This is a page turner so I give credit to Carter Wilson for his ability to keep the reader curious enough to turn those pages. For me, the characters This is a page turner so I give credit to Carter Wilson for his ability to keep the reader curious enough to turn those pages. For me, the characters were unlikable and unrelatable. It was not fun to read, actually pretty unpleasant with frequent references to torture, alcohol abuse, and revenge killings. There is also overuse of the f-bomb from Poe, the main character which loses any intended effect after 100 times or so. When I think of really good psychological thrillers, there are always elements of goodness somewhere that feels authentic and help create a balance of emotions and hope for some sort of moral redemption. This story didn't do that for me. Finally, the ending felt contrived with most of the loose ends conveniently tied up. Meh.... ....more
The story of Takashi Nagai who was a scientist that went from atheism to devout Catholic. He survived Nagasaki but later succuScience and Faith United
The story of Takashi Nagai who was a scientist that went from atheism to devout Catholic. He survived Nagasaki but later succumbed to resulting leukemia after years working a a radiologist and then cancer from the A Bomb. He was intensely spiritual, artistic, passionate and exudes a positive outlook until the day he died. His life story is inspiring!...more
Here is a historical fiction story focusing on the desperation of poor families during the Great Depression and how the careless but unintentional actHere is a historical fiction story focusing on the desperation of poor families during the Great Depression and how the careless but unintentional actions of an ambitious reporter triggered a tragic series of events. I liked the compassionate portrayal of the poor and how easy it is to judge people for doing unimaginable things in order to survive. This was an exciting page turner, especially towards the end. Highly recommended!...more
This book is out of print but I found it on The beautiful introduction is by Flannery O'Connor and the story oThis book is out of print but I found it on The beautiful introduction is by Flannery O'Connor and the story of Mary Ann is written by the Dominican Nuns who cared for her (from the age of 3) for 12 years. Mary Ann had a severe facial deformity due to a tumor. She was only expected to live for a short time but lived happily with the sisters and shared her joy and love of Jesus with all who had the good fortune to be part of her life. She was an exceptional example of how to live and love!...more
This is a magical and exciting story that is laced with some true historical figures and events in the dark, cruel era of the Spanish Inquisition. It This is a magical and exciting story that is laced with some true historical figures and events in the dark, cruel era of the Spanish Inquisition. It made me want to explore the true history and I learned about how Sephardic Jews and Muslims were tried as heretics. Like in other books by Leigh Bardugo, the characters develop so nicely as the story progresses. The Familiar has fantasy, romance, thrills, Spanish history, (and a small bit of horror). There is so much to like about this book and I highly recommend it!...more
I received this little book as a gift last week. It's not something I would typically pick for myself but it was exactly what I needed to read right nI received this little book as a gift last week. It's not something I would typically pick for myself but it was exactly what I needed to read right now. The story was a bit predictable but I really liked the characters and enjoyed rooting for them throughout! I especially enjoyed reading about the "Bordeaux Babes Bookclub" and thinking about some fun similarities to the bookclub I go to. This is a short, easy read. It's a perfect Christmas book!...more
I appreciated the elegant writing style in this story but frankly, it was long-winded and at times boring. I had trouble staying focused. The ending wI appreciated the elegant writing style in this story but frankly, it was long-winded and at times boring. I had trouble staying focused. The ending was satisfying so I'm glad I stayed with it....more
This book is so enjoyable to read! How did Phillip Dettmer manage to inform and entertain simultaneously on a very challenging topic for the average pThis book is so enjoyable to read! How did Phillip Dettmer manage to inform and entertain simultaneously on a very challenging topic for the average person? I was feeling a bit immuno-suppressed for several months and saw this book thinking it might shed some light on my frequent illnesses. I'm not the best at absorbing medical and science research and data. This book was written for readers like me who are helped by plain speaking language and lots of cool illustrations! The footnotes are not to be missed since they are full of interesting facts and wit! I won't remember a lot of what I read and saw but I can see the big picture better re: how the immune system functions via incredibly complex interactive components. It is a wild and fascinating process that has my utmost respect now! An added bonus was finding out about the kurzgesagt animated YouTube series on all different science and technology topics! They are addictive!...more
I haven't read any of the Poirot stories before and I'm pretty sure this was not one of the best. I really did enjoy it though. The cover (not the oneI haven't read any of the Poirot stories before and I'm pretty sure this was not one of the best. I really did enjoy it though. The cover (not the one shown) called to me when I wanted something Christmas related. Other than the fact that the murder takes place at Christmas, this isn't really a Christmas book at all. It did keep me guessing which of the family members, employees, visitors killed "dear old dad". The motive was pretty clear but how it was done was a good twist. Poirot's congenial, disarming approach with each character was fun! I'm giving 3.5 stars for the story and another .5 because I now want to read more of Agatha Christie's Poirot murder mysteries....more
This book is an interesting combination of stories about Dr Lembke's patients and science based research / data on compulsive indulgence. The stories This book is an interesting combination of stories about Dr Lembke's patients and science based research / data on compulsive indulgence. The stories of addiction are difficult to read and some are shocking. The recovery of these individuals provides hope for those who are suffering from the relentless attempts to escape from pain (physical, emotional) only to find the rewards only provide pleasure for a short time.
I wish there had been more content specifically about addiction to social media. The book was written in 2021 though and the popularity of Tik Tok, Reels, etc has increased since then. All in all, a very informative book on an important topic....more
At first, I scoffed at the idea of knowledge-hungry book eaters and brain-devouring mind eaters living amongst naive and vulnerable humans. I thought At first, I scoffed at the idea of knowledge-hungry book eaters and brain-devouring mind eaters living amongst naive and vulnerable humans. I thought the premise seemed ridiculous. This book grew on me though. For one, it is very well written and that in itself made the far-fetched theme feel less so. Another reason was the well developed characters as well as their experiences in different families and classifications. Also, the story was inclusive without being pushy or biased. The family conflicts and fight for freedom/quality of life grows to an exciting climax. Towards the end, I was glued to this book. There were some grizzly events and descriptions that shoved me pretty far out of my comfort zone but I'm glad I stuck with it. There were other themes of loyalty, true family, and betrayal that made this a worthy and enjoyable book to read!...more
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