Author: Sheila (Book Journey)

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The Banned Books Club by Brenda Novak

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Good read, wrong title – Sheila

Gia Rossi left town after high school and never looked back. When her sister Margot begs her to come home as their mother struggles in the later stages of cancer, Gia reluctantly agrees.

Just as Gia predicted, her homecoming is not a welcome one. For one, there is still Mr. Hart, her once beloved teacher, who was fired when Gia turned him in for sexual misconduct, who still lives in town. Now divorced and hitting the bottle daily, he is not happy at all that the person who destroyed his life is back. Secondly, his kids who went to school with Gia are also adults now and lived through the horror of the years that followed the accusations against their dad, and are not too forgiving to say the least. And third – the Banned Book Club she had started years ago continues on with friends from the past, but some of them are not too sure about Gia and what really happened back in high school between her and the teacher; all they know is that her accusations destroyed a local family.

Yet more is happening than the drama that follows Gia’s reappearance, and when her sister leaves town suddenly with her kids, with not so much as a goodbye, Gia sees that her sister’s picture perfect marriage is not what she thought it was.. and the local veterinarian, Cormac, is very easy on the eyes… it is really too bad that he is Mr. Hart’s son.

So…if you know me, you know that I am a huge advocate for Banned Books and the freedom to choose what we read. The title – of course grabbed me. A book about banned books? Yeah please! But, it has to be said that this book has very little to do with Banned Books or a Book Club. While this is definitely mentioned, it certainly is not plot-worthy – or title-worthy. The Banned Book Club is a very small and not often mentioned part of the story.

That said, title conversation to the side, I enjoyed this read. It was engaging, I liked the storyline, and I liked the characters. I felt it flowed well, even if it had little to do with book clubs and banned books, and really is more about family dynamics in true-to-life situations.

Rated: 3 out of 5
Triggers:
Read Author Before: No
Read Author Again: I think so
Where Read: while traveling locally- (Audio!)

The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)2 Comments

It started out so so good… ~Sheila

Stephanie is a Career Woman. She has a lot of good things going for her, and a few things not so much… but she’s working on it. A chance to get away on a Business Trip may be the little mini break she needs.
Jasmine is dealing with the WRONG GUY. He is controlling, he is verbally abusive, and she knows she needs to make a change and soon. Squirelling away her tips and sneaking a twenty here and there out of his wallet has given her enough to cover a plane ticket and a start – anywhere but here.

Both women wind up on the same flight. In fact, they are seatmates. And both women within 24 hours of that flight… disappear.

The idea is excellent. This book started out so strong… both Stephanie and Jasmine are protagonists you want to know more about and as you dig into this read, it’s crazy wild – twisty and spooky and then…

A story from the past is the first thing that happens that makes you suspend belief to continue on…
And then…. it continues to happen – the happenings are too far-fetched… too many things overlooked would have to happen for that to ever happen… and unfortunately… this continues to the end. There were too many wild coincidences and too many things that happened that just – wouldn’t/couldn’t in real life… not successfully anyway.
I am all about suspended belief here and there to make a book work, but this was just too much. Really a 2.5 rating from me.

Rated: 2 out of 5
Triggers: a bit gory
Read Author Before: No
Read Author Again: unsure
Where Read: listened to on audio (great narration!) at home

Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)3 Comments

Beautifully and painfully written – I loved this book. Sheila

It starts when Beth’s brother-in-law kills a dog and goes after their sheep.
But – did it?
The dog belongs to Gabriel Wolfe, Beth’s one love when she was a teenager, until circumstances broke her heart and separated them for what she felt would be forever. Gabriel has recently returned to the area where he grew up, a now well-known author, recently divorced, and with custody of his young son Leo.
Beth is happily married to Frank and lives on the family farm, but Leo reminds Beth of the son she lost to a terrible accident around the same age as Leo is now. As Beth finds time to spend with Leo, she also finds it soothes her heartache to be near this boy, despite Frank’s warnings that this may not be the best idea for more reasons than one.
As the past colides with the present, Beth has to choose between he woman she was and the woman she has become.



