Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford

They came here to find a place to call home. That’s all they wanted. They were comfortable, they found what they needed, and they thrived. They had a library, a post office, and their own little Black Wall Street. A one-mile stretch on Greenwood Avenue hosted so many black businesses that a business leader Booker T. Washington called it “Negro Wall Street of America” and that name stuck. They had lawyers, schools, doctors, heck they had it all! Hotels, movie theatres and even their own airplanes. They were comfortable and enjoying their wealth.

Not everyone was pleased with how well the African Americans were doing in Tulsa. This was 1921 afterall and some of them were making more money than the white population. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

When a 19-year-old shoeshine man enters an elevator, times were about to change. The 17-year-old elevator operator charges the shoeshine man with assault and causes chaos in the city. The shoeshine man is an African American and the elevator operator, a white female. Town people fearing for the safety of the shoeshine man rush to the jail to save him but are met by thousands of armed white individuals. This will not be the last day these two groups are left with dead supporters. It was heart-breaking reading what was once a peaceful, thriving community being torn apart by hatred.

With fantastic illustrations, this nonfiction book brings to life this terrible event that occurred in history. The author includes in the last few pages of the book some author’s notes about the event and the illustrator has written some notes also. I enjoyed reading these also. What a great book. Thanks to the author and illustrator for sharing this event to our young readers.

I choose a Wonderbook for this book. This was my first Wonderbook and it fantastic! These types of books are new to our library so I wanted to check them out. Basically, what it does is read the book to you while you follow along with the printed text. You don’t need to supply anything – no batteries, no plug-in, nothing. The directions are inside the cover of the book. I pushed the button to start the book, it chimed to tell me to turn the page, and I could follow along reading the text or in-the-case with this picture book, I could just follow along with the illustrations. I could stop the book whenever I wanted also. I see that there are other children’s books including chapter books for these Wonderbook titles and I’m going to look into these for further reads. What another wonderful way to read books. 5 stars

**Inside the front book cover – the Wonderbook directions and buttons**

The Boy From the Woods by Harlan Coben

This was better than I anticipated. I listened to this book on a Playaway and I liked the character of Wilde. He was the boy who they had found in the woods and although he was a bit different than anyone else, I thought he used that to his advantage. I thought this book might be more about him but it had to do with him and a case that he was working on. Wilde knew people judged him on his past but he knew things that others didn’t. Wilde didn’t try to shine in front of others yet he also didn’t let others walk on him- he held himself up and he did what he thought needed to be done. He got the job done like a professional.

Wilde is asked to help search for a young girl who has disappeared. I thought it was interesting why they asked for Wilde’s help but with some professional background he knows the protocol and he definitely knows the area. Wilde’s actions and demeanor reminded me of crafty spy.

When I first started to listen to this audio, I got a bit confused and had to replay the first couple chapters but then, I got on Wilde’s team. His voice on the audio was exactly what I thought he would sound like too. I saw that this was a series so I now have to listen to the sequel to see what happens. 4.25 stars

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Saenz

And this is why I wait. When I first read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, I thought it was an okay read but reading it a second time was a different experience for me. Whether this was because I was in a different place in my life, or my mood at the time, or perhaps I was just more ready for it, I found this first book in this series had become more enjoyable and encompassing. After discussing it in book club, instead of gazing into my crystal ball and envisioning the future of the characters, I picked up the new sequel. I couldn’t believe that it had taken this long for it to finally come out. At least now, I would have some solid answers.

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World begins right where Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe left off, so I’d read the first book before diving into this one. Since the two boys have finally come to terms with their feelings towards each other in the first book, now it’s time to address the rest of the world. We knew the struggle would be difficult as the boys’ deal with their peers and with the family dramatics but they also are looking at their future together. Will this love last?

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton

That Opal was a hoot! I couldn’t believe the transformation of this lady from the beginning to the end of the book. I was grinning from ear to ear as I heard her, her spunk, determination, and compassion just fell out of the book. Being a black woman, she knew exactly where her place was but that wasn’t a place were Opal wanted to be. If you think about the time period that Opal and Nev were an item (1970’s), equality was a hot issue. Liberation, racism, and equal rights were being sought after and it seemed that everyone was on edge.

On stage, I could only image what their performance was like and I would have loved to just see them up close. I doubt any performance was ever the same as their personalities, feelings, and the chemistry of the stage all came into play when they took the stage. Opal seemed to be the one who pushed their performances, who shined, while Nev filled in where he was needed and he worked on other matters.

Set up like an interview, this book is an oral history of the lives of Opal Jewel and Nev Charles, a singing duo from 1970’s. I loved the book, Daisy Jones and the Six so I knew I would enjoy this book also. The two books are alike yet they’re different. I liked how this book was an interview which consists of flashbacks that told the story of Opal and Nev. We hear from their friends and family, they speak about their ups and their downs, and we forget that this book is a work of fiction. As I read the book, I imagined hearing Opal’s voice as she talked about her relationship with Nev and then, I had to get the audio of this book to actually hear her words being spoken. Her voice brought strength to the words that I had previously read, for it solidified what I had previously thought about her. I really enjoyed the audio version of this book and the books was fantastic also, I got the best of both worlds!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest opinion.

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

This novel covered only three days yet those days felt longer than the typical 24-hours. I enjoyed the diversity among the characters in this novel, as they balanced each other out. Inside this makeshift maternity ward, the mothers are facing a lot of uncertainty. Although one might have experience working with expectant mothers, the Spanish Flu was a variant that no one had experience with. As Julia dives into her new position, Bridie walks into her life. Bridie, her honest and accommodating spirit, I loved everything about her.

