Review: UNCOMMON TYPE, by Tom Hanks

UNCOMMON TYPE, by Tom Hanks
Audio Book
Penguin Random House Audio - 2017
Narrated by Tom Hanks

My rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐

A good, but not particularly memorable writing debut.

I really wanted to love this book.  And I mean really LOVE it. After all, it's TOM HANKS! Who doesn't love Tom Hanks?

I will always love Tom Hanks the actor, but Tom Hanks the writer does not elicit quite the same response. Tom Hanks the writer is like the friendly person you acknowledge with a smile as you go about your day, not like Tom Hanks the actor - who is like the person you stop to hug and make time to catch up with.

At about 10 hrs for the audio version, it is fairly lengthy - especially for short stories. Of the stories in this collection, the best and most memorable in my opinion were:
     - CHRISTMAS EVE 1953 - an emotional tale of  a veteran on what is both Christmas Eve and the anniversary of the injury that sent him home from the war.
     - OUR TOWN TODAY WITH HANK FISET - AN ELEPHANT IN THE PRESS ROOM -  a nostalgic look back at how our news was delivered prior to computers and smart phones.
     - WELCOME TO MARS - A sweet and touching story about a father and son.
     - THESE ARE THE MEDITATIONS OF MY HEART - A woman buys a typewriter

Typewriters appear throughout the book and tie it all together, and some of the characters make multiple appearances.

Tom Hanks does a good job of reading it, his acting talent makes him a wonderful narrator.

I didn't end up loving it like I had hoped. For me it was good but not memorable.

Happy Reading
Christine




     

Review: FIERCE KINGDOM, by Gin Phillips

 Review: FIERCE KINGDOM, by Gin Phillips

Audio book
Penguin Audio, 2017
Narrated by Cassandra Phillips

My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐½

A Good book, but ultimately not one I will remember as one of my great reads. 

The story follows Joan and her son Lincoln who are on an outing to the zoo.  As the zoo is closing and Joan is walking to the gate to exit, she finds herself in an active shooter situation.  She flees back into the zoo with her young son.

The remainder of the story is a detailed account of the next three hours as she tries to hide with her young son and keep both him and herself safe. 

The parts of the book that didn't not work well for me, was first, I had difficulty really connecting with the characters for much of the first half of the book. I think I would have done better with the book if the real tension was "moved up" in the story line a little. I also found the ending a little too loose for my liking. I don't need to have my hand held and led down the path so to speak, but even at that, it really did not leave me feeling as though all the issues I wanted resolved were alluded to sufficiently to provide closure to all the loose ends.

Of the better points of this book, is the reality of trying to keep a very young child quiet and calm in any situation, let alone one as stressful as the one created in this story.  Also, Gin did not shy away from having her character Joan face some very difficult moral decisions.  We all would like to imagine ourselves as heroes, but if it came down to the line, how would we really react?  I could explore this more, but without posting spoilers, I will have to leave it at that. 

The narrator was good, but I would suggest that if you were planning on getting into this book, that you do so in either digital or print format simply because much of the dialogue is from a very young child, and is in my opinion something I would rather have as my internal soundtrack, rather than listening to any adult imitating a four year old for that much dialogue.  This is not a jab at the narrator, or the author, just an observation based on my own preferences in relation to this particular story.

Happy reading
Christine

Happy Anniversary to J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter

Happy Anniversary to J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter!

 

On this day, June 26, 1997, HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE, by J.K. Rowling was first published!  The first book in the series, these books have gone on to be best sellers and favorites of readers both young and old.

If you haven't heard of these books, you must be a muggle living under a rock. 

 

Hope you read something magical, 

Christine

Happy Book Birthday WHAT BLOOMS FROM DUST, by James Markert

Happy Book Birthday WHAT BLOOMS FROM DUST, by James Markert!

This book is now available for purchase! Find my review Here.


Happy Reading, 
Christine

Sunday Summary June 17 to 23, 2018

Sunday Summary - June 17 to 23, 2018

Welcome to my Sunday Summary.  A look back on my bookish adventures for the past week.

