Sunday, July 29, 2018

As You Wish

Title: As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride
Author: Carey Elwes & Joe Layden
Publisher: Simon Schuster
ISBN: 9781442383463
Why Read?: For Fun

Thoughts: Any fan of The Princess Bride needs to listen to this book.  I guess you could read it, but listening lets you hear everything directly from most of the actors' mouths.

Rating: 5/5

Saturday, July 28, 2018

Stacking the Shelves: 7/22-7/28

Received in August's Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss:
Dangerous Currents by Kathryn Knight
A Cowboy's Sweetheart by Crista McHugh
The Highland Chieftain by Amy Jerecki
Marry Me by Sundown by Johanna Lindsey
Minding the Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Called to Protect by Lynette Eason

A Darker Shade of Midnight

Title: A Darker Shade of Midnight
Author: Lynn Emery
Publisher: self
ISBN: 9780983335719
Why Read?: For Fun

Thoughts: Great use of paranormal, but could have used a little more mystery.  Not something I normally say, but this could have been longer.

Rating: 3/5

Saturday, July 21, 2018

The Middlesteins

Title: The Middlesteins
Author: Jami Attenberg
Publisher: Hachette
ISBN: 9781619695412
Why Read?: For Fun

Thoughts: Interesting read about a dysfunctional Jewish family and eating disorders.  One chapter was very cleverly written in first person plural.  Not sure if Molly Ringwald makes for the best narrator, though, as her voice has a little too much air in it.

Rating: 3/5

Stacking the Shelves: 7/15-7/21

For possible review (on Bookloons):
The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas
Afterimage by Naomi Hughes
Uncharted by Erin Cashman

Friday, July 20, 2018

Lydia

Title: Lydia
Author: Octavio Solis
Publisher: Samuel French
ISBN: 978-0-573-69816-3

Why Read?: Scriptd

Thoughts: Weird, weird, weird contemporary dysfunctional immigrant family play.

Rating: 2/5

Naked Choke

Title: Naked Choke
Author: Vanessa Vale
Publisher: self
ISBN: 97801523896691

Why Read?: Fresh Fiction

Thoughts: The title, series, and cover made me not really want to read this, but it was free, so I thought I'd give it a try.  It is actually a much nicer romance than the aforementioned suggest, with a side of suspense.

Rating: 3/5

Saturday, July 14, 2018

You Got Older

Title: You Got Older
Author: Clare Barron
Publisher: Samuel French
ISBN: 9780573704147
Why Read?: Scriptd

Thoughts: Very typical contemporary dysfunctional family play.

Rating: 3/5

Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes

Title: Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes
Author: R. L. Stein
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 9781467619868
Why Read?: For Fun

Thoughts: How can you not enjoy a book about garden gnomes coming to life?  Total fluff, but entertaining.

Rating: 4/5

Stacking the Shelves: 7/8-7/14

For possible review (on Bookloons):
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White

Won:
Tonight I'm Someone Else by Chelsea Hodson

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

The Husband Hour

Title: The Husband Hour
Author: Jamie Brenner
Publisher: Little, Brown
ISBN: 9780316394901

Why Read?: For Fun

Thoughts: Brenner's writing pulls the reader in from the very beginning.  I did not find this as emotional as some readers, but it is compelling.

Rating: 4/5

2Dee

Title: 2Dee
Author: Robin Wyatt Dunn
Publisher: self
ISBN: 9781940830193

Why Read?: Early Review

Thoughts: Like most of Dunn's work, this is a strange, twisting tale comprised of poetic prose, this time fusing dystopian with AI and aliens.

Rating: 3/5

Saturday, July 7, 2018

The Torn

Title: The Torn
Author: LaDonna Cole
Publisher: BHC
ISBN: n/a
Why Read?: Early Review

Thoughts: Nothing in this made much sense to me - the book title, the series title, the love triangles, the reason Kate is at Heartwork Village, Kate's personality, how many jumps can relate to one person, the thing about he Nobel Prize at the end - nothing.

Rating: 1/5

Return of the Mummy

Title: Return of the Mummy
Author: R. L. Stein
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 9781467619851
Why Read?: For Fun

Thoughts: Aside from not using the word "sarcophagus" once, this was just as good as the first one.  I think the narrator also played a part in that.

Rating: 4/5

Stacking the Shelves: 7/1-7/7

LibraryThing Early Review:
Beneath the Rainbow by Lisa Shambrook

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Shadows of the Master

Title: Shadows of the Master
Author: Emily Rodda
Publisher: Kane Miller
ISBN: 978-1-61067-525-3
Why Read?: For Fun

Thoughts: A fun and fast-paced fantasy adventure aimed at girls.

Rating: 4/5