Tag Archive: non-fiction


Review: My Grape Christmas by Laura Bradbury

Filed under: Kindle, Reading, Reviews — 2 Comments
May 27, 2024

My Grape Christmas (The Grape Series #3)My Grape Christmas by Laura Bradbury
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This series is so sweet. It isn’t a mushy romance, but romance is there. It satisfies my travel bug, and I get to play with a little of my mini French-speaking. This series is the only one I am taking my time to actually read and not listen to. I have it on my old phone in the Kindle. It is a slower read than the Audiobooks, but I can stay with it as I love the characters and the story. Laura Bradbury writes her story well.

In this story, after a year in Quebec, Canada, Laura and her boyfriend return to France to visit his family for Christmas. It is a shorter book than others, but it made me love the family more.

By the way, if you know absolutely no French, you will not be lost in these books, as the little bits are used in context with the English. This series takes you from when Laura does an exchange year in France for high school through her adult life in France. I have already started the next book, in which the couple gets to go back to France for a college exchange program.

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Review: Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution by Rainn Wilson

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May 26, 2024

Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual RevolutionSoul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution by Rainn Wilson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Libby Audio, I was able to listen to Rainn Wilson narrate his book.

First of all, I am going to give a spoiler. This book isn’t a religious or spiritual guide. It was to teach us tolerance and kindness. If you want to learn more I think it best to read/listen for yourself. I see so many differing reviews that I think have a lot to do with where a person is in their life or how they were taught or ingrained. Drop that and be open to see what is there for you to learn of what may seem other than your way. If you gain a mustard seed of faith or understanding, that may be enough to be worth the read, don’t you think?

Maybe you will be greatly enhanced. What a shame if you didn’t try if you were to be that lucky/blessed.

I never watched The Office. I never thought much of Rainn Wilson. But I always love something that makes me think. Mr. Wilson gave me that. I do feel I gained a few new bits of enlightenment.

Give it a try.

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Review: Worthy by Jada Pinkett Smith

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May 9, 2024

WorthyWorthy by Jada Pinkett Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Autobiographies are hard to rate. It feels like I’m rating the person or their life experiences. So, instead, I will say this was interesting. Ms. Smith did her own narration, which is always more authentic.

What is different about this book is that Jada takes the time to address the reader and guides us through our own issues that might be like what she went through. A little journal prompts the reader to write out their own feelings.

This was a Libby audiobook. I think you all might like it.

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Review: The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA by Liza Mundy

Filed under: Audible, Reading, Reviews — 4 Comments
April 29, 2024

The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIAThe Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA by Liza Mundy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Whoa! This is a lot! A crazy book to read at bedtime. My emotions were all over the place.

It’s worth the read. So much information! I love that the author did the narration, as you could tell her heart was in the read.

It’s so late at night that I can’t think of what to say that will help others to want to check out this book. It is so worth the read. I’m just warning you. If anger, excitement, sadness, hopelessness, regret, hope, and other huge emotions keep you awake, you might want to read this earlier in the day. I had too many 3 AM bedtimes that didn’t turn into actual sleep. Emotions about women, historical events, and all the wins and losses we’ve all lived through, but receiving only partial information played through my head, wondering what I would have done. What could I have done? How about the personal situations I’ve been through like some of these women; what needed to be done?

So read it for yourself and learn what you can. I was lucky to get to read (listen to) it on Libby.

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Review: My Grape Quebec by Laura Bradbury

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April 15, 2024

My Grape Quebec (The Grape Series, #2)My Grape Quebec by Laura Bradbury
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this series! I get to exercise my little bit of Duolingo French and travel with Laura, first to France and then to Montreal, Quebec, the destination of this book. The only bit of Canada I’ve been to was Victoria, BC. And then only a few hours on vacation when I was a child.

The relationship between Laura and Franc develops through cold and scary times.

Ms. Bradbury’s writing pulls the reader in. She knows how to tell her story.

I read this on Kindle. I read it a little at a time on one of my old phones. It was great for those moments when waiting, during commercials, etc. It took a bit, but the story stayed with me, so I never felt I needed to review the last bit I read.

I have already ordered the next book in her series.

