The Bookstore Keepers (Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories #3) by Alice Hoffman (eARC/eBOOK)
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Sunday, January 19, 2025
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
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Saturday, January 18, 2025
booksbydorothea GLOSSARY
Hello,
everyone!
As part of my ongoing process to improve booksbydorothea, the Glossary of book and bookish terms has been updated!
GLOSSARY
ANTAGONIST - Normally, the villain or "bad guy" in a book, novel, or other literature. There can be primary, secondary, or tertiary antagonists.
ADVANCE READER COPY (ARC) – Of the many definitions for this acronym, I like Advance 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) – There are too many books and insufficient time to read them all. 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.
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. 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!
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
💜
Friday, January 17, 2025
REVIEW - More or Less Maddy
More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova (eBOOK)
OVERVIEW
All I can say is, "WOW, WOW, WOW!" This was a brilliant book by Lisa Genova who is a Harvard-trained neurologist. I have read most of her books which are about a specific brain disease and are incredible.
This book was different as it was about a mental illness - bipolar disease. This was a raw, real, and insightful deep dive into bipolar disease. As with most mental illnesses, it is a hidden secret that is not shared with others due to the potential for stigmatism. It was a horrifying ride for the main character, but it offered so much hope at the end.
TRIGGER WARNING: Death by a suicide attempt, drug use, manic/depressive episodes, alcohol abuse, mental hospitalization, cutting, foul language
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
Lisa writes so, so beautifully. She writes knowingly about this disease without talking down to the reader. It was just such an incredible job of making bipolar disease understandable and less frightening as it is not a death sentence.
I also loved the text exchanges with emojis and the cultural references to Taylor Swift, It was perfect for a character who is a Gen Z!!
Character development: 5.0 stars
The main character is Maddy. Her name is in the book title and the one who suffers from bipolar disease. She is an NYU student whose life unravels during her sophomore year. Her character is so developed that I can visually picture her.
The secondary characters are Amy (Maddy's mom), Emily (Maddy's sister), and Dr. Weaver (Maddy's psychiatrist/therapist). These characters were relatable and believable parts of Maddy's story.
The tertiary characters are the rest of Maddy's family, her hometown friends, her NYU friends, and New York City.
As is true for most novels, this novel had many characters to round out the storyline and to fully explain Maddy's situations.
Storyline: 5.0 stars
This novel is told in organized flashbacks which I liked because it would have been difficult to understand what was happening without the prequel. This storyline covers about two years in Maddy's journey before, during, and after her bipolar diagnosis.
Honestly, at times it was hard to read, but it describes bipolar disease as it is with the good, bad, and the ugly.
The main locations were New York City and Connecticut.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
As someone who has depression, there are so many positive takeaways. But, the biggest is someone has bipolar disease and is not bipolar disease. The wording is important and significant to anyone with any disease, but especially mental illnesses.
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Gorgeous!
Book title: 5.0 stars
Perfect.
HIGHLY recommend
BOOK INFORMATION
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrowed (eBOOK)
More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova
367 pages
Gallery/Scout Press
Release date of 1/14/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Thursday, January 16, 2025
booksbydorothea Rating and Review Process
Hi, everyone:
This is a simple update to the previous blog posts about my book rating system.
I have said this before,
but I wish Goodreads had ½ stars in their rating system. In my reviews on
Goodreads, NetGalley, and booksbydorothea; I will continue to
review with ½ stars.
Here is the breakdown of
my rating and review process:
5.0-stars "HIGHLY
RECOMMEND"
These are the best of the
best! These are the books that I cannot and will not stop recommending. They
have moved me deeply and are books that I will think about and remember
forever. Also, these are the books that I normally buy for my library and are
books that I will reread.
4.5-stars "STRONG
RECOMMEND"
They are excellent books.
They are enjoyable, but these books didn't reach into my soul like the 5.0-star
books. These are outstanding books!
4.0-stars "DEFINITE
RECOMMEND”
These are great books.
