Tag Archive: Fiction



Enigma (FBI Thriller #21)Enigma by Catherine Coulter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’m not a fan of murder mysteries or suspense thrillers. Somehow there was enough in the blurb that I was drawn into this book twice. I’ve read about half the book and realized I knew what was happening next because I had read it before. So I looked for my review of it and somehow it isn’t anywhere. There is already too much stress in my life to read this all the way again. I read the ending and know I got there the last time.

So rather than read it again, here is the review based on one and a half reads.

It is a page-turner that keeps you reading (even the second time!). Many characters points of view add to the plot so that you care what happens. If you like thrillers with a sci-fi twist this is for you. If you like cop stories or FBI stories, this is for you. It was for me at a different time of my life.

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The Book of Flora (The Road to Nowhere, #3)The Book of Flora by Meg Elison
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was the Kindle Unlimited version with the accompanying Audible Whispersynched. I’m glad I got to read the final book in the series.

I love the diversity that this series presents in a post-apocalyptic story. This last one gives the LGBTQetc. ignorant a bit of education of differing sexual leanings and desires told through characters who experience life differently than many of us. It gives us insight into how others feel and need to live made ever more complicated by dystopian life.

Etta’s story continued in Flora’s book, making book two have a little better ending. But in many ways, what worked in books one and two didn’t work here as it got far too complex in the many characters and past and present times within journals and now.

The vocal narrator did help by modulating his voice so as to help the reader know who was talking. but there were times even that didn’t help and I had to back up and figure out who’s who and what’s what.

Even though it is a lower rating than I like to give, it seems a good one for others to read and learn from while still being a fictional tale.

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The Book of Etta (The Road to Nowhere, #2)The Book of Etta by Meg Elison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Once again, I didn’t write the review before moving on to the sequel. So now I have to remember this last book.

Kindle Unlimited is excellent in that I not only picked up the Kindle version it came with the audio whisper-synched. The narrator was a good, changing voices per character. It added to the reading experience in this dystopian world.

I don’t like to include the book blurb in any of my reviews. If you want to know what it is all about, follow the title and read it to see if it is a book for you.

I do love that it has a different take on the apocalypse. Women and childbirth are rare. That gives the imagination a rush. What would happen? What if the world is more advanced and accepting of different? Or if violence and old views remain in places?

I love this series. Each of the books is from a different character at a different part of the continuous disaster. It is nice to see the diversity this author was able to pull into these books. Etta/Eddy was a fun character to get to know as she/he learns who they are. I did love how they found their balance in each part of themselves. I know that sounds confusing but imagine being that person! But could you believe that you, too, have the yin and yang and can find your balance in a world that worships or rapes females? You might put on male clothing and attitude to keep yourself safe. You might still not want to be a breeder as that isn’t for you either.

Great series, great book! My only complaint is the way these books end. It leaves that character and moves on without a chance to say goodbye to that new friend. That is my lowered rating from a 5 to a 4. Still, worth the read!

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WunderlandWunderland by Jennifer Cody Epstein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This should be required reading for everyone. Especially now.

It was difficult for me at first as I thought maybe I was reading pro-nazi propaganda. But the people who suggested this read for me would never have recommended that kind of book. So I continued reading.

The book was written through differing points of view and differing times. It feels like a memoir at times as it gets quite personal.

Instead of it being propaganda, the author gives us an inside look into how a person/nation becomes less free-thinking, how certain biases become bigotry and hatred. She shows us how group-think and gang-mentality forms, even in the most loving people. Peer pressure and lack of trust promoted by the people in power move all the people into fear. I think that was my take away.

I would have given this book five stars but my experience with text-to-speech with this back and forth in time and differing personalities was difficult to figure out who was talking and when. Without eyes on the text, I would get lost.

If you can, please read this book. I think I may want to read it again and take notes. Maybe I’ll give more stars next time.

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Payback Royale (Payback Society Book 3)Payback Royale by Cidney Swanson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The book was to come live on the 29th. (And Yay! It did!) I finished reading this book four nights ago. I hated finishing it. I always want to know what will happen after I close the book. I enjoyed the book, thoroughly! The most exciting part was about space travel and its purpose. I have to admit to nearly squealing as the main character promotes it.

I know I’m not the target audience missing the ages by five decades or so. Even so, I can remember being a young adult. I can imagine I would have loved, well, everything Miss Swanson writes. Her characters, world’s, and plots are fresh and fun. The books read themselves, okay, with the help of text-to-speech. But I don’t want to put any of them down until the last word! Payback Royale was no different. Loved it!

On the other hand… I hate the antagonist. I don’t see hope for him. Please let’s put an end to his story! Without killing our friends, please!

