What a perfect book for this time of the year! I‘ll admit, it wasn‘t very “deep”. It was what you‘d expect for a Christmas story. This is the first year that I decided to read seasonal moves, and I‘m glad that I did. It really helps put me in the Chris spirit. This particular story was very magical. I‘d love to find and old home and a little town like the one described in the story. Merry Christmas, all!!

This book was very educational.I can‘t say that I ever read a book about a group of nuns who lived during the Middle Ages.While the story was interesting,I found that it was slow paced.The author has a beautiful style of writing,but I had trouble with the middle age terminology and had to stop to look many words up.I read this book as part of a reading group that I belong to,and can‘t wait to see what the group members think about it when we meet.

What a perfect little book for this time of the year! It definitely helped to get me in the Christmas spirit. I am lucky enough to have visited Edinburgh, Scotland and I walked the Royal Mile. The author does a wonderful job of describing the look and feel of the beautiful city. I so want to go back and visit some of the spots mentioned in this story! Thank you, Goodreads, for the ARC!

The first portion of this book was excellent.It was action packed and so full of emotion that parts brought me to tears.The 2nd portion wasnt as good. The momentum totally changed,& I felt that I was reading a romance novel at times.Romance isn‘t my genre,but I still gave it a 4 rating due to other contributing factors.This was one of the Amazon prime free reads this month.I‘m glad I selected it,and will never look at a car ride in the snow again.

I write this review through tears. I was so touched by this story. So much magic, yet equal amounts of reality and true life lessons. I absolutely loved almost every character, and want so badly to visit this magical land (or one like it). I hope to make some positive changes in my life due to the lessons I learned in this book. I am a better person for having read it…..

I read this book as part of the “Big Library Read”. I found it entertaining. The group was in a situation that I hope to never find myself in. I can‘t say that I agreed with all of the decisions that the protagonist made. The end was a bit predictable. I‘m not sure why the library chose this book for their campaign, however ; I‘m glad that I read it.

How to rate this book? It was entertaining, but the subject matter was so dark.The worst part is it‘s a true story.This monster really existed!She‘s in jail, but eligible for parole in 2022.The atrocities that her daughters endured were unreal.Trigger warning-if you have a weak stomach or can‘t handle extreme graphics,don‘t read this book. I am neither of the above,but found it disturbing.On the other hand, it was well written and kept me reading.

Another very good book! I put this one off for awhile, thinking I wouldn‘t like it. Boy, was I wrong! I found it to be fast paced, especially the end. I definitely learned more about the refugee Vietnamese and their culture. I didn‘t realize that many of them ended up in New Orleans. It was nice to read about one of my favorite cities! The way the immigrant family changed over the years was amazing. I recommend this book.

Thank you, Goodreads, for the ARC. I didn‘t realize when I submitted an entry to win this book that it was part of a series, and it wasn‘t the first one. That explains why characters seemed to appear out of nowhere. It was a very nice story. I liked learning about the Irish culture, but struggled a bit with the terminology.

Wow!! Good book, but it would make an even better movie! Very high suspense. I listened to the audiobook. The narrator did a great job. It usually takes me longer to finish audiobooks, but I finished this one in record time. The scary part is that I can see this actually happening. I might think twice before getting on an airplane. A big thank you to the Facebook Monthly Book club for making this the November monthly read!

This was the November selection for a book club I belong to. It was a tough read for me. Definitely not my type of novel. Although there were many good portions, I felt confused as I tried to understand what was happening. The characters were hard for me to keep track of, as some of them only showed up a few times during the story. This wasn‘t a horrible book, but definitely not one of my favorites.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”. I don‘t know why I waited so long to read this classic. It was such a good story! I had to refer to the literary synopsis online often, due to the time and the style this book was written in. After reading this, I will definitely be reading more books written by Charles Dickens.

