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Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated Wish You Were Here in Books
Jan 26, 2022
I didn’t quite realise how much this book would resonate with me until I started reading it. It reminded me sometimes about the awful things that we have lived through the past 2 years but also reminded me how strong people can be.
Diana and Finn are living in New York as the Covid-19 pandemic is beginning, they have planned to go on a once in a lifetime holiday to The Galápagos Islands just as the world seems to be shutting down. Finn, being a surgical resident, has been told that he can’t take time off, even pre planned holidays. While Diana, who is an art specialist working for Sotheby’s, knows that she needs to take time off as a deal she had brokered for a painting has fallen through. Finn tells Diana to go anyway as he doesn’t want to make her sick since he’s working in the hospital.
We then follow Diana exploring the beautiful, scenic Isabela island, and meeting a family who take her in and look after her when she becomes stranded there. She explores the island and although she doesn’t speak the language she manages to get by because she needs to. She has no phone service and very limited access to the internet so she has no way to contact the outside world, but it doesn’t seem to matter too much when you’re in paradise.
The second part of the book was a complete surprise, but a pleasant one. It reminded me of exactly how we were at the start of the pandemic, wiping down anything that came from outside, not opening mail for days and for some of us stripping as soon as we came in from work for fear we’d brought the virus home with us. I am a support worker and so had no choice but to go into work and look after people that had Covid-19 because as much as I was scared, I knew that they needed me more. One line that sticks in my head is also one that I thought myself: “Well if I catch it, I catch it” and that became my opinion for a lot of the pandemic.
It was a nice change that not everything was tied up with a neat little bow at the end of this book, as that’s how life is sometimes. I really enjoyed this book and I feel like it will be one of those that helps us to remember the pandemic in years to come.
Diana and Finn are living in New York as the Covid-19 pandemic is beginning, they have planned to go on a once in a lifetime holiday to The Galápagos Islands just as the world seems to be shutting down. Finn, being a surgical resident, has been told that he can’t take time off, even pre planned holidays. While Diana, who is an art specialist working for Sotheby’s, knows that she needs to take time off as a deal she had brokered for a painting has fallen through. Finn tells Diana to go anyway as he doesn’t want to make her sick since he’s working in the hospital.
We then follow Diana exploring the beautiful, scenic Isabela island, and meeting a family who take her in and look after her when she becomes stranded there. She explores the island and although she doesn’t speak the language she manages to get by because she needs to. She has no phone service and very limited access to the internet so she has no way to contact the outside world, but it doesn’t seem to matter too much when you’re in paradise.
The second part of the book was a complete surprise, but a pleasant one. It reminded me of exactly how we were at the start of the pandemic, wiping down anything that came from outside, not opening mail for days and for some of us stripping as soon as we came in from work for fear we’d brought the virus home with us. I am a support worker and so had no choice but to go into work and look after people that had Covid-19 because as much as I was scared, I knew that they needed me more. One line that sticks in my head is also one that I thought myself: “Well if I catch it, I catch it” and that became my opinion for a lot of the pandemic.
It was a nice change that not everything was tied up with a neat little bow at the end of this book, as that’s how life is sometimes. I really enjoyed this book and I feel like it will be one of those that helps us to remember the pandemic in years to come.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Sleepwalker in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Lianna Ahlberg has always known that her mother, Annalee, is a sleepwalker. So when Annalee goes missing, her family immediately assumes she has vanished while sleepwalking. After all, Lianna once pulled her naked mother off a bridge near the river by their home. A scrap of her nightshirt is found near that same river, and everyone assumes the worst. College-aged Lianna, her twelve-year-old sister, Paige, and their father, Warren, must grapple with a life without this loving mother and wife. Still, the police, including detective Gavin Rikert, continue to probe into Annalee's disappearance. And so does her family. Lianna finds herself learning more about her mother, her parents' marriage, and her family's history of sleepwalking. She also finds herself drawn to Gavin, who knew her mother before she disappeared. Where is Annalee, or her body? And what really happened that night?
This story is almost a treatise in the facts of sleepwalking, or parasomnia. It is told from Lianna's point of view, but interspersed with odd snippets from a journal (or something, we aren't sure) with facts, thoughts, and ruminations about sleepwalking. It's also a very (very) slow-building mystery as we discover what happened to Annalee Ahlberg (as Lianna calls her repeatedly throughout the novel - something that bothered me. Just call her mom!). The novel certainly has some intrigue, but man, it's a slow buildup, and while I liked Lianna and Paige, I wasn't fully part of their world, and I didn't find myself rushing to read this book; it took me five or so days to finish it, which is a lot for me. Now I read it over the holidays, and I wasn't feeling well (not its fault), but still.
Furthermore, the book details a lot of odd plot threads that never seem to fully connect. I often found myself wondering if it was interesting, or just dragging on. Having Lianna tell the story as she's looking back in time was also an odd storytelling device, as it just allowed for weird, pointless inserts (e.g., ruminating about how she never used condoms).
