Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Started: 3/15/20

Finished: 6/20/20

Year: 1997

Pages: 428

Genre: Literature

Grade: C

Reason for reading: TBR pile, 1001 books to read before you die

Blurb (from back cover): "A literary sensation and runaway bestseller, this brilliant debut novel presents with seamless authenticity and exquisite lyricism the true confessions of one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.

"In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount, where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction-at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful-and completely unforgettable."

Opinion: I feel like I'm one of the few that did not thoroughly enjoy this novel. I don't even know why it would have made the 1001 books to read before you die list. Definitely not the worst book I've read but certainly not one of the best.

99 Red Balloons by Elisabeth Carpenter

Started: 6/7/20

Finished: 6/14/20

Year: 2017

Pages: 336

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway win

Blurb (from back cover): "Eight-year-old Grace is last seen in a candy store. Her mother Emma is living a nightmare. But as her loved ones rally around her, cracks begin to emerge.

"What are the emails sent between her husband and her sister? Why does her mother take so long to join the search? And is there more to the disappearance of her daughter than meets the eye?

"Meanwhile, ageing widow Maggie Taylor sees a familiar face in the newspaper. A face that jolts her from the pain of her existence into a spiralling obsession with another girl-the first girl who disappeared..."

Opinion: What starts off as a one time kidnapping turns into so much more. Some confusion on keeping everyone straight on who they are in relationship to each other but a fresh prospective on a kidnapping plot.

Just a Little Bit Married by Teresa Southwick

Started: 5/24/20

Finished: 5/27/20

Year: 2017

Pages: 218

Genre: Romance

Grade: B

Reason for reading: received through Bookcrossing.com, TBR pile

Blurb (from back cover): "The last time Rose Tucker saw her ex-husband, Lincoln Hart, he was fleeing their newly minted marriage. Now the man she fell in love with at first sight has returned to say those three little words: 'we're still married!' And while the lawyers fix the clerical glitch, the handsome millionaire offers a way to help his not-so-ex wife save her business.

"The pretty interior designer can hardly wait to say 'I don't.' But in the meantime, Rose can't afford to turn down her husband's job offer. So she agrees to decorate Linc's new luxury condo. While Rose draws up plans for his home, he has designs on her heart. And if he gets his way, the new towels will say His and Hers."

Opinion: Sometimes you just need fluff. I haven't read a Harlequin in a while. Highly predictable but still enjoyable. 

The Silence by Susan Allott

Started: 5/17/20

Finished: 5/22/20

Year: 2020

Pages: 287

Genre: Mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com

Blurb (from book jacket): "It is 1997, and in a basement flat in Hackeny, Isla Green is awakened by a call in the middle of the night: her father, Joe, phoning from Sydney. It seems that thirty years ago, the Greens' next-door neighbor Mandy disappeared. Joe claims he thought Mandy had moved away with her husband, but now Mandy's family is trying to reconnect, and there is no trace of her. Joe was allegedly the last person to see her alive, and now he's under suspicion of murder.

"So Isla returns to Australia for the first time in a decade to support her father and to search for the truth. Her arrival in Sydney brings up echoes from the past, taking us back to the heat of summer 1967, when two young couples lived side by side on a quiet street by the sea. The more questions Isla asks, the more she learns about the secrets each marriage bore. Could her father have some done something terrible? And how much does her mother know?

"At the center of it all lies a shameful practice rooted in Australia's colonial past: the forced removal of Aboriginal children from their families, children now known as the Stolen Generation."

Opinion: A decent story with a familiar plot. Even though it is predictable, the mystery plot being resolved is done in a respectable manner. A more complete review will be on Myself.com in the upcoming months.

Beyond Betrayal by Phil Waldrep

Started: 5/10/20

Finished: 5/12/20

Year: 2020

Pages: 210

Genre: self-help

Grade: D

Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway win

Blurb: how to forgive when betrayed

Opinion: This book was way too religious. Too many Bible quotes. I did like the personal examples of how the author and others that he knew worked through several steps to overcome the feelings of betrayal. It does ask for you to look within yourself to see why you feel so betrayed and how to overcome the feelings and eventually learn to forgive.