If one were inclined to use the thermometer as a gauge, I would have to say that summer has arrived in our area.

My husband and our neighbor are replacing the fence that separates our properties.  They were running to the hardware store to pick up a few things and i was asked to keep an eye on the tools and lumber.  You know how it is in the city...things sprout legs and walk away - even if like us, you live in a decent area, somehow things can still walk.  So I sat on the deck with some iced tea and my tablet to read.  I was suddenly reminded about the greatest drawback to reading on the tablet - THE GLARE.  i used to have a Kindle (the old 3G connected model) and glare was never a problem, but a tablet can do several file types, and is just generally more multi-functional.  I don't have to set up the laptop to do some quick banking or send a short email.  In fact, thanks to a bluetooth keyboard, I pretty much do everything from my tablet. I even do my blogging from my tablet and the keyboard is so slim and compact, it tucks away very easily when not in use. I might have to try an anti-glare screen protector for the summer months.  If I do that, I will let you know how well it works or doesn't as the case may be.


Books Reviewed:

A HOME FOR UNWANTED GIRLS, by Joanna Goodman
Click here for review

ONE LITTLE LIE, by Sam Carrington
Click herre for review

Ramblings:

The Last Page Turned Book Blog wished author Dan Brown a Happy Birthday!
Click here to see the post

Why I Should not be unsupervised in a bookstore.
Click here for post


Advance Reading Copy (ARC) Books Previously Reviewed and Released this Week:

BRING ME BACK, by B.A. Paris was released on the 19th.  You can find my review Here

Currently Reading and Notable Titles on Deck:

I am currently reading SON OF A TRICKSTER, by Eden Robinson, and in a bit of a leap of faith, I already have an advance reading copy of TRICKSTER DRIFT in the wings, among others. I also picked up some print editions from the bookstore, as mentioned in a recent post/photo, and a couple of others might have fallen into my cart while at Walmart today!

One more week of school.  I am adding new books to my son's collection in an effort to keep reading a little exciting for him over the summer.  Hope the sun is shining on you wherever you are!

Happy Reading,
Christine

Review: ONE LITTLE LIE, by Sam Carrington

ONE LITTLE LIE, by Sam Carrington

Avon Books

Available July 23, 2018

This digital Advance Reading Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Rating (out of 5) 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

A suspenseful tale of motherhood and guilt.

Deborah and Alice's lives are intertwined by the common threads of motherhood, violence, and guilt.  Deborah's son was murdered.  Alice's son murdered him.

Drowning in grief, Deborah feels guilty for not being there to protect her son. She is struggling, and failing, to continue her life. She is doing poorly at work, and her marriage is strained.

Alice feels guilty for what her son has become, but is fiercely protective of him nonetheless. In an effort to redeem herself for her son's wrongdoings, Alice has started a support group for parents whose children are deeply troubled. But does she have other motives as well?

Alice feels that she has lost her son too, and that she and Deborah could share their grief. Deborah is naturally aghast when Alice comes to her suggesting that she is suffering the loss of her son as well.  After all, she can still see her son, and talk to her son - things Deborah is denied.

When Alice is found bloody and beaten, it is discovered that things are not always as they seem. Alice has told one little lie...

Connie Summers is a psychologist who is working at the prison, and is able to break through Kyle's 4 year wall of silence.  But once he starts talking, Connie realizes that the danger may extend beyond the prison walls.

I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the mothers in this story.  In their own way, each is struggling with guilt and loss, despite being on opposite sides of the same issue.  In the end, the maternal guilt threatens to destroy the mothers regardless of whether the guilt stemmed from not being able to protect their child from violence, or not being able to prevent their child from becoming violent. 

There is a lot going on in this story, and a lot of different players, but the story is written well, and is easy enough to follow.

Happy Reading, 

Christine

R

Ramblings: Why I should not be unsupervised in a bookstore

All I needed were gift cards...

