bookish_brain1's reviews
131 reviews

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

3.0

This is the second book in Hoffman's magic series. It follows three Owen's siblings in NYC hundreds of years after the first book takes place. The thing that most sticks out to me about this series is that her characters are weirdly likably unlikable. Her writing style is not my favorite yet somehow these books are engaging. Like the first book, this book is not a happy journey, and these are not happy people. Happy endings are subjective I suppose, but these poor siblings experience trauma, death, loneliness and loss. I know I'm not making it sound like a good read, and I think that's the magic in her writing, you can't help yourself coming back for more and rapidly working toward the end to find out what happens and how it is all going to work out because it all has to work out right? Maybe...

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard

5.0

A tale of madness, medicine and the MURDER of a PRESIDENT! Y'all...this book. So good. How did I not know all of this about President Garfield! I tried to talk about this book with my daughters, and all I got was jokes about the cat. This is not about Garfield the cat; although, fun fact: Jim Davis did name Garfield after his grandfather who was named after President Garfield. Again, when people say there has never been a more divided time in American political history, I think to myself, you haven't read enough books... Garfield's time is no exception, and his history and what happened to him is fascinating and horribly sad because he was an exceptional human being and deserved a better legacy. Did you know the Secret Service first existed to chase down counterfeit money and the President and his first family walked around like NORMAL people! Anyone could walk into the White House! I knew these things on some level, but it wasn't until reading about what happened to Garfield that it really hit me. He didn't even want to be president. He was literally voluntold. His love story with his wife is perfectly imperfect. This might be one of the top five best nonfiction books I've ever read. It would make a great Christmas gift for the nonfiction, history lovers in your life.

The Collective by Alison Gaylin

3.0

The book where "no killer goes unpunished".... yikes. I am not sure I know how to review this book. The scary places grief can take you, especially on the internet...the dark web. This book is about a collective of women who are united by a common goal - justice for the death of a child. It's a book about secrets, murder and the dangers of hive mind thinking and what happens when those thoughts lead to actions. Turns out murder is complicated. And there is a tragic ending. Tragic, but fitting. This book was dark. It's not a mystery really or a thriller but also it's both those things. Again, hard to describe. Victim stories are often left untold or they are told from the perspective of the perpetrators, so perhaps twisted and biased. The truth is complicated, not black and white, but a million shades of grey.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

3.0

I adore this author so much, and while this book was a fan favorite, I would not say it was my favorite of her books. I didn't have any expectations, didn't really know what it was about...I mean I assumed it's about Evelyn's life and marriages, but while that's true in a way, it's also not what the story is about. I found it a bit slow, especially in the beginning. The ending I did not see coming, so that part was jolting and probably turned the book from a 2 star to 3 star for me. It is a love story that spans decades. Evelyn Hugo is an imperfect and difficult protagonist. If you have never read Taylor Jenkins Reid, I don't know if I would start with this one. However, even though it wasn't my favorite, it's still a very good read.

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

2.0

The chronologically third book in Hoffman's magic series and my least favorite, which is weird because I loved the movie. It is really good storytelling, but the characters are largely awful with some exceptions. This family is cursed, and magic seems to be more of a burden than a gift, which is definitely the theme or current running through this series. There is only one more in the series, and I'll get to it soon, but right now I am a little burned out on her writing style. I do enjoy the mysticism, spirituality, and magic infused in her storytelling. I might need to watch the movie again and see if it hits differently now that I've read the book.

Magic Lessons: The Prequel to Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

3.0

I have never read this series, but I did see the Practical Magic movie. This series has been in my TBR pile for a very long time, and I decided October was a good month to start. I chose to read them in chronological order instead of publication order. My favorite quote comes at the end, "Lessons to be learned...Drink chamomile tea to calm the spirit. Feed a cold and starve a fever. Read as many books as you can. Always choose courage. Never watch another woman burn. Know that love is the only answer." I thought the book was really quite delightful and quickly-paced. The only thing I don't love about her style of writing is that it always feels like it's being narrated from the future, so big events in the storyline are sometimes dropped like Easter eggs, leaving little clues about future drama. This style sometimes takes me out of the story, so I don't feel as connected to the characters. Otherwise, I am really enjoying this series and have already started the next one.

