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The Four Winds Book Review ~ A Raw Look at the Dust Bowl
Kristin Hannah has a way of breaking my heart with her deeply moving stories. This historical fiction about a family in the Dust Bowl of the Great Depression is incredibly powerful and moving. Kristin Hannah Historical Fiction, General Fiction The Great Plains, 1930s Julia Whelan Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on pinterest Share on email Share on google Book Review The Four Winds Elsa must watch her children starve and grow sick on their Texas farm during The Dust Bowl. After her husband abandons them to ride the rails, she makes the decision to leave their home behind and save her children by taking…
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The Invisible Life of Addie Larue Book Review ~ An Ethereal Pleasure
Stop reading this and go get the book! VE Schwab Fantasy, Historical Fiction Paris, NY, 1714-2016 Julia Whelan Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on pinterest Share on email Share on google Book Review The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue 5/5 Addie LaRue is desperate to escape her dismal future. So desperate that she prays to the gods after dark despite being warned never to do so. She makes a deal with a dark god for immortality. In exchange, she is forgotten by everyone she ever meets the moment she is out of their sight. Until…. I remember you. After 300 years of being forgotten, Addie…
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Daisy Jones Book Review ~ A Rockin Good Time
Ever wonder about the real behind the scenes life of rockstars like Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty or [insert favorite hardcore rocker here]? Daisy Jones hits all the notes. Written by the one and only Taylor Jenkins Reid Historical Fiction LA, 1970s Jennifer Beals, Benjamin Bratt, Judy Greer, Pablo Schreiber Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on pinterest Share on email Share on google Book Review Daisy Jones and the Six 4.5/5 Daisy Jones is an epic memoir style story of a 1970s rock band. All the boozy, crazy, tense and wild behind the scenes you could imagine. Is Taylor Jenkins Reid Janice Joplin reincarnated? How…
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The Empress Book Review ~ A Madwoman in Mexico
by Laura Martinez-belli 1866, Mexico Book Review 4.5/5 I knew I was going to love this book when it began with a cast of characters à la a Shakespearean play. Enriched with little known history and authentic persons, the dullness of centuries past becomes suffused with color, bright and alive. Somewhat reminiscent of Philippa Gregory’s works, The Empress is full of Mexican culture, international politics, power struggles and aristocratic manipulations. Though centurial affairs can be at times dry, there was never a lack of interesting storylines. Martinez-Belli kept the narrative thriving through her many characters, especially the regal Empress Carlota and her questionable lady, Constanza. I absolutely adore all things…
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The Monsters We Make Book Review
by Kali White VanBaale narrated by Mia Barron set in Des Moines, Iowa, 1984 Book Review Des Moines, Iowa, 1984; the center of the Midwest, where “kids were taught God and manners….Bad was other places. Other cities…..” A second paperboy has vanished in the span of two years. Sergeant Goodkind is now in charge of finding 13 year old Christopher Stewart after failing to solve the disappearance of Matthew Kline. Goodkind, struggling to repair his damaged marriage, is again being pulled away from his family and inside the hunt, a constant search for the missing boys. This couldn’t be happening again. Paperboy Sammy Cox and his older sister Crystal, an investigative…
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The Dutch House
author, Ann Patchett narrator, Tom Hanks setting, Philadelphia Book Rating: 3/5A moving autobiographical fiction novel, The Dutch House focuses on the relationship between two siblings, Danny and Maeve Conroy. This was my very first Ann Patchett novel and I wanted to LOVE it!! It was beautifully written. Ms. Patchett is very definitely talented. I could feel the moods that settled over different scenes. I found myself thinking about parts of this book while doing dishes or rocking my baby to sleep. The lives of Danny and Maeve built a compelling story but I didn’t keep-walking-in-the-rainstorm-because-I-couldn’t-stop-listening ”love” it. (I miss you Crawdads!) Also, I couldn’t attach to the characters which is usually…
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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
author: Taylor Jenkins Reid narrators: Alma Cuervo, Julia Whelan, Robin Miles setting: Hollywood, NY 1950s-present Book Rating: 5/5If you could choose between true love or wealth and Hollywood fame…… Hollywood legend tells all. This book has everything: sexy iconic old Hollywood; gimlets and manhattans and cigarettes; mansions and wealth and fame. Think Marilyn Monroe surviving into old age and deciding to spill all of her deepest secrets. There was something raw and real in this book that spoke to me. Evelyn’s strength and vulnerability were palpable at times and there are pure gems of wisdom to stumble over. Multiple times I had to stop reading to reflect. Other times I had to…
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The Nightingale Book Review
author, Kristin Hannah narrator, Polly Stone, setting, France, 1940s Book Rating: 5/5 “In love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.” This book has a presence. A heartbreaking yet inspirational novel, The Nightingale was such an emotional read for me. I listened to the audio during my daily walks and I remember sobbing while walking past fields of cows, their big cow eyes following me down the road. I carried this book around in my heart for weeks. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I related to it throughout different aspects of my daily life. Even a year later, I feel an…
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The Giver of Stars Book Review ~ An Epic Inspiration
This book stuck with me. It inspired a trip to the mountains of Kentucky, horseback riding in the cold and some great comfort foods! by Jojo Moyes narrated by Julia Whelanset in eastern Kentucky, 1930s Book Rating: 5/5British born Alice is adrift in the mountains of depression era Kentucky as well as her confounding new marriage. In a quick paced turn of events, Alice finds herself volunteering to be a pack horse librarian. Moyes composes a magical journey about a young woman finding her place in the world, the meaning of friends and true love. She does all this while paying homage to the power of the written word and…
