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Petra wrote: "I finished Life After Life by Kate Atkinson today. I liked it. It features Ursela, a person who lives a number of lives. The story looks at how one small change in ou..."

I like that aspect of exploration in literature & films, about both time travel and reincarnation. Adding this component was nice, although, again, too wordy for my tastes.

Julie wrote: "
Murder in G Major
Alexia Gordon
4/5 stars
Gethsemane Brown, who is African American has no choice but to accept a job at an ..."

Julie, after i saw this on your Challenge page, i checked out the series. The cover of each book has a lovely drawing of a different instrument. Cool.

madrano wrote: "Msg 96 Bella (Kiki) wrote: "San Antonio is Spanish, though, not Italian, and the accent, as Texans, and most everyone says it, is right..."

Yes. When i was a kid, though, quite a number of people ..."

That would be the Czech Republic now, I guess. I've spend a lot of time in Prague, know a lot of Czech people, but have never met anyone named Antonia.

Julie wrote: "
Murder in G Major
Alexia Gordon
4/5 stars
Gethsemane Brown, who is African American has no choice but to accept a job at an ..."

Well done on another prompt, Julie !

I finished reading
The Only One Left
by Riley Sager

Once again I find myself in the tiny minority regarding a novel. To be fair this isn't my usual genre. So take my review with a grain of salt.

I thought the first half of the book was okay. It had a fun gothic vibe.

It's about a young caregiver, Kit, who was accused of leaving meds out for her ill mother to commit suicide. There wasn't enough evidence to convict her. She lives with her dad and they don't get along. She needs a job and the only one she can get is to be a caregiver for a women, Lenora Hope, who had a stroke and can't speak or move. The women is accused of killing her parents and sister. Her notorious fame inspired a Lizzy Borden like rhyme.
Seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope
Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother's happy life

The house is a big mansion on a cliff overlooking the ocean. The setting gave me a Rebecca vibe. Unfortunately, is isn't in the same league as that classic.

The book is 400 pages. One hundred too much, IMO. As it became repetitious. However, that wasn't my main issue. The second half of the book takes so many ridiculous twists and turns and becomes so convoluted that is hard to follow. It became difficult to keep track of the characters. The numerous twists are so cockamamie it almost became laughable.

Again, I am in the minority opinion on this one. For me it is a generous 2/5 rating. Did not meet expectations at all.

What are you reading this weekend ?

This weekend I'll be reading


The Message
by Ta-Nehisi Coates


I just have a chapter of my audio book left to finish
Healthy Brain, Happy Life
by Wendy Suzuki


Then my next audio will be
An Abundance of Katherines
by John Green

What a great weekend of reading you have Alias!

The End of the Affair

This was a misfire for me.

Dr Suess fascinated me when I was a young reader.

I just started a new audiobook: How to Read a Book by Monica Wood. I'm about 20% in and a bit undecided but mostly enjoying it so far.


I'm also hoping to finish a library book I have on loan: The Bread the Devil Knead by Lisa Allen-Agostini, about a Trinidadian woman who's dealing with an abusive relationship, ghosts from her past and important decisions as she nears 40yo.
It's good, though a bit hard to read (the abuse/relationship bits). I haven't read anything written by a Trinidadian author, so this is a first.

Rachel wrote:
"Dr Suess fascinated me when I was a young reader.
."

You're never too old for Suess ! I watch The Grinch every year.

If you like the rhyming Dr. Suess, you may also enjoy ²Ñ´Ç±ô¾±Ã¨°ù±ð

I enjoyed his Tartuffe. It was laugh out loud funny.

Lindsey wrote: "What a great weekend of reading you have Alias!"

Thanks, Lindsey. I'm lookin forward to it.

Rachel wrote: "The End of the Affair

This was a misfire for me."

Sorry, to hear that, Rachel. What about it failed you ?

Lindsey wrote: "I just started a new audiobook: How to Read a Book by Monica Wood. I'm about 20% in and a bit undecided but mostly enjoying it so far."

Sounds like it's underwhelming. I hope it picks steam for you.

