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Book Review: Ramona Forever

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Ramona Forever
Ramona Quimby #7
by Beverly Cleary
Read by Stockard Channing

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Children’s classic

Ramona’s life goes through a lot of upheaval in this book, but with the help of her family, including her bossy older sister Beezus, she handles it all pretty well. Though she definitely still handles some things in a way only a child could, she suffers less from misunderstandings than she did when she was younger. I’ve enjoyed watching this little girl grow up throughout this series, yet not lose her spunk or love of messes or loud noises. She learns some hard lessons and has sweet bonding moments with Beezus. Though I think some of the charm of the very young Ramona is gone as she gets older, I still enjoyed this book. I also again appreciated Stockard Channing’s narration, and I recommend it for anyone who might be interested, young or old.

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Book Review: Right Ho, Jeeves

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Right Ho, Jeeves
Jeeves #6
 by P.G. Wodehouse
Read by Kevin Theis

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Classic British humor

This is another great addition to the series! Bertie Wooster is in fine form, attempting many schemes of his own to show that Jeeves isn’t the only one with brains. How Wooster keeps getting himself “accidentally” engaged is beyond me. Misunderstandings, outlandish scenarios, and “psychology of the mind” all come together into a fun, engaging story. Like in the previous book, which was the first novel after short stories up until that point, a few of the situations went on a little longer than I would prefer in this book, and Jeeves’s brilliant plans don’t feature nearly as much as they do in the short stories. Still, though, I really enjoyed this book, and I always love Kevin Theis’s narration. I’ll miss it during the rest of the series.

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Book Review: Divergent

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Divergent
Book #1
by Veronica Roth

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: YA dystopian

Set in a fairly nebulous, dystopian Chicago, the people have split into 5 factions, each prizing a different character trait as most important—selflessness, bravery, intelligence, peacefulness, and honesty. Upon turning 16, each person must choose between staying in the faction in which they were raised or choosing a different one, leaving their family behind. Beatrice Prior has a difficult decision before her, which is made all the more complicated when she discovers that she is Divergent, which means she is suited to more than one faction. But she’s told that this information is dangerous, so she keeps it to herself as long as she can. Unfortunately, it makes her stand out more than she’d like.

My first reaction to this book is that the world Roth has built doesn’t really seem realistic to me: in a a war-torn world of the past, the people picked a character trait, like aggression or duplicity, that they thought was the biggest reason for all the bad and decided to focus on being the opposite of that trait, forming five separate factions. It seems like a pretty silly way to try to avoid war, and it made me scratch my head to start the world building on this foundation. However, that is the foundation, so I figured that I just needed to accept that to be able to move on and enjoy the story for what it is. Past that sketchy start, it was a lot easier to believe that what started with good intentions could devolve to something much less good, because, well…people aren’t good. Don’t let anyone tell you different—on our own (meaning without God), we aren’t truly good. So discovering as the plot unfolds that at least one of the factions has been corrupted to be less of a pursuit of that faction’s trait and more of a pursuit of power is not surprising.

I had to go through a similar self-explanation and acceptance of the Divergent factor, which I took to be a kind of commentary on conformity and control and an “us vs. them” mindset. There were some unnecessary plot elements and a bit more focus on the physical in the relationship that builds throughout, but outside of that, I enjoyed the twists and turns along the way. The melding of different childhood factions during initiation is intriguing and some of characters are complex and well-crafted. The climax was not at all what I was expecting, and in some ways, I wish it had gone a different direction. But in the end, I’m glad I read the book and look forward to seeing where the story goes. (I also would really like to know what on earth is going on in the world outside of Chicago? Will that come up later in the series? I hope so!)

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Book Review: The Hound of the Baskervilles

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The Hound of the Baskervilles
Sherlock Holmes #5
by Arthur Conan Doyle

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Classic mystery

I saved what is possibly the most well-known Holmes book for last in my first journey through the series. It’s the one title I’ve known since I was younger and imagined a scary hound in a foggy place (I’m beginning to suspect I actually read this many years ago, or maybe watched an adaptation). Though I’ve read conflicting arguments that this is the best or the worst in the series, I was looking forward to it, and it didn’t disappoint.

The legend laid forth at the beginning of the book sets the stage for the dark, dreary moor that becomes the setting for the second half of the book. The remoteness of the locale easily adds to the dread of what’s to come. Though I knew Holmes would be correct in his dismissal of any supernatural elements, and a few aspects of the plot along the way were less surprising, there were still some unexpected twists that kept me engaged until the very end. And I was struck once again by more compassion from Holmes than I feel like more modern adaptations have attributed to him. So though the pacing was a bit slow in places, overall, I enjoyed this intriguing, atmospheric read.

