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

Emma Rosenblum

Goodreads review

Storygraph review

Macmillan Audio

TRIGGER WARNINGS: strong and graphic sexual content, sadomasochism, violence, classism, gun violence, sexual violence, and cursing

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

My next eARC/ebook is ...

 The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy (eARC/ebook)

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

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

Eliza Knight

Goodreads review

Storygraph review

Sourcebooks Landmark

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)

The first book is historical fiction about a "witch" in Puritan Boston! Yes, please! The short story is a mystery thriller, which is not my favorite genre. Nothing World War II related in sight!

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 💜

My next ebook is ...

 Confessions of a Grammar Queen by Eliza Knight (ebook)

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

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

Clare Leslie Hall

Goodreads review

Storygraph review

Simon and Schuster

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". 

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 JUNE 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

YTD TOTAL: 15

 

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

3.5-star ebooks

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: 

 

My next ebook is ...

 Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (ebook)

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

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

Sarah Penner

Goodreads review

Storygraph review

Park Row

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 💜

My next audiobook is ...

 Mean Moms by Emma Rosenblum (audiobook)

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