Five Book Reading Wrap-Up For May 2022
Join me for my five-book reading wrap-up!
May 2022
To go to the book giveaway click on my YouTube Channel link and find more information.
Here is my Youtube Video
(There is an Amazon link to each book. If you are interested in 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:-)
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Book 1
"Mary Shelley's Frankenstein"
Narrated by Dan Stevens
Audible Read
Classics, Horror
Audible Rating is 4.5/5
My Rating is 2/5 stars
Overview I found on Audible
Narrator Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) presents an uncanny performance of Mary Shelley's timeless gothic novel, an epic battle between man and monster at its greatest literary pitch. In trying to create life, the young student Victor Frankenstein unleashes forces beyond his control, setting into motion a long and tragic chain of events that brings Victor to the very brink of madness. How he tries to destroy his creation, as it destroys everything Victor loves, is a powerful story of love, friendship, scientific hubris, and horror.
Quote
"Look! It's moving. It's alive. It's alive... It's alive,"
My Thoughts After I Read the Book
I was so excited when I started this book. The thought of reading a classic was so appealing to me. Well, I am no longer excited.
Early on in my listening, I became bored and I found my mind wandering. I don't know if it was the old English or the content but this book could not hold my attention. I felt there was little content to consume me. After listening to it for a few hours I just gave up. It all seemed so vague.
Book Trailer/Movie/Book Trailer
There are many Frankenstein movies out there. I decided to watch the one from the 1930s. Here is a trailer for the movie. It is better than the book but still not very good, but I did watch the entire thing.
The 5-star and 1-star reviews I found on Audible.
5-star review...
"I've never liked to read and am new to audio books, so I don't have much of a basis for comparison, but this was incredible. The voices and feeling of the reader brought to the story a life that I would have never experienced had I tried to read it myself. I understand why this is a classic. It's an exquisite, deep tale of love, pain, and regret. Everyone should hear it."1-Star Review
"This book was written for another time period. And I found myself wanting the story to progress faster. It was verbose, and I guess my taste in books are different. I don't regret hearing it, but I will not do so again." Me
I do agree more with the 1-star review. Maybe it was that it was so slow that I had to DNF the book.
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Audible Read
"A Flicker in the Dark"
by Stacy Willingham
Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense
4.03 stars on Goodreads out of 5stars
I give this book 4/5
The Amazon link is below. Just click the photo.
Overview From Good Reads
When Chloe Davis was twelve, six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of the summer, Chloe’s father had been arrested as a serial killer and promptly put in prison. Chloe and the rest of her family were left to grapple with the truth and try to move forward while dealing with the aftermath.Now 20 years later, Chloe is a psychologist in private practice in Baton Rouge and getting ready for her wedding. She finally has a fragile grasp on the happiness she’s worked so hard to get. Sometimes, though, she feels as out of control of her own life as the troubled teens who are her patients. And then a local teenage girl goes missing, and then another, and that terrifying summer comes crashing back. Is she paranoid, and seeing parallels that aren't really there, or for the second time in her life, is she about to unmask a killer?
Quote
I don't have a favorite quote.
My Thoughts After Reading the Book
When Chloe was 12, girls around her age started going missing. Later her father would be arrested for the crimes and dubbed a serial killer.
Fast forward 20 years. Chloe is a practicing psychologist. Chloe has her own practice, but that does not mean she is free of psychological problems; she does her best to get by.
Suddenly in her present-day life, girls begin to go missing again. Is this some strange coincidence? Her father is in prison, so it can't be him. So the question is, who is committing these horrible crimes, and why is it happening so close, literally, to home for Chloe?
This is a character-based psychological thriller. The focus is on Chloe's past and present along with her relationships, her brother, who is 3 years older than her, her father, who remains in prison, and her mother in a nursing facility, and she can no longer speak.
There are many twists and turns in this book. Some of the twists I expected, and some I did not. I thought it was a good read.
Is there a Movie or Book Trailer?
Yes here is the book trailer....
It is going to be on HBO Max as a limited series. I could not find dates as to when this will happen, but I know I want to see it!5-star and 1-star reviews I found on Goodreads.
5-Star Review-"Psychologist Chloe Davis is the daughter of a serial killer. When she was 12 years old, six teenaged girls disappeared. Chloe found jewelry belonging to the girls hidden in her father's closet and realized that monsters are not always found afar. Her father remains in prison. The 20-year anniversary of the murders is coming up and more girls suddenly come up missing.