So – first up. I am not a romance reader. So believe me when I tell you that this book does have elements of romance, of course, but it is written in a way that is also a thriller. The combination works, and I flew through this read wanting to know what would happen, wanting to know how it all would end, but also not wanting it to end.

Beautifully and painfully written, a hard subject for me yet written in a way that also held me captive to the accuracies of losing a child, the feelings of isolation that can come with this, and the pain and struggle of trying to live when not wanting to move forward. Absolutely, I cried.
There is so much to this book that I do not want to share because this is one of those reads that as best left to the reader to go in with no guidance and come out the other side with their own full and personal impact.

This is a wonderful read and would make a great discussion with a reading group – there is much to unpack.

Rated: 5 out of 5
Triggers: Child Loss, Immense Grief, Some Sexual Content
Read Author Before: No
Read Author Again: Absolutely
Where Read: at home, over a weekend

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)8 Comments


Charlie Reade has not had it easy. He lost his mom when he was seven, and lost his father for a long time as well to the bottle.
Things have been looking better, though. His dad got the help that he needed. And Charlie, at 17, is over 6 feet tall and enjoys sports.
When he has a chance encounter with a crotchety elderly neighbor who winds up in the hospital, Charlie feels like this is his calling from a long-ago promise, and he steps in to help take care of the neighbor’s dog, Radar.
Yet something changes in Charlie as he begins to help this man, even when he returns home. With no other relatives, Charlie becomes the one who checks in and helps with meals and medications… having no idea where this change in his life’s direction will take him… even beyond the world as we know it.

When I first read about the description of this book, I had little flashback memories of 11-22-63 (if you have not read it – I suggest you immediately do so!) While two very separate books, the similarity in finding a sort of porthole into another world was just too tempting to pass up.

Honestly, there was a lot I enjoyed about this book – the first part being about Charlie and his family, as well as the encounter with Howard Bowditch (the neighbor). The storyline leading up to the mysterious thing in the shed (I’m not telling you any more than you will see on the back cover of the book) was definitely intriguing, as well as going into the next world and the why (I loved the why so so much).
The dog… loved the dog.
The movie references… YES!!!! It gave me the essence of Ready Player One – even the narration which was FANTASTIC.

What I did not enjoy was the excessive swearing and vulgarity as the book proceeded. I am no prude by any means and believe me there are times when it is perfectly executed… IE – NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!” ~ Mrs. Weasly/Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

In this case, it was frequent to the point I really picked up on it(taking me out of the moment of what I was reading) and, sadly, not necessary. There are many ways to express that the bad guys are bad without all of that… and yeah, they were BAD.

I recommended this to my book club, and it is what we picked as a group for our April read. I was only at the beginning of the read when I suggested it, and I am hopeful that the book club gives it a chance as it is a good read and a different style of book than I think we have ever read as a group before. I am glad that I read it, and I feel it will make for good discussion; however, if I had been further in the book, I am not sure I would have recommended it to my book club.

Rated: 2.75 out of 5
Read Author Before: oh yeah 🙂
Read Author Again: most likely
Where I read: At home

The Lake of Lost Girls by Katherine Greene

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It’s been 24 years since Lindsay Fadley’s sister Jessica disappeared without a trace. Making it worse, Lindsey, who was a young girl at the time, was the last one to see Jessica as she was getting something out of her car.

Now, Lindsay, a young adult, is still haunted by the last memories she has of her sister and is determined to find answers where the police did not.
When a body is found in a nearby lake, Lindsay and her parents are thrust back into the awfulness that surrounded them all those years ago. Will this be the closure the family needs? Or a reopening of a door to the past that someone is desperately trying to keep shut.

We read this book for Book Club, and I listened to it on audio ( recommended to do so by a friend). This is one of those books that I would recommend to my friends who have yet to try audio because it is fantastic! The narration flows flawlessly, and the podcasts pop (I loved this addition to the book!)
The storyline was good – I didn’t want to stop listening. I was all in and engaged and felt it flowed well. Here is what it came down to:

Loved –
I thought the alternating chapters between the sisters and then and now was well done. Each storyline was well defined, and I never felt lost on who was speaking or where it was going.