Here at the end of my first Holmes journey, while I did enjoy some of the books, it was fairly hit-or-miss for me, even within some of the collections. I’m really glad I stuck with it and finished them all, but I don’t believe I’ll re-read most of them in the future (probably some though). And really, while I know many people espouse books over movies/television, I don’t know if I believe that Sherlock Holmes would be a household name if it weren’t for the many adaptations that the stories inspired. At one point during this journey, I really struggled to understand why these books inspired all those adaptations, though I don’t anymore. If you’ve never read any Holmes, or haven’t read much, and you’re wondering if you should dive in now, I’d say it’s worth giving them a try.

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Audiobook Review: Hangman’s Curse

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Hangman’s Curse
Veritas Project #1
by Frank Peretti
Read by author

My rating: 5 / 5
Genre: YA Christian thriller

I’ve read this book many times in the past (see review here), but this was my first time listening to the audiobook. I wish there were an unabridged version, but it was worth listening to the abridged to be able to listen to Peretti’s own narration, which I very much enjoyed. I think the majority of what was cut out was character-building of the Springfields, whereas the main story seemed intact to me. While I certainly feel that the entire book is worth reading, if you’re considering the audiobook version of Hangman’s Curse, I still recommend it.

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September in Review

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I read 12 books last month, which is pretty impressive, considering that audiobooks often boost my numbers, and I spent most of the month on one long audiobook. My understandable stretch of less reading earlier this year seems to be at an end.

Here are the books I read in September:

39-6
tcw-24
swirling-sky
witness-protection
mcgee-8
annabel-lee
The Inquisition
good-girls-guide
LOTR1
tcw-25
mv-7
bite-before-christmas

In Too Deep by Jude Watson (4 / 5)
The Cat Who Went Up the Creek by Lilian Jackson Braun (3.5 / 5)
Beneath the Swirling Sky by Carolyn Leiloglou (5 / 5)
Greetings from Witness Protection! by Jake Burt (5 / 5)
Take Me Out of the Ball Game by Bill Myers (4 / 5)
Annabel Lee by Mike Nappa (4.5 / 5)
The Inquisition by Taran Matharu (4 / 5)
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (4.5 / 5)
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien (4 / 5)
The Cat Who Brought Down the House by Lilian Jackson Braun (3 / 5)
The Final Spark by Richard Paul Evans (2 / 5)
‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas by David Rosenfelt (4.5 / 5)

This list includes 2 ARCs and 3 re-reads. My favorite book from September was Beneath the Swirling Sky. I started 3 series, continued 5 series, and finished 0 series. My ever-changing short list of to-be-reads, as well as a flag for the book I’m currently reading and an ongoing list of those I’ve read and posted about can be found here.

I’m also keeping my Goodreads page updated with a more extensive list of to-be-reads. Despite my almost too-long TBR list, I’m always looking for more to add. Feel free to offer suggestions of your favorites or just recent reads you enjoyed.

Book Review: ‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas

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‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas
Andy Carpenter #28
by David Rosenfelt

My rating: 4.5 / 5
Genre: Mystery

When the Christmas party at the Tara Foundation, a dog rescue organization co-founded by defense attorney Andy Carpenter, is interrupted when one of the foundation’s dog foster volunteers is arrested for murder, Andy reluctantly takes his case. A witness in protective custody and a local crime family make this a Christmas to remember.

This is the 2nd book in this series that I’ve read now, the first being another Christmas-related book, and this has clinched my decision to start back at the beginning of this series soon. Though this book isn’t a traditional type of mystery story, giving the reader clues as they try to solve it along with the main character, it did still have some intrigue that I had a prediction about (and turned out to be right about). Like an episode of an old detective show like Matlock, we are shown not only the investigation, but also the courtroom scenes as he defends his (presumably) innocent client. Though some of the dog love is lost on me, since I’m a cat person, I enjoy the characters. What really stands out to me, though, is the wit and snark of the main character. Rosenfelt manages to make his detective funny without overdoing it.

There was a bit of repetitiveness here and there, and the ending felt pretty rushed, especially a final reveal. Otherwise, though, it’s easy to recommend it to fans of the mystery genre. The book isn’t exactly a Christmas story—it just happens to take place at Christmas time, and you really don’t need to have read the rest of the series to enjoy this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me a copy of this book to review.
Publication date: October 10, 2023

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Book Review: The Final Spark

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The Final Spark
Michael Vey #7
by Richard Paul Evans

My rating: 2 / 5
Genre: YA sci-fi adventure

Spoiler notice: The following review may contain some spoilers for the previous books in the series, starting with The Prisoner of Cell 25.

