Boxonow

Pages: 416 Publisher: Disney Released: June 4, 2019 Received: Finished copy from publisher Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Goodreads Freaky Friday body-swap stories aren't unique, but I do have a soft spot for them. Last year I read and enjoyed Preston Norton's Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe and while that book was a hot mess of every issue and 90s reference plus the kitchen sink, it was also compulsively readable and hilarious (there's a Sermon Showdown. I'm still in love with that). So, when I got this book, I was looking forward to it. It's big, yeah, but it's a super fast read. The over-the-top writing style and a zillion references were toned down here so now the writing was amusing without being eye-rolly. The gender-fluidity and romantic flexibility was a little too kumbaya and unbelievable, but in a book about magical body-swapping, I mostly gave it a shrug and a pass. I guess maybe that's Preston Norton's thing. These books are zany and u...

Pages: 592 Publisher: Harper Collins Released: March 7, 2019 Received: ARC from publisher Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars Goodreads Barbara Erskine is an author on my TBR list, but not one I had read yet. As a first foray, The Ghost Tree is not bad. I didn't love it, but I liked it enough to still want to read more of her books. I'd class this book in the same company as Susanna Kearsley or Mary Stewart's Thornyhold type of books: British, a touch of the supernatural, dreamy, historical, great houses, a slow background romance, and a main character who is likable but not particularly stand out. The Ghost Tree is probably more massive than it needed to be. It clocks in at 592 pages and it's not riveting or detailed enough to really warrant that. It felt like another editing pass through to clean things up would have tightened the story, shortened the pages, and made for a smoother book overall. As it was, the length wasn't much of a problem for me because the chapters a...

Pages:352 Publisher: Berkley Books Released: June 25, 2019 Received: Finished copy and e-galley from publisher Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars Goodreads I wasn't convinced I actually wanted to read this book when I received an invitation to the e-galley and tour. I find this time period interesting, but it's definitely not an era I read in much. So I added it to my e-reader with bland disinterest and opened it with the intention of reading a few sentences to try to hype myself into reading it, eventually. And I was hooked. Ravenously. I couldn't stop reading. I put aside the books I was already in the middle of reading and dove in. There was so much that just clicked with me about this book. The sense of time and place. The fabrics, smells, and tensions were thick in the air. I felt utterly immersed. We see Schiap and Chanel from the periphery and this made them both seem larger than life, known-but-mysterious. It was captivating. Their clothing collections, their political move...

Pages: 351 Publisher: Penguin Released: June 18, 2019 Received: ARC from publisher Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars Goodreads Last year I read and enjoyed Laura Purcell's creeping Gothic horror The Silent Companions and, while I didn't love it, I did enjoy it and I've been looking forward to reading more from this author.   The Poison Thread follows a similar pattern of alternating perspectives, one character telling their story, another character learning the tragic and horrifying events of the past. The narrative device worked very well here, building tension, intrigue, and mystery. I felt for Ruth, the character telling her story as she waits in prison for her murder trial, and while I didn't love Dorothea (she's a little too naive self-righteous do-gooder for me) I was interested in the events of her life (though, I think, she picked the wrong man). Characters and place felt real and drew me into the story. I felt for them. I felt like I was there (early Victorian E...

Pages: 432 Released: 1994 Publisher: Pocket Books Received: Library Rating: 3 out of 5 stars Goodreads Well, it's no Knight in Shining Armor . I had to start with that, because that's what I wanted from this book. I wanted a book that gripped me in that way that makes everything in life come second to reading this book . Like, yeah, yeah, I know eating, sleeping, that's important sure, but reading this book comes first . That's what I wanted. I also wanted a swoony romance and a good historical setting. I wanted a plot that kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next and how the problem/mystery would get solved. That's what I wanted. And, I've learned that it's best to not put so many expectations on books and just accept and enjoy them for what they are. But, that's apparently a lesson I'm still learning. So, what did I get? Disappointed, that's what I got. I picked this up on a total spur of the moment whim, downloaded a copy,...

Pages: 128 Publisher: Putnam Released: November 1, 2012 Received: Library, Own Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Goodreads Well, Dolly Parton isn't who I would normally think I should think of when I'm listing off inspirational people, but she undeniably is who I think about. Funny how that works out. This book is super short and easy to read. I felt like I was sitting with Dolly chatting and she was sharing stories about her life and her thoughts and why she did some of the things she's done. And I drew inspiration from that. Rather than the other way around where people set out to inspire , if that makes any sense?  I liked it this way. It felt genuine. Her good works (and wow are they good!) made me think about what we could do in my school. Her chapter on learning more and what inspired her to believe in that was well told and emotional. Her humility is charming. Her simple message: Dream More, Learn More, Care More, and Be More is easy to understand and remember, and worth str...

Challenge Basics:   Name: Keep the Books Off the Shelf Challenge Hosts: Me! Starts: January 1, 2019 Ends: December 31, 2019 Goal: 15 books Eligible Books: Books you acquire in 2019 Why I'm Interested:   I'm not sure if anyone is actually hosting a challenge like this, but it's a challenge I'm giving myself, again. Last year I read a ton off books I acquired in 2018, and rather than feel bad about neglecting my previously owned books, instead I felt like I was accomplishing something with every new book I acquired and read. And I was! Every year I participate in the Read My Own Books Challenge where I try to read as many books I own as possible. Downside? Those challenges don't count books you acquire during the challenge year, and I think they should! Sure, I know the goal is to read all those books that have been languishing year after year, but what about preventative measures? I think those should be rewarded, too! (I feel like a health insu...