The Good Neighbor by Maxwell King (audiobook)
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Tuesday, August 5, 2025
REVIEW - Mean Moms (audiobook)
Mean Moms by Emma Rosenblum (audiobook)
OVERVIEW
This is my first book by Emma Rosenblum. It was about a quartet of rich mom BFFs (think Sex in the City meets Real Housewives) whose kids attend a fictional NYC private school, Atherton Academy.
This book had a lot of wildly hysterical moments, but it also had a lot of beyond spicy scenes, including a graphic sadomasochistic scene. I'm not a prude, but that was over the top for me and left me very uncomfortable.
OVERALL REVIEW: 3.0 stars
Writing: 3.0 stars
The writing was meh for me. It is like a reality television show with arguing or competitive moms and then a sex scene, rinse and repeat.
Narration: 5.0 stars
The narration was not by the author, but rather by January LaVoy, who did a fantastic job!
Character development: 3.0 stars
The main characters are Belle, Frost, Morgan, and the newcomer Sofia. The four of them become "friends" and encounter random, bad things happening to their group.
The secondary characters are the husbands and kids of the four women.
The tertiary characters are the school, the Parents Association, and the other parents and kids at the school.
There are many characters throughout the book, especially at the school, and that made it hard to keep everyone straight.
The character development was weak. Everyone stayed true to who they were and really didn't learn much during the chaos of the school year.
Memorable: 3.0 stars
The over-the-top parties, clothing, and home descriptions were wild. Other than that, it was forgettable, not memorable.
Entertaining/Educational: 3.5 stars
It was difficult to overlook the many sex scenes. If they had been more nuanced and not so graphic, this could have been a good book. All of the sex got in the way of the real issue - there was a sociopath on the loose. I really only finished to find out who it was!
Book cover: 3.0 stars
Meh.
Book title: 5.0 stars
Perfect.
Lukewarm recommend
Storygraph audiobook giveaway sponsored by Macmillan Audio
Mean Moms by Emma Rosenblum
9 hours, 12 minutes
Macmillan Audio
Release date: 7/29/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
TRIGGER WARNINGS: strong and graphic sexual content, sadomasochism, violence, classism, gun violence, sexual violence, and cursing
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Sunday, August 3, 2025
REVIEW - Confessions of a Grammar Queen (ebook)
Confessions of a Grammar Queen by Eliza Knight (ebook)
OVERVIEW
This is my first book written solely by Eliza Knight. She and Denny S. Bryce co-wrote a book, Can't We Be Friends, that was incredible!
For me, I could not put this book down. I read all day and started and finished this book today!
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
The writing is on point! It had a lot of serious topics (equal pay, sexism, and sexual harassment), but it was written in a humorous, real, and easy-to-read style.
Character development: 5.0 stars
The main characters are Bernadette (a junior copywriter) and Frank (a Great Dane).
The secondary characters are Mr. Wall (Bernadette's boss), Graham (Bernadette's work friend), and Bernadette's assorted and supportive girlfriends.
The tertiary characters are Mrs. Morris (Bernadette's landlady), Bernadette's family, and various co-workers.
There was strong character development, which I loved. I especially liked being in the mind of the Great Dane, Frank, which was a fun twist!
Storyline: 5.0 stars
Bernadette is a junior copywriter who is "temporarily" promoted to senior copywriter while working for a difficult boss in a "boys club" environment.
Bernadette, as the sole female copywriter, faces discrimination, sexual harassment, and hazing. She uses creative approaches to disrupt the status quo and showcase her skills.
The storyline takes place in the summer and fall of 1963. This was a complicated time after the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and before the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
The main locations were New York City and some in Maryland.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
This historical fiction novel addressed the difficult social issues of the era, including the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement, and women's equality initiatives. But it is still fun and whimsical - it is a perfect balance of serious, yet sweet.
It still amazes me how far we have come as a country and how far we still need to go.
Book cover: 4.0 stars
Meh.
Book title: 5.0 stars
So cute!
Highly recommend
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrowed: ebook
Confessions of a Grammar Queen by Eliza Knight
393 pages
Sourcebooks Landmark
Release date: 6/10/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL)
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Infidelity, sexual situations, alcohol, sexual harassment, sexism, misogyny, and moderate cursing.
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
August 2025 - Amazon First Reads
Hi, booksbydorothea blog friends!
If you didn't already know, one of the perks of your Amazon Prime Membership is a FREE monthly Kindle book (and sometimes two free Kindle books or a free short story)! It is my absolute favorite thing about Amazon Prime. The program is called Amazon First Reads, and you can find out more HERE. Free books, yippie!!
The August email for Amazon First Reads was delivered yesterday. There is a choice of one free Kindle book out of eight book choices, with one free short story.
If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will not be surprised by my book choice.
The First Witch of Boston by Andrea Catalano (Kindle eARC, ebook)
Bad Date by Ellery Lloyd (Kindle short story)
I am most excited about The First Witch of Boston. What about you? Please share which book you chose!
Also, "buy" AND download the freebies from Amazon! You can't read a book that hasn't been downloaded! I already downloaded them both.