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JuJoJan, Congregate, Review: Making It So by Patrick Stewart

Filed under: Audible, Blogging, Reading, Reviews — 5 Comments
January 28, 2024

Per Linda:

Your prompt for JusJoJan January 28th, 2024 is “congregate.” This prompt is brought to us by  Fandango’s blog Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

Making It SoMaking It So by Patrick Stewart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was lucky to read this on Libby Audio. I must admit that hearing Sir Patrick’s voice made it so–much better than (see what I did there?)

This book takes you on Sir Stewart’s life journey from the beginning through even the pandemic, bringing the reader (listener) as close to the present as possible.

For me, there were a lot of surprises. But I am not much of a follower of movie stars. I have always enjoyed Star Trek and enjoyed our knight’s appearances in a few cartoons. The sad part of my life is that I never got to take classes or learn about Shakespeare; so much of his work is lost on me. Still, I guess the best part of a book is that it piques one’s curiosity. I need to check out the Bard and learn more than a little bit that I have been introduced to. I can sing the songs of Oliver. Does that count?

Anyway, gathering a congregation of Trekkies to learn what Sir Patrick can teach us of William, not Shatner. That’s what this book inspires. I plan to become more aware.

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Review: Private Equity: A Memoir by Carrie Sun

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January 10, 2024

Private Equity: A MemoirPrivate Equity: A Memoir by Carrie Sun
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked this Kindle version ARC up on NetGalley. Thank you.

When I was sent the book, I must have known it was an autobiography. But it was a while before I started the read. I couldn’t believe the amount of financial information that showed up around 10% of the book. Remember, by now, I was thinking it was fiction. I couldn’t imagine why a person would include all that information that seemed to go on and on. I almost gave up on it. The story was triggering because of my time working in a corporation. Even the friendliest becomes a monster, a vampire to its employees. So again, I nearly gave up.

But about halfway through, I was hooked. I wanted to know what Carrie would do to find her own life again.

The ending was wonderful. Let me just say she does finally find a way.

Now I want a more positive life written so I can enjoy her new life!

Thank you for letting me read this book!

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Review: Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning by Liz Cheney

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Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a WarningOath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning by Liz Cheney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I can’t say I enjoyed this book. But it is a necessary book. And I was lucky to get to hear a copy from our library app, Libby. Liz Cheney reads it herself, giving it all the authenticity it needs. Regardless of your political stance, this is an essential look into our government and the laws of this country we all love.

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Review: My Grape Year by Laura Bradbury

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December 18, 2023

My Grape Year (The Grape Series, #1)My Grape Year by Laura Bradbury
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Who knew that a book about a foreign exchange teenager would have me in tears and longing to read the next in the series immediately? This book is the reason I read books. It took me to a place I hadn’t been before. It challenged a lot of preconceived notions. And I picked up a word or two more of French. That probably doesn’t count for much, but every little word counts, right?

Laura Bradbury can write an engaging book. When I found I couldn’t read it tiny bits at a time, I longed for more of the story than the time reading it took. I added Whispersynch, and the voice of Hope Newhouse (Narrator) made the story even better, especially since she pronounced the words text-to-speech or my own struggles with unfamiliar French words.

I don’t remember how I heard of the Grape books, and I hope it might be in connection with a movie or television series because this could be quite good in that medium, too. Anyway, I got the first Grape on Kindle Unlimited but decided to buy it and buy the Audio to go with it as I love the layers it adds to the written word.

I highly recommend this to teens and older. Even if 18 is 56 (yikes!) years ago, I still remember the angst of those years quite well, sometimes better than I remember where I put the keys, ya know?

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Review: If You Would Have Told Me by John Stamos

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December 8, 2023

If You Would Have Told MeIf You Would Have Told Me by John Stamos
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

John Stamos was on a talk show promoting this book. Immediately, I put it in the search area on Libby. And there it was!

This is an honest account of Mr. Stamos’s life. In that, I feel I can’t really be a judge. It feels like he wrote it in his own voice, and as he narrated, it sounded quite real.

In a sense, I found myself a bit bored. But a great life well lived isn’t always full of action, adventure, and conflict. It was good for bedtime, and it didn’t keep me up worrying or stressed. I cared about what he was talking about and felt his feelings about it all.

Some ratings are very high. Others are quite low. Judge for yourself. It was interesting. And I am glad he is finding success in his life.

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