One Minute Book Review: Come Closer by Sara Gran

The Summary:

Something weird is happening in Amanda’s life. It started with weird tapping in the walls, and crazy dreams about a woman. Then with out of character behavior, the urge to harm innocent people. Amanda is not sure if she’s just going crazy, or if something much much worse is happening to her, but she’s determined to figure it out. . .

What I Liked:

It was weird and it was short. It didn’t go on and on about nothing, it got to the point quickly, and executed the plot quickly. And it was weird. I know I mentioned that, but I liked that about it. I like it when books aren’t the usual fare you can find anywhere. It was unusual, and I can say with a fair amount of certainty, I haven’t read anything like it.

What I didn’t like:

It needed more. I never felt very close to any of the characters, I felt like I was simply an observer, which may have been the point. But I’m a very character driven person, and wanted very much to at least get to know the characters. Instead I can honestly say that I didn’t care any more about Amanda at the end than I did at the beginning.

Verdict:

At such a short read, I don’t feel like I lost any time reading this. And I felt like it was sufficiently compelling. But if you like character driven stories, this one may feel like something is missing.

One Minute Book Review: Hot Winter Nights by Jill Shalvis

The Summary:

Molly Malone has been working as the office manager at Hunt Investigations and has been dreaming of becoming an investigator. Especially since she accidentally spent the night with her crush, Lucas Knight, and now needs a distraction from the memory. Lucas can’t even remember the night, and is chagrined enough at the prospect that he’s willing to babysit her on this stupid Bad Santa case she’s decided to take on. The only problem is he would have loved to remember the night, and is willing to make it happen again just so he can enjoy it. . .

What I Liked:

I was looking for an easy, Christmassy read that wasn’t too Christmassy, and this book delivered. It was easy, fun, hot but not too hot, with a mystery subplot that I was pretty interested in. It was fun, which was exactly what I was hoping for. It really reminded me of the Stephanie Plum books, except better.

What I didn’t like:

Guys, it dragged. Not badly enough to DNF the book, but enough that it felt like it took forever to finish the book. It wasn’t so compelling that I needed to keep reading the book, which meant it took forever for me to finish. And the typos! It wasn’t just spelling, it seemed to book had some serious grammar errors. Whoever is editing the book, or doing the proofreading, is really sleeping on the job.

Verdict:

It was alright, and definitely worth it if you want something easy. It just wasn’t as great as I know a book like this could be.

 

 

One Minute Book Review: Unmentionable by Therese O’Neill

The Summary: 

We know how much you love the Victorian age, what with it’s amazing dresses, balls, and impeccable manners. I mean, who wouldn’t want to put on an amazing poufy dress, ride a carriage to a ball, dance all night, and then fall into bed in the wee hours of the morning. Well, you, that’s who! Therese O’Neill takes you through what being a woman in the Victorian period is like, everything from simple things like what you’re going to wear, to complicated things, like how you’re going to manage your period. Sit back and buckle in, because it’s going to be a bumpier ride than you expected!

What I liked:

So, I loved the conversational tone of this book! Not only that, but it was really funny. Ms. O’Neill does a good job of giving you the information without being dry and boring. This book is not just for the history buff, who probably know a lot of what she’s telling you in this book already. This book is for the person who probably finds most history books a little stuffy, a little boring, possibly a little pedantic. The kind of person who just really likes books and movies set in the Victorian period, and wants to know more about it, or perhaps wants to know what it’s really like.

What I didn’t like:

Honestly, there was not much I didn’t like about this book. It was quick, it was fun, it was easy to read. There may be plenty of people who don’t enjoy the conversational tone of this book, but again, I feel like this book had a specific audience. Taking that into account, I think it did a great job of trying to relate to the everyday person who just wants to know a little more.

Verdict:

I enjoyed it, and will definitely be looking for more by Ms. O’Neill.

