The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok
So two books that I want to read came in about eight hours apart, so I will read this one first as I have been so excited to read it. A book by one of my favorite authors!!
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Monday, October 9, 2023
REVIEW - So Fetch: The Making of Mean Girls
FYI - Okay, this book is NOT a memoir, but it is more memoir-like than novel-like. So I am using the memoir review format!!
OVERVIEW
This book is about the making of Mean Girls as an adaption from the incredible book by Rosalind Wiseman (which I read and loved) to the movie and screenplay to the musical. This book has it all - the good, the bad, and the ugly.
If you are a Mean Girls junkie, this book is for YOU! I love the movie so this book was intriguing for me!
OVERALL REVIEW: 3.5-stars
Writing: 3.5-stars
The writing was very good. I was surprised because I expected an in-depth analysis of this movie to be a tell-all that would have been ghost-written by a National Inquirer writer.
The author wrote a very good book with interviews and lots of annotated research detailed "Notes" in the last 20% of the book. Thankfully, there were NO footnotes to distract me! Impressive!
This was a lot of fun to read!
Character Arc: 3.5-stars
The story begins with Rosalind Wiseman's amazing book which was the basis for the screenplay. Tina Fey adapted this amazing book into a screenplay and was involved in the entire process of the movie from writing to casting to almost everything!
I really enjoyed learning about how Tina Fey's real life was included in the screenplay. From the jokes to hard and difficult stories. It was very interesting.
Memorable: 3.5-stars
It was a memorable memoir because I really loved the movie. Finding out about what happened to make this movie so fantastic was really fun.
Entertaining: 3.0-stars
It was a fun read. The book did get a bit bogged down to me when it was talking about the theater production of Mean Girls as I really was only interested in the movie.
Book cover: 3.5-stars
Cute.
Book title: 3.5-stars
Cute.
Gut feeling: 3.0 stars
I had no clue as to how I would feel about this book. I was very pleasantly surprised!!
Suggestions:
A listing of the characters and who held the part (in the movie and theater production) would have been great!
Recommend
STATISTICS
NetGalley ARC (Advance Reader Copy)
So Fetch: The Making of Mean Girls by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong
272 pages
Dey Street Books
Release date of 01/16/2024
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Friday, October 6, 2023
My next read is...
So Fetch: The Making of Mean Girls by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
REVIEW - Darling Girls
OVERVIEW
Wow! Sally Hepworth can definitely write a good mystery thriller! I have read all of Sally's books and have enjoyed them all. All of her books are so full of twists and turns until the final BAM!! This book was no different.
I was so excited that I thought that I had figured out the plotline early in the book and I had until the end! Sally tricked me again with her devious plotline! Very well done!!
OVERALL REVIEW: 4.0 stars
Writing: 4.0 stars
As I have read all of Sally Hepworth's books, I get her writing and try to figure out the final twist and I am always WRONG!! A well-done mystery thriller again!
Character development: 4.0 stars
This book had three main characters that were set in the before/after timeframes. In the beginning, it took me about 20% of the book to get it all straight. But each main character was really well developed so we understand WHY they were who they were in the present.
The main characters are Jessica, Norah, and Alison. They are foster children being raised in rural Australia.
The secondary character is Miss Fairchild who is the foster mother of the girls. It was fascinating to observe the interaction between her and the foster girls. Sad, but true lifelike stories that many foster kids must go through.
The tertiary characters are the significant others, lawyers, police, and townspeople.
Storyline: 4.0 stars
It was a very good storyline and had me hooked. It was a very sad storyline; however, this is not fiction for many of the kids in foster care. Sally Hepworth got me again with the ending!!
The main locations were Melbourne and the fictional Port Agatha, Australia.
Memorable/Informative: 4.0 stars
This novel was very thought-provoking as foster care is horrible, period.
Book cover: 4.0 stars
It was okay.
Book title: 4.5 stars
Excellent title.
Gut feeling: 3.0 stars
I assumed that I would like this book as I have liked other books by Sally Hepworth.
Suggestions:
As I am not Australian, a glossary of Australian terms used in the book would have been helpful.
DEFINITE RECOMMEND
BOOK INFORMATION
NetGalley ARC (Advance Reader Copy)
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
368 pages
St. Martin's Press
Release date of 04/23/2024
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Thursday, October 5, 2023
Sunday, October 1, 2023
SEPTEMBER 2023 - Reading Wrap-Up
Hi, everyone!
I hope you all have
had a great September and have read lots and lots of very good books!!
So now I have EIGHT books vying for MY Best Book of 2023:
- The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende (May)
- Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See (June)
- How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair (July)
- A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power (August)
- The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman (August)
- Evergreen (Japantown Mystery #2) by Naomi Hirahara (August)
- The Women by Kristin Hannah (September)
- After Annie by Anna Quindlen (September)
It will be so very
interesting which book I decide on as MY Best Book of 2023! I think
that I know which one it is, but you will have to wait patiently to find out!!
I hope that the quality of
books in October continues to be good for me! I have had at least one 5.0-star book every month since I restarted this blog in May 2023 so that is quite the run!
