Book Review: "The Lost Summers of Newport" By Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, Karen White

 

So you might wonder what's worse than an alpha male portraying female roles as weak and needing a white knight savior! I found the answer within The Lost Summers of Newport.

Ivy league authors get together and write something over some good wine and this story involving three timelines that's not relatable to those of us who can't afford to go down the street-is born!

Ahhh! Yes, lifestyles of the rich and famous- Prince/Princesses who go on to live happily ever after but without much to connect them.

Ellen does free work which is mind blowing. Lucky marries a guy whose very much a playboy in every sense of the word. There's Andie who produces this makeover program without having had experience in the profession.

None can truly survive without the 'white knight' salvation and there ya go ladies....
No, thanks! Not for me! Strong women stay united!

Book Review: "The Girl in the Castle" By James Patterson

 

This is more a PSA on mental health and how all women are viewed as crazy rather than a thriller or even a YA book.

I'm not sure even the JP notes in the end helped the situation because at that point I'd lost interest.
It was like a kid entering a candy shop but leaving without the candy and just a good story to tell about how he wanted to have the candy and eat his cake too.

J.P. for me is always a hit or miss. Sometimes when he does the author buddy system it's not as good as if he goes solo yet, I must applaud for trying.

It just didn't have that piece that just shocked me into atril fib and didn't have the thrilling aspect for me to really give it much beyond 3 stars.

The dual timelines didn't phase me and the book flowed nicely however, when I read a thriller, YA, time travel that's what I expect and this didn't really capture those points for me.

Book Review: "She's Gone" By David Bell

 

As you can imagine I read a ton -1,300 in 2021 alone. With this said, I've always enjoyed David Bell's books.

This YA edition wasn't up to par for me and the main reason was the fluff. It went around the bush but never hit the target. I don't want to be told that somethings coming, being led on to keep going forward, and then play dumb like deer in headlights waiting for whatever's coming.

This to me wasn't worth the shock value when it was revealed in layman's terms that there's someone else closer than Hunter that was involved and sadly Hunter her date that night can't remember the circumstances.

It also led to wonder why this man was involved, what mindset was involved, and what was done to this person in terms of justice.

It felt like the end was just tossed like Caesar's salad without any croutons for added flavor.
Oh, well, off to the next read.

Book Review: The Drinking Game By Sarah Levy

Read this in one sitting on my way to a high school championship game.

The reason I picked it up is the fact that while my kids are in college my daughter has been dabbling in the cool gang in her Sophomore year in college and it worries me deeply.

You never know how much peer pressure is out there to go with the flow especially when you're in athletics and everyone looks up to you and your talents to maintain the perfect 4.0.

So, I can feel for Sarah Levy and her choices to belong and go along and how dating adds to this a whole new flavor of acceptance.

Location, location may or may not also play a heavy role and it's imperative to understand it's much easier to go through life sober than blacked out.

It was a good read in that Sarah discussed her personal battles, her war with black outs, her meetings with AA, and how she overcame it all.

I'm proud for her to have accomplished being sober.

Thank you Osterhout Free Library for this hardcover copy.

Book Review: "Five To Survive" By Holly Jackson

How to gradually build to burning inferno by Holly Jackson....

No seriously, she's the queen and this for a YA book was just what we needed to capture the moment as it was heart racing, exhilirating, and daring to say the least.

The six characters were quite interesting in their own individual ways while the main power dynamic continued to play out in real time.

A sniper? In the woods? A mole among them? A person with a secret? A mother putting away a mafia boss?
I mean what's not to like with the entire set up including a rural area, nothing but woods, limited cell reception, walkie-talkies that are scarcely utilized, and now flat tires and blown out windows.

Come on now, this was on the verge of irrational fears being catapulted to new extremes all within a few hours time. Like a dusk to dawn situation in which the ending was just magnificent.

Kudos to the author!

Book Review: "The Housekeeper" By Joy Fielding

It seems that nothing is as it's supposed to be portrayed in this new work by Joy Fielding.

Take for instance the fact of these affairs. It's as if everyone has it out for one another in seeking their own self interests while ruining the lives of those they supposedly loved and married.

If that's not enough we have a woman who poses as a housekeeper who seems to have a history of getting what she wants in terms of monetary value.

Then, we find that Jodi and Tracy are sisters who are at odds at times with some of the parental issues, hospice care, and the rest of the family issues.

Furthermore, Jodi seems to blame herself for seeking outside help for her 70 yo dad Vic in tending to her mom with Parkinson's. So, when Elyse Woodley came on board it felt like a blessing.

That blessing turned into a curse when Elyse helped herself to the matriarch's jewelry & eventually her love interest.

This ain't for the faint of heart as the battle heats up to figure out what is it that Elyse truly wants.

Oh, did I mention that Harrison the husband of Jodi also isn't happy. Jodi truly thought a lil harmless romp would be fine with Roger or was that Elise's son?

Wow, ok, well we still have our mindset until it turns out that Audrey didn't die of Parkinson's after all but instead that had something happen to her that's far less obvious. She actually died of a broken neck!!!

How? I thought Elyse was the housekeeper?

Perhaps a nice trip is in order- lets pack and go to Niagara Falls....oh, snap...Elyse just got...

Oh, boy first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes....
All of this within just 4 months of the wife's passing....are you serious?

Dad did from pancreatic cancer or so Jodi and her sis believe, but do readers?

Jodi eventually seeks peace and quiet solo.
However, we ain't done yet...oh, hell NO!

Anyone see Elyse?

Oh, snap! That makes two!

I'm gonna run...Great read from head to tails with no pun intended!

Thank you Bibliotheca for this E-read !

Book Review: "The Villa" By Rachel Hawkins

 

Ahhh, those rocking bangin' 70's are back with all the hits and wonders!

Bring in the band, strike up the music, lets get the party started.
First, we must find our way to the dance floor because there's been some issues that need to be addressed among this group.

The Villa brings to light what it means to be faithful, to have close knit friends, and to ponder the meaning of life.

Poisoning isn't something I seen even mentioned in the previous reviews but who'd have thought that the arse had it in him to go against his wife.

Chess may have been tired from sleeping around but I'd not have guessed it was with her besties man.

Keep in mind houses remember and I don't think we need to be reminded of the fact that there's been a murder and a person paying the price.

Now, if you pay attention you'll learn that there's really 3 things going on here. There's a publicly held murder belief from the seventies. There's Mari's fictionally held beliefs of the same. Then there's Lara doing her thing to frame another guy for the job.

Oh, now you know how friends go...Never trust a damn one ladies...they'll stab you in the back.

Enter Chess because she's as coniving as they come as you best watch your back.

You're sick for a reason and that's because Matt ain't the only one playing the game.

Everyone in my opinion wants a part of the royalties of this book and what better way than to get rid of the one in charge.

Bye Matt and fairwell to friendship...it never lasts.

Stay alert or you'll miss the hot buttons in this one!