A Bookworm's Book Reviews

The Frozen River – Ariel Lawhon

Title: The Frozen River

Author: Ariel Lawhon

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery

Plot: Martha Ballard is a midwife and healer in rural Maine. It’s shortly after the Revolutionary War and everyone is trying to build a life for themselves. When some neighborhood find a body in the Kennebec River, Martha is called to examine the body. She learns the body is a respected man in town. She declares the man was murdered. When a new male doctor arrives in town and declares the man’s death accidental, Martha takes matters into her own hands. She knows the dead man was one the men accused of raping a friend of hers. So also joins the cause to see the men brought to justice. Can she give enough evidence to see the man brought to justice? Will she be believed, especially when one of the men accused is the judge?

Rating: 4.2 – a different style of murder mystery

Opinion: This was an interesting book. There was an interesting combination of mystery and historical fiction. The author paid a lot of attention to how the new world work at the end of the 1700’s, especially outside the major cities. I liked that the author talked about why so many people got married so quick back in the day. And she addressed the culture at the time and that they shushed certain things. The mystery more revolved around how the murder would be brought to justice. The were also some mystery about what the other man involved in the rape and his motives for other unsavory things. I really hoped there would be more justice for the woman, but the author kept it more true to the times. I liked that the main women were more independent and able to help themselves when they were in trouble. The characters were well written and well rounded. They were also very relatable. Their actions made sense. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves historical fiction and mysteries.

This Dog Will Change Your Life – Elias Weiss Friedman

Title: This Dog Will Change Your Life

Author: Elias Weiss Friedman

Genre: Memoir

Plot: Elias runs a now famous dog photography blog called The Dogist. Throughout the book, he talks about how dogs have changed his life, his friends and family’s lives, and the lives of the people he’s photographed. He talks about dog’s origins and how they became ‘man’s best friend.’ There were some chapters on how we as humans have evolved dogs for specific traits. And how we’ve bred some undesirable traits in dogs and how we’re starting to fix our mistakes. Elias talks about the rescue groups he’s helped over the years. There are lots of rescues and other groups that help street dogs and wounded people. He talks about how he became a photographer and dog photographer. There’s been so many people and dogs who’ve helped him become who he is today. Elias is thankful for everyone who’s helped him. There’s so much good that he’s seen people do for their dogs. Dogs have helped people become better people.

Rating: 4.3 – a human’s tale of how dogs became man’s best friend

Opinion: This was a fun book. I really enjoyed learning more about out the guy behind The Dogist blog. There were so many good stories about how he became who he is today. It made me happy that he’s still so grounded and wants to help so many rescues and dog services. I’m glad he included how people have messed up with some dog breeds but how some breeders are trying to fix the breeds. I like how he talks about the behind the scenes things with rescues and dog service programs. One thing that I didn’t love how scatterbrained this book seemed. There were so many ideas and stories in the chapters that it made it harder for me to follow. I don’t know why but I thought the book would be more about the dogs and a little less about the author. Overall, I did really enjoy the book. I highly recommend this book to all dog lovers.

Alchemy of Secrets – Stephanie Garber

Title: Alchemy of Secrets

Author: Stephanie Garber

Genre: Fantasy

Plot: After Holland St. James took a folklore and mythology class taught by the Professor, she’s convinced that magic is real. When her and her boyfriend track down a man known as the Watch Man, he tells them when they’ll die. Holland and her boyfriend blow it off at first. Until her boyfriend actually dies. Then Holland gets her official time of death. The Watch Man says the only way she’ll live past that time is to find the Alchemical Heart. Then she starts diving deep into the magic behind the old movies. Gabe and Adam appear and offer their help to find the Alchemical Heart. Both say her sister, January, sent them to help keep her alive. Both have their own motives for helping. Then Holland finds clues that could help her find the Heart. Can either of them be trusted? When they both have type of magic, who’s to say? Will Holland be able to follow the clues? Or will time run out?

Rating: 3.5 – a different type of fantasy mystery

Opinion: This was an interesting book. I really liked the idea of this book. But it kind of fell flat for me. I liked the idea of the magic system of the book, but I felt like the rules and usages for the magic was kind of glossed over. There was a vague explanation on how it worked, but not in enough detail for me. I wanted to know more about how the characters used their magic and how they got it. The characters also kind of fell flat for me. I wanted to know more about their backstories. Again, it felt like their backstories were glossed over. It made it hard for me to connect with the characters. For me, the book felt like ‘here’s some info, now on with the story.’ I really wanted to like this story, but couldn’t get into it for these reasons. I wouldn’t have minded a longer story if the world was a little more detailed. It would’ve made the plot clearer if there’d been more descriptions of characters and how the magic system worked. I really did want to like this book, but couldn’t get into it. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants a different style of fantasy mystery.

