Five Book Reading Wrap-up for March 2021
Join me for my five-book reading wrap-up!
(There is an Amazon link to each book. If you are interested in a bit more information, 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 at no cost to you...thanks:-)*********************************************************************************Book 1
"The Thursday Murder Club"by Richard OsmanGenre: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller
(There is an Amazon link to each book. If you are interested in a bit more information, 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 at no cost to you...thanks:-)
*********************************************************************************
Book 1
"The Thursday Murder Club"
"The Thursday Murder Club"
by Richard Osman
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller
Good Reads Rating-4.03/5My Rating is 3.75/5
(click photo below to go to Amazon)
Overview I found on Amazon.In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes; together, they call themselves the Thursday Murder Club.
When a local developer is found dead with a mysterious photograph left next to the body, the Thursday Murder Club suddenly finds themselves in the middle of their first live case.
As the bodies begin to pile up, can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer, before it's too late?
QuoteThis quote sums up the book,“The sun is up, the skies are blue, and murder is in the air”
― The Thursday Murder Club
My Thoughts Before I Read the BookIt sounded like a cozy murder mystery to me. How can a murder mystery be cozy, you ask? How could it not be based in a retirement village with folks around my age attempting to solve cold case murders? It sounded like a fun club to be a part of.
My Thoughts After I Read the BookWhen I first started reading this book,,, I became bored very quickly and put it down. I considered DNFing this book. I had read so many good reviews that I decided to give it another try. I am glad I did because I did end up enjoying it. This book takes place in a mostly quiet retirement village except four residents who spend their time solving murders. They started out attempting to solve cold case murders, but then murder becomes a reality in their very own community.Included in the cast of characters are Joyce, Ron, Elizabeth, and Ibrahim, residents of the community. Also in on the fun is Penny, a police inspector, and her boss Chris. There are many other members of this interesting cast of characters. My Final ThoughtIt was an interesting read, and I did enjoy getting to know the characters. It was slow at times, which tends to drive me a bit bonkers, but overall it was a cozy read.
Book TrailerI did find a book trailer.
MovieIt looks like a movie is in the works. Steven Spielberg bought the rights, so if he is the director,,, it will more than likely be a good one.
*********************************************************************************Book 2"Mutt's Promise"by Julie SalamonGenre- Middle Grade, Fiction, Animals3.79 stars on Goodreads out of 5 starsI give this book 4/5
Amazon Link below...
(FYI, I bought mine online at The Book Outlet for a much lower price than on Amazon)
Overview From Good ReadsLuna is a farm puppy who loves to dance and has only known a happy, serene life surrounded by her mother, Mutt, and her siblings, and cared for by Gilberto, the son of farmworkers. But now Gilberto and his parents have moved on, and Mr. Thomas, the farmer, doesn't feel he can take care of a whole family of dogs. He finds new homes for the puppies, not realizing that the man who took Luna and her brother does not have their best interests at heart. Luna and Chief, hungry and scared, are trapped in the smelly barn of a puppy mill—until they take matters into their own paws and find a way to escape. But can Luna and Chief find their way home?
With a lovable cast of animal characters and endearing illustrations, this charming story is a perfect read-aloud for fans of classic children’s novels like Gentle Ben, A Cricket in Times Square, and Shiloh.
Quote I don't have a quote to share.My Thoughts Before Reading the BookI was attracted to the cover. How can you go wrong with three dogs running through the woods and two adorable chipmunks looking on? I thought they were having fun when in reality, they were running away from something awful.My Thoughts After Reading the Book
I enjoyed this book. You start with a strong female dog named Mutt. Mutt finds herself in a situation in which she saves a cat from a preditor. In thanks, the cat's owner allows Mutt to stay in exchange for continued protection from this preditor. Mutt befriends the animals on the farm, who all can speak to and understand each other.
Mutt has adorable puppies,, and the farmer can't care for all of them. Two are adopted into very nice homes, and two are, unbeknown to the farmer, taken to a puppy mill. The conditions are not the best at the puppy mill, and the puppies and their new friend plan an escape.
Aside from the puppy mill owner, there are many good people in this book. There are many twists and turns, but the people and the dogs all intersect in the end.
Is there a Movie or Book Trailer?I could not find a book trailer for this book.I could not find a movie based on this book. I think it would make a good kid's movie.
********************************************************************************Book 3"Midnight At The Bright Ideas Bookstore"by Matthew SullivanGenre-Mystery Fiction, Thriller3.79 stars on Goodreads out of 5 stars
I gave this book a 3.5/5
Amazon Link Below...