Four to Score by Janet Evanovich

Started: 5/3/20
Finished: 5/8/20
Year: 1998
Pages: 313
Genre: mystery
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: bookslender.com book, rereading the series
Blurb (from back cover): "Stephanie Plum, Trenton, New Jersey's favorite pistol-packing, condom-carrying bounty hunter, is back-and on the trail of a revenge-seeking waitress who's skipped bail. With the help of 73-year-old Grandma Mazur, ex-hooker Lula, a transvestite musician named Sally Sweet, and the all-too-hospitable, all-too-sexy Joe Morelli, Stephanie might just catch her woman. Then again, with more mishaps than there are exits on the Jersey Turnpike-including murders, firebombs, and Stephanie's arch-rival bounty hunter chasing after the same fugitive-Stephanie better watch her back big-time if she wants to live to crack this case."
Opinion: This one is a rather funny book. The antics of Stephanie and her "help" make this book more of a comedy than an actual mystery but there definitely is one to be solved.

Dead to Her by Sarah Pinborough

Started: 2/23/20
Finished: 5/2/20
Year: 2020
Pages: 388
Genre: Thriller
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from book jacket): "Marcie's whirlwind affair with Jason Maddox catapulted her into the most elite circles. Old money, old ties, old secrets. Marcie may have married into this world-but she'll never truly be a part of it.
"Then Jason's boss brings home a captivating new wife from his trip to London. Young, attractive, reckless-nobody can take their eyes off Keisha. Including Marcie's husband.
"Some people would kill for the life Marcie has-what will she do to keep it?"
Opinion: The book jacket is misleading. It was slow to start but picked up. Not the best thriller that I've read. A more complete review will be available on MyShelf.com in the upcoming months.

Perfect Little Children by Sophie Hannah

Started: 2/16/20
Finished: 4/27/20
Year: 2020
Pages: 328
Genre: mystery
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from book jacket): "All Beth has to do is drive her son to his football game, watch him play, and then return home. Just because she knows her ex-best friend lives near the field doesn't mean she has to drive past her house and try to catch a glimpse of her.
"Why would Beth do that and risk dredging up painful memories? She hasn't seen Flora for twelve years. She doesn't want to see her today-or ever again. But she can't resist. She parks outside the open gates of Newnham House and watches from across the road as Flora arrives and calls to her children, Thomas and Emily, to get out of the car.
"Except...there's something terribly wrong. Flora looks the same, only older. Twelve years ago, Thomas and Emily were five and three. Today, they look precisely as they did then. They are no taller, no different from when Beth last saw them. They are Thomas and Emily without a doubt-Beth heard Flora call them by their names-but why haven't they grown? How is it possible that they are still the same two perfect little children Beth knew more than a decade ago?"
Opinion: Strange....just strange and the ending is more strange. A complete review will be posted on MyShelf.com in the upcoming months.

Daughter of Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

Started: 2/9/20
Finished: 4/25/20
Year: 2019
Pages: 308
Genre: Literature
Grade: B
Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway
Blurb (from back cover): "Separated from her mother at birth, Ruth is adopted by Japanese immigrants and grows up on a strawberry farm in California. During World War II she and her family suffer through the injustice of internment. Only later is she reunited with Rachel, the mother she never knew. Brennert powerfully evokes a lesser-known homefront war story as well as offering a richly emotional tale of two women who never expected to meet, much less come to love one another."
Opinion: Not as good as the first one but still a powerful story. Anyone who enjoyed Moloka'i will enjoy this story and see how Ruth turned out.