There is so much joy and happiness and generally wonderful things associated with the end of the school year.  We happily dance into the months of July and August, feeling particularly free and unencumbered by heavy sweaters, jackets and other weighty pieces of attire.  The grown-ups are happily enjoying icy beverages on decks and patios, while the barbecues churn out platter after platter of mouth watering food.  Kids pull Popsicles and ice-pops away from their mouths just long enough to put forth pleas for trips to the local splash pad/wading pool, parks, and the zoo (which is planned for first thing in the morning before the heat and humidity make the animals lethargic, or worse yet retreat into their shelters). Ahhhh summer; is there anytime more glorious and soul freeing?

Like almost everything in life, there is a flip-side to all this sun drenched gloriousness - the significant increase in expenses. Out of town family and friends, the day trips, the zoo outings, weddings, etc. and of course, the  spike in childcare costs.  In our case daycare fees during school break double the rate we normally pay.   Well worth it, and happy to pay it because it means I was lucky enough to have the beautiful son who brightens even the darkest, coldest winter days. But Still, a significant expense that combined with the other aforementioned expenses, plus building a new fence (lumber is expensive!) means some serious belt tightening in other areas going into summer.

With the school year wrapping up in the next week, I wanted to get small teacher gifts ready. Of course gift cards make things easy and allow for individuals to pick something they like. 

So I decide to stop for some gift cards on the way home from work. I only have about 10 to 15 minutes "wiggle time" on the way home this day, so a quick nip into the bookstore will work wonderfully....after all how much trouble can I get into in less than 15 minutes?

Well, I did get the two gift cards...and two books for my son, and two books for me, and one book that I liked so much I bought it just for the purpose of sharing with someone else.

If I can stray that much in 10 to 15 minutes at a time when I should be particularly budget conscious, it is probably best not to leave me unsupervised in a book store for too much longer than that

At least I pretty well have enough titles on deck to get me through most of the summer. And my step-daughters are coming to visit in August and they usually ask me to take them to the bookstore since their dad is not much of a reader and he would get bored and impatient, and usher them out too quickly. 

Happy Summer Reading!
Christine

Happy Birthday to Author Dan Brown!

Birth-date of Author Dan Brown

Dan Brown was born on this day, June 22, 1964.  He is famous for thrillers ANGELS AND DEMONS (2000), THE DaVINCI CODE (2003), THE LOST SYMBOL (2009), INFERNO (2013) AND ORIGIN (2017). All great books in my humble opinion!  The DaVINCI code is one of the top selling fiction books of all time (with ranking differing somewhat depending on what list you are looking at). Translated into over 55 languages, it is hard to find anyone who does not at least know of it!

The first three of these books were made into movies starring the wonderful and talented actor Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon the ambigram loving professor. 

On a side note, Brown bestowed his own birthday upon the character Robert Langdon.


So Happy Birthday Dan Brown (and Robert Langdon)!


Happy Reading, 
Christine

THE HOME FOR UNWANTED GIRLS, by Joanna Goodman

THE HOME FOR UNWANTED GIRLS, by Joanna Goodman

HarperAudio 2018
Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld

My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Can-Lit at its absolute finest!

One of the most profoundly moving novels I have read or listened to this year ever! 

This story begins in 1950's Quebec, where people are divided between the French speaking and English speaking.  Fifteen year old Maggie Hughes Father is English, but her Mother is French.  The language tension even permeates their home. Maggie's Father makes it clear that he would never approve of a Frenchman for her, and especially not the poor French boy next door.  But Maggie is headstrong and not one to go along without question, and she dates the handsome neighbor Gabriel anyways. 

When Maggie's Parents discover she is dating him they pack her off to live with relatives, forcing her and Gabriel apart. Not long after arriving at her relatives farm, it is discovered that Maggie is pregnant. Being the 1950's, and her being a young, unwed mother, she was forced to give up the child to avoid scandal.

At this point the story splits into alternating narrations about Maggie, and Elodie the daughter Maggie was forced to give up.  

Elodie grows up in the cruel and underfunded orphanage system, until a change in funding legislation results in things getting worse, as almost all orphanages are converted to mental hospitals, and all orphans within being labeled as mental patients. Elodie knows she does not belong in a mental hospital, but there is nothing she can do. But she dreams of someday finding her Mother or other relatives.