The college setting and the pieces entwined that brought even parts of the past story to current were also well done

Charter development was good, I like it when I can “see” each person and have an idea of what they look like and who they are.

When a new narrator comes in at the end, it is also brilliant. I thought was a nice touch.

Liked:

This was a good keep you going suspense read, and while I had guessed correctly (sort of – I didn’t see the twist coming), it made sense (I’m a stickler for things making sense 🙂 )

Disliked:

When it is wrapping up… the “where Jess was” all this time didn’t fly with me. Too disbelievable, and IMO the author could have done so much better with this and made it more believable.

Honestly, it was the almost-end. It turned darker than I expected and made me uncomfortable, which is probably a weird way to describe this .. but it was accurate.
Redeemed (a bit):
It was the actual ending that pulled my rating up again… for a while there, it had sunk hard. The final words… I still feel it leaves some hard things on those who do not deserve it… but, alas… isn’t that life?

My book club, for the most part, really enjoyed the book, with a couple of exceptions.


Rated: 3.5 out of 5
Read Author Before: No
Read Author Again: maybe
Where I read: on audio started on our way back from Florida and finished at home in Minnesota

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

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Alex wants to be an author. When a well-known author, Roza Vallo, opens up a once-in-a-lifetime chance for four want-to-be authors to join her in her mansion for a one-month writers’ retreat to work alongside her to create something worth publishing, Alex has to throw her hat in the ring. She sends a sample of what she has written and feels there is little hope of being selected among the thousands that have applied.

And – a miracle happens. The good news is that Alex has been selected as one of the lucky ones to be welcomed to the retreat. The bad news is that Wren, her once best friend/fellow wannabe writer, now archenemy, has also been selected.

Still… Alex can not pass on this opportunity.

When the ladies arrive at the retreat, a bomb is dropped. They will not only be sharpening their writing skills… they will also be required to write an entire novel while they are there – starting from scratch and turning in 3000 words a day or they will be sent home. The prize? The person who turns in the best novel will receive a $10,000 award as well as a guaranteed publishing deal.

The pressure is on… but the writing isn’t the only pressure. Roza has some twisted mind games she throws in the mix. Between this, the history of the house, strange happenings, and dealing with Wren, Alex feels like she is going to have a nervous breakdown.

When one of the writers disappears after a snowstorm, the game changes again, and the stakes are much higher than any of them signed up for.

,kjbkj

Do you have words in book titles that draw you in? I do. The words Book Club, Book Store, and yeah… Retreats are among the ones that capture my attention. Julia Bartz is a new author, and this debut book is definitely engaging. I enjoyed most of the story line; however, a few bizarre sexual occurrences felt unnecessary (I have never been a hot romance reader), and some of the story line was a little hard to follow, mostly in the latter half of the book.
Still, I am glad I read it – the setup of a writer’s retreat in an author’s mansion is a great idea, and as a debut book, I am interested to see where this author goes next.

Rated: 3 out of 5
Read Author Before: Nope, she is a new author
Read Author Again: maybe
Where I read: on the way home from Florida. I started in Georgia and finished at home in Minnesota (I was only one chapter out when we arrived back home, so I had to finish before I went to bed) 😀

More Or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)6 Comments

I recommend everyone read at least one Genova, Brilliant and Insightful – Every Time. ~Sheila

At 19 years old, Maddy Banks is much like any other stressed out NYU Freshman. With school assignments, navigating relationships, home life, and her job, it’s no wonder she feels off.
But when Maddy is given an antidepressant to help her with the lows, she begins to feel good. Really, really good… so good—she feels she can do anything and is pretty sure she is on the path to writing Taylor Swift’s Memoir (with the assistance of Taylor, of course) and working with Netflix on a Comedy series.

Maddy is then diagnosed as having Bipolar Disorder.

As Maddy struggles with medications with big side effects, an overprotective mother, a caring sister, and basically learning to navigate life through the setbacks (two steps forward one mega messy launch backward, repeat…) and, of course, trying to navigate this new life with friendships/ relationships and not real comfortable sharing her diagnosis with everyone… Maddy is in for a learning curve… they all are.