The Last Train to Key West – Chanel Cleeton

Title: The Last Train to Key West

Author: Chanel Cleeton

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: There are three women in 1935 who are about to meet in the Florida Keys. Helen is a Keys native who longs for a better life. She married young to a man who’s turned abusive. They’re expecting their first child after years of trying and he’s not letting up. He’s been controlling and upset even if he ‘suspects’ that Helen’s done anything ‘unusual.’ Her boss and a restaurant regular are concerned for her and want to help. When they convince her to leave, Helen is on constant lookout for her husband to find her. Elizabeth has fled to the Keys from NYC. She’s also searching for someone there. She’s been flirting with every man along the way. The only man she hasn’t been able to charm has offered to help. But is there a catch? Mirta and her new husband are on their honeymoon in the Keys. He’s been her family’s saving grace after the Cuban rebellion. But it was an arranged marriage and they didn’t meet until the wedding. The more Mirta learns about her new husband, the more she learns that he might be connected to the mob. Over the course of Labor Day weekend in 1935, Elizabeth, Helen, and Mirta meet and help each other. Through extraordinary circumstances, and one of the worst hurricanes in US history, they learn about finding trust, hope, and family. The women learn about starting over and finding a new purpose. Can the women truly escape their past? Or will it catch up to them in the end?

Rating: 4.3 – a story about starting over and finding purpose

Opinion: I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. It was a super sweet story about starting over and finding purpose. It was really nice that all the women found ways to help each other throughout the story. They were all struggling and they found people who helped and supported them. Especially when the times and society was built against women being strong and independent. The ‘new’ men in their lives were actually better for them. They encouraged and supported the women. In return, the women encouraged and supported the men. Which is how relationships should work. The super sappy romance in the book made me happy. The couples that formed were opposites but made it work. They worked well for each other. The history was really interesting. I hadn’t heard about this part of history before. I’m not entirely surprised that the government hid the soldiers away somewhere and gave them less than ideal living conditions. They meant well, but didn’t think it through all the way. The author did a great job researching this part of history and made it feel realistic. The one thing I was a little confused about was how easily Helen left her husband. Though it seemed like she was thinking about it long before the events of the story. Still, she made up her mind fairly easily. Made me a little suspicious at first. Overall, this was a very good book. It’s an easy read, and a great story. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction.

Forget Me Not – Stacy Willingham

Title: Forget Me Not

Author: Stacy Willingham

Genre: Mystery

Plot: Short on income and unsure of what to do next, Claire Campbell decides to return home. Claire hasn’t been home in over twenty years. Home reminds her too much of what happened to her sister, Natalie, when they were kids. Natalie snuck out of the house one night and was never seen again. Police found evidence connecting it to her then boyfriend who was caught and sentenced to life in jail. Now being back home is bringing up all those forgotten memories. Claire takes a summer job at a farm on a nearby island. There she learns that Natalie worked there right before she disappeared. So, Claire decides to look into what could’ve happened to Natalie. There’s an old diary that could connect the farm owners to more than just Natalie’s disappearance. Then there’s the strange knowledge of medical things that the farm owners know. More than the average old school farmer should know. But when Natalie presents the evidence, no one really believes her. They say there’s no real connection to what really happened all those years ago. Can Claire find out what really happened? Is there any real evidence between the diary, farmers odd behavior, and what happened to Natalie? Or is it all in Claire’s head?

Rating: 3.5 – a slow and steady mystery

Opinion: This was an interesting book. It was a different style mystery than what I’m used to. The answers seemed really obvious. I was really hoping there’d be some sort of twist to make the ending more interesting. The ending wasn’t a really big surprise. The characters found new evidence from an old case, did the right thing, and the bad guys got caught. No big drama, no big mystery. Though I will admit that the characters did some smart things and worked their way through the problems rationally, instead of panicking. They realized what was going on and tried to correct their mistakes. It was an interesting read, just not as big of a mystery and suspense as I was expecting. The book kept me reading because I wanted to find out how the bad guys did got away with it. But there was no big drama about what really happened. It kind of made me feel like ‘really? that’s it?’ I expected higher stakes. I didn’t love this book, but I didn’t hate it. It was just meh for me. I’d recommend this book for anyone who wants a quick and easy mystery.