When I first met Bridie, I had a tender spot for her. There was this warmth and grace about her, it was just something that I felt as I read the book. Julia and Bridie build this great relationship in the book as they work with each other and their patients. Even though one had more experience, they balanced each other as Bridie kept Julia grounded. They nurtured each other. I liked the uncertainty of the situations that they were facings, the characters, and the relationships that transpired. I thought this was an excellent audio as I listened to it on a Playaway (an audio).

When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole

I listened to this book on audio one weekend as I did projects around the house. I was hoping for something along the lines of a thriller, for that’s what the synopsis promised me but I found that, the book was more dramatic and historical in nature. Returning to Brooklyn, Sydney finds the neighborhood that she once called home changing. Although some change is expected, this modification becomes more like a revolution as the issues become deep and connected.

Sydney was trying to make a difference in her old neighborhood when she moves back to Brooklyn. Conducting research for a new job that she’s creating; she discovers what’s truly happening right before her very own eyes. I liked Sydney’s initiative and eagerness to move forward in her own life when she returns home and I liked how she steps up and starts to care for the garden area which was her grandmothers. The neighborhood of her childhood, which was once predominantly Black, is now being uprooted. The individuals behind this and why they’re allowed such behavior is what Sydney needs to uncover. She never expected to find gentrification or racism on her neighborhood block but what can she do about it? I wish I could leave the book like this but then, the ending came. I clearly was not a fan on how things came together in the final pages. I’m glad that I read the book as it deals with some of the current issues that some individuals face. 3 stars

The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan

What a fun novel to listen to. It took a few chapters for things to get situated but then, I really enjoyed the history, the relationships and the idea behind this book. I liked that the female relationships inside the book took more precedence than the male/female relationships, which was what I was hoping would happen. I didn’t want a romance to spoil this drama. This was a great package: a historical fiction story, centered around a cooking competition consisting of diverse characters with an uplifting ending.

It’s the popular BBC broadcasting of the British Show, The Kitchen Front with Ambrose as the show’s host. The show has decided that they need a female co-host and has launched a cooking competition to find her. Located in Finley Village, England, are four women who are supposedly using their war rations to make the winning entries and to prove to Ambrose that they should be his co-host. Here are four women who desperately need this position. These four women come from such different situations and circumstances in their lives. These four women give this competition everything that they have. And who do I think should win it? Nell? The kitchen maid at Finley Hall who started the competition so timid that she can hardly talk but she can cook. Lady Gwendoline? She married into money but does money buy happiness? Audrey? Lady Gwendoline sister, a war widow with 3 children who is trying to keep her head above water. Zelda? A previous London chef who is now pregnant (and unmarried).

I enjoyed listening to these ladies’ stories. How their lives were before the war and how their lives have changed since the war began. It was fascinating how they created their recipes using their war rations and how some of them used nature to help them spread their rations even further. Their resourcefulness really shined. What started out as a competition for these ladies, as they lifted up their dome lids and everyone marveled at their creation hidden underneath, ends in another type of celebration as the winner is selected. I highly recommend this novel.

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

Jane was their dog walker, a new face, who was just looking for a fresh start, trying to put her past behind her. Welcome to Thornfield Estates, where everyone has secrets and nothing is private.

I listened to this book on audio and the characters definitely shined. These Southern women provided me with some great laughs as they tried to be discreet about their actions. Jane runs into Eddie, whose wife is missing and soon, Jane becomes a constant figure in Eddie’s life.

There were a few great twists in this story yet some parts of this story were predictable as I read. I liked the story’s pace and how the story unfolded as it kept me engaged. Even though the ending may seem to be open-ended, I liked how the book ended.

The Institute by Stephen King

I haven’t read a Stephen King book in a long time and I do believe, this is the first SK book that I have listened to. I remember reading him back in the 1980’s, for he was the master of creepy. As I listened to this book, it wasn’t like the SK that I remembered, this was a slow burn for me. I got attached to the main character of Luke and I felt protective of him.

I liked how there were very few characters in this book. I really enjoyed the character of Luke and his personality. He was only 12-years old yet you would never know that. I enjoyed all the little references in the book that brought back memories. It’s always fun when an author adds some fun information into the book. I thought the audio was very good. I was nervous about reading a SK book again but I’m glad that I did. I should now read a Dean Koontz book as he was my other favorite thriller writer from the 80’s.

A Good Neighborhood by Therese Fowler

This was one of those books where it was over before I knew it. I listened to this audio in the car and then, time flew! The drama built slowly, the romance had snuck itself in, and then I found myself disappointed that the whole book was over. I could have sworn, I just put the second CD in.

Valerie and her son Xavier live in Oak Knoll, a peaceful, quiet neighborhood. Xavier is a talented musician and Valerie loves nature and her surroundings. When a local celebrity buys a nearby plot of land, new construction disturbs the quiet community as they begin building an upscale mansion and the family moves in.

Valerie had watched, as they destroyed the area to accommodate this new family, the destruction of natural resources was devastating to her. Now, as the new family moves in, Xavier gets mistaken for hired help. It’s an awkward beginning for these two families.

As I listened to Brad, he started to get under my skin. His superior thinking made me cringe but I liked the way this book was setting things up. Valerie was up for the challenge but in the background, I was watching out for Xavier and Juniper.

This is an entertaining book and one that I enjoyed.