STATISTICS:
9 total books
8 e-books; 1 physical book
6 books were an ARC
(Advance Reader Copy)
0 books were library books
1 book was a purchased
e-book
1 book was an Amazon First
Reads
1 book was a gifted
physical book
Audio listening time in September: 0 hours, 0 minutes
Pages read in September:
3,441 pages
BOOK RATINGS with BOOK
COVERS:
5.0-star
books (2)
The Women by Kristin Hannah
After Annie by Anna
Quindlen
4.5-star books (4)
The Other Princess by Denny S. Bryce
A Traitor in Whitehall by Julia Kelly
A Night at the Tropicana by Chanel Cleeton
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
4.0-star books (1)
Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone - Outlander #9 by Diana Gabaldon
3.5-star book (1)
Diva by Daisy Goodwin
3.0-star
books (1)
What Kind
of Woman by Kate
Baer
If you want to read my
full review of any of these books, there are individual review posts for each
e-book or audiobook below the picture of the book. You can just click on the specific
book link to get to that book review!!
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
P.S. For more information about my book rating, you can find out more HERE.
REVIEW - Finding Margaret Fuller
OVERVIEW
Allison Pataki does it again!! She writes amazingly beautiful historical fiction about women that many of us do not know in history. Allison Pataki is shifting the paradigm!!
Margaret Fuller - what a fantastic woman! Interestingly, when I asked my husband if he knew who she was - he knew, but I didn't!
Margaret Fuller was really a force in women's education, equality, suffrage, and knowledge. She was a woman who was way ahead of her time and still is. I would love to meet her and share some tea, talk, and enjoy nature together. Margaret was a firecracker and friend/acquaintance to so many historical figures.
This novel primarily focuses on Margaret's life from the age of 26 to 40 years of age. This includes her time in Concord, Massachusetts with the Transcendentalists to her time in Europe. There are some flashbacks, but they definitely add to the character development and storyline.
This book was beautifully written and we learn so much about Margaret. But, it was not like a textbook, but rather a beautiful story of a life well-lived! I loved it!
Yet, ANOTHER 5-star book!!!
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
I have read all of the historical fiction novels by Allison Pataki and always eagerly look forward to her next book. This novel is beautifully written and descriptive, yet not wordy. It is just another great read!
Character development: 5.0 stars
This book is full of many characters as most historical fiction is! But, many of them were familiar historical characters!
The main character is Margaret. She is in the title and Margaret is what the entire novel is about! She is fully developed so her choices, reasonings, and life views are explored.
The secondary characters are Margaret's husband, Giovanni Ossoli, and The Transcendentalists. The Transcendentalists especially Ralph Waldo Emerson opened up many life-changing opportunities for her. The Transcendentalists could take over the book, but Allison Pataki reigns it in and they are handled very well!!
The tertiary characters are Horace Greeley, her family, and the other historical characters Margaret encounters throughout her life.
Storyline: 5.0 stars
This book was the real reason that I read historical fiction. To learn about historical characters that I don't know about and to research more so I can learn about them and their impact on history!!
Margaret Fuller is one of the "forgotten" Transcendentalists even though her impact was powerful. Of course, I really think it is because she is a woman, no doubt. I learned so much about Margaret Fuller and the Transcendentalists as I never really read any of their works. But, it was fascinating to discover what they were about and what impact Margaret had on the movement.
The main locations were Massachusetts, New York City, and Italy.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
My goodness, Margaret Fuller was so intriguing that I looked up more on her life before I started this review. She was just incredibly amazing!
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Perfect!
Book title: 5.0 stars
Perfection.
Gut feeling: 3.0 stars
I assumed that I would like this book as I have liked other books by Allison Pataki.
Suggestions:
I wish that the book had been LONGER!!
Highly RECOMMEND
BOOK INFORMATION
NetGalley ARC (Advance Reader Copy)
Finding Margaret Fuller by Allison Pataki
416 pages
Ballantine
Release date of 02/13/2024
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Sunday, September 24, 2023
REVIEW - What Kind of Woman
OVERVIEW
First off, a very dear friend sent me this book for my birthday with a journal. I have been writing and reading both books since early June. Today, was the last poem in this book. It has been a great practice to start my day with self-care.
It has made me realize that I am NOT a poetry book reader, but rather a good poem lover.
OVERALL REVIEW: 3.0 stars
Writing: 3.0 stars
This poetry book was all over the place for me. It was inconsistent to me. There were poems that I truly felt resonated with me and others that I didn't "get". There wasn't a poem that I loved enough to share and that is significant to me.
Character Arc: 2.5 stars
There was no arc. It was all over the place.
But in all fairness, this was my first book of poetry. But, I have realized that I would rather have a book of "favorite" poems from various poets. Maybe, an anthology. Yes, I am that fickle.
Memorable: 2.5 stars
It wasn't a memorable book of poetry to me.
Entertaining: 3.0 stars
At times, I did totally chuckle as I completely understood what the poet and poem were saying to me!
Book cover: 3.5 stars
Very pretty.
Book title: 4.0 stars
Totally appropriate.
Gut feeling: 3.0 stars
I had no clue as to how I would feel about a book of poetry.
RECOMMEND
STATISTICS
What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer
112 pages
Gifted a hardcopy book
Release date of 11/10/20233
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Saturday, September 23, 2023
INCREASING My Goodreads Goal AGAIN!!
So, I increased my Goodreads 2023 Reading Challenge in May 2023 to 60 books. I have met and exceeded that goal by ten books and it is only September. Now I have increased my goal again to 80 books. Will I or won't I make it!?!?
Only time will tell!
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
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