Check out the above video if you too are interested in watching book reviews about books set in museums.
Did you know there is a Banned Books Museum in Tallinn, Estonia? Well, I didn't know this factoid until watching a fabulous video created and posted on RobWords's YouTube Channel two nights ago! The Banned Book Museum also hosts a monthly banned books club where they read and discuss a banned book virtually via Zoom, which sounds pretty cool if you ask me.
I've become a fan of RobWords YouTube Channel and am a recent subscriber to the channel. The RobWords YouTube Channel is dedicated to language facts and etymology fun.
Anyway, I enjoy reading banned books. I also enjoy learning why certain books have been banned. And, of course, learning about a banned book museum in the above video also make for an educational experience as well. If these topics are of interest to you too, then please check out the above YouTube video... The video is just under 18 minutes in length.
Until my next post, happy reading!!
Have you discovered any Little Free Libraries lately?
I truly enjoy reading nonfiction books on a wide array of topics. I especially enjoy topics on forensic science and true crime in general. So, I took a chance on listening to the unabridged audio version of 18 Tiny Deaths: The Untold Story of Frances Glessner Lee and the Invention of Modern Forensics by Bruce Goldfarb and narrated by Nan McNamara.
What a delightful book! 18 Tiny Deaths: The Untold Story of Frances Glessner Lee and the Invention of Modern Forensics by Bruce Goldfarb not only covers modern forensics, it also encompasses the interesting life of Frances Glessner Lee and her major contribution to modern day forensics. Frankly, I'd never even heard of Frances Glessner Lee before discovering Bruce Goldfarb's book!
I really enjoyed listening to 18 Tiny Deaths: The Untold Story of Frances Glessner Lee and the Invention of Modern Forensics by Bruce Goldfarb. It's packed with a lot of information from start to finish and well narrated by Nan McNamara. If you're fascinated by science, history, biography, and nonfiction in general, then this book may be right up your alley.
Below is the publisher's summary for 18 Tiny Deaths: The Untold Story of Frances Glessner Lee and the Invention of Modern Forensics by Bruce Goldfarb from Chirp's website:
The story of a woman whose ambition and accomplishments far exceeded the expectations of her time, 18 Tiny Deaths follows the transformation of a young, wealthy socialite into the mother of modern forensics… Frances Glessner Lee, born a socialite to a wealthy and influential Chicago family in the 1870s, was never meant to have a career, let alone one steeped in death and depravity. Yet she developed a fascination with the investigation of violent crimes, and made it her life’s work. Best known for creating the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, a series of dollhouses that appear charming until you notice the macabre little details: an overturned chair, or a blood-spattered comforter. And then, of course, there are the bodies splayed out on the floor, draped over chairs clothed in garments that Lee lovingly knit with sewing pins. 18 Tiny Deaths, by official biographer Bruce Goldfarb, delves into Lee’s journey from grandmother without a college degree to leading the scientific investigation of unexpected death out of the dark confines of centuries-old techniques and into the light of the modern day. Lee developed a system that used the Nutshells dioramas to train law enforcement officers to investigate violent crimes, and her methods are still used today. 18 Tiny Deaths transports the reader back in time and tells the story of how one woman, who should never have even been allowed into the classrooms she ended up teaching in, changed the face of science forever.
I am giving 18 Tiny Deaths: The Untold Story of Frances Glessner Lee and the Invention of Modern Forensics by Bruce Goldfarb a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.
Until my next post, happy reading!!
I've found paranormal romance/fantasy to be very hit or miss to be honest. I purchase a lot of my audiobooks these days through Chirp.com as they do not require a subscription like Audible does and Chirp offers several daily deals each day. So, when I noticed the The Moon Marked Trilogy by Aimee Easterling deeply discounted through Chirp's website, I thought why not try this trilogy? After all, I do like paranormal romance/fantasy occasionally, discovering new to me authors, and also the storyline sounded interesting enough... Plus, the average rating for this trilogy is currently 4.3 stars out of 5 stars with 450+ reviewers. So, The Moon Marked Trilogy by Aimee Easterling sounded like a series not to be passed up.
Well, quite frankly, I was disappointed with The Moon Marked Trilogy by Aimee Easterling. The best part of the The Moon Marked Trilogy by Aimee Easterling is that it was well narrated by Piper Goodeve... Let me state that again, the best part of the The Moon Marked Trilogy by Aimee Easterling is that it was well narrated by Piper Goodeve. This trilogy had so much potential!! But I felt it flopped BIG TIME. I can't understand all of the good reviews for this trilogy.
I liked the narration as stated for The Moon Marked Trilogy, along with the premise of this trilogy, and lastly, that it is a paranormal romance.
However, there was too much senseless drama/action throughout the The Moon Marked Trilogy for the sake of drama/action... It felt like the senseless drama/action was the author's weak attempt to propel the story/plot along. I think there were better ways to develop the storyline than through the endless treadmill of action sequences and drama. I was so bored by the storyline and characters by the end of this trilogy, that I was simply glad it over with.
Additionally, Mai Fairchild's younger sister is a whiny, brat who pitches a fit in most of the scenes we see her in, which grew very old after a while.
As far as paranormal romances go, there was little of it in The Moon Marked Trilogy... There was always the promise that Mai was going to hook up with the alpha werewolf, but there was always something that interfered with their romance until the end of the last novel. Even then, there was little romance to satisfy the reader.
Below is the plot summary for The Moon Marked Trilogy by Aimee Easterling from Chirp's website:
I’m Mai Fairchild — fox shifter, sister’s keeper, and bane of the local werewolf pack. In a world where different is dangerous, my sister and I must pretend to be human at all costs. Too bad I just lost the job that lets me live under the radar while putting food on my sister’s plate.
Enter an enticing werewolf who offers enough cash to upgrade our diets from ramen noodles to salami if I join him on a magical hunt. But can I afford to accept the opportunity when the risk of working closely with every fox shifter’s sworn enemy is so great?
I am generously giving The Moon Marked Trilogy by Aimee Easterling a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.
Until my post, happy reading!!!
I've been a fan of Agatha Christie's novels and short stories most of my life. I started reading her novels during my teenage years. Yet despite being an avid fan of Christie's writing, I haven't read her entire collection of published works... Mainly, because her entire collection of work is so vast and also because the Hercule Poirot is my favorite character created by Dame Agatha Christie. So, I've largely stuck to reading works that featured Hercule Poirit as a character.
I don't recall reading Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie in my youth. So, I decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of this novel in July, which was well narrated by Hugh Fraser. Listening time is 6 hours, 41 seconds.
I was able to listen to Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie for FREE on YouTube. It's truly amazing to discover all of the free audiobooks one is able to listen