jenbsbooks's reviews
2129 reviews

I'm not sure what to rate this one ... Hubs picked this as his next read, and I like to find commonalities and discussion possibilities, so I picked it up too. It didn't really grab me to start ... it was fine, just a little rambling. I stopped and shifted to some fiction, then came back to this (beat Hubs through it). 

I went with the audio ... it was included in AudiblePlus, but I grabbed a library copy so that Hubs and I could listen at the same time and not mess anything up. The library had the Kindle copy as well, which I like to have on hand for reference. 

This was the basic 1st person, as with most memoirs. It had a strange setup, as each chapter would start out in the present tense, like a "live" moment (in italics also in print) and then shift to storyteller and past tense, usually leading up to that moment. The book starts right at the heights of excitement, the two men on the wall (present tense) ... not labeled as a prologue, but preceding chapter one. There were four "parts"  with 21 chronological chapters through. No headers. Dates and locations were given in the text to tell the reader "where/when" we were. 

Random notes: refers to learning to sew, making teddy bears and stuffing "the carcass" ... I have made stuffed bears and never referred to the body as a carcass! In chapter2, he talks about his father/father's friend leading expeditions, and their two different styles (reaching the top, enjoying the journey) ... which was interesting and up for discussion. "Playing Indians"  mentioned in childhood memories, but in today's PC world, I always wonder if groups will come after an author for mentioning such  things. Gravity - the physics formula was mentioned a couple times ... I zeroed in on that after "taking" physics with my son a few years ago. "Dais" ... one of the words I track, and it was pronounced with a long I (whereas most pronunciations use a long A). And ROUTE ... said 200+ time. How do you pronounce it? "root" or "rout" ... here, it's always the former. 

I'm not into climbing at all (Hubs has done some) ... I think it's crazy. I've been reading more nonfiction and memoirs though. It's always interesting the set-up, and how a personal memoir can differ so much from a non-fiction, analytical account, where the author needs to address what is absolute fact, what quotes are taken directly from written or recorded accounts, what has been fact-checked and "proved" per se, with clarifications given for memory, etc. In memoirs, it seems individuals can just write whatever they want, include dialog (was everything included here recorded somewhere, or just what someone thinks they remember someone saying something like that) and call it non-fiction ... in other words, REAL. But memory and personal perspective is SUCH a fragile thing. 

The author here gives a shout out to Krakauer- whose Into Thin Air became a controversial book after The Climb came out from another perspective, attacking some things presented. Here the author mentions a bit of a similar situation ... I wanted to re-read that portion but couldn't find where it was. 

And one wonders how much of this is actually Caldwell as "the author" ... in the acknowledgements he does credit several others for their help, and not credited on the cover, but "c0-writer" Kelly Cordes. Ghost writer or just "helper?"  Not that it really matters that much I suppose. 

The Kindle copy had quite a few pictures which were very interesting.
I'm betting Hubs and I will end up watching the documentary.

Content: There were a couple instances of proFanity. Some talk of sex but nothing at all explicit.

Upfront admission ... I had seen a few books that were written in verse, labeled as poetry. It's not really my genre. I first went ahead and gave it a try with [book:Long Way Down|22552026]. In audio, I wouldn't have know this was "in verse" ... which is I guess what most of these books are. In audio (read by the author in Long Way Down) it just sounded a bit like a stream of consciousness thought. I had to check out the print copy to "see" the  verse, and it really hit me (I bought a copy to keep in my home library). Again, in [book:Shout|40519259] ... I went with audio first, and wouldn't have realized it was "verse" without seeing the print copy. The same goes for this book. 

I've read quite a few "refugee" situations ... ones read recently are [book:Where the Wind Leads: A Refugee Family's Miraculous Story of Loss, Rescue, and Redemption|18126604] (also Vietnam) [book:Good Morning, Hope: A True Story of Refugee Twin Sisters and Their Triumph over War, Poverty, and Heartbreak|75532812] (Albania), Persepolis (Tehran), American Dirt (Mexico) and even early pioneer history, plus of course all the WW2 books. They all have similarities, even in different times and locations. It's always so sad, leaving everything to travel and hope for a better future. The struggle, help and persecution faced in new lands. 

This fits in my "not-nonfiction but ..." as at the end, the author notes how many things that happened to the MC, actually did happen to her. 

