The Power of the Dog by Don Winslow

My Rating: 5.0

This extremely gritty novel follows DEA Agent Art Keller in his hunt for the Berrera Brothers and their drug cartel. From the streets of New York City to Mexico City and Tijuana to the jungles of Central America, this is the war on drugs like you’ve never seen it.

This is so graphic, real and gritty. The torture, sex and drugs will haunt you...as will the reality of what is going on. I googled so many things in this book and they were all true! I think all men would love this book about the war on drugs with Mexico and Central America. This is the Sopranos combined with Pablo Escobar - on steroids. Although this is labeled as fiction, every single thing I googled was fact so I would label this as historical fiction (the names have been changed to protect the guilty). This is being made into a Netflix movie and I can't wait! I will definitely be reading the other two books in the trilogy. Wow. Absolutely stellar

Bookmarks Magazine July/August

I always get so excited when my favorite magazine arrives in the mail. Here are the selections that jump out at me at first glance:
      
         

I already have this one in my queue thanks to a previous edition of Bookmarks and my book-twin Jeana:


I absolutely loved The Dog Stars and how Heller captures nature so I had to add this one:

The Safest Lies by Megan Miranda

My Rating: 3.0

Kelsey's mom was kidnapped when she was 17 years old. She hasn't been outside their home since she escaped and had Kelsey. Kelsey knows very little of that time except the extreme fear and precautionary measures her mother gets her to take. When Kelsey is in an accident that gets press coverage, she suddenly finds out a lot of things her mother has been hiding from her.

I loved the first half of the book but then so sad when it fell apart and the ending was just meh. Hate when that happens..

Weaving the Strands #2 by Barbara Hinske

My Rating: 4.7

This is #2 in the Coming to Rosemont Series. Maggie continues her life in Westbury. She is facing a lot of criticism from her job, she has too many guests for Thanksgiving dinner and just has her hands full all around.

This is a fast, fun and wholesome read. So enjoyable. I will definitely be reading more in this series.

Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

My Rating: 4.9

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late 60's, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

 Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.

This is such a unique book. I honestly wasn't sure if I was going to like it and then I fell in love with it! It is told in the form of an interview style (picture members of Led Zepplin, Motley Crew, Ozzy Osbourne or The Beatles but with more pop style music-- being interviewed by The Rolling Stones Magazine). I loved all the various perspectives and you felt like you really knew these characters and were a fan of the band. Definite recommend and the audio was great as well.

Coming To Rosemont by Barbara Hinske

My Rating: 4.6

When Maggie's husband dies of a heart attack, she finds out he has been keeping a lot of secrets....including that he inherited a beautiful mansion called Rosemont in a small town in the Midwest called Westbury. Maggie goes to Westbury fully intended to sell Rosemont and instead falls in love with it. She makes an impulsive decision to sell everything from her California life and start fresh by moving to Rosemont.

I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful feel-good book. I loved all the characters (ok, not the bad guys lol!) including the dog Eve. It made me want to move to Westbury. This is a wholesome book without being syrupy. If you want a wonderful uplifting book that will keep you entertained, this is it!

The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo

My Rating: 2.0

When Ren's master dies, he has to find his finger to reunite it with the body. Ren has to do this in 49 days after his master's death or his soul will forever roam the earth.

Ji Lin wants to be a doctor but, as a girl in 1930's Malaysia a dressmaker is the best she can hope for. Ji Lin also moonlights as a dancehall girl to help pay off her beloved mother's Mahjong debts. One night, Ji Lin's dance partner leaves her with a gruesome souvenir: a severed finger. Convinced the finger is bad luck, Ji Lin enlists the help of her erstwhile stepbrother to return it to its rightful owner.

As the 49 days tick down, and a prowling tiger wreaks havoc on the town, Ji Lin and Ren's lives intertwine in ways they could never have imagined.

I know I am in the minority in my rating of this book but I thought it was awful. It isn't that Choo is a bad author as I quite enjoyed the writing. It is that the story was absolutely boring. Throwing in some touches of local customs and folklore doesn't a story make. The characters were flat and there was no story other than what I put above. I should have stopped reading this as it was a complete waste of time. Definitely do not recommend. If this is an indication of Reese Witherspoon's book picks, I will skipping them. UGH!