I am of the generation raised when being patriotic was the default: we dutifully recited the Pledge every school day, stood at parades when the flag went by, etc.etc. We were taught that the U.S. was unquestioningly on the “right side” in every conflict, and that we were against tyranny, and definitely always pro-freedom and …
My niece lives in Australia and I periodically make an effort to learn something — anything! — about her new homeland. I confess I am woefully ignorant about Australia’s history (as well as the present situation there, other than the big backstory about it being a destination to which prisoners were sent and a few …
I love Michael Robotham! In 2015, I read The Night Ferry, then in 2016 I was KNOCKED OUT by Close Your Eyes! 2017’s The Secrets She Keeps was not quite as terrific (for me) as the other two, so maybe that is how I missed 2019’s Good Girl, Bad Girl. It was the first in …
True confession: I requested this book because I misread the author’s name and thought it was a different author whose work I had enjoyed. So, I was totally clueless about this author going in, and if I had read the blurb carefully it is unlikely I would have requested it. TBH, creepy old houses, particularly …
Apparently, Jeff Abbott is somewhat prolific: a quick look on Amazon shows LOTS of titles, many with “A Thriller” prominently displayed on the cover, just in case the reader/shopped isn’t aware of the genre. I certainly wasn’t, when I received a copy of Never Ask Me from Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for …
Almost exactly two years ago, I read and reviewed Tana French’s standalone novel The Witch Elm, noting that I would have enjoyed seeing more of the Dublin Murder Squad characters (Antoinette Conway, Stephen Moran, and others), but that I had enjoyed geting to know a “whole new cast of characters.” Penguin Group Viking and NetGalley …
I really wanted to like this book? I like Ms. Hall, and it sounded like it would appeal to my appreciation for the plucky-heroine genre (Stephanie Plum, Kinsey Millhone). The protagonist, Grayson Sykes, is a PI who is looking for a woman named Isabel Lincoln. Isabel MAY have left town with her boyfriend’s dog. As the …
I have a history with Val McDermid, and her wonderful protagonist Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie of Police Scotland. Back in 2016, I read and reviewed Out of Bounds by Val McDermid, #4 in the series with this feisty female protagonist. At that time, I said, “I’m not sure why I haven’t read Val McDermid …
I’ve had a lifetime interest in health, nutrition and tend to be attracted to the shiny objects that come out frequently claiming to be the solution to weight loss, health, etc. so I was looking forward to reading The Intermittent Fasting Cookbook by Nicole Poirier, and when I received a copy from Quarto Publishing/Fair Winds …
As someone with a seriously compromised immune system, I was particularly happy to receive a copy of Immunity by Dr. Jenna Macciochi from NetGalley and The Experiment. With a subtitle “The Science of Staying Well — The Definitive Guide to Caring For Your Immune System,” I was hoping to learn…well, anything to boost my health, …
This was an interesting and thought-provoking book. I had some expectations, partly based on incomplete information…I had seen remarks comparing it to Toni Morrison and James Baldwin, so I thought it might be a real challenge for me (since I’ve been in less than perfect health and under treatment, I feel like my brain doesn’t …
A Million Reasons Why is the fourth book in four years for Jessica Strawser (after Almost Missed You, Not That I Could Tell, and Forget You Know Me), and although I couldn’t off the top of my head tell you the plot of any one of the previous ones, I recalled liking them, so I …
Two years ago, I read and reviewed Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House. I admitted I wasn’t very familiar with author Alyssa Mastromonaco prior to 2017, but after Obama left office, I began to hear her on the podcast …
Another psychological thriller, unreliable narrator, woman in danger, etc. And, you know, there are certain clichés, motifs, tropes, call them what you will, true crime fans know these to be true, with one being that if a husband goes missing, it’s ALWAYS the wife (or vice versa). So when I started reading Goodnight Beautiful by …
Living in the Santa Cruz area, I’ve long regarded Rocky Snyder (owner of local fitness center “Rocky’s) as a local treasure, knowing him as the owner of a local gym/fitness center that offers a variety of options/trainers for people interested in improving their health and fitness. Rocky definitely has the credentials: he is a “Certifed …
I’ve read several books in the Jonathan Stride series by Brian Freeman…although I tend to think of them as the Duluth series, because Freeman has done such a good job with the setting in this series, the city of Duluth and “the Point” in particular have become fixtures for fans of these books. Thanks to …
It was a dark and stormy night…but wait, some background. A family has experienced an extremely traumatic incident that has deeply affected Molly Clarke, her (just barely) adult daughter Nicole, son Evan, and forgot-his-name-husband. It’s gotten so bad Nicole has told Molly she hates her, Evan refused to acknowledge Molly’s presence at his school’s football …
The United States in the mid-19th century was wild, filled with social upheaval, political corruption, and people migrating west in search of a better life. (Except for the migrating westward part, this reminds me of the U.S. today.) Another parallel between the antebellum period and the present-day U.S. is the fascinating emergence of leaders whose …
EXACTLY what you would expect. A treasure trove of snark, pointing out some of the more obvious character traits of the man currently in the White House. If you love Doonesbury, you will love Lewser. If you love Trump, you will hate Lewser. Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for a copy in return …
After a few months of pandemic isolation, true crime books and podcasts, mystery/thrillers, and a double binge of Ozark (yes, all three seasons TWICE through), I needed a break. I needed something that wouldn’t require much if any intellectual exercise, and hopefully didn’t have any major characters with cancer…okay, that last one was a bridge …