 

One Minute Book Review (Audiobook Edition): Year One by Nora Roberts

The Summary:

The end has come, and it’s more devastating than anyone could imagine. It started with an illness. An illness that soon took over the world, and took so many. As people started dying, others started discovering. . . gifts. And of course, then came the fear. The fear that collapsed the world, and left it a wrecked, savage place. A group of survivors found themselves in a world of unimaginable beauty, and unimaginable evil. And find themselves heading towards a new hope. Towards what they hope will be their salvation in what has become a dark, scary new world.

What I Liked:

I really liked the way she wrote the beginning of the illness that decimates a lot of the world’s population, and how she brought a lot of the fantastical into it. She does a great job of world-building, which was necessary because the world in the book quickly goes from a world we know to a world we don’t know. I also liked how I really cared about the characters, which tells me that she created rounded and complete people.

I also really enjoyed the narrator, Julia Whelan. I’m the kind of person who can quickly get very annoyed by a poor narrator, so this was good. But there was also nothing that really stuck out about her, either. Not a bad thing though, as the point of a book, whether an audiobook or not, is to get immersed in the world. And Ms. Whelan’s voice definitely allowed for that immersion.

What I Didn’t Like:

So about three quarters of the way into the book I realized that this was very much a chronicling of some kind of alternate history. Yes, it was full of characters I could care about, and yes, it was compelling. But about a quarter out from the last portion of the book I realized that the resolution wasn’t really going to be a resolution, but a set up for the next book. It also didn’t hurt that I had read the blurb for the next book in the series, so I could kind of see what this book was trying to accomplish. And while I appreciated the fact that Ms. Roberts is trying to lay this amazing groundwork for the next book, I’m not sure that it was required for the story she might be trying to tell. The thing about it is –and here’s my disclaimer, folks– without reading or listening to the next one I don’t really know. Only the resolution of the series will tell whether this installment was really necessary. But I don’t always enjoy those books that end with a resolution whose entire purpose is to set up for the next book.

Verdict:

I definitely enjoyed the story, and I will be looking forward to listening to the next one.

One Minute Book Review: Do You Want To Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare

The Summary:

Charlotte Highwood’s mother is determined to marry her off to a gentleman of the highest rank. Charlotte Highwood is in no way the Desperate Debutante the press has made her out to be, which is what she wants to assure Lord Granville of. Which is why she was in the room with him to begin with when the mystery lovers entered and did their dirty deed. But, of course, no one believes her! So she must discover the identity of the mystery lovers before she is forced to marry the cool, proper, and annoyingly handsome Lord Granville. Can she find the mystery lovers? Or will she be relegated to fate she can’t stand?

What I Liked:

I’m gonna be honest: I love me some Tessa Dare. Ever since I read Romancing the Duke earlier this year, I have been a fan. She has a good sense of humor, and her books are so light and lovely. You feel good after reading one, and you don’t feel all angsty during it. It’s just a feel good romance, which is what I come to her for.

What I Didn’t Like:

So, there’s not much I don’t like about Tessa Dare’s books. However, if you’re coming for a hard and fast historical… appropriateness, you may be annoyed to find that she definitely writes with modern sensibilities. I think it’s funny and charming, but someone who insists on historical correctness may not.

Verdict:

I like it, but then again, I don’t think you can go wrong with Tessa Dare. If you want a light, funny historical that’s going to leave you feeling good, then read her.

Like A Zombie, I Rise From The Dead. . .

Well, I’m trying to anyway. If by some chance you’re seeing this then. . . well, wow! First off, color me impressed! You’ve been waiting around since 2018, if I had a prize to give you, I would! Also you’re going to (hopefully) notice new content quietly being posted. I want to be sure I have a set schedule (and plenty of backup book reviews), before I begin trying to reel people back in.

Just because I’m quietly trying to revive this blog, doesn’t mean that I don’t still love the interaction that blogging brings. As always, please feel free to contact me regarding books you’d like me to review, or leave me a note on my reviews.

The format of my book reviews will remain the same: I loved the idea of a shorter, more succinct book review style, and quite honestly, the one minute book review is definitely my style.