I knew after the first few chapters that this book was going to be a 5-star read. It's easy to read, fast-moving, and very compelling. I was totally drawn into the story. Everyone who reads my reviews knows that I love serial killer stories and twists. This book has twists aplenty. It's a cracker of a debut!"
1-Star Review-"I guessed the killer on page 5 so this is a no".
Me-I gave this book a 4, so I agree more with the 5-star review. I also guessed the killer, but the book had me doubting my guess through most of the book. I say read it because it was a good read.
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Anne Gallagher grew up enchanted by her grandfather’s stories of Ireland. Heartbroken at his death, she travels to his childhood home to spread his ashes. There, overcome with memories of the man she adored and consumed by a history she never knew, she is pulled into another time.
The Ireland of 1921, teetering on the edge of war, is a dangerous place in which to awaken. But there Anne finds herself, hurt, disoriented, and under the care of Dr. Thomas Smith, guardian to a young boy who is oddly familiar. Mistaken for the boy’s long-missing mother, Anne adopts her identity, convinced the woman’s disappearance is connected to her own.
As tensions rise, Thomas joins the struggle for Ireland’s independence and Anne is drawn into the conflict beside him. Caught between history and her heart, she must decide whether she’s willing to let go of the life she knew for a love she never thought she’d find. But in the end, is the choice actually hers to make?
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Book 3
"What the Wind Knows"
by Amy Harmon
Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy
4.33 stars on Goodreads out of 5 stars
I gave this book a 4.25/5
Click the photo below to go to Amazon
Book overview as found on GoodReads
In an unforgettable love story, a woman’s impossible journey through the ages could change everything…Anne Gallagher grew up enchanted by her grandfather’s stories of Ireland. Heartbroken at his death, she travels to his childhood home to spread his ashes. There, overcome with memories of the man she adored and consumed by a history she never knew, she is pulled into another time.
The Ireland of 1921, teetering on the edge of war, is a dangerous place in which to awaken. But there Anne finds herself, hurt, disoriented, and under the care of Dr. Thomas Smith, guardian to a young boy who is oddly familiar. Mistaken for the boy’s long-missing mother, Anne adopts her identity, convinced the woman’s disappearance is connected to her own.
As tensions rise, Thomas joins the struggle for Ireland’s independence and Anne is drawn into the conflict beside him. Caught between history and her heart, she must decide whether she’s willing to let go of the life she knew for a love she never thought she’d find. But in the end, is the choice actually hers to make?
Book Quote
“When I struggled to get the words out, my grandfather would hand me a pen and paper. “If you can’t say them, write them. They last longer that way. Write all your words, Annie. Write them and give them somewhere to go.”
My Thoughts After Reading the Book
This book is a historical romance set back in the time of revolution in Ireland in the early 1900s.
The story is told in two timelines. In Ireland in the 1900s and in America in 2001.
I enjoyed our protagonist, Anne's story in her present time and the past in which she will become a part.
I did learn a lot about Irish history, of which I knew little. I also enjoyed the romance, which was so well done. There are some touching relationships in this book that makes one long for such a family.
Book Trailer or Movie
I found a book trailer.
I could not find anything about a movie based on this book. I think it would make a good movie.
A Five and One Star Review as Found on Good Reads
One Star Review- "This really is a bad book. The characters seem immature and kind of stupid. Prose is filled with forced poeticisms and is reminiscent of a half-baked YA. I have no idea how this has such a high rating..."
Me-I found the book, like the five-star reviewer, to be something special. I formed a bond with many of the characters, and I still think about them. A couple of things held me back from giving it 5 stars but overall a great book.
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Book 4
"Run Rose Run"
by Dolly Parton and James Patterson
Fiction, Thriller, Mystery
4 stars on GoodReads out of 5 stars.
I gave this one 3/5 stars.
Amazon Link Below, just click on the photo...
Description as Found on GoodReads,
From America’s most beloved superstar and its greatest storyteller—a thriller about a young singer/songwriter on the rise and on the run, and determined to do whatever it takes to survive.Every song tells a story.
She’s a star on the rise, singing about the hard life behind her.
She’s also on the run. Find a future, lose a past.
Nashville is where she’s come to claim her destiny. It’s also where the darkness she’s fled might find her. And destroy her.