I was going to give this book a 4 star rating until the last few chapters, and then it quickly shot up to a 5. Wow! I absolutely love how everything came together. Even the epilogue was amazing! I‘ve been looking forward to reading this book for a long time. My only disappointment is that it‘s over. The story, the characters, the magic….I have a feeling that I‘ll be reading this one again.

I really liked this story once I got into it. It‘s told from 2 perspectives, a mother and her sons. They both long for love, but in very different ways. The story also tells of life‘s evils that haunt them both. I wish both of their stories would have ended a little differently, but that isn‘t how life goes sometimes. Thank you, good reads, for the ARC. This book is due out in December 2021, and I recommend it.

I almost gave up on this book.It started slow.Im so glad that I kept going.What a story!I‘d like to learn more about this woman who spent her entire life impersonating a man so that she could be educated and work as a doctor/surgeon during a time when neither was allowed.Her story is the epitome of bravery.She gave up everything for her name and career. Would you do that?I know I wouldn‘t,but that doesn‘t take away from this story.It‘s a good one!

What an eye opener this book was. It was written from the perspective of a teenager who was going through many of the things I remember going through when I was his age. It really brought me back. Some of the thing he went through had the potential of negatively impacting his life. I hope that this book finds its way to the many young (and not so young) people who would benefit from reading it. It sends a great message.

What a beautiful, wonderful novel! It contained deep, unforgettable characters! I didn‘t want the story to end. This author has a way with words that made me feel like I was visiting the places he described. It depicted the war from both Germany and France‘s perspective. There was a main character from both sides, who I loved equally. I will definitely be reading other books by Anthony Doerr!

I‘m so glad that I read this classic! It was a little hard to get through due to the speaking style, but I managed. I loved that the female protagonist was such a strong woman, considering the times. The events that took place in this story really gave meaning to the title. If you haven‘t already read this book, I recommend it.

I literally sped through this book. It was extremely suspenseful. I rated it 4 out of 5. It would have been a 5, but the end was a bit confusing. I had to read it twice to ensure I understood what had happened. Even now, I‘m not totally sure. If anyone else has read it, please reach out to me so we can discuss. This was one of those books that I didn‘t want to end. That doesn‘t happen often. Thank you Goodreads, for the ARC.

I‘m not quite sure how to rate this book. Maybe I‘m comparing it to much to Daisy Jones or Evelyn Hugo, which I absolutely loved. If I‘d read this book first, I‘m sure I‘d rate it higher. It was a good story that kept me reading, but I don‘t think it‘ll stay with me like the other 2 did. I didn‘t connect with the characters in this book as well. It is definitely worth the read. I liked learning about surfing and Malibu.

To say I waited a long time to read this book would be an understatement. I heard so much about it! It didn‘t disappoint. Although it was written in the late 1800‘s, the story contained enough scandals and intrigue to keep me reading. It was also a love story in part. It‘s one of the first classics I‘ve ever read. Now I understand how it withstood the test of time. What should my next classic read be?

I throughly enjoyed this book. It was so heartwarming! I absolutely LOVED most of the characters! Even if it sounds strange, I feel like I know them personally. The author did a great job of making them feel so real. I really like this young author, and know that she will continue to excel. If you haven‘t read this book, please do so. You won‘t be sorry!

I flew through this book in record time. I honestly don‘t know why I found it so good, but I did. It was really just about an ordinary family living a semi-ordinary life. Throw in a little Alzheimer‘s (which really sucks), a bit of family disfunction, and you end up with a wonderful story. It was heartfelt. Thank you, Goodreads, for the ARC!

This book was the monthly selection for a book club that I belong to. I thought that I‘d be bored with the topic,as I have previously read about.I‘ve also visited Salem on several occasions.I was wrong,this book is not in the least boring.Although it is historical fiction, it reads like a suspense novel. I had a hard time putting it down.I absolutely love the way that it ended.I felt that it did a good job touching on modern day issues.