The Story Collector – Evie Woods

Title: The Story Collector

Author: Evie Woods

Genre: Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction

Plot: Sarah is at her wit’s end. Everything in her life is crumbling around her. She takes a spur of the moment trip to Ireland on Christmas. With the hotel she originally booked has some issues, she’s given accommodation in Thornwood, a nearby village. On a midnight panic run, Sarah finds a hollow tree with something inside. It’s a diary dated one hundred years ago. The diary’s author is Anna and it’s her tale of helping an American scholar, Harold, collect stories about Celtic fairies. Anna and Harold talk with locals, Anna translates from Gaelic, about their fairy stories and their interactions with fairies. What happens to Anna and Harold when trouble arises? What will Sarah decide about her future during her stay in Ireland?

Rating: 4.0 – a great story about healing and forgiveness

Opinion: This was a good book. I enjoyed the history. It’s not often you read about the local population of Ireland. There wasn’t a big emphasis on the Irish who spoke Gaelic. Some characters needed an interpreter and that was that. All they wanted to do was tell their story and have it written down. I also enjoyed the emphasis on healing. The characters overcome so much. They’re willing to talk with each other about their past, especially after reading the diary. The characters also help each other heal. They work through it, apart and together. The author did a good job making their journeys realistic in such a short amount of time. I enjoyed this book more than the other book I read by this author. It still had a magical feel without the magic being forced into the book. I connected more with the characters and felt like I absorbed more of this book than the other one. I feel like the dual timelines were better written and divided throughout the book. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

The Book of Lost Hours – Hayley Gelfuso

Title: The Book of Lost Hours

Author: Hayley Gelfuso

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy

Plot: Lisavet is a young Jewish German girl during WW2. One night, soldiers take to the streets, breaking into all the Jewish owned shops. Her father opens a door and pushes Lisavet through. He promises to return. After some time, Lisavet realizes that he’s not coming back. She starts to look around the place her father pushed her into. Lisavet learns she’s in a place outside time, a place full of everyone’s memories. She meets Azrael, a memory of someone who lived long ago, who teaches her about the place. Lisavet starts to protect the memories from others who’re looking to destroy them. She draws the attention of Ernest Dusquesne, a man working with the CIA. They’re slow to trust each other. Ernest teaches Lisavet about the outside world. Lisavet teaches Ernest about protecting memories instead of destroying them. Then one day, Lisavet disappears. In the 60’s, Amelia Dusquesne finds out that her Uncle Ernest has died. Moira, the director of the Time Agency, ropes Amelia into the department’s program. Moira knows more than she lets on about Amelia and the Time Agency. The more Amelia learns, the more she questions who she can trust. But can Moira be trusted? Can she trust anyone? What does Moira really know? What does she really want?

Rating: 4.5 – a different take on time travel

Opinion: This was a really great book. It’s blend of historical fiction, sappy romance, and mystery. I haven’t found a lot of fiction books about the Cold War. The author does a good job talking about how Russia and US viewed the opposition. It was easy to see how things can be manipulated by certain people in charge. The romance was nice was that you knew what the characters did, but you don’t get the details, which is fine by me. It made it less distracting to the rest of the plot. The mystery was good and well paced. The author laid good clues along the way. I was able to pick up on them and figure them out. But it didn’t ruin the book. I wanted to know how the characters solved their problems. Most of the characters have great plot arcs. They learn from their mistakes. It takes time for them to forgive each other. They talk through their problems. The author had great world building, especially since this her first book. I would love a prequel about this world to learn more about the origins of the time travel devices and how they work. It’s been so long since I’ve wanted to explore a world more than what’s in the story. Overall, I really loved this book. I highly recommend it anyone who loves time travel and historical fiction.

The Water Dancer – Ta-Nehisi Coates

Title: The Water Dancer

Author: Ta-Nehisi Coates

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: Hiram, Hi for short, Walker is a young man born into slavery in Virginia. He’s taken as a house slave after he learns his father is the master of the plantation. When he’s learned all he can, Hiram is sent to serve Maynard, his uncle. While driving Maynard’s carriage, something strange happens. The carriage overturns on a bridge, only Hiram survives. No one is sure how it happened, not even Hiram. While in the water, he felt transported somewhere else. This lights a fire in him to escape. He goes to Georgie with Sophia, who works for the Underground Railroad, but is betrayed. Hiram is captured and made to run through the night to survive. He earns his freedom and asked to help with the Underground Railroad. Hiram agrees if he can help Sophia earn her freedom. Slowly, he builds his skills and tries to find a way to earn her freedom. Can Hiram help Sophia? Is Sophia still alive? Where is she? What will it cost Hiram to save her?

