Title: The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
Author: Daniel James Brown
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Why I gave this rating: This was a historical fiction book that I may not have normally picked up for myself, but I gifted it to my dad for Christmas and ended up reading it while on vacation the last week. I don’t read a lot of sports themed books and I definitely don’t usually read sports historical fiction. But, there is something fun reading about a book set in a city you once lived in. Transported me back to Seattle. The only negative I have for this book is that it is a lot of building up to when they go to Germany which is only like the last 3 chapters. Kind of wish they had cut some of the background information out.
People who would like this book: Historical Fiction Fans. Sports Fans.
Favorite Quote: “It is hard to make that boat go as fast as you want to. The enemy, of course, is resistance of the water, as you have to displace the amount of water equal to the weight of men and equipment, but that very water is what supports you and that very enemy is your friend. So is life: the very problems you must overcome also support you and make you stronger in overcoming them.”
Title: The Marriage Portrait
Author: Maggie O’Farrell
My Rating:⭐⭐
Why I gave this rating: This was my second O’Farrell book and I don’t know if she is the author for me. I read her popular book Hamnet a few years ago and didn’t love the time period that it was set in or the language of the book. This one gave me similar vibes. I just don’t like books set in the Shakespearean time as I have no idea what is going on ever. I made it about 60 pages before I couldn’t read any more.
Title: Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA and the Secret History of the Sixties
Author: Tom O’Neill & Dan Piepenbring
My Rating: ⭐⭐
Why I gave this rating: My first mistake with this book was trying to listen to it on Audible. It switched from being incredibly disturbing at some parts to me being incredibly bored in others. Not well matched. I’m not sure if reading this would’ve been better, but there were parts I was zoned out for a good chunk cause I just was not interested in what the narrator was saying. Was a very meh book.
Title: Remarkably Bright Creatures
Author: Shelby Van Pelt
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Why I gave this rating: If I wasn’t reading this for a book club, I would have not finished it. I would most likely have read 50 pages before putting it away and never picking it up again. But since this was for a book club that I’m in, I pushed through to the end. Just not the book for me. I just wasn’t engaged with what was happening and was not impressed with the plot.
Title: His & Hers
Author: Alice Feeney
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Why I gave this rating: I devoured this thriller. It quickly became a book I struggle to put down and had to read just one more chapter. Alice Feeney does such a great job of ending each chapter with a cliffhanger leading up to the ultimate plot twist at the end. I liked this one much more than her latest Rock, Paper, Scissors. I reread the ending probably 5 times just to understand what I was reading was correct. Makes me excited to check out her other works.
People who would like this book: Fans of thrillers. Fans of cliffhangers.
Favorite Quote: “I think when we finally get what we think we want, it loses its value. It’s the secret nobody ever shares, because if they did, we would all stop trying.”
Title: The Things We Cannot Say
Author: Kelly Rimmer
My Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐
Why I gave this rating: I liked this book a lot while I was reading it but it wasn’t as memorable as other historical fiction books that I’ve read if that makes sense. Like I enjoyed it while it was happening but when I went to write this review about it, couldn’t remember anything that really stood out. I do recall it being an engaging historical book set in Russia and Poland during WWII. It has great reviews on Goodreads though, so others definitely enjoyed it.
People who would like this book: WWII historical fiction fans. Stories that go back and fourth with time.
Favorite Quote: “Life has a way of reminding you that you are at the mercy of chance, and that even well-thought-out plans can turn to chaos in an instant.”
Title: Finlay Donovan is Killing It
Author: Elle Cosimano
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Why I gave this rating: This a fun fast-paced, cozy mystery. I flew through it on my flight from Chicago to Salt Lake City. I knew that this book was a series and wasn’t planning on reading the second one after it just because it was a very average book, but then it ended with the biggest cliff-hanger that I immediately bought the next book as soon as the plane landed. This is a mystery that I think most ages would be able to read.
People who would like this book: Looking for a cozy mystery with little to none graphicness. Fast Paced read.
Title: Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations
Author: Mira Jacob
My Rating: ⭐⭐
Why I gave this rating: This book is a graphic novel. I’m not sure if I just missed that completely when I got from the library but was not expecting that when I flipped to the first page. Putting it in another format of books, I am not a fan of (see below for the first). I also felt going from chapter to chapter had no transition. It would be one topic one chapter and then a completely different topic the next chapter. Didn’t feel it flowed well together. Made it about half-way before I just couldn’t read anymore.
Title: Code Name Verity
Author: Elizabeth Wein
My Rating: ⭐⭐
Why I gave this rating: I’ve come to realize that I just very much do not like the letter formats in books. This whole book was the main character writing a letter to a Nazi General with her confession and relaying all the information she had. I struggle with getting that connection I easily get with other books and I lost interest more easily. I almost wish books would give a heads-up about that format cause I most likely would stay away from ones with letters. Wasn’t the historical fiction I was hoping it would be.
Until Next Time, The Library Abroad
The Library Abroad 
Leave a comment