I liked this ... I'm not sure how much I'll remember. I did go with the audio edition, but I had a physical copy I'd picked up, intending to offer it up in my Little Free Library. Now ... I'm not sure, I kind of want to keep it for my own shelves. It's one I could see myself grabbing to flip through again. The cover is lovely. It's unique. There's a sequel, but I'm not really feeling pulled toward continuing  on  ... 

I've read several books by this author - and she has more included in Kindle Unlimited, text and audio, so I'll likely get to more of them. but also need to space them out somewhat. They are all different, but have a similar feel (a little Hallmark).  This one is up there for me though. 

Set in 1959, this deals with the prejudices against women, and blacks, and any relationships between them. There are two POVs, Dr. Lucy and young Pete (12 years old). 3rd person/Past tense, the chapters switch between the two POVs. In audio there were two different narrators (Teri Schnaubelt and Nick Podehl).  An informative Table of Contents, showing three "parts" and 32 chronological chapters (labeled with the POV). 
Part 1: The Half-Wild Prince 
Part 2: Say Goodbye for Now
Part 3: Nearly Eight Years Go By, So Fast

The blurb pretty much outlines this timeframe set-up (I had perused it). I grew to like and care about the characters (Dr. Lucy, Pete, Prince, Justin, Calvin). Pete's father ... some books can bring out some strong feelings, and ... did not like him. I don't know that there were really any twists, it was all fairly predictable, but engaging, it kept my interest and I think I'll remember it. Fondly. I always appreciate learning in historical fiction. While I had heard of anti-miscegenation, and (as addressed, ironically named) the 1967 Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia, I liked getting a refresher here in a fictional setting.

I'd just read [book:Harris and Me|570633] - which had some similarities (relationship between two young boys, abusive parents, animals). They weren't that similar, but still I wished I'd had a little more space between them. 

Content Concerns: No proFanity or sex, but some violence (domestic and racial).

Not really sure what to rate this ... 3.5. While writing this review and remembering some of the story, I think I bumped it up a little. My boys (reluctant readers) had read this author's Hatchet series. I noticed he has SO many other titles too. This one popped up for me as a physical book, given  to me by my brother (purchased at a school library sale) for my Little Free Library. I like to read a book if I can before offering it up, and wondered if the author's appeal would carry over beyond Hatchet.

On the one hand, this was a sweet story about a boy coming from a broken home, to stay the summer with extended family. Learning about love and life. Lots of growth.

It's also a very "young boy" with some crude talk (testicles, balls, dirty pictures, blowing up a frog, smoking/drinking) and bad grammar (lots of "ain't" and "don't nobody seen that" type of thing ...) ironically whereas the title says "Harris and Me" I noted IN the book, our MC said/thought "Harris and I" with correct grammar. He (at age 11) also uses/things words like "ubiquitous" and "purloined" and "wherein" (see the TOC headers) ... 

Just twelve chapters ... no TOC in the hardcopy, and just basic numerical chapters listed in the Kindle and audio versions. There WERE chapter headings, which sound like official "Friends" episode titles, and I would have loved to have them shown in the TOC. So, here they are now for my personal reference (it gives a feel of the book, the events, the voice ...)

1. In which I meet Harris and am exposed for the first time to the vagaries of inflation
2. Wherein I become a farmer and meet Vivian
3. Wherein Harris introduces me to work and I meet Ernie
4. In which war is declared and honor established
5. Where I meet Buzzer and learn the value and safety of teamwork
6. Wherein I learn some more physics, involving parabolic trajectories, and see the worth of literature
7. In which I am exposed to the city, and the lure of the silver screen and orange pop
8. In which we educate two horses, and I learn the one blamed is not always the one guilty
9. Where I learn of play and strength, and raw work
10. In which I discover love only to have my heart broken and in revenge fry Harris's business
11. In which Harris discovers speed ... and the value of clothing
12. In which all things change

I have to admit I laughed out loud typing up the header to chapter 10 ... there is an epilogue too. So much of the story is just basic childhood shenanigans. I did wonder at the "indians" and "dirty japs" play, how the present day political correct climate would view things.  I was a reminded a little of the childhood friendships in To Kill A Mockingbird, Jem&Scout and Dill come to stay the summer, or Huck Finn/Tom Sawyer.   There at the end, I think I teared up a little. 

