Maame by Jessica George

My Rating:  3.4

It’s fair to say that Maddie’s life in London is far from rewarding. With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana (yet still somehow manages to be overbearing), Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced stage Parkinson’s. At work, her boss is a nightmare and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting. So when her mum returns from her latest trip, Maddie seizes the chance to move out of the family home and finally start living. A self-acknowledged late bloomer, she’s ready to experience some important “firsts”: She finds a flat share, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But when tragedy strikes, Maddie is forced to face the true nature of her unconventional family, and the perils—and rewards—of putting her heart on the line.

This is a classic coming of age story with a bit of a unique style. I didn't enjoy the excess of sex or the depression. I did enjoy the Ghana influence and her family. The author has definite promise.

Fools Errand: The Tawny Man Trilogy Book 1

 My Rating: 4.7

Fifteen years have passed since the end of the Red Ship War with the terrifying Outislanders. Since then, Fitz has wandered the world accompanied only by his wolf and Wit-partner, Nighteyes, finally settling in a tiny cottage as remote from Buckkeep and the Farseers as possible.

But lately the world has come crashing in again. The Witted are being persecuted because of their magical bonds with animals; and young Prince Dutiful has gone missing just before his crucial diplomatic wedding to an Outislander princess. Fitz’s assignment to fetch Dutiful back in time for the ceremony seems very much like a fool’s errand, but the dangers ahead could signal the end of the Farseer reign.

Oh, I loved having Fitz and the Fool back! Even though time has passed, it felt like no time had passed since we were last with them. It was like reuniting with old friends. They were so good as they went back and forth in their roles, between Fitz and the Fool and Tom and Lord Golden, and had me chuckling many times. I enjoyed their hunting for Prince Dutiful and the Piebalds / Old Bloods and all the political intricacies of the palace. I can't wait for the next book in this series. LOVE! 

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

My Rating: 3.0

A wildly inventive spin on the supernatural thriller, about a woman working as a nanny for a young boy with strange and disturbing secrets.

Mallory Quinn is fresh out of rehab when she takes a job as a babysitter for Ted and Caroline Maxwell. She is to look after their five-year-old son, Teddy.

Mallory immediately loves it. She has her own living space, goes out for nightly runs, and has the stability she craves. And she sincerely bonds with Teddy, a sweet, shy boy who is never without his sketchbook and pencil. His drawings are the usual fare: trees, rabbits, balloons. But one day, he draws something different: a man in a forest, dragging a woman’s lifeless body.

Then, Teddy’s artwork becomes increasingly sinister, and his stick figures quickly evolve into lifelike sketches well beyond the ability of any five-year-old. Mallory begins to wonder if these are glimpses of a long-unsolved murder, perhaps relayed by a supernatural force.

Knowing just how crazy it all sounds, Mallory nevertheless sets out to decipher the images and save Teddy before it’s too late.

I enjoyed this light mystery/thriller book until about one hour was left in the book. As with all of these types of books, it required the reader to suspend reality and just go with it. I did until the last hour when it did a serious left turn that was a bait and switch and left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I put it on double speed to finish it but was glad when it was over.

Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb (Book #6 in the Series)

 My Rating: 4.9

As Bingtown slides toward disaster, clan matriarch Ronica Vestrit, branded a traitor, searches for a way to bring the city’s inhabitants together against a momentous threat. Meanwhile, Althea Vestrit, unaware of what has befallen Bingtown and her family, continues her perilous quest to track down and recover her liveship, the Vivacia, from the ruthless pirate Kennit. Bold though it is, Althea’s scheme may be in vain. For her beloved Vivacia will face the most terrible confrontation of all as the secret of the liveships is revealed. It is a truth so shattering, it may destroy the Vivacia and all who love her, including Althea’s nephew, whose life already hangs in the balance.

Well, I thought I loved the Fitz series and nothing else could top it.....not so! This Mad Ship series had me completely engrossed. I have no idea how Hobb's can write so deceptively simply, reel you in and yet the writing is beautiful and more complex than it feels. From the very beginning, I cared what happened not only to Althea, Wintrow and Brashen, but also the liveship Paragon and Vivacia. How an author can bring a ship to life where you truly care about what happens to it is, well, magic. I do admit to hating and skimming the chapters with the serpents talking - ugh! Every time that a storyline switched, I was completely immersed back in the setting and characters. I can't wait to see what is next!

Patton by Alan Axelrod

 My Rating: 4.4

George S. Patton was a general who achieved greatness in his field by contradicting his own nature. A cavalryman steeped in romantic military tradition, he nevertheless pulled a reluctant American military into the most advanced realms of highly mobile armored warfare. An autocratic snob, Patton created unparalleled rapport and loyalty with the lowliest private in his command. An outspoken racist, he led the only racially integrated U.S. military unit in World War II. A profoundly insecure individual, he made his Third Army the most self-confident and consistently victorious fighting force in the European theater. An exuberantly profane man, he prayed daily and believed God had destined him for military greatness. Alan Axelrod delivers a fascinating account of Patton's fascinating life and legacy.