Not Dead Yet by Phil Collins

Started: 2/2/20
Finished: 4/20/20
Year: 2016
Pages: 368
Genre: Memoir/autobiographical
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: grabbed off TBR pile
Blurb (from back cover): "Phil Collins pulls no punches-about himself, his life, or the ecstasy and heartbreak that's inspired his music. In his celebrated memoir, Not Dead Yet, he tells the candid, witty, unvarnished story of the songs and shows, the hits and pans, his marriages and divorces, the ascents to the top of the charts and into the tabloid headlines.
"A drummer since almost before he could walk, Collins received on-the-job training in the seedy, thrilling bars and clubs of 1960s swinging London before finally landing the drum seat in Genesis. Soon he would step into the spotlight on vocals after the departure of Peter Gabriel and begin to stockpile the songs that would rocket him to international fame with the release of Face Value and 'In the Air Tonight.' Whether he's recalling jamming with Eric Clapton and Robert Plant, pulling together a big band fronted by Tony Bennett, or writing the music for Disney's animated smash hit Tarzan, Collins' storytelling chops never waver. And, of course, he answers the pressing question on everyone's mind: just what does 'Sussedio' mean?"
Opinion: I have been a huge Phil Collins fan-seeing him in concert solo several times and seeing him perform with Genesis. I had heard some of the tabloid stories about his personal life and rumors about his professional life. I'm glad that I finally read it from the horse's mouth about what happened with Genesis, his marriages and some of the inspiration of some of my favorite songs.  Highly recommend if you enjoy Phil.

Last Stop Auschwitz by Eddy de Wind

Started: 4/12/20
Finished: 4/17/20
Year: 2020
Pages: 227
Genre: History
Grade: B
Reason for reading: goodreads.com giveaway win
Blurb (from book jacket): "In 1943, the height of German occupation of the Netherlands, Eddy de Wind volunteered to work at Westerbork, a transit camp for Jews where his mother had been taken by Nazis, in the ultimately fruitless hope of saving her. while there, he fell in love with and married a young nurse named Friedel. But not long after, they were transported to Auschwitz and separated-Eddy to work as a medical assistant in one barrack, Friedel at the mercy of Nazi experimentation in a nearby block. Sneaking moments with his beloved and communicating whenever they could, Eddy longed for the day he could be free with her..."
Opinion: A sad but decent read. First English translation edition. An interesting inside look at the medical side of the concentration camp.

Invisible Darkness by Stephen Williams

Started: 1/26/20
Finished: 4/11/20
Year: 1996
Pages: 532
Genre: True Crime
Grade: C
Reason for reading: booksfree.com book
Blurb (from back cover): "They were married in a picture-perfect wedding in Niagara-on-the-Lake and they rode off in a horse-drawn carriage. Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo were the very image of love and success. But they had blood-including the blood of Karla's own younger sister-on their hands.
"This is the definitive inside account of a serial murder case unparalleled in history. It is a story of a man and a woman joining together in torture and mutilation crimes that are virtually unspeakable. It is a story of sexual depravities videotaped by Bernardo and Homolka themselves-tapes so shocking that a trial judge ordered them destroyed, although they are rumored to have surfaced in New York and Tokyo. It is a story of authorities taking six years and twenty-three victims to stop the killings-even after Paul Bernardo's sister and best friend had both tried to turn him in.
"Investigative journalist Stephen Williams takes you inside this shocking case-into the motivation of a couple wed in blood, into the details of their crimes and motivations, to perhaps the worst outrage of all: the sweetheart deal that allowed Karla Homolka to escape punishment for her deeds."
Opinion: This isn't a bad true crime novel if you can get past the gore and porn in the first half of the book. The trial aspects are interesting and makes one question the legal system of how one person can really get away with murder.

Home for Erring and Outcast Girls by Julie Kibler

Started: 8/1/20
Finished: 4/4/20
Year: 2019
Pages: 383
Genre: Historical Fiction
Grade: B
Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway
Blurb (from back cover): "In turn-of-the-century Texas, The Berachah Home for the Redemption and Protection of Erring Girls is an unprecedented beacon of hope for young women consigned to the dangerous poverty of the streets by birth, circumstance, or personal tragedy. Built in 1903 on the dusty outskirts of Arlington, a remote dot between Dallas and Fort Worth's red-light districts, the progressive home bucks public opinion by offering faith, training and rehabilitation to prostitutes, addicts, unwed mothers, and 'ruined' girls without forcibly separating mothers from children. When Lizzie Bates and Mattie McBride meet there-one sick and abused but desperately clinging to her young daughter, the other jilted by the beau who fathered her ailing son-they form a friendship that will see them through unbearable loss, heartbreak, difficult choices, and, ultimately, diverting paths.
"A century later, Cate Sutton, a reclusive university librarian, uncovers the hidden histories of the two troubled women as she stumbles upon the cemetery on the home's former grounds and begins to comb through its archives in her library. Pulled by an indescribable connection, what Cate discovers about their stories leads her to confront her own heartbreaking past, and to reclaim the life she thought she'd let go forever."
Opinion: A decent read about a real-life place with characters based on real people. Makes me want to visit the cemetery and grounds of the home. One feels for Lizzie and Mattie and what they faced in their lives.

