An okay stranded on an island story

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I have read many of Ware's books, the majority of which I have rated a 4. This one was just ok. I didn't care for Lyla mostly because despite being a scientist and very logical and analytical (she refers to herself this way) she often wasn't logical at all. She was totally surprised at various points, whether it was the weather and its impact, the fact that she was looking at a dead body, or her own career (I mean maybe I just don't understand, but the bit about losing her job because her results weren't showing what the original scientist showed...I mean isn't the point to prove or disprove the research when you are given the role she had? Shouldn't the onous have been on the original researcher?)

Anyway, she just didn't come across as logical to me.

While I guess I could see someone reading a brief summary of the premise and then suggesting this was along the lines of "And Then There Were None" I don't think that is a valid comparison. The better comparison would probably be (view spoiler)[Big Little Lies since the woman end up supporting each other via the murder of Conor (hide spoiler)] but even that isn't a great comparison.

This didn't have the thriller vibe to me, nor was it much of a mystery. I still overall love Ware's books, and will read some I have missed of hers, as well as her future books, but this one was just an ok read.

Beverage Pairing: A Mai Tai, for the sunset coloring of the drink, and the island vibe. Perhaps you could also drink a hurricaine due to the storm that takes place.

Scary premise

I love Lucas, Virgil and now Letty. The premise of this book was scary and believable. Especially when you consider what could happen, if this group had been in some of the cities suggested at the start of their plan.

I do tend to skim some action scenes in books, and felt some of those scenes in this book could have been shortened.

Having said that the resolution did seem believable, and I was glad it wasn't totally rosy.

Beverage Pairing: I am not entirely sure why, but I pictured reading this while drinking an iced tea on a front porch. Probably because there were numerous houses and cabins depicted here, many with a front porch.

Started suspensefully and remained suspenseful

That's Not My Name by Megan Lally
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Suspenseful from the start to the finish. Two narrators, both voiced quite well.

Really liked the friendship aspect between Drew, Autumn and Max

Twist I wasn't expecting at the end

Beverage Pairing

This book can be enjoyed with a nice cup of Chamomile tea. You will need something to calm you through the suspense.

Extinction by Douglas Preston
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is pretty much an action story that starts off as a mystery. A young couple is suddenly and violently missing, thus the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and a local sheriff start to investigate.

The resort the couple was visiting features "deextincted" wooly mammoths and other herbivores.

The CBI investigator, Cash, immediatly suspects much is being hidden from her as she attempts to investigate, and while the reader may readily figure things out, the reveal for the characters was exciting and suprising. I do think they were a little slow on the uptake, but it was easy to picture their realization of the horror of what was being done.

Beverage pairing: While you don't truly need caffeine to enjoy this book (the pacing will keep you awake), it is best paired with a nice coffee made from Arabica beans.

A two drink pairing for Out of Bounds and 4 out of 5 stars.

This is the 4th book in a series and there are numerous cases to keep track of. These cases involve a plane bombing, a deadly car accident, a suspected murder, and an older murder that initially brings Karen into all of these cases. I did enjoy reading how some of the various cases tied together.

I really enjoy the character development in this series. The friendships Karen has with colleagues and others. The disdain she has for inept investigators, and how she proves some of them wrong.

She also is dealing with grief which I thought was realistically portrayed. As a result of her grief she has insomnia and walks at night. This leads to a friendship with refugees that results in an unique collaboration. This had shown up in the first Karen Pirie novel I read, which was actually the 7th one written, and prompted me to start the series. so it was really wonderful to see the genesis of that.

Beverage Pairing:

The obvious choice is a gin and tonic, as that is Karen's drink of choice. She routinely tries various gins with a friend who also misses and grieves the loss of Phil. I personally am not a huge gin and tonic fan, but for some reason associate that drink with summer. So I propose you enjoy this novel with my summer drink of choice: A nice, cold Portuguese Vino Verde. Both drinks are refreshing, and in my mind, with all that happens in this novel, hope for the future. The hope that summer sometimes brings us all.

First in Series and First with new blog format

The Defense by Steve Cavanagh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I came across this series as a result of reading "Kill for me Kill for you"

This is an adrenaline pumping book, and is not the type of book I would normally pick up. I didn't particularly believe a couple of the situations and how they were resolved, but I went with it because I so wanted Eddie to prevail.

It is propulsive and could easily be made into a movie. I am putting the 2nd book on hold at the library.

Best Pairing: Enjoy this book while drinking a Guiness Stout I had imagined I would pair most books with one of my 3 favorite drink choices: coffee, wine or tea. Planned on specifying which of those fit the mood best, and getting specific with vintage (examples: Merlot, Arabica, Jasmine) I rarely drink beer, but this book made me think of reading this in a dimly lit and quiet bar (probably on a Kindle due to the lighting) while drinking a Guiness. I pictured the narrator, Eddie, if he had time to (he definetly doesn't in this story) contemplating the best way to get out of the horrible situation he finds himself in, in this setting.

Reconfiguring this blog

I am going to reformat this blog, or create a new one with a different set-up and focus. I have recently simply been copy and pasting my Goodreads reviews, but I want to change things up here a bit. I have attended a few events where winerys and bookstores are partnering up. Each one I have attended has had great aspects. Some are better with their wine tasting portion, others with their books. I am going to try to include in my reviews what each book would be best paired with i.e which wine, tea or coffee would fit the mood of the book. This might mean I create a whole new blog, rather than reformatting this one, and it is just an idea at this point.

Solid start to a series

Crime and Parchment by Daphne Silver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Very nice start to a new cozy series. The setting in MD was believable, and the reason she might stay in that area after helping solve this initial case are plausible. I loved the idea of the cover of the "Book of Kells" somehow ending up in MD, sparking the curiosity of the main character, who deals with rare books at the Library of Congress.

Her name, Juniper, along with the sister's name Azalea were coincidentally very similar to names in another cozy mystery I am reading now, so it did make me question my tendency to read mulptiple books at the same time. Fortunately it didn't cause me too much confusion keeping track of the respective storylines.

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Enjoyable series

Of Books and Bagpipes by Paige Shelton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed book 2 more than book 1. The character development is progressing nicely and this mystery was interesting, and nicely plotted.

This is a series I will continue reading.

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Decent story

Missing White Woman by Kellye Garrett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Decent mystery, and I enjoyed the main character, especially the friendship history with her friend Adora.

While I did suspect who was at fault, I felt the resolution could have been developed a bit better. Not sure if it is a set-up for a sequel?

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Needed an easy read

French Pressed by Cleo Coyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I needed a somewhat easy read after a tough issue non-fiction book, and the 6th in this series was in my TBR pile.

The mystery was good, the red-herrings plausible, and the character development was decent with the supporting characters.

Book 7 is already on hold at the library.

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Depressing but necessary reading

In the Shadow of Liberty: The Invisible History of Immigrant Detention in the United States by Ana Raquel Minian
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An historical look at immigration and various policies that are truly awful, like entry fiction (meaning asylum seekers "had never actually entered the country" and "could be held at detention centers indefinetly without basic constitutional rights").

The history of Guantonomo Bay, first used with Haitian refugees in the first Bush administration, and other issues like for profit prisons being used for asylum seekers are addressed as well.

The crux of the book follows 4 asylum seekers from different eras. This reminded me of Alan Gratz's excellent book, "Refugee" A young adult book that highlights 3 fictional refugees from different eras.

This non-fiction work is intense and depressing. The inability of humans to see other humans as fully human is our worst trait. The use of laws and profits to debase other humans is utterly unfathomable, but is factual.

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Excellent

James by Percival Everett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The language and word play (in a variety of senses) made this book great. I haven't read any of Everett's works before this, but will do so now.



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Possible series?

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I thought the premise was interesting, and since I enjoyed "Knives Out" that comparison drew me to picking up the book.

It isn't anything like "Knives Out" in my opinion, but was a decent mystery. I am not sure how it can become a series, and hope the series doesn't include using Frances' journals again as that became a tiring bit in this book.

Some characters I can see getting developed better if this does become a series.

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Will read him again

A Calamity of Souls by David Baldacci
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Captured that era well, and it was a good courtroom drama. Compelling characters and a strong narrative.

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Powerful

Woman, Life, Freedom by Marjane Satrapi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An excellent and powerful collection of art and writing. Some very brave individuals dealing with extreme situations.

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Great for HS students

HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience by Ayesha Rascoe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A nice collection of essays about attending HBCU's. I have many friends and colleagues who did so, and this collection highlights more than Morehouse, Spellman and Howard.

I pickded up the book because I love listening to Ayesha Rascoe on NPR.

This would be great to hand to HS students contemplating their college choices.

I hadn't heard of a few of the HBCU's that were highlighted here, so that was enlightening.

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Not really a rom-com

How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This started as a 3, but in the end it became a 2 for me. I had a hard time with Helena, the main character. And, didn't fully buy the romance.

I thought this book would deal more with grief due to the tragic nature of her sister's suicide. While on the one hand you can see how it has affected her, and the ending provides some growth on her part, I honestly think the whole arc would have been better without the romance and instead a friendship between the two of them. I say this because the unnecessary sex scenes didn't make it a romance, and neither did their regular interactions. They did have moments of true friendship though, and I think that would have been a more solid novel as it would tie in grief and forgiveness in a much more realistic manner. In my humble view rom-com's need more humor with missed opportunities etc. This had more anger (perhaps the anger was realistic) and it just never therefor met the rom com criteria.

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