The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher

Started:1/27/2023

Finished: 1/30/2023

Year: 2008

Pages: 314

Genre: True Crime

Grade: C

Reason for reading: booklender.com book, fan of true crime

Blurb (from Amazon): "In June of 1860 three-year-old Saville Kent was found at the bottom of an outdoor privy with his throat slit. The crime horrified all England and led to a national obsession with detection, ironically destroying, in the process, the career of perhaps the greatest detective in the land.

At the time, the detective was a relatively new invention; there were only eight detectives in all of England and rarely were they called out of London, but this crime was so shocking, as Kate Summerscale relates in her scintillating new book, that Scotland Yard sent its best man to investigate, Inspector Jonathan Whicher.

"Whicher quickly believed the unbelievable-that someone within the family was responsible for the murder of young Saville Kent. Without sufficient evidence or a confession, though, his case was circumstantial and he returned to London a broken man. Though he would be vindicated five years later, the real legacy of Jonathan Whicher lives on in fiction: the tough, quirky, knowing, and all-seeing detective that we know and love today...from the cryptic Sgt. Cuff in Wilkie Collins's The Moonstone to Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade."

Opinion: This doesn't read like a true crime novel, more like a historical fiction piece. This case seems to have influenced a lot of writers-Dickens, Poe-with their fictional stories. Overall, an interesting case with some interesting characters aka real people.

Dexter's Final Cut by Jeff Lindsay

Started: 1/25/2023

Finished: 1/27/2023

Year: 2013

Pages: 352

Genre: Mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: finishing up the series, library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Hollywood gets more than it bargained for when television's hottest star arrives at the Miami Police Department and develops an intense, professional interest in a camera-shy blood spatter analyst named Dexter Morgan.

"Mega-star Robert Chase is famous for losing himself in his characters. When he and a group of actors descend on the Miami Police Department for "research," Chase becomes fixated on Dexter Morgan, the blood spatter analyst with a sweet tooth for doughnuts and a seemingly average life. To perfect his role, Chase is obsessed with shadowing Dexter's every move and learning what really makes him tick. There is just one tiny problem . . . Dexter's favorite hobby involves hunting down the worst killers to escape legal justice, and introducing them to his special brand of playtime. It's a secret best kept out of the spotlight and away from the prying eyes of bloated Hollywood egos if Dexter wants to stay out of the electric chair. The last thing he needs is bright lights and the paparazzi. . . but even Dexter isn't immune to the call of fame."

Opinion: Predictable but still a fun read.

The Remarkable Reefs of Cuba by David E. Guggenheim, Ph.D.

Started: 1/24/2023

Finished: 1/25/2023

Year: 2022

Pages: 224

Genre: Oceanography

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book

Type: Hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Since 1970, the Caribbean has lost half of its coral reefs, an ominous and accelerating phenomenon that extends around the world. Beyond the unfathomable heartbreak of the loss of such exquisite beauty from the earth, coral’s loss represents the annual loss of billions of dollars from the global economy and the end of a way of life for billions that depend on these ecosystems. Marine scientist and conservation leader Dr. David E. Guggenheim has had a front-row seat to this disaster. But when he began a new chapter of his career in Cuba, he found something completely unexpected: hope.

"After years and years of watching reefs deteriorate, Guggenheim was astonished to come face-to-face with Cuba's remarkably healthy coral reefs overflowing with fish and other marine life. The Remarkable Reefs of Cuba reveals the hidden potential that Cuba’s reefs may contain for the reefs of the world.

"While the past 60 years have seen the worst decline in ocean health in human history, Cuba’s oceans and coral reefs remain remarkably healthy, a living laboratory never-before-seen by this generation of scientists. Which begs the question: why are Cuba’s ocean waters so healthy? The answer is deeply intertwined with the country’s extraordinary and singularly unique history, from its dramatic political past to its world-class environmental protections influenced by an unlikely partner, Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau.

"This buoyant book tells the story of the demise of the world’s ocean ecosystems, the hard work of those desperately trying to save it, and an unexpected beacon of hope from an island full of mystery and surprises."

Opinion: I found this book via The Explorers Club which I discovered through Josh Gates' show "Tales of The Explorers Club"-highly recommend you check it out on Discovery+ if you haven't seen it. The Explorers Club also has a YouTube channel where I saw Guggenheim's lecture on this topic and saw that he had a book. Definitely not the dry text book type of book about coral reefs. It contains a lot of stories of Guggenheim's first hand experiences.

