life_full_ofbooks's reviews
2518 reviews

Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder by Kerryn Mayne

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I had so much anticipated coming into this book because it was one my longest holds on Libby- it was a wait of a few months!Sometimes, though, when the anticipation of a book is so great it can make the actuality of it seem a little flat, and that’s what happened with this one, unfortunately. 
Lenny Marks is a creature of habit and keeps to herself. When she’s not at the school where she teaches or at the grocery where she goes once a week to buy the same groceries for the same meals she cooks each week, she is at home playing Scrabble with Monica Gellar and watching FRIENDS reruns. She has no desire to socialize outside of work nor chat with Ned, the grocer who rings up her weekly purchase. Her foster mother, Fay, keeps telling her she has to “get a life” and Lenny decides to do just that when she receives a letter from the Parole Board. Knowing the letter isn’t anything good, Lenny focuses her energy on befriending her coworkers. When the letter keeps popping up, Lenny’s long suppressed and tragic past emerges as flashbacks that even a new life can’t keep at bay. 
I wanted to like this book, but I found so much of it to be off putting that I just couldn’t. This was a much heavier book than I expected it to be and I’m sure that factored into my distaste. Lenny is a very quirky character but not in a delightful way. I found the way she handled certain social situations to be very stressful (for me) and while I’m she has social anxiety, I just wasn’t up for it. 
Towards the beginning of the end I started to see growth in her but the way it came about was so quick it didn’t feel authentic. 
I can’t help but wonder if my feelings on this would be different if I knew going into it this was a heavy book. Fans of Eleanor Oliphant will likely enjoy this one. 
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

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adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

In times of strife Mr. Rogers always said “Look for the helpers” and that’s exactly what I (inadvertently) did on this Holocaust Remembrance Day. I decided to listen to Number the Stars by Lois Lowry today because I included it as one of 8 books that gives a different perspective into the Holocaust, but I’ve never actually read it before. I didn’t quite no what it was about aside from it being a very well received Middle Grade book about the Holocaust. When I realized the subject, I got goosebumps. 
In 1943 Denmark 10 year olds Annemarie Johansen and Ellen Rosen are best friends. While they know there’s a war because of the Nazis in the streets and the rationing of food and electricity they don’t think too much of it. On the evening of Rosh Hashanah the Rosens go to the Johansens and let them know they found out they’re on the Nazis’ deportation list. Without blinking an eye, the Johansens quickly take Ellen and help her parents go into hiding. The next day Mrs. Johansen brings Ellen, Annemarie, and Annemarie’s little sister to her brother’s farm that’s close to the Swedish border. While the girls are surprised at first, they soon discover Mr. and Mrs. Johansen have a plan that will keep the Rosens safe until the end of the war. 
This is a great book for any age. The message Ms. Lowry writes is one for everyone and this particular story is one that is unknown and restores so much faith in humanity. 
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