When I ask people if they have ever read Lisa Genova, many times I will get a, “I’m not sure” or a “No” – then when I ask them if they ever heard of the movie Still Alice starring Julianne Moore, who plays a professor at Columbia University who begins to have memory loss of where she is on her daily jogs, and must come to terms with a devastating diagnosis: early-onset Alzheimer’s disease – I almost always get a yes, as they recall this wonderful and sad movie.
What they may not have known is that Still Alice was first a book written by Lisa Genova.

I have enjoyed several of Genova’s books throughout the years, each about a different ailment/diagnosis, woven into a wonderful storyline that is both engaging and a learning experience. I have read:
Still Alice ( Alzheimer’s)
Left Neglected (for a Reading Group) Left Negelected (for myself) – Brain Injury

Inside The O’Brien’s (Huntington Disease)

I really enjoyed this book and Maddy. She is a trainwreck for sure, but she gets there 🙂 Learning about having Bipolar disorder (not being Bipolar, as Maddy would say – you have it, it’s not you. If you eat a pizza, you are not a pizza) was eye-opening.
There were a couple of lines – well, more than that, but here are a couple that really caught my attention:

“She is in bed every night by ten, tired from having lived the day rather than tired of living the day.” – page 36

Her disposition is a cottage in the forest inhabited by pharmaceutical dwarfs. She’s sleepy, shaky, thirsty, cranky, unworthy, full-of-shitty, and meh. – page 291

Told in the usual Genova style, the book is engaging and insightful, at times funny, and while you sink into one family’s story, you become a little more knowledgeable along the way.
I love that.

I have not read everything by Lisa Genova, but on her website, I see a few titles that I have not read – Every Note Played (ALS)
– Love Anthony (Autism)
I encourage you to pick up any one of her books that speaks to you – I am quite sure you will be glad you did.

Rated: 4 out of 5
Read Author Before: Yes!
Read Author Again: Most likely!
Where Read: Started in Florida – read while we traveled back to MN by RV – finished in Georgia

The Crash by Freida McFadden

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)5 Comments

One night. One too many drinks. A good-looking man. A one-night stand.

Tegan is not that type of girl, yet here she is – pregnant. She doesn’t remember drinking that much, but the proof is right in front of her – 8 months in front of her. Alone and frightened of the future on a measly paycheck… Tegan jumps at the chance for a change of scenery when her brother requests she come for a visit. This is just what she needs – a change in scenery, a little down time and her loving brother to take care of her for a few days.

But Tegan never arrives.

Driving in what turns out to be a blizzard, Tegan loses control of her car and crashes. Stuck behind the wheel with what, she is sure, is a broken ankle, Tegan watches the snow begin to cover her car in a remote area with no cell service.

So, this is how she will die.

And then – headlights, and a large man with a shovel arrives, and Tegan can not believe her luck! But when he takes her to his house instead of the hospital – exactly what kind of luck are we talking about here? And while the snow continues to block the roads and one day turns into two and three… Tegan fears for her life as well as her unborn child.

“It was bound to happen; there had to be a McFadden that I would not enjoy – and here it is.” ~ Sheila

Yup.
I hesitated to pick this one up due to the title. IYKYK. Then I read the synopsis and learned more about the crash itself and felt this would be a safe book for me to read – and it was.

My dislike of this book had nothing to do with the crash itself – it had to do with the characters – I did not find any one of them likable, including Tegan. Granted, I listened to this on audio, but Tegan came off as well… whiney.
And so as not to give too much away – the other characters fell between
weak
Awful

Unbelievable – so much that just didn’t make sense (almost worthy of me bringing on the SPOILER PAGE so I can unload. 😛

and lastly… Tuna Tuna Tuna Tuna Tuna Tuna Tuna Tuna Tuna Tuna Tuna Tuna Tuna Tuna Tuna Tuna…. man….. if the book was a drinking game…
I finished the book mainly because of my enjoyment of this author, and her twists kept me moving forward to see what she was going to do with this. The twist, while it did surprise me, felt like it came out of nowhere and didn’t have the storyline to back it. The ending-ending – I liked.