Celebrity Book Club Picks for March 2025

~~~ Reese Witherspoon
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall


~~~ GMA Book Club
Count My Lies by Sophie Stava


~~~ Read With Jenna
The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami


~~~ Oprah
Dream State by Eric Puchner


~~~ Natalie Portman’s Nat’s Book Club
Saving Five: A Memoir of Hope by Amanda Nguyen


~~~ Dua Lipa’s Service95 Book Club



~~~ Emma Roberts and Karah Preiss’ Belletrist Book Club
[bookcover:The Strange Case of Jane O.The Strange Case of Jane O. by Karen Thompson Walker

~~~ Dakota Johnson’s TeaTime Book Club
Loca by Alejandro Heredia

What You Leave Behind by Wanda M. Morris

A lawyer returns to her hometown of Brunswick, Georgia and comes across a scheme to fleece Black residents.

Good book with historical, supernatural, and mystery elements. 4 stars

My review: /review/show...

Alias Reader wrote: "I finished reading
The Only One Left
by Riley Sager

Once again I find myself in the tiny..."

I'm sorry the book wasn't as rewarding as hoped, Alias. You gave it a try, though, so hurrah!

Deb, when I participated in GREAT BOOKS in high school, my mother asked me if I liked the book I was reading. She pronounced it Anti-gone (Antigone). We had a good laugh over that!

Alias Reader wrote: "This weekend I'll be reading


The Message
by Ta-Nehisi Coates


I just have a chapter of ..."

Busy weekend of reading, Alias. I've heard great things about the Coates book. Enjoy!

Rachel wrote: "The End of the Affair

This was a misfire for me..."

Glad to know i'm not alone on this one, Rachel. Thanks.

Lindsey wrote: "I just started a new audiobook: How to Read a Book by Monica Wood. I'm about 20% in and a bit undecided but mostly enjoying it so far.
[bookcover:How to Read a Book|6..."

I look forward to your concluding comments on the Wood book, Lindsey. It sounds promising. Enjoy the weekend.

Bella (Kiki) wrote: ""I'm not a person to be taken in by a pretty cover, but I think the cover of Penitence by Kristin Koval is the pretties..."

You could get your brother to enlarge and then re-colorize the book cover for you then print it out and frame it. My husband re-colorizes photos all the time.

Alias Reader wrote: "Celebrity Book Club Picks for March 2025

~~~ Reese Witherspoon
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall


~~~ GMA Book Club
[book..."

Holy Cow! What a curious outlet for celebrities--create a book club!

Barbara wrote: "What You Leave Behind by Wanda M. Morris

A lawyer returns to her hometown of Brunswick, Georgia and comes across a sc..."

I was with you until the mention of the supernatural elements, Barbara. However, the story sounds good, with plenty of history, so i may take a peek, afterall.

Thanks for the inviting review.

Alias Reader wrote: "

What are you reading this weekend ? "

It was slow to become engaged with this novel, Not Without Laughter: Langston Hughes: Langston Hughes. Now, however, i'm catching the drift, each chapter representing one village or neighborhood event. For instance, the carnival and a revival come to town the same week. Or school starting.

Hughes, primarily known as a poet, writes about music and dancing in a vivid way, creating sounds to replicate the music and moves. Wonderful and exciting chapters there.

Lindsey wrote: "I just started a new audiobook: How to Read a Book by Monica Wood. I'm about 20% in and a bit undecided but mostly enjoying it so far.
[bookcover:How to Read a Book|6..."

Lindsey a good-reading friend of mine just finished this and really liked it.

I had not heard of it and it's been out for a year!!! And it is by Monica Wood. I have read and loved every novel she has written and had not heard of this, so thanks!

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "Bella (Kiki) wrote: ""I'm not a person to be taken in by a pretty cover, but I think the cover of Penitence by Kristin Koval is the pretties..."

You could get yo..."