Run, Rose, Run is a novel glittering with danger and desire—a story that only America’s #1 most beloved entertainer and its #1 bestselling author could have created.
A Quote
“Sometimes you could see the scars and sometimes you couldn’t. But everybody had them.”
My Thoughts After Reading the Book
First off, I love Dolly, which is why I decided to read this book. How did that work out, you ask? I did not love the book, but I still love Dolly.
This book is about a young woman determined to be a country music star. She has a troubled past, and this past will follow her, but she is determined to make it in the music industry. You will read of her travails and triumphs and the dangers she encounters as she pursues her dreams. Throughout her journey, she comes up with music lyrics.
I did not DNF this book, but I did skim the words and skipped many paragraphs to attempt to find the essential bits of the storyline.
Book Trailer/Movie
I did find that there is a movie adaptation in the works. I will definitely watch it.
A Five Star and A-One Star Review as Found on GoodReads
The Five Star Review- OH MY GOSH!!!! I absolutely adored Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson! I loved every minute of this book! Country music is one of my many favorite music genres, so this book was right up my alley. While reading this story I was on the edge of my seat because I just wanted to know what was going to happen. The story was just so easy to follow. Run Rose Run had me hooked from the very first page, and was unputdownable!
The One-Star Review-I absolutely love Dolly Parton. She is by far my favorite entertainer, but this book is bad, really bad. Predictable, cliche, and boring. The only thing that saved the experience from being a total loss was the audio version with Dolly narrating one character. If you want the best of Dolly, read her nonfiction. Much more interesting!
Me- I think there were some interesting parts to this book so I can't agree with the one-star review. I sure can't agree with the five-star review either. That puts me in the middle and that sounds about right.
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Book 5
"The Red Bandana"
by Tom Rinaldi
Non-Fiction, Biography, Middle Grade
4.01 out of 5 stars on Good Reads
I give this book 4/5
Click on the photo below to go to amazon.
Book Description found on GoodReads.
One Sunday morning before church, when Welles Crowther was a young boy, his father gave him a red handkerchief for his back pocket. Welles kept it with him that day, and just about every day to come; it became a fixture and his signature.A standout athlete growing up in Upper Nyack, NY, Welles was also a volunteer at the local fire department, along with his father. He cherished the necessity and the camaraderie, the meaning of the role. Fresh from college, he took a Wall Street job on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center, but the dream of becoming a firefighter with the FDNY remained.
When the Twin Towers fell, Welles's parents had no idea what happened to him. In the unbearable days that followed, they came to accept that he would never come home. But the mystery of his final hours persisted. Eight months after the attacks, however, Welles's mother read a news account from several survivors, badly hurt on the 78th floor of the South Tower, who said they and others had been led to safety by a stranger, carrying a woman on his back, down nearly twenty flights of stairs. After leading them down, the young man turned around. "I'm going back up," was all he said.
The survivors didn't know his name, but despite the smoke and panic, one of them remembered a single detail clearly: the man was wearing a red bandanna.
Quote
I don't recall a favorite quote.
My thoughts after reading the book
This is the story of a remarkable man. It tells of his life and personality as he was growing up. It takes him through college and attempting to find his way in life. You will learn of his struggles to find his career path and how he ends up in one of the towers on that awful day of 9/11.
A story of a wonderful young man who risks his life to save others and in the end loses his life as a hero.
Book Trailer
There is a movie. I found a link that made me cry.
A Five and One Star Review as Found on Amazon
A Five-Star Review- My son chose this book for a non-fiction book assignment after hearing an excerpt in class. I always like to read what he is reading for school, not only because I love to read but also in case he needs guidance with an assignment. This book was beautifully written. It truly painted an amazing picture of this young man's life and accomplishments. I'd be lying if I said I didn't cry through a lot of it
One-Star Review-I would give this book 0 stars if I could. It was sooooooo boring and there was only a few chapters about 9-11. I wish the book would have a better conflict. It needs a lot more action. The 3rd person view doesn't add the the action. The third person view makes it more boring.
One-Star Review-I would give this book 0 stars if I could. It was sooooooo boring and there was only a few chapters about 9-11. I wish the book would have a better conflict. It needs a lot more action. The 3rd person view doesn't add the the action. The third person view makes it more boring.
Me- I am more in line with the five-star review. This is a look at an amazing man's life and his willingness to risk his life to help others in need. Wells is a hero plain and simple.
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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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