The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion (audiobook)
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Friday, June 27, 2025
DNF - Better Small Talk (audiobook)
Better Small Talk by Patrick King (audiobook)
Somehow, this was NOT the book that I checked out! How did I do this? There ARE multiple audiobooks with similar names! I have returned the wrong book and will look for another audiobook to listen to tonight!
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Thursday, June 26, 2025
REVIEW - We Might Just Make It After All (audiobook)
We Might Just Make It After All by Elyce Arons (audiobook)
OVERVIEW
This is a memoir of the personal and professional relationship between Elyce and Kate. They met as undergrads at the University of Kansas in 1981, and their friendship took off from there!
Most of the memoir covers their friendship before Kate Spade New York was sold to Liz Claiborne in 2006. This is a love letter from Elyce to Kate about their friendship. They had a very normal best-friendship, which included the normal difficulties of any relationship.
If you are looking for a tell-all with details about Kate Spade's death by suicide, this is not the book for you.
OVERALL REVIEW: 4.5 stars
Writing: 4.5 stars
The writing was strong with real and raw anecdotes that are true of any long-term friendship. Elyce was the only person who could have written this book about her best friend.
Narration: 5.0 stars
Elyce does a great job with the narration. I love it when the author narrates the audiobook. Especially as it is her and Kate's lives before, during, and after the loss of her best friend. Elyce was never the "face" of any of the companies with Kate, but she rocks it!
Character development: 4.5 stars
The main characters are Elyce (the author and BFF) and Kate (the eponymous designer and BFF).
The secondary characters are the other partners (both professional and personal), parents, friends, and family.
The tertiary character is Kate Spade New York - the company.
There is a huge cast of characters (especially New York fashion folks), which makes it hard to follow who is who, as I am from Los Angeles.
The character development was good, but most especially for the two main characters. We are let into their entire friendship and backstories.
Memorable: 4.0 stars
Kate and Elyce, along with their partners, create an international and multi-million-dollar empire out of basically nothing. Of course, they make mistakes along the way, but what entrepreneurial spirit during the wild 1990s!!
Entertaining/Educational: 4.0 stars
I had always thought that I had bought Kate Spade during the heyday, but I was wrong! I didn't realize that Kate, Elyce, and their partners sold their final stake in Kate Spade New York in 2006.
Book cover: 4.0 stars
There had to be a better picture!
Book title: 5.0 stars
Perfection on ALL levels! (Read the book to find out WHY!)
Strong recommend
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow: audiobook
9 hours, 25 minutes
Simon & Schuster Audio
Release date: 6/17/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL)
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Moderate cursing, sexism, misogyny, suicide, pregnancy
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
REVIEW - A Resistance of Witches (eARC/ebook)
A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan (eARC/ebook)
OVERVIEW
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions
expressed in this review are completely my own.
Oh, my goodness! This is Morgan's debut novel, and I can guarantee that this will not be her last novel.
This is a book about World War II (I know, dear readers) and British witches who are fighting against Hitler and the Nazis. How could I ever resist such an incredible premise?
The topic of witches has always fascinated me from the Harry Potter series to the Practical Magic series to the A Discovery of Witches series, plus throw in Stevie Nicks's music, and you get my vibe!
This novel was freaking amazing!! I inhaled it and I loved it!
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars.
Writing: 5.0 stars
I honestly cannot believe that Morgan is a first-time writer! She writes so descriptively, elegantly, and beautifully as if she has lived in this book's world. So incredibly talented!
I loved the main character of Lydia, her friends, and her coven. Please make this a series, Morgan!
Character development: 5.0 stars
The main characters are: Lydia (a British witch), Rebecca (a French resistance fighter), and Henry (an American art historian). What a triumvirate of incredible and diverse characters!
The secondary characters are: Evelyn (Lydia's mother), the British coven, and French resistance fighters.
The tertiary characters the bad guys: bad witches, Nazis/Gestapo, Hitler, and everyone working against the Allied forces.
The character development was strong, which I so enjoy! Most especially due to the addition of witchcraft (read the book to find out more)!
Storyline: 5.0 stars
The storyline is about a British witch coven fighting against the Nazis while searching for the Grimorium Bellum (an evil grimoire or book of magic) before the Nazis discover it. The timeline covers from November 1940 to Victory in Europe Day (May 8, 1945).
World War II was not the main focus of the book (I was so glad), but rather the politics of the witch coven and its impact on the war.
The locations were primarily London, England; Dordogne, France; and Bavaria, Germany.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
This novel was a creative way to think about "what if" about World War II.
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Beautiful!
Book title: 5.0 stars
Excellent!
Highly recommend
NetGalley eARC/ebook
A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan
415 pages
Viking
FUTURE release date: 7/15/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Anti-semitism; violence; death of a parent; murder; grief, mild cursing; war; gun/knife violence; medical content; witchcraft.
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
My next eARC/ebook is ...
