Call the Canaries Home by Laura Barrow

This is the Teachers and Friends Book Club selection for December, chosen by Mrs. Tirollo.  We are having an apps/dessert potluck at her home again as our holiday gathering.  My vote would be "liked it" but not "loved it".

Savannah is the youngest of 3 (living) sisters.  Savannah's twin Georgia was kidnapped when they were children and is presumed murdered by a serial killer now on death row.  Savannah has stayed in their tiny, rural, relatively poor town to care for their grandmother Marylynn, known as Meemaw.  She bounces from menial jobs like waitressing and housekeeping. Oldest Rayanne married into money, drives a brand new SUV, has two young children, and survives on anxiety medication.  Middle sister Sue Ellen became an organic/vegan/fitness guru, moved to New York City, has several degrees, and is an English professor.  Their mother died shortly after their sister's kidnapping from cancer; their father lives nearby but is a deadbeat.  

25 years after Meemaw took custody of the girls, they return to dig up the time capsule they buried in the yard at their old home.  They find a photo of the last day the four girls were together, which triggers memories and sends Savannah on a quest to find a possible witness.        

As this is somewhat a murder mystery, I don't want to spoil too much.  I will say my initial guess was incorrect, and I was not satisfied at the end.  The ending felt rushed, almost as if it is a set up for a sequel.  This was told in alternating viewpoints from Meemaw and all 3 sisters, varying from the 60s to the present, but the focus is definitely Savannah, and I felt there is a set up for Sue Ellen to have the spotlight next.  However, I can't check because for some reason our filtering software is blocking the author's website.  Insert eye roll here. 

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.                

Madly, Deeply; The Diaries of Alan Rickman

I think you know I love all things Harry Potter.  And that includes Snape of course, and Alan Rickman.  I think Rickman's Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood is a far better performance than Kevin Costner's title role.  Rickman's breakout in American Hollywood was the bad guy in Die Hard (who will ever forget the face as Bruce Willis drops him off Nakatomi Tower--which was because Willis let him go on 2 rather than 3).  

Rickman kept a diary, which is more like a date book record of meetings and appointments with commentary thrown in. This was published after his death.  His longtime partner (he formally/officially married Rima in 2012 to protect her financially) provides an epilogue of his final days in the hospital in late 2015 to early 2016.

It was July 27, 2007 when Rickman read Snape's death in the book.  He wrote in his journal he was satisfied with his character's ending.  He briefly considered allowing Snape to be recast for the final three movies after his cancer diagnosis in 2005, but wrote he must see the storyline through.  He never let his castmates know he was ill, instead allowing his pallid complexion and pained demeanor to be seen as living in character.  His younger castmates called it "Snaping about".

His talent and, as former castmate Johnny Depp called it, "uniqueness" will be missed. 

Note, I didn't realize when this was purchased through our vendor it is the large print version.  It still does not list so on the book sale page.  Please do not let the length/size of the book deceive you, as the font is gigantic.               

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

This is review #2 for today.

Ms. Keefe is a retired school psychologist who spent much of her career here in West Haven.  She now splits her time between WH and FL.  This is her choice for the Teachers and Friends Book Club, and we will be meeting today to discuss. 

This is a modern interpretation of David Copperfield, which until recently was a standard in Literature courses (although not in West Haven for some time now).  

Demon is born to a single, addicted mother in Lee County, Virginia.  The novel tells his life story, through the lenses of the foster care system, American education, addiction, alcoholism, poverty, LGBTQ+ issues, all in the rural South.  

I have mixed feelings about it.  Heartbreaking to read about a child seemingly discarded from birth, a innocent victim of circumstances beyond his control, but also some anger that places I love were being portrayed as resistant to change and therefore it's their own fault.  Bristol is less than an hour away.

I am curious to hear what others have to say today.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Home Is Where The Eggs Are by Molly Yeh

I know I have been slacking on book reviews.  Things have been bonkers in these parts of late.  This will be review 1 of 2 today.

I LOVE Molly Yeh's cooking shows.  And Mr. Kent asked me to update some of our holdings to inspire our culinary students.  So this seemed like a no-brainer purchase I'll be donating today.  

Molly Yeh is Chinese American and Jewish.  She grew up in NYC.  Her husband is a Scandinavian farmer from the North Dakota-Minnesota border. That's quite a culture clash.  They have two toddlers and a flock of chickens all named Macaroni.  So meals must also be kid friendly.  

Each recipe begins with an introduction as to its inclusion.  Yeh states you can Google a recipe for just about anything now, so if she's going to include it in a book, there must be a reason.  I really enjoyed reading how she adjusted to life outside the city, to incorporating her and her husband's traditions in their daily lives, and to creating meaningful meals when ingredients widely available in NYC aren't in rural farmland.  I almost want to shelve this in memoir rather than cooking.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

The Paper Daughters of Chinatown by Heather B. Moore

This is review 2 of 2; please read review 1 first.

This was recommended to me by Kym Powe of the CT State Library two years ago.  At the time, it was available as an ebook only.  I much prefer physical books, so when I saw this available as a hard cover from our vendor, I put it on our wish list for this school year.  

This is a fictionalized account of the life of Donaldina Cameron.  Cameron worked to save trafficked Chinese girls in late 19th century San Francisco.  Called "paper daughters" because their paperwork was falsified for entry into the United States, these girls were sold in servitude, often prostitution.  The novel is just a brief chunk of Cameron's life told through the lens of just one of the girls she saved.

This isn't an easy read.  It's history, and does not paint many in a good light.  But, it is a piece of history often left out of our textbooks and discussions.  

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.    

Born to Be Hanged by Keith Thomson

I know I have been terrible about keeping up with written reviews.  It has just been bonkers in these parts lately.  This will be review 1 of 2 today, both West Coast history. 

I really wanted to like this.  If you've followed this blog for a while, you know my obsession with pirates, especially New England and Canadian Maritime pirates.  I did not realize this was about PACIFIC pirates when I started it.  In fact I had no idea Captain Morgan, yes THAT Captain Morgan, left Jamaica to plunder the West Coast rather than the Caribbean.  

I decided to continue reading anyway.  I expected narrative non-fiction like The Murder of Helen Jewett or Conductor on the Underground Railroad, but this was wayyyyyy too wordy to hold my interest.  I gave up about midway through, and read Morgan's entry on Wikipedia instead. *shrugs 

I do hope someone out there finds this branch of pirate/West Coast history intriguing.  

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz

Today's review is the Teachers and Friends Book Club selection for September.  It was chosen by city side employee Roberta and our discussion will be held at Solun next week.  

I have mixed feelings about the story.  I liked the premise.  Two young women who became friends in college meet up yearly to take a vacation in a remote spot--hiking, biking, boat rides, etc.  Last year in Cambodia, Emily was assaulted by a man they met in a bar, but was saved when Kristen burst into the room and attacked him. The man died from his injuries, but the women hid his body and were never charged. 

This year, they are going to Chile. Unfortunately, the same scenario plays out, this time Kristen is attacked.  She fights off the man, and hits him with a lamp.  They repeat their hide the body and leave the country plan.  But this man is not a local.  He's the son of a wealthy American also on vacation, and his parents are not going to let the crime go unsolved.

As the investigation continues, Emily learns more and more disturbing things about Kristen's past.

This is where I am going to stop with plot as it's a murder mystery.  That being said, the last paragraph of the book completely threw me (and Ms. Corrado...) for a loop.  I look forward to discussing it. 

I did find Emily and Kristen's dialogue a tad annoying.  They both seemed to have valley-girl esque voices in my head, despite being from Wisconsin.  Kristen reminded me of Debbie from The Addams Family movie too.  And Emily was so whiny.  I wish they were stronger female leads, but I guess that would have changed the plot significantly. 

I'll be adding this to the collection, but it will be on hold for other members until our meeting.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

It's hard to believe, but this week teachers go back to school!  As such, this is my last review under my summer horror theme.  My sister was sure I would like it and loaned it to me.