The Christmas Boutique by Jennifer Chiaverini

Started: 12/30/19
Finished: 3/31/20
Year: 2019
Pages: 289
Genre: Literature
Grade: C-
Reason for reading: Librarything.com winner/review
Blurb (from back cover): "Just weeks before Christmas, sever wintry weather damages the church hall hosting the Christmas Boutique-an annual sale of handcrafted gives and baked goods that supports the county food pantry. Determined to save the fundraiser, Sylvia Bergstrom Compson offers to hold the event at Elm Creek Manor, her ancestral family estate and summertime home to Elm Creek Quilt Camp.
"In the spirit of the season, Sylvia and the Elm Creek Quilters begin setting up market boots in the ballroom and decking the halls with beautiful handmade holiday quilts. Each of the quilters chooses a favorite quilt to display, a special creation evoking memories of holidays past and dreams of Christmases yet to come. Sarah, a first-time mother expecting twins, worries if she can handle raising two babies, especially with her husband so often away on business. Cheerful, white-haired Agnes reflects upon a beautiful applique quilt she made as a young bride and the mysterious, long-lost antique quilt that inspired it. Empty nesters and occasional rivals Gwen and Diane contemplate family heirlooms and unfinished projects as they look forward to having their children home again for the holidays.
"But whole the Elm Creek Quilters work tirelessly to make sure the Christmas Boutique happens, it may take a holiday miracle or two to make it the smashing success that they want it to be."
Opinion: This book didn't seem put together very well. This is the first book in the series that I've read so I do not know if all of the books follow the same format. I did not feel lost about the characters as there was a lot of background provided throughout the novel....almost too much. This is one of the few books that is solely based on characterization....plot is minimal.

Hearts of the Missing by Carol Potenza

Started: 3/22/20
Finished: 3/28/20
Year: 2018
Pages: 291
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway win
Blurb (from book jacket): "When a young woman linked to a list of missing Fire-Sky tribal members commits suicide, Pueblo police sergeant Nicky Matthews is assigned to the case. Soon, Nicky uncovers a threat that strikes at the very heart of what it means to be a Fire-Sky Native: victims chosen and murdered because of their genetic makeup.
"But these deaths are not just about a life taken. In a vengeful twist, the killer ensures the spirits of those targeted will wander forever, lost to their family, their People, and their ancestors. When those closest to Nicky are put in jeopardy, she must be willing to sacrifice everything-her career, her life, even her soul-to save the people she is sworn to protect."
Opinion: I haven't read a lot of books where Native Americans are the main characters (not sure why, just haven't). Add on the possibility of a serial killer and this is a decent debut mystery novel. This novel won the Tony Hillerman Prize and I can see why.

Three To Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich

Started: 3/8/20
Finished: 3/14/20
Year: 1997
Pages: 350
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B
Reason for reading: Booksfree.com
Blurb (from back cover): "A 'saintly' old candy store owner is on the lam-and bounty hunter extraordinaire Stephanie Plum is on the case. As the body count rises, Stephanie finds herself dealing with dead drug dealers and slippery fugitives on the chase of her life. And with the help of eccentric friends and family, Steph must see to it that this case doesn't end up being her last..."
Opinion: I'm continuing with the series. This one had laugh out loud scenes. The mystery plot was decent and enjoyable.