Maggie never forgets the baby she was forced to give up.  Ultimately she marries, but the hole in her life that is Elodie's absence is ever present.  One day she meets Gabriel again, and realizes that she still has feelings for him. At this point Maggie decides that she is not willing to live by other peoples rules anymore, and she is determined to take her life back and fight the system that seems designed to punish the mothers and the children they gave up.

The most heart-wrenching aspect of this story, is that it was based on real events.  The cruelty of the orphanages and the conversion to mental hospitals is real history.  How many perfectly healthy children were abused in these places?  How many were never able to get over the emotional damage and/or the stigma associated with mental illness at the time? As much as this story is heartbreaking though, in the end it is also a story of human resilience and the human spirit, and the oh-so-often unbreakable bond between mother and child.

 

The narration of this story was excellent and did this deeply moving book justice. Saskia Maarleveld was able to seamlessly move from non-accented English, to French, to French-accented English seemingly effortlessly.  

 

If you are looking for a Can-Lit title to get into for the upcoming Canada Day long weekend, I strongly recommend this one!

Happy Reading eh!
Christine

Happy Book Birthday - BRING ME BACK, by B. A. Paris

BRING ME BACK, by B. A. Paris - Now Available!

 

A great twisty read! Her best book yet in my opinion!  You can read my original review Here
-Christine

Sunday Summary - June 10 - 16, 2018

Sunday Summary - June 10 - 16, 2018

Welcome to my Sunday Summary.  A look back on my bookish adventures for the week.

School wraps up in two weeks here.  I Will be left with the challenge of keeping my six-year-old engaged in reading over the summer break.  I hope someday he sees it as a pleasure, but for now, it is still a little hard for him. And in typical six year old fashion, if it is hard, he would rather not.  Wish me luck! Armed with a library card, I will persevere!

So on to the summary of this past week here on The Last Page Turned Book Blog!


Books Reviewed:

THE SUBSTITUTE, by Nicole Lundrigan
Click here for the Review of THE SUBSTITUTE


PIECES OF HER, by Karin Slaughter
Click here for Review of PIECES OF HER


SOMETHING IN THE WATER, by Catherine Steadman
Click here for Review of SOMETHING IN THE WATER

Ramblings and Miscellany:

I had not posted any general ramblings or calendar events this past week, but today is Father's Day! I would certainly be remiss if I were to let that go unmentioned.  To all the wonderful fathers out there, doing their best - sometimes under difficult circumstances, I salute you and wish you the best!
It goes without saying that this extends to Grandfathers, Step-fathers, those special uncles who get involved and step up, and even the single mothers who are trying to fill both parental roles.  I hope you all enjoy this special day!


Advance Reading Copy (ARC) Books Previously Reviewed and Released this Week: 

WE ARE WHERE THE NIGHTMARES GO AND OTHER STORIES was available on June 12, 2018.
Click for Review

Currently Reading and Notable Titles on Deck:

Currently Reading ONE LITTLE LIE, by Sam Carrington

I am currently torn as to which audio book to start next....I guess I will have to "flip a coin" later today to make sure I have one available for my morning commute.

As always i have an ever-changing TBR list of ARCs on deck including GIRLS NIGHT OUT, by Liz Fenton and Lisa Stienke.

I  hope everyone is enjoying this Father's day weekend.

Wishing you good things to read,
Christine






General thoughts and closing...Christine

Review: SOMETHING IN THE WATER, by Catherine Steadman

SOMETHING IN THE WATER, by Catherine Steadman 

Audio Book
Random House Audio - 2018
Narrated by Catherine Steadman

My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wow! This story grabs you in the first few minutes and it holds you hostage on the very edge of your seat until the end.

Erin and Mark are a young couple on the verge of their wedding. She a recent film school grad beginning to film her first documentary, and he an investment banker.  When things go bad for Mark at work, they decide to go forward with their extravagant honeymoon anyways.

On the lush tropical paradise of Bora Bora, they soak in the sun and sea.  While out on a private diving expedition, make a shocking discovery in the water.  Something that can change their lives in the most profound way - good or bad. Every decision they make from the time they find it on, leads them along a track, much like a runaway train - fast and dangerous.