If you’ve been waiting, I appreciate your hanging around. And that YouTube channel. . . that’s in the works too.

See you soon!

One Minute Book Review: Wayward by Blake Crouch

The Summary:

The second book in the Wayward Pines series, Ethan Burke is now the sheriff of the mysterious Wayward Pines. Wayward Pines seems to be like any other town, except without the possibility of leaving. No one knows how they got there. No one knows how to leave. Every bit of their lives are planned out for them by someone else, someone who decides where they work, what they do, who they marry. More importantly no one knows what lies beyond the town.

Except for Ethan Burke. He’s one of the few who knows what lies beyond the town. He knows the truth, and it’s his job to keep the citizens of his town safe from it. But can he really do that?

What I liked:

These books are just so good. Some people have said they don’t like the writing style, but I think for the pace of the story, it really works. The world that Crouch has created is frightening, and the twists he throws at us, while a little more predictable in this novel, still rather blew me out of the water. All in all an excellent book.

What I didn’t like:

Honestly, the only thing I don’t like is that you run through them so quick sometimes it’s hard to remember what they’re about. I had to work to jog my memory. However, that’s more of a personal problem, than a problem with the book itself.

Verdict:

I highly recommend this book! Especially if you like mysteries and thrillers.

One Minute Book Review: The Haunting of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie

The Summary:

Something is happening in Sunshine’s new house. Something not right. Something paranormal. The worst part is that the weirder things become, the less her mom believes her. Is something haunting her house? And what can Sunshine do about it? Especially if she’s the only one who is aware of it?

What I liked:

Another fast paced book and a quick easy read. I really liked that the author did a decent job of building up tension and some kind of creep factor.

What I didn’t like:

It was a little bit predictable after the first. . . act, I suppose, of the story. However, this didn’t leave me cold, and I’ll probably get the next installment in the series, if it’s easy to get a hold of. I will admit though, that it’s not so memorable that I would probably actively look for it.

Verdict:

I would recommend this book for people who like their books to have some creep factor. At the end of the day, though, it’s a fairly typical YA novel, so for those of you who do not enjoy that, be forwarned.

One Minute Book Review: A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

The Summary:

Author Bill Bryson, along with his friend Katz, decide to walk the Appalachian Trail, or AT, to get reacquainted with America.

What I liked:

Easily the beginning and end of this book, where Bryson and Katz are walking together were easily the best parts of this book. Katz provided plenty of comic relief to Bryson, who seemed a little too serious at times.

What I didn’t like:

The middle was a little heavy, by which I mean that the subject matter got very serious as Bryson spoke about the state of conservation in this country, and what the government means, exactly, by conservation. BUT it was very educational. So even though I didn’t rip through this portion like I did the rest, and even though I got a little bit bored, I easily learned the most during this portion of the book.

Verdict:

If you like to learn, and if you like memoirs and nonfiction, I would definitely recommend this book. It may not be your thing if you like fast-paced and action packed, though.

One Minute Book Review: The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige

The Summary:

Dorothy lives. Amy Gumm has failed. Her mission has become complicated. Because now she must not only kill Dorothy, but she must remove the Tin Woodman’s heart, steal the Scarecrow’s brain, and take the Lion’s courage. All while carting around the poor, loopy princess of Oz, Ozma herself. Because now this mission isn’t just about saving Oz, it’s about saving Kansas too.

What I liked:

The manipulation of the world was pretty good. I liked the Ozma storyline well enough.

What I didn’t like:

This one fell really flat for me. The first one was so good, I really loved it, and then I got to the second one, and I wanted to love it, but it felt like it wandered and meandered through this world, not really accomplishing much. I’m not certain if I will read the third in the series, I know it’s a trilogy, but after this one, I’m rather disenchanted with the series.

Verdict:

I can’t recommend this one. If you’re like me, you’re probably reading it because you read the first, but be warned. You may not enjoy it as much.