Hallowe'en Party

This book was disappointing to me. I read Agatha Christie books before. But this was the least favorite so far.

It started out very slow. I just didn't get how important in the story that what Joyce kept repeating to everyone. Who actually listened to kids back than? Also Miranda, how she spoke to people. I like a good theme book and mystery. But this story was just a party. Nothing else was about Halloween.

The banter between Poirot and Mrs. Oliver was interesting. Speaking to each other with common things. Doing a favor for a friend, I haven't read so far about Poirot.

Some of Christie's books snag you from the start. Others are a bit lacking I have found out.

After watching a version of Hallowe’en Party I looked for the depth of the characters 

Rowena Drake how she fell for charm and money, prestige. How dangerous she can be. With a gardener-artist, Michael Garfield around, another with a story of how far would he go for money. And how far would he go with his own daughter. Perfect character for a all around women’s man. There goes the town! A lot of townswomen got fooled . At the end our favorite detective says. For this day we light candles to remember the people.

Tv version made the story more interesting.

I look forward to reading more Agatha Christie. But for now I have to give Hallowe'en Party 4 

The Silent Wife

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Not a thriller IMO. Reviews on this book were low and I could see why. Two people Her- Jodi Brett. Him- Todd Gilbert. She needed to have a routine being a therapist. He an architect. His life needed to be more fun, more money, spontaneous. Finds younger girl. Leaves SO for girl and baby.

I think what bothered me the most is when Jodi and Todd were hanging on to each other in a way. And when the story seem to get interesting and pick up, it didn’t.

Who wouldn’t be angry. Jodi keeps her anger to herself. Hence- Silent Wife. He doesn’t want her back, or does he?

Does she have him killed? Jodi goes through meltdown which is the scariest of the story. Law enforcement wasn’t even good. But she gets through. Thanks to the killer Natasha’s father (Todd’s bf)?

Jodi comes to understanding her patients and visa versus. Back and forth with both very tiresome. A lot of insecurities .

I give The Silent Wife 3 stars a bit of a disappointment 

The Guernsey Literacy Potato Peel Pie Society

I must say this book was interesting. I did not know it was a book of letters. And how the letters were written, I wish I could write as well with my thoughts. It was surprising how long (many years) the letter writing went on.

Terrible tragedy how the Germans came in and took over. Leading the people of Guernsey to believe they would treat them right. Red Cross even tried to help, so Germans threw them a bone and fed them. Amongst this the way to escape, through books. And there spark the attention of Juliet to write her next book. Here she found inspiration, friends, (family), and someone to love when she finally met these creative Guernsey people.

The stories she gathered, from the letters were funny at times. Telling Juliet how some weren't even interested in reading. But when one gets a hold of Wuthering Heights and says"I didn’t like Wuthering Heights at first, but the minute that specter, Cathy, scrabbled her bony fingers on the window glass—I was grasped"

One of the things that Juliet had mentioned was when going out with an American, Mark, she said"Americans especially- who seemed untouched by the war, or at least, un-mangled by it?" I guess one from another country as Juliet was England, has no idea what others from other countries think. That statement was off handed To me, since she is an author she should be more open minded. It was said "war is now the story of our lives, and there’s no subtracting it." Truth of everyone!

As a whole what I thought about the story, It was good. Love the letters that went back and forth with the Guernsey people and Juliet than Sidney. Love how Sidney and Sophie weighed in. I approve how Juliet and Dawsey relationship was going. And when Juliet finally got her story straight she found a strong woman, Elizabeth that was very much a part of the Guernsey people.

But what I didn't like was I think it was heavy handed with the Occupation. And the storyline was cut and flat at end. Very abrupt ending. I'm all for women being strong, but it could of had some depth to that. Speaking of characters not having any depth, a storyline can fall short.

And for that I give The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society 4 

A Cold Death in Amsterdam

Since my son will be on vacation to Amsterdam soon, and because I like mysteries I found this book.

I liked it. The characters were good. Lottie had some baggage but she got the job done. She started out solving a murder of a girl 15 years ago, to some finance fraud with a murder to boot. 

I read some reviews about Lottie dealing more with her personal issues rather than the murder at hand. But I believe that is who she is. Why she does what she does. The secret she carried of the relationship she had with Laura's, (the dead girl) father. The years she struggled with this.

But working on the fraud case she had to deal with Stefanie, who believed Lottie's father was guilty. Didn't hear to much on the Captain. Her partner Hans though had her back.

What is so different though about these cases, they were actually cases (I imagine things were changed to fit the book) from the author Anja De Jager's father ( who was the actual detective)

Maybe that's why people think the book slow.

It had the book a bit slow at times but I think Lottie deserves a second chance. Especially since story leaves you with what will happen to Lottie.