The Grownup by Gillian Flynn

Started: 1/24/2023

Finished: 1/24/2023

Year: 2015

Pages: 62

Genre: mystery

Grade: C

Reason for reading: library book, fan of the author

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "A canny young woman is struggling to survive by perpetrating various levels of mostly harmless fraud. On a rainy April morning, she is reading auras at Spiritual Palms when Susan Burke walks in. A keen observer of human behavior, our unnamed narrator immediately diagnoses beautiful, rich Susan as an unhappy woman eager to give her lovely life a drama injection. However, when the "psychic" visits the eerie Victorian home that has been the source of Susan’s terror and grief, she realizes she may not have to pretend to believe in ghosts anymore. Miles, Susan’s teenage stepson, doesn’t help matters with his disturbing manner and grisly imagination. The three are soon locked in a chilling battle to discover where the evil truly lurks and what, if anything, can be done to escape it."

Opinion: There is a note on Amazon that this was originally a part of George R. R. Martin's anthology so it makes sense of why it was so short. Basically...who really is telling the truth.

The Essence of Nathan Biddle by J. William Lewis

Started: 1/22/2023

Finished: 1/24/2023

Year: 2021

Pages: 427

Genre: Literature

Grade: C

Reason for reading: library book, winner of several awards

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Protagonist Kit Biddle is a rising prep school senior who finds himself tangled in a web of spiritual quandaries and intellectual absurdities. Kit’s angst is compounded by a unique psychological burden he is forced to carry: his intelligent but unstable Uncle Nat has committed an unspeakable act on what, according to the Uncle’s deranged account, were direct orders from God.

"The tragedy haunting his family follows Kit like a dark and foreboding cloud, exacerbating his already compulsive struggle with existential questions about the meaning of his life. When the brilliant, perhaps phantasmic, Anna dismisses him, Kit quickly spirals into despair and self-destruction. But when his irrational decision to steal a maintenance truck and speed aimlessly down the highway ends in a horrific accident and months of both physical and emotional convalescence, Kit is forced to examine his perceptions of his life and his version of reality.

"In this exquisite bildungsroman, calamity leads to fresh perspectives and new perceptions: it focuses Kit’s mind and forces him to confront the issues that plague him. Readers will empathize―and celebrate―as the darkness lifts and Kit comes to terms with the necessity of engagement with life’s pain, pleasure . . . and absurdity.

"An intelligent, clever, and captivating tale, The Essence of Nathan Biddle soars in the spaces that exist between despair and hope, darkness and light, love and loss. Beautifully written, profoundly moving, and resplendent with characters destined to remain with you long after the last page is turned, The Essence of Nathan Biddle is unforgettable."

Opinion: Many have compared this to "Catcher in the Rye" and I can see the comparison but at the same time, it is different. Not the most memorable book but certainly not the worst.

The Maid by Nita Prose

Started: 1/22/2023

Finished: DNF

Year: 2022

Pages: 285

Genre: mystery

Grade: F

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by.

"Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.

"But Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what’s happening, Molly’s unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it’s too late?

"A Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart."

Opinion: My biggest issue was the telling of flashbacks...in some parts was never clear if Molly was in a flashback or in present time. Forget the fact that she's possibly autistic without Prose clearly stating it.

All About Me! by Mel Brooks

Started: 1/18/2022

Finished: 1/22/2023

Year: 2021

Pages: 451

Genre: Memoir

Grade: B+

Reason for reading: library book, fan of Mel Brooks

Type: Hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "For anyone who loves American comedy, the long wait is over. Here are the never-before-told, behind-the-scenes anecdotes and remembrances from a master storyteller, filmmaker, and creator of all things funny.

"All About Me! charts Mel Brooks’s meteoric rise from a Depression-era kid in Brooklyn to the recipient of the National Medal of Arts. Whether serving in the United States Army in World War II, or during his burgeoning career as a teenage comedian in the Catskills, Mel was always mining his experiences for material, always looking for the perfect joke. His iconic career began with Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows, where he was part of the greatest writers’ room in history, which included Carl Reiner, Neil Simon, and Larry Gelbart. After co-creating both the mega-hit 2000 Year Old Man comedy albums and the classic television series Get Smart, Brooks’s stellar film career took off. He would go on to write, direct, and star in The Producers, The Twelve Chairs, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Silent Movie, High Anxiety, and Spaceballs, as well as produce groundbreaking and eclectic films, including The Elephant Man, The Fly, and My Favorite Year. Brooks then went on to conquer Broadway with his record-breaking, Tony-winning musical, The Producers.

"All About Me! offers fans insight into the inspiration behind the ideas for his outstanding collection of boundary-breaking work, and offers details about the many close friendships and collaborations Brooks had, including those with Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Gene Wilder, Madeleine Kahn, Alfred Hitchcock, and the great love of his life, Anne Bancroft.
 
"Filled with tales of struggle, achievement, and camaraderie (and dozens of photographs), readers will gain a more personal and deeper understanding of the incredible body of work behind one of the most accomplished and beloved entertainers in history."

Opinion: A fun book about some of the behind the scenes for Brooks' movies and his childhood. I can only imagine how many more stories he has about his life.