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challenging dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Either something has changed within me or something has changed with the storyline but Onyx Storm did not move me the way Fourth Wing and Iron Flame did. 
Taking place exactly where Iron Flame left off we are once again thrown into the world of dragons, war, signets, and magic. In this third installment of the Empyrean Saga, it’s been 18 months since Violet Sorrengail first crossed the Parapet at Basgiath War College to begin her training as a Dragon Flyer. While she’s only halfway finished with her trainer all classes are paused as an epic battle begins to take place. Violet and her team are sent to islands off the Aretian coast in hopes of finding allies amongst those kingdoms to help fight against the Venin who look to destroy all. Along the way Violet is desperately looking for a cure for Xaden and Andarna is desperately looking for her kind of dragon breed. Violet knows they won’t be welcomed everywhere, but she hopes they will find enough allies to unite against the ever growing enemy. 
I have to admit that in the 14 months since I read Iron Flame I lost my love of the series. To be fair, my love couldn’t have been that strong to begin with since it was lost. I certainly wasn’t expecting to not like Onyx Storm, but sadly that was the case. 
I saw very little character growth in Violet even though she was grieving the loss of her mother. Maybe it’s because I listened to the audio, but Violet never comes across as a strong female character- personality wise. She is certainly not my favorite, which I guess plays into my not liking this book. (For those wondering, my favorite is Ridoc followed closely by Aaric.)
While there were some exciting scenes and some moments that made me chuckle, over all I just felt annoyed. It is essentially the exact same story as Iron Flame. Generally the middle book of a series is there to set up the ending of the series, but this doesn’t really move the story along.
There was really no need for this book to be over 500 pages and nearly 24 hours long. In fact, at one point it felt like it was over and when I checked I saw I was only 45% through and still had over 11 hours to go. I finally started skimming with my ears and raised the speed to 2.5. 
The one positive I have is I loved the dedication. I just wish I could have said the same for the rest of it. 
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The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Inspired by the real 18th century midwife Martha Ballard, Ariel Lawhon has weaved together a tale that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat. On a chilly April night in 1789 Martha returns home after delivering a baby to find out that her sons and their friend discovered a body in the cracked frozen river. Martha is asked to inspect the body and discovers it’s one of the men who was accused (along with another) of raping the wife of the former pastor. Martha assesses it to be murder but a doctor new to town claims it was an accident. That sets Martha on the path of investigating to help bring justice to the pastor’s wife.
I didn’t realize Martha Ballard was a real person until I got to the author’s note at the end of the book. Quite unusual for the time Martha not only was skilled in reading and writing, but she also brought money into her household via her midwifery. She had such strong opinions on how women should be treated and how horrible it was that when raped and impregnated, the woman was fined and made to be an outcast while the man walked free. She was a feminist far before her time!
This book was so much better than I ever expected it to be! It has a little bit of everything in it- murder mystery, family drama, suspense, and historical fiction and it comes together so well. I didn’t think it dragged at all, and I really loved the majority of the characters. The author’s note at the end is fascinating and I’ll definitely be checking out more of her books!
The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About by Mel Robbins

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hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

I tend not to read self help books because I’ve always had a hard time staying focused on them. Ordinarily I would have passed this one by but when I saw it on my favorite Peloton Tread instructor’s Instagram I knew I had to at least give it a try. By a quarter of the way through I was hooked. I was already seeing how I can apply this to my life. 
Mel Robbins breaks down the simplicity of the Let Them theory right from the start- if someone is doing something you don’t agree with, let them. It doesn’t affect you and you’ll be far happier in the long run. Additionally, if someone excludes you from something all of your mutual friends are invited to, let them. Yes it hurts, but you’ll be far happier focusing your time on something that brings you joy.
She goes on to point out that saying “let them” only goes so far. You have to be able to see the role you play in the situation and figure out what actions you can take to change things. The most important takeaway is you can only change yourself; trying to change someone else will only create problems. 
The idea behind the Let Them Theory isn’t new but Mel Robbins puts it into a way that makes applying it easy and doable. I love how listening to her book is like listening to a friend with a very good head on her shoulders. She is so real and relatable and she really puts herself out there, both in the book and the audio version. I don’t listen to podcasts, but if I did this is one I’d keep up with on a regular basis.
The Secret History of Audrey James: A Novel by Heather Marshall

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adventurous dark emotional tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I am so drawn to historical fiction and since the majority of that genre seems to center around WW2, I read a lot of that time period. When I come across a WW2 book that appears to have a different plot line, I always get so excited and that’s exactly how I felt when I saw this book on NetGalley. 
In 1938 Berlin, Audrey James is living with her best friend’s family while she is finishing up her schooling at a music conservatory. The Kaplans are Jews and while Audrey is not she realizes Berlin isn’t the safest place. When Ilse’s family is attacked by SS Officers, Audrey does what she can to protect Ilse, even joining a German Resistance cell to help stop Hitler before another war breaks out. 
In the modern day story line, Kate Mercer’s life has been turned upside down after a tragic car accident and she leaves London to work at a small, run down guesthouse on the Scottish border in an attempt to regroup and find herself. While the elderly proprietor is standoffish at first, she soon begins telling her story to Kate and the two women soon bond.
I really wanted to like this book, and I did for the first 60%. The last 1/3 was so long and there was so much going on I found myself skimming pages just to try to finish. I love how the author tried incorporating many different areas of WW2 especially as I have never heard of any of the topics included- the German Resistance, Mona Parsons, and Elsa Koditschek. While in real life none of these three things happened together and Heather Marshall admits to taking creative liberties to put all three together for this book and while it flows cohesively, it’s a lot. 
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine books for an advanced copy of this. The Secret History of Audrey James hits the shelves on February 25th. 
The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I know I’m a bit late to the party but I made it all the same! Christina Lauren is my favorite rom-com duo and I’ll read anything they write. Their books, filled with quirky female leads and sexy male leads, never fail to make me laugh out loud and the spice level is just there, giving enough for you to imagine and not at all graphic. 
Anna Green married Liam “West” Weston to get subsidized student housing while at UCLA and never thought too much of it. For two years they lived in the same apartment but didn’t really know each other. Three years later, West shows up in Anna’s doorstep asking her to perform one more wifely duty- he needs her to go with him to his sister’s wedding to prove to his family that he is indeed married. Having nothing else going on Anna agrees, not realizing that West is actually Liam Weston, heir to the 6th largest grocery store chain in the country. Anna is thrown into a whirlwind of the upper crust and Liam’s fears of not being able to pull this off dissipate. Their marriage started as a lie, but by the end of the two weeks the only people still thinking it’s a sham is Liam’s family. 
Fake dating is great, but fake marriage is even better! This book was so fun in every aspect. Anna is one of the quirkiest characters and Liam is one of the most genuine. Watching him struggle between doing what he knows is right and what is family wants was tough but seeing Anna’s support of him was simply lovely. 
The only issue I had with this is the same I have with every Christina Lauren book- I fell so in love with Anna and Liam and I wasn’t ready for the end when it came. I finished it wishing I could see what’s next for this phenomenal couple. 
Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian L. Weiss