I hung on every word, and found extra errands to do, just to give me a little more listening time!

As well as writing this brilliant thriller, Catherine Steadman performed it flawlessly. Not all authors have the acting abilities to do a very good job narrating books, but Steadman certainly does.

This is one of those books people will be taking on their summer adventures.. Sure to be seen at beaches, planes, parks, and patios.

Happy Reading,
Christine

Review: PIECES OF HER - by Karin Slaughter

PIECES OF HER - by Karin Slaughter

William Morrow - Available August 21
This e-copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

My Review (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Karin Slaughter does not disappoint!

So you think you know your mother? 

Andrea "Andy" Cooper, thought she knew everything there was to know about her mother Laura - a mild mannered speech pathologist and cancer survivor, living in a small seaside town. 

One day while on  a lunch outing with her mother, a random act of violence and chaos shakes Andy's world, and leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew about her mother.  How did her mother remain so cool and calm in such terrible circumstances? Why is her mother so suddenly cold and withdrawn from Andy?  Suddenly Andy is on a cross-country road trip - but is she looking for answers, or running from danger?

This book will have you holding your breath on the edge of your seat.  It is difficult to talk about this story very much without spoilers, but it is an exciting and enjoyable book for those that love a good thriller!

Happy Reading,
Christine

Review: THE SUBSTITUTE - by Nicole Lundrigan

THE SUBSTITUTE - by Nicole Lundrigan (Audio Book)

House of Anansi Press - 2017
Narrated by Janet Porter

My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐

A bone-chilling thriller of a story!

The story follows Warren Botts, who is a Ph.D, but taking a hiatus from his regular job to teach science in a middle school.  Warren could at best be described as "awkward". One of his students - Amanda, has been going to his house, despite his requests that she stop.   One day, Amanda is found hanging from the tree outside of Warren's home. Naturally, Warren is the prime suspect.  Soon after, he is suspended from his teaching job, and the whole town is convinced of his guilt. 

Alternating with Warren's story, is the narration of an unidentified person who is clearly a very smart, but profoundly disturbed individual. Slowly, the two stories are woven together, finally converging to the shocking truth at the end of the book. 

The addition of such a severely disturbed, but unnamed character in a parallel narration adds a very eerie, sinister element to this book.  It is indescribably chilling.

Janet Porter does a very good job in narrating this book. Her performance of the extremely awkward Warren was on-point, and helped draw the listener into the story.

Happy Reading, 
Christine

 

Happy Book Birthday - WE ARE WHERE THE NIGHTMARES GO AND OTHER STORIES, by C. Robert Cargill

This book available now!

 

Click here for my review.

Sunday Summary -- June 3 to 9, 2018

Sunday Summary - June 3-9, 2018

Welcome to my Sunday Summary.  A look back on my bookish adventures for the week.

Is it just me, or is spring one of the busiest times of the year?  Yard work, school year wind-up, shopping for shorts and bathing suit - because my son is growing so fast, overlapping soccer and swimming - all seem to take a heavy toll on my "free" time. Even my husband has been needing more of my time to help him shop for dress clothes as he prepares to travel and attend his eldest daughter's graduation later this month.  Oh well, enough about that. There may not be much to review this week, but let's do it anyways!

Books Reviewed:

WE ARE WHERE THE NIGHTMARES GO AND OTHER STORIES - by C. Robert Cargill
https://thelastpageturnedbookblog.blogspot.com/2018/06/we-are-where-nightmares-go-and-other.html

THEN SHE WAS GONE, by Lisa Jewell

https://thelastpageturnedbookblog.blogspot.com/2018/06/review-then-she-was-gone-by-lisa-jewell.html

Ramblings and Miscellany:

Calendar event - June 5th Birth date of Richard Scarry

https://thelastpageturnedbookblog.blogspot.com/2018/06/calendar-event-june-5th-birthdate-of.html

Reading Rainbow, all grown up!  

https://thelastpageturnedbookblog.blogspot.com/2018/06/reading-rainbow-all-grown-up.html

Currently Reading and Notable Titles on Deck:

I am currently reading PIECES OF HER, by Karin Slaughter, which is set for release on August 21st. I have another five ARCs in the wings, and as always, more pending!

