Becky's Book Reviews

Monday, March 04, 2024

30. Everyone On This Train is a Suspect

Everyone On This Train is A Suspect. Benjamin Stevenson. 2023. 335 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence:
Hi <Redacted>,
It's a hard no on the prologue, I'm afraid. I know it's the done thing in crime novels, to hook the reader in and all that, but it just feels a bit cheap here. I know how to do it, of course, the scene you want me to write.

Premise/plot: A handful of mystery writers board a train on their way to the Australian Mystery Writers' Festival. But not everyone who boards the train exits the train....still breathing. Hence, everyone on this train is a suspect.

Ernest Cunningham is the main character "author" who wrote the book Everyone In My Family Killed Someone based on a horrific family reunion. He's working on a second novel, hopefully a book not based on his personal life, but events of the train are proving challenging. If he survives the trip, then a second book has conveniently unfolded right when he needs it. (Though is that a motive for crime???)

Most all of the characters are new in this one--with the exception of his love interest.

My thoughts: I absolutely loved Everyone In My Family Killed Someone. I thought Ernest Cunningham was a delightful narrator. I liked the gimmick of it, the premise of it. In theory, I like the premise of this one as well. In theory. I didn't quite love this one. I'm not sure if I just wasn't in the right mood for it, or, if the first book was just better. I still like the main character, and, sometimes with detective novels, each mystery has a little bit of hit or miss to it. Some you just enjoy more than others all the while loving the detective character at the center of the novel.

29. A Murder in Hollywood

A Murder in Hollywood: The Untold Story of Tinseltown's Most Shocking Crime. Casey Sherman. 2024. 304 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Lana Turner paced the pink carpeted floor with a cigarette gripped tightly between her fingers. She took a deep drag into her lungs and blew out a cloud of smoke toward the ceiling of her spacious bedroom. Her fourteen-year-old daughter, Cheryl, was in her own bedroom, sobbing hysterically.

Premise/plot: Nonfiction with a gossipy twist--that is how I would describe this one. It gives brief biographies of Lana Turner and her immediate family (her parents, her husbands, her daughter) and brief biographies of a series of crime bosses (mob bosses) including Johnny Stompanato. The stories cross paths when Lana Turner entangles herself with Johnny Stompanato. This is a combustive relationship--for sure--leading to murder and scandal. Casey Sherman argues that it was not Lana's fourteen-year-old daughter but Lana herself who killed Johnny.

My thoughts: This book is troubling and disturbing both in content and narrative style. I'll try to explain. This one goes into great detail--graphic detail--of horrific crimes. Many of these crimes are of the SA of a minor child variety. Of course there are plenty of other crimes as well that do not involve children. But still. This is a HEAVY read that is treated perhaps a little lighter than I would personally like. The book's approach--in my personal opinion--is like gossip, gossip, give me all the gossip, spill all the tea, tell me everything. It doesn't necessarily--to me--seem respectful. The content IS shocking and NOT shocking at the same time. Hollywood is presented as an absolute nightmare. The more power and influence, the more guilty you are of horrendous crimes. Nothing glamorous or glitzy--just very horrific crimes going on and kept hush-hush by the powers that be.

This one is definitely more graphic than I like to read.

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

February Reflections

In February, I read thirty-eight books.

Books reviewed at Becky's Book Reviews

14. Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir. Pedro Martin. 2023. 320 pages. [Source: Library] [Nonfiction Graphic Novel; MG Graphic Novel; Newbery Honor]

15. Little House on the Prairie. Laura Ingalls Wilder. 1935. 335 pages. [Source: Bought] [children's classic]

16. Not Quite a Ghost. Anne Ursu. 2024. [January] 288 pages. [Source: Library]

17. The Frozen River. Ariel Lawhon. 2023. [December] 432 pages. [Source: Library] [adult historical fiction]

18. Fighting With Love: The Legacy of John Lewis. Lesa Cline-Ransome. Illustrated by James E. Ransome. 2024. [January] 48 pages. [Source: Library] [nonfiction picture book; picture book biography; civil rights movement]

