A Murderous Relation is the fifth book in the Veronica Speedwell series. From the first book this has been one of my favorite series of all time but this installment proves that it is not immune to the mid-single-digit slump. For me, most series around book 5 or 6 take on a repetitive feel. I get not wanting to change what drew readers to the books in the first place, but no one wants to read the same book seven…
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 5/5This book was certainly a strong start to the year. It made the running list of my favorite books and I’m toying with the idea of rereading it already, less than two weeks after finishing it.I wouldn’t say that this is a completely believable book but it is moving and engrossing. Kya Clark is as poor as you can imagine. She lives in a shack in a marsh on the North Carolina coast…
The Cactus by Sarah Haywood 4/5 StarsI was attracted to The Cactus because of the cover blurb claiming that “fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine will love” this book. I did really like this book and it does have very similar parallels to Eleanor Oliphant but Susan Green is not quite on the Eleanor Oliphant level. Susan is 45, single, and finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. Everything about her life is very practical and efficient, which I completely appreciate and…
A Few Pecans Short of a Pie by Molly Harper 5/5 StarsI loved this short story just as I love all of the other Southern Eclectic books. Unfortunately I read it out of order so was a bit out of touch with Margot’s story but it was easy to jump back in. It follows Margot as she tries to plan her wedding, wrap her mind around being pregnant, and hone her skills as a soon-to-be new step-mom to two girls….
This took me a long time to read because it gets pretty dense in the middle. The beginning is super interesting because we learn about Sequana, the pagan river goddess the Seine is named after and an archeological site at Bercy in Paris where hundreds of artifacts were found. Sciolino starts at the source of the Seine and follows it to the sea, stopping along the way in notable towns and cities. It really is a great story of the…
Expeditions Unpacked by Ed Stafford Master of the Phantom Isle by Brandon Mull 5/5 StarsI love all of Brandon Mull’s books but this story just seemed… extra funny and even more adventurous than usual. Seth has no memory of his identity and is with Ronodin in the Phantom Isle. Kendra and her friends travel from Wyrmroost to the Crescent Lagoon, both for protection and to help the fallen sanctuary of Crescent Lagoon. We’re introduced to new characters, like a giant,…
Expeditions Unpacked is a book I didn’t know I needed in my life and now that it’s there I want 100 more just like it. This book covers 25 explorers who were the first to accomplish a goal in their field, such as the first person to climb Everest, walking the Amazon River, or the first human-powered circumnavigation of the globe, to name a few. Each entry has a list accompanied by illustrations of 20-30 items the explorer had with…
The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson 4/5 StarsI love that Magnusson says she is aged “between 80 and 100” and that this is her first book. I thought this would be more about decluttering (like The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up) but I feel that this book would most benefit someone over 50. It is geared towards those thinking of gradually really paring down and getting rid of things to the comfortable necessities so when…
Nobody Cares by Anne T. Donahue 4/5 StarsI really enjoyed these essays and can relate to Anne in many ways (anxiety! Titanic! Harry Styles!) but towards the end she got pretty politically preachy. I listened to the audiobook version and really enjoyed that the author read it. The essay format and humor was a breath of fresh air compared to what I usually read and I look forward to more from this author. Overall I liked it and would recommend.kindle,…
I’m pretty surprised at how many books I read (12) and reviewed (10) this month. Now that I look back it’s fewer than I read in June but I guess July was busier for me. We’re getting ready to head out on a summer road trip. I’m only bringing my kindle so I won’t be putting a dent in my physical TBR pile but I have an even worse problem digitally because of so many free or really cheap books….