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Saturday, August 2, 2025
REVIEW - Broken Country (ebook)
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (ebook)
OVERVIEW
This is my first book by Clare Leslie Hall and her debut in North America under this name. It was also a Reese Book Club choice for March 2025. Normally, most celebrity book club selections don't work for me, but this was an outlier.
For me, one of the signs of a good book is IF you stay up late to read it, can't put it down, or think about it when you are not reading it. This book hit on all three!
OVERALL REVIEW: 4.5 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
The writing is excellent. Clare is a descriptive, lyrical, and vivid writer.
Character development: 5.0 stars
The main characters are Beth (a local village girl), Gabriel (an upperclass boy from the "big house"), and Frank (a local farmer).
The secondary characters are Jimmy (Frank's brother), Louisa (Gabriel's friend), plus Leo and Bobby (who are important children in the story).
The tertiary characters are Tessa (Gabriel's mother), Gabriel, Beth, Frank's parents and siblings, as well as the local villagers, Oxford friends, and all the assorted normal characters in a historical novel.
There was strong character development, which I loved. Although I didn't always like some of these characters or their life choices, it was well done.
Storyline: 3.5 stars
This is the weakest part of the novel for me. There were too many timelines to follow and understand, with a "Before"/1955 timeline, a 1968 timeline, a "Trial"/1969 timeline (slight spoiler), and a 1975 timeline.
Bottom line, the story opens with a rambunctious dog killing newborn lambs, which gets shot by a local farmer, setting off an intense chain of events between the timelines.
The main locations were in England, including Dorset, Cambridge, and London.
Memorable/Informative: 4.5 stars
This is a slightly spicy book, which just isn't my thing. I don't need to be in others' bedrooms.
I loved learning about family farms in Dorset, England, during the 1950s and 1960s. It was a hard life, but it all revolved around the family, farm, and local village.
Book cover: 5.0 stars
So pretty, yet forboding.
Book title: 5.0 stars
On point!
Strong recommend
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow: ebook
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
319 pages
Simon & Schuster
Release date: 3/4/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL)
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Death, death of an animal, death of a parent, death of a child, gun violence, infidelity, sexual situations, murder, witchcraft, grief, medical content, blood, pregnancy, childbirth, alcohol, alcoholism, classism, and moderate cursing.
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
booksbydorothea - Storygraph July 2025 Monthly Recap
Hi, booksbydorothea blog friends!
Even with a slow reading month, Storygraph still makes my July recap look beautiful! You can check out my profile, booksbydorothea, HERE.
I really love the FREE monthly statistics by Storygraph! What a colorful and fun way to see your book statistics every single month. With the monthly Plus plan, you can get more comparative statistics, but the free plan is just right for me.
Click this LINK, which will direct you to the sign-in/sign-up page.
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
P.S. Just to avoid confusion, I have been uncertain what to call this app, so I settled on "Storygraph".
Friday, August 1, 2025
booksbydorothea - July 2025 - Monthly Wrap-up
Hi, booksbydorothea blog friends!!
Well, July 2025 is in the "books", literally and figuratively! We had a great month enjoying good meals with friends, celebrating a dear friend’s Ph.D. graduation, watching a two-year-old open birthday presents, enjoying concerts, and watching summer release movies.
July was a slower reading month as I have been curating and updating our family “go-box” in case of an emergency, as fires or earthquakes are common in Southern California. This involves scanning, printing, and uploading information to the cloud. It is much more work than you would imagine. If you haven’t started a “go-box”, I highly recommend that you do for peace of mind!
July was a good month for reading with ELEVEN books read (audiobooks and ebooks only this month).
In July, there were four five-star books: two ebooks and two audiobooks with no physical books.
BEST BOOKS FOR JULY 2025
(plus previous months)
ebooks 2025
JANUARY (10)
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
FEBRUARY (4)
The Sirens by Emilia Hart
Swimming to Lundy by Amanda Prowse
The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez
The Dressmakers of London by Julia Kelly
MARCH (4)
This One Life by Amanda Prowse
Austen at Sea by Natalie Jenner
Isola by Allegra
Goodman
The Book Club for
Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick
APRIL (7)
The Wandering Season by Aimie K. Runyan
The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris
Where the Rivers Merge by Mary Alice Monroe
Marsha by Tourmaline
Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding by Lian Dolan
The True Happiness Company by Veena Dinavahi
The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly
MAY (7)
The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper
Homeseeking by
Karissa Chen
These Heathens by Mia McKenzie
Before
Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor
Wayward
Girls by Susan Wiggs
The
Bookstore Family by Alice Hoffman
Under the
Stars by Beatriz Williams
JUNE (7)
Abscond by
Abraham Verghese
Lightening
in a Mason Jar by Catherine Mann
The
Eights by Joanna Miller
Smoke on
the Wind by Kelli Estes
The Names by
Florence Knapp
A
Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan
The
Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman
JULY (2)
Ever
After by Amanda Prowse
The Man
in the Stone Cottage by Stephanie Cowell
YTD TOTAL: 41
Audiobooks 2025
JANUARY (2)
Me by Elton John
Let’s Call Her Barbie by Renée Rosen
FEBRUARY (3)
Never by Rick Astley
Unlovable by Darren Hayes
Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't
Want to Come by Jessica Pan
MARCH (0)
-NONE-
APRIL (4)
Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green
The Next
Day by
Melinda French Gates
Time to
Thank by Steve
Guttenberg
Change
the Recipe by José
Andrés
MAY (3)
Medicine
River by
Mary Annette Pember
Read This
to Get Smarter by
Blair Imani
Accidentally
on Purpose by
Kristen Kish
JUNE (1)
Boat Baby by Vicky Nguyen
JULY (2)
Walking
with Ghosts by
Gabriel Byrne
Nothing
More of this Land by
Joseph Lee
Physical books
JANUARY-FEBRUARY;
APRIL-JULY
-NONE-
MARCH
(1)
This One Life by Amanda Prowse
YTD TOTAL: 1
2025 READING GOAL
My goal is to read 101 books in 2025. As of July 31st, I have read 104 books, or 102.9% of my goal. Yeah, me!! I do anticipate that my numbers will increase as I read for enjoyment, education, and to preserve my mental health.
