JCLLaurelA's Completed Shelf
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Hide and Don't SeekHide and Don't Seek, BookAnd Other Very Scary Stories
by Rissi, Anica MroseBook - 2021Book, 2021
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Oct 14, 2021
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Oct 11, 2021
Comment:
Every bit as good as the Thursday Murder Club. A worthy sequel can be hard to find, but this book nails it. We learn all sorts of things about Elizabeth's past, and it's marvelous indeed. I thought the ultimate whodunnit was a shade predictable, but I love the characters and the writing so much that I will forgive that.Every bit as good as the Thursday Murder Club. A worthy sequel can be hard to find, but this book nails it. We learn all sorts of things about Elizabeth's past, and it's marvelous indeed. I thought the ultimate whodunnit was a shade predictable, but…
Wait Till Helen ComesWait Till Helen Comes, BookA Ghost Story
by Hahn, Mary DowningBook - 1986Book, 1986
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Sep 24, 2021
Comment:
Heather is a very unlikeable little girl who doesn't like her new family. Her stepmom, stepbrother, and stepsister can't seem to win her over no matter what. When they move into a former church that's been turned into a house, Heather befriends a ghost in the graveyard nearby. Heather's new friend may not have the best of intentions... Another spooky story that I would likely have been terrified of as a kid. As an "adult," (in age only) I thought it was pretty well done.Heather is a very unlikeable little girl who doesn't like her new family. Her stepmom, stepbrother, and stepsister can't seem to win her over no matter what. When they move into a former church that's been turned into a house, Heather befriends a…
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Sep 24, 2021
Comment:
I think this would have been super creepy to me as a kid, but I sure would have read it anyway! I liked how the ending worked out. Some of the adults seemed overly dramatic, but I'm also saying that as an adult. Well, a chronological adult, anyway!
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Sep 22, 2021
Comment:
This was a good ghost story. Helen and Nate find their lives intertwined with that of Hattie Breckenridge. Turns out that this is quite a feat, considering Hattie died in the early 1900s. Helen is determined to learn about Hattie's life and family, while Nate is suddenly obsessed with the pure white doe he has seen in the bog. Helen never sees the doe, and Nate never sees the things Hattie sees, so who is telling the truth? Or is someone's reality altered?
Many twists and turns in this intriguing ghost story, though there were a handful of loose ends that I really wanted to be tied up.This was a good ghost story. Helen and Nate find their lives intertwined with that of Hattie Breckenridge. Turns out that this is quite a feat, considering Hattie died in the early 1900s. Helen is determined to learn about Hattie's life and family,…
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Sep 18, 2021
Comment:
You know how sometimes you'll see a title compared to a different series or author, like "If you liked Harry Potter, you'll love this!" or "Tolkein for a new age!" or something along those lines, and you read it with a hint of excitement but also a hefty dose of apprehension that you'll be let down, because that's happened so often with books that are compared to other books, and often times you DO end up feeling let down? Well, when this book cover blurb promises a Lovecraftian style tale, it 100% delivers. Great characters, wonderfully descriptive writing, a hint of something wrong in the air here, and you've got a great scary story. Maybe don't read it before you take a trip to the ocean, though...
This book was a blast, and I Hope Nicole Willson continues to write horror stories, because I want to read them all!You know how sometimes you'll see a title compared to a different series or author, like "If you liked Harry Potter, you'll love this!" or "Tolkein for a new age!" or something along those lines, and you read it with a hint of excitement but also a…
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Sep 18, 2021
Comment:
Jane Harper's writing is so descriptive, I would find myself wandering lost in the middle of the woods in Australia without ever leaving my chair in Kansas. The characters are also well written, and I think I'll need the next book about Aaron Falk soon!Jane Harper's writing is so descriptive, I would find myself wandering lost in the middle of the woods in Australia without ever leaving my chair in Kansas. The characters are also well written, and I think I'll need the next book about Aaron Falk…
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Sep 14, 2021
Comment:
The initial conflict felt very contrived and therefore hard to believe that it would blow up into what it became. I did struggle to guess who the killer was until just before the big reveal, so that's a good mark in favor of this book. Otherwise, I thought it was actually a bit boring. I didn't feel any real sense of urgency or suspense. Most of the time I was annoyed at how Bryne kept trying to justify [no spoilers]'s actions. Come on, girl, something's fishy.The initial conflict felt very contrived and therefore hard to believe that it would blow up into what it became. I did struggle to guess who the killer was until just before the big reveal, so that's a good mark in favor of this book. Otherwise, I…
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Sep 09, 2021
Comment:
I loved the artwork in this adorable story about a girl who just wants to cook and make "people" happy.
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Sep 07, 2021
Comment:
A solid story about the vicious cycle of lying, the dangers that can come from it, what can happen when people finally decide to take a stand, plus a dash of "talk to people about their life experiences," and a sprinkling of "sometimes people who do bad things can work hard to change." I loved how the book was illustrated; J. K. Rowling held a contest early in the COVID-19 pandemic for kids to submit their art, and the winners were printed in the book!A solid story about the vicious cycle of lying, the dangers that can come from it, what can happen when people finally decide to take a stand, plus a dash of "talk to people about their life experiences," and a sprinkling of "sometimes people who do…
As You WishAs You Wish, BookInconceivable Tales From the Making of The Princess Bride
by Elwes, CaryBook - 2014Book, 2014
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Sep 07, 2021
Comment:
A great book written by Cary Elwes with anecdotes added by other members of the cast and crew of The Princess Bride. A book that was considered impossible to adapt into a movie, which became a movie that the studio had no idea how to promote, which was basically not promoted (no previews in the theater, no spots on TV, poor choices for the few movies posters that WERE made), which somehow becomes one of the most beloved films of all time.
Sounds rather... inconceivable... doesn't it?A great book written by Cary Elwes with anecdotes added by other members of the cast and crew of The Princess Bride. A book that was considered impossible to adapt into a movie, which became a movie that the studio had no idea how to promote, which…
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Aug 30, 2021
Comment:
I'm not really sure what I think of this book. The premise is fascinating: A young man sustains a head injury and the emergency brain surgery to save him fails. Instead, Wesley walks. Nonstop. He doesn't eat, doesn't sleep, doesn't grow or age. The description makes it sound like it ought to be a mix of Stephen King, thriller, and courtroom drama. Instead, I was just a little bored the whole time. I felt like I spent the whole book waiting for an "A HA!!" and instead got an "uhhh... huh?" out of it.I'm not really sure what I think of this book. The premise is fascinating: A young man sustains a head injury and the emergency brain surgery to save him fails. Instead, Wesley walks. Nonstop. He doesn't eat, doesn't sleep, doesn't grow or age. The…
Pop SonnetsPop Sonnets, BookShakespearean Spins on your Favorite Songs
by Didriksen, ErikBook - 2015Book, 2015
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Aug 26, 2021
Comment:
This book is super fun! I would read them out loud and make people guess what song it was. Some were pretty easy ("From Western Philadelphia I hail,"), but a lot were surprisingly difficult if you're not an avid reader of poetry. I think that "All About That Bass" is my favorite sonnet.This book is super fun! I would read them out loud and make people guess what song it was. Some were pretty easy ("From Western Philadelphia I hail,"), but a lot were surprisingly difficult if you're not an avid reader of poetry. I think that "All…
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Aug 24, 2021
Comment:
"This is a story about idiots."
I was about half way through this book when I knew it would be a 5 star. If you've never read a Fredrik Backman book, this is a marvelous introduction. His ability to weave humor through a multitude of very serious topics is unparalleled. The way he writes about relationships (romantic and non) is gorgeous and really makes you think. I will warn readers that this book talks about suicide, so be prepared."This is a story about idiots."
I was about half way through this book when I knew it would be a 5 star. If you've never read a Fredrik Backman book, this is a marvelous introduction. His ability to weave humor through a multitude of very serious…
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Aug 24, 2021
Comment:
This was fun! Good humor, a dash of soul searching, and a side of cannibalism. It was a little more graphic than I anticipated (not only regarding the blood/gore aspect of the zombie life) so just a heads up for whatever your preference may be. I did knock the rating down a little just because I felt like the plot as a whole was somewhat predictable. This book does have the blessing of Sir Terry Pratchett himself, so that probably pulls more weight than my commentary!This was fun! Good humor, a dash of soul searching, and a side of cannibalism. It was a little more graphic than I anticipated (not only regarding the blood/gore aspect of the zombie life) so just a heads up for whatever your preference may be. I…
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Aug 16, 2021
Comment:
This was really good! Aaron Falk returns home for the first time in 20 years for the funeral of his childhood best friend Luke, and most of his family, in a pretty clear double murder-suicide.
Having been basically run out of town 20 years ago after the drowning death of a mutual friend of his and Luke's, Aaron really doesn't want to go back at all. The arrival of a note saying "Luke lied, you lied, be at the funeral," decided him. Who knows what about the day Ellie died? And how clear IS this double murder-suicide, anyway?
Plenty of twists and turns in this book, and I will definitely be checking out more books by Jane Harper!This was really good! Aaron Falk returns home for the first time in 20 years for the funeral of his childhood best friend Luke, and most of his family, in a pretty clear double murder-suicide.
Having been basically run out of town 20 years ago after…
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Aug 13, 2021
Comment:
This book gets a solid “meh” from me, which is really hard for me to do! I really liked the plot ideas behind this book, but the execution was, frankly, boring. There was never any real depth to the characters or even the world of Faerie, so there was no feeling of suspense or tension, and I had no “I HOPE [character] LIVES/DIES”, feelings. Some things felt very inconsistent, like the time it took to travel to certain locations vs. traveling back, or to a different place that was supposedly closer but took twice as long to get to. I did appreciate the author working in some real life social issues, though they were very superficially mentioned. It was mentioned that sexism isn’t really an issue in Faerie (the elf King is actually currently a female elf), but then there are only 5 named female characters in the entire 662 pages. Three are villains (one is a main antagonist, the other two are gone within a page or two), one is a “wants to die for glory” character who has 4 lines between books two and three, and the last is Gary’s wife who finally gets to do some cool stuff, but is as big of a Mary Sue as Gary himself.
TL;DR cool ideas, boring execution. I was actually tempted to not read books two and three, but I just can't NOT finish a book, so this being all three in one is what saved it.This book gets a solid “meh” from me, which is really hard for me to do! I really liked the plot ideas behind this book, but the execution was, frankly, boring. There was never any real depth to the characters or even the world of Faerie, so there…
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Aug 04, 2021
Comment:
Of course a building full of reclusive rich people won't want to talk to someone hired to be a lowly apartment sitter, so The Rules "don't talk to residents unless spoken to," "no visitors," and "no pictures of the interior on social media," make sense. It is a little odd that Jules can't spend any nights away from the apartment, but I guess since she's being paid (handsomely!) to stay at the apartment, she should stay at the apartment. Right? I mean, it's not like she's a prisoner, right? And it's logical that they want her medical history in case of accidents, especially since poor Jules has no family left living, and just left her boyfriend and is all alone... I thought this book was a little on the predictable side, but I still really enjoyed it. (Also, none of the previous info is a spoiler since you learn it all in the first chapter. I would NEVER spoil books for you!!!)Of course a building full of reclusive rich people won't want to talk to someone hired to be a lowly apartment sitter, so The Rules "don't talk to residents unless spoken to," "no visitors," and "no pictures of the interior on social media," make…
The House in the Cerulean SeaThe House in the Cerulean Sea, Book
by Klune, T. J.Book - 2020Book, 2020
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Jul 30, 2021
Comment:
I will give this book the rarest of all rarities, a solid 5 star review. What a beautiful, hopeful, and uplifting book. We all have the power to influence mighty changes even through the smallest of actions. Linus, a case worker for children with magical abilities, truly cares for the children he works for and believes wholeheartedly that he is doing the best he can for them. A four week assignment to assess an orphanage that has some possibly challenging children could prove to be very eye opening for our "rules and regulations" loving protagonist. This book left me feeling so happy, I could probably go run a mile! (well, maybe one or two blocks, realistically.)I will give this book the rarest of all rarities, a solid 5 star review. What a beautiful, hopeful, and uplifting book. We all have the power to influence mighty changes even through the smallest of actions. Linus, a case worker for children with…
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Jul 27, 2021
Comment:
Lots of twists and turns in this book, one of which I enjoyed far more than the others. Elin's self confidence is in shambles after a police assignment gone wrong, she's working through some pretty serious issues with her estranged, add a boyfriend who may want different things than she does, snowstorms, avalanches, and a slew of murders, and you get a very interesting story indeed! I have a feeling there will be a sequel, and I look forward to that. There were the occasional loose ends, or "what?" moments, but it's likely because this is Sarah Pearse's debut novel. She will only get better the more she writes and I am definitely going to keep an eye on her books!Lots of twists and turns in this book, one of which I enjoyed far more than the others. Elin's self confidence is in shambles after a police assignment gone wrong, she's working through some pretty serious issues with her estranged, add a boyfriend…
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Jul 22, 2021
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Emily disappeared ten years ago, a likely victim of a since captured serial killer. David is tormented by her disappearance, and blames himself for not being there. What happens when Emily, or maybe not Emily, returns to him?
This book goes places you don't really expect. I love the idea behind it, but the story didn't capture me as much as I wanted it to.Emily disappeared ten years ago, a likely victim of a since captured serial killer. David is tormented by her disappearance, and blames himself for not being there. What happens when Emily, or maybe not Emily, returns to him?
This book goes places…
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Jul 21, 2021
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A truly adorable book that sneaks learning the alphabet into the story line. Bookstore Cat is a handsome orange cat with a bow tie; what else could we want?? The illustrations are great!
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Jul 19, 2021
Comment:
This was a really fun read. Once I hit page 8 or so, I couldn't put it down! A chain of kidnappings that goes back who knows how long, strangers on the street suddenly knowing who you are and passing on orders or threats from The Chain, stories of people who tried to escape or expose The Chain meeting a grisly demise... A great mixture for a thriller!This was a really fun read. Once I hit page 8 or so, I couldn't put it down! A chain of kidnappings that goes back who knows how long, strangers on the street suddenly knowing who you are and passing on orders or threats from The Chain, stories of…
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Jul 13, 2021
Comment:
A cute, light romance seen from the eyes of a dog. The story starts with Gatz eating two pounds of Valentine's Day chocolate. He knows better (as he is constantly reminded between vomits at the veterinarian's office), but he also knows it got The Man and The Woman back in the same room, and that's worth any risk he can take. Right? Though, as The Woman points out, why did The Man have Valentine's Day chocolate when he's not seeing The Woman anymore?A cute, light romance seen from the eyes of a dog. The story starts with Gatz eating two pounds of Valentine's Day chocolate. He knows better (as he is constantly reminded between vomits at the veterinarian's office), but he also knows it got The…
Why Peacocks?Why Peacocks?, BookAn Unlikely Search for Meaning in the World's Most Magnificent Bird
by Flynn, SeanBook - 2021Book, 2021
JCLLaurelA's rating:
Added Jul 09, 2021
Comment:
A fun memoir of a man's accidental acquisition of three peacocks. Sean Flynn and his family have had a number of pets, but are learning about peacocks in a "trial by fire" kind of way. Much of the book covers trivia and history of peafowl, from Hera to Flannery O'Connor, from India to North Carolina, from prodigious pooping to screeching songs. There are some sad portions, as with most books about animals, but they're written very tenderly and sympathetically which makes them a little easier to read.
Fun fact I learned: There's a peafowl farm about 15 miles from the Kansas City airport, and now I need to go take a tour of it.A fun memoir of a man's accidental acquisition of three peacocks. Sean Flynn and his family have had a number of pets, but are learning about peacocks in a "trial by fire" kind of way. Much of the book covers trivia and history of peafowl, from Hera…
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