My Four Book Quickie Book Review for Sept 2019
Welcome to a four-book reading wrap-up.
This is where I will be doing a mini-review of four of my just read books. Let's get started...
This is where I will be doing a mini-review of four of my just read books. Let's get started...
You can watch the book review video via this link
You can watch my review on YouTube
Click the link below
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(There is an Amazon link to each book. If you are interested in a bit more information just click on the link. I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click on the link and buy anything at all I get a percent of the sale with no cost to you...thanks:-)
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Here is a scale on how I rate my books.
For me, the flow of the book is very important.
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Let's Take A Look At the Books
"Lock Every Door"
by
Riley Sager
368 Pages
Good Reads gave it 4.07 stars.
Genre-Thriller, Mystery, Fiction
Quote from the book,
"Every so often, life offers you a reset button.
When it does you need to press it as hard as you can"
Page 12
When it does you need to press it as hard as you can"
Page 12
From the book jacket...
"No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen's new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind."
The storyline centers around a young woman named Julie, she goes by Jules. Jules is going through a rough patch, she lost her boyfriend, her job and she has no money speak of. Because of her financial situation and relationship change she has been staying on the couch of her best friend Chloe.
Jules is actively seeking new employment when she comes across an unlikely position. The job is that of a house sitter in an exclusive apartment building called the Bartholomew. The job pays $4000.00 a month for a period of three months. This job would seemingly be an easy solution to her monetary problems.
When she interviews for the position many personal questions are asked and she is also confronted with a list of strict rules. She is not allowed to have visitors, she has to stay in the apartment every night, and she can't disturb the other tenants in the building.
Julie's friend Chloe tries to convince her that this offer of employment plus lodging is just to good to be true. Jules refuses to listen because she sees this as a solution to at least part of her problems.
During her stay, she comes to realize that other sitters have gone missing. In the story, she attempts to find out what happened to them. She is very concerned about a sitter she was becoming friendly with, Ingrid. During her last encounter with Ingrid, she was sure she sensed fear from her new friend and then, without warning, Ingrid vanishes.
There are others in the building that Jules develops relationships with. But the question is who can be trusted? She faces noises she can't explain, fires, and ever-present history of the building which is dark and mysterious.
It is interesting too that Julie's sister went missing years before and her parents died shortly thereafter. As with the other "sitters", she has no family to speak of thus there is no one to ask questions if she too goes missing.
The ending took a twist I did not expect. It seemed to go in one direction and then out of nowhere twists into a different ending I did not see coming.
I gave the book 3.8/5 stars because it is slow getting started. It does pick up toward the end and at that point, you don't want to put it down. Pretty good character development. It is not a great book but a very good one. I enjoyed the read.
Jules is actively seeking new employment when she comes across an unlikely position. The job is that of a house sitter in an exclusive apartment building called the Bartholomew. The job pays $4000.00 a month for a period of three months. This job would seemingly be an easy solution to her monetary problems.
When she interviews for the position many personal questions are asked and she is also confronted with a list of strict rules. She is not allowed to have visitors, she has to stay in the apartment every night, and she can't disturb the other tenants in the building.
Julie's friend Chloe tries to convince her that this offer of employment plus lodging is just to good to be true. Jules refuses to listen because she sees this as a solution to at least part of her problems.
During her stay, she comes to realize that other sitters have gone missing. In the story, she attempts to find out what happened to them. She is very concerned about a sitter she was becoming friendly with, Ingrid. During her last encounter with Ingrid, she was sure she sensed fear from her new friend and then, without warning, Ingrid vanishes.
There are others in the building that Jules develops relationships with. But the question is who can be trusted? She faces noises she can't explain, fires, and ever-present history of the building which is dark and mysterious.
It is interesting too that Julie's sister went missing years before and her parents died shortly thereafter. As with the other "sitters", she has no family to speak of thus there is no one to ask questions if she too goes missing.
The ending took a twist I did not expect. It seemed to go in one direction and then out of nowhere twists into a different ending I did not see coming.
I gave the book 3.8/5 stars because it is slow getting started. It does pick up toward the end and at that point, you don't want to put it down. Pretty good character development. It is not a great book but a very good one. I enjoyed the read.
I gave this book 3.9/5 stars on my reading scale.
The flow of the book I gave a 1/3, it is an easy read.
