booktalkwithkarla's reviews
1343 reviews

From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley, Riley Keough

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

I read the hardcover a few months ago but when the audio came up in my library feed I knew I wanted to hear it narrated by Riley Keough and Julia Roberts, with excerpts of Lisa Marie Presley’s audio recordings. The audio did not disappoint and in fact I preferred it for the reading experience (5 from 4.5 rating). You probably want both for the photos in the hardcover.

This is such a powerful, vulnerable, and true story of motherhood, pain, addiction, and grief. It’s hard to hear so much pain and laid beautiful to see so much love. Keough honors her mother well and as a mom I appreciate the grace and forgiveness that runs through her telling. It’s beautiful! 

I share a birthday with Elvis Presley so I have always been curious about his family. I recommend this memoir - whether to satisfy curiosity about this family or to steep in realities about the human condition. It’s all here and real. 

Killings by Calvin Trillin, Carolyn Trillin

challenging dark informative medium-paced

4.25

“People… are still left with questions about how they could have brought themselves to do such awful deeds.”

Calvin Trillin is a renowned journalist. In Killings he delivers stories about deaths and the people behind the crime. This is the first of his work I’ve read. Some of my favorites from this collection are stories of humanity and how there is no escape from working through problems instead of just taking a life. Trillin’s subtle humor shows up mostly in the beginning and ending of each story showing that killing never makes the situation easier and only points to the desperation of people. 

Three of my favorites are The Father-son Operation (choosing work over relationship leads to sin and we all need connection), Rumors Around Town (communities need talk to understand how murder happens), and Covering the Cops (about Edna Buchanan, a reporter in Miami who has covered thousands of murders).  I liked Trillin’s writing and will read more of his work. 

Gaudí by Maria Antonietta Crippa

informative inspiring medium-paced

4.25

An illustrated narrative about the life of architect Antoni Gaudi, this book begins with his birth in 1852 and continues to his death in 1926, focused on his career as he kept his personal life private. The many  political and cultural influences of his native Spain as well as his health, temperament, and family business combine to create the designer Gaudi. His identity as Catalan and his workaholic nature produced amazing creations (first commission was in 1878), gaining the attention of Barcelona’s bourgeoisie. Gaudi’s designs included buildings, landscapes, and furniture. He decorated the interiors of churches and convent chapels, and designed monumental street-lamps. Geometry and nature figure prominently in his work. It is fascinating to see all Gaudi accomplished, especially after traveling to Spain multiple times and seeing his work. “Gaudi regarded churches as being the most representative buildings of a people…” so it is fitting that he played such a key role in Sagrada Familia. 

Maria Antoinette Crippa curated this collection. After an overview of Gaudi’s life and influences, she shows some of his key projects describing them, adding floor plans, photos, and historical details. At the end Crippa gives a summary timeline of Gaudi’s life and work. 

While visiting Spain in September 2024, I toured El Capricho finished in 1885. In the gift shop I saw this book and ordered it to read when I returned home. El Capricho is magnificent. No photos (although beautiful) do it justice. Yet having this coffee table book is a joy and inspiration.

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

informative reflective slow-paced

4.5

“We move from crisis to crisis, merely trading one problem for another…”

Written in 1962, this book by Rachel Carson is a classic. I am utterly shocked that all of the information about the dangers of chemicals to the human body have been known for 80+ years. Yet nothing substantial has been done to eradicate the spraying, consumer products, and food programs with chemicals, causing unnecessary disease and death.

The contrast between Carson‘s beautiful writing and the devastating words in the facts she shares throughout the book awed and enraged me. Carson is articulate, clear, and passionate. She very thoroughly stated the heartbreaking situation. The little that has been done to resolve the situation is embarrassing. What’s worse is that the chemical spraying does little to solve the insect problem, in some cases resulting in an increase in the number of insects. Or often killing off most of the ecosystem, not just the intended target. Or in other instances, making a poor bargain by getting a worse problem with a different insect. In all cases, the animals and humans downstream are damaged directly or indirectly by the chemicals. Not to mention the costs to Americans is by now in the billions, the programs an utter failure. Throughout the book, there are countless examples of absurd and ineffective strategies employed. Economic entomologists go where the money is so at the time of writing only 2% were working to develop natural controls, the other 98% were engaged in research in chemical insecticides. 

I want everyone to read this book - not because it’s fun, but because it’s important. The content is dense (although readable) and comprehensive. It went down best for me by reading tandem (the audio and the paper copy). The book has beautiful illustrations on each chapter page. Let’s do something (lots of somethings) for our families and future generations. 

Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Twenty-two year old Olivia is missing and seasoned detective Julia knows how this will go down. Until it doesn’t and the journey comes too close to home. 

Gillian McAllister creates much suspense. I had to know what happened and read this novel over a few days. McAllister brings real life, relationships, morality, and motherhood to the pages - all topics I can’t get enough of. This was surprising and tense. I liked it and recommend it.  

Here are 4 of the 42 passages I highlighted:

“…not quite enough to kill her passion for this: solving things, piecing them together, helping people, and inching ever closer to that most elusive of things: the truth.”

“ABC: Assume nothing, Believe nothing, Challenge everything. One of the most important rules of being a detective.”

“That’s the thing when you feel something emotionally. When you notice body language. When you know it, but you can’t prove.”

“This is what people don’t tell you about having a child: so quickly, so fast you almost miss it, they become a full, sentient, adult being. And this is when they need the most help, need the sacrifices.”

The Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

While traveling Christmas 2024, our family saw the play of the same title in London. It was such a grand experience that I wanted to read Agatha Christie’s. I was pleasantly surprised that many of the lines were verbatim and the plot/story/ending were the same. This was one time where the live performance outshone the book. I truly enjoyed the intensity, plot, talent and execution. No wonder Agatha Christie is considered a master. 

Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health by Casey Means

informative medium-paced

4.25

Good Energy doesn’t hold back in telling the truth about the for profit systems - medical and food manufacturing - that are failing people. The book is comprehensive and accessible. I appreciate the practical strategies for me and my family. Some of the information isn’t new to me - because I have an awesome and educated friend who has been teaching me for years - yet I find the organization and lists in Good Energy helpful. I also like the title which reminds me that the strategies are addressing root issues to reduce risks of disease. 

Casey Means does her research and presents an educated, clear, and compelling case for seeing the whole human (not body systems) when looking at chronic issues versus acute and working together (food manufacturers, regulators, and eaters) to improve metabolic/overall health. Yes, please and thank you. 

Beyond the practical strategies, what I enjoyed most was Casey Means narratives on the realities in the hospital. Her real world experiences (and those of Callie Means from the business world) gave the book’s information validity and credibility. At times there are some questionable tangents but because they were part memoir, these parts were not a total distraction. I recommend this book and I will be following both authors, praying that they use their influence to make systemic changes for all of us. 

And So I Roar by Abi Daré

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Adunni and Tia come together, both with their own secrets and story, to find and use their voices for change. The novel has strong drive which kept me turning the pages. I didn’t enjoy the story, although I can see the importance of the story being told. I rated it lower because of a few parts that had me rolling my eyes. The characters are well drawn but their actions did not always make sense to me. I really like her first novel but found this one less enjoyable. 

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Angel doesn’t know her worth. At 8 years old she is sold into prostitution. She experiences horrific abuse and sees unimaginable things. To survive, she builds a wall around her heart. Michael Hosea, a faithful Christian man, sees her at age 19 and hears God’s prompting to marry her. He is obedient and takes Angel home as his wife. Over time her heart softens which only serves to increase her pain and shame. What follows is the transformation of Angel, Michael, and their neighbors. 

This is a beautiful story of redemption and love (of course the title is perfect). Reading this book as a Christian is so healing and sweet to my soul and my view of God and his love. There are countless places I wept. I loved reading about unconditional love, friendships, neighbors, service, and prayer. This is the second time I’ve read this book and it’s even better on a re-read. It’s a keeper and one I highly recommend. 

Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation by Parker J. Palmer

hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.25

Anne Bogel from What Should I Read Next podcast talks about this book often. Finally, I picked it up and was overjoyed by the writing. Parker Palmer shares essays with his reflections on the vocational journey. His vulnerability and the examples from his life, combined with quotes from Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, and more make this a powerful read. It’s rich, so at times I had to reread the same passages few times to grasp Palmer’s meaning. I’m certain I now know why Anne Bogel rereads it, and I will too. 

Values, vocation, and inner work are all important topics to me so reading this felt like a conversation with the author. Understanding limits, listening, and learning from experiences and wise community is the path for humans to be, to contribute, and to live content. Reading this book helps us to process that we are “led to truth by our weaknesses as well as our strengths.”

“From the beginning, our lives lay down clues to selfhood and vocation, though the clues may be hard to decode. But trying to interpret them is profoundly worthwhile – especially when we are in our twenties or thirties or forties, feeling profoundly lost, having wandered, or been dragged, far away from our birthright gifts.”