Book overview as found on AmazonWhen a bookshop patron commits suicide, his favorite store clerk must unravel the puzzle he left behind in this “intriguingly dark, twisty” (Kirkus Reviews) debut novel from an award-winning short story writer.
Lydia Smith lives her life hiding in plain sight. A clerk at the Bright Ideas bookstore, she keeps a meticulously crafted existence among her beloved books, eccentric colleagues, and the BookFrogs—the lost and lonely regulars who spend every day marauding the store’s overwhelmed shelves.
But when Joey Molina, a young, beguiling BookFrog, kills himself in the bookstore’s upper room, Lydia’s life comes unglued. Always Joey’s favorite bookseller, Lydia has been bequeathed his meager worldly possessions. Trinkets and books; the detritus of a lonely, uncared for man. But when Lydia flips through his books, she finds them defaced in ways both disturbing and inexplicable. They reveal the psyche of a young man on the verge of an emotional reckoning. And they seem to contain a hidden message. What did Joey know? And what does it have to do with Lydia?
As Lydia untangles the mystery of Joey’s suicide, she unearths a long-buried memory from her own violent childhood. Details from that one bloody night begin to circle back. Her distant father returns to the fold, along with an obsessive local cop, and the Hammerman, a murderer who came into Lydia’s life long ago and, as she soon discovers, never completely left. “Both charming and challenging”Book Quote“She was all about silencing the past.”
― Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore
My Thoughts Before I Read the Book
You know I love books and this book was about a book store and I had heard a few good reviews, so I decided to give it a try.
My Thoughts After Reading the Book
For some reason, I thought this book was going to be a cozy comedy. That is not the case. There is suicide, murder, a denied and suppressed past, and hidden truths. Overall it is a good book. I liked many of the characters, and I also did not know who to trust in this mystery thriller.
Book TrailerSadly, I could not find a book trailer.MovieI could not find any info on a movie related to this book.
*******************************************************************************Book 4"The Boy and the Giant"
by David LitchfieldGenre- Children's Fiction, Children's Picture Book4.38 stars on GoodReads out of 5 stars.
I gave this one 5/5 stars.
Amazon Link Below...
Good Reads Rating-4.03/5
My Rating is 3.75/5
Overview I found on Amazon.
In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes; together, they call themselves the Thursday Murder Club.
When a local developer is found dead with a mysterious photograph left next to the body, the Thursday Murder Club suddenly finds themselves in the middle of their first live case.
As the bodies begin to pile up, can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer, before it's too late?
When a local developer is found dead with a mysterious photograph left next to the body, the Thursday Murder Club suddenly finds themselves in the middle of their first live case.
As the bodies begin to pile up, can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer, before it's too late?
Quote
This quote sums up the book,
“The sun is up, the skies are blue, and murder is in the air”
― The Thursday Murder Club
― The Thursday Murder Club
My Thoughts Before I Read the Book
It sounded like a cozy murder mystery to me. How can a murder mystery be cozy, you ask? How could it not be based in a retirement village with folks around my age attempting to solve cold case murders? It sounded like a fun club to be a part of.
My Thoughts After I Read the Book
When I first started reading this book,,, I became bored very quickly and put it down. I considered DNFing this book. I had read so many good reviews that I decided to give it another try. I am glad I did because I did end up enjoying it.
This book takes place in a mostly quiet retirement village except four residents who spend their time solving murders. They started out attempting to solve cold case murders, but then murder becomes a reality in their very own community.
Included in the cast of characters are Joyce, Ron, Elizabeth, and Ibrahim, residents of the community. Also in on the fun is Penny, a police inspector, and her boss Chris. There are many other members of this interesting cast of characters.
My Final Thought
It was an interesting read, and I did enjoy getting to know the characters. It was slow at times, which tends to drive me a bit bonkers, but overall it was a cozy read.
Book Trailer
I did find a book trailer.
Movie
It looks like a movie is in the works.
Steven Spielberg bought the rights, so if he is the director,,, it will more than likely be a good one.
*********************************************************************************
Book 2
"Mutt's Promise"
by
Julie Salamon
Genre- Middle Grade, Fiction, Animals
3.79 stars on Goodreads out of 5 stars
I give this book 4/5
(FYI, I bought mine online at The Book Outlet for a much lower price than on Amazon)
Overview From Good Reads
With a lovable cast of animal characters and endearing illustrations, this charming story is a perfect read-aloud for fans of classic children’s novels like Gentle Ben, A Cricket in Times Square, and Shiloh.
Quote
I don't have a quote to share.
