Category: Reading
Antics! by Cathi Hepworth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A couple of friends recommended this fun little treat. After their great reviews knew I had to find a copy.
Okay, so it might be a little advanced compared to other alphabet books. Still, the pictures and one word per page make it a quick memorized book. It may be more fun for older siblings to read to younger ones with a more advanced vocabulary. And parents and teachers can find a lot of conversation starters on each page.
First of all, ANTS! Hey, you could obtain a good ant farm for the kids to watch or a walkout to see ants in their true habitats. Hopefully, you haven’t been inundated by the ones that love your kitchen. But, heck, there’s another educational moment for you and the students.
The illustrations are so much fun! Who knew ants could be so expressive? This brings me to the choose your favorite page. My friends chose Deviant and Chant. I do like both of those. But my favorite is a psychological thriller with personal history. Hesitant. I remember graduating to the level of the high dive. I remember the first time actually climbing back down the ladder to my shame and embarrassment. I gave myself speeches for days and was determined to do it the next time. I did get all the way out on the board—no diving for my first few times. Even the first jump, I felt hesitant. I don’t remember ever getting confident on that dive. I preferred the sturdy diving platform, and I could dive from and reach the other end of the pool in one breath.
I think I will donate this to our little library.
Saving Snow White by Gita V. Reddy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really needed this story. After the stress of the last book I read, I needed a bit of a child’s adventure, Not that this is a childish story. Adults can appreciate this story, as can middle grades. There is a sweet nod to the Snow White story, but mostly this strong young girl had to figure a way to survive this evil stepmother. This would have been a great book to read to my kids at bedtime. I think there are many points that could have been conversation starters.
What I like best about this tale is how the author chose to let the child/children work out their own answers to their dilemmas. They were in positions where the adults were not to be trusted. It is good to teach your children to think for themselves about what they might do in the worst circumstances. As much as I would love the kind of world where that wouldn’t be needed, not teaching a child to think and act would be a disservice. We need to help our children feel strong enough to handle themselves while remaining respectful and still have the fun of being a kid. We all need that.
When you let yourself imagine yourself like this child, what would you have done? I don’t think I would have had the tools within me to survive much. I was so naive and gullible. I hope I raised mine with more gumption. If you need to set your inner child on a semi-scary adventure, this is one for you and yours.
The Carolina Diaries: Belle
The Carolina Diaries: Belle by Darlene Winters
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I don’t know. This was hard to read. It is hard to review. It feels autobiographical. Though it–
I don’t do this often as I figure people will go read the blurbs themselves. But this and the reviews make me wonder if I read the same book.
“Her cousin wants to die. She has the whole roadtrip to convince her otherwise.
Darlene only knows of one way to help her cousin Belle after a life of disappointments–go with her on a cross-country road trip, head back to California where Belle was born… and where she intends to die.
But deep family resentments and drama rides with them across the country, shedding light on heavy themes like sexual abuse and depression, as well as religion and politics. Growing up in North Carolina, these cousins have a lot of stories to share: some sad, some comical, and some just down right disturbing.
If you enjoyed Little Miss Sunshine and Girl, Interrupted, you’ll want to read The Carolina Diaries with its unique blend of dark humor and even darker perspectives of life past, present and future; the real take-aways being how to cope and heal.”
I found no humor. I wish I hadn’t picked it up. It was exactly what I don’t want to read before bed. All the reality of our daily news lives during this pandemic. And though I agree with the author on a lot of stances, I couldn’t deal with it in my bedtime fiction.
My fault. I saw road trip, my first name, and didn’t read the description.
Maybe if I read it during the day I could see the humor in a suicidal cutter who had lived with so much abuse, of every kind, during a pandemic during the political turmoil of 2020. No. I don’t think so.
The reason I am not giving this a lower rating is the list of good books and ideas the author presents. Unfortunately, the way it’s presented makes me sure the ones who need the information will not see it. Still, there’s a chance I could be wrong.
Fusion Magic by Lucia Ashta
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was the end of the series. May I say I am relieved? Too many tensions of life-threatening issues, vampires, etc. Too much co-dependent romance. At least it didn’t leave me on a cliff this time.
I like the idea of a mermaid who is part angel. How would that work? Wouldn’t it be fun to see her discover fun things she can do that her family and friends can’t? But it seems that the only way this being discovers her abilities is when in danger.
Though I was not too fond of the plot, I liked the way Lucia Ashta tells a story. So I have Seasoned Magic on my currently reading to start when I have a moment. At least it is about midlife women instead of young beauties. Ugh, I get tired of that!
Catalina by Liska Jacobs
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Oh, the boring problems of privilege. I tried. I just couldn’t finish this book. It was a NetGalley. There are plenty of people who love this book. But trainwrecks aren’t my favorite thing to watch. I got 21% into it. But my reading time is best spent with books, of which I have thousands, most free, that I like to read. So moving on.
***
Okay. From now on, when I hate a book and can’t get more than a quarter of the way into it and give up, I won’t go back and try again.
I thought maybe with time I’d be more into it. But as of today, having actually finished this book, that is time I will never get back. The character had no redeeming qualities, nor was there any growth.
I must listen to my intuition!
The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression by Andrew Solomon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I don’t know who recommended this book for me. Whoever, thank you! This was so interesting!
Having borrowed the Libby audio narrated by the author, I now hope to buy the book someday.
The thing is, this is more than a book about depression, or even one person’s account of his own journey. This book includes a bit of history of the diagnosis and treatment for centuries. It also includes how the disorder affects different socioeconomic sets of people.
I highly recommend this for anyone who has gone through depression or know of others who might be suffering. It leads to not only a deeper understanding, but medical issues and ways to find health.
Accidental Honeymoon by Miranda MacLeod
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
So I learned that this book was free on Kindle Unlimited and decided to give it a try. First, I’m not a romance fan. But the story sounded interesting.
Let me be honest. I wouldn’t say I liked either of the main characters—one too pretentious, one too judgy. But people come in all sorts, and isn’t that what I want to see in my books? I continued reading, and by the end, well, the penultimate chapter, I was crying for these two.
It would be a great beach read. It is light enough not to have to get deeply involved. Yet, there is enough meat to keep you involved and caring about what happens next.
Life in Bits by Harper Bliss
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Mothers and daughters, family relationships, strokes, photography, charity, wealth, and war. These are some of the topics this lesbian May/December romance covers. For the most part I loved the whole story.
However. The grumpy old lady and the perfect ingénue trope was quite upsetting. It seems a dysfunctional relationship in the making.
Still, there is enough meat to the story to keep the reader interested. And the erotica was kept to a minimum just spicy enough to feel real.
I always want to know what happens afterwards. How will they make the relationship work?
Angel Magic by Lucia Ashta
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Two things ruined this book for me. The first is such a big one that I may not read anything else by this author. I HATE CLIFFHANGERS! If I like characters and the world enough, leave me in a safe place, I’ll be back for more!
The second problem was that way too much helpless romance in both the main character and her love interest. Ugh! How about using that energy to find out her abilities. A part angel part mermaid could have made it quite interesting, but, no, we have to have romance take over and make the pair helpless once again. Ugh!
But maybe I am too old to get the need to be helpless? I think romance should happen between peoples’ strengths. Then the romantic interaction is so much more appreciated. This is a young adult book. But why do we need separate categories? A good book is fun for all!
Still, plenty of people loved this series so try it for yourself.
Darswords 
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