A Kid from Marlboro Road by Edward Burns (audioBOOK)
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Monday, March 17, 2025
Switching from audioBOOK to eBOOK
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Hi, everyone!
I am really enjoying this audioBOOK! But with its strong and powerful messages, it would be better as an eBOOK. So I will return this audioBOOK to the library and read the eBOOK I already have! Oops!
I will read this eBOOK once I catch up on my library holds!!
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Sunday, March 16, 2025
My next audioBOOK is...
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (audioBOOK)
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
REVIEW - Say Everything (audioBOOK)
Say Everything by Ione Skye (audioBOOK)
OVERVIEW
Holy crap on a cracker! Talk about sex, drugs, rock 'n roll... and actors! Ione Skye does not hold back in this very personal memoir.
It was just the right length for her life currently, but it was abbreviated after 2006. Those intervening years could have been explored more deeply than in the epilogue.
Thankfully, Ione finds love, happiness, and acceptance at the end.
OVERALL REVIEW: 4.0 stars
Writing: 4.0 stars
The writing was good with liberal sprinkles of Gen X speak and references, TOTALLY! As someone on the cusp of Gen X, I relate to much of Ione's life, but also nothing at all.
If this memoir was written without the help of a ghostwriter, way to go, Ione!
Narration: 5.0 stars
The narration was by Ione herself and very well done. It was very personal with emotion, inflection, and personality as it was Ione's life. Well done!
Character Arc: 4.5 stars
The audiobook is chronological, with a few expected backtracks in time. It begins when Ione was three in 1973 and ends in 2006 with an epilogue to wrap it all up.
The story details Ione's father's (singer Donovan) abandonment of her mother, brother, and herself in England. The family struggles to make ends meet back in the U.S. before finally settling in the Hollywood foothills and includes an assortment of stepfathers. It covers Ione's relationships with Anthony Kiedis, Adam Horowitz, David Netto, and somewhat with Ben Lee. She also discusses her other short-term relationships and infidelities.
There is a whole cast of musicians, actors, producers, directors, models, and writers that I didn't know or didn't care about. They add to the story, but it doesn't affect the flow of the story.
Memorable: 4.0 stars
Ione's father, Donovan, basically abandoned his family for someone else without a second thought. He didn't reconnect with his kids until much later in their lives. This definitely contributed to the difficulties in Ione's life.
Where was #MeToo when Ione was in a relationship with Anthony Kiedis (she 16; he 24)? This was so wrong, and she admits as much in her Epilogue.
Additionally, she takes full responsibility for her infidelities and has learned from her mistakes. It just was so sad.
Finally, there was no support for Ione's mother when she was abandoned with two young kids. She did her best in the worst of times.
Entertaining: 4.0 stars
At times, it was a little TMI for me. Ione is very honest about her relationships that failed and those that survived. She has some incredible stories that are almost unbelievable!
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Perfect.
Book title: 5.0 stars
Excellent choice.
DEFINITE recommend
STATISTICS
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow: audioBOOK
Say Everything by Ione Skye
Simon and Schuster Audio
8 hours, 37 minutes
Release date of 3/4/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
TRIGGER WARNINGS
Drug abuse, alcohol abuse, graphic sexual situations, cursing, pregnancy, abortion, death, overdose, underage sexual situations
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Friday, March 14, 2025
REVIEW - Austen at Sea (eARC/eBOOK)
Austen at Sea by Natalie Jenner (eARC/eBOOK)
OVERVIEW
Oh, my, my! This book was the perfect balance of historical fiction and good old storytelling. Natalie has done it again, for the fourth time, with another fantastic read centered around Jane Austen!
This novel combines the real-life characters in Jane Austen's life with fictional characters after her death. This beautiful book is told in the spirit of Jane Austen and in her voice to create a lovely novel.
NOTE: I must confess that I have not read ANY of Jane Austen's novels, but I love the movies and Natalie Jenner's books, especially. Also, per Family Search, Jane and I are 5th cousins, seven times removed!
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
Natalie writes so perfectly in the language of the Reconstruction period of Boston and Philadelphia. Her writing is descriptive, poetic, and powerful.
This is a dense read, but it is so well-researched and fascinating!
Character development: 5.0 stars
The main characters are two sisters from Boston, Henrietta (older sister) and Charlotte (younger sister), and two brothers from Philadelphia, Nicholas (older brother) and Haslett (younger brother). Two pairs of siblings are the heart and soul of this lovely novel.
The secondary characters are Sir Francis (Jane Austen's only living sibling), Denham (a British newspaper writer), Sara-Beth (a friend of the siblings), and Louisa (a famous writer-to-be).
