One Chapter

Gold Digger: The Remarkable Baby Doe Tabor by Rebecca Rosenberg

I read this book for book club otherwise I don’t think I would have picked it up. From reading the title, I expected a more somber novel about the gold-rush era, not the adventurous, dashy story that I read. Baby Doe gave this era, something to talk about.

I knew nothing about Baby Doe before picking up this novel. Now, after reading this novel, I want to read more about her to hear the whole story.

The novel begins with Baby Doe traveling with her new husband Harvey to Colorado, in the late 1800’s, as Harvey is going to manage a mine that his father owns. Baby Doe has plans of her own, to send money back to her parents to help them get by. Her husband ends up not being as business smart as they thought and Baby Doe ends up helping him out with the business which I feel is an important part to who she ends up becoming.

The mine becomes the central part of the story with the individuals who work in it and their families also. Baby Doe becomes a working woman, yet some men are drawn to her beauty and don’t take her seriously. She’s a smart, determined individual who knows more than you think.

This was a fast-paced story what once I started, I couldn’t quit. There were numerous times while reading this story, I found myself talking out loud, reacting to the other characters as they conversed with Baby Doe. I laughed a few times and there were even some harsh words spoken, for I thought they were being very deceitful, given the circumstances. Baby Doe’s story is definitely a story that you need to read.

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

I liked this novel more than I liked To Kill a Mockingbird which is supposed to be the first book in this series. I think that’s because I understood the characters more and their actions and attitudes seemed to fit them. I read this book for book club, and listening to the discussions surrounding this book, it was interesting to hear the different viewpoints on the topics that we covered.

Jean Louise has returned to her hometown again from New York and I feel that she has changed and her views are more open. When Henry (a.k.a. Hank) picks her up, she is surprised that her father is not there but she enjoys Henry’s kiss. I think she enjoys how Henry tends to her. Henry wants to marry her and playfully and seriously, he asks for her hand in marriage, for which Jean Louise turns him down, again and again. Jean Louise likes her independence and N.Y living. Why would she leave that to come back here to live the simple life in Maycomb, AL? She likes Henry but love is a different story.

While back in Maycomb, Jean Louise gets lost between the present and past many times. She enjoys revisiting her memories of growing up in Maycomb and then facing, the current Maycomb, which has changed some over the years. Whether that change is for the better, is a matter of opinion. I enjoyed Jean Louise’s flashbacks and a few of them brought back memories of my own. Her revival preacher story and Jean Louise’s first dance were great stories and I was glad that she shared them.

There are racial remarks throughout the novel. They are subtle and quick, and if you didn’t stop and think about them, you might just miss them. The world around this small town is changing and whether Maycomb is changing too or wants to change, is something to consider as you read the novel.

I started to feel sorry for Jean Louise as I read. She had matured over the years and returned home to be confused. The title and the ending of the book, sealed the book for me. Jean Louise had it all along, she just needed to be told.

Amal Unbound by Alsha Saeed

Amal’s dream of becoming a teacher were put on hold when she must stay home and tend to her mother, who has not recovered since giving birth to her fourth child. Amal waits with anticipation for the day when she can return to school but an incident with a rich landlord/politician takes her even farther from her dream. Yet, through it all, Amal continues to keep reaching for that dream.

Becoming one of his servants to pay off the debt, Amal works at his lavish estate and believes that she’s working off the debt, that the incident triggered. This is a whole new world for Amal and I enjoyed how Amal handled herself. Locating a library within the estate, Amal begins “borrowing” material until someone spots her and tries to stop her. When she located the library, the first thought that went through my head was Belle from Beauty and the Beast. I imagined her reaction and amazement to be the same and that brought smiles to my face.

Amal is wise and clever, which I feel gives her an edge. She does what’s expected of her and she tries to stay out of trouble. She just wants the debt to be paid off so she can return home and return to her studies.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a fast read and I really liked the character of Amal. She was a bright individual, a character who matured in the novel and someone that I cheered for throughout the whole book.

Good Enough by Jen Petro-Roy

4 stars Realistic Fiction/ Middle School

I didn’t know what to expect from this book when I first started listening to it. I knew that I wanted to read it as it was on my TBR list but as I started to listen to it, I didn’t like how the book was starting out. I continued listening and, in the end, I liked the rollercoaster ride that I took with Riley.

