A Win-Win by Trish Titus

Started: 2/13/2023

Finished: 2/15/2023

Year: 2022

Pages: 311

Genre: literature

Grade: D

Reason for reading: review for Reader views

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Receiving an invitation for the third year to enter a Valentine's Day fashion designer contest, she thought to herself, "Am I good enough."

 "Digging her heels in after seeing this invitation, Talia Rose-Porter became defensive when asked why she didn't want to enter. She wasn't going to admit that she was scared and might not measure up to her own expectations, let alone other designers or anyone else.

 "The entry deadline looms. It took encouragement from several others, including her deceased grandfather. It's a pipedream for Talia, but she soon realized she had nothing to lose, and much to gain, like courage, confidence, and self-worth.

 "Plans were made to fly across the country to Seattle, Washington. During this flight, the first of several incidents and surprises cropped up, which required the help of Talia's husband, Jason, a paramedic/firefighter. Landing in Seattle, their adventure begins as they head over to the Meydenbauer Convention Center. Ten contestants have entered, but who will the winners be?

 "Someone with a sixth sense gives unusual messages about possible occurrences with no further explanation. And, who will come face-to-face with a past?

 "If you love a feel-good, cozy romance with a little mystery, suspense, and a twist, then you'll enjoy reading A Win - Win. It is a thought-provoking book about determination, worth and relishing life to the fullest. This author loves writing about romance, taking readers on a journey to see all the possibilities where love might triumph."

Opinion: feels like it is a filler book. A book to just be put out before the next romance book with some of the characters that were introduced in “A Win-Win.” There are a lot of repetitive stories about what has happened to Jason and Talia and everyone’s adventures in Seattle. A lot of these side stories were not necessary to be told over and over again. Some of the interactions that Jason, in particular, had with others were also not necessary. All these did was just establish that Jason is good at being a paramedic when the emphasis of the story should have been more focused on the fashion design contest and them seeing Seattle. In fact, one event was not even resolved. Some things were explained in great detail and other things felt kind of just brushed over, like the contest.

The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man by Paul Newman

Started: 2/24/2023

Finished: 2/27/2023

Year: 2022

Pages: 288

Genre: Memoir

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, fan of Newman

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "In 1986, Paul Newman and his closest friend, screenwriter Stewart Stern, began an extraordinary project. Stuart was to compile an oral history, to have Newman’s family and friends and those who worked closely with him, talk about the actor’s life. And then Newman would work with Stewart and give his side of the story. The only stipulation was that anyone who spoke on the record had to be completely honest. That same stipulation applied to Newman himself. The project lasted five years.

 "The result is an extraordinary memoir, culled from thousands of pages of transcripts. The book is insightful, revealing, surprising. Newman’s voice is powerful, sometimes funny, sometimes painful, always meeting that high standard of searing honesty. The additional voices—from childhood friends and Navy buddies, from family members and film and theater collaborators such as Tom Cruise, George Roy Hill, Martin Ritt, and John Huston—that run throughout add richness and color and context to the story Newman is telling.

"Newman’s often traumatic childhood is brilliantly detailed. He talks about his teenage insecurities, his early failures with women, his rise to stardom, his early rivals (Marlon Brando and James Dean), his first marriage, his drinking, his philanthropy, the death of his son Scott, his strong desire for his daughters to know and understand the truth about their father. Perhaps the most moving material in the book centers around his relationship with Joanne Woodward—their love for each other, his dependence on her, the way she shaped him intellectually, emotionally and sexually."

Opinion: I never knew much about Newman's personal history, just the movies that he was in. This memoir is told in Newman's words and many others that were involved in his life. Seems like an honest look at his life.

The Secret Files by Michael Hayes

Started: 2/20/2023

Finished: 2/21/2023

Year: 2022

Pages: 257

Genre: Criminology

Grade: B

Reason for reading: review for Reader Views

Blurb (from Amazon): "In 2018, reporter Michael Hayes uncovered a major story about how the NYPD was not only turning a blind eye to police misconduct, but also allowing hundreds of officers with severe misconduct charges to remain on the force. In the aftermath of that story, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio attempted to reform the department only to abandon his plans.