So… that said… I still love this author, and I will still continue to read her – this one just wasn’t for me.

Rated: 1.5 out of 5
Read Author Before: Yes many times
Read Author Again: yes
Where Read: closing in on our final days in Fort Myers, Florida

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)1 Comment

Theo feels she has finally found the person to share her life with. Connor is kind, good looking, and comes from a financially stable family. And (so far) he hasn’t asked too many questions about her past. But now, he has brought her to Idlewood, the Familys Retreat property, and his family – who expects a certain quality to those who plan to marry in, will have questions. Shoot, Theo isn’t even her real name.

Theo has only a small memory of her early years – at the age of 4, after a horrific incident left Theo without her mom and no relatives to step in, her following years placed with a family in a strict household are nothing she cares to share with Conner’s family. After all, they would not be too keen about some things during that time.

It turns out that Idlewood has secrets of its own that it is also reluctant to share. Set deep in the woods where cell reception is nonexistent, the cabins are luxurious except for one. One cabin sits away from the others, abandoned and neglected, and behind its door… secrets that belong to Theo can be found. Secrets – that some will go to great lengths to keep in the dark.

I picked up this book from Book Of The Month. A new author to me and an interesting title and synopsis. I love a good setting in the woods, and Theo’s story was intriguing (if not adding sparks of deja vu as I just recently read a book (First Lie Wins) with the female protagonist using a false name)

There is much I liked about this book. The characters are well developed; I felt as though I could picture them, who they were, and enough back story… the setting as mentioned, perfectly spook worthy, and Theo’s story backs up and made sense as it is revealed…
My only small peeve was that as we had a couple of family generations in this setting, occasionally when switching into a new chapter and not revealing who was talking and mentioning “my father” I was left wondering which father? And I would have to read on to finally put it together. Maybe it was just me, but each time that happened, I was pulled out of the story.

Second peeve is the title. It just doesn’t fit the book… yes we are in the winter, but there is no big storm as part of the setting… and believe me… it wasn’t the cold that was causing the killing.

Minor griping aside, I would suggest trying this one for yourself. There are a lot of reviews and opinions on this book that differ from mine 🙂

Nosing around Kate Marshall’s website I see a few titles that catch my eye.

Rated: 3 out of 5
Read Author Before: No
Read Author Again: probably
Where Read: Can you believe I am still in Fort Myers Florida? 🙂

The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)4 Comments

Kelly Bishop has had a long and satisfying career, from her early days of Ballet and Dance shows to the transition to Movies and Television Series. You may remember her as Marjorie Houseman, the mom of Baby, in Dirty Dancing – but most likely you know her as Emily Gilmore from Gilmore Girls… the series that made her (IMO) a household name.
Read (AUDIO) by herself, Kelly shares the trials and successes of her life as she worked hard to break into dancing, living paycheck to paycheck creating her own path staying true to herself.

While I was certainly a fan of the movie Dirty Dancing, it was not until Gilmore Girls that Kelly really became someone to keep an eye on to me. As a major Gilmore Girls Fan – loving the quick wit, fast talk, and bookish references, Kelly Bishop fit right in as was well cast. When I encountered her later as Fannie in the Bunheads Series (one season… broke my heart it was soooooo good) essence of Gilmore Girls was all over that one and Kelly was once again amazingly cast.
I picked this audio for my love of Gilmore Girls and I am a sucker for books read by the author when telling their story.
Going in, I was unaware of Kelly Bishop’s background in dancing -but with those legs and her role in Bunheads – it all makes sense.
I enjoyed this audio very much and while as in any audiobook I dig into for a certain knowledge of the actor (in this case Gilmore Girls) I always hope for more on that subject however this book is well rounded in Kelly’s life, loves, and career giving equal time to the other parts of her life as it should.
Gilmore Girl/Bunheads fans – listen to this one. AND – if you have not watched Gilmore Girls OR Bunheads – I highly recommend you do so.

Rated: 4 out of 5
Read Author Before: No
Read Author Again: if she had another memoir – probably
Where Read: Fort Myers Florida