19. The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn. Sally J. Pla. 2023. [July] 336 pages. [Source: Library] [J Fiction; J Realistic Fiction; MG Fiction, MG Realistic Fiction; dysfunctional families]

20. Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint. (Danny Dunn #1) Jay Williams. Illustrated by Raymond Abrashkin. 1956. 154 pages. [Source: Library]

21. Making It So. Patrick Stewart. 2023. 469 pages. [Source: Library]

22. Mrs. Quinn's Rise To Fame. Olivia Ford. 2024. 384 pages. [Source: Library]

23. All-of-A-Kind-Family. Sydney Taylor. 1951. 192 pages. [Source: Library]

24. Nothing Else But Miracles. Kate Albus. 2023. 288 pages. [Source: Library]

25. Heroes. Alan Gratz. 2024. 272 pages. [Source: Library]

26. Wait! What? The Beatles Couldn't Read Music? Dan Gutman. 2023. 144 pages. [Source: Library]

27. Who is Nathan Chen? (Who Was? Series) Joseph Liu. 2023. 56 pages. [Source: Library]

28. What was the Children's Blizzard of 1888? Steve Korte. 2023. [November] 112 pages. [Source: Library]

Books reviewed at Young Readers

My Dog and I. Luca Tortolini. Illustrated by Felicita Sala. 2023. [November] 48 pages. [Source: Library] [Picture book, Humor, Pets, Animals]

13. [Board book] Teeny Tiny Turkey. Rachel Matson. Illustrated by Joey Chou. 2023. 16 pages. [Source: Library]

14. [Board book] If Mama Sings. Laura Wittner. Illustrated by Maricel R. Clark. 2023. 16 pages. [Source: Library]

15. [Board Book] The Bedtime Book. Katy Hedley. Illustrated by Paola Camma. 2023. [October 17, cybils eligible] 20 pages. [Source: Library]

16. [Board book] Lion, Lion Peekaboo. Grace Habib. 2023. 8 pages. [Source: Library]

17. [Board book] Baby On Board Train With Tabs to Push and Pull. Sebastien Braun. 2023. 8 pages. [Source: Library]

18. [Board book] You're the Apple of My Pie. Rose Rossner. Illustrated by Jill Howarth. 2023. 24 pages. [Source: Library]

19. [Board book] Winter with Hedgehog. Elena Ulyeva. Illustrated by Daria Parkhaeva. 2023. 20 pages. [Source: Library]

20. [Board book] Bundle up, Little Pup. Dori Elys. Illustrated by Elena Comte. 2023. 20 pages. [Source: Library]

21. The Fabulous Fannie Farmer: Kitchen Scientist and America's Cook. Emma Bland Smith. Illustrated by Susan Reagan. 2024. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

22. Board book: Apple vs. Pumpkin. Jeffrey Burton. Illustrated by Lydia Jean. 2023. 22 pages. [Source: Library]

23. Board book: Some Cats. Illustrated by Lydia Nichols. 2023. 12 pages. [Source: Library]

24. Kitty and Cat: Bent Out of Shape. Mirka Hokkanen. 2023. [November] 40 pages. [Source: Library]

Books reviewed at Operation Actually Read Bible

12. Simplify Your Spiritual Life. Donald S. Whitney. 2003. 208 pages. [Source: Library] [Christian nonfiction; theology; Christian living]

13. A Season of Harvest (Leah's Garden #4) Lauraine Snelling. 2024. 336 pages. [Source: Review copy]

14. Just Once. Karen Kingsbury. 2023. 336 pages. [Source: Library]

15. My Jesus: From Heartache to Hope. Anne Wilson. 2022. 196 pages. [Source: Library] [Memoir, Biography, Music Industry]

16. God Is Kind. Jamie Calloway-Hanauer. Illustrations by Patrick Brooks. 2023. 24 pages. [Source: Library] [Board book, children's book]