It was having the physical book that bumped this up my TBR ... I'm a little ashamed to say I struggled a bit with the "don't judge a book by its cover" because, I HATE this cover. There are a few, this one is the two boys and the big, realistic looking (made me wonder if it had been made into a movie? I don't mind the audio cover, and like the farm scene of the hardback. I don't love the title either ... the grammar issue bugs me a bit (and as mentioned, our MC actually has a refined vocabulary for his age).

Writing this review ... as I wrote "the MC" ... I realized I didn't know the MCs name. I flipped through the book ... we are never told his name! The blurb says "A young city boys is sent to spend the summer on his aunt and uncle's farm" ... it doesn't list a name. His name is never said! I was super aware of this in The Handmaid's Tale and The Book of the Unnamed Midwife, but I hadn't even realized it here until I came to write this review. 

1st person//Past tense
Listed as part of a series - but that seems to be a random pull together of titles, this is a stand-alone book.

On Audible, it's listed as a woman as the narrator ... um no, Steven Boyer does get credit (even if Audible gets it wrong on their site).

I'm enjoying this series ... while I splurged and purchased the audio, I still like (need) to have the text handy, so I was waiting on the kindle copy from the library. Still got to read book 2 shortly after finishing book 1. I should get to the next two next month ... I don't think I'll wait long to get to them. 

I am still having that "familiar feel" ... with M-Bot, I'm reminded of Project Hail Mary and Columbus Day, with the cute little AI sidekick (PHM isn't AI ... but still similar in tone).  Some "Star Wars" thoughts too, I was picturing the cantina with all the different types of aliens at one point. There is a whole new group of characters here ... and many are very unique. 

Almost identical set-up, with five "parts" with multiple chapters, and a few (non chapter) "interludes" from someone else's POV, Jorden or Morrimur, in 3rd person, whereas the rest of the story is 1st person/past tense from Spensa's POV ... although she is "Alanik" for a majority of the book. 

Very YA friendly ... their "swear word" of choice "scud" comes up a lot (100+) but it's actually refreshing and feels truer to a "different world" than to have standard Earth proFanity ;) 

I've read five books by this author, and I had this one on my list (included in KindleUnlimited, for which I have a temporary subscription. Maybe a previous FirstReads offering?) when I saw the physical book in a Little Free Library. It was an ARC (uncorrected proof pre-publication). While I still went with the audio version and referenced the Kindle copy a few times, I loved having a physical copy there to leaf through as well. 

Simple chronological chapters. First person. Present tense.  I love the cover ... not sure how much I love the title. Does it give too much away? While our MC Mimi is in a relationship right at the start, it's fairly obvious there are some issues and another love interest ... still, it did keep me guessing a little (is this going to be the book where the expected relationship is NOT one that works out?)

The name Mimi was a bit of a struggle for me -- I'd recently watched RENT, and was just picturing Rosario Dawson every time the name was said (and the Mimi character there didn't match Mimi here at all). I DID LOVE the Mimi-Mommy name though, and Daddy-o-Daddy ... Alice had such a cute voice, in the writing and the narration.  

Another book read recently was set in the 1980s ... the 80s didn't seem to be essential to the story though (eliminates cell phones and social media and such). I have a "contemporary" and a "historical" label and I don't feel like the 80s fit into either ;) 

Content Concerns: some proFanity (x8) and sex (nothing in explicit detail, but mention of it going on). Some dealing with death (little girl has lost her mother) and health issues. 

Finding the hard copy pushed this to the top of my TBR, and getting to check out an ARC (even past publication, still cool to come across) was fun. I've switched to digital for years (ebooks and audio) but setting up my own Little Free Library has be collecting physical books again, and while I still default dominantly to audio, it's so nice to have the physical book in front of me, to flip through, and remember the moments as I'd listened to the audio book. I'm a little sentimental about the serendipity of this situation, but I am going to try and "release" this book back into LFL circulation for others to find and enjoy. 

I'd read "The Passing Storm" by this author and liked this. Very similar feel here. Included in Kindle Unlimited with text and audio ... narrator was Megan Tusing and she sounded familiar, she's been the narrator for a few I've listened to. 

3rd person/Past tense ... two POVs, little Bella and Nova. In the audiobook, the chapters have the POV noted (which is appreciated and helpful. They didn't alternate evenly, there was a lot more Nova in the book). In the Kindle copy, Bella's chapters were also in italics, and her "voice" was definitely younger. 