Please, don't get me wrong, they are worth reading! I recommend them as I
thoroughly enjoyed them and think that you will too.
3.5-stars "RECOMMEND”
They are good books. I
enjoyed them, but many are more "fast food" reading, not deep or meaningful.
We cannot have heavy or intense books all the time! Many of them are books in
very long series.
3.0-stars "LUKEWARM
RECOMMEND”
These books are okay but
just okay. I enjoyed the book, but it wasn't memorable to me. Something missed
the mark - plot line, character development, or writing.
2.0-stars, 1.0-star, or
"DNF" (Did Not Finish)
I do not review these
books, period. These are books that were not good at all or DNF. I do
not believe in leaving strictly negative reviews. Instead, I don't review the
book at all.
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
My next audiobook is...
Is Not Allowed to Get Old by Brooke Shields (audiobook)
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Review - Whiskey Tender (audiobook)
Whiskey Tender by Deborah Jackson Taffa (audiobook)
OVERVIEW
Whoa! This memoir covers the true history of the Native peoples that had been whitewashed. The author is of Quechan and Laguna Pueblos ancestry via her father and Latin American via her mother. So much is covered including Indian boarding schools, the AIM movement, and much more.
Growing up in California, we primarily learned about the "wonderful" Missions where the Indians were converted to Catholicism and had a much better life in 4th grade. Every California kid has to do the dreaded Mission project. If only, we had learned the true stories and how what we were taught were lies and whitewashing to make the mission system palatable. It was slavery!
TRIGGER ALERT: Alcohol abuse, drug usage, physical violence, self-harming, racist language, and death by suicide references
OVERALL REVIEW: 4.5 stars
Writing: 4.5 stars
Deborah writes beautifully, using an almost poetic style that is hypnotizing, at times. It is descriptive without being overwhelming.
My only issue is that some of the writing is uneven with stronger and weaker sections throughout the memoir. It could have been the time frame covered or it was difficult to write about for the author.
Narration: 4.5 stars
The narration was strong, but not as emotional or as powerful as a memoir read by the author.
Character Arc: 4.5 stars
The audiobook is primarily chronological about the author from age 3 to age 18. There are a lot of flashbacks to fully explain important parts of the story, especially her parents' and grandparents' life stories.
At times, it was difficult with all of the family members. This is because Deborah comes from two large families. I just went with it and it didn't run the story.
Since the memoir ends with the author leaving home at around 18, there is so much about her life that I would like to know about her and her family.
Memorable: 5.0 stars
Deborah weaved the true Native American history throughout her memoir. It was beautifully done. Now I need to learn much more about the real history of our country and our broken promises and treaties with the Native peoples.
Entertaining: 5.0 stars
This book was not entertaining per se as it was Deborah's childhood memoir and was painfully truthful and raw. What was convicting was that there is so much about US History that is whitewashed, over and over again.
Book cover: 4.5 stars
Pretty.
Book title: 4.5 stars
Interesting.
STRONG recommend
STATISTICS
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow (audiobook)
Whiskey Tender by Deborah Jackson Taffa
Harper Audio
11 hours, 38 minutes
Release date of 2/27/2024
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
My next eBOOK AND Review - What Happened to the McCrays? (eARC/eBOOK)
What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange (eARC/eBOOK)
I forgot to post about reading this eARC/eBOOK because I got a last-minute approval through NetGalley!!! I posted that I was reading it on Instagram, but missed posting here. I actually read this book off and on today in about twelve hours - it had me hooked.
Unfortunately, the Eaton and Palisades fires are making me scatterbrained. To compensate for that and forget about the devastation, I am reading, reading, reading.
OVERVIEW
This was an amazing book about a devastated and damaged family. The McCrays and the Higgins were families that lived next to each other and united when there was a marriage involving both families. The book covered so much such as love, loss, tragedy, grief, renewal, friendship, and family.
The dual timelines were divided into "Then/Now" with no specific time frame so you focused on the storyline and the characters. This novel occurred primarily in Upstate New York over 25 years.
