The Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James Brown

Started: 12/23/2024

Finished: 1/7/2025

Year: 2009

Pages: 288

Genre: History

Grade: B+

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "In April of 1846, twenty-one-year-old Sarah Graves, intent on a better future, set out west from Illinois with her new husband, her parents, and eight siblings. Seven months later, after joining a party of pioneers led by George Donner, they reached the Sierra Nevada Mountains as the first heavy snows of the season closed the pass ahead of them. In early December, starving and desperate, Sarah and fourteen others set out for California on snowshoes, and, over the next thirty-two days, endured almost unfathomable hardships and horrors."

Opinion: Recent shows have brought new light to this horrific journey. This book goes into depth about the daily struggle that everyone faced.

Sudden Death by David Rosenfelt

Started: 1/1/2025

Finished: 1/5/2025

Year: 2005

Pages: 306

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "First at the crime scene, Andy Carpenter wishes he had never seen the folded torso with the large red stain on its back. The victim is Tony Preston, wide receiver for the New York Jets, and the suspect is Kenny Schilling, the New York Giants' star running back, whose upcoming high-profile murder case will be the benchwarming Andy's chance to get back into the legal game."

Opinion: An interesting case...an interesting twist to Andy's personal life. 

Shallow Depths by Milan Skrecek

Started: 12/31/2024

Finished: DNF

Year: 2024

Pages: 228

Genre: literature

Grade: F

Reason for reading: librarything.com Early Reviwers program

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Our hero is a burnt-out cruise line Shopping Guide named Christina Delgado - a mid-twenties Latina spitfire. In a desperate bid to resolve her financial woes, Christina ventures into dangerous waters by starting to offer escort services to cruise ship guests.

"Christina's antagonists are formidable and reflect the seedy underbelly of the industries tied to cruise tourism. Sebastian Baeza, known as Bas, is the Cuban-born owner of an escort agency from which Christina begins to poach her recruits. He is ruthless and sees Christina's actions as a direct threat to his dominion. Then there's Artem Hadad, the vindictive manager of the largest jewelry chain across the Caribbean islands, Caribbean Diamonds and Gems. Artem is incensed by any sales that bypass his stores and will do anything within his considerable power to ensure Christina fails.

"But at its core, this book series is about Christina's internal battle. Her relentless pursuit of debt freedom blinds her to the risks she takes and the relationships she sabotages. Her inability to accept help due to her pride and stubbornness only isolates her further, driving her deeper into her vices. By the series end, Christina faces a pivotal moment of self-realization.

"She begins to understand that true courage isn't just about facing external dangers but also about confronting and accepting her vulnerabilities.

"Throughout this novel, and the book series, the interpersonal dynamics aboard the cruise ship add layers of intrigue and drama. Christina’s relationship with Emily Baker, her unlikely ally and confidant, provides a counterpoint to her conflicts with Artem and Bas. Emily, with her polished appearance and kleptomaniac tendencies, offers a mirror to Christina’s own flawed nature but also represents a potential pathway to redemption. Their partnership, fraught with risks and reluctant trust, explores themes of loyalty and betrayal within the claustrophobic ecosystem of the ship."

Opinion: A thorough review is posted on Library Thing. The blurb from Amazon is an example of how scattered the writing seems to be.