"While de Blasio may have suffered a political setback, it’s New Yorkers who are the true victims of this failure to deliver accountability and transparency. The state has a law that specifically prevents the public from learning about concealed police records. New Yorkers are increasingly distrustful of the police after witnessing their loved ones being targeted, brutalized, and murdered with near impunity.

"Hayes takes readers inside decades of police corruption and controversial laws, chronicling the stories of the families and activists who have had enough. He makes a compelling case for the limits of reform in the aftermath of the major Black Lives Matter rallies following the murder of George Floyd and growing calls to defund the police."

Opinion: a thorough review is posted on Reader Views

The Love that Split the World by Emily Henry

Started: 2/23/2023

Finished: DNF

Year: 2016

Pages: 390

Genre: Young Adult

Grade: F

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Natalie's last summer in her small Kentucky hometown is off to a magical start . . . until she starts seeing the "wrong things." They're just momentary glimpses at first—her front door is red instead of its usual green, there’s a preschool where the garden store should be. But then her whole town disappears for hours, fading away into rolling hills and grazing buffalo, and Nat knows something isn't right.

 "Then there are the visits from the kind but mysterious apparition she calls "Grandmother," who tells her, "You have three months to save him." The next night, under the stadium lights of the high school football field, she meets a beautiful boy named Beau, and it's as if time just stops and nothing exists. Nothing, except Natalie and Beau."

Opinion: Not sure if I couldn't get through this because I just finished another YA book by Henry but it just didn't grab me. Might try again in the future.

A Million Junes by Emily Henry

Started: 2/22/2023

Finished: 2/23/2023

Year: 2017

Pages: 391

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "In their hometown of Five Fingers, Michigan, the O'Donnells and the Angerts have mythic legacies. But for all the tall tales they weave, both founding families are tight-lipped about what caused the century-old rift between them, except to say it began with a cherry tree.

 "Eighteen-year-old Jack “June” O’Donnell doesn't need a better reason than that. She's an O'Donnell to her core, just like her late father was, and O'Donnells stay away from Angerts. Period. 

"But when Saul Angert, the son of June's father's mortal enemy, returns to town after three mysterious years away, June can't seem to avoid him. Soon the unthinkable happens: She finds she doesn't exactly hate the gruff, sarcastic boy she was born to loathe. 

"Saul’s arrival sparks a chain reaction, and as the magic, ghosts, and coywolves of Five Fingers conspire to reveal the truth about the dark moment that started the feud, June must question everything she knows about her family and the father she adored. And she must decide whether it's finally time for her—and all of the O'Donnells before her—to let go."

Opinion: Considering that I don't read a lot of YA books, I thought that this one was done rather well. Interesting way to tell a generational curse.

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White

Started: 2/21/2023

Finished: DNF (my rule of thumb is to read between 50-100 pages for the book to capture my interest before I toss it aside)

Year: 2022

Pages: 398

Genre: Young Adult horror, LGBTQ+

Grade: F

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji is on the run from the cult that raised him—the fundamentalist sect that unleashed Armageddon and decimated the world’s population. Desperately, he searches for a place where the cult can’t get their hands on him, or more importantly, on the bioweapon they infected him with.

 "But when cornered by monsters born from the destruction, Benji is rescued by a group of teens from the local Acheson LGBTQ+ Center, affectionately known as the ALC. The ALC’s leader, Nick, is gorgeous, autistic, and a deadly shot, and he knows Benji’s darkest secret: the cult’s bioweapon is mutating him into a monster deadly enough to wipe humanity from the earth once and for all.    

 "Still, Nick offers Benji shelter among his ragtag group of queer teens, as long as Benji can control the monster and use its power to defend the ALC. Eager to belong, Benji accepts Nick’s terms…until he discovers the ALC’s mysterious leader has a hidden agenda, and more than a few secrets of his own. Perfect for fans of Gideon the Ninth and Annihilation."