This book was your typical “who done it”. Actually, maybe it was a little better than that due to a little twist at the end. There were times where I became extremely annoyed with the protagonist, due to her interfering nature. I think this is what the author intended. While mysteries and suspense aren‘t my favorite genres, this was a good book. Thank you, Goodreads, for the ARC.

I read this book in record time,I couldn‘t wait to see how it ended.I loved most of the book, but didn‘t love the ending.I found the questions at the end of the book to be thought provoking.They brought up many significant points made during the course of the book that I could relate with,especially regarding the relationships between men and women.All and all, this was a book that I‘d recommend. I‘m looking forward to watching the original series

I really enjoyed this book,I loved the 2 main characters. I felt Opal was the stronger of the 2.I kept trying to figure out who the author was portraying in real life.For Opal,it could have been Grace Jones or Tina Turner. Grace Jones had a sidekick named Dolph Lundgren.What did those of you who read it think?I found the format that the book was written in to be confusing at times.I didn‘t like the footnotes, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book

This book was an eye opener! The sadness and agony these people had to endure is beyond belief. The story was paced in a way that kept me interested throughout. I like the way the chapters alternated between the two main characters, who were both very likable.
.

I don‘t read many books that are made up of a series of short stories. I‘m not sure that format is for me. I prefer a novel where you get to know an understand the characters. That being said, this author has a beautiful way with words. Reading her work felt like reading poetry. The last (and longest) of the short stories was my favorite. Thank you, Goodreads, for the ARC.

This story was very inspiring, and made me think about what is important in life. The obstacles that this family endured on their journey to the US amazed me. It‘s hard to believe that one family can go through so much, and still remain strong. The description at the end of the book of their final home made it sound breathtaking. This book was definitely worth the read!!

I always look at books ratings before I read it. I feel this book was underrated. While it was a little predictable, it was a very good story. It helps that I love animal stories. There are spots that were herd to read involving animal cruelty, so consider that a trigger warning. All I all, this was a very good book.

It isn‘t often that I don‘t want a book to end.I loved this book. I loved following the protagonist through her story,and rooted for her the entire time.I wish I could meet her in person. This is the first book that I read that took place in Nigeria. I enjoyed hearing about their culture,but was surprised to learn of the poverty of some,and the extreme wealth of others. I don‘t know what took me so long to read this book, again I LOVED IT!!

This book started out slow, but turned into a real page turner! I am not sure I would have made some of the decisions that the protagonist made in this story. There is no way that I would have gone to the extent that she did to locate a missing person. This book gave me a better perspective of what goes on in Hollywood. It‘s definitely not a life I‘d like to lead. Thank you, Goodreads, for the ARC!

What did I just read? I could not put this book down! I need a sequel, since this book was written in 1998. I know that a lot of craziness has happened in this band since then. I actually attended a MM concert in the late 90‘s. I can attest to the fact that none of the outrageous rumors about this bands concert antics were true. It was a good show, and this was a very entertaining book!

This book was definitely interesting. If you like The Hunger Games or The Handmaids Tale, you‘ll probably like this book. The stories had a lot of similarities. This book also reminded me a bit of The Lord of the Flies. While it definitely kept me reading, I don‘t think it quite measured up to all of the hype that I‘d heard about it. There were parts where I felt a bit lost. This might be one of those books that you have to read twice.

What a story this was!I have a feeling it will be with me for a long time.The fact that it was written over 20 yrs ago didnt distract from the story,since its historical fiction.The characters in this novel are absolutely genuine.I loved most of them,and the ones I didnt werent meant to be loved.Im glad that a member of a bookclub that I belong to mentioned this title,otherwise I probably would never have picked up this book.Highly recommended!

First, I‘d like to thank Goodreads for this ARC. This was an easy read, I got through it fairly quickly. This book dealt with a very sad and shocking topic. It seems I‘ve read similar books in the past. There wasn‘t much that made this book stand out from the other, similar books that I‘ve read. While I found parts of the story interesting, I found other parts to be a bit slow.