When Riley was checked into the treatment center by her mother, Riley acted standoffish and I thought she wouldn’t make it. She didn’t see herself belonging to the individuals on this floor. She didn’t feel that she had an eating disorder and she believed that she would be in-and-out of the center within hours. She hid behind the truth because she believed it, she’d convinced herself that she was normal, so why was she there?

Riley liked salad and she liked to run. Actually, I thought Riley was obsessed with running. If you could look inside her head, you would see a different Riley but of course, you couldn’t. Riley had convinced herself that what she was doing was normal because that was the world that she lived in. I could totally understand what Riley was saying and why she was saying it. Riley had not just convinced me but I looked at Riley’s life and I saw things the way she saw them. While at the center, Riley was playing the staff and not being totally honest with them. I felt that if she continued, they might just release her, and then what? She’d go right back to being Riley and hiding her eating disorder. Riley really needed to see that eating healthy wasn’t a bad thing, she needed someone to help her take those first few steps.

Being in treatment, Riley is able to take a few baby steps towards a healthy eating plan. There are others in the program who are struggling, so she is not alone. It’s not easy, every meal they struggled and there are the inner voices that haunt and taunt them, as their eyes glare down on their food. It was the voices that got me as I listened to this novel on audio. I don’t feel that I have an eating disorder but I could totally relate to what they were telling Riley. I’m health conscious and I think about those extra calories before I eat them.

I thought she was making huge improvements. Riley was starting to feel good about herself, she was learning to accept her new image, and Riley was living in a controlled environment, yet wait…….what would happen when they set her free? I hate to be a Debbie Downer but let’s face reality here. What would happen when Riley gets released and she has to face her friends, her family, and the real world? You have to consider this outside world influences Riley. How is she going to handle this? Riley is a twelve-year-old teen and pressure is high at this age. I, seriously had my doubts for Riley. I wouldn’t be surprised or upset if Riley had issues once she is released.

I like how this book addressed Riley’s eating disorder. How it began, her struggles and successes, and how her life was like outside the center. This was a great, realistic novel that I’m glad I read and would definitely recommend.

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

I listened to this novel as I painted our fence in the backyard. This small, section of fence should have taken just a few hours but when I finally made my way back inside, I realized that my morning was gone and I was working into the afternoon. I know for a fact that I’d stopped a few times while painting, as I realized that I had become so involved in the story, that I couldn’t paint and listen at the same time. I guess I had done more reading than painting today but at least the fence was done.

I just couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This was a true story. These individuals were young teens, young men being treated brutally, while everyone turned their backs on them.

As these individuals told their stories, I kept reminding myself that this story had really occurred. This was supposed to be a reform school, a place where change occurs for the better. The boys were at Nickel Academy either because they were orphans or because of their behavior. They didn’t expect to be someone’s target, they didn’t deserve the harsh punishment and the brutality that they received. They most certainly didn’t deserve death.

As I listened, I wondered how much longer the people in charge could continue this practice and get-away with it? Wasn’t there any checks and balances along the way? I cringed to think that these individuals would take their authority further and push the envelope. It angered and frustrated me that some individuals feel they have the right to behave this way to anyone or anything.

I feel that it’s a powerful book, a book that allows their story to be told but now, I have more questions after reading this book, than I did when I first started. 4.5 stars

The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion

This wasn’t as good as The Rosie Project but it was an okay read. I ended up listening to the audio of this book and it was a good audio to listen to. The book picks up right where The Rosie Project left off but you don’t really need to read that book to appreciate it.

I did laugh while reading this book but I found Don so annoying that I wanted to lock him in a closet. I knew that Don was just trying to help but I thought that he was relentless in his tactics. Immersing himself in Rosie’s pregnancy, his concern consumed everything and every part of her life. I would expect some of this behavior from Don, but he was over-the-top. I don’t know if I could have been as calm as Rosie during the whole ordeal, but Rosie knew who Don was when she married him so she knew somewhat, what would occur if/when she got pregnant. I thought she handled the situations very well.

It was nice to see Don concerned about his wife and child (but the extremes were just too much) and I liked how Don referred to the baby as Bud. I wished that Rosie would have made more of an appearance in this book instead of letting Don steal the show. Even more interaction between the two of them would have been good.

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

Lock every door, if only that were the answer. I found myself, burning the midnight oil, racing through the final pages of this book. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to sleep until I read the final sentence of this book, for that would finally put my mind at ease.