This wasn't completely contemporary -not "historical" either (we're not calling the 80s "history" yet are we?) I don't know that the time was super essential, perhaps a little in that pre-internet/Google, it probably would have been easier to "hide" a foster parent, keeping that information private. Bella's original chapter gives that year as 1982 and it moves chronologically from there (no big time jumps). That it's the 80s it brought out when one of the characters talks about "buying one of those IBM personal computers" and no cell phones, landline with cords.

Issues here with the foster parent trying to protect and win over abused children, the children acting out, the challenge of giving foster kids love without becoming too attached (in both directions). There were some other issues at play here too. While it was a bit of a reveal, it had also been set up, so I had guessed the "twist" fairly early on. 

Words - six smirks and a couple scowls. Cacophony (not one I was tracking until someone else mentioned it, and it IS in a lot of books!). Riffled ... both with the double l, but I'm fairly certain that it was pronounced riffled once, and rifled once (even though it was spelled the same). Not sure if I have the energy to double check that ;) 

Content - No proFanity, no sexual stuff that I remember. Quite clean. 
While I liked this, I'm not sure how much will stick in my memory. 

There were discussion questions at the end in the Kindle version - I appreciated that. 
41 chapters.

Quote "Children, like adults, deserved to keep their secrets until they were ready to share them."

There was also a mention of marigolds "“Every flower is beautiful in its own way. Some are very special. Take the lowly marigold. It’s not the most glamorous flower, but lots of bugs don’t like the smell, so they stay away. It’s a big help to other plants, keeping them free of pests." I had sewn seeds and had shared many marigold plants this year, and had just posted a picture on FB when I came across the mention. I like little connections like that.

 I've read several of Spalding's novels ... generally hitting some contemporary issues with some vulgar humor, but they stand out in my memory and are great for that "something different" between my other books when I need a palate cleanser. This one wasn't a favorite. 2.5 stars. I think I'll remember the basics. A good little push toward going green (or greener, do what you can).

1st person/present tense - very conversational tone, like our MC is talking to YOU, the reader, and in fact at times breaks the third wall and does address the reader (ie - "If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to work in a coffin, pop by sometime.") All from the POV of Ellie, working at a PR firm, who pretends she's a little more environmentally conscious than she is ... although, as one might expect, she does become more active along the way.

Several of my recent reads have had the word ornithological ... not common enough that I haven't noticed this strange, bird trend in my books. Here, the word was "ornithophobic" ... but there were birds again!

Included in KindleUnlimited - read and listen (audio included), this got pushed up my TBR after I found a physical copy at a library sale. I bought it, figuring I'd have it for reference as I read, then I'd put it in my Little Free Library. I am a Table of Contents snob, and get SO IRRITATED when the physical book doesn't have a TOC. Here, the chapters had headings, and I really appreciate a TOC, to see how many chapters, if there is additional information (headers, POV/Dates, etc). The Kindle copy TOC is best. Audible has just numerical chapters, and the physical book ... nothing at all. For MY reference (seriously, I can remember the basics of the book by reading the headers) ...

1. Climate Change
2. Dying to Make a Difference
3. Pot Plants, Pants and P45s
4. Veganthropy for Beginners
5. Cyclepathic Tendencies
6. The Cockatoo ... Of Doom
7. The Sticky Things Are Our Future
8. The Manspreader Cometh
9. The Tale of the Nefarious Narwhale
10. 37 Seconds
11. Four Normal Lightbulbs
12. An Extremely Inconvenient Truth
13. Two Stops and a Start

Content Conterns - per usual for this author, a lot of proFanity (x109) 

I'm not sure if I noticed this one after looking up the narrator (Sarah Zimmerman) ... but when I started this (Kindle Unlimited text, Hoopla audio) and discovered the narrator was Sarah Zimmerman again, I almost pushed it off. She's a good narrator, but it was just two books ago that I'd heard her, and thought the familiar voice would be too confusing. However ... the "voice" of that characters here, Kathryn and Melissa, in the dust-bowl days in Oklahoma, had enough distinction and twang, that I was able to continue after all.

That being said, there were two storylines, Kathryn and Melissa (sisters) and both were first person, and although the narrator distinguished their voices some, and their written voices had their differences, I think I might have preferred MORE distinction between the stories, with a different narrator for one of the girls (especially as the stories didn't have much cross-over). 