My Thoughts Before Reading the Book
I was attracted to the cover. How can you go wrong with three dogs running through the woods and two adorable chipmunks looking on? I thought they were having fun when in reality, they were running away from something awful.
My Thoughts After Reading the Book
I enjoyed this book. You start with a strong female dog named Mutt. Mutt finds herself in a situation in which she saves a cat from a preditor. In thanks, the cat's owner allows Mutt to stay in exchange for continued protection from this preditor. Mutt befriends the animals on the farm, who all can speak to and understand each other.
Mutt has adorable puppies,, and the farmer can't care for all of them. Two are adopted into very nice homes, and two are, unbeknown to the farmer, taken to a puppy mill. The conditions are not the best at the puppy mill, and the puppies and their new friend plan an escape.
Aside from the puppy mill owner, there are many good people in this book. There are many twists and turns, but the people and the dogs all intersect in the end.
Is there a Movie or Book Trailer?
I could not find a book trailer for this book.
I could not find a movie based on this book. I think it would make a good kid's movie.
********************************************************************************
Book 3
"Midnight At The Bright Ideas Bookstore"
by Matthew Sullivan
Genre-Mystery Fiction, Thriller
3.79 stars on Goodreads out of 5 stars
I gave this book a 3.5/5
I gave this book a 3.5/5
Amazon Link Below...
Book overview as found on Amazon
When a bookshop patron commits suicide, his favorite store clerk must unravel the puzzle he left behind in this “intriguingly dark, twisty” (Kirkus Reviews) debut novel from an award-winning short story writer.
Lydia Smith lives her life hiding in plain sight. A clerk at the Bright Ideas bookstore, she keeps a meticulously crafted existence among her beloved books, eccentric colleagues, and the BookFrogs—the lost and lonely regulars who spend every day marauding the store’s overwhelmed shelves.
But when Joey Molina, a young, beguiling BookFrog, kills himself in the bookstore’s upper room, Lydia’s life comes unglued. Always Joey’s favorite bookseller, Lydia has been bequeathed his meager worldly possessions. Trinkets and books; the detritus of a lonely, uncared for man. But when Lydia flips through his books, she finds them defaced in ways both disturbing and inexplicable. They reveal the psyche of a young man on the verge of an emotional reckoning. And they seem to contain a hidden message. What did Joey know? And what does it have to do with Lydia?
As Lydia untangles the mystery of Joey’s suicide, she unearths a long-buried memory from her own violent childhood. Details from that one bloody night begin to circle back. Her distant father returns to the fold, along with an obsessive local cop, and the Hammerman, a murderer who came into Lydia’s life long ago and, as she soon discovers, never completely left. “Both charming and challenging”
Lydia Smith lives her life hiding in plain sight. A clerk at the Bright Ideas bookstore, she keeps a meticulously crafted existence among her beloved books, eccentric colleagues, and the BookFrogs—the lost and lonely regulars who spend every day marauding the store’s overwhelmed shelves.
But when Joey Molina, a young, beguiling BookFrog, kills himself in the bookstore’s upper room, Lydia’s life comes unglued. Always Joey’s favorite bookseller, Lydia has been bequeathed his meager worldly possessions. Trinkets and books; the detritus of a lonely, uncared for man. But when Lydia flips through his books, she finds them defaced in ways both disturbing and inexplicable. They reveal the psyche of a young man on the verge of an emotional reckoning. And they seem to contain a hidden message. What did Joey know? And what does it have to do with Lydia?
As Lydia untangles the mystery of Joey’s suicide, she unearths a long-buried memory from her own violent childhood. Details from that one bloody night begin to circle back. Her distant father returns to the fold, along with an obsessive local cop, and the Hammerman, a murderer who came into Lydia’s life long ago and, as she soon discovers, never completely left. “Both charming and challenging”
Book Quote
“She was all about silencing the past.”
― Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore
― Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore
My Thoughts Before I Read the Book
You know I love books and this book was about a book store and I had heard a few good reviews, so I decided to give it a try.
My Thoughts After Reading the Book
For some reason, I thought this book was going to be a cozy comedy. That is not the case. There is suicide, murder, a denied and suppressed past, and hidden truths. Overall it is a good book. I liked many of the characters, and I also did not know who to trust in this mystery thriller.
Book Trailer
Sadly, I could not find a book trailer.
Movie
I could not find any info on a movie related to this book.
*******************************************************************************
Book 4
"The Boy and the Giant"
by David Litchfield
Genre- Children's Fiction, Children's Picture Book
4.38 stars on GoodReads out of 5 stars.
I gave this one 5/5 stars.