By the time we get to the ending, it is somewhat surprising, but almost a little frustrating. So much buildup for very little resolution, and then the novel is over. In a way, I feel as if Bohjalian suffered (for me) from his greatness; I've loved so many of his other novels and characters that this one just fell a bit flat. It was interesting premise, and not a bad read, but certainly not my favorite of his.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 1/10/2017.
This story is almost a treatise in the facts of sleepwalking, or parasomnia. It is told from Lianna's point of view, but interspersed with odd snippets from a journal (or something, we aren't sure) with facts, thoughts, and ruminations about sleepwalking. It's also a very (very) slow-building mystery as we discover what happened to Annalee Ahlberg (as Lianna calls her repeatedly throughout the novel - something that bothered me. Just call her mom!). The novel certainly has some intrigue, but man, it's a slow buildup, and while I liked Lianna and Paige, I wasn't fully part of their world, and I didn't find myself rushing to read this book; it took me five or so days to finish it, which is a lot for me. Now I read it over the holidays, and I wasn't feeling well (not its fault), but still.
Furthermore, the book details a lot of odd plot threads that never seem to fully connect. I often found myself wondering if it was interesting, or just dragging on. Having Lianna tell the story as she's looking back in time was also an odd storytelling device, as it just allowed for weird, pointless inserts (e.g., ruminating about how she never used condoms).
By the time we get to the ending, it is somewhat surprising, but almost a little frustrating. So much buildup for very little resolution, and then the novel is over. In a way, I feel as if Bohjalian suffered (for me) from his greatness; I've loved so many of his other novels and characters that this one just fell a bit flat. It was interesting premise, and not a bad read, but certainly not my favorite of his.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 1/10/2017.
Midge (525 KP) rated The Twelve Dice of Christmas in Books
Dec 10, 2018
I adore a new book, and if it’s part of a series, that's great, as it means more books for me to read!
Welcome to Serenity Cove, a peaceful Southern community where the residents like to play dice, and when there is a dark mystery, play detective.
With Christmas fast approaching, Kate McCall and her retired friends get into the holiday spirit by agreeing to help the elderly Eula Mae Snow decorate her home, even when it means sorting through many of the older woman’s belongings. Intent on doing a good deed and uncovering a bright collection of seasonal decorations, Kate is stopped dead in her tracks when instead she discovers the skeleton of a man showing clear signs of foul play.
Many in Serenity Cove thought that Waylon Snow had run off and left town and his wife, Eula Mae, more than two decades earlier. But with the appearance of his skeleton and a whole host of clues pointing to Eula Mae as the murderer, Kate will have to put her sleuthing skills to work to figure out who could have committed the evil deed.
Kate and her retired friends, known as The Bunco Babes, are feeling festive and they are planning a cookie exchange and ugly sweater contest for their last dice game session of the season. As they plan their holidays, they decide to help their friend decorate her house for the annual charity Christmas Home Tour. The Bunco Babes get cracking, and in the process of hunting for the Christmas decorations, Kate discovers the skeleton in the root cellar. Kate now has a twenty-five-year-old mystery to contend with. Can she solve it?
This is my first novel by Gail Oust and I really enjoyed it. I love that it is an old mystery set in Christmastime. Although this is the fourth book in a mystery series, you do not need to have read the previous books in sequence to be able to follow the story properly.
I found many of the characters very funny and easy to relate to, particularly Kate herself, but also Eula Mae's granddaughter, Tammy Lynn and Bill Lewis, Kate's "significant other". Many of the other characters in the book were extremely amusing and unusual. Kate and the Town Sheriff, Sheriff Wiggins have history, Although he is not in Kate's fan club, can she use her powers of persuasion on him to allow the Bunco Babes into the house in time for it to be decorated for the Christmas Home Tour?
You’ll treasure this sweet Christmas mystery, as I did!
Thanks to Netgalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for a copy of this book.
Welcome to Serenity Cove, a peaceful Southern community where the residents like to play dice, and when there is a dark mystery, play detective.
With Christmas fast approaching, Kate McCall and her retired friends get into the holiday spirit by agreeing to help the elderly Eula Mae Snow decorate her home, even when it means sorting through many of the older woman’s belongings. Intent on doing a good deed and uncovering a bright collection of seasonal decorations, Kate is stopped dead in her tracks when instead she discovers the skeleton of a man showing clear signs of foul play.
Many in Serenity Cove thought that Waylon Snow had run off and left town and his wife, Eula Mae, more than two decades earlier. But with the appearance of his skeleton and a whole host of clues pointing to Eula Mae as the murderer, Kate will have to put her sleuthing skills to work to figure out who could have committed the evil deed.
Kate and her retired friends, known as The Bunco Babes, are feeling festive and they are planning a cookie exchange and ugly sweater contest for their last dice game session of the season. As they plan their holidays, they decide to help their friend decorate her house for the annual charity Christmas Home Tour. The Bunco Babes get cracking, and in the process of hunting for the Christmas decorations, Kate discovers the skeleton in the root cellar. Kate now has a twenty-five-year-old mystery to contend with. Can she solve it?
