First of her Name

Wild Symphony by Dan Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book was so much fun!
Like any other Dan Brown I read it in a day. HA HA HA. I know it is a children's book and it should have taken like 15 minutes or so but nope took way longer as it had the added touch of finding all the hidden letters in the illustrations! Not going to lie some of them stumped 37 year old me. But I kept at it until I found them all.

I have yet to scan it with my phone to hear the tunes. I will do that on a reread I suppose.

All in all it was very very fun I totally enjoyed it and would definitely recommend to anyone with or without children!



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The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


That is NOT a children's book.

My emotions are WRECKED.
In a bad good way?
Ugh that was a lot.
Had to know.
But so many things littler kids would not understand.

Never hated a fictional character more than I do their "mam." Oh man is she a despicable excuse for a human. I hope the bomb got her in the end.

Oh yeah and there is a second book? NEEDS IT.

Now that I have gotten myself together a tad I can properly review it a little bit better-ish.

First I have to note that it is a galley copy I read from an elementary school library to defend my : what? this is not a kid's book reaction. (silently correcting the grammar that more than likely was corrected for the final final copies)
Sure it is about kids. But way harsh Tai. This 37 year old adult cried like an infant.

So yes I really adored Ada and felt all the sorrow in the world for her. Escaping her Mam's flat with her tiny brother Jamie was the best thing she ever did for herself. All that was "wrong" with her was a clubbed foot she was born with. That in all fairness should have been taken care of then (UM HELLO ENGLAND DON'T YOU HAVE UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE? - yeah they probably didn't have it in World War II era but I can amuse myself anyways) Mam punishing her making her use the restroom in a bucket and then putting her LOCKED under a kitchen sink? Hello CPS? Meanwhile she also felt the need to protect her little brother. That is a lot for a 10 year old to have to go through while always being degraded and called Ugly and rubish and useless just because of her foot- a birth defect from YOUR WOMB!!

The kids make their escape, all the children are chosen by families in the town then get to, BUT them. SIGH. Now what. So they get placed with the most depressed lady possible. This cannot go well. In turn though, Miss Smith will be the best thing that has ever happened to these two and them to her in turn.

I really don't want to get too much into the plot and send myself back deep into the trauma. The book does touch into a little of the literal war going on however the theme is more of Ada's war inside herself. Her battles learning to WALK, ride the horse, and eventually reading and writing after she initially declares she will not learn for school. Her inquisitiveness about what things mean when they are said. And eventually her worth as a person. That was A LOT to go through again for a TEN YEAR OLD. Thankfully Susan, Miss Smith, turned out to be such a kind hearted person in the end willing to help her change and grow and see her own worth in everything.

Would recommend to those that can emotionally handle it.
Yet I could not? in parts.
My history major loved it though because I was like okay Churchill just became PM there is so much war left. Now Dunkirk okay still going...

Now I need a break from all this and then I need BOOK TWO.



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The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson




The subject he chose to write about I'd give it 5 stars. Winston Churchill was the most fascinating force in World War II.

The book's structure however drove me batty. Some chapters were not even a page and some were about twenty pages. I cannot handle reading like that.

Then there were mentions of "in his diary", "in her diary" OKAY I GOT IT after about 800 of those. It got very repetitive.

I was not drawn in and overtaken by this book like I have been by other books of his, YET I found it really good ANYWAYS all complaints aside and I was very mad when I was done with it. I found myself laughing at times I more than likely should not have been laughing. History is not funny, however Lord Beaverbrook's multiple resignations from the same Minister position then Winston being all NO you may not. It was funny to me. Also it broke up the darkness of the War.

Having the upper hand on history, as well as being from the United States watching the time line go by as Winston is romancing our President it's like just hold on a little longer Japan will bring us into it. However Pearl Harbor got like a paragraph?

Then he makes the error one of my college professors is rolling in his grave over- AMERICA is Canada, Mexico and the entire South Continent too, not JUST THE UNITED STATES. So drawing AMERICA into the War, is not what Churchill intended he just wanted the support of the United States.

This is not a book an uneducated person should pick up and read. I mean it would give them some insights and such but it is not something to teach someone about the War. There are a lot of discrepancies as to how it is laid out.

I really cannot give this book a rating. 3 stars means I hated it. Which I didn't. But 5 stars means it is basically flawless and kept me on the edge of my seat and it wasn't that either. I was supposed to read it in a month for the meme I am doing as my "NONFICTION" book of choice and it wound up taking me two months all together to do. I did read a tiny bit almost each day.

I'll have to go write more in my diary...
jkjk



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Shadow on the Crown by Patricia Bracewell

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Very lenient three.

I just-
ugh this was harsh.