I loved it!  So much so I'm putting it on our new wish list as soon as I get done writing this review. 

The story is told in alternating viewpoints of Vivian in 1982 and her niece Carly in 2017.  Vivian, the troublemaker daughter of her mother's two, takes off from Illinois for New York City to become an actress, but hitchhiking gets her to upstate NY instead.  She takes a night shift desk job at a run down motel.  In November of 1982, she vanishes without a trace, leaving her purse and car behind.  The small police force does a compulsory brief search, but it fizzles and Vivian is forgotten by the locals.  

In 2017, Vivian's sister dies of cancer.  Carly decides to take a break from college and see if she can find out anything about what happened to her aunt Viv, who no one wants to talk about.  She drives to Fell, NY and finds the land that time forgot, including the barely standing but still open motel, now owned by the original owner's son.  

OK, so this is definitely sounding like the set up for a Nancy Drew style whodunit, and it totally is, but the Sun Down Motel is haunted, and not by Viv.  Assorted ghosts of those who have died in the sketchy motel make their displeasure and unrest known.

I don't want to spoil any more!  This was a great read, that held my interest to stay up and finish it!  Hopefully I can get this on an order in the near future!

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand

This was the Teachers and Friends Book Club selection for July.  If you've read any of my reviews for Book Club choices, you know we try to match characters/settings to our meeting location.  Originally the plan was to do a "beachy read" and meet on the beach.  But, that week turned out to be oppressively hot and humid, so others asked we postpone.  Our meeting is tonight at Oak Beach Grill, so at least we got the "beach" part in even though it's raining.  

I'll be the first to admit, when this came I kinda eye rolled.  I just knew this wasn't going to be my cup of tea.  It looked romancey and "girl reinvents herself"ish.  However, the cover flap blurb said one of our main characters is the hotel's resident ghost, so I figured I'd try to get through it.

I was so very wrong.  I loved this book.

The titular hotel has been in disrepair for some time. Once a grand vacation spot, a fire in the 1920s left it damaged and supposedly (actually) haunted.  A series of owners, less invested than the last, have left the property in ruins.  Until a British billionaire decides to make it his pet project.  He hires a local woman, most recently a restaurant manager fresh off a bad breakup, to manage with the goal of an elusive 5 star review from a social media influencer.  

This was both funny and heartwarming (especially as Grace the ghost learns modern colloquialisms).  From a giant pitbull to a child chess prodigy to a rich kid turned maid to a show tune signing gay bellman, I smiled way more than I thought I would, and did not roll my eyes once. This was Fawlty Towers meets The Birdcage meets Clue. 

I'll be adding this to our collection when we return!

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin Craig

This is review 2 for today.  Please read review 1 for context first.

I actually started this in January and tried again in April.  I got a quarter of the way in before I gave up.  I just could not get into it.  I put it aside for my summer reading theme.

I got a little over halfway before I stopped.  I just do not understand what is happening, where, or why.  I get the premise: wealthy, somewhat royal widower (all daughters) remarries and new wife is preggo with a boy.  Resentment galore.  4 of the 12 girls have passed away, but the most recent has led at least two of the remaining sisters to question if it was murder. K.  But then add in strange deities (wondering if this is the start of something like an in-universe series), odd customs, sea worship, and a magic passageway to a fancy cotillion ball. Too weird for me to try to make sense.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

I have two reviews to post this afternoon, and unfortunately neither is positive.  In addition, this makes three books in a row I've declined to finish.

I do require myself to at least TRY to finish a book, but I am also a big proponent of putting a book down when it just isn't for you.  This will be review 1 of 2 today.

I wanted to like this.  It is an indigenous ghost story.  It starts with the family dog dying suspiciously.  Nope, that's an immediate no reading any further.   

Sorry.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

White Smoke by Tiffany Jackson

Nope, nope, nope, nope.

There are few things that bother me enough to put a book down.  Bugs, specifically bed bugs, are at the top of that list.

I got 24 pages in before I had to stop reading this.  The main character seems to have had an incident with bed bugs and has a phobia of them.  They are mentioned egregiously in the first two chapters.  Noping right on out of this.

Sorry.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.  

The Cloisters by Katy Hayes

The Canadian Wildfire Smoke is really bothersome this morning!  Figured it was a good morning to get a review up. 

The Cloisters was recommended to me by Mr. Winters.  A young art history major intends to intern at the Met in NYC, but her mentor is going on sabbatical.  Another high-up in the museum overhears and takes her on at The Cloisters, a niche medieval themed location known for its expansive gardens.  Her task is to help director Patrick prepare a presentation on fortune-telling.  She's partnered with Rachel, a rather wealthy woman who is focused on tarot cards.  We learn Rachel is having relations with both Patrick and the garden keeper Leo (who is stealing artifacts and selling them, along with the psychedelic plants from his garden).  Ann finds she is quite good at deciphering codes, which makes her a desirable asset.

Now, this is a mystery in DaVinci Code style, with some Harry Potter thrown in.  I too love medieval art and tarot, so this was a pleasure to read, BUT I figured out the whodunit pretty early.  I think anyone who likes a good murder-mystery, the arts, history, or magic will enjoy.     

I'll be adding this to the collection when we get back.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Bridge of Souls by Victoria Schwab

Happy Summer!  

This year my summer reading theme is horror/paranormal.  

First up, Bridge of Souls by Victoria Schwab.

This was donated to WHHS as part of the large donation facilitated by our Rotary Club and Scholastic.

I did not know this was book #3 in a series until a bit in.  I could still follow, but some background info was lacking.  I also didn't realize it was written by VE Schwab, who wrote Addie LaRue, which I reviewed here previously.  Schwab uses VE for adult books and Victoria for YA.  Upon opening, the font is ginormous.  And the content is definitely middle grade, but was still enjoyable as an adult and would be for high school.  There are a ton of Harry Potter references, and honestly some would be lost on a reader who has not either read or watched the HP movies (I gave up on the movies after Azkaban, so not positive on if they're sufficient reference material). 

In short, Cassidy Blake survived a near-death experience, and now can see ghosts.  She helps those stuck in-between life and the afterlife move on.  Her sidekick Jacob is a ghost himself.  The story takes place in New Orleans, which is on my bucket list to visit someday.  

This is a superfast read (it would be a novella if not for the big font).  I do think one should read #1 and #2 first before this one, which I'll be adding to our wish list shortly. 

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

Well, Tuesday marked the end of the 22-23 school year and the wrap on New Title Tuesday.  17 new books in 18 weeks for the WHHS Library!  Of course, this one won't be added to the collection until we return to school as I didn't start it until teachers were let out.  

This HEFTY work was recommended to me by a friend.  I mean it's BIG.  It's 770+ pages.  I read this sporadically over the past three days between my annual cleaning, as Ms. Marcella calls it "The Annual Cleaning Rampage".  

I have a mixed review.  The story begins in 1900 on the West Coast of India, in a Christian village called Parambil. A 12 year old is married off to a wealthy 40 year old widower, more to be a caretaker to his toddler son.  Eventually she grows to love her husband and they have two more children.  However, there is something of a curse on the family that each generation loses someone to drowning.  As time passes, new British settlers arrive, along with doctors and nurses.  The caste system is alive and well, even in the Christian areas, and the systemic classist differences in treatment are evident.  The story continues over 80ish years. 

Now, I absolutely LOVED the parts of the book set in Parambil.  Our young 12 year old main character grows from a timid child not much older than her stepson to a formidable matriarch grandmother who controls significant wealth for the area.  We see her come to terms with the ever present spirit of her husband's late wife.  We watch her playful interactions with the family elephant Damo.  We cry with her after a miscarriage.  We can almost taste how her curry and other recipes change with time and maturity. 

What I didn't like was the excruciating details on the backgrounds of the minor characters.  The reader is forced to read chapter upon chapter of unnecessary fluff about what brought some of the white men to this area including one doctor's mother's history in Glasgow. If all of the unneeded info was cut, this would be a MUCH shorter novel that would be easier to read.  I admit to skipping some of it. 

