Amazon First Reads

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 it here: Amazon First Reads.

The Amazon First Reads email went out to me late yesterday! There is a free Kindle book and a free Kindle short story for February 2025. I am really enjoying the additional short story along with the free ebook!

My TWO choices for February 2025 are:

The Warbler by Sarah Beth Durst (eBOOK)

The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez (short story)

So what Kindle book are you SELECTING?!? Neither of these is historical fiction so I hope I like them both. Abby Jimenez is a popular author, but this is my first exposure to her writing!

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 💜

My next audiobook is...

 Unlovable by Darren Hayes (audiobook)

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - Never (audiobook)

 

Never by Rick Astley (audiobook)

OVERVIEW

Rick Astley's ubiquitous song "Never Gonna Give You Up" was the 1987 summer hit. LINK (I Rickrolled you if you clicked the link, LOL)!  

This is the type of fun that Rick includes in his autobiography. Yet is also very soul-searching, raw, and real. Rick is the type of person you could grab a drink with and talk for hours. I would love the opportunity!  

TRIGGER ALERT: Foul language, alcohol use 

OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars

Writing: 5.0 stars

Rick writes well and from the heart.

I don't know if he had a ghostwriter, but if not - WELL DONE!

Narration: 5.0 stars

The narration was fantastic! Rick did it which is my preferred choice with autobiographical audiobooks. He has a beautiful voice and a lovely English accent. 

Character Arc: 5.0 stars

The audiobook is fairly chronological with occasional explanations or flashbacks to develop the story fully. 

This is Rick's autobiography and is his story. He was open and shared much about his life including his difficult childhood and the predatory music industry. 

Memorable:  5.0 stars

Rick had colorful and eccentric parents. I could relate to his relationship with his parents on many levels although our childhoods were quite different. 

It was a redemption story of an artist who was just another money maker for his original producer Pete Waterman and writers Stock Aiken Waterman (SAW). But, Rick leaves music behind to have a normal life and then finds joy and happiness in music again after 50!  

Entertaining:   5.0 stars

This book was full of wild and crazy stories and was hysterical! All I can think of is someone shouting "WANKER!" and I smile! 

Book cover: 5.0 stars

Perfect.      

Book title: 5.0 stars 

Excellent title!

HIGHLY recommend

STATISTICS

Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow (audiobook)

Never by Rick Astley

Macmillan Audio

7 hours, 43 minutes

Release date of 10/10/2024

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Rick Astley

My Goodreads review

My Storygraph review

Macmillan Audio

Los Angeles Public Library

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

My next eARC/eBOOK is...

 The Sirens by Emilia Hart (eARC/eBOOK)

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - I Would Die for You (eARC/eBOOK)

 I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones (eARC/eBOOK)

OVERVIEW

So, I tried a book out of my comfort zone - a mystery thriller. I will stay with historical and contemporary fiction from now on. 

This is the first book by Sandie Jones that I have read. It was just okay and was like reading a book that could be compared to cotton candy. Tastes good, but no depth. 

TRIGGER WARNING: Sexual situations, rape, alcohol abuse, drug usage, mental health issues, strong language

OVERALL REVIEW: 3.0 stars

Writing: 2.5 stars

The writing was okay. But at times, some of the dialogue was overwrought, melodramatic, and unrealistic. 

 

Character development: 3.0 stars

The main characters are Nicole (the older sister), Cassie (the younger sister), and Ben (a famous rock star).  

The secondary characters are John (the sisters' father), Gigi (the sisters' mother), and Amelia (Cassie's friend).   

The tertiary characters are the band "Secret Oktober", Zoe (a mysterious character), and Nicole's family. 

Unfortunately, the only character that I liked was Hannah, Nicole's daughter. 

Storyline:  3.0 stars

The basic premise was about two sisters and a major rock star in London in 1986 London. Chaos ensues and then both timelines become unhinged and unreal. For a somewhat interesting thriller, it fizzled at the end with a lackluster ending.  

The main locations were: Los Angeles, San Diego, and London

Note, that I am purposely vague about the storyline to avoid giving away the big plot twists.  

Memorable/Informative:   3.0 stars

The London rock scene in 1986 must have been as crazy as it was in Hollywood. 

Book cover: 3.0 stars

Awful!