I give A Cold Death in Amsterdam 4 

The Lucky Ones

Well, finally finished the final book of the trilogy, Bright Young Things. I thought I was going to like it better than I did. This story started out it seemed about Astrid, the last girl character in this group. Didn't mind reading about her. Talk about depth in a character, it wasn't much there. 

And Letty what can I say about her? The author really played her shy and a bit stupid to the end. A few characters thrown in there, like Billie, Astrid's sister. A put together character that got along with everyone, strong and had the girl's backs.

And why is it that most stories are left to finalize everything at the end? Wow you couldn't miss that the main character throughout the trilogy was Cordilia. A tribute to the loss (gain) friendship of Cordilia. Through Billie's eyes was the story of the updates of the girls and their SO. Like a neat little package. And why would the author bring back Cordilia's ex husband? And how did he get Good Egg?

But anyway seems like there was loss of Cord and some good news for Letty and Astrid's lives.

They really were Bright Young Things coming almost from a different world. Turning into seasoned girls.

The threes stories were good. I really liked the first one the best. Someone said that they thought of The Great Gatsby when reading these stories. I can see that, The roaring "20's.

I myself thought there was going to be more grit to it. More jazz, more spreakeasies, more underground mystery. Even though not what I thought, I thought it was good story telling. Not sure if I'm just older for these books,but I don't think I'll be reading any future books of Anna Godbersen's. Guess it isn't for me.

I give The Lucky Ones 4 

Chasing Paris

I received this book I believe as a kindle freebie. I just recently gotten around to reading it. It wasn't bad. I liked the story. I read the reviews that others had said. One of the critiques was the depth of the characters. Some feel there weren't any. I believe the author really didn't want to much deepness into these characters. I believe it was suppose to be a light read and characters were fluffy.

I had all these notes and highlights that I liked to the book. But as I look over them I decided it was too much for what I want to say about the book but liked all the same.

Amy and April receive letters in the mail from a person that eventually found out it was from their grandmother. A grandmother that they would never know. And family that didn't want the girls to know who Lizzie their grandmother was. But Amy was determined. April was fine not knowing. Curiosity got the better of Amy. With inheritance given and something left to a mysterious man Billy Strath, her mother Debbie, who did not want Lizzie mentioned at all. Amy had to find out.

With found letters between Lizzie and Billy Amy started to piece lives together. While she is going through the letters, on the other side of California was Will. Will came upon a book of Renaissance poems that had notes written in the margin. Since he was an English major he had to find out who this person was. After meeting Amy the both of them put the pieces together. With Amy also being a English major, Debbie told her that she always knew to analyze what was in front of her. And that was Debbie's non angry advice.

Naturally I thought that more romance was going to come from Will. But it was kind of nice to read that Will genuinely became friends with her and his relationship built from that. Of course Miles was the boyfriend that never supported her. And was finally realizing that Miles wasn't right for her.

She found that Lizzie had this life at a time with Billy in Paris. All leads to Paris, Hence the title Chasing Paris. Even though Nana was really Amy and April's Aunt, she also was hoping that Amy would find out what happened.

I was hoping that a trip to Paris would come sooner than it did.When she made that trip more info was found out. Amy called her mom to tell her the hate that she carried for her mother wasn't the reason for her grandfather's death or why Lizzie left. But it was best said from Will, Lizzie was following shadows of lost dreams.

And now the story ends with Lizzie. The dreamer, like her grandmother Lizzie, Amy finds her story of life with Will. Nice twist of Amy's writing that started the book.

I give Chasing Paris 4

If I'm looking for a light read and I hear there are cameo's in the next book from the characters of this one. I'll read Remembering Summer 

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The Kitchen House

 Two characters, Lavinia and Belle telling a story from two different/similar worlds. You already know one character was going to be perceived as not knowing what real suffering is. This story doesn't belong more to one than the other. Lavinia had to move to America at a young age from one country to another. In that case she would rely on her parents.

Why does the captain keep Belle's identity secret? Because it would not look right for white men to have any relations with black women who were slaves. To think that a slave is a relation is not natural. Keeping this secret is tragic for when the son, Marshall is older and takes over the house he goes and hurts Belle plus eventually wants to kill her.

The idea that Lavinia took to collecting bird nest like Meg was a symbolism I did not know. I had to look it up . The signifiance makes sense. Birds migrate and Lavinia was always moving too. From the boat to Tall Oaks and than trying save her daughter Elly. Than moving toward a goal for herself. To make a better life for her family.

Was it better for Lavinia to be taken from boat to be used as a indentured servant ? Probably since her family was gone and what was she going to do? That period of time all was fair, both black and white were taken as some kind of worker.