Amazon Link Below...
I gave this one 5/5 stars.
Description as Found on Amazon,There is a Secret Giant in Gableview who has hands the size of tabletops, legs as long as drainpipes, and feet as big as rowing boats. But little Billy thinks the Giant is just a tall tale that his grandad likes to tell. According to Grandad, the Giant keeps the bears away when they go camping and rescues Billy’s favorite kite when it gets tangled up in the tallest tree. Grandad swears the Giant is real, but Billy’s not buying it. Why has he never seen the giant before? Why does the Giant stay hidden? Grandad knows why: People are afraid of things that look different. When Billy suddenly finds himself face-to-face with the Giant, he runs away in fear—and hurts the Giant’s feelings. But now he’s got an opportunity to make it up to him, and, just maybe, to be friends with the nicest guy in town.
My Thoughts Before I Read the Book
I liked the photo and it got good reviews so I decided to order it. I think I bought it from the Book Outlet.
My Thoughts After Reading the Book
Very sweet book. I was tearful, in a good way, at the end of the book. Basically it is about being different and not being accepted because of that difference. The moral of the story is that just because someone is different does not mean they are not wonderful.
Is there a movie?
I could not find a book trailer or a movie related to this book.
*******************************************************************************Book 5 "The Once and Future Witches"by Alex E HarrowGenre-Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Paranormal4.09 stars on Good Reads out of 5 stars
I give this book 3/5
Link to Amazon Below..... 
Book Description from GoodReadsIn 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.
But when the Eastwood sisters--James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna--join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote-and perhaps not even to live-the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.
There's no such thing as witches. But there will be.
Quote“Because it's easy to ignore a woman." Juniper's lips twist in a feral smile. "But a hell of a lot harder to ignore a witch.”
― The Once and Future Witches
Description as Found on Amazon,
There is a Secret Giant in Gableview who has hands the size of tabletops, legs as long as drainpipes, and feet as big as rowing boats. But little Billy thinks the Giant is just a tall tale that his grandad likes to tell. According to Grandad, the Giant keeps the bears away when they go camping and rescues Billy’s favorite kite when it gets tangled up in the tallest tree. Grandad swears the Giant is real, but Billy’s not buying it. Why has he never seen the giant before? Why does the Giant stay hidden? Grandad knows why: People are afraid of things that look different. When Billy suddenly finds himself face-to-face with the Giant, he runs away in fear—and hurts the Giant’s feelings. But now he’s got an opportunity to make it up to him, and, just maybe, to be friends with the nicest guy in town.
My Thoughts Before I Read the Book
I liked the photo and it got good reviews so I decided to order it. I think I bought it from the Book Outlet.
My Thoughts After Reading the Book
Very sweet book. I was tearful, in a good way, at the end of the book. Basically it is about being different and not being accepted because of that difference. The moral of the story is that just because someone is different does not mean they are not wonderful.
Is there a movie?
I could not find a book trailer or a movie related to this book.
*******************************************************************************
Book 5
"The Once and Future Witches"
by Alex E Harrow
Genre-Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Paranormal
4.09 stars on Good Reads out of 5 stars
I give this book 3/5
I give this book 3/5
Book Description from GoodReads
In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.But when the Eastwood sisters--James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna--join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote-and perhaps not even to live-the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.
There's no such thing as witches. But there will be.
Quote
“Because it's easy to ignore a woman." Juniper's lips twist in a feral smile.
"But a hell of a lot harder to ignore a witch.”
― The Once and Future Witches
― The Once and Future Witches
My thoughts before reading the book
This book recieved very good reviews and who dosen't like a good witch story?
My thoughts after reading the book
This is the story of three sisters. In this family's history there are witches but they are not practicing their craft any longer. After much mistreatment by men the thought of witching as a form of self preservation comes to the forefront. This form of women's rights is occuring along side of the women's sufferage movement. Both forms of independence are different but in many ways the same.
I listened to this book on Audible. The narrator was great as was the the writing but I found myself bored. I listened to about 75% of the book and I just could not continue so I DNF'd it. Most reviewers on YouTube loved the book but a few like myself DNF's it.
Book Trailer
Is there a movie?
I could not find anything on a movie for this book.
**************************************************************************Check out my YouTube Video below
I would love to know what you are reading. If you have read any of the above books, did you enjoy them? Please drop me a note in the comment box.
Take care and happy reading!
**************************************************************************
Check out my YouTube Video below
I would love to know what you are reading. If you have read any of the above books, did you enjoy them? Please drop me a note in the comment box.
Take care and happy reading!
KathieyV:-)
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