Book title: 4.0 stars 

On point     

Lukewarm recommend

NetGalley (eARC/eBOOK)

I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones

347 pages 

Minotaur Books

FUTURE release date of 3/25/2025

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Sandie Jones

My Goodreads review

Storygraph

Minotaur Books

NetGalley

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

My next eARC/eBOOK is...

 

I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones (eARC/eBOOK)

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - A Map to Paradise (eARC/eBOOK)

A Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner (eARC/eBOOK)

OVERVIEW

Wow, what an inopportune book to read as the two big fires in So Cal are finally 100% contained. There is the 1956 Malibu Fire (there are always Malibu fires) in the plot of this novel. 

This is the fifth historical fiction novel by Susan Meissner I have read. Her books are very entertaining, fun, and interesting about unique periods. But her books are not deep-dives into the time or characters or books that I will think about for a long time, unfortunately. Of the five novels that I have read by Susan, this is my least favorite.   

TRIGGER WARNING: Fire, death, mental health issues, Hollywood blacklisting, war references with violence, domestic violence

OVERALL REVIEW: 3.5 stars

Writing: 3.5 stars

The writing was good, but not great. At times, some of the dialogue was trite and unrealistic. 

 

Character development: 4.0 stars

The main characters are Melanie (a blacklisted Hollywood actress), June (sister-in-law/caretaker of a Hollywood screenwriter), and Eva (a displaced person due to WWII). These three women become entwined in a big secret and become friends in a very short time. 

The secondary characters are Elwood (an agoraphobic Hollywood screenwriter), Nicky (Melanie's nephew), and Carson (Melanie's special friend).    

The tertiary characters are Melanie's manager/Elwood's manager, Alex (Melanie's brother), and Malibu. 

This is a very unique historical novel with few characters. It did make it easy to follow all of the characters.   

Storyline:  3.5 stars

The basic premise was about a blacklisted actress hiding out in a Malibu neighborhood next door to a famous agoraphobic Hollywood screenwriter. He is cared for by his sister-in-law. Eventually, a part-time housekeeper works for both homes and discovers a secret that entangles the three women in lie after lie. 

The main locations were: Los Angeles, Malibu, and Palm Springs, California. 

Memorable/Informative:   3.5 stars

This historical takes place during the "red scare" and Hollywood blacklisting in Hollywood. The novel doesn't seem realistic as all three main characters overreact quite oddly to plot twists.  

Book cover: 4.5 stars

Pretty!

Book title: 4.0 stars 

Somewhat ironic.     

Recommend

NetGalley (eARC/eBOOK)

A Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner

347 pages 

Berkley

FUTURE release date of 3/18/2023

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Susan Meissner

My Goodreads review

Storygraph

Berkley

NetGalley

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

booksbydorothea - January 2025 - Monthly Wrap-up

Goodbye (and good riddance), January!! 

 

WOW, January 2025 was an awful month as I live fairly close to the three horrible fires in So Cal. It will take years to return to normalcy. but we are #LAStrong.

I read and listened to books to distract myself from the chaos and avoid doomscrolling. This is the most books (audiobooks and eBOOKS) I have ever read in a month - EIGHTEEN. Yeah, me!!

So I have made some changes to my Monthly Wrap-up which should make it more streamlined and easier to navigate. I’m always making small changes to improve this book blog.

Additionally, I have started using StoryGraph. There is much more analysis and graphs! I'm going to continue to explore and understand StoryGraph better. So far it is easier to use, well-thought-out, and a strong competitor to Amazon-owned Goodreads. What’s not to like?

Going forward, I will consider all 5-star books as nominees for the Best Books of 2025 with an eBOOK and an audiobook category. We should see a gradual increase in the list of nominees as we go through 2025. 

For January, there were ten eBOOKS and two audiobooks that were 5-star reviews!

 BEST BOOKS FOR JANUARY 2025

eBOOKS

 

JANUARY

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange

More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova

Paris Undercover by Matthew Goodman

The Bookstore Keepers by Alice Hoffman

Come Fly with Me by Camille Di Maio

The Memory of Cotton by Ann K. Howley

The Secret History of Audrey Jones by Heather Marshall

Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall

Audiobooks

JANUARY

Me by Elton John

Let’s Call Her Barbie by Renée Rosen

 

GOODREADS READING GOAL

My goal is to read 101 books in 2025. As of January 31^st, I have read 18 books, or 17.8% of my goal.