Well, there it is.  My next post will be after I finish The Cleaning Rampage and will tell you my Summer Reading theme for 2023.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

The Last Word by Taylor Adams

Before I say anything else about this book THE DOG DOES NOT DIE!

As soon as I started reading this, I was absolutely terrified I was going to read the dog dies and actually sought out the answer before I continued.  Thankfully another reader who did not want to read the dog dying posted a spoiler.  Dog lives. 

I loved the premise of this book: Emma is housesitting with her dog (a Golden!).  There is only one neighbor nearby.  She passes the time reading and posting reviews on her blog.  One of these reviews is negative, and the author takes the review to heart and starts threatening her.  

OK, so as someone who quite literally reviews books on a blog as part of her job, I'm honestly spooked a little to write this negative review (maybe that's the point? *laughs nervously). I like the idea, and some parts were really gripping thriller writing.  In places it was very Pike and Stine like creepy YA horror of the 80s and 90s.  Which I loved.  BUT, I really struggled with the alternating viewpoints via the changing font of what was said, narrated, appeared in print on the blog or articles, etc.  It made it very difficult to read physically, as I had to move the book back and forth to get my eyes to focus in the right spot, and it just made the storyline more confusing than it needed to be.

Anyone who likes thrillers and crime will like this, IF you can get past the aforementioned issues.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Please don't find me Mr. Adams...

Whiskey Women by Fred Minnick

Now before anyone gets a little put-off by the title, this is a history book.  You really can't talk about American history without mentioning Prohibition and its repeal.  And while the bootleg running men of Appalachia are always what's portrayed, it was many women who actually distilled in their basements and barns while distracting law enforcement with good manners.  

I first saw this book on display at a local distillery.  Unfortunately, it was a limited print.  Amazon told me it would be back in stock soon, so I regularly checked and finally it was last week.  

This is a great book to examine women's history in America (along with Ireland and Scotland) through the lens of spirits as an extension of the kitchen and domestic responsibility then up the ladder to corporate leadership.  As I consider where to shelve this, it could find its home in History, Crime & Punishment, or Women's Studies; all topics which frequently demonstrate the intersectionality of a woman's place in our history.  I could see excerpts being used in several courses.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.

    

The Island by Natasha Preston

I HATED THIS BOOK!!!!!!!

I am so angry I spent even the discounted price.  I am angry I stayed up to read this, hoping it got better.  

It was terrible.  I don't even want to add it to the collection.

Full Tilt is one of my favorite books, and Clue is one of my favorite movies.  So a whodunit set in a creepy amusement park?  Perfect.

Not.  There was zero character development, the plot jumps so bad you have no idea who's doing what and has more holes than Swiss cheese, and the ending was a cliffhanger that made no sense.  I stayed up an hour past my bedtime to chuck this book so hard it woke the dogs up.  

One of the worst books I have ever wasted my time on. 

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

 

Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert

This was recommended to me by Amazon, I guess because I like horror and stories of the craft.  I will call it "readable".  

I have to say, after digitizing Donnie Darko for a teacher, I was definitely a little apprehensive of the creepy bunny on the cover.  But, this was not scary.  

In the present day, in a typical white American suburb, Ivy has always felt something was "off" about her mother, long suspecting clairvoyance or special knowledge of herbs, etc.  But as things get weirder as Ivy and her older brother grow, they start understanding their mother and her best friend Fee are witches.  We flash back to when Dana was a teen herself in a very urban and poor city, learning about her abilities.  There are several witches who come into Dana, Fee's, and Ivy's lives throughout their stories, and the reader must determine, for lack of a better way of describing it, who is Good Witch and who is a Bad Witch.  All whole navigating typical teenhood like cliques and homework, societal norms in wealth and poverty, and a lot of dead bunnies.

Why I rate this readable and not good is the changing point of view, not just in flashback/forward.  It changes from 1st to 3rd within the time periods.  So sometimes Ivy or Dana narrates their own story, sometimes an omniscient narrator is telling the story.  I wish the author chose one and stuck with it.   

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.    

Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman

Yesterday afternoon and evening were a very quiet time in my home.  My husband was spending the night in Massachusetts for work.  Our puppy Shyne was spending the night at the vet after her spay. And my son was studying for APUSH.  My old girl Shandy and I curled up the on couch with a blankie to finish this week's book.  

I loved The Museum of Ordinary Things and Incantation, but I'm not sure why Amazon decided to recommend this, which was published in 2004, to me last week...

This is a short novel, a novella, like Hoffman's Green Heart.  Also like Green Heart, it is several stories that are united but were previously published piecemeal.  There is also a supernatural element, which is typical of her work.  

The stories are mostly set in Cape Cod, centered around an old farmhouse and fertile plot of land.  The home is inherited, sold, bought, gifted over two centuries.  As I myself love old homes and the stories about them (mine being built in 1930; we are only its 3rd owners), this was very touching.  It was sad, but also beautiful.

A very quick read that I definitely recommend.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.        

Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes

The latest in my New Title Tuesday, this was suggested to me by Amazon. We are on book number 12 of 18. 

You may not know the author's name, but you might've heard a song he wrote on the Oldies station: The Pina Colada Song.  Honestly, I had no idea that's who the author was when I bought the book, and didn't until a friend commented on my FB post.  It really has no bearing on the review or the book anyway, but interesting factoid.

This was a weird book.  It is set up like a journal with editorial comments.  The journal portion is from a former student and now staff member at McMasters Conservatory, a school dedicated to learning how to murder, er, DELETE, those who deserve it.  Think Scythe school.  The school location is never revealed, but it was VERY Hogwarts-like (a little too much in my opinion).  The editorial comments come from the Headmaster.  In addition to the journaling student, we learn about two other future Deletists.  It also felt very Harry Potter course bookish, like the original Fantastic Beasts or Quidditch Through the Ages.   

It was readable, but I saw the plot twist coming fairly early.  I also had trouble NOT picturing Hogwarts or the Dean as Dumbledore. The hardest part for me was the anachronisms: Holmes refers to people of my parents' or even grandparents' generation for references, and I had to Google them.  If I didn't know some, it's unlikely my kids will.  

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls

I absolutely loved Walls' The Glass Castle.  I also love NASCAR, which of course has its roots in moonshine running.  When I read the summary on Amazon, I thought a book written by Walls set in the Appalachians of Virginia during the Prohibition era about a girl from a family of bootleg liquor runners would be awesome.  

It was..."readable".

I wish I liked it more, but, eh.  

Sallie Kincaid is the middle child of The Duke, a local big wig.  She's a free spirit, and her stepmother Jane has her banished to a maternal aunt (Faye) when her actions injure her young half-brother Eddie.  Upon her stepmother's death from the flu several years later, she returns to The Big House a young woman. 

It is like the Kincaids are cursed: one death after another.  Some from standard deadly illnesses, but most of accidents such as drowning, a suicide, and a few gun fights.

Sallie ends up running bootleg whiskey, as her older half-sister Mary turns the county dry.  The running scenes are the only real action in the book.

The rest of the novel is one revelation about the men of The Duke's family's philandering about the county.  Sallie seems in the dark about her father, grandfather, and great-grandfather's activities, and learns she has several more siblings/cousins/aunts/etc, of multiple races.  It became somewhat annoying and stereotypical of the region.  And also the "man who is secretly (but obvious to the reader) gay in a community that could never accept such" trope.

I wish there was a lot more action on the back roads of Appalachia running 'shine than "I have a(nother) sister!" *gasp* moments.        

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.  

   

Young and Damned and Fair by Gareth Russell

I did not read a new book last week over vacation for new #titletuesday.  Instead I reread Killers of the Flower Moon in preparation for the new Leo DiCaprio/Martin Scorsese film of the same name.  I am hoping our Criminal Justice cohort goes on a field trip to see it and invites me chaperone!

I actually read this the week before vacation, but totally forgot to publish the review.  I also totally forgot to share my CASL Board notes with the other LMSs.  Safe to say my brain was mush, and I definitely needed that vacation!