I might do that. Thank you.

madrano wrote:

Holy Cow! What a curious outlet for celebrities--create a book club!
~~~..."

It can be a very profitable one. Reese Witherspoon sold her media company, "Hello Sunshine," which includes her book club, for approximately $900 million.

madrano wrote: It was slow to become engaged with this novel, Not Without Laughter: Langston Hughes: Langston Hughes. Now, however, i'm catching the drift, each chapter representing one village or neighborhood event. For instance, the carnival and a revival come to town the same week. Or school starting.

Hughes, primarily known as a poet, writes about music and dancing in a vivid way, creating sounds to replicate the music and moves. Wonderful and exciting chapters there.
..."

I appreciate the update, deb. Would you say the structure is experimental and not conventional ?

Strohm Alley
3/5

I received this in a Giveaway.

This was a good concept and it was interesting, but there were a lot of mistakes in the book. Some did make it confusing. This also had a dual timeline, but it wasn't always clear when the time switched.

Brian Holliday is having dreams and memories of a day in Strohm Alley, but what really happened? Why is this coming back to him now?

While the story was not terrible, this could have better with editing and good transitions between time periods.

I don't recommend reading this book.

Baited
3/5

I received this in a Giveaway. This was good, but in some ways it could have been better. There was a lot of extra things that didn't really add to the story or could have been mentioned and not as drawn out as they were.

Karen Fisher returns home from Afghanistan and gets a job as a teacher. Another tragedy strikes. Fisher gets into an accident and wakes up in Department G. What is Department G really doing and where is she? Can she get out?

There was a little action in the book, but most of the story was about Karen trying to figure things out. I thought there could have been more action and more going on than there was.

Most of the characters were not likeable and at time, I wondered why something is relevant or was included in the story.

This is a book that you could read or skip and it wouldn't matter either way.

Alias Reader wrote: "It can be a very profitable one. Reese Witherspoon sold her media company, "Hello Sunshine," which includes her book club, for approximately $900 million...."

I have little doubt that this is the reason for the proliferation of these clubs.

I also have little doubt the publishing industry is very grateful, too.

Bad Karma
3/5

This was good, but it could have been better in some ways. It started off a little slow and there was a lot of extra in the book that slowed the and made it drawn out at times.

Trey works at a criminally insane hospital. He worked with Agnes, one of the most dangerous patients, and she breaks out. She is hunting Trey while he is on vacation with his family,

There was a lot of extra throughout the book. Other than that, it wasn't a bad book. There were not a lot of mistakes and the writing was easy to read.

I was expecting more a psychological thriller type of book from this. This was more a basic book with a little bit of action, but not much.

This is a book that you can read or skip.

Msg 129 Alias Reader wrote: "I appreciate the update, deb. Would you say the structure is experimental and not conventional ? ..."

I don't think the structure of the novel itself is experimental, although in that era it may have been new. I doubt it, but can't say for certain. But there is a story of a family and the neighbors, which are part of it all. There is drama, both due to racism and family conflicts. And sweet comedy, as well.

One thing which might bother some readers is that most of the spoken words are in dialect. I had no problem "hearing" it, though. It was an excellent contrast to his own rich "traditional English" vocabulary.

The experimental/exciting aspect was his vivid descriptions of a dance. He relates how the dancers moved to the music so clearly, that i could see it in my mind. (Possibly due to films, but those films weren't available back then, i believe.) As for the words he coins to mimic the instruments and how they sounded to the ear, that was on-target. And exciting, new and quite fresh.

Ashley wrote: "Strohm Alley
3/5

I received this in a Giveaway.

This was a good concept and it was interesting, but there were a lot of mistakes in the book. Some did make it confusing. This also..."

I appreciate your honesty, Ashley, about the book. Some authors can do dual timelines well, some are absolutely awful with it. As you note, usually it's the transitions...or lack of same...which makes the difference.

Thank you for sharing your opinion of this book with us.

End of Story
3/5

This was good, but it could have been improved in a few ways. The build-up was slow and lacking and it didn't read like much of a thriller. The story was drawn out with a lot of extra, making it long.

Sebastian Trapp is a mystery writer who is in contact with Nicky Hunter. With months to live, he invites her to his home to write his life story. His wife and son went missing twenty years earlier. Does he know what happened to them? Did he kill them? Can Nicky figure out what happened all those years ago and possibly know what is going on.

The writing was good and there were not many errors, making the book easy to read and follow. There could have been more editing to make the book shorter, leaving out a lot of unnecessary things. Also, it could have been more of a thriller, as it was lacking here. Great idea, but lacking in the execution of the book.

This is one to read if you want to, but you are not missing anything if you skip reading this book.

The House Across the Lake
4/5

This book ended up taking a strange twist that I wasn't expecting. If you do not like paranormal, avoid this book. It was good and had the suspense that is associated with Riley Sager.

Casey escapes to her family lake house to escape bad press associated with drinking. She lost her husband. She starts watching the couple across the lake after saving the wife, Katherine, from drowning. Then Katherine disappears. What happened to Katherine and who is behind it? Is everything really as it seems?

The book was well-written and was easy to follow. There were a few twists and turns, which really added to the book. Everything really comes together at the end.

If you like paranormal, read this book, as it is good. However, if you don't, avoid this book.

Lindsey wrote: "I just started a new audiobook: How to Read a Book by Monica Wood. I'm about 20% in and a bit undecided but mostly enjoying it so far.
[bookcover:How to Read a Book|6..."

I read How To Read…. In January, also wasn’t sure how I felt at first. It was ok in the end, not great but not bad imo

Alias Reader wrote: "Celebrity Book Club Picks for March 2025