JANUARY 2025 STATISTICS

18 total books

13 ebooks; 5 audiobooks; 0 physical books

8 books - ARC (Advance Reader Copy)

9 books - Library

0 books – Purchased

0 books - Amazon First Reads

0 books - Book Club Girl

1 book – author gifted

 

Audio listening time in January 2025: 51 hours, 19 minutes

Pages read in January 2025: 2,255 pages

Average review rating: 4.69 stars

JANUARY 2025 BOOK RATINGS with BOOK COVERS 

eBOOKS

5.0-star eBOOKS

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman LINK

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis LINK

What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange LINK

More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova LINK

Paris Undercover by Matthew Goodman LINK

The Bookstore Keepers by Alice Hoffman LINK

Come Fly with Me by Camille Di Maio LINK

The Memory of Cotton by Ann K. Howley LINK

The Secret History of Audrey James by Heather Marshall LINK

Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall LINK

4.5-star eBOOK

The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict LINK

4.0-star eBOOKS

Let Us March On by Shara Moon LINK

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn LINK

 

Audiobooks

5.0-star audiobooks

Me by Elton John LINK

Let’s Call Her Barbie by Renée Rosen LINK

4.5-star audiobook

Whiskey Tender by Deborah Jackson Taffa LINK

 

4.0-star audiobook

Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old by Brooke Shield LINK

3.5-star audiobook

The Girl on the Balcony by Olivia Hussey LINK

NOTE: There were no 3.5-star or 3.0-star eBOOKS or 3.0-star audiobooks this month.

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 (under JANUARY 2025 BOOK RATINGS with BOOK COVERS just above). Click on the specific book link ink to get to that book review.

If there is anything you would like to see in future monthly wrap-ups, please reach out! My primary goal is to make it easy for YOU to find new books to explore and read!

Happy reading!

Dorothea 💜

P.S. You can find out more about my book ratings HERE.

 

 

 

My next eARC/eBOOK is...

 A Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner (eARC/eBOOK)

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - Looking for Jane (eBOOK)

Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall (eBOOK)

OVERVIEW

OH. MY. GOODNESS!! This historical novel resonated with me beyond belief. Most especially because of the overturn of Roe which had always guaranteed me access to an abortion for all of my childbearing years! But the same cannot be said for my daughter, which terrifies me. 

This is the second book by Heather Marshall that I have read. This is her first novel and it was AH-MAZING!!!! I cannot wait for her to write more amazing books!!

TRIGGER WARNING: Death, maternity homes, abortion, infidelity, infertility, medical procedures, rape, forced institutionalization, forced adoption

OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars

Writing: 5.0 stars

The writing is intense, well done, and just so incredible. Heather put a lot of thought and effort into researching this book. The stories are heartbreaking and revolting. She writes about everything in this book including horrifying situations candidly while still allowing this to be an enjoyable book.   

 

Character development: 5.0 stars

The main characters are Angela (an infertile woman trying to get pregnant), Evelyn (an abortion provider before it was legal), and Nancy (a pregnant young woman). All of their stories are from different times before, during, and after abortion was legal in Canada.  

The secondary characters are Tina (Angela's wife), Molly (Evelyn's friend), and Michael (Nancy's friend). 

There are so many tertiary and general characters that if I explained who they were it would ruin the story.  

Storyline:  5.0 stars

The basic premise was about access to abortion from the 1960s to current times. But, this historical fiction novel is more than abortion. It is about motherhood and the issues and choices that we face from infertility, OB/GYN care, birth control, adoption, and abortion. People who become pregnant, trans women, and women in general have so much to consider and need good healthcare to live well and be healthy. 

The main locations were Toronto and Montreal, Canada

Memorable/Informative:   5.0 stars

This novel is a feminist manifesto to be angry, fight, and advocate for body autonomy and our civil rights. We do not want to go back to the 1950s when a white, old man decided the course of a woman's life (whether or not she could have an abortion). 

Unfortunately, the current administration in the U.S. wants us to return to the "dark ages" of women's health. I am hopeful that the courts will shut this nonsense down!

Book cover: 5.0 stars

So pretty!

Book title: 5.0 stars 

Perfect, in so many ways!    

HIGHLY recommend

Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow (eBOOK)

Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall

400 pages 

Atria Books

Release date of 3/7/2023

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Heather Marshall

My Goodreads review

Storygraph

Atria Books

Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL)

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

 

 

My next eBOOK is...

 Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall (eBOOK)

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