This book was a compilation of several short stories.Its different than any book I‘ve ever read.Each short story had a valuable life lesson embeddedI can tell that the author has some very strong political viewpoints which he expressed well.I agree with some of his viewpoints. The main take away that I got out of this book is that the world would be a much better place if we could all learn to love more. Thank you,Goodreads,for this giveaway.

This book was the July 2021 selection for a book club that I belong. It was my least favorite of all of the books we‘ve read together so far. I‘m my opinion, nothing really happened until the book was about 80% through. We knew a girl went missing early on in the story, it took a very long time for much else to happen. I was a little bored with this story. The last 20% redeemed it a bit.

This isn‘t my favorite type of story. It took me a lot longer to read than most books do. That‘s probably why there were parts I didn‘t remember or understand before I started reading again. I have other books by this author on my TBR. I will give at least one other a try, and hope that I like it better.

You just never know how you‘ll feel about a book until you give it a try! That‘s what I did with this book after I won it on Goodreads. I never thought I‘d enjoy military (Air Force) fiction, but I was wrong! This story was very suspenseful, and it had a few twists towards the end. It certainly kept me reading! I can tell by the way that it ended that there will be more to this story.

What a page turner! I found this book to be very easy to read, and I had a hard time putting it down! I loved the short chapters, with a cliff hanger at the end of almost every one. I love the way the author rotated the chapters among the characters. This made it feel like there were 5 stories in one. I think my favorite chapters were those involving Ellie. Needless to say,I highly recommend this book. It‘s a great, quick and exciting summer read.

This book inspires me to try new things. It‘s evident that a lot of research went into this story. I now want to visit London and go mudlarking. How neat it would be to find something interesting, like Carolyn found in this book. I do plan on trying some of the recipes at the end of this book. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It was very suspenseful and interesting.

Murder mysteries aren‘t my favorite genre, but this one kept my interest right to the end. Just when I thought I‘d figured it out, I was wrong. This story had many twists and turns. Thank you to my Facebook “Monthly Book Club” for making this book a June 2021 read.

This book wasn‘t at all what I expected. I wasn‘t sure that I wanted to read another story about adoption. This was not just another story about adoption. It was a real page turner that I sped through. It really picked up at about the half way point. My perception about the characters totally changed between the beginning and the end. Thank you, Goodreads, for the ARC.

This was definitely a cute story. It was a bit romantic, a bit mysterious and a bit suspenseful. I think my favorite parts were where the various cities and towns of Italy were described in detail. Visiting Italy is on my bucket list. There was a bit of a twist at the end that I didn‘t see coming.

This book contains a subject that I knew little about, the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. As with many historical fiction novels, I learned a lot while reading the story. It was both entertaining and educational. I read it as part of a book club that I belong to, and I am glad that they selected it. The story was definitely intriguing, and many times very surprising. I would recommend this book if you like historical fiction.

Thank you, Goodreads, for this ARC. I found parts of this book to be entertaining. That being said, I felt many parts were drawn out and didn‘t really go anywhere. In my opinion, this story was too “every day life”. Who knows, maybe that was the point? It was one of those books that I couldn‘t wait to end so I could move on to the next.

Im really not sure how I feel about this book. The subject matter was powerful.The writing was superb,it was poetic. My issue is that there were so many times while where I wasn‘t sure what I was reading about.I had to try to figure out what was going on, even then I wasn‘t sure if I was right.This may be one of those books you need to read more than once. While I‘ve always appreciated poetry, I‘ll admit that I don‘t really understand most of it.

Philippa Gregory is a superb author. I‘m confident I‘ll like every book that she writes.This book is the 2nd in her Fairmile Series.I didn‘t like this book as much as I liked Tidelands,but it was still a good story that kept me interested.I hated one of the main characters,but that‘s what the author intended.I loved reading about Venice.I wasn‘t as interested in the storyline that took place in the New England.Thanks you to Goodreads for the ARC.