I appreciated the author's note (in Kindle, not included in the audio) that stated "I believe the hallmark of any good piece of historical fiction is its ability to ignite in readers a desire to learn more about the time period and events upon which it’s based." I did appreciate this bringing the dust bowl more to life, including little tidbits I hadn't really heard of before. I've read a few ... this reminded me a little of the sequel to Sarah Plain and Tall, where Sarah and the children go back East to her family (like Helen's family here).

There were Discussion Questions included in the Kindle copy ... and kudos to authors/editors/publishers who do this. It can really increase the appreciation for a book, bringing up things I might have skimmed over or not really thought about.  Some discussion questions are better than others ... these ones were great and made me think. 

This was labeled as "Christian Fiction"  ... and had I noticed that, I might not have read it. I struggle a bit when there's a lot of discussion of God and God's plan by the characters. This was on the border of being too much for me, but I was glad I powered through. I do tend to think those who look for God's hand in things, will find it, because they are looking SO hard and that's how they'll interpret and explain.  

I really enjoyed the Wizard of Oz running throughout the book ...

The Table of Contents snob inside of me wishes that the POV (included in headers at the beginning of the chapters) was also included in the TOC (so I could see at a glance which chapters were which). I believe they switched off between the girls, with Kathryn's story on the odd chapters, and Melissa's on the even chapters.  26 chapters in total. 

Words: lots of scowling, some smirking, one roil

Content: no proFanity, I saw one reviewer appalled at the "marriage night" description, saying such explicit sex shouldn't be in a "Christian" book that teens might read. I thought it was handled fine and wasn't overly descriptive. 

Bookclub pick (July WJ) ... I was glad the audio was on Hoopla, because the book was backed up at the library/Libby. Still new/popular enough that the prices aren't great on used copies.  Just to be honest, I've found (after multiple attempts) that "psychological thrillers with an unbelievable twist" are just not for me. I keep trying them every once in a while though. Here ... that unbelievable twist? Guessed that right away, not a surprise at all. That's not to say I realized everything, but I'm afraid if I stop and examine things too closely, it will make me like things even less. I can be judgmental on "realistic" reads (whereas I'll let things go on sci-fi, fantasy without issue). 

Basics ... 1st person/present tense & past tense (the prologue was past tense, talking about the past, and there were several shifts to the past throughout ... and NO headings indicating the change, so the tense was very important to help distinguish, as the transitions were often purposefully vague. For example, at the end of chapter 13, the police show up at the door, chapter 14 "The police station WAS warm ..." we are in a memory from years ago, even though it was just set-up that it could have been the present, that it was the police officers that triggered the memory, and after it returns to the present). Very easy, conversational tone. 48 chronological chapters, with May 2019, June 2019, July 2019 headers spaced in. 

With these types of reads ... I'm questioning and doubting everyone, so when I say I figured it out early on, I guess that doesn't really count. Maybe it was the mother, the brother, maybe it's the MC herself, she's schizophrenic and doesn't realize what her other personality is doing. Of course we're going to suspect the boyfriend, especially with the breadcrumbs so purposefully dropped. What about the victim's father, or the reporter who showed up. Yes ... it's just par for the course to suspect everyone. 

But there were things that were just too convenient ... that our MC is in the ONE state that allows psychologists to prescribe medication. When there's a memory/statement about getting her PhD and then Masters ... again, the one state where that is a requirement (in different fields ... the author addressed it in one of the Q&A here on Goodreads. I DO appreciate the author input addressing that perceived error).  The top review by Alyssa brings up a lot of discrepancies worth discussion ... hey, this is a bookclub book, so I guess I will be mentioning them, especially as there are no discussion questions included in the Kindle copy (I always appreciate discussion questions ... they often make me thing, delve a little deeper). 

Ultimately, the suspension of disbelief was just a little too much here ... and for me, in almost all psychological thrillers. I'm too busy second-guessing everything to really enjoy the story.  The MC wasn't really that likeable or sympathetic, and I didn't really see that small twist at the end. There was the title tie in, "a flicker in the dark" right at the end. But honestly, there was a little too much "flickering" going on (25x) earlier.

Content: proFanity (x30), some sex ... and of course murder ...