17. The Watchmaker's Daughter. Larry Loftis. 2023. 384 pages. [Source: Library]

18. If the Boot Fits. Karen Witemeyer. 2024. 368 pages. [Source: Review copy]

19. The Bookends of the Christian Life. Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington. 2009. March 2009. Crossway Publishers. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Bibles reviewed at Operation Actually Read Bible

1. WHOLE BIBLE. New King James Version, Sovereign Collection, Wide Margin. God. (Thomas Nelson Publisher). 2022. 1696 pages. [Source: Bought] [Bible]

2. WHOLE BIBLE. New American Standard Reference Edition. 1973. God. 1899 pages. [Source: Bought]

2024 Reading Totals

Books Read in 2024	74
Pages Read in 2024	16606
January
Books read in January	36
Pages read in January	6875
February
Books read in February	38
Pages read in February	9731

28. What was the Children's Blizzard of 1888?

What was the Children's Blizzard of 1888? Steve Korte. 2023. [November] 112 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: January 12, 1888, started out as an unusually warm and sunny winter day in much of the central and midwestern parts of the United States. This area was known as the Great Plains.

Premise/plot: This nonfiction book for young readers answers the question, What was the Children's Blizzard of 1888. It is part of the WhoHQ series of books. This book focuses--though not narrowly--on an event. It provides different "snapshots" of what happened. There are small stories--vignettes--from many different people chronicling their experiences. This was a big-interest news story back in the day, and these stories were captured in newspapers--many, many from all across the country. There are happier stories and sadder stories.

My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed reading this one. I always have had a big interest in history. This is a good introduction to the Children's Blizzard of 1888. There are plenty of books on this event/subject. (Though many are for adult readers.) Some nonfiction. Some fiction. Many if not most are fascinating and haunting.

IF kids enjoy the I Survived series--which are mostly historical--then I see this one could having great appeal to the same audience.

I mentioned earlier that the focus wasn't narrow. I haven't decided if that's good or bad. This one pulls in a LOT of what might pass as "context" if you are kind or "filler" if you are mean. I have to remember that it is written for young kids and it assumes no previous knowledge of American history. This makes sense when talking about weather forecasts especially. I'm going to guess that most kids haven't wondered HOW weather was forecast/predicted a 140+ years ago. It is so ordinary, so common place, to have MANY ways to get alerts about bad weather. The book could have perhaps gone into more when it comes to early meteorology. But some places felt a little history-dumping of more general knowledge that didn't really directly connect to the story. (Indirectly yes.)

27. Who Is Nathan Chen?

Who is Nathan Chen? (Who Was? Series) Joseph Liu. 2023. 56 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: During the 2022 Winter Olympics, Nathan Chen stood alone in the middle of the ice rink in Beijing (say: BAY-jing), China. His legs were spread apart and his arms were relaxed at his side. He was dressed in black pants and a red shirt covered in stars. The stars were not like those you see on a flag. These were more like stars you see in space.

Premise/plot: Who is Nathan Chen? is a biography for young readers--think elementary aged. It is part of the Who HQ series. Who is Nathan Chen? A figure skater--from the United States--who, for a time, dominated the sport and many competitions. The sport is an ever-constant in its changing. Skaters come. Skaters go. Legacies can be formed, for sure. But there's always "new" and "better." I use quotes because there's SO much room for subjective speculation in the sport. There are a million and one factors involved in judging. One person's "better" is another person's flop. Fans can and do disagree with judges. Fans can and do disagree with other fans. The book is a basic, straightforward biography of an athlete, an Olympian.

My thoughts: I just remember so much RAGE of the 2022 Olympics when it comes to figure skating. Though not particularly the men's competition. (I was bitter/am bitter at the LACK OF DECENT coverage on television. But that's another story not for another day). The writing of this one was serviceable and decent. It works okay. I thought the writing was a little lacking, but it was far from horrible.

Do kids watch figure skating? Maybe. Maybe not. Do kids get assignments like read a biography? Yes. Probably. Are athletes a more interesting choice for such assignments? For some, sure. Are living subjects infinitely more exciting than dead ones? Probably. Maybe. This one will have an audience.