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Even Aliens Need Snacks
by
Matthew McElligott
Genre- Children's Picture Books, Science Fiction, Humor
This book received 3.7 stars on Good Reads
Quote from GoodReads
"In the follow up to his breakout picture book, Even Monsters Need Haircuts, Matthew McElligott brings back the young barber in a new tale where his culinary concoctions bring him galaxy-wide fame. Creating snacks that make most humans queasy, this chef has found a new clientele-aliens. Readers will delight in McElligott's gently offbeat humor and unique artistry as spaceships full of hilarious creatures line up for a taste of the intergalactic cuisine. For space fans, foodies, and budding entrepreneurs alike, this book has something for everyone."
This is a really fun book. Full of colorful interesting illustrations.
It is all about a young boy who loves to cook. He comes up with concoctions that his sister says no one in the universe would eat. Only to find out that a few in the universe love his food.
This is one of the books my grandkids look for when they come to visit. I think they like Even Monsters Need Haircuts a bit more but both books are ones that they love to read
I would give this a 4/5 on my reading scaleAs far as flow it is an easy read
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The Dry
by
Jane Harper
by
Jane Harper
326 Pages
Genre-Fiction, Mystery, Crime
4/5 Stars on Good Reads
Quote from Amazon
"After getting a note demanding his presence, Federal Agent Aaron Falk arrives in his hometown for the first time in decades to attend the funeral of his best friend, Luke. Twenty years ago when Falk was accused of murder, Luke was his alibi. Falk and his father fled under a cloud of suspicion, saved from prosecution only because of Luke’s steadfast claim that the boys had been together at the time of the crime. But now more than one person knows they didn’t tell the truth back then, and Luke is dead.
Amid the worst drought in a century, Falk and the local detective question what really happened to Luke. As Falk reluctantly investigates to see if there’s more to Luke’s death than there seems to be, long-buried mysteries resurface, as do the lies that have haunted them. And Falk will find that small towns have always hidden big secrets."
The setting is in a rural community in Australia. A drought and murder all lead to an interesting storyline.
The focus of the story takes place in the past and the present. In the present Luke and his family have been murdered, it appears to be a murder-suicide. Aaron who is an old friend of Luke's living away from his home town comes home for Luke's funeral. While in town there is a question as to whether it is actually a murder-suicide, it may be just murder.
While the investigation proceeds the story does a constant back and forth between present and past. Many of the same people who are around during the present incident were also present during a mysterious death decades ago. How does it all come together? You will have to read it to find out.
I gave this book a 3.5/5 on my reading scale.
The reason I could not give it a 4 was because it was a very slow read. It was not boring but it was a slow steady pace to the end. Overall it was a good read.
The reason I could not give it a 4 was because it was a very slow read. It was not boring but it was a slow steady pace to the end. Overall it was a good read.
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I Can't Make This Up/Life Lessons
by
Kevin Hart
by
Kevin Hart
Good Reads Rating is 4.1/5
363 pages
Genre-Non-Fiction, Humor, Biography
Book Quote
"Every experience is a potential life lesson. Even if you don’t appreciate it at the time, each struggle in the present is preparing you for something else in the future."
Here is a quote from Amazon
New York Times bestselling author, superstar comedian, and Hollywood box office star Kevin Hart turns his immense talent to the written word by writing some words. Some of those words include the, a, for, above, and even even. Put them together and you have a “hilarious but also heartfelt” memoir on survival, success, and the importance of believing in yourself.
I loved the way this book was divided. It was all about life lessons.
Life lessons from work, school, mom, and dad and the lessons go on into his career.
I especially loved his mom. There is a lot of humor in this book of life lessons. I think we can all learn much from Kevin's journey. There is some crudity but it is brief and part of his story.
Life lessons from work, school, mom, and dad and the lessons go on into his career.
I especially loved his mom. There is a lot of humor in this book of life lessons. I think we can all learn much from Kevin's journey. There is some crudity but it is brief and part of his story.
I give it a 3.5/5 on my reading scale.
It held my attention for the most part.
Fairly easy read.
It held my attention for the most part.
Fairly easy read.
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What are you reading?
Happy Reading Everyone!
KathieyV
Here is my YouTube Reading Wrap-Up Link
Don't forget to check out my book on Amazon
Here is my YouTube Reading Wrap-Up Link
Don't forget to check out my book on Amazon
Happy Reading!
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