After Michael’s sacrifice, the rest of the Electroclan tries to go on without him. Hatch and the surviving Elgen are still a threat to the world and need to be stopped.

I was so disappointed in this book. Evans built Hatch up to be just about the most sadistic bad guy in history, which is something that’s bothered me about the series, yet I was still looking forward to the downfall of him and his people. I had my ups and downs with the series up to this point, intrigued by the plot while actually not being a fan of the writing and characters, but as I came to what was meant to be the final book in the series at the time it was written, and certainly still the wrap-up to the books-long plot, it’s not a stretch to say I was looking forward to seeing some Elgen butt being kicked by some electric teens. But that is not what I got. Instead, the electric teens are sidelined (yet again), there’s lots of military strategy filler from characters we just met in the previous book as well as some brand new characters (who are all just about as sadistic as Hatch himself), and there’s even suddenly supernatural abilities from characters that aren’t electric or teens. The two “nonels” in the Electroclan, Ostin and Jack, get a chance to bond in this book, which is probably the only good thing that came out of it.

It’s pretty safe to say that no reader is going to go into this book believing Michael to be dead (sorry if that’s a spoiler), but Evans still could have done something less predictable to bring him back than what he did. Michael is barely even in this book and only shows up to be one of the most boring, lazy tropes in writing. And murder lots of people who aren’t even Elgen, who are just following orders. And not even bat an eye or feel bad about it later. The ending was not just unsatisfying, it was completely saccharine and unrealistic, not to mention leaving us without any wrap-up for several plots and characters. I would echo comments from other reviews that I’ve read that say it seems like Evans was bored with the series by this point and just wanted to get it through it without much thought, except that 5 years after this book came out, he started the series back up! And you know what the worst part is? I know I’m going to read the newer books. I don’t know why, but I just can’t seem to help myself with this series—I know it has major flaws, and I have a hard time deciding whether or not I’d really recommend this series (it’s ridiculously brutal for the age group it’s meant for and way too angsty for adults), yet I can’t seem to help but want to see where it goes.

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Book Review: Greetings from Witness Protection!

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Greetings from Witness Protection!
by Jake Burt

My rating: 5 / 5
Genre: Middle grade fiction

Thanks to years in foster care making her tough and street smart, Nicki Demere is asked by the U.S. Marshals to join a family of three that needs to be protected from their criminal family, camouflaging them as a family of four. As Charlotte Trevor, she does what she can to help protect her new family while also being the most average student possible. But before long, all of the Trevors learn how difficult it can be to outrun one’s past.

I don’t know why it’s so much harder to figure out how to start a review when I like a book than it is when I dislike a book. I guess because it just doesn’t seem good enough to start out with, “This book is great!” But this one really is. I don’t know how plausible the premise is, but the author sure made it seem realistic, considering that Nicki isn’t the only kid tapped for “Project Family.” From the orphanage to training with the Marshals and finally to her new home, Nicki makes an impression with everyone along the way. I didn’t always feel like her voice was all that realistic to a 13-year-old, but on the other hand, her rough history makes her anything but average. And the way her past affects her in the present was written well and adds to her being quite the sympathetic protagonist.

There were some things about this book that were predictable (at least for me, reading it as an adult) but at least one thing that happened that I did not expect at all. Throw in few emotional moments, a style that’s easy to read, and suspense built in the form of brief mentions of the criminals trying to track down the hidden family, and it’s easy to see why this book hooked me. There were even several laugh-out-loud moments here and there. I read this at the same time that my 13-year-old daughter did, and she loved it too. She agrees that it was suspenseful and thrilling. High endorsement from the target audience!

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Book Review: Take Me Out of the Ball Game

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Take Me Out of the Ball Game
McGee and Me! #8
by Bill Myers

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Children’s Christian fiction

In an interesting take on the dangers of idol worship, both Nick and his normally wise father put all their hopes in a particularly athletic teen on their Little League team. Though the stakes are small compared to the lesson, it’s also a situation many of us have found ourselves in (probably with something other then baseball). It can be rough to be reminded that the only One you can really put your trust in is God, though on the other hand, life is certainly easier when we do remember that. Though I’m not much of a baseball person, I enjoyed this story overall. These books may not be easy to find anymore, but if you do have the chance to read this book or procure it for an 8-10-year-old child, I recommend it.

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