I am listening to THE SUBSTITUTE, by Nicole Lundrigan

Hoping you find something to read this week that touches or soul and/or makes you smile!

Happy Reading, 
Christine

Review: THEN SHE WAS GONE, by Lisa Jewell

THEN SHE WAS GONE, by Lisa Jewell (Audio Book)

Dreamscape Media LLC - 2018
Narrated by Helen Duff

My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Beautifully layered and expertly woven. Answers start coming fairly early, but there are a lot of pieces to fit together before the story is complete.  

Ellie Mack was fifteen years old when she vanished. While the disappearance affected the whole family, it was especially hard on her Mother - Laurel Mack.

In the years after Ellie went missing, Laurel's struggling marriage ended and her husband Paul left. He goes on to find someone new, and her other children have moved on with their lives as well.

Ten years after Ellie's disappearance, events transpire which finally convince Laurel it is time for her to move on as well. She meets a charismatic man and is soon dating him.  When she meets his daughters though, she is struck by how much the younger one, Poppy, reminds her of Ellie. And now all the emotions and questions she thought were quieted are now consuming her thoughts once again.  What did happen to her daughter?  Laurel is determined to find the answers, but what she learns is far beyond anything she could have imagined.

The author carefully weaves in the answers a little at a time, and keeps you hanging on every word. The depth of family bonds and rebuilding relationships form a beautiful backdrop to this otherwise emotionally charged story. 

Narration is very good.  Duff switches seamlessly between accents, personalities and emotions.  I enjoyed every minute. 

Happy Reading, 
Christine

Reading Rainbow, all grown up!

 So this morning I saw this on my Twitter feed!

June 6, 1983: The Reading Rainbow debuted on PBS. #80s @levarburton Ran 21 seasons & 155 episodes. pic.twitter.com/4SjNwHCkc7

— Old School 80s (@OldSchool80s) June 6, 2018

I will admit (grudgingly) that I am a little old to have watched the show myself, but I still knew about it.  Who didn't?  The best part of this post? I want to remind you (or tell you if you didn't know) that if you loved "Reading Rainbow", or love short stories, or love audio books - you can enjoy LeVar Burton Reads - FOR ADULTS!!!!! No, nothing steamy, simply Mr. Burton reading lovely stories in his amazing voice. With just a tiny amount of music and sound effects....bliss!

You can find  "LeVar Burton Reads" episodes on LeVar Burton Podcasts (Stitcher) or you can find them on Spotify or Apple podcasts as well.

A few of my favorite titles on LeVar Burton Reads episodes:

Ep. 2 "The Lighthouse Keeper" by Daisy Johnson - I loved this lightly fantastical story with  a strong female lead (especially as a story set in a time where women were not expected to be strong), and the beauty of the ocean. 

Ep. 7 "Chivalry" by Neil Gaiman - Well, you had me at "Neil Gaiman"! Filled with references of items and characters from folklore, but set in modern day.  From Neil Gaiman's collection "Smoke and Mirrors".

Ep 11 "The Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu - this one had me ugly crying - in a good way.  A very touching story that I happened to listen to just before mothers day.  A beautiful, magical story you will not soon forget.

I could go on...

If you have never heard Mr. Burton reading, I can only hope you will take a few minutes to listen to one of the podcasts - you are in for a real treat!

"Take a deep breath" and Happy Listening,
Christine

Calendar event - June 5th Birthdate of Richard Scarry

Birthday of Richard Scarry 

Beloved children's author and illustrator Richard Scarry was born on this day - June 5, in 1919.  

Scarry published over 300 books including the popular BUSYTOWN books featuring Huckle the cat. He died in 1994.