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hopeful informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

3.0

I happen to believe in past lives and when I first read some 30 years ago this brought me the comfort I needed after tragically losing my little sister. I needed to know I would see her again and this gave me “proof” that I would. 
I picked this up again because I thought the novel I listened to just before this was about past lives (by the time I realized it wasn’t I had already used my only Audible credit and didn’t want it to go to waste. 
At 47 I am much more jaded than I was at 15 and I spent the entirety of this book vacillating between “Wow this is so cool!” and “But where’s the proof?”. I want to believe this is real and the only thing made up is Catherine’s name, but not having access to his notes or hearing from the actual patient makes me far more skeptical. 
You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This heartbreaking contemporary fiction asks the question: Do our lives play out because of our decisions or is fate dictating how our lives are meant to be? I was originally drawn to this book because I thought the plot involved past lives but it turns out I just misread the synopsis and I the pages of this book fate is just fate, not the universe trying to reconnect two souls. 
Mia Graydon is happily married to her husband, Harrison. Having just moved to the small town of Hope Springs, PA Mia is hoping this will be the fresh start they need to start building their family. Harrison is a surgeon at the local hospital and Mia is an artist. The couple have told each other everything, though Mia has held back one thing which comes to light one day shortly after moving. Mia has been dreaming of the same man, unknown to her, for practically her entire life. She doesn’t know what it means, but she figures it’s a weird quirk that doesn’t need to be shared, until she bumps into the man of her dreams. When she finds out Oliver has been dreaming of her too, the two decide to figure out what this means. 
This was so much more sad than I was expecting. Several things happened for which I wasn’t prepared and I ended up feeling blindsided. That being said, the writing is beautiful and the story is very moving. 
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Director's Cut by Carlyn Greenwald

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challenging informative slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

When I picked this I read the synopsis and found it intriguing. Unfortunately, that was the only intriguing part. The book itself is so predictable and I really didn’t like the protagonist, never a good sign for me. 
Val Sullivan is an Oscar Award winning actor but she’s decided to make the transition to directing. She also has a PhD from Oxford University, though she hasn’t taught since she was a TA years ago. Another transition she’s made is coming out of the closet publicly. When she has a bad late night interview and feels her directorial debut flops she decides to hang up her Hollywood hat and teach at USC as a guest professor. She and Maeve Arko, the professor with whom she’s teaching, get off to an icy start, but soon both women are letting down their defenses and the sparks fly. When Val’s movie starts getting noticed by the bigwigs in Hollywood she has to decide which Val is the real Val- actor and director or college professor. She just has to hope that in finding herself she doesn’t lose Maeve. 
I found this entire book vapid from the get go. In the beginning there is so much information on musicals and stage shows and it actually felt as though I was being lectured to. In later classroom scenes, however, the information is glossed over and the focus is more on Val and Maeve’s relationship. Speaking of which, the bedroom scenes are quite graphic, which I never enjoy (both straight and gay). 
I wanted to like this and I’m sorry I didn’t. Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for an advanced copy of this. Director‘s Cut hit the shelves on June 11.
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