Book Review: Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas

 I had been hearing so many good things about this book. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype! There are so many questions left unanswered. I feel like I read Shutter Island but the not as good version. I am unsure what was real, or if any of it was. The jumping around was very confusing. The storyline moved very slowly. There was potential for greatness, but fell far short.

Book Review: Gone at Midnight: The Mysterious Death of Elisa Lam by Jake Anderson

I find Elisa and her case fascinating. Sadly this book was not well written. The author spent too much time discussing himself and his own problems. The parts about Elisa were repeated over and over throughout. I was expecting more, I was left disappointed.

*Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this.

Book Review: The Rural Diaries by Hilarie Burton Morgan

First off I must say that I adore these actors and love their shows. I am a fan, but that is not why I loved the book. I think Mrs. Morgan should keep writing! This was a perfect read for such a depressing pandemic life! The author is honest, even when it's not going to make her look good.

They are real and just like us. I can guarantee by the end you will want to visit their farm.
They feel like friends you have known your whole life. The writing is straightforward and eloquent. Their family is Beautiful. They are far from perfect and are not afraid to admit it.

Hilarie's delving into her miscarriages and abuse on her shows was brave and inspiring. The pictures were the perfect ending. Keep being the wonderful people you are. You ,Hilarie, are a treasure and an inspiration! 

Book Review: The Only Child by Mi-ae Seo

What can I say, I'm a sucker for a scary kid! I wanted to love this one but it fell a little short for me. There were some problems with repetition and slowness. I honestly think it may be because of the translation. The duel storyline was strange. It almost would have been better separated into two short stories. The ending was predictable. Not a terrible read but lacking something!

Book Review: The Better Liar by Tanen Jones

What if you thought your sister was great, but found out she wasn't? What if you loved your baby, but couldn't stand to be around him? I honestly believe these sisters both have some mental issues.
I enjoyed all the twists, turns, and surprises. A few of the twists were not that hard to figure out. The ignorant responses of some of the characters were annoying. These sisters are quite manipulative. An interesting, but hard to follow at times, read.

Book Review: Open Book by Jessica Simpson

I always thought Jessica was a bit of an airhead. I now realize that she was lacking life skills. She admits she was spoiled and her mother did everything for her. I don't find that to be that unusual. She did grow up in a conservative, Christian family. 
What I most appreciated was her honesty with an alcohol problem, self esteem issues, and sexual abuse. While most of us can't relate to her celebrity, we should all see that she has real life problems that we all have probably dealt with in some way.
The fact that she realizes that she is a work in progress is refreshing. I also thought it was wise to point out that the majority of her money has come from her clothing line, not her singing or acting.
I enjoy the fact that she is real and able to laugh at herself. One of the better celebrity biographies I have read.

Book Review: The Speed of Falling Objects by Nancy Richardson Fischer

I appreciate the fact that the author was so honest with how bad a parent can be.  Parents certainly affect their children. Not all children have a great life with their parents and that was well portrayed here. Danny has a problem with feeling like she is worth nothing. Honestly, her father reinforces those beliefs throughout the book. Danny is doing her best to find herself and grow and learn.  She is worth so much and will learn that before the book is over.
I sort of felt like I was watching an episode of Bear Grylls unfold. The action was exciting. For me it got a bit too repetitive.  The storyline moved quickly. I think this would be a good read for teens that like action, adventure, the rainforest, and medical mishaps.
If you haven't checked out Ms. Richardson Fischer's other book "When Elephants Fly", you really should. It was one of my favorite reads last year.

*Thank you to Nancy Richardson Fischer, NetGalley, and the publisher, for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Book Review: Inside Out by Demi Moore

Scandalous doesn't even begin to cover it! There is a lot of blame and name dropping throughout the book. Okay, she had a bad mother and a terrible childhood, so did lots of other people. A lot of the things she reveals have already been denied by the other parties involved, and weren't really her secrets to tell in the first place. This book made me feel sad. By this age you would have thought she would have learned to deal with things on her own. This would have come across better with some acceptance of her faults and the ways she overcame them.

Book Review: American Predator by Maureen Callahan

Wow!! How had I never heard of Israel Keyes? It is obvious that much of his story may never be uncovered. I am amazed at Maureen Callahan's persistance in telling this true crime tale. I don't know how she was able to get friends in high places, but the fact that she could uncover unknown details is thrilling.
Israel Keyes should be at the top of the scary serial killer list. The fact that he was able to travel all over, stash weapons, hide "kill kits", leave evidence, and dispose of bodies, should embarrass the people who knew him. He was able to hide in plain sight, which in itself is hard to believe. The fact that we have not discovered all the bad he has done is very frightening. How many well known missing person cases was he responsible for?
This book is a true crime lovers dream! Everything you enjoy in a murderous drama is right here. They catch the bad guy! His story is hard to believe. He is a cocky liar. I think you too will be left wondering why you had never heard of him before.

Book Review: Goodnight Stranger by Miciah Bay Gault

The main characters in this book Lucas and Lydia, are very hard to like. They make a lot of strange decisions and almost seem backward. By the end, the book has turned into a mystery. The author was trying hard but didn't know which lane to stay in. When your favorite character is the villian, it's hard to love the book. This moved slowly and was frustrating at times.

*Thank you to NetGalley, Miciah Bay Gault, and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Book Review: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

I feel I am in the minority on this book. I wanted to learn all about the blue people and that was my favorite aspect of the book. I also thought that reading about delivering books by horse to hard to reach areas would be very interesting. I did enjoy the historical aspects of this book. I just didn't connect with any of the characters, I didn't find them to be believable. For me the story moved very slowly and I had a hard time getting to the end. I didn't like the ending and found it to be quite dramatic compared to the rest of the book. For me the story was disjointed and disappointing. I am glad to see that so many are loving this story. Sadly it just wasn't a title I loved.

* Thank you to NetGalley, Kim Michele Richardson, and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.