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

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

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Delightfully smart and twisty. ~Sheila

Evie Porter has her next assignment – Ryan Somner. The name and location have been delivered by her boss Mr. Smith -who she has never met… only communicated by phone and delivered packages and then a deposit into her bank account.

This new job, however, is a little trickier… Ryan is kind and fun to be with and easy on the eyes. Despite herself, Evie likes him and she knows, he likes her too. For the first time… Evie allows herself to envision a different life that does not include lying, deceit, theft, and betrayal. Something that some may call – normal.

But so many things need to happen for that to ever be a reality – first, there is no way out from Mr Smith’s watchful eye… Second, there is a reason that she was assigned to Ryan and there is something shady there… and third –
well. Evie Porter is not even her name. Nor were the many names she has called herself that came before that.

I have had a nice streak lately of books that grab me immediately. First Lie Wins was no exception. Not only was this a good thriller – it was different than anything I have read before (also a plus). Often when an author creates as many paths as Ashley Elston does here, there is usually a path that is left unfinished – which can weigh on me like a loose thread… but not here – while there are many moving pieces – in the end, they all fit and you can find how each part, leads to the satisfying hard-earned finish.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book with the one exception that has nothing to do with the storyline or author… just as it was digging in and things were starting to fall into place – there were 17 pages in my copy (pictured above). While I could not wait to get a new copy to move on I trudged forward with the gap and pieced together what I could of what must have happened in the “in-between” of page 278 and page 295.

While a new author to me, I nosed around her website and there are a couple of back titles that caught my eye… if you check it out I am sure you can know which would be right up my alley 🙂

Rated: 4.5 out of 5
Read Author Before: No
Read Author Again: I think I would
Where Read: Fort Myers Florida

The Housemaid Is Watching by Freida McFadden

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)6 Comments

Millie and Ezno have finally built the life they always wanted. Now married, with two children, and moving into a new house which is a bit of a stretch on the budget – but they will make it work. The past – is.. in the past.
So when the neighbors invite them over for dinner how can they refuse? This is the way life is supposed to be… yet their maid looks at Millie like she can see right through her – secrets and all, and the overly attractive wife is a bit too handy with Enzo for Millie’s taste and her eyes linger just a little too long….
Soon to follow is trouble for the kids at school, and Enzo disappears late at night and is often seen in the neighbor’s yard …
What is going on? Is happily ever after too much to ask for?

Well….
Hmmmm.
In the beginning of this book, I feel that maybe McFadden should have stopped at two books in this series. It was nice to read she had the guy, she had a family, and is no longer a maid or in the situations she once seemed to find herself in but the book did not pop…
Or I should say – it didn’t pop until the end where once again McFadden comes in with a sideways swipe that was GOOD.

I am glad I finished the series – and who knows… it is open enough for another Housemaid book and if I am honest – I would probably read it if there is mainly to see where it is going.
Would love to hear others’ thoughts on these books – while good, I would not say they were my favorite of McFadden.

Rated: 3 out of 5
Read Author Before: yes
Read Author Again: yes
Where Read: Fort Myers Florida – listened on Audio (these books are good on audio!)

JAMES by Percival Everett

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)1 Comment

James is a slave. His wife and daughter are also slaves. He works hard and talks with some of the local boys like Huckleberry (Huck) Finn and Tom Sawyer.

When James finds out that he is going to be sold and taken away from his family he has no choice. He runs. He runs in hopes that he can have time to think and to plan a way to get back to his family.
In the nearby woods, he finds Huck who is also on the run. Huck has faked his own death to escape the beatings of his father. This unlikely pair decide to run together, James wanting to protect Huck if he can, and Huck being white, may be able to help James as well.

With a little luck, they can build a raft, find a fish line, and their adventures begin… dodging the bounty on James’ head, running into sketchy characters, and near misses all build into this wild retelling of Huckleberry Finn from James’ perspective.

Honestly, this one surprised me as to how much I enjoyed this book. I have had a little run lately of books that grab me right away and this book was no exception. I mean when you start a book with “Those little Bastards…” you certainly have to be intrigued! 😀

And the book continues with the way with a delightful, thoughtful, and occasionally hard look at this retelling of Huckleberry Finn from James’ perspective. Sadly – I have not read Huckleberry Finn (yet) so other than what I know from hearing about the book, I did not have that perspective going into this read however IMP – I don’t think you need it. James is refreshingly a stand-alone and while I don’t know how close it sticks to the Huckleberry story – I am ok with wherever it landed.

There are several fun play-on words in the book that I really enjoyed:

“And you can read? I knew It. Aint we been freinds forever? And you never trusted me enough to tell me that? So you can write? I cain’t hardly write. What else can you do? Can you fly? What ain’t you told me, Jim?”


There were so many funny moments and I wish I would have captured the pages to share a couple more.

picked this book up on Sunday and finished it on Wednesday. I read it every chance I could and thankfully being in Florida at this time, I had a little more time to read than I usually do.

Highly recommended – a Barnes and Noble Book Of The Year
Good Reads Choice Award Winner
National Fiction Book Award Winner 2024
One of the New York Times Best Books Of The Year

Read this book. I believe you will be glad you did.

Rated: 5 out of 5
Read Author Before: no
Read Author Again: I would
Where Read: while in Fort Myers Florida