Rating: 3.6 – a different side of the Underground Railroad

Opinion: This was an interesting book. For some reason I thought this would have more of a fantasy woven into the book. It has a little bit of fantasy but it makes it felt like it could be possible. I liked learning more about the Underground Railroad. The book went into so much detail about how it worked. The book made it seem like the Underground Railroad seem more like an army. In part, I can see how that would work. Orders must be followed otherwise the whole mission and secrecy of the Railroad could fall apart. For some reason, I always felt like the Railroad was a little more unorganized that I thought it was. It also makes sense that some black people would be asked to back to slave life in order to give others in the Railroad to help others escape. While I did like this book, I felt like it was pretty slow paced. There wasn’t a ton of action. It was more of the finding information for the Underground Railroad and finding family and found family. Overall this was an interesting book, though pretty slow and uneventful. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves pre Civil War American history.

I Contain Multitudes – Ed Young

Title: I Contain Multitudes

Author: Ed Young

Genre: Science

Plot: Ed talks about how important microbes are for everything on Earth. There are many types of microbes help the coral reefs, amphibians, cattle, and even humans. They help form relationships between different animals and their environment. Not all of the relationships are equal. Each microbe does something different. Some help, some hinder. It’s possible to use microbes to help eradicate diseases, help manage chronic conditions, and help defend against harmful diseases. Microbes help everyone’s gut health. They’re great on their own, but in combination, they’re amazing. Microbes work together to work wonders to help us lose weight, maintain health, and help relieve symptoms of chronic diseases. There are so many wonderful things that microbes can do. Find how they can help.

Rating: 4.0 – a interesting crash course in microbiology

Opinion: This was an interesting book. I wouldn’t have picked this book as it’s a nonfiction microbiology book, but I read it for book club. It’s definitely felt like a crash course in microbes and microbiology. While I did love learning about microbes and how important they truly are, it was very science heavy. The author tried hard to make it relatable, and he was very enthusiastic about his subject. He worked really hard to make it understandable, but it’s a deep subject to cover without making the book super thick. At the same time, it felt like reading the same topic with a different theme in every chapter. It got old kind of quick. I am glad that scientists are finding different ways to help the environment, relieve symptoms of chronic diseases, and eradicate horrible diseases around the world. I’m interested to see where this type of science goes into the future. I hope there are more cures for things by using different types of microbes and different combinations of them. Overall, this was a good, but dense, book. I recommend it for any science buff who wants to know more about microbes.

The Cloisters – Katy Hays

Title: The Cloisters

Author: Katy Hays

Genre: Mystery

Plot: Ann Stilwell is a recent renaissance history major graduate from Witworth University in Eastern Washington. She’s struggled to get into a grad school program, so she accepts a summer internship at the Cloisters, in New York City, and a part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There Ann works with fellow assistant Rachel, and their boss, Patrick. They teach Ann about the world of tarot cards and how they were used in renaissance times. Then Ann finds a secret about the tarot cards Patrick’s recently found. She tells Rachel and they start finding out about the secrets the cards offer. They keep the discovery from Patrick, as they want to make their name in the world. But then something happens that changes the course of everyone at the Cloisters. Who can be trusted at the Cloisters? What really happened there? Is anyone safe?

Rating: 3.5 – a more academic take on the history of tarot

Opinion: This was an interesting book. Though it was the most thrilling of mysteries, it was interesting enough to keep me reading. The book seemed a little too straight forward for a mystery for me. I figured it out what happened but kept hoping there would be a plot twist or some clues that would steer me another way. The book focused more on wanting to separate yourself from your past and the ideas of being able to control your fate. While this was an interesting idea, I didn’t love how it played out. While it was an interesting, it wasn’t my favorite book. There wasn’t a ton of action. The book focused more on plotting and scheming, which has never been a favorite plot scheme of mine. Two things I did really like about the book was that the tension between two of the characters was well written. The other thing I like accuracy of how academics treat people from prestigious universities versus not as prestigious universities. I talked with a coworker who has an art history background and she said this part of the book was very accurate. Overall, this was an interesting book, just not the book for me. I’d recommend it for anyone who likes an academic mystery.