Opinion: So this book starts off with Benji in the middle of a fight and no real back story was provided during the fight. Just not my cup of tea. I am happy that the author was able to find their voice and created a story with characters similar to them.

Aftermath by LeVar Burton

Started: 2/20/2023

Finished: 2/20/2023

Year: 1997

Pages: 274

Genre: Sci-Fi

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, LeVar book club

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "The stunning debut novel from the star of "Star Trek: The Next Generation". The United States of 2019 is a very different place. Economic depression, an enormous earthquake, and the assassination of a black President-elect have turned the country into a war zone. Four people, each as different and troubled as the next, are the nation's last hope. But can they overcome the devastation and build a new world?"

Opinion: Did not even know that he had written anything. Been a fan since "Reading Rainbow" and after meeting him, I wanted to check out the books that are mentioned in his book club. Wasn't quite sure what I was getting into when picking it up. Reminded me of a much shorter version of "The Stand" by King and something else that I can't put a name to. Overall, a pretty enjoyable book with very different characters all coming together.

The Panacea Project by Catherine Devore Johnson

Started: 2/17/2023

Finished: 2/20/2023

Year: 2023

Pages: 298

Genre: medical thriller

Grade: B+

Reason for reading: librarything.com giveaway

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Calla Hammond has always been a loner―a product of the foster system and avoided by others because of a skin condition. When doctors discover her immune system holds the key to curing cancer, she struggles to advance lifesaving research in a world that sees her only as a means to an end. Yet along the way, Calla gains the one thing she has always longed for: a chosen family.

"When a group of unscrupulous people join forces to sell Calla’s blood to the highest bidder, she digs deep to find the strength to retake control of her life, her body, and her story."

Opinion: a thorough review is on librarything.com

Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin

Started: 2/15/2023

Finished: 2/16/2023

Year: 1952

Pages: 291

Genre: literature

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, Levar Burton's book club read

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "'Go back to where you started, or as far back as you can, examine all of it, travel your road again and tell the truth about it. Sing or shout or testify or keep it to yourself: but know whence you came.' Originally published in 1953, Go Tell it on the Mountain was James Baldwin's first major work, based in part on his own childhood in Harlem. With lyrical precision, psychological directness, resonating symbolic power and a rage that is at once unrelenting and compassionate, Baldwin chronicles a fourteen-year-old boy's discovery of the terms of his identity as the stepson of the minister of a Pentecostal storefront church in Harlem. Baldwin's rendering of his protagonist's spiritual, sexual and moral struggle towards self-invention opened new possibilities in the American language and in the way Americans understood themselves."

Opinion: Wasn't sure what to expect when reading this...just knew that it was a classic. Probably fitting for the time that it was written. 

The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: In the Eye of the Storm by Angel Giacomo

Started: 2/9/2023

Finished: 2/10/23

Year: 2020

Pages: 275

Genre: military mystery

Grade: C

Reason for reading: review for Reader Views

Blurb (from Amazon): "War - It changes everyone and everything it touches. But especially the men who live in the trenches. Who fight the battles. Lt. Colonel Jackson Joseph MacKenzie is one of those men. He grew up in the shadow of a legendary Marine. Part of a family tradition to serve, he joined the United States Army. His first war - Korea -taught him death the hard way, both personal and professional. His second - Vietnam - never-ending pain. And betrayal by those above him. Those he trusted. His superiors. Given a top-secret mission to help end the war, he carried out his orders. Then upon his return, they disavowed any knowledge of it. He found himself in a six-by-eight cell with no way out and no hope. A man broken by the horrors of the Vietnam War and the POW camp that left everlasting scars. Memories - nightmares - that haunted him, even awake, and left him a prisoner in his own mind."

Opinion: a thorough review is posted on Reader Views

UPDATE: if you want to comment about how much you enjoyed the series...please do. I welcome different opinions than my own but do not attack me, my "maturity", or anything else. If you like a book that I did not, that's fantastic. It's great for you and the author. Not all books will be for everyone and some readers will be expecting other things when reading. To the person who commented on this particular series...I did not hate this book. I just wanted something more to tie in with the initial scenario presented. I'm truly glad that you enjoyed it enough to get the rest of the books in the series. I'm happy for the author to have that sale. There is no need to further comment as I have posted your review.