There is a reason I skipped the middle ages in my history classes.
Now I remember.
THEY HATED WOMEN BACK THEN. (not like they treat us too much better now but at least we have some rights?)
This book reminded me.

Like in the writing there is a lot of exquisite language maybe? The author explains things with way more words than I would ever think of using but do I remember hardly any of that? No. I remember vividly how Groa died. I remember the Kings use of Emma's body. I remember Emma and Elgiva being smacked across their pretty faces.

Oh joy this is the first book of a trilogy.
Yeah no thanks on the other two.
Cannot make it through two more like this. Good luck Emma! You're going to need it.

Also who the hell names a King Swine Forkbeard?



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Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Mal is breaking MY heart at this point.

I love how we met Nikolai. He's pretty much my favorite Grishaverse Character. Even though I've read the books out of order.

It's so hard to talk about this book and NOT mention spoilers.

I loved it just as much as Shadow and Bone if not more. I was confused at one part and then all the sudden when I realized what was happening it all made sense.

So sad to be done with it yet thankful there is another book to come.






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Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Days after finishing and I am still thinking about this book.

I absolutely adored Bessie and Roland.

I was again shocked by another book in which the child care provider tells the parent where to shove it as far as raising their kids. Although Jasper was the problem all along.

Madison I was back and forth about as a character. I was really angry that she let Lillian take the fall for her coke thing back in private school. Well her father and Lillian's Mom and their financial arrangement that basically sent Lillian's life into a downward spiral. Yet somehow the type of person that Lillian is she keeps in contact with her through letter writing. And then the letter comes that changes Lillian's life having her just move out there for a job opportunity. Not telling what it is or anything at all. Yet she takes it on the premise of what do I really have to lose here? I live in my Mom's attic. I am going nowhere in my grocery store job. And I miss Madison. Win win for me.

Things get weird when Carl picks her up. Then they arrive at the mansion all is well for awhile until the top of the kids comes up and Jasper's political aspirations. Basically take care of these kids that catch on fire, their Mom is dead and he wants to be more than a Senator. This is where I am all like what the hell Madison that makes you their stepmother you take care of the damn kids. UGH RICH PEOPLE.

Lillian accepts and then forms a really great bond with the kids- that is after Bessie attacks her face and tries to drown her. They get along well. Really well.

Meanwhile Madison's son Timothy is spoiled beyond all belief. I knew the whole time something would go on with him. And that came true too. HA HA HA it happened at the best possible moment too. SUCK IT JASPER.

Alls well that ends well. Madison essentially gives Lillian the kids to take care of, just Roland and Bessie. Timothy she will figure out what to do with on her own terms.

I really really enjoyed this totally original concept. The only thing I can say that I did not like was how it got the title. NOTHING TO SEE HERE is when they STOLE BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY as no one had a library card to loan them out TISK TISK.



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Normal People by Sally Rooney

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


I knew eventually I would hit the nope switch. And here it is. This book- NOPE.

First of all the lack of punctuation for the conversation drove me INSANE. Who taught this girl to write?

Then the characters? I just. NO.

I mean as a person from the United States reading about UK things it was also hard for me STOP CALLING IT FOOTBALL, it's Soccer. Pitch is what a baseball player does not part of your damn field.

But I am not a quitter I hung along and finished it.
I will say it got one star because I was secretly rooting for Marianne and Connell even though I did not really side with either one.

Connell's portrayal of depression was way off too. What the shit.

This book is not recommended by me and I am shocked to see people give it 5 stars AND to have found out that Hulu gave it an adaptation? WHY.





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A Splendid Ruin by Megan Chance

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Had I not had to pace myself for a group Buddy read this would have been done in 3 days like others I could not put down.

May Kimble is a character I would have as a best friend in a heart beat I absolutely adored her. I was so aggravated with how the Sullivans treated her.

I was so thankful for their maid Shin and her having May's back the whole way through even though she was so secretive about it. As a matter of fact a lot of the people around May were very secretive and for a girl from Brooklyn she was all like what is going on here?

Thankfully alls well that ended well for her without a lot of trauma inbetween like her Aunt's death, an institution stay, and a freakin' earthquake in the middle of it all. She reconnected with Dante and found out just who her father was and oh was he someone that got her out of all the trouble the Sullivans created for her.

I love you May and wish only the best for you and it seems like you are surely headed that way my darling.



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The Speed of Light by Elissa Grossell Dickey

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Another why did life have to get in the way of this book!!! Could not put it downers.

I could relate to Simone in so many ways and then not in others. I do not have a gay best friend however mine is married and lives far away. I never encouraged her to move but she knew I would be fine on my own.

I've always felt like a burden to my significant others just like Simone does. Never knowing if they are with me because they truly care about me or they feel like I will fall apart if they leave me.
My brothers are way over protective with my boyfriends and how they treat me as well. I bet Emmett felt so terrible when he found out what he did too!!

