 pages
Ballantine Books
FUTURE release date of 2/4/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea đ
Saturday, January 18, 2025
booksbydorothea GLOSSARY (updated 4/1/2025)
Hello,
everyone!
As part of my ongoing process to improve booksbydorothea, the Glossary of book and bookish terms has been updated as of 4/1/2025 (and it is not an April Fools' joke)!
GLOSSARY
ANTAGONIST - Normally, the villain or "bad guy" in a book, novel, or other literature. There can be primary, secondary, or tertiary antagonists.
ADVANCED READER COPY (ARC) – Of the many definitions for this acronym, I like Advanced Reader Copy. 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 discuss a specific book, gossip, and maybe drink wine! It can be in-person or online.
BIBLIOGRAPHY - A list of books that an author has written.
BOOK HAUL – A picture of the books you have received in the mail or purchased at a bookstore!
BOOKSTAGRAM - A bookworm's Instagram (VERY creative and artistically posed photos of books). Some of these artistic posts are of beautiful book displays, but the original poster has never read the book. They are just a creative outlet which is perfectly fine. This type of posting does NOT work for me as I am not artistic and only post about books/audiobooks I have read for my review!
BOOKWORM - A book lover - me, me, me! There are many other definitions in most other languages. For cool translations of the English word, bookworm, you can check it out HERE.
BUDDY READ - Reading a specific book with a friend! Book clubs are still Buddy Reads but on a larger scale.
CURRENT READ (CR)- The book(s) you are reading now.
DID NOT FINISH (DNF) – Too many books and too little time! 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.
DID NOT REVIEW (DNR) - This happens when I finish a book and the review of fewer than 3.0 stars. It happens, but I don't review it as I don't want that negativity for the book and author.
earc - A digital ebook ARC (see ARC above).
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. Just one caveat, it is owned by Amazon! Find out more HERE.
KINDLE - An electronic device primarily to 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 need to use it more than I currently do. Check out the various Kindles, HERE.
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 for all the ARCs on its site! Also, many authors and publishers that I love use it. There are many other free ARC websites out there for you to find! NetGalley is a great resource, check it out HERE.
PHYSICAL BOOK - The good, old-fashioned, but beautiful books that have been around since the Gutenberg Bible!! That wonderful book smell!
THE STORYGRAPH - A relatively new (to me) book review site. It is not connected to Amazon like Goodreads (BIG plus!) and was created by a Black woman! It is easy to use and personalizable. "Because life's too short for a book you're not in the mood for" (quote from The Storygraph website). I love it!
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. Many non-young adults, including myself, enjoy these books!
Happy reading,
Dorothea
đ
Friday, January 17, 2025
REVIEW - More or Less Maddy
More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova (eBOOK)
OVERVIEW
All I can say is, "WOW, WOW, WOW!" This was a brilliant book by Lisa Genova who is a Harvard-trained neurologist. I have read most of her books which are about a specific brain disease and are incredible.
This book was different as it was about a mental illness - bipolar disease. This was a raw, real, and insightful deep dive into bipolar disease. As with most mental illnesses, it is a hidden secret that is not shared with others due to the potential for stigmatism. It was a horrifying ride for the main character, but it offered so much hope at the end.
TRIGGER WARNING: Death by a suicide attempt, drug use, manic/depressive episodes, alcohol abuse, mental hospitalization, cutting, foul language
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
Lisa writes so, so beautifully. She writes knowingly about this disease without talking down to the reader. It was just such an incredible job of making bipolar disease understandable and less frightening as it is not a death sentence.
I also loved the text exchanges with emojis and the cultural references to Taylor Swift, It was perfect for a character who is a Gen Z!!
Character development: 5.0 stars
The main character is Maddy. Her name is in the book title and the one who suffers from bipolar disease. She is an NYU student whose life unravels during her sophomore year. Her character is so developed that I can visually picture her.
The secondary characters are Amy (Maddy's mom), Emily (Maddy's sister), and Dr. Weaver (Maddy's psychiatrist/therapist). These characters were relatable and believable parts of Maddy's story.
The tertiary characters are the rest of Maddy's family, her hometown friends, her NYU friends, and New York City.
As is true for most novels, this novel had many characters to round out the storyline and to fully explain Maddy's situations.
Storyline: 5.0 stars
This novel is told in organized flashbacks which I liked because it would have been difficult to understand what was happening without the prequel. This storyline covers about two years in Maddy's journey before, during, and after her bipolar diagnosis.
Honestly, at times it was hard to read, but it describes bipolar disease as it is with the good, bad, and the ugly.
The main locations were New York City and Connecticut.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
As someone who has depression, there are so many positive takeaways. But, the biggest is someone has bipolar disease and is not bipolar disease. The wording is important and significant to anyone with any disease, but especially mental illnesses.
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Gorgeous!
Book title: 5.0 stars
Perfect.
HIGHLY recommend
BOOK INFORMATION
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrowed (eBOOK)
More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova
367 pages
Gallery/Scout Press
Release date of 1/14/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea đ
Thursday, January 16, 2025
booksbydorothea Book Rating Legend (Updated 4/1/2025)
Hi, everyone:
This is a simple update to the previous blog posts about my book rating system including my legend on 4/1/2025.
I have said this before, but I wish Goodreads had ½ stars in their rating system. In my reviews on Goodreads, NetGalley, The Storygraph, and booksbydorothea; I will continue to review with ½ stars. Interestingly, The Storygraph allows 1/4 increments in reviews!
Here is the breakdown of my Book Rating legend:
5.0-stars "HIGHLY
RECOMMEND"
These are the best of the
best! These are the books that I cannot and will not stop recommending. 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 library and are
books that I will reread.
4.5-stars "STRONG
RECOMMEND"
They are excellent books.
They are enjoyable, but these books didn't reach into my soul like the 5.0-star
books. These are outstanding books!
4.0-stars "DEFINITE
RECOMMEND”
These are great books.
Please, don't get me wrong, they are worth reading! I recommend them as I
thoroughly enjoyed them and think that you will too.
3.5-stars "RECOMMEND”
They are good books. I
enjoyed them, but many are more "fast food" reading, not deep or meaningful.
We cannot have heavy or intense books all the time! Many of them are books in
very long series.
3.0-stars "LUKEWARM
RECOMMEND”
These books 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.
2.0-stars, 1.0-star, or
"DNF" (Did Not Finish)
I do not review these
books, period. These are books that were not good at all or DNF. I do
not believe in leaving strictly negative reviews. Instead, I don't review the
book at all.
Happy reading,
Dorothea đ
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
My next audiobook is...
Is Not Allowed to Get Old by Brooke Shields (audiobook)
Happy reading,
Dorothea đ
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