Madly, Deeply the diaries of Alan Rickman

Started: 1/17/2023

Finished: DNF

Year: 2022

Pages: 441

Genre: Memoir

Grade: D

Reason for reading: library book, fan of Rickman

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "From his breakout role in Die Hard to his outstanding, multifaceted performances in the Harry Potter films, Galaxy Quest, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and more, Alan Rickman cemented his legacy as a world-class actor. His air of dignity, his sonorous voice, and the knowing wit he brought to each role continue to captivate audiences today.

"But Rickman’s ability to breathe life into projects wasn't confined to just his performances. As you'll find, Rickman's diaries detail the extraordinary and the ordinary, flitting between worldly and witty and gossipy, while remaining utterly candid throughout. He takes us inside his home, on trips with friends across the globe, and on the sets of films and plays ranging from Sense and Sensibility, to Noël Coward's Private Lives, to the final film he directed, A Little Chaos.

"Running from 1993 to his death in 2016, the diaries provide singular insight into Rickman's public and private life. Reading them is like listening to Rickman chatting to a close companion. Meet Rickman the consummate professional actor, but also the friend, the traveler, the fan, the director, the enthusiast; in short, the man beyond the icon."

"Running from 1993 to his death in 2016, the diaries provide singular insight into Rickman's public and private life. Reading them is like listening to Rickman chatting to a close companion. Meet Rickman the consummate professional actor, but also the friend, the traveler, the fan, the director, the enthusiast; in short, the man beyond the icon."

Opinion: I just didn't like the style of this novel. Hard to gain a context of what Rickman was writing about.

Dreamland by Nicholas Sparks

Started: 1/16/2023

Finished: 1/17/2023

Year: 2022

Pages: 360

Genre: Fiction/Romance

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, fan of Sparks

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "After fleeing an abusive husband with her six-year-old son, Tommie, Beverly is attempting to create a new life for them in a small town off the beaten track. Despite their newfound freedom, Beverly is constantly on guard: she creates a fake backstory, wears a disguise around town, and buries herself in DIY projects to stave off anxiety. But her stress only rises when Tommie insists he’d been hearing someone walking on the roof and calling his name late at night. With money running out and danger seemingly around every corner, she makes a desperate decision that will rewrite everything she knows to be true. . . .

"Meanwhile, Colby Mills is on a heart-pounding journey of another kind. A failed musician, he now heads a small family farm in North Carolina. Seeking a rare break from his duties at home, he spontaneously takes a gig playing in a bar in St. Pete Beach, Florida, where he meets Morgan Lee—and his whole life is turned upside-down.

"The daughter of affluent Chicago doctors, Morgan has graduated from a prestigious college music program with the ambition to move to Nashville and become a star. Romantically and musically, she and Colby complete each other in a way that neither has ever known.

"In the course of a single unforgettable week, two young people will navigate the exhilarating heights and heartbreak of first love. Hundreds of miles away, Beverly will put her love for her young son to the test. And fate will draw all three people together in a web of life-altering connections . . . forcing each to wonder whether the dream of a better life can ever survive the weight of the past."

Opinion: After the heavy reading subjects that I've been doing recently, I needed a Sparks romance. Not one of his best but I love the focus on mental health.

Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

Started: 1/15/2023

Finished: 1/16/2023

Year: 2017

Pages: 209

Genre: horror

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "His wife has left him, his father is sinking into dementia, and Marcos tries not to think too hard about how he makes a living. After all, it happened so quickly. First, it was reported that an infectious virus has made all animal meat poisonous to humans. Then governments initiated the “Transition.” Now, eating human meat—“special meat”—is legal. Marcos tries to stick to numbers, consignments, processing."

"Then one day he’s given a gift: a live specimen of the finest quality. Though he’s aware that any form of personal contact is forbidden on pain of death, little by little he starts to treat her like a human being. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost—and what might still be saved."

Opinion: Definitely a very morbid topic that will make some think.

South to America by Imani Perry

Started: 1/11/2023

Finished: 1/15/2023

Year: 2022

Pages: 383

Genre: History

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: library book, Levar Burton reading club book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "We all think we know the South. Even those who have never lived there can rattle off a list of signifiers: the Civil War, Gone with the Wind, the Ku Klux Klan, plantations, football, Jim Crow, slavery. But the idiosyncrasies, dispositions, and habits of the region are stranger and more complex than much of the country tends to acknowledge. In South to America, Imani Perry shows that the meaning of American is inextricably linked with the South, and that our understanding of its history and culture is the key to understanding the nation as a whole."

"This is the story of a Black woman and native Alabaman returning to the region she has always called home and considering it with fresh eyes. Her journey is full of detours, deep dives, and surprising encounters with places and people. She renders Southerners from all walks of life with sensitivity and honesty, sharing her thoughts about a troubling history and the ritual humiliations and joys that characterize so much of Southern life."