On the Corner of Hope and Main by Beverly Jenkins

Started: 3/1/2020
Finished: 3/6/2020
Year: 2020
Pages: 285
Genre: Literature
Grade: C
Reason for reading: review for LibraryThing.com
Blurb (from back cover): "Trent July has been the mayor of this historic town for the past four years, but now he's ready to let someone else take up the mantle. Barrett Payne, a former Marine, decides he wants the job. But when a surprise candidate also enters the ring, the town has strong opinions on who would be the best choice.
"And that's not the only drama, as Malachi "Mal" July continues to make reparations for the damage he's caused and the people he's betrayed, especially his lady love, Bernandine. Is she finally ready to forgive him and let the past go?
"As the residents of Henry Adams have learned, life will throw obstacles their way-but it's how they come together and rise above these challenges that keeps the bonds of their close-knit community strong."
Opinion: This started off in a good pace, but scattered. Lots of subplots going on. The last 3rd seemed rush to try to close out all the subplots and leave enough for the next book in the series.

Christmas Sweets by Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine, Leslie Meier

Started: 11/9/19
Finished: 1/24/20
Year: 2019 (compilation)
Pages: 310
Genre: mystery
Grade: C
Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway
Blurb (from back cover): "The Twelve Desserts of Christmas by Joanne Fluke: It's the perfect mix of naughty and nice when two lovestruck boarding school teachers watch six kids over Christmas break. but when someone wants the cozy couple's romance to burn out faster than a scorched fruitcake, it's Hannah Swensen to the rescue, armed with her sleuthing skills-and twelve deliciously festive recipes...
"Nightmare on Elf Street by Laura Levine: Aside from the mortifying costume, how bad can a gig as a mall Santa's elf be? Jaine Austen finds out when she's teamed up with the Santa from Hell. But things go from bad to worse when he's found murdered on the job-and Jaine is a suspect. Now all she wants for Christmas is to find the real killer...
"The Christmas Thief by Leslie Meier: Elizabeth Stone is ready for a white Christmas in Tinker's Cover, Maine-until a fancy Yule ball at the Florida hotel where she works dumps snow on her plans. The sponsor's jewels have gone missing and the police are asking about her ties to a cute mystery guest. Good thing Elizabeth's mother, Lucy Stone, flew down to surprise her. 'Tis the season for a little investigating...."
Opinion: Fluke's story was cute and not very mysterious. The reader is aware of what is going on the whole time. It's more about the Christmas season and the love between the teachers. Levine's story was amusing and mysterious-who really killed the Santa from Hell? Readers aren't aware until it is given away. I couldn't even finish Meier's story. The relationship between Elizabeth and the mystery guest was obnoxious, unrealistic and all I did was shake my head and stop reading.

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

Started: 7/23/19
Finished: 1/17/20
Year: 2019
Pages: 368
Genre: Mystery
Grade: C
Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway
Blurb (from book jacket): "These are the only rules for Jules Larsen's new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most glamorous and secretive buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plan broke, Jules is captivated by the splendor of her surrounding and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.
"As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly reminds her of her sister who vanished eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and that the dark history hidden beneath its flaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story...until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.
"Searching for the truth about Ingrid's disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's sordid past and the mysteries kept within its walls. What she discovers pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building's hidden secrets and escape a dream apartment that has quickly turned into a nightmare."
Opinion: An interesting premise-apartment sitter in one of Manhattan's magnificent apartment buildings. The rules are slightly strange but nothing that can't be followed. But then it just takes a very odd turn. A turn that I felt was ridiculous and turned the book into what could have been a B or an A book into a C.

Layover by David Bell

Started: 7/26/19
Finished: 1/14/20
Year: 2019
Pages: 399
Genre: Mystery
Grade: C
Reason for reading: Goodreads.com giveaway book
Blurb (from back cover): "Joshua Fields takes the same flights every week for work, his life a series of departures and arrivals, hotels and airports. During yet another layover, he meets Morgan, a beautiful stranger with whom he feels an immediate connection. When it's time for their respective flights, Morgan kisses Joshua passionately, lamenting that they'll never see each other again.
"As soon as Morgan disappears in the crowd, Joshua is shocked to see her face on a nearby TV. The reason: Morgan is a missing person.
"What follows is a whirlwind, fast-paced journey filled with lies, deceit, and secrets as Joshua tries to discover why Morgan has vanished from her own life. Every time he thinks one mystery is solved, another rears its head-and his worst enemy might be his assumptions about those around him."
Opinion: This plot went to far out there and wasn't enjoyable. Sure....people in airports wonder about what others are doing, where they're going, etc but for it to go this far....ugh