There were parts of this that were very interesting. I didn't realize that Patton had so many negative thoughts. Previously, I only thought of him as a strong leader. I had no idea he was so hard on his troops and had some soldiers parents turn against him for his treatment of their sons. I also learned that it is probably a good thing that he died when he did. There were parts of this book that were boring but, overall, I did learn a lot about Patton and history.

The Madstone by Elizabeth Crook

My Rating: 4.8

In 1868 Texas hill country, nineteen-year-old as Benjamin Shreve tends to business in his workshop, he witnesses a stagecoach strand a passenger. When the man, a treasure hunter, persuades Benjamin to help track down the vanished coach—and a mysterious fortune left aboard—Benjamin is drawn into a drama whose scope he could never have imagined, for they discover on reaching the coach that its passengers include Nell, a pregnant young woman, and her four-year-old son, Tot, who are fleeing Nell’s brutal husband and his murderous brothers. 

Having told the Freedmen’s Bureau the whereabouts of her husband’s gang—a sadistic group wanted for countless acts of harassment and violence against Black citizens—Nell is in grave danger. If her husband catches her, he will kill her and take their son. Learning of their plight, Benjamin offers to deliver Nell and Tot to a distant port on the Gulf of Mexico, where they can board a ship to safety. 

This is told in the first person perspective as a letter written by Benjamin - and the audio is lovely. This is a wild west story with characters, plot and wonderful writing. Crook did a lot of research to bring this historical event to life. This is compared to Lonesome Dove and News of The World and, although it did feel similar with it being of the wild west, I think it is a book that stands on it'sown. I will definitely be reading more by this author.

Mad Ship by Robin Hobb (Book #5 in the Series)

 My Rating: 4.9

The Vestrit family's liveship, Vivacia, has been taken by the pirate king, Kennit. Held captive on board, Wintrow Vestrit finds himself competing with Kennit for Vivacia's love as the ship slowly acquires her own bloodlust. Leagues away, Althea Vestrit has found a new home aboard the liveship Ophelia, but she lives only to reclaim the Vivacia and with her friend, Brashen, she plans a dangerous rescue. Meanwhile in Bingtown, the fading fortunes of the Vestrit family lead Malta deeper into the magical secrets of the Rain Wild Traders. And just outside Bingtown, Amber dreams of relaunching Paragon, the mad liveship 

Is it heresy for me to say that I may love The Liveship Trader Series even more than The Farseer Trilogy? I do miss Fitz but am completely in love with so many character in the Ship series - including the ships! The only part I don't like is the serpents. For some reason I just couldn't get in to them speaking but, knowing Hobb, I am sure she will have a reason for including them. I didn't like some characters (Malta! I am looking at you) but they are all really well developed.

Only The Beautiful by Susan Meissner

My Rating: 4.9

California, 1938—When she loses her parents in an accident, sixteen-year-old Rosanne is taken in by the owners of the vineyard where she has lived her whole life as the vinedresser’s daughter. She moves into Celine and Truman Calvert’s spacious house with a secret, however—Rosie sees colors when she hears sound. She promised her mother she’d never reveal her little-understood ability to anyone, but the weight of her isolation and grief prove too much for her. Driven by her loneliness she not only breaks the vow to her mother, but in a desperate moment lets down her guard and ends up pregnant. 

Banished by the Calverts, Rosanne believes she is bound for a home for unwed mothers. But she soon finds out she is not going to a home of any kind, but to a place that seeks to forcibly take her baby – and the chance for any future babies – from her. 

Austria, 1947—After witnessing firsthand Adolf Hitler’s brutal pursuit of hereditary purity—especially with regard to “different children”—Helen Calvert, Truman’s sister, is ready to return to America for good. But when she arrives at her brother’s peaceful vineyard after decades working abroad, she is shocked to learn what really happened nine years earlier to the vinedresser’s daughter, a girl whom Helen had long ago befriended. In her determination to find Rosanne, Helen discovers a shocking American eugenics program—and learns that that while the war had been won in Europe, there are still terrifying battles to be fought at home.

Wow. Such a horrific and sad time and yet, Meissner did a beautiful job in bringing to light and tying together both topics. It is so hard to believe that this happened in California until the late 1970's! This is a must read to understand history and to make sure it never happens again.

The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger

My Rating: 4.3

The body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River, dead from a shotgun blast. The investigation falls to Sheriff Brody Dern, a highly decorated war hero who still carries the physical and emotional scars from his military service. Even before Dern has the results of the autopsy, vicious rumors begin to circulate that the killer must be Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran who has recently returned to Jewel with a Japanese wife. As suspicions and accusations mount and the town teeters on the edge of more violence, Dern struggles not only to find the truth of Quinn’s murder but also put to rest the demons from his own past.

As always, WKK delivers a good mystery combined with characters that you fall in love with. He creates a wholesome small town that I want to move to....well, other than the murder! 

Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb (Book 4 in the series)

My Rating: 4.8

Bingtown is a hub of exotic trade and home to a merchant nobility famed for its liveships—rare vessels carved from wizardwood, which ripens magically into sentient awareness. Now the fortunes of one of Bingtown’s oldest families rest on the newly awakened liveship Vivacia. For Althea Vestrit, the ship is her rightful legacy. For Althea’s young nephew, wrenched from his religious studies and forced to serve aboard the Vivacia, the ship is a life sentence. But the fate of the ship—and the Vestrits—may ultimately lie in the hands of an outsider: the ruthless buccaneer captain Kennit, who plans to seize power over the Pirate Isles by capturing a liveship and bending it to his will.

I have fallen in love with this series. A 'liveship" is not only made from wizardwood but it has to have three generations of a family die on the decks for the ship to be quickened. The ship comes alive and has the knowledge and awareness of the prior family generations. As Hobb writes, you can picture the ship's figurehead coming to life. The plot is very slow moving but the characters are what kept me turning the pages. I am cheering for most of them (yes, even Kennit!). This is deceptively easy to read  but with incredible writing. I can't wait to read more in this series!

The Forever Dog by Rodney Habib and Karen Becker

 My Rating: 4.8

Dogs have been getting sicker and dying younger. This book delves into why and how to fix it. This book focuses on diet and nutrition, movement, environmental exposures, and stress reduction, and can be tailored to the genetic predisposition of particular breeds or mixes. The authors discuss various types of food—including what the commercial manufacturers don’t want us to know—and offer recipes, easy solutions, and tips for making sure our dogs obtain the nutrients they need. Habib and Dr. Becker also explore how external factors we often don’t think about can greatly affect a dog’s overall health and wellbeing, from everyday insults to the body and its physiology, to the role our own lifestyles and our vets’ choices play. Indeed, the health equation works both ways and can travel “up the leash.” 

It is my opinion that more and more people are waking up to the fact that our pet's food is just as corrupt (maybe more?) as human food. Kibble=Cereal. We have fed our dog raw food for quite a while now but, I still learned some things from this book - like adding spices, parsley or cilantro and a few other vegetables. I found the last third of the book to be the most beneficial for me. I believe variety is the best thing for our animals. It also doesn't have to be expensive to feed your dog well. I love that this book even encourages people to start with replacing 10% of your pet's kibble for whole food. No matter which end of the spectrum you are on (100% kibble, 100% raw or somewhere in between), I think everyone can benefit from this book. Anything you can do will help your dog to live healthier and, hopefully longer.

The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding

 My Rating: 4.1

Lee never thought she’d find herself living on the streets—no one ever does—but when her restaurant fails, and she falls deeper into debt, she leaves her old life behind with nothing but her clothes and her Toyota Corolla. In Seattle, she parks in a secluded spot by the beach to lay low and plan her next move—until early one morning, she sees a sobbing woman throw herself into the ocean. Lee hauls the woman back to the surface, but instead of appreciation, she is met with fury. The drowning woman, Hazel, tells her that she wanted to die, that she’s trapped in a toxic, abusive marriage, that she’s a prisoner in her own home. Lee has thwarted her one chance to escape her life. Bonded by disparate but difficult circumstances, the women soon strike up a close and unlikely friendship. And then one day, Hazel makes a shocking request: she wants Lee to help her disappear. It’ll be easy, Hazel assures her, but Lee soon learns that nothing is as it seems, and that Hazel may not be the friend Lee thought she was.

This is one of those books that you just have to go with and, if you do, it is a wild ride with lots of twists. WARNING: There is domestic abuse.

Undoctored by Dr William Davis

My Rating: 4.8

A comprehensive program to reduce, reverse, and cure hundreds of common health conditions and break your dependence on prescription drugs. By applying simple strategies while harnessing the collective wisdom of new online technologies, you can break free of a healthcare industry that puts profits over health. Undoctored is the spark of a new movement in health that places the individual, not the doctor, at the center. His plan contains features like: • A step-by-step guide to eliminating prescription medications • Tips on how to distinguish good medical advice from bad • 42 recipes to guide you through the revolutionary 6-week program

This is everything I believe - that if you eat healthy you don't need a doctor. Doctor's are trained to treat the symptoms, not fix the root cause. A healthy person doesn't need a doctor. I have read a few other books by Dr Davis and love them all. This book is reassuring to know that a doctor recommends the exact same path that I am on.

All You Need Is Love by Peter Brown

My Rating: 4.2

This is comprised of intimate interviews with Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, their families, friends and business associates that were conducted by Beatles intimate Peter Brown and author Steven Gaines.

All the interviews, except for Yoko's, were done prior to John's death. This means they were very raw, honest and probably said things that wouldn't have been said if it had been after John's death. It was sad how, despite their love of Brian Epstein as a manager, they were so mismanaged. So many people who took advantage of them. That being said, it was interesting to hear of all of their exploits as well as the inner dynamics of all involved.

The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

My Rating: 4.9

1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams for a friend to alleviate her isolation. Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions of becoming “lion women.” But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives.

This was a wonderful book covering not only the girls' friendship but the Shah's reign and the politics and impact to the Iranians but particularly women. This was very reminiscent of The Kite Runner which is one of my all-time favorite books.