This is my first novel by Gail Oust and I really enjoyed it. I love that it is an old mystery set in Christmastime. Although this is the fourth book in a mystery series, you do not need to have read the previous books in sequence to be able to follow the story properly.
I found many of the characters very funny and easy to relate to, particularly Kate herself, but also Eula Mae's granddaughter, Tammy Lynn and Bill Lewis, Kate's "significant other". Many of the other characters in the book were extremely amusing and unusual. Kate and the Town Sheriff, Sheriff Wiggins have history, Although he is not in Kate's fan club, can she use her powers of persuasion on him to allow the Bunco Babes into the house in time for it to be decorated for the Christmas Home Tour?
You’ll treasure this sweet Christmas mystery, as I did!
Thanks to Netgalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for a copy of this book.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Storm Watcher in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Is it possible for a book to be both too fast and too slow? This is what the story feels like in Maria V. Snyder’s contemporary children’s book <i>Storm Watcher</i>. It is the summer holidays and twelve year old Luke is working at the <i>Storm Watcher Kennel</i>, helping to take care of and train the many dogs living there. For his thirteenth birthday his father has promised him a bloodhound puppy, but what Luke really wants is a fluffy white Papillon – a dog that his father and brothers believe is useless and girly.
An important aspect of the story is Luke’s debilitating fear of storms. Although he has always been frightened of thunder and lightening, his mother’s recent death during a storm has greatly heightened his fears. Despite this phobia, Luke has enough knowledge and interest to act as an amateur meteorologist.
It takes a long time to get into the storyline. To begin with there is so much going on – dog breeding and training, starting to work with Willajean and her daughter Megan, feelings of guilt about mother’s death, fear of storms – making it difficult to determine which parts are essential to the plot, and more importantly, figure out the plot in the first place. Three months rapidly fly by, which in a short novel does not leave much room for an exciting climax, yet nothing major occurs.
Perhaps only the adult reader will detect the dullness <i>Storm Watcher</i> exudes, whereas when seen through a child’s eyes the story may be more exciting. Snyder has included a few interesting concepts such as over coming fear, dealing with grief and standing up for yourself. All these ideas are important for young people to understand and utilize in their own lives. The topic of meteorology, on the other hand, is not something children<i> need</i> to know, however it may interest them and provide the opportunity to learn something new. The author used to be a meteorologist before she turned to the world of literature, therefore has been able to provide a vast amount of knowledge about storms and weather, including a lengthy list of facts at the back of the book.
Maria V. Snyder’s young adult novels are well known throughout online communities, therefore <i>Storm Watcher</i>, although written for a younger target audience, had a standard to live up to. Unfortunately the result was disappointing, slow and a struggle to read. The book contains interesting ideas; however these could be expanded on to create a more engaging, full-length novel.
Is it possible for a book to be both too fast and too slow? This is what the story feels like in Maria V. Snyder’s contemporary children’s book <i>Storm Watcher</i>. It is the summer holidays and twelve year old Luke is working at the <i>Storm Watcher Kennel</i>, helping to take care of and train the many dogs living there. For his thirteenth birthday his father has promised him a bloodhound puppy, but what Luke really wants is a fluffy white Papillon – a dog that his father and brothers believe is useless and girly.
An important aspect of the story is Luke’s debilitating fear of storms. Although he has always been frightened of thunder and lightening, his mother’s recent death during a storm has greatly heightened his fears. Despite this phobia, Luke has enough knowledge and interest to act as an amateur meteorologist.
It takes a long time to get into the storyline. To begin with there is so much going on – dog breeding and training, starting to work with Willajean and her daughter Megan, feelings of guilt about mother’s death, fear of storms – making it difficult to determine which parts are essential to the plot, and more importantly, figure out the plot in the first place. Three months rapidly fly by, which in a short novel does not leave much room for an exciting climax, yet nothing major occurs.
Perhaps only the adult reader will detect the dullness <i>Storm Watcher</i> exudes, whereas when seen through a child’s eyes the story may be more exciting. Snyder has included a few interesting concepts such as over coming fear, dealing with grief and standing up for yourself. All these ideas are important for young people to understand and utilize in their own lives. The topic of meteorology, on the other hand, is not something children<i> need</i> to know, however it may interest them and provide the opportunity to learn something new. The author used to be a meteorologist before she turned to the world of literature, therefore has been able to provide a vast amount of knowledge about storms and weather, including a lengthy list of facts at the back of the book.
Maria V. Snyder’s young adult novels are well known throughout online communities, therefore <i>Storm Watcher</i>, although written for a younger target audience, had a standard to live up to. Unfortunately the result was disappointing, slow and a struggle to read. The book contains interesting ideas; however these could be expanded on to create a more engaging, full-length novel.