A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan (eARC/ebook)
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
My next audiobook is...
We Might Just Make It After All by Elyce Arons (audiobook)
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Sunday, June 22, 2025
REVIEW - The Names (ebook)
The Names by Florence Knapp (ebook)
OVERVIEW
This is Florence Knapp's debut novel. OMG! This novel delivers on its premise in a big, beautiful way. This novel features three timelines, all of which follow the same main characters. But one character has a different name in each timeline.
This novel reaches out and grabs you by the throat at the cellular level. How does our name impact who we are and who we become? Would our lives have been different if our names had been different? This novel lays it all out for one character and how it impacts others!
As someone with an unusual first name, Dorothea, it makes me wonder what people think of me just knowing my name. Really heady and deep things to ponder!
I. LOVED. THIS. NOVEL!
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars.
Writing: 5.0 stars
This author has artistic and beautiful writing. It was descriptive, powerful, and so realistic.
I truly hope this author writes more books, as she is unbelievably talented!
Character development: 5.0 stars
The main characters are Cora (wife to Gordon Sr and mother to Bear/Julian/Gordon Jr); Gordon Sr (Cora's husband and father to Bear/Julian/Gordon Jr); Maia (the older sister); and Bear/Julian/Gordon Jr (the younger brother).
The secondary characters are SÃbhe (Cora's mother and the kids' grandmother); Cian (SÃbhe's friend); Mehri (Cora's friend); and Fern (Mehri's daughter).
The tertiary characters are all the various people, including friends, lovers, and others, with whom the main characters are involved in that specific storyline (there is some overlap at times).
The character development was strong. Each timeline reflected the differences in the characters and lives that Bear/Julian/Gordon Jr would have had with a different name and circumstances. Beyond well done and fascinating!
Storyline: 5.0 stars
The storyline is focused on Bear/Julian/Gordon Jr in three distinct timelines in 1987, 1994, 2001, 2008, 2015, and 2022.
The main and secondary characters are represented in each of the three timelines. But the tertiary characters may or may not be in the different timelines. Each timeline tells a different story about how Bear/Julian/Gordon Jr's life unfolds in each timeline. It may seem confusing, but it is creative and unique!
The locations were primarily cities in England and Ireland, and Paris.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
What's in a name? This novel answers that for Bear/Julian/Gordon Jr.
It doesn't, however, answer how YOUR name impacted your life and what would have happened had you been named differently. Strong food for thought!
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Gorgeous!
Book title: 5.0 stars
Perfect!
Highly recommend
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow: ebook
The Names by Florence Knapp
336 pages
Pamela Dorman Books
Release date: 5/6/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL)
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Domestic violence; death of a parent; violence; murder; grief, mild cursing; pandemic; gun violence; medical content
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Saturday, June 21, 2025
Friday, June 20, 2025
My next book and REVIEW - 25 Alive (ebook)
25 Alive (Women's Murder Club series) by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro (ebook)
OVERVIEW
I totally forgot to post. I started and finished this book today, with about ten pages last night. That may sound like a lot of reading, but the book had a LOT of white space!
This is the 25th+ book in the very, very, very long (too long) Women's Murder Club series. Of course, it ended on a cliffhanger AGAIN!
Normally, I would say read the previous novels in the Women's Murder Club series to get the full backstory and understand the characters. Don't do it - this series is not worth that much time!
OVERALL REVIEW: 3.0 stars.
Writing: 3.0 stars
The writing is like assembly-line writing to me. I wonder how much involvement James Patterson has with this series anymore, since he has had an "assistant" writer since the first book in this series.
Character development: 3.0 stars
The main characters are Lindsay (SFPD detective), Yuki (assistant district attorney), Claire (chief medical examiner), and Cindy (newspaper reporter). These four women have been personal and professional friends for a very long time.
The secondary characters are the personal partners, work partners, and assorted friends and family.
The tertiary character is Martha, Lindsay's dog.
There has not been any real or interesting character development with any of the main or secondary characters for a long time. The only real changes are the different "guest" characters, and this time, there were two separate groups.
Storyline: 3.0 stars
There were some horrible and shocking murders, but nothing really happened to the main characters. Plus, a cliffhanger - shocker! There was no setup to end the series, so there are obviously more bland novels to come.
The main locations were primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Memorable/Informative: 2.5 stars
This series is getting tired. Please, James Patterson, bring it to a conclusion so I know how all of the characters end up. I have invested too much time.
Book cover: 3.0 stars
I have no idea what the book cover has to do with the story.
Book title: 3.0 stars
The rhyme of the two words, twenty-five and alive, is possibly where the book title comes from. There is no connection to the story at all.
Lukewarm Recommend
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow: ebook
25 Alive (Women's Murder Club series) by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
330 pages
Little, Brown and Company
Release date: 4/28/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL)
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Death, grief, child death, death of a parent, violence, gun violence, murder, cursing, bombing, medical content, blood, gore
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
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