Through the Gates of Hell by Scott B. Blanke

Started: 2/11/2023

Finished: DNF

Year: 2023

Pages: 247

Genre: medical mystery

Grade: F

Reason for reading: library thing giveaway

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Dr. Saul Berman is a sports crazy Jewish plastic surgeon who works for the Wrigley Clinic in Chicago. His patients... and colleagues... keep dying. Though Berman slits throats for a living, he insists the deaths are not by his own hand.

"After the initial death by an unknown assailant, but quiet killer, Berman is questioned if he is the murderer. The female detective, Karen Jahnman, an old adversary, finally believes he is innocent. No one else does. Berman must work to clear his name and find the murderer, all while trying to woo the blond detective.

"Each murder is bizarre, and the killer is leaving few clues. Berman turns to his friends to help him with profiling the murderer. It amazes the detective that these amateurs are hitting a home run on the formulation of the case.

"The killer continues to use unique methods to kill Berman's patients and colleagues.

"Can Berman determine who is the killer before he or his loved one loses their lives?"

Opinion: a review is posted on Library Thing

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

Started 2/10/23

Finished: DNF

Year: 2021

Pages: 318

Genre: Literature

Grade: F

Reason for reading: library book, Levar Burton book club

Type: Hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): ""Ray Carney was only slightly bent when it came to being crooked..." To his customers and neighbors on 125th street, Carney is an upstanding salesman of reasonably priced furniture, making a decent life for himself and his family. He and his wife Elizabeth are expecting their second child, and if her parents on Striver's Row don't approve of him or their cramped apartment across from the subway tracks, it's still home. 

"Few people know he descends from a line of uptown hoods and crooks, and that his façade of normalcy has more than a few cracks in it. Cracks that are getting bigger all the time. 

"Cash is tight, especially with all those installment-plan sofas, so if his cousin Freddie occasionally drops off the odd ring or necklace, Ray doesn't ask where it comes from. He knows a discreet jeweler downtown who doesn't ask questions, either. 

"Then Freddie falls in with a crew who plan to rob the Hotel Theresa—the "Waldorf of Harlem"—and volunteers Ray's services as the fence. The heist doesn't go as planned; they rarely do. Now Ray has a new clientele, one made up of shady cops, vicious local gangsters, two-bit pornographers, and other assorted Harlem lowlifes. 

"Thus begins the internal tussle between Ray the striver and Ray the crook. As Ray navigates this double life, he begins to see who actually pulls the strings in Harlem. Can Ray avoid getting killed, save his cousin, and grab his share of the big score, all while maintaining his reputation as the go-to source for all your quality home furniture needs? "

Opinion: I just couldn't get into it. I didn't care what happened to Carney and his cousin. Nothing about Carney's character grabbed my attention.

Finding Me by Viola Davis

Started: 2/8/2023

Finished: 2/9/2023

Year: 2022

Pages: 291

Genre: Memoir

Grade: B+

Reason for reading: library book, fan of her

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose but also my voice in a world that didn’t always see me.

"As I wrote Finding Me, my eyes were open to the truth of how our stories are often not given close examination. We are forced to reinvent them to fit into a crazy, competitive, judgmental world. So I wrote this for anyone running through life untethered, desperate and clawing their way through murky memories, trying to get to some form of self-love. For anyone who needs reminding that a life worth living can only be born from radical honesty and the courage to shed facades and be . . . you.

"Finding Me is a deep reflection, a promise, and a love letter of sorts to self. My hope is that my story will inspire you to light up your own life with creative expression and rediscover who you were before the world put a label on you."

Opinion: Definitely an aspiring story. Hopefully everyone that bullied her throughout her life is looking at her now......

