Here at Chapter Break, we don’t always write a full review of every book we read. Well, now we decided to do these monthly wrap-up posts with roundups of our reviews this month and mini-reviews to fill in the gaps. Enjoy!
Mini Book Reviews
THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE: The topics addressed in this book are so important, but the book meanders and wanders so much and so slowly that it fails to hold my attention and make a point about them. This is an award winning book that we read for book club. But it falls so flat. I just lost interest in the meandering stories that didn’t go anywhere. I need plot. By the time things started happening, I no longer cared. I still don’t understand why it was book of the year. I gave it 2 stars sorrynotsorry.
Weyward: This was another book club selection for my local club. I really enjoyed this book. Like reading under the covers late into the night. The book is magical realism that follows three women across time and generations. These Weyward women have witchy powers, healing abilities that they were historically sought out for, and just as often persecuted from. The women experience mistreatment at the hands of a man, and ultimately regain their power over them. The story is told in alternating POV to progress the storyline, and the book is both character and plot driven. We cringe at the toxic menfolk portrayed, feel for our heroines with all the tragedy they go through and decisions they make, and cheer them along when they get their revenge.
THE ORNITHOLOGIST’S FIELD GUIDE TO LOVE: My hold at the library came and I gave it a listen. It was alright, very formulaic and got a bit tedious with all the historic “oh dear I can’t be seen without my hat” or “I can’t be unchaperoned with a man” stuff, that eventually ends in frolicking nekked in the woods. But it was cute and happy.
A CONSPIRACY IN BELGRAVIA: My 50th book of the year! That meets my Goodreads goal! And still with 3 months left to go this year. Oh. you are probably here for a review. Like this one a lot. Mysteries abound. Lots of strong female characters. And more of Charlotte breaking societal conventions. Also especially enjoying Olivia’s character growth. She’s writing the Holmes books, as inspired by Charlotte’s tales. Interesting twists on the Holmes’s half brother that will hopefully play out more in the rest of the series. I didn’t really guess the truths here, which is always a nice surprise.
GOOD GIRL, BAD BLOOD: Skip the Netflix series and read these books. Or rather listen to these books. Full cast recording, excellent production, podcast format. All designed to enhance the listening experience. Excellent plotting. Pip’s emotional breakdown was visceral. (And she could probably use a rage room.) Interesting play on good and bad and the grey space in between. I guessed the big reveal, and found that aspect to be a bit predictable. But wasn’t disappointed in how everything played out. Looking forward to the third one in this series.
THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE: This month’s book club book. I liked the second half. But had some struggles while reading. I’m a plot-forward reader. And it took more than half the book to get to the point. This one meanders around various characters and vignettes. And kind of a slog through the first half. But if you stick with it, the book does get better once the action and point of the whole thing reveals itself. My second issue is A LOT of open storylines\characters at the end. I suppose I can infer or build my own endings for all the different characters, but would have preferred more of a wrap up other than the epilogue chapter. I liked most of the characters. The novel is set in the 1930’s, which puts race relationships, especially between the Jewish and African-American neighbors at the forefront of the story. That’s a historical perspective that I haven’t really read or thought about frequently. I’m calling this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
SOMEWHERE BEYOND THE SEA: Lovely. Magical. Squishy. I want to wrap up all the characters in bubble wrap to keep them safe. 12/5. Should be required reading, especially for all the bigoted a$$hats out there in the world. I loved the addition of David, the new kid on the block. Who knew yetis were drama queens\kings. Klune’s magical writing is seriously enhanced by Daniel Henning’s narration. Henning does a fantastic job with the voices of all of the different characters, especially the kids. I probably love Chauncy more due to Henning’s narration than I normally would had I just been reading the novel. Read this series. Spread the word!
MURDER BY OTHER MEANS: Free ✔️Shelf Love ✔️Short ✔️Excellent narration from Zachary Quinto ✔️ John Scalzi always is a great read ✔️I like the premise here – where only 1 in 1000 deaths lead to an actual death. This time around, Tony gets caught up in a bank robbery. Shady characters. Over-eager police. Fun mystery with some darker shades.
FIRE IN THE SKY: Look at me. Reading a physical book. And one that I actually won from Goodreads. What’s even more exciting, this one has flip book pictures on the bottom of the book. Clearly, I’ve been missing out with only reading audio books! This one also has dragons. Double bonus. This one has some uncomfortable scenes, tbh. I don’t want to spoil them for you. The main character, Tamsyn, is the royal whipping girl. Literally taking the punishment for the royal children (hard eye roll there). But I did really like Fell, the main male character. He’s the one protecting the people, with little to no thanks for that. The first 2/3 of the book is back-story and journey. (Julie would probably hate this book.) But once the pivotal scene happens, there’s plenty of action and more interesting plot. Looking forward to the next book to find out what happens. And kind of wishing some of that back-story and plot were told in flashback instead of the front of the interesting bits of the story.
Books we reviewed this month:
- [3 Oct] Oldest Mom On The Playground by Judy Haveson ★★★★
- [8 Oct] The Bookshop Ladies by Faith Hogan ★★★★
- [16 Oct] Santa's Simon by Terri Lilga, Chau Pham ★★★★
- [25 Oct] The Cats' Museum by Viviana Falleti, Victoria Fomina ★★★★★
- [30 Oct] International Bedtime Stories from History: 5-minute Stories of Real-Life Heroes to Ignite Imagination and Foster Dreams (Inspiring Bedtime Stories from History) by Lena H. Evans ★★★★
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