Anyway.

This is a biography of Catherine (more recently spelled with a K) Howard, the fifth wife of Henry the 8th.  

If you like musicals at all, you probably have at least heard the intro song to the Broadway and now touring Six.  The show features the six wives of Henry the 8th reimagined as pop princesses, each singing a song about their lives and reign, inspired by a real musician.  Katherine Howard's song is "All You Wanna Do", sung as Ariana Grande or Christina Augliera. 

Until now, most people have never heard of Katherine Howard.  Which really irks me because she's my very distant cousin.  Those who have heard of her just know she was beheaded from the rhyme divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. Her name likely was spelled with a C, but recently the K spelling gained favor, partly due to Six, partly to differentiate her from wife #1 Catherine of Aragon and wife #6 Catherine Parr.  

This traces Catherine's rise to Queen from her family's manipulations to get her at court, the sexual abuse at the hands of men around her, and her demise. It is not a happy ever after.

A reminder all opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.

A Killer's Wife by Victor Methos

If you're following my new #titletuesday posts on FB, you know I did not review Daisy Jones and the Six.  I actually had to put Daisy down as I found it was too similar to Opal & Nev.  The latter is the teacher and friend's book club selection for April; the former in June.  I felt they were too alike to read so close together, so Daisy is on hold. 

This novel is the club's choice for May, chosen by a friend of one of our Board of Education members.  It is a murder mystery thriller.  As such I don't want to spoil too much plot, but:

Eddie Cal is on death row for a series of gruesome murders.  His ex-wife Jessica is now a federal prosecutor, and their teenage daughter Tara is a math and artistic genius applying to graduate level university studies.  A copy cat has started imitating Eddie's crimes, and the FBI want Jessica to help, as she is the only person Eddie is willing to talk to.

I hated Eddie.  In addition to being a psychopath, he's just a jerk (I'd use stronger language in private conversation).  I wanted to punch him in the teeth.  I also wanted to smack Tara, as she's incredibly rude to her mother.  

Overall, it held my interest, although I saw the plot twist 1 coming pretty early.  Plot twist 2 was a bit more of a surprise.

This will be among the 18 books added to our collection as new titles donated by me, but it will be on hold until after our May meeting. 

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

The Spite House by Johnny Compton

Continuing my plan to read a new book starting each Tuesday, this was recommended to me by Amazon.  I have a love hate relationship with Amazon.  I love how fast they send me books, I hate how much I spend there.

Anyway, this was sold to me as a haunted house/horror story.  It was. Very much so.

However, it was WAY WAY WAY too much like The Haunting of Hill House (the novel, the movie, the movie remake, and the Netflix series) with a dash of The/A Haunting in Connecticut (the TV episode and the movie--fun fact, my late Golden Savannah was from the real neighborhood where that supposedly took place).  Family in crisis meets haunted house in need of caretaker.    

A very quick read (it's quite a short book) that held my interest.  I guess I was hoping there would be something that didn't sound recycled, but alas.  If you've never read/watched the aforementioned titles, you will absolutely love it.  If you have though, it will not be as scary a read.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

First an apology on being late with my review.  Crazy times with NGSS, Union meeting, St. Patrick's Parade, etc.!

Alright, so...

I recently learned all of Taylor Jenkins Reid's books have "Easter Eggs"--references to her other books.  You can read about her world here: https://www.jenryland.com/the-fictional-world-of-taylor-jenkins-reid In this book, Carrie Soto has an affair with the son-in-law of one of Evelyn Hugo's ex-husbands, Mick Riva.  It's fascinating how she has concocted this world and although the books are not sequels/prequels, they are interconnected like the old daytime soap operas.  

I absolutely loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and I had big expectations for this.  My feelings are mixed.  Carrie Soto was a phenomenal tennis player, winning a record Grand Slam titles.  Now, at 37, a new player, Nicki Chan, has tied her record.  Soto decides to come out of retirement, at what is considered a geriatric age in sports, to try to win back her statistic.  

We flash backwards to how Carrie got to this moment.  And these parts I really liked, as they give a true picture of how women, specifically WINNING women were treated in the sports media (and in some ways still are).  Because Carrie wasn't interested in being friends with competition or being jolly with the press, she is called names.  Because she exploits weakness in her opponents, there is one particular B word used often.  

Once we get back to the present, I kinda lost interest.  I played tennis in high school, so I know how the scoring works and the terminology, etc.  It just got boring, and I did have to skip some of the play by play.

I will not spoil the ending when Soto and Chan face each other in the final.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.    

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Hello there!  March 6th already.  Mrs. Paredes sent out the tentative end of year event calendar to teachers for review. This year is flying by!

This is the next book in my Teachers and Friends Book Club.  Since there is a cooking element, we are having a cook-off hosted by Mrs. Tirollo in two weeks.  

I thought this was going to be laugh out loud funny.  I did smile big a couple times, but I did not find it hilarious.  So just know my particular brand of humor didn't match up to Amazon's description.  Instead, I found this to be quite a statement about women's history in America, the history of entertainment and women in the television industry, the role of women in the 50s and 60s, the lack of women in sciences (or at least being credited for their work, and the place of the mother in the American family.  

Elizabeth is a brilliant chemist seeking her PhD when she is assaulted by her advisor.  The police and university take his side, and she is thrown out of the program.  She ends up working in a lab, but never being viewed as "smart enough".  Still trying to work on her theories, she steals equipment from legendary chemist Calvin Evans.  They fall in love, but refuse to marry, causing a scandal when they live together.  They adopt a stray dog and name him Six Thirty.  Calvin and Six Thirty are hit by a car, and Calvin is killed.  Elizabeth learns she is pregnant and is terminated from her employment.  

Years later, barely scraping by, Elizabeth's daughter Madeline gets into trouble at school when Mad had her lunch stolen by classmate Amanda.  Amanda's father is a local television producer, and after having Elizabeth's dinner, realizes she'd be perfect for a cooking show to fill a new empty time slot.  Elizabeth takes her chemistry background and applies it to food, while preaching women's education and life beyond the kitchen.  She becomes an icon.  You can imagine how the (male) television execs react. 

I will say Six Thirty is the absolute best character, and his internal monologue is fascinating.  Every year he ages I was afraid we'd be reading about his passing, but he lives through the end of the book (a fact I had to share with Ms. Marcella, as I knew she'd have the same fear!).  So do not despair animal lovers.

I'll be adding this to our collection momentarily (I'm sitting in the library listening to the BOE meeting going on downstairs via YouTube while directing lost parents at Parent Visiting Night), and it will be on the Book Club hold shelf until after our meeting.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.   

Mad Honey by Picoult & Finney Boylan

A big thank you to Mrs. Suraci, retired WHHS art teacher, for donating this to our Library and putting it on my to-read list for New Title Tuesday!

I hate to say I did not like it.  

The story is told in alternating viewpoints.  First is Olivia.  She is a single mom who fled an abusive marriage with her young son who is now a senior.  She lives in her former childhood home and took over her father's bee/honey business. Her side of the story is in the present going forward.  Second is Lily.  Also a senior, and girlfriend of Olivia's son Ash, her story goes backwards from the day of her murder.  Ash is the primary suspect.  

As we go back and forth between past and present, we see Ash wants to reconcile with his own father and for Lily to reconcile with hers.  He seems to want a "big happy family", which is clearly impossible due to theirs and their mothers trauma.  The novel becomes a court room drama.  

I don't want to spoil too much, since this is a murder mystery, but I did not like how we are actually told the truth before the book is over.  There's too much potato and not enough meat.  And this was definitely written as a cross over appeal between Mom Murder Mystery and YA Romance.  I felt the story was confuzzled about which it really wanted to be.  Could be a L&O SVU episode for sure. I think though what bothered me most, as the Mom of a teenage boy, was that everyone in town assumed Ash's guilt automatically.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.      

Exiles by Jane Harper

This is book #2 of the 18 I've planned through the end of the school year.  I just added it to our collection.