I liked how the story started out; giving me a glimpse into the character’s current situation and then, I was slowly introduced into the rest of the storyline. Day-by-day the details intensified until I was completely under the books control. What happens when I finally got caught up to what was presently occurring in the book, I really didn’t care, for I was really enjoying the suspense in this book and trying to figure out some questions that I had. This large novel was becoming smaller by the minute!

When Jules took the job as a house sitter at the Bartholomew, I didn’t know what to expect. Making $12,000 for 3 months of housesitting was quite extraordinary but depending on the circumstances, that amount of money might just be right for some people. The rules that Jules had to abide by were crazy but again, they were only for 3 months. The no talking to anyone at the complex unless they spoke to you first rule was one rule that I would have a really hard time abiding by. I’m a talker and I like to make eye-contact, so no talking would mean I would probably have to look at the floor so I am not tempted to say something. Talk about antisocial behavior. 😉 I liked how Jules found a few individuals at the Bartholomew that she could talk to and confine in. The book just got creepier and twisted the more I read, what was going on?

My aunt had a dumbwaiter in her old house and I remember thinking, when I was little, that it was the coolest thing. We used to cram lots of stuff in it and play with it. Like Jules, we had some scary thoughts pertaining but that’s as far as ours went, just thoughts. I hadn’t thought about it in years but after reading this book, I had dreams of dumbwaiters. Thanks, Riley.

I loved the intensity of this book. I felt on-edge and as if I was Jules shadow. There were a few storylines twisted amongst the main story and I liked how the author put it all together. The flashbacks which were dispersed throughout the story were short and they provided details for the rest of the story. I really enjoyed this book! I’ve read Final Girls by Riley but I feel that I enjoyed this book more. I need to read The Last Time I Lied soon, then I think I’ve read all of his books.

Has anyone read The Last Time I Lied? Is that book a good thriller? Has anyone read all of his books? If you have, which one was your favorite?

Weed Pulling

Took some time out today to do some weed pulling at the library. On our main branch, we have a roof top garden where patrons can go and read, or visit or just hang out. You can even book the rooftop for your wedding, if you want. As volunteers, we pull the weeds that grow around the sedum. This garden space retains its own water.

The Evil Princess vs. The Brave Knight by Jennifer L. Holm

Sister and brother, evil princess and brave knight. They lived together in a castle but that didn’t always mean that they got along. The Evil Princess liked to be mean to the Brave Knight. The Brave Knight liked to be brave but he could also be mean, when the Evil Princess was evil to him. The Magic Mirror got tired of their mischief so she sent them each to their rooms!

That was fine…….at first. They played in their rooms and did what Evil Princesses and Brave Knights do by themselves. Then, it got rather boring as they each had no one to play with. The Magic Mirror said they could each come out ONLY if they played nice together. When they came out of their rooms, it was boring playing nice together then, they decided to go on a quest together and then, well……let’s just say that the Evil Princess and the Brave Knight just might need to spend more time in their rooms later.

This is a cute picture book that teaches a good lesson on playing together and getting along but what really gets resolved in the end? It also helps children discover that not all kids get along and that perhaps they need to find something to do beside doing the same thing every day. The illustrations were comical and colorful. A very fun and engaging book.

The Ferret’s a Foot by Colleen Af Venable

Sassypants and Harnisher are at it again! They saw Mr. Venezi put a sign in the window advertising for an assistant and they want to put a stop to that. Working together they correct all the pet-shop signs but a little bit later the signs have all been messed with. Someone(s) has changed all the signs and now the duo needs to figure out who has done it and why?

This book was funny but I didn’t think as funny as the previous books that I have read by these famous detectives. I thought the fish were hilarious and Herbert, the turtle. I like how they talk about the animals and how the animals all want to be together. The illustrations are easy to follow and their facial expressions are sometimes really funny. It’s a crazy, mixed-up pet shop which is owned by a Mr. Venezi, who doesn’t quite know what to put in his pet-shop nor does he know how to name what he does have.

I like how the book introduces information about the pets and later, at the back of the book, there is a two-page section titled, “Hamsiher Explains….” and here the author explains what was introduced in this graphic novel. There is also a one-page dictionary of terms that were used in the book including that word used in a sentence. This is a cute, entertaining, graphic novel series and I hope the author continues to write them.