~~~ Reese Witherspoon
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall


~~~ GMA Book Club
[book..."

There There was one of my favorite books of last year. I am going to read the sequel Wandering Stars soon

I am about to finish America Fantastica

I will make progress in The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers. It’s a good book but my progress has been slowed but other books for book clubs

And I started How to Age Disgracefully for another book club. It has had some funny moments but I’m not sure there will be anything to discuss

Ashley wrote: "Strohm Alley
3/5

I received this in a Giveaway.

This was a good concept and it was interesting, but there were a lot of mistakes in the book. Some did make it confusing. This also..."

We appreciate the honest review. There are so many books and so little time. This helps us to decide.

Ashley wrote: "Bad Karma
3/5

This was good, but it could have been better in some ways. It started off a little slow and there was a lot of extra in the book that slowed the and made it drawn out..."

I hope your next read is a winner, Ashley.

Ashley wrote: "Baited
3/5

I received this in a Giveaway. This was good, but in some ways it could have been better. There was a lot of extra things that didn't really add to the story or could h..."

Hi, Ashley, thanks for the warnings!

Denise wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "Celebrity Book Club Picks for March 2025

~~~ Reese Witherspoon
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall


~~~..."

Denise, has Wandering Stars been released yet? I could not find it online. thx

I am finishing Anne Tyler's new book tonight. Loved every page. Did you finish it, Deb?

Then tomorrow I will start The Oligarch's Daughter by Joseph Finder. Have liked all of his books.

After that, I have Jojo Moyes newest, , which came in today for Kindle.

Looking forward to some good reading ahead

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "Denise wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "Celebrity Book Club Picks for March 2025

Wandering Stars was released months ago JoAnn. I tried to read it, but it was just all over the place. Not nearly as good as There There. Wandering Stars did make the Booker longlist, but not the shortlist. I think it was the longest book on the longlist. You might love it, though. We all like different things.

Anyway, Amazon has the book here:

Then tomorrow I will start The Oligarch's Daughter by Joseph Finder. Have liked all of his ..."

The title makes it sound like it's about Ivanka. LOL

Ashley wrote: "The House Across the Lake
4/5

This book ended up taking a strange twist that I wasn't expecting. If you do not like paranormal, avoid this book. It was good and had the suspense th..."

Thank you for the warning. I really dislike paranormal.

@JoAnn: Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange was released about a year ago. As stated above, I’ve heard it’s not as good as There There but I liked that book so much I’m giving Wandering a chance

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote:
"Denise, has Wandering Stars been released yet? I could not find it online. thx
.."

It was published February of 2024. A few here read both There There and Wandering Stars You can check the search for their comments.