Amazon recommends a lot of varied genres, authors, styles, and topics to me; and I suppose rightfully so.  I read a LOT of different stuff.  Lately though, its AI has decided to list murder mysteries, and that is what this novel is.  In addition, it's another story set in Australia.  I'm going to need to check that before I purchase any more.  Nothing against Australia, but it's really not an interest for me in terms of setting.  Being such a unique place, there are colloquialisms and cultural nuances that I find difficult and often need to supplement my own Googling to understand fully. 

I will say the story held my interest, but I had correct suspicions early on as to whodunit.  Kim Gillespie is happily married to Rohan with an infant, Zoe.  She's stayed on friendly terms with her ex-husband Charlie, who has custody of their teen, Zara.  On the opening night of the local carnival, Kim parks Zoe's stroller at the ferris wheel, escapes out the back exit, and either jumps or falls into the adjacent lake.  Her body isn't recovered, but a shoe with a specific marking is found.  A year later, Zara has not given up the search for her mother.  She insists there is no way Kim would've left her baby sister nor her to kill herself and foul play must be involved.  She claims Sheriff Dwyer is incompetent, using his failure to solve a hit and run that killed a local accountant on a jog the previous year as well as an example.  Zara's uncle Raco and his friend Falk, an Australian equivalent of FBI agent in town for Raco's baby's christening, try to shed new light on Kim's case.

Like I said, I had it figured out pretty early.  I also think this will likely be book #1 in a series with Falk as the lead investigator on other crimes.  But, a good story.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

My next reading challenge for myself is going to be #titletuesday!  Each Tuesday I will start a new book til the end of the school year.  Any books I purchase will be donated to the WHHS Library after I review them here.  If my math is correct, that's 18 new books!

So, this was suggested to me by Amazon.  Guessing because I am a Stephen King fan?  The description indicated ghost story/horror and dry humor.  I'm intrigued.

But. The. Dolls. And. Puppets.

OMG.  I will have nightmares for days after reading this.

I don't scare easily, but this CREEPED ME OUT.  

My great-aunt has a house full of dolls.  I am terrified of them.  This story is exactly why.

This was Annabell, Chucky, and Megan and King's "Battleground" toy army all rolled into one.  

Oh, and an invisible Cujo-like Spider-Dog who ends up saving the humans. 

So, so, so scary.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Once a Wolf by Bryan Sykes

 

Well, I did not meet my goal of 31 books in 31 days.  But, 23 isn't so bad a total!  I saved this one for last so that my new assistant Shyne could pose with the book.  She'd rather eat it.  Wolf indeed.

I have really wanted to update our collection's holdings in math and science.  It's been difficult in that things are moving so quickly, by the time I'm able to get something on our wish list, wait for ordering to roll around in May, for the order to be placed in July, for the shipment to arrive in September, whatever I saw that piqued my interest is probably already obsolete!  So instead I've been looking for non-science and math lead topics that incorporate them.  

Oh, and I love dogs.

So how did two completely opposite species, who at one time were likely fighting over the same food sources, become best friends?  How did the vicious wolf end up watching Animal Planet on human couches?  In what ways has our DNA changed and stayed the same over our evolutionary paths?

This was really amusing and makes the science easy to understand.  I liked it so much I put another of the author's works on our wish list.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Poet Warrior by Joy Harjo

This is book 22 of Book a Day January.

I read Harjo's 2012 memoir Crazy Brave some years ago, and we have the updated edition in our collection.  This is her new memoir, published in 2021.  Harjo is the first Indigenous Poet Laureate of the United States and is a member of the Muscogee Nation.  She is a poet, musician, activist, and professor.

What I like about this style of memoir, similar to Ordinary Hazards and My Name is Jason, is the intermingling of poetry (both lyrical and free), prose, and art.  There is never boring "and on this day I did this" that sometimes occurs in autobiographical works.  

Poet Warrior details the oral stories Harjo learned as a child, many passed down for generations, and laments the loss of such created by our technology-driven society.  She discusses her influences in the realm of poetry (and they are an eclectic mix of authors) and in life as a wife, mother, woman, and Native American Indian.  And how all of that intersects with our current political climate. 

You can read Harjo's factual background here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joy_Harjo

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Ridgeline by Michael Punke

I have failed miserably at Book a Day January.  This is book 21.  It took me 2.5 days to get through, and I forgot to take my two weekend books home, leaving them on the Circ Desk. It looks like it'll be 23 books in 31 days. Eh.

You may know Punke's famous first novel by its movie adaptation: The Revenant starring Leo.  As we look to improve our holdings by and about the Indigenous peoples of the United States, this was recommended by our book vendor Follett.  Punke grew up in Wyoming near Fort Laramie and currently lives in Montana.   

This is a fictionalized account of the 1866 conflict in Powder Valley, Wyoming between westward expanding Americans and the tribes who have always called these lands home.  Red Cloud, revered leader of the Lakota, seeks a resolution while Crazy Horse, a fierce warrior, wants to drive the settlers back by any means necessary.  The white soldiers deal with internal strife, as the Civil War has left the army fractured.  There are many desertions as men fight the temptation to search for gold instead.  

This was not an easy read.  Besides the bloodshed, there are a LOT of characters.  Punke does his readers a favor with a brief chart at the beginning and more in-depth explanations at the end.  He also explains where and when he took creative license and gives more history to some.  The style is a cross between Conductor on the Underground Railroad, Petry's narrative biography of Harriet Tubman, and Dances With Wolves.  

I'll be adding this to our Indigenous subcollection momentarily.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy

We are feeling much better!  That was a NASTY bug!

I know I totally failed at Book a Day January, but this is book 20 for the month.

AND I HATED IT.

This was recommended as an independent reading book for an advanced science course and requested to be put on my most recent district order.  I don't want call my colleague out, but my goodness this was awful.

I think the premise is great, and that's why I wanted to read this.  A young woman studying the nearly extinct Artic tern (bird) wants to follow their migration pattern.  Franny finagles her way onto a fishing vessel and heads south, finding herself on the way.  Sounds good. A little nature, a little conservation, a little female in a male-dominated science. 

Nowhere in the description does this say it's somewhere in the future.  ALL animals are nearly extinct in this dystopian world.  Those who fish and hunt are vilified.  Franny's descriptions of men and those of other skin colors are disparaging.  We learn Franny is a liar who thinks only about herself with little care whom she hurts on her "quest".  

I seriously wanted to throw this by 30 pages in.  

I look forward to proofreading the written examination by the student who chose this as her reading book, but if I know anything about her, she will be brutally honest about this character, novel, and author!

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Just an update...

The awful stomach bug going around hit the Eagles-Woychowski household hard.  Hoping to get back to reading a book a day starting today through the end of the month!

JW

Within These Lines by Stephanie Morrill

This was on our Wish List, but Mr. Weber sent us a copy from his daughter's bookcase cleanout. 

NOT an easy read.  At all.  

Evalina is an Italian American in California.  She is in love with Taichi Hamasaki, who is Japanese.  It is 1941, and Japan has just attacked Pearl Harbor.  Their relationship is completely illegal, as interracial marriage is banned. Taichi and his family are sent to an internment camp.  

The treatment of Taichi and his family is awful.  I know that my education glossed right over the interment camps our country set up on American soil to hold American citizens who were of Japanese descent.  Only recently has this truth begun to be included in our curricula.  George Takei and Kyle Larson have been instrumental in using their fame to help remind us what transpired.  

Taichi and Evalina communicate through letters. There is of course the chance their writings will be intercepted.  In addition, Evalina becomes a vocal protester of the camps, putting her own Italian family in danger.  

This would be great book to add to our freshman independent reading list for WWII and Romeo & Juliet. I did cry at the end, but they were happy tears.  

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes

I did it again.  Left my Chromebook on my desk at school on charge.  Oops.

This is the first of 2 reviews I'll do today as time allows (I did not read a book Saturday as it was my belated birthday/early Valentine's Day dinner and Six the Musical).