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Started: 2/6/2023

Finished: 2/8/2023

Year: 1993

Pages: 329

Genre: Literature

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "When global climate change and economic crises lead to social chaos in the early 2020s, California becomes full of dangers, from pervasive water shortage to masses of vagabonds who will do anything to live to see another day. Fifteen-year-old Lauren Olamina lives inside a gated community with her preacher father, family, and neighbors, sheltered from the surrounding anarchy. In a society where any vulnerability is a risk, she suffers from hyperempathy, a debilitating sensitivity to others' emotions.

"Precocious and clear-eyed, Lauren must make her voice heard in order to protect her loved ones from the imminent disasters her small community stubbornly ignores. But what begins as a fight for survival soon leads to something much more: the birth of a new faith . . . and a startling vision of human destiny."

Opinion: Kinda scary since the story takes place starting in 2024....I'm glad that America hasn't fallen apart this much yet.

Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover

Started: 2/5/2023

Finished: 2/6/2023

Year: 2022

Pages: 320

Genre: literature

Grade: A

Reason for reading: library book

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "After serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. But the bridges Kenna burned are proving impossible to rebuild. Everyone in her daughter’s life is determined to shut Kenna out, no matter how hard she works to prove herself.

"The only person who hasn’t closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna’s daughter. But if anyone were to discover how Ledger is slowly becoming an important part of Kenna’s life, both would risk losing the trust of everyone important to them.

"The two form a connection despite the pressure surrounding them, but as their romance grows, so does the risk. Kenna must find a way to absolve the mistakes of her past in order to build a future out of hope and healing."

Opinion: Wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. I usually don't like the mass popular books but this was definitely a good one.

A Doomful of Sugar by Catherine Bruns

Started: 2/3/2023

Finished: 2/5/2023

Year: 2023

Pages: 296

Genre: cozy mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book

Type: mass market paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "There's nothing sweet about murder…

"Leila Khoury has always believed that everyone loved her father as much as they loved his artisanal maple syrup. But when he's killed, and she returns to Sugar Ridge, Vermont to take over his business, she starts to realize how much of his life she's left untapped.

"With her brother under suspicion, her mother just barely holding it together, and police not producing any leads, Leila will have to investigate herself if she wants answers about her father's sticky end. But the more she learns, the more she worries that there won't be a sappy ending to the story."

Opinion: Really decent cozy mystery. This is the first of the series and I will be continuing with it once more books are written. 

I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

Started: 2/1/2023

Finished: 2/3/2023

Year: 2016

Pages: 210

Genre: thriller/suspense

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "I’m thinking of ending things. Once this thought arrives, it stays. It sticks. It lingers. It’s always there. Always.

"Jake once said, “Sometimes a thought is closer to truth, to reality, than an action. You can say anything, you can do anything, but you can’t fake a thought.”

"And here’s what I’m thinking: I don’t want to be here."

Opinion: Definitely an interesting suspenseful wtf book. A lot of people have stated confusion from reading and I can see why. 

On the Rooftop by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton

Started: 1/30/2023

Finished: 2/1/2023

Year: 2022

Pages: 290

Genre: literature

Grade: C

Reason for reading: library book, Reese bookclub

Blurb (from Amazon): "At home they are just sisters, but on stage, they are The Salvations. Ruth, Esther, and Chloe have been singing and dancing in harmony since they could speak. Thanks to the rigorous direction of their mother, Vivian, they’ve become a bona fide girl group whose shows are the talk of the Jazz-era Fillmore.

"Now Vivian has scored a once-in-a-lifetime offer from a talent manager, who promises to catapult The Salvations into the national spotlight. Vivian knows this is the big break she’s been praying for. But sometime between the hours of rehearsal on their rooftop and the weekly gigs at the Champagne Supper Club, the girls have become women, women with dreams that their mother cannot imagine.

"The neighborhood is changing, too: all around the Fillmore, white men in suits are approaching Black property owners with offers. One sister finds herself called to fight back, one falls into the comfort of an old relationship, another yearns to make her own voice heard. And Vivian, who has always maintained control, will have to confront the parts of her life that threaten to splinter: the community, The Salvations, and even her family."

Opinion: Thought that this was an average read. Coming of age story for the daughters and the overcoming of neighborhood changes.