Marshall was a very complicated character. Sometimes he was kind. Other times a monster. I feel the  that this secret that he kept was something bad that happened to him by the tutor. And he took all that aggression out on people that he didn't mean to, like his sister Sally. So when he took possession of his father's land he played much the slave master. A very black and white thing. No gray area.

I think the reason that Lavinia took to Miss Martha was because maybe she reminded her of her real mother. Even though as a servant she was taken care of by the slaves especially Mama and Belle, there was that motherly bond that both needed each other. There was more room for care than just who she shared quarters with.

Lavinia was responsive to suggestion. I think that helped her and hurt her also. Being young was confusing to know how to use that. Example of the engagement to both Marshall and Mr. Madden's friend.

The relationship between Ben, Lucy, and Belle was weird but I have nothing to remark on that. It takes a village, it takes a friendship.

For Lavinia to think she was enslaved like the rest, for her eyes yes it is fair. But for what the slaves been through was far worse. Her position was the same but she was treated not has harshly. The freedom that she had was her being a indentured servant vs slave that was taken by force and not given opportunity to be free.

Although that this is true I look at it differently. I see a Irish girl, yes she was an indentured servant . But I also see that because she had symphony for the others she was treated no different. Also I see the Irish themselves in Ireland were pulled by force and sold to the highest bidder. Not necessarily to America. Which makes them hurt and degraded as the slaves.

I feel that the author could of delved into Lavinia's family a bit more. Sure she lost mother, father, and her brother but I feel at the end of the tradegy it could be that she would look for more family in Ireland.
I feel most stories end up with some part of it being all tied up with a bow,happy. But isn't there more sad things going on of lately that a good thing is nice to see?
The author I believe was writing the point of the relationships between people. Don't need DNA to feel others your close to is your family. I think she proved that time after time of Lavinia saying that Mama is her family.

I really don't feel much about this book. I look forward to reading the next about Jamie Pyke

I give The Kitchen House  4 

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Happy(ish)

I was looking for a laugh out loud book. I haven't read anything from this author before so I thought I would give it a shot. For the most part it was funny. But I gotta say it had it's moments that I would say to myself "Really"?

I get it, Jane is a single woman going to guy to guy wanting that Prince Charming. But the way she goes about it Wow! Same ole, same ole. And when someone is the right fit Jane still won't give him a try. It's written that she is mean to Greg. Toward the end Jane has this revelation and decides she is better than what she sees of herself. She can do better work at her job. But come on enough with the mom issues and the way she talks to her mom. She sure made me feel that Jane thought her mom was stupid. 

I'm an animal person too. She loved her goldfish, that came out loud and clear. Surprise that Jane liked her soon to be sister in law and children.

I paint such a bad picture of Jane. But at the end her friends when they came together for her when she lost her pet I could tell her character was changing. She was becoming softer and more confident and put together.She actually was taking an interest in her neighbor Greta. Found out she was no different than Greta. It was a good story. Funny, relatable but a bit disconnected at times. But worth the read I think.

Anyway I had such a hard time getting through the last two chapters. Not because it was hard. But because Oh my God the chapter before the last was such a looong chapter. Too much to say about one thing. Very boring. The author said it herself this is the first time writing a novel. And my last time reading her material. There were so many errors in grammar that it leads me to believe no one proofed this book. I guess that's why it's self published.

I give Happy(ish)   4 

Just because of the grammar errors and it being disconnected at times. 

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Crooked House

I wanted to read this novel before I seen the movie. I thought the story was different from the other stories that Agatha Christie has written. Maybe this is why it was her favorite. I can't put my finger on it but I don't know what to say about it. So I looked at other reviews to see what others had to say.

What I find it's not the plot so much that was interesting, but the characters. The main character Charlie Hayward I must say he was a very boring character as was his fiancée Sophie. I liked Madga and Aunt Edith the best.

The title of the book Crooked House is a great title. Fits the characters. In some way or another the characters were odd,"crooked". So a crooked house was built by the original crooked little man and without him the crooked little house had lost its meaning. Even the child Josephine was born with a kink the crooked child of the crooked house.

I don't know what to make of the ending. I understood it but to me the story was leading a good path than reared off and was over. Can't say I was surprised whodunit.

I give Crooked House 4 

Not because I didn't like the story. It just wasn't a favorite. I will be looking forward to reading more Agatha Christie books.

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Twas the Bite Before Christmas

Pretty good book. I haven't read a Christmas mystery in a long time. I liked the characters. Even the ones that were meant to be bad.

It was a little confusing in the beginning of where the story has been set. There are times that you just need to look twice. Many towns are named the same as other places. Jack, Jamie, Hooch and Frankie are cool. Even though Jack portrays that he's not really into Christmas, he really is. Jamie and the dogs make him happy.

I would like to read the 1st of the series to see how it all started. And I see there is another Christmas book hmm...

I give Twas the Bite Before Christmas 4 

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