My son has taken to skiing in the Berkshires, at Catamount and Mohawk.  This came across my suggestions on Amazon.  I know SkyNet has become self-aware, but kinda creepy.

I'm glad I purchased it though!

Maya is living in Boston, but she grew up in the Berkshires.  Just before leaving for college, her best friend Aubrey dropped dead in front of Maya and the young man they were recently quarreling over, Frank.  Frank is a librarian and says he's returned to the area to care for his ailing father after living on the West Coast.

Years later, Maya sees a viral video called "girl drops dead", in which a young woman dies suddenly in a diner.  Across from her in the booth is Frank.  Maya is sure Frank killed the young woman, same as he did Aubrey.  However, no one believes Maya now, just as no one believed her then.  

I don't want to spoil too much, but this is a definite thriller that keeps you guessing.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

 

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict

Book 17 of Book a Day January.

Agatha Christie was a famous English murder-mystery author.  She was born upper middle class and was required to follow the customs of such in the 1910s-20s.  In 1926, her marriage broke down, with her husband having an affair with a long time friend, and Christie disappeared for 11 days.  Upon her return, she claimed amnesia.

It has long been speculated she faked her own disappearance in order to drum up literary fame and sympathy as the scorned wife.  

This is a fictionalized account of Christie's disappearance, following that theory.

I have to be honest, I had no idea about Christie's disappearance.  My Grandma Fran was a huge fan and had all of her novels and plays.  I read quite a few in late elementary school and middle school when I'd spend afternoons and the summer there with her and my Nana.

Definitely held my interest!  I could see our Criminal Justice cohort using this one!

A reminder all opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

All the Best Liars by Amelia Kahaney

This book was requested by a student.  I put it on our Amazon Wish List, and a generous donor sent it our way.  After it was returned, I decided to check it out.

Similar to the works of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson, this is a YA murder mystery.  I liked it until the very end!

Brie, Rain, and Sydney are best friends from a poor community in California.  Brie's father invests in a car dealership and suddenly she finds her and her widower father are rich.  They move to wealthy Palm Springs.  Brie's personality turns nasty.  She's a bully and a narcissist.  Then Rain's mother, a casino minimum wage employee, wins the second prize in the lottery.  Rain and her mother move to the rich-person side of town as well.  But Rain doesn't change.  Instead she defends the students Brie bullies.  Rain is a solid C student, but Brie and Sydney are in AP courses together.  Brie's daddy's money will mean she'll go to a top college, while Syd will likely work and go to community college part time. 

The girls find themselves together at a party one night.  There are drugs and alcohol a plenty.  They fight, publicly. 

Brie's home catches fire, and she dies in bed.  Rain goes on the run.  And Sydney is left facing the police.

I don't want to spoil too much, as this is a whodunit.  I was very surprised when the truth is revealed.  But as I turned that last page, I went, "wait, where's the rest?".  Because things are NOT wrapped up.  Guessing we're looking for a sequel...?

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.

Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult

This is the Teachers and Friends Book Club selection for February, chosen by Ms. Corrado (Mrs. Paredes' secretary). 

Diana has her whole life planned out. She's an art seller via Sotheby's in NYC and in a long-term relationship with a resident soon to be surgeon at a major hospital.  Currently 29, she wants to be engaged at 30 and knows he's hiding a ring in his sock drawer, kids by 35.  They plan to travel, starting with a two-week trip to the Galapagos Islands in March 2020.  She expects he'll propose on the beach.  

It's March of 2020.  We all know what happens in March of 2020. 

Finn, Diane's soon to be fiance, tells her to go on the trip.  There's no point in them losing all that money.  Maybe she'll be safer there.  After all, Covid is supposed to die out after two weeks of shut down, right?  

Diane arrives to find the entire island has closed.  There's no wifi, no post office, no bank, no hotels, no restaurants.  She has no way to contact Finn or her mother in a nursing home.  She's got two weeks in paradise, but now it's total isolation from the rest of the world.  She also doesn't speak Spanish like most of the islanders.  

Thankfully, a grandmother takes her in and allows her to stay in her grandson's old bedroom.  Abeula's grandson Gabriel is a former tour guide; he and his teenage daughter Beatriz both speak fluent English.  Diana, Gabriel, and Beatriz go on local adventures outdoors--hiking, swimming, etc.  Diana sees parts of their home the tourists usually never do, while Abuela takes care of her and shows her the local trade market.  

And that's where I'm going to stop.  There is a major plot twist I did NOT expect and I do not want to ruin it.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

Ok, the last of the 4 reviews from this weekend.  Note to self, DON'T LEAVE YOUR CHROMEBOOK AT SCHOOL!

I wanted to like this.  I really, really did.  And I loved the first part.  Second part, I found so depressing.  And the thing is, it honestly reads like two completely separate books, as if two different people wrote them and the publisher thought, well here's two stories about Minneapolis, let's forge them together!

Part 1 is an amusing ghost story.  Tookie, a recently released inmate, works at her local book store.  She was arrested after stealing a dead body for a friend, that was actually hiding drugs.  Said book store is modeled on Erdrich's actual one, with a fictional Louise as the boss.  The store features books by, about, and for Native American Indians.  Flora, a white female ghost, haunts the store.  The writing is sarcastic, witty, and entertaining. It's almost perfect October reading. 

Then part 2 is 2020.  The pandemic and George Floyd/BLM.  The story turns incredibly dark, as would be the case.  The writing style changes too.  Riots and looting occur around the store, as happened in real life.  It's heartbreaking.

And I do not feel they actually go together well.  They absolutely could have been two separate novels, and would have been successful I think.  Or even a series.  But as one continuous novel, it does not work.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.   

My Name is Jason. Mine Too. By Jason Reynolds and Jason Griffin

This is an incredibly unique book.  It's a hybrid graphic and in-verse memoir told in both simultaneous and alternating viewpoints of two best friends, both named Jason. 

The first Jason in Reynolds.  We know him as an author and poet.  He is black.

The second Jason is Griffin.  He is an artist.  He is white.  

And they tell their story, from college to poverty as starving artists/authors to success.  It ends with them reflecting on the project, 13 years later.  

It's hard to review this.  I can't explain it.  It is just. so. moving.  There are definite Mrs. W. tear stains!  From the words to the visuals, this is a book you MUST read.

Find this on display in memoir as a "Mrs. W.'s Favorite".

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

The Saints of Swallow Hill by Donna Everhart

My family does names out of a hat for adults for Christmas.  We each get one person to buy for, and we choose a theme.  We've done flat gifts only, A Blue Christmas, picnic baskets, socks and jammies, hoodies, surprise interest-based, and this year: Want, Need, Wear, Read.  We each had to list 4 items, 1 per category, and the giver chose any combo up to $50.  This was my Read choice from my cousin-in-law Juliet. 

This was recommended to me by Amazon.  I'm guessing since your phone tracks basically everything, and there is a lot of NASCAR between North Carolina and Georgia...

This was a fairly easy read with nothing major happening.  I know that sounds strange.  It was NOT boring, but there was no OMG plot twist.  There were a couple of tough scenes--Black workers face much harsher treatment, women are treated as property, all as one would expect in the early days of the Depression in these locations.   

Rae Lynn is a turpentine farmer in NC, married to a bumbling idiot who falls off a ladder.  She shoots him in the head to end his pain, but doesn't know his friend sees it.  She goes on the run, ending up in Swallow Hill, a labor camp.  Del, a womanizing farmhand, gets caught being naughty with his wife's boss.  After the boss tries to kill him in revenge, he leaves and ends up at Swallow Hill.  Rae, disguised as Ray, and Del work together until Rae's is found out.  The camp owner's wife Nellie falls in love with Rae, and the 3 escape to Del's sister's home.  Del and Rae marry and have children, helping out Del's family and Aunt Nellie.  

A reminder all opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.   

Trejo by Danny Trejo

I read every day over this long weekend, but I forgot my Chromebook at school, so I'll be typing up these 4 reviews as time permits today.