I have read all three novels by Tracey Lange and this is the best way so far!! Please write more books, Tracey!
TRIGGER WARNING: Death by suicide attempt, loss of a child and parents, and divorce
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
The writing, as always, was detailed, beautiful, and descriptive. Tracey really knows how to write about families. Especially nitty-gritty, down-and-dirty, and not-perfect families - real families.
Character development: 5.0 stars
The main characters are Kyle (husband) and Casey (wife) who suffer continual losses from their childhoods into adulthood. These two characters are fully fleshed out to perfection.
The secondary characters are Wyatt (Casey's brother) and Danny (Kyle's father) who have to watch the couple's dysfunction without getting sucked into it all. They both are very fascinating characters.
The tertiary characters are the U14 kids' hockey team, Kyle and Casey's friends and co-workers, and the people and town of Potsdam, New York.
As is true for most novels, this contemporary fiction had many characters to round out the storyline.
Storyline: 5.0 stars
The "Then" part of the storyline is about Kyle and Casey dating, marrying, parenting, and divorcing. The "Now" part of the storyline is about Kyle returning to his hometown after being gone for 2 1/2 years. It is the reconciliation of relationships and growing as individuals.
The main location was Potsdam, New York.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
As someone who lost someone dear to me who died by suicide, the attempted suicide in this novel hit home. I have always thought, "What if?". This novel helped me understand that I have to move past the grief and not focus on how the individual who passed died, but rather how they lived. This was powerful!
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Very pretty!!
Book title: 5.0 stars
Perfect.
HIGHLY recommend
BOOK INFORMATION
NetGalley ARC (eARC/ebook)
What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange
320 pages
Celadon Books
Release date of 1/14/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Monday, January 13, 2025
REVIEW - The Stolen Queen (eBOOK)
The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis (eBOOK)
OVERVIEW
This is my third book by Fiona Davis who writes incredible historical fiction. This novel was based on the Metropolitan Museum of Art and had a dual timeline.
Two women who are unlikely companions join forces to solve a theft at the museum during the Met Gala in 1978. It also brings in the other timeline of Egypt in 1936 during the waning of the Egyptian craze in the United States.
I cannot wait to read what Fiona has planned next!
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
Fiona writes so beautifully and descriptively without being heavy-handed. I enjoy learning so much from her books even though they are historical fiction. But she writes her books with enjoyment in mind while providing education also.
Character development: 5.0 stars
The two main characters are Charlotte (Egyptologist in 1936/Met curator in 1978) and Annie (assistant to Diana Vreeland at the Met). Their paths cross due to the Met Gala and a firestorm of chaos is unleashed.
The secondary characters are Henry (Egyptologist/Charlotte's husband 1936), Leon (Egyptologist/Charlotte's nemesis 1936), Diana (Met Costume Institute/former magazine editor 1978), and Joyce (Annie's mother 1978).
The tertiary characters are other Met employees, Egyptian citizens, and friends/family of Charlotte and Annie.
Again, many characters in the storyline were not developed fully. They, however, were necessary for the detailed storylines.
Storyline: 5.0 stars
This was such an interesting storyline. The juxtaposition of Egypt in both timelines with the 1978 Met was beautifully done. It was woven together seamlessly.
In 1936 Egypt, Charlotte was on an archaeological dig and made a great discovery that reappeared as a loan at the Met. Then the Met Gala happens and everything goes haywire with a theft, an assault, and a termination. Then this historical fiction novel takes off and keeps going!
The main locations were New York, New York, and Egypt.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
I was fortunate to see the King Tut exhibit in Los Angeles before it ended its tour at the Met in 1978. The artifacts were so moving and helped make a real connection to me and the storyline. The descriptions of the tombs, the mummification process, and the antiquities in the burial chambers were fascinating.
Book cover: 5.0 stars
So pretty!!
Book title: 5.0 stars
Perfect.
HIGHLY recommend
BOOK INFORMATION
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow (eBOOK)
The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis
349 pages
Dutton
Release date of 1/7/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
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