JULY 2025 STATISTICS
17 total books
7 ebooks; 4 audiobooks; 0
physical books
4 books - ARC (Advanced
Reader Copy)
7 books - Library
0 books – Purchased
0 books - Amazon First
Reads
0 books - Book Club Girl
0 books – author gifted
0 books – friend gifted
JULY 2025 BOOK RATINGS
with BOOK COVERS
ebooks 2025
5.0-star ebooks
Ever
After by Amanda Prowse LINK
The Man in the Stone Cottage by Stephanie Cowell LINK
4.5-star ebooks
The Women at Ocean's End by Faith Hogan LINK
The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan LINK
4.0-star ebooks
The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner LINK
The Girl in the Green
Dress by Mariah Fredericks LINK
The First Gentleman by Bill Clinton and James Patterson LINK
NOTE: There were no 3.0-star
ebooks this month.
Audiobooks 2025
5.0-star audiobooks
Walking
with Ghosts by
Gabriel Byrne LINK
Nothing
More of this Land by
Joseph Lee LINK
4.5-star audiobooks
Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight by
Alexandra Fuller LINK
3.5-star audiobooks
Care and Feeding by Laurie
Woolever LINK
NOTE: There were no 4.0-star
or 3.0-star audiobooks this month.
Physical books 2025
NOTE: There were no physical books read 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 JULY 2025 BOOK RATINGS with BOOK COVERS just above). Click on the specific book link to get to that book review.
Since July was a slower month for me, do you have any great book recommendations to share? The book blogger wants to know and share!
Happy reading!
Dorothea 💜
P.S. For additional helpful tools on my blog, check out:
Book
Rating Legend: LINK
Glossary: LINK
booksbydorothea social media:
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
REVIEW - The Amalfi Curse (ebook)
The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner (ebook)
OVERVIEW
This is my first book by Sarah Penner. It had an intriguing premise with a dual timeline of Italian sea witches (streghe de mare) in 1821 and a contemporary nautical archaeologist in Positano, Italy.
You had me at witches! Italian witches! Italian sea witches!
Unfortunately, I liked this book, but I didn't love it.
OVERALL REVIEW: 4.0 stars
Writing: 4.0 stars
The writing is good, descriptive, and uneven at times.
I felt like the 1821 timeline could have been elevated with more authentic language to the time and region by including more Italian phrases and dialogue. It felt too contemporary for me.
Character development: 4.0 stars
The main characters are Mari (sea witch - 1821) and Haven (archaeologist - contemporary time).
The secondary characters are Holmes (a good-hearted sailor), Matteo and Massimo (evil shipowners), and the other sea witches in Positano during the 1821 time frame.
The tertiary characters Enzo (Haven's dive friend), Mal (Haven's good friend), and Savina (Enzo's eccentric mother) are in the contemporary time.
There were just so many characters that were integral to the plot, yet they weren't developed enough. The most developed (and interesting) characters were Mari and Holmes, and they were great!
Storyline: 4.0 stars
The 1821 storyline is Mari and the other witches protecting Positano from pirates, thus the "Almafi Curse". Mari was a fascinating character who could have had the entire book about her.
The contemporary time is about Haven, who is researching and diving to determine how shipwrecks stack upon themselves. This work, along with Haven's character being a bit boring, didn't resonate with me.
The location was the Amalfi Coast, primarily in Positano, Italy.
Memorable/Informative: 3.5 stars
I had heard the term strega (witch in Italian), but streghe de mare (sea witches in Italian) and stregheria (archaic for witchcraft in Italian) were completely new terms for me. I loved learning a bit of Italian as a bonus.
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Gorgeous.
Book title: 4.0 stars
I'm torn on it!
Definite recommend
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow: ebook
The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner
333 pages
Park Row
Release date: 4/29/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL)
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Sexual assault, kidnapping, murder, witchcraft, gun violence, death, death of a parent, grief, medical content, blood, pregnancy, and moderate cursing.
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)