And yeah that is kind of where the similarities end. I do have the chronic illness but it's not MS. I did go through the years of Doctors trying to determine what it was and viles and viles of blood and tests up the wazoo.

I was so frustrated for her;
As if all she was going through with the MS diagnosis and the new long term boyfriend and his issues weren't enough then- BOOM active shooter!!

As she is hiding from (they/them) her last year of her life is replaying and that is where the entire story comes in. Then flips back for a couple pages to live action of the shooting then back to her memories. Oh my gosh I kept reading I had to know a play by play of what was going on.

I was crushed for her when she saw Connor with his ex.
And misunderstood just like she did.
But his mother, what.a.bitch!

SPOILER: She survives, and lives a Happy Ending.
5 stars, it gutted me, here READ IT.



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One by One by Ruth Ware

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


What gives? My favorite Character was the culprit!! No spoilers but goshdarnitall.

I got to know each character and their quirks. But I did have a notepad next to me with all their names and job titles to remind me.

I really, REALLY hated Topher. However, he was detailed to perfection I think that was the point of making him out to be the typical pretty boy CEO with anger management issues.

Eva was okay, not too memorable of the group (to me) but something fishy was going on with her at the same time and I could not figure out what it was!

Inigo I could not decipher AT ALL. One moment he was cool and the next he would freak out and be like everyone is blaming this all on me. More than one time he did this.

Elliot was boring and standoffish and all like I want to go code leave me be. His top secret job thing did come to use later on though and he was proud of himself and scared of what was going on in the background at the same time.

Carl was all about legality ALL THE TIME like dude ease up and have fun while you're there?

Ani I didn't really get to see too much of as she was Eva's assistant, but she really did not spend much time with Eva at all? She did sneak in to see Topher though *scandalous*

Tiger was really Zen and seemed to actually enjoy herself being there 'til all the shit happened with the avalanche and she had to help keep everyone on an even keel. Yeah she had the peacekeeper role pegged.

Miranda was another character I just didn't seem to understand all too well her job was PR but she dressed very provocatively?

Rik the money man or bean counter as they called him, he seemed to be friendly to everyone.

Okay so yeah there are nine rooms and as Erin is counting wait there are ten people here?

Then comes Liz. She no longer works for Snoop but was invited on the trip because she is a shareholder. However she does not look like she wants to be there AT ALL. Are we guessing who I related to the most?

Then there are Erin and Danny to two that run the chalet. Danny is the cook, and Erin is a concierge. Somewhere along the line Erin hurts her ankle really bad.

So yeah everything was going along fine until the avalanche cut them off. Then the power went out. And then the deaths began. One by ONE.

I was set back a little from Erin's past trauma which she only told one person about. Finding myself relating to her a lot.

Also however having personal injuries myself I am like there is no frickin' way she is skiing on a broken ankle! WHAT? Then again I was laid up with mine (and medicated) and she was more than likely running on pure adrenaline, and for her life.

My one big problem however was knowing zilch about skiing and all the terminologies that go along with it all those words I had to skip over so that is why I lopped off a star, well that and the Snoop app itself okay lopping off two stars. Both those things I had no interest in. Really though an app that lets you see what other people are listening to music wise like you follow their entire playlist? No thanks I would never download that.

4 people died.
One was the culprit so he/she couldn't be brought to justice for their actions. Also THAT death scene was the worst and ew GROSS.

Due to the negative publicity and the MURDERS the chalet is shut down.
Danny gets a new job and Erin is headed home to England to make peace with her past.

Yeah if I could bump it up half a star for that small bit I would but the minus two stay.




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The Last Tiara by M.J. Rose

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Oh, it's been awhile since I've read something with lovemaking in it.
That's not what the 5 stars is for though hahaha.

Those are for the DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING.
THAT MOTHERFUCKER. AGAIN.
See no spoilers. Just language.

So we've got the classic present 1948 Isobelle and the past Sophia 1917. Daughter and Mother. Daughter is remodeling their apartment after mother passes and finds something IN THE WALL. A mystery to decode from her Mother's past she knows nothing about and her mother isn't there to explain it to her. Meanwhile as we go back to the past we find out from Sofiya what she did and how she came about said object in the way and eventually how Isobelle came to be.

It was a really good story overall. I love the Isobelle being one of the only females in architecture aspect.
I loved Jules the Jeweler. He was a blast. Plus oh by the way I'm also a part of a secret society that tracks down stolen paintings and jewelry and returns them to their rightful owners called the Midas Society.

The last couple chapters though- SO INTENSE.

Flipping through my kindle like WHAT IS NEXT.



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