My next book in Book a Day January is Danny Trejo's memoir.  I have to say I only recently became aware of the actor after his appearance in The Book of Boba Fett as the rancor handler.  His guest appearance was a surprise and everyone went kinda bonkers about it.  I recognized him from commercials, but didn't really know a lot.  A student asked if we had this shortly thereafter and I added it to our wish list. I am so glad I did.

Danny Trejo was a womanizing, drug addicted, hard core criminal in California.  While serving time, he attended a charity baseball game at which a riot broke out.  He and 2 other inmates were accused and faced the death penalty.  Trejo made a pact with God if his life was spared, he'd turn things around. And he did.  He became an advocate for the homeless, the addicted, and the poor.  He worked with recently released prisoners to secure housing, employment, and treatment.  For a time, he struggled greatly as a husband and father.  It was not until much later his children were able to turn their own lives around.  Now he is a successful actor, author, and activist.

I cried several times reading this.  It isn't easy.  But is an amazing story of redemption and faith. 

Find this on display in memoir as a "Mrs. W.'s Favorite".

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.    

The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton

Book 10 of Book a Day January.  Yes, I'm a little behind.  I had some home stuff to handle Tuesday and Wednesday evening that took precedence.    

This is the adult selection for All CT Reads 2023.  Last night I attended the state-wide launch for this year's program and heard from the author Dawnie Walton about her process and motivation.  As a Black female punk rock fan, she wanted to write about a Black female rock icon.  The entire recorded webinar will be available to view in a few days on the CT State Library website.  The Teachers and Friends Book Club have made this their selection for March.  Since I'm moderating, I get to choose the restaurant.  I am actually thinking of having our meeting be at a local music venue to hear a local singer of band. 

Opal and Nev were a 70s rock duo: an unlikely combo of a gritty, tall, bald Black woman from Detroit and a scrawny White man from England.  I kept picturing them as Tina Turner mixed with a little Cher and Paul McCartney mixed with a little Liam Gallagher (Oasis).  In 2016 Sunny Shelton decides to interview Opal and Nev as they contemplate a reunion show for her magazine and possible book deal (really got some 7 Husbands vibes from this).  Sunny is the daughter of Opal and Nev's drummer Jimmy, with whom Opal had a known affair.  Jimmy was killed during race riot that erupted at a music festival.  Opal and Nev performed, as did their label's rival band.  Said rival band hangs a Confederate flag up before their performance, which Opal then protests.  A single picture taken as Opal and Nev leave the festival becomes their infamous historical image.  

As I was reading this, I was strongly reminded of VH1's Behind the Music.  The story is told in alternating bits from the characters: Opal, Nev, their label owner and producer, former band mates, Opal's stylist, Opal's sister, etc.  I also was casting it in my head, and I'm pretty sure we will see this in visual format someday.  I thought of Sweetwater and Eddie & The Cruisers as model pieces.  One of the questions I intend to pose is who should play Opal and Nev, past and present.

A reminder all opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.      

If We We're Villains by M.L. Rio

Book 9 of Book a Day January.

I am honestly not sure where this came from.  It doesn't have a Follett sticker, so it's not from our book vendor.  It's not donated from the Amazon Wish List, nor do I remember buying it at BN.  If you gave it to us, and I'm blanking, thank you!

Either way, I wasn't a fan.  

The premise is that 7 theater major seniors at an elite arts college are about to put on Julius Caesar.  This particular theater program only focuses on Shakespeare, putting on a comedy or history in one's 3rd year and a tragedy 4th year.  They also do scenes from Macbeth at Halloween and Midsummer Night's Dream in December. You can be kicked out if you're not up to snuff on the stage.  And you do not earn an actual degree. 

The theater students also seem to look down on the music, visual art, and dance majors. Their descriptions of these students are downright mean.

I am sorry to say I found the characters annoying, whiny, stuck-up brats.  I didn't find any of them worth my sympathy.  As a parent considering to costs of college very soon, I found myself more aligning with the Dad saying "I'm not paying for this nonsense".  I rolled my eyes at least half a dozen times and groaned once so loud it woke my dogs up.  

Perhaps someone interested in theater, particularly Shakespeare might want to read this, or even someone reading Caesar for English II as a companion novel, but for me, it's a no.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Daughters of a Dead Empire by Carolyn Tara O'Neill

This is book #8 in my Book a Day January.

I wanted to like this.  I REALLY did.

In 2020 I reviewed Romanov. This is another fictionalized account of what might've happened to Anastasia Romanov.  From that earlier review:

"Every once and while you hear a claim made by an elderly woman that she is the long lost Anastasia Romanov. It was even a joke of Betty White's character Elka on "Hot In Cleveland".  I had a childhood friend who claimed to be Anastasia's granddaughter (she wasn't--I knew both sets of her grandparents, and they were 100% Italian.).

So who exactly was Anastasia Romanov? 
Read here from Wikipedia:

Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia (Russian: Анастаси́я Никола́евна Рома́нова, tr. Anastasíya Nikoláyevna Románova; June 18 [O.S. June 5] 1901 – July 17, 1918) was the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, the last sovereign of Imperial Russia, and his wife, Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna.

Anastasia was the younger sister of Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, and Maria, and was the elder sister of Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich of Russia. She was murdered with her family by a group of Bolsheviks in Yekaterinburg on July 17, 1918.

Persistent rumors of her possible escape circulated after her death, fueled by the fact that the location of her burial was unknown during the decades of Communist rule. The abandoned mine serving as a mass grave near Yekaterinburg which held the acidified remains of the Tsar, his wife, and three of their daughters was revealed in 1991. These remains were put to rest at Peter and Paul Fortress in 1998. The bodies of Alexei Nikolaevich and the remaining daughter—either Anastasia or her older sister Maria—were discovered in 2007. Her possible survival has been conclusively disproved. Scientific analysis including DNA testing confirmed that the remains are those of the imperial family, showing that all four grand duchesses were killed in 1918.^[1][2]

Several women falsely claimed to have been Anastasia; the best known impostor is Anna Anderson. Anderson's body was cremated upon her death in 1984, but DNA testing in 1994 on available pieces of Anderson's tissue and hair showed no relation to the Romanov family.

So despite proof of Anastasia's murder, stories that she survived and fled to Siberia or America persist."

This was a much more violent version of the story though.  I found the frequent Russian, English potty language, and graphic violence a little too much.  This is will be the first of my attempts at Book a Day January that I simply cannot finish. 

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.  

Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen

This is Book #7 in my Book a Day January, but I didn't finish it until this morning (day 8).  I'll have a Book #8 review shortly...

I had a $50 gift card to BN, and this was on clearance, so I bought it to read then donate (I later learned it is the first in a series).   I knew the author from the recent AP Gov prompt using his Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts) as a "banned book".  Don't. Even. Get. Me. Started.  There is so much wrong with that prompt that...never mind.

ANYWAY.  I found the premise intriguing: a very Clue style mystery where everyone is a suspect and potential next victim.  Yes, all the characters are in some way gay (gay, lesbian, bi, drag), and it is central to the plot.  All of our characters are living in a big mansion, masquerading to the outside world via a giant soap company as straight.  It is the early 1950s, when being gay was a crime.  When the matriarch of the family and business dies under suspicious circumstances, her wife hires a former cop, who was recently outed, to investigate.

This novel was sssllllooooowwww to get moving.  There was a lot of detail that seemed superfluous to the whodunit plot.  I feel like it could've been half the length!

I absolutely loved all the characters, save one, and I did really enjoy trying to figure out the murderer.  That being said, I don't foresee myself running out to buy the next book.

I'll be donating this tomorrow morning and adding it to the new books once I finish uploading Coach Unger's football DVDs to the video server!

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Later by Stephen King

Book #6 for Book a Day January! Have to be honest, today is my family Christmas (we never celebrate on the actual holiday) at Auntie Lissa's, so I'm not sure if with that plus my son's passport renewal appointment if I'll be able to finish Day 7's Book 7!