WE ARE WHERE THE NIGHTMARES GO AND OTHER STORIES - by C. Robert Cargill

WE ARE WHERE THE NIGHTMARES GO AND OTHER STORIES - by C. Robert Cargill"

HarperCollins - available June 12, 2018
Advance Reading e-Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A collection of dark fantasy and horror short stories - all of them likely to send a shiver down your spine!

I do so like Cargill's writing.  This book starts with a little girl crawling through a door under her bed (what could go wrong?) and ending up in a park of sorts, searching for her way back home. It ends with my favorite part of this book - a novella entitled THE SOUL THIEF'S SON, which is a return to the world of two of Cargill's novels DREAMS AND SHADOWS, and QUEEN OF THE DARK THINGS and the character Colby Stevens. If you like urban fantasy and have not read those two novels, I would highly suggest that you do. (You can read my review of the second novel as an Audio book here:  QUEEN OF THE DARK THINGS AUDIO BOOK REVIEW. If you have not read those books, not to worry, you will certainly still be able to enjoy this novella as a stand alone.

The other stories in this collection are deliciously dark and include tales of prehistoric horror, a building on top of a crack in the world that tries to contain the damned, a paranormal subway encounter, and more. 

Every bit as entertaining as it is dark!

Happy Reading, 
Christine

Sunday Summary - May 27 to June 2, 2018

Sunday Summary - May 27 - June 2, 2018

Oops! Here it is Monday morning, and while I produced my Sunday Summary on time - I forgot to hit the publish button!

So under the heading of "Better late than never" Here is this week's Sunday Summary.  A look back on my bookish adventures for the past week.

Books Reviewed:

The Favorite Sister, by Jessica Knoll (Audio Book):
https://thelastpageturnedbookblog.blogspot.com/2018/05/review-favorite-sister-by-jessica-knoll.html

One Way, by Jeff Lane:
https://thelastpageturnedbookblog.blogspot.com/2018/05/review-one-way-by-jeff-lane.html

The Flight Attendant, by Chris Bohjalian (Audio Book):
https://thelastpageturnedbookblog.blogspot.com/2018/06/review-flight-attendant-by-chris.html

Ramblings and Miscellany:

 

May 28, 1908 - Ian Fleming's Birthday:
https://thelastpageturnedbookblog.blogspot.com/2018/05/may-28th-calendar-eventtrivia-ian.html

Advance Reading Copy (ARC) Books Previously Reviewed and Released this Week: 

GATE 76 - by Andrew Diamond
https://thelastpageturnedbookblog.blogspot.com/2018/03/review-gate-76-by-andrew-diamond.html

Currently Reading and Notable Titles on Deck:

Currently Reading:

We Are Where the Nightmares Go and Other Stories - by, C. Robert Cargill 

Currently Listening to (Audio Book):

Then She Was Gone - by Lisa Jewell 

Notable Titles on Deck:

I still have 4 ARCs currently on deck (including the book "Pieces of Her, by Karin Slaughter (which was bumped for C. Robert Cargill's We are Where the Nightmares Go and Other Stories because it has an earlier release date) and as always. more pending.  

As school and spring sports start to wind up, I hope you are able to find at least a little time to read something good!

Happy Reading,
 Christine

Review: The Flight Attendant - by Chris Bohjalian

The Flight Attendant - by Chris Bohjalian 

Audio Book
Penguin Random House Audio, 2018
Narrated by: Erin Spencer, Grace Experience, Mark Deakins

My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐

A gripping thriller, sprinkled with just a pinch of international intrigue, that you will not want to put down until it is finished.

Cassie is a wreck.  Sure, she has a glamorous career, travelling all over the world, but she quite simply tells too many lies, has too many one night stands and constantly drinks far too much - often to the point of passing out or blacking out.

One day, after a night of partying with a passenger from her flight, Cassie wakes up in a Dubai hotel room, hungover and lying next to the blood soaked body of last night's lover.  Scared, and with no clear memory of what happened that night - only that there was someone else there,  Cassie makes the decision to leave without reporting it. But if she didn't kill him, who did?  Can she convince law enforcement that she is not a murderer; and why did the man's killer let her live?

Narration of this audio book was very good, and made listening a pleasure.

Happy Reading,
Christine