The tertiary characters are Constance (Bostonite), William (the sisters' father), Nash (the sisters' chaperone), and the Massachusetts Supreme Court reading group
There are many other characters, including ones on both sides of the pond. However, Jane Austen's presence is strongly felt throughout this novel and never far from the characters.
Storyline: 5.0 stars
Four books make up this novel: Boston, The Sea, Hampshire, and The Court. However, each of the books is definitely necessary for the telling of this creative story.
The two pairs of siblings write Sir Francis about his sister, Jane Austen. Before you know it, both sets of siblings are on a steamship from Boston to Portsmouth with incredible adventures and new incredible friends made along the way.
The main locations were Boston, Massachusetts; the Atlantic Ocean; and Hampshire, England.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
I never knew about the commonality of burning all correspondence after death, specifically with authors in this novel. It is difficult to think that so much was lost, especially for future scholars and historical purposes.
Also, the fight for women's/Black vote in the U.S. and Great Britain and the right for women to divorce, inherit, and keep personal property. How far we have come, yet we have lost so much.
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Perfect!
Book title: 5.0 stars
Excellent!
HIGHLY recommend
NetGalley eARC/eBOOK
Austen at Sea by Natalie Jenner
320 pages
St. Martin's Press
FUTURE release date: 5/6/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
TRIGGER WARNING: Sexual situations, death of a parent, death
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Review - Open (audioBOOK)
Open by Andre Agassi (audioBOOK)
OVERVIEW
First off, this memoir was written sixteen years ago. The relationships, memories, and explanations may have changed during this time. Would this book be different if it were written now? We'll never know.
I enjoyed this memoir, but it was overly long and could have used editing. There could have been an afterward to elaborate on some of Andre's relationships with friends, family, and professional staff as they just seem to disappear from his life.
At times, it felt like a pity party, and other times like a cautionary tale. The bottom line is that it was a sad story about a sad person who finally finds happiness and love.
OVERALL REVIEW: 4.0 stars
Writing: 4.5 stars
The writing was good because it was written by a ghostwriter. Unfortunately, Andre dropped out of school in the ninth grade for his tennis career, so he needed help.
But at times, it seemed full of platitudes and overwrought, especially the tough times during Andre's tennis career.
Narration: 4.5 stars
The narrator was top-notch and did a great job with the male narration. But, the women's narration just grated on me.
I wish Andre had narrated it himself, as it would have been so powerful and emotional.
Character Arc: 3.0 stars
The audiobook is fairly chronological, with a few expected backtracks in time.
Unfortunately, Andre only presents his side of relationships and doesn't take ownership for any that have gone awry. Self-introspection would have been useful for the reader to understand him, his motivations, and his psyche. As usual, I wanted more!
Also, there are many tennis athletes mentioned throughout the book that I didn't know, but it didn't really matter.
Memorable: 4.0 stars
The biggest takeaway for me is that parents who live through their children are usually idiots, asses, and wannabes. This was the case with Andre's dad, Mike.
Just like children on movie sets, the amateur and professional underage athletes also need protection with how they are treated, their earnings, and their safety. This specifically includes parent managers/coaches and "academies" like Nick Bolletterieri, which, not surprisingly, seem to be based in Florida.
What bothered me most is that his mother, Betty, never stepped in and never stopped this child abuse by his father or by the tennis academies. Yes, I said it: Andre and his siblings were subjected to child abuse, both mental and physical.
Entertaining: 4.0 stars
At times, it was funny. Andre does have a good sense of humor about life and himself.
I never, ever knew that he wore a hairpiece and that he prematurely balded. His attitude about letting go of the hairpiece and shaving his head was the most powerful story in the memoir.
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Yes, it was perfect.
Book title: 4.5 stars
A double-entendre that didn't work.
STRONG recommend
STATISTICS
Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow (audioBOOK)
Open by Andre Agassi (audioBOOK)
Random House Audio
18 hours, 4 minutes
Release date of 11/9/2009
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
TRIGGER WARNINGS
Drug use, child abuse, cursing, alcohol usage, cancer, pregnancy, bullying
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
Sunday, March 9, 2025
DNR - The Sublet (eARC/eBOOK)
The Sublet by Greer Hendricks (eARC/eBOOK)
I will not review this short story, an Amazon First Reads freebie for March 2025.
This short story would have received a score less than 3.0 (Lukewarm Recommend) if reviewed. Plus, I don't believe in a solely negative review. So this is a DNR (Did Not Review).
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
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