The Hard Case Crime series is a collection of shorter novels by famous authors in the style of the 40s and 50s crime novels.  Their best sellers have been by, you guessed it, Stephen King.  He has written 3.  I loved Joyland, which for some reason I didn't review here.  This is the newest.  It is similar in style to the Mr. Mercedes series, which is also cop-drama. 

Now, I really should NOT have read this so soon after Shutter, because the premise was way too similar.  And I'm kinda surprised to find myself saying I preferred Shutter!

Jamie is the son of a literary agent Tia.  Her clients are big bestsellers at the start of the book (2006ish) and they are living on Park in NYC.  Then the crash happens and books are the last thing people are buying.  They fall victim to a Ponzi scheme, Tia's brother needs assisted living, and her relationship with a police officer falls apart. 

Oh, and Jamie can see dead people.

Years later Liz, a really dirty copy dealing drugs, uses her nearly former stepson to solve a case.  Unfortunately said dead criminal is actually a...I guess demon would be the word.  He and the demon form a very Beetlejuice type relationship deal.

As this is a crime drama, I would discuss the plot further so not to spoil anything.  If I had to suggest one of these, it'd definitely be Joyland!

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Chasing Me to My Grave by Winfred Rembert

Book #5!

This memoir was recommended by Mr. Winters for our collection.  You may remember one of our former security guards Mitch?  Winfred Rembert was his father (he has sadly passed on).  The book is unique in that it was an oral history--told to Erin Kelly of Tufts University.  I believe Kelly does Rembert's vernacular and accent well in the written version.  The story is interspersed with Rembert's art, telling his story in paintings, drawings, and leather work.  

This isn't an easy read, and I cried several times.  It begins with a foreword by Bryan Stevenson, of Just Mercy reviewed here previously, then an explanation from Rembert about his whys for finally telling what happened to him.  Rembert was born in rural Georgia, where music heavily influenced his informal education outside his work in cotton fields.  He met his lifelong wife Patsy, with whom he'd have several children, and after spending several years in prison during the Civil Rights movement, came to southern Connecticut.  He was incarcerated again for selling drugs, but an impassioned pleas to the Judge by Patsy saw him freed from both prison and the trade.  She influenced him to tell his story via artwork. 

I am so thankful Mr. Winters encouraged me to read this.  It is another book I wish our History classes could take a look at, or Art, or English--a Black man's life story lacking in our curricula, a local artist's work previously invisible, and the craft of memoir.   

A reminder all opinions expressed on this blog are solely Mrs. W.'s.   

Choctaw Confederates by Fay Yarbrough

Thank you again for so many wonderful birthday greetings!  I finished this late last night, after my husband and son took me out to dinner.  A little too late to write the review!

I honestly learned SOOOOOOO much in reading this.  I want our History classes to read it or at least excerpts.  

It is perhaps an assumption many make that Native American Indians were against slavery having suffered themselves at the hands of White policy.  However, some Southern tribes were staunchly in favor of States' rights and had enslaved people of African descent.  The Choctaw had written law and policy regarding slavery and support of the Southern cause.  Many of these reflected those of the Southern states: preventing the enslaved from learning to read or write, prohibiting interracial marriage with those of African descent, and banning the employment of free Blacks.  

What I found most fascinating were the personal quotes obtained through painstaking research.  This is as much a book about history and race as it is on research methods.  Primary source documents like military records, artwork, letters, journals, and oral traditions are just as important, if not more so, than a textbook. 

I am happy to say this book has already been checked out to its next reader...my son.  When he returns it, it will be a part of our Indigenous sub collection.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

   

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

I finished this late last night as book 3 in my quest for 31 books this month, but it was too late to write the review. 

Also, thank you for all the birthday wishes!

I was a little hesitant to read this after Nine Perfect Strangers.  I was worried I'd figure out the plot twist very early on.  But, a friend said I would really like this murder mystery.

And I really did!  The ending was definitely NOT where I thought the plot was going and whodunit was not who I thought.

Joy and Stan have been married 60 years, raised 4 children, and ran a successful tennis lesson school in Australia and are now retired.  Behind the facade though, things are not as rosy.  Each of their adult children is "failing at life"--3 ending marriages/engagements, lack of meaningful work, multiple mental health issues without treatment, etc.  Joy and Stan, used to go, go, go are bored stiff.  One day a woman in tattered clothing, bruised and bloody, shows up at their door.  Joy and Stan relish in having a new young woman to take care of, but their children are wary and jealous.

Then Joy disappears.  She sends a disjointed text to her children, then silence, her phone left behind.  

As one would expect, her husband is the prime suspect in her murder. 

I don't want to spoil too much of the plot, since their is a rather big plot twist!

I will be putting this on display with our new books shortly.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.    

Let Me Fly by Sabra Waldfogel

This is Book #2 of Book a Day January

Let Me Fly is the sequel to Sister of Mine, which I reviewed last summer.  It is the Teachers and Friends Book Club selection for January.  We all felt Sister of Mine ended with too big a thud to not read the sequel and find out what happens.

Adelaide, daughter of a Jewish slaveowner, and her half-sister/former slave Rachel share a plantation owned by Adelaide's absent husband/Rachel's former lover Henry along with their children, who are both half-siblings and cousins.  They run a school for children who are former slaves or the children of those who were, along with a few poor white children.  

I have the strong suspicion this is written with the sole intent of wanting to be picked up as a serial on something like Netflix or Disney+.  The first book just ENDS and felt like a telenovella or soap.  This one even more so.  

Henry moves to Atlanta and returns to clothing.  It is strongly hinted he might be gay, further complicating things.  Adelaide falls in love with Lewis Hart, a man charged with assisting former slaves get on their feet, despite efforts of white men in the area. Rachel is conflicted and one thinks she will end up with a young black lawyer Daniel Periera (we never find out because the book just ENDS).  Several of the former slaves' stories are woven in like Charlie's, even the women's father Mordecai makes an appearance. 

I don't know what to make of it.  I checked the author's site, and there is no book #3 listed.  But I don't see how you can just END a second book still without wrapping up the loose ends!

I do have 2 Book Club members who want to borrow my copy.  Once we've met (at Bear's, because GA = barbecue!), I will add it to our collection. 

A reminder all opinions expressed on this blog are solely mine. 

Shutter by Ramona Emerson

Happy New Year! This is Book #1 of 2023.

A few years ago, I did Book a Day January.  I have been in an absolute FUNK lately, and I've decided to dedicate some time daily to reading for me. I'm not sure I can actually meet that goal, but it's a goal nonetheless. The State of CT has implemented a new Native American Indian history component to U.S. History curricula.  As such, I've really been looking for materials to support my teachers in this endeavor.  I found a $50 Barnes and Noble gift card in my bag, and since it was a total surprise, I decided to spend it on my kids and the WHHS Library! Thus...

Rita is a forensic investigation photographer in Albuquerque.  She is the best in her field.  What her colleagues do not know is the reason she spots things others miss is because she can see the spirits of those who have died.  The victims of crimes often tell her where to find evidence, how they died, or where a murder weapon is stashed. Rita is part Navajo and spent much of her childhood in the care of her grandmother on the reservation.  Navajo do not speak of the dead, so her choice of career is seen as bizarre.  Rumors of her ability follow her whenever she returns home, despite her never charging or using her powers for anything but good; it leads to her being ostracized.  In addition, her location means a intersection of Navajo beliefs and Mexican-American Catholicism meets mysticism.  At work, her heritage is often fodder for "the old boys' club" so called "locker room" jokes, even though she has saved many of their cases.  

This is a whodunit/thriller mystery, so I don't want to spoil too much about the plot, but Rita stumbles onto a dirty cop and drug cartel killing anyone in their way.  

While I liked it, I did struggle sometimes to figure out if a living character or ghost was speaking.  There were definite similarities to Tigers, Not Daughters and movies like The Sixth Sense and Stir of Echoes.

I'll put this out on our new book display when we return to school.

A reminder all opinions expressed on this blog are solely mine.