I can’t wait to read more by Cidney Swanson!

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The Walking Dead, Vol. 6: This Sorrowful LifeThe Walking Dead, Vol. 6: This Sorrowful Life by Robert Kirkman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gruesome! That’s the first word that came to mind about this particular volume. Okay, sure. I know this is about the end of the world and zombies and all. But the horrid things that happen to people at the hands of other people. Ugh!

Look, I know there are bad people out there and they do awful things and if the world ends that may be one of the biggest issues we would have to worry about. Not the monsters, but who do we trust to take care of others rather than use this chaos as their own ladder. (Nod to Little Finger of Game of Thrones.)

As I usually compare the show to the book, I am shocked that once again that I appreciate how all this was depicted on the show more. The governor gets his payback good and square. Michone shows her stuff. But as the title of this particular issue states: This Sorrowful Life. Yeah. What a sad state of affairs our friends are in.

As ugly as it got, I can’t wait to read more in the series. I love reading the comic on my Fire or on my tablet as I can zoom in on pictures and tiny font. Glad I could obtain a copy through Kindle Unlimited. What a fun way to explore more books than I can possibly afford!

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The Walking Dead: The Best Defense (The Walking Dead, #5)The Walking Dead: The Best Defense by Robert Kirkman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Most of the time I like a book far more than a show. But in this case… Without giving spoilers may I say this is far more gruesome and I’m not talking about the zombies. They are equally yucky.

The governor is far worse. There, I’ve said it.

And I fear the author was a young nerd at the time and not aware that women were made for more than rape and abuse. I’m glad the show writers took more time and found other things to do with this particular part of the story. Maybe the author has learned that half his audience would like him better for taking a slightly different point of view.

Another point for comics on Kindle! It is far better to be able to close in on the artwork or the fonts that I wouldn’t be able to read in the paper copy. This is how I will read the rest of the series as I can with Kindle Unlimited.

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The Storied Life of A.J. FikryThe Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Um. Yeah. What if Data wrote a book? The emotions and exciting adventure are missing. Lots of telling that seem to lead nowhere.

But if you love books and bookstores, you are hooked without mercy. You don’t want to quit because there has to be a reason for all the quotes and little notes that start each chapter.

I didn’t care for A.J. Fikry. The author doesn’t paint him in any kind of good light. The other characters around him are equally yawn-producing. But BOOKS and a BOOKSTORE! Keeps the engine running, the reader reading. Weirdly, at the end I found tears flowing. How did the author do that? I even found myself wondering how the next book would look. I wanted more of the characters. (trying not to spoil here.)

A friend recommended the book. I’m glad she did. I recommend this for readers who love books. I will look into other books by this author. I may reread this to see if I can figure out how the author wrote this intriguing book in the dryest of fashions, throwing ‘show-not-tell’ and other rules of writing out the window.

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The Book of the Unnamed Midwife (The Road to Nowhere, #1)The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book kept me awake! I couldn’t stop reading. Meg Elison’s writing was engaging; the main character was believable and interesting. The plot was well thought out and much more plausible than zombie-apocalypse. It is a similar idea in that masses get sick and die, but no biters. It just sucks because a lot of people die. Mostly women and newborns. Again, it’s possible.

With that scenario, the story is told in many ways. There is a third-person point of view. Then the main character writes in her journal bringing it to first-person. Thrown in are chapters about other characters or even globally how others are dealing with a new world with very few women. And though I read this Kindle Unlimited version with Whispersynch to the Audible, I found myself READING as much as listening because even the fonts were different and interesting.

But without the narration by Angela Dawe, the book becomes less. Angela’s acting was flawless and added a lot to the story. I think this book is read best the way I did it as all the layers the author intended are there.

Though this was book one and you know there is more, there was no cliffhanger. You reach a natural somewhat comfortable ending. I was just excited to know there was more! I have already downloaded the Audible and Kindle Unlimited of book two. I can hardly wait to get to it!

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FledglingFledgling by Octavia E. Butler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a different take on a vampire story. I listened to the Audio from my Library Overdrive system. There was nothing scary about the main character. There were some of her kind that were, but the author didn’t stay with them. This story goes with the main character who is a young vampire who has lost her memory.

I finished this audio a couple of days ago. I can’t remember the MCs name. I did like her and rooted for her. I liked her humans, too. But towards the end, I didn’t like it so much. The court scenes were kind of boring. And the worst part was that I wanted to see more of what happened after. I felt the story ended abruptly.

Still, I think I will remember the feelings this story gave me. For that, I upped my rating from three and a half to four stars.

I did like the writing, too. It’s worth the read.

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