"Weaving together stories of immigrant communities, contemporary artists, exploitative opportunists, enslaved peoples, unsung heroes, her own ancestors, and her lived experiences, Imani Perry crafts a tapestry unlike any other. With uncommon insight and breathtaking clarity, South to America offers an assertion that if we want to build a more humane future for the United States, we must center our concern below the Mason-Dixon Line."

Opinion: The history is interesting. The personal interjections were not. I cannot relate to her experiences and the way that they were detailed doesn't make her any better that the worst white supremacy. We all have ideas of how people think no matter HOW hard we try not to but be aware of them and try to do better. This is an award winning book...would like to read/know what other books were up for the same award and see how they compare. 

Land of Bear & Eagle by Tanyo Ravicz

Started: 1/9/2022

Finished: 1/11/2022

Year: 2022

Pages: 264

Genre: Memoir

Grade: C

Reason for reading: review for Reader Views

Type: Trade Paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "At loose ends in his private life, at odds with society, Tanyo Ravicz persuades Martina, his wife, to join him in a reset, a new beginning. Before long, they and their children are living in a wilderness cabin on Alaska’s Kodiak Island, outnumbered by the brown bears.

"A celebration of nature and of the peculiarities of the Alaskan bush, Land of Bear and Eagle: A Home in the Kodiak Wilderness builds from personal experience to a rounded, loving portrait of a place, Cottonwood Homestead, and a way of life. In these essays and sketches, by turns humorous, meditative and lyrical, the author goes beyond the challenges and triumphs of wilderness living to explore his environment and to examine the relationships among the plants and animals and the people he meets. Along the way, he wrestles with his doubts and reconsiders his assumptions about life.

"The testament of one of Alaska’s last homesteaders, this book offers a vision of what it means to be wedded to a place and fully alive to the world."

Opinion: a thorough review is posted on Reader Views

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

Started: 1/6/2023

Finished: 1/9/2023

Year: 2006

Pages: 252

Genre: Mystery

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: library book, I enjoyed Gone Girl

Type: trade paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, reporter Camille Preaker faces a troubling assignment: she must return to her tiny hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls. For years, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed in her old bedroom in her family's Victorian mansion, Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims—a bit too strongly. Dogged by her own demons, she must unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past if she wants to get the story—and survive this homecoming."

Opinion: Predictable but with a twist that wasn't surprising. The twist made sense.

The Great California Story: Portrait of a Place That is One of a Kind by Carl Palm

Started: 12/29/2022

Finished: 1/1/2023

Year: 2022

Pages: 308

Genre: History

Grade: B+

Reason for reading: review for Reader Views

Type: Trade Paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "This book was originally released under the title, The Great California Story: Real-Life Roots of an American Legend (2004). In this thoroughly revised edition the things that make California such a unique and extraordinary place again take center stage. What emerges is a remarkably engaging portrait, of a place truly one of a kind."

Opinion: a thorough review is on Reader Views

The Big Bang Theory by Jessica Radloff

Started: 1/1/2023

Finished: 1/5/2023

Year: 2022

Pages: 483

Genre: Non-fiction/television

Grade: A

Reason for reading: library book, fan of the show

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "The Big Bang Theory is a television phenomenon. To the casual viewer, it’s a seemingly effortless comedy, with relatable characters tackling real-life issues, offering a kind of visual comfort food to its millions of dedicated fans. But the behind-the-scenes journey of the show from a failed pilot to a global sensation is a fascinating story that even the most die-hard fans don’t know in its entirety. 

"THE BIG BANG THEORY: THE DEFINITIVE, INSIDE STORY OF THE EPIC HIT SERIES is a riveting, entertaining look at the sitcom sensation, with the blessing and participation of co-creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, executive producers Steve Molaro and Steve Holland, as well as Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Melissa Rauch, Mayim Bialik, and more. Glamour senior editor Jessica Radloff, who has written over 150 articles on the series (and even had a cameo in the finale!), gives readers an all-access pass to its intrepid producing and writing team and beloved cast. It’s a story of on-and-off screen romance told in hilarious and emotional detail, of casting choices that nearly changed everything (which even some of the actors didn’t know until now), of cast members bravely powering through personal tragedies, and when it came time to announce the 12th season would be its last, the complicated reasons why it was more difficult than anyone ever led on. Through hundreds of hours of interviews with the sitcom’s major players, Radloff dives into all this and much more. The book is the ultimate celebration of this once-in-a-generation show and a must-have for all fans."

Opinion: Great book-very in-depth look at the behind the scenes of a great show. This is one of the few shows that every week lead me to laugh out loud. Highly recommend if you're a fan of the show.