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Days That I'll Remeber: Spending Time with John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Days That I'll Remeber: Spending Time with John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Jonathan Cott | 2013 | Biography, Music & Dance
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"Jonathan Cott is somebody we all know in our circle to be a quiet genius. Rolling Stone asked him to interview us a few times. This book is a collection of those interviews. Nothing more. Reading it, I thought “Wow, we weren’t bad at all.” Because most writers wanted to sensationalize us, thinking that if they didn’t do that, it might be boring – and nobody would buy the book! So their ‘interviews’ usually came out nothing like what we were like. I have never recommended any books about John and Yoko. But this book made me choke up. I heard John in my ears and felt him in my heart. This is a good book for Lennon fans. And I.. Well, I come out as the second banana (okay, okay!) You will get an inkling of two people in love, sometimes making daring remarks, yet not forgetting to protect each other in the interviews. In fact, this is really the way we were, folks! Have a good read."

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Pretty Girls: A Novel
Pretty Girls: A Novel
Karin Slaughter | 2016 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
8
8.4 (20 Ratings)
Book Rating
Wow. Let me start by saying that there is definitely reason enough for this book to come with warning labels, such as ⚠ graphic scenes, extreme violence, descriptive sexual assault ⚠
However, I am not easily traumatized, so I read on, even though I'd been told by several readers how gruesome it is. They were not wrong. Pretty Girls is without a doubt the most gruesome book I've ever read. That aside, all-in-all, I loved it. It certainly kept me on my toes, had my heart pounding, halted my breathing once or twice. The only reason I have 4 instead of 5 stars is because, every now and then, I felt myself go almost numb. Not bored, oh no, but in a trance-like state where I'd still be reading, but I couldn't absorb the words, causing me to go back a page or so. It was definitely overload. There was also one particular event that, if I'm honest, kind of irritated me with it's simplicity. Overall, however, I enjoyed the thrill!
  
Marshall (2017)
Marshall (2017)
2017 | Drama
Marshall is the biopic of Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, and it focuses on one of the first cases of his career.

I was enthralled by this film. It popped up on my listings and I went to it without knowing anything more than the fact it was a biopic. Just like Hidden Figures, this was an interesting, heart-breaking and moving tale.

Chadwick Boseman, who some of us will know as Black Panther in the Marvel Universe, was a brilliant lead. Josh Gad felt like such an odd choice, I've only ever seen him in comedy films or staring as our favourite feathered or Frozen friends, but the two of them together brought this powerful story to life on the screen.

There aren't many films where I come out knowing that I didn't miss a second of what happened, but this one had me on the edge of my seat. Not so much for the guy across the aisle though, I'm fairly certain that he was snoring at one point.
  
    Blessings by Aled Jones

    Blessings by Aled Jones

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    Album

    For 2020, and his 40th album, one of our most loved singers Aled Jones presents Blessings. An idea...

Constitution Check (Dungeons and Dating #4) by Katherine McIntyre
Constitution Check (Dungeons and Dating #4) by Katherine McIntyre
Katherine McIntyre | 2022 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!

 

This is book number 4 in the Dungeons and Dating series and I have to say I have loved every one so far. The series is centred on a group of people who run a business called the Tabletop Tavern and have come together through their love of board games, particularly Dungeons and Dragons.


Each book focuses on different characters and their love life and life in general. This book focuses on Kelly who is trying to get over a domestically violent relationship that ended with the death of her then-girlfriend and Tabby who has never felt any good for anybody.


Katherine is an absolute wizard with words and you get a clear understanding of what each character is going through. She tackles the tougher subjects abuse/homophobia/grief etc in such a delicate but powerful way. It is a pleasure to read even though some of it is heart-breaking.


I 100% recommend reading not just this book but the whole series. Fantastic Katherine.

 

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
  
The Night Olivia Fell
The Night Olivia Fell
Christina McDonald | 2019 | Mystery, Thriller
9
9.3 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
Wow!
I had been wanting to read The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald for awhile. I was beyond thrilled when I was able to borrow the eBook from my library. Luckily, the book lived up to the hype I had built in my mind.

I found the plot of The Night Olivia Fell to be very intriguing and well written. There were so many feelings with this novel. I enjoyed reading things from Abi's perspective and then going back in time to read flashbacks in Olivia's perspective. I found myself trying to decide if Olivia really was murdered or if she killed herself. There were so many times I thought I had figured out who pushed Olivia just to be wrong. I did find myself hoping that by some miracle, Olivia would go back to being the same before she fell off the bridge. (Hope springs eternal with me.) This was more than just the mystery of Olivia's fall. Olivia was also trying to figure out who her father was, and there was also Olivia's blossoming romance with Derrick. There were a few plot twists which were enjoyable. My only complaint is that I wish there would have been information on the court case. I just felt that I needed closure and to make sure justice was served. Other than that, I felt like the story was written perfectly.

I felt that the characters in The Night Olivia Fell were very fleshed out and realistic. My heart went out to both Olivia and Abi. I could understand how Abi just wanted to make sure Olivia was safe and doing well, but I could also sympathize with out Olivia felt like Abi was smothering her a lot of the time. Olivia was very much like a typical teenager to begin with, but once she found out she was pregnant, I felt like she really blossomed. Olivia would have been an excellent mother, and it was sweet to see how she was willing to protect her unborn baby. Abi just wanted what was best for Olivia being as she was a single mother. She worked her behind off to make sure Olivia was okay. It was obvious how much Abi loved Olivia. Kendall was a bit of a wild card. I liked her, but I was always wondering if she had an endgame. Gavin was another wild card. I wanted to believe he wouldn't stoop so low as to hurt a young innocent girl, but then the more I read about him, the more I wasn't sure of his character. I started out feeling sorry for Tyler with how much he had going on with him, but I was glad that Olivia chose Derek. Derek seemed to be really sweet, and it was sad that people judged him based on a some stretched truths.

The pacing was done brilliantly for The Night Olivia Fell. Not once did I ever feel like the story dragged on or was becoming too predictable. I felt as if each page was an adventure which made this book an easy read.

Trigger warnings for The Night Olivia Fell include violence, threats, blackmail, profanity, and a semi-graphic sex scene between a 17 year old girl and her boyfriend.

All in all, The Night Olivia Fell was a great read! It had such an interesting plot as well as fantastically written characters. This book grabs you by the hand and never lets you go. I would definitely recommend The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald to those aged 17+. It's one of those books that leaves you thinking about it long after you've finished it.