Hanna is a single woman in Pittsburgh who, while maybe not the best idea in the world, decides to accept an offer of a date from a man named Jacob froHanna is a single woman in Pittsburgh who, while maybe not the best idea in the world, decides to accept an offer of a date from a man named Jacob from whom she just drew blood. Literally. She’s a phlebotomist. He’s a recent widower, a successful real estate agent, and the father of a 12-year-old daughter named Joelle. Their dating quickly becomes serious, Hanna moves in, becomes a friend and confidant to Joelle, and she and Jacob soon get married. All the while, she hand writes letters to her much younger brother Gus (pronounced “Goose,” short for Gustav) detailing her new life and he writes back just as regularly as she writes him. No email or texts. Paper, pen, envelope, and stamp. Because their relationship is so special, their correspondence deserves to be as well.
Yes, Hanna has a charmed life.
Until it isn’t.
A series of events threatens to tear her idyllic life down to the studs. But Hanna won’t go down without a fight. She has that spirit about her. It’s a spirit that defined her youth. A life about which Jacob knows absolutely nothing.
While this was a very good read and I enjoyed it immensely, I have to admit that I saw the twist coming very early on. Knowing it didn’t ruin the book for me at all. In fact, it allowed me to witness with some perverse pleasure as events barreled through to their inevitable conclusion. Honestly, though, if I saw it coming, I sense many others will as well and perhaps it’s intended to be that way and my “insight” isn’t quite as insightful as I believe it to be. I’d be curious if this is the case with anyone else. Let me know. ...more
A collection of 15 short horror and suspense stories that flip the script on traditional horror tropes by simply having the black girl survive. And noA collection of 15 short horror and suspense stories that flip the script on traditional horror tropes by simply having the black girl survive. And not just survive, they are the heroes of the stories. Oh yeah, did I mention that these stories are all penned by women of color?
But, like any collection of short stories and novellas from a variety of writers, some are better than others. The ones that stood out to me were “Harvesters,” “Inheritance,” and “Cemetery Dance Party.”...more
I was told that the film version of Poor Things is a very uncomfortable watch that bastardizes the source novel and this book is infinitely better. WeI was told that the film version of Poor Things is a very uncomfortable watch that bastardizes the source novel and this book is infinitely better. Well, maybe the film is just *that bad*, but I can’t say that the book wasn’t also a very uncomfortable experience that I just did not really enjoy as much as I’d hoped. It failed to grab my attention and hold it and it really just hasn’t stuck with me at all. ...more
This book is the story of the Black Crowes rock band from their very early days in the mid 1980s as Mr. Crowe’s Garden to their second hiatus around aThis book is the story of the Black Crowes rock band from their very early days in the mid 1980s as Mr. Crowe’s Garden to their second hiatus around about 2009. It was written by Steve Gorman, former longtime drummer for the Crowes during this same span of time. This is his story told his way and he makes that very clear. As he warns in the end, anyone else’s retelling of these same events might read totally differently. So interpret that as you will. But do know that this is a really damning version of events even though it’s not always malicious. Gorman is very thankful for his time in the band and makes that known over and over again. There are people that he loves and people that he hates and there are even moments where he loves the people he hates and hates the people he loves. Such is life. He also takes time to dispel rumors that some readers might have come to this book hoping he would confirm as true.
I enjoyed the heck out of it. I have been a fan of the Black Crowes since the release of their very first album Shake Your Money Maker in 1990. It is one of the first compact discs I ever bought. I’ve been a fan ever since even in the lean times when it wasn’t always so easy to be a fan. The entire run of the band was marred with all kinds of rumors and speculation about the behind-the-scenes turmoil but never was it presented in such a first-hand way as it is here. I must tell you that you should listen to the audiobook as read by Gorman himself as the passion and emotion that fueled his writing comes across in no uncertain terms. I’m very happy I read it. ...more
When a renowned but highly reclusive Broadway thriller writer premieres his newest whodunit, the audience — and the cast and the crew — have no idea wWhen a renowned but highly reclusive Broadway thriller writer premieres his newest whodunit, the audience — and the cast and the crew — have no idea what they’re in for. It’s a very immersive experience. And someone isn’t going home afterwards.
Flipping back and forth between the performance and the subsequent police investigation, it all started to sound a little too self indulgent and annoying. To the point where, even though it clocks in at a mere 3:15, I almost gave up on it. But I kept going instead and found it to be mostly enjoyable save for a few too many red herrings and final twists.
Given that it’s short and it’s “free” with your Audible subscription, give it a shot. ...more
A Great Courses audiobook on overcoming imposter syndrome, something I feel I have suffered from many years. However, I didn’t find that many of the lA Great Courses audiobook on overcoming imposter syndrome, something I feel I have suffered from many years. However, I didn’t find that many of the lessons and techniques offered up here applied to me. ...more
When the Jedi Council sends Master Quinlan Vos to work with former Sith Acolyte and bounty hunter Asajj Ventress to assassinate her former Master and When the Jedi Council sends Master Quinlan Vos to work with former Sith Acolyte and bounty hunter Asajj Ventress to assassinate her former Master and leader of the Separatist Alliance, Count Dooku, the last thing he expects is to actually develop feelings for a woman who nearly killed his best friend Obi-Wan Kenobi. But that is what happens and this is their story.
Oversimplified? Sure. But worth the read. I was a big Star Wars book reader when the new Disney-fied SW Galaxy exploded but got quickly burned out. This was one book I always wanted to read but never did. Now, after a handful of years away, I decided to toe the waters and see if it would hold my interest. It did! I think it had a lot to do with the core two characters being ones I didn’t know much about outside of familiarity with their names. But this could be that gateway drug to more SW books. Just on a much slower basis. ...more
Sam Neill is, in my personal opinion, one of the most underrated actors working. And he’s one of my faves having starred in two of my favorite films oSam Neill is, in my personal opinion, one of the most underrated actors working. And he’s one of my faves having starred in two of my favorite films of all time, Jurassic Park and The Hunt for Red October. So I was really excited when I happened across this memoir and to have Neill read the audiobook? Cherry on top.
After reading? I can’t say I learned too much. There are some interesting anecdotes and personal history, to be sure. But the rest is kind of all over the place and there are moments that I swear this book could better serve as a travel or cultural guide to New Zealand than as a memoir. ...more
When Misery, the vampire daughter of the leader of a mafia-esque clan of Vampyres is sent to marry Lowe, the Alpha of a pack of Weres (werewolves), toWhen Misery, the vampire daughter of the leader of a mafia-esque clan of Vampyres is sent to marry Lowe, the Alpha of a pack of Weres (werewolves), to many it is seen as a temporary marriage of convenience to keep the peace between these two otherwise warring clans. To her, though, it’s a chance to investigate the disappearance of her human best friend and reporter Serena in whose planner was etched Lowe’s initials and last name. What she doesn’t expect is to actually defy the odds and fall for Lowe and work with him on another mystery I don’t feel comfortable revealing without spoiling the plot.
This is my first time reading a book by an author who has written a bunch of the romance novels my wife loves reading on the regular. What I didn’t expect was how graphic it can be. And I think this being an audiobook made it exponentially worse because I have someone playing middleman. It would be something different to read it on a page and just have my own inner monologue interpreting things. Having someone else tell it to you just feels a million times smuttier.
Having familiarity with River Phoenix through his roles on Russkies, Explorers, Sneakers, and of course Stand By Me, I’ve always been intrigued to leaHaving familiarity with River Phoenix through his roles on Russkies, Explorers, Sneakers, and of course Stand By Me, I’ve always been intrigued to learn more. Being that he died before the age of the World Wide Web, there really wasn’t much to go on. This book, though, is a solid replacement even if it’s a little dry in the retelling. ...more
This is the boring life of Quinn Quicksilver, a young man who works for a local southwest magazine and just lives. Nothing more, nothing less. Until tThis is the boring life of Quinn Quicksilver, a young man who works for a local southwest magazine and just lives. Nothing more, nothing less. Until two Federal agents attempt to apprehend him at a diner and are terrified of him and what they say he’s capable of doing to them if he doesn’t control himself. After escaping their clutches with the help of diner staffers and customers, he goes on the run and eventually meets up with Bridget and her grandfather Sparky. She, too, has abilities and they’ve been searching for Quinn for sometime and they need him to fulfill a prophecy to return the world to… ugh. Yeah it just did nothing for me to the point where I’m not even sure what the heck it was about. New characters kept being added that I just could not possibly care less about. And, to boot, the voice actor who read the book, while thoroughly capable of doing male voices, made Bridget into a caricature of a woman who grated my ears like nails on a chalkboard.
No synopsis. You can get that from any of the other reviews here. I’m just going to say that this is my fourth book from Silvia Moreno-Garcia and as mNo synopsis. You can get that from any of the other reviews here. I’m just going to say that this is my fourth book from Silvia Moreno-Garcia and as much as I enjoyed the first two (Mexican Gothic and Velvet Was the Night), the downward turn in interest level of both Daughter of Doctor Moreau and Silver Nitrate has been too much from which to recover for me. Time for a break. ...more
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