The Office BFFs: Tales of The Office from Two Best Friends Who Were There by Angela Kinsey, Jenna Fischer

3.0

I would never have read this book except it was the book club pick from America's Government Teacher, Sharon McMahon. She is the 2022 Jefferson Award recipient and has an amazing account on Instagram that you should follow if you don't already. I'm an OG member of her bookclub and I love that she makes selections that I would not otherwise read and I get to do zoom meetings with the authors, which I LOVE. I've only seen the office if I happen to walk into the room while my son is watching, he's a big fan. I've recently started watching it, and wow is it so very cringe, which I guess is part of its magic. Jenna and Angela were absolutely wonderful on Zoom, and I have the worst case of FOMO of my life. I just want to be part of their BFF group. They were so down to earth and felt 1000% relatable. I probably would have enjoyed the book more if I had context, but I'm watching it now and enjoying knowing the behind the scenes. I have not listened to the podcast they have, but if you loved The Office, you will probably enjoy this book. The alternate perspectives and dish about their costars. It's light and filled with humor.

Tokyo Ueno Station by Yu Miri

3.0

This book came from a book subscription club, The Alignist, which brings me books and authors from around the world. This is a rather strange story about a homeless ghost that haunts one of Tokyo's busiest train stations and parks. He operates as the narrator and through his perspective the reader learns about his story and how his life coincidentally runs parallel to the Japanese emperor. We learn through the eyes and ears of Kazu about daily life in Tokyo, we learn about the social inequalities plaguing the city, and we learn the tragic details of his life and death. I may have mentioned before how much I love a royal and the Japanese royal family is quite a fascinating history. Tokyo Ueno Station was opened in 1883 but was destroyed by an earthquake and fire. A decade later, the station was rebuilt and is now a major cultural hub. Japan suffered an earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown. If you have a chance, read the history of the Japanese royal family, they have even been in the news lately over a marriage scandal. I even learned that eels are a popular local cuisine. Through the eyes of Kazu, we also learn of the tragic fate many unhoused Japanese suffered after Japan won the bid for the Olympics. Official figures state that Japan has a ZERO percent homelessness rate. The rate of unhoused is on the decline, but many lost their only homes in forced resettlement efforts in order to hide them from the scrutiny of the world. Thankfully, the Moyai Support Center convinced the Japanese government to convert Olympic housing into permanent housing for the unhoused. Japan has a fascinating history, and I enjoyed the journey this novel took me on.

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson

4.0

I've been on an Erik Larson kick lately. I didn't love his book about Churchill, but this book reminded me why I love his storytelling. This book is about the last crossing of the Lusitania. I couldn't help reading it and having scenes from the movie Titanic flash across my brain. There were eerie similarities. Instead of an iceberg though, it was a German U-boat torpedo that condemned the Lusitania. It feels awful to read about a tragic historical event knowing that it could have been avoided. Some might say that Britain deliberately left the Lusitania open to peril in order to force the United States into the war. That was certainly my conclusion. In order to protect national secrets, Britain even went so far as to try and place blame on the Captain Turner. Ultimately it was blamed on the German U-boat, and erroneously credited the 18 minute sinking of the Lusitania on two torpedos, even though it was only one. A "dead wake" is the body of the torpedo moving well ahead of the wake, leaving a long pale scar. One passenger watched it collide with the ship, and described the scene as "beautiful." The Lusitania held 1,959 passengers and crew. Only 764 survived. Only 6 of the 33 infants on board survived. 600 passengers were never found or identified. And 123 were Americans. The unidentified bodies were buried in a mass grave, and even afterwards if a family tried to claim a body, they were not allowed to have it exhumed and moved. Bodies washed upon distant shores for months after the ship went down. 18 minutes.

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

4.0

Listen...I don't read horror, but this month I made an exception. This book was a book club selection from the Bible Binge seminary (yes, another book club that I am in). I'll admit, this pick threw me for a loop, wasn't sure how I was going to enjoy it or how it tied into faith. I enjoyed this book so much that I bought two other of Grady's books. It was horrific. There was a scene with a tapeworm and another scene with a dog that I don't think I will ever recover from but it is just such a good and suspenseful read. Also, it takes place in the 80s, so the entire trip was a blast from the past for me. The chapters are song titles! I remember 80s satanic panic, and even trying to listen to vinyls backwards to hear the message from satan (spoiler: I never did). I will never watch the movie (shudder). The best thing about this book was the friendship. Abby's love for her friend cast out the most awful demon, and it made me cry a little. It sounds ridiculous, but I loved every second I spent immersed in this horror story. I still think it's a stretch to call it faith adjacent, but I get the sentiment and I love the courage to try something new and see where it leads. Love really is the answer.