StoryGraph

 

Hello, everyone!!

A friend of mine, Alexandra (THANK YOU!), recently reminded me to check out StoryGraph. Incidentally, we met at a Taylor Swift concert - serendipity. We love books and Taylor!

I just set up my StoryGraph account - booksbydorothea - and I absolutely adore it already!! It is so personalizable and easy to use. You can even import your Goodreads information. I tweaked my reads as it all didn't transfer perfectly, but that usually happens with any file transfer! 

So I will use Goodreads and StoryGraph concurrently this year and see who performs the best. I have a feeling already! But, I will give it the full year.

As an aside, I am trying to avoid making more money for billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos. I also love that StoryGraph is not connected with either and was created by a Black woman! I am also looking for an app that is like Instagram, but not attached to Meta. Supposedly, Bluesky is doing that now. Fingers crossed! 

As a reminder, contact information is:

Email: booksbydorotheablog@gmail.com

Blog: booksbydorothea.blogspot.com

Goodreads: BOOKSBYDOROTHEA 

StoryGraph: booksbydorothea

Instagram: booksbydorothea 

 

If you follow me on any of these platforms, please let me know so I can follow you back!!

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

My next eBOOK is...

The Memory of Cotton by Ann K. Howley (eBOOK)

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - Come Fly with Me (eARC/eBOOK)

 Come Fly With Me by Camille Di Maio (eARC/eBOOK)

OVERVIEW

I have read all of Camille Di Maio's books and this is the best so far! The period, the setting, the characters, and the premise were so fascinating. Plus, all the twists and turns were incredible. 

I knew little to nothing about this time in aviation at all. I also didn't know that Pan Am did not fly domestically!! Flying during the Golden Age of transcontinental flight sounds so different from our flying experiences today. My only regret after reading this book is that I never had the opportunity to fly on Pan Am! 

TRIGGER WARNING: Reference to spousal physical and mental abuse

OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars

Writing: 5.0 stars

Camille writes so beautifully and realistically for the period in the book. I could visualize every scene and character in my mind as I was reading. It was as if it were playing out before me. Well, done!

 

Character development: 5.0 stars

The two main characters are Beverly and Judy, flight attendant students in Miami, Florida. Beverly is escaping a restrictive Park Avenue life and Judy is fleeing her abusive husband. 

The secondary characters are Henry (Judy's husband), Joe (Judy/Beverly's instructor), and Mark (Beverly's friend). These characters are what create the tension and interest in this story. 

The tertiary characters are Beverly and Judy's family and friends, the beautiful foreign cities they discover, and Pan Am.  

This novel had many varied characters to round out the storyline and dive deeply into the main characters' personas.   

Storyline:  5.0 stars

This novel is told chronologically, but there are out-of-order series of vignettes. They are integral to the final story and are beautifully written. 

I enjoyed that this novel shows a deep and real female friendship that becomes like a chosen family. My best friend and I have known each other for over 50 years and we are like Beverly and Judy in many ways. You'll have to figure out who is whom! 

The main locations were Miami, Florida; San Francisco, California; and Honolulu, Hawaii. Also, many other foreign cities make cameo appearances.   

Memorable/Informative:  5.0 stars

I have never enjoyed flying, just like Camille. But, I have always admired flight attendants, referred to as stewardesses during the time of the book. They are there to keep us safe and I am grateful for their training and calm under pressure. Getting a little peek at their intense training makes me feel a little better for my next flight!

Book cover: 5.0 stars

Gorgeous!

Book title: 5.0 stars 

Perfect.   

HIGHLY recommend

BOOK INFORMATION

NetGalley ARC (eARC/eBOOK)

Come Fly With Me by Camille Di Maio

327 pages 

Lake Union Publishing

FUTURE release date of 2/18/2025

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Camille Di Maio

My Goodreads review

Lake Union Publishing

NetGalley

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

 

My next audiobook is...

 Let's Call Her Barbie by Renée Rosen (audiobook)

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

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

Brooke Shields

My Goodreads review

Macmillan Audio

Los Angeles Public Library

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

My next eARC/eBOOK is...

 Come Fly with Me by Camille Di Maio (eARC/eBOOK)

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

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

Alice Hoffman

My Goodreads review

Amazon Original Stories

NetGalley

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

My next eARC/eBOOK is...

 The Bookstore Keepers (Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories #3) by Alice Hoffman (eARC/eBOOK)

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

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

Matthew Goodman

My Goodreads review

Ballantine Books

NetGalley

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

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 💜

 

 

My next eARC/eBOOK...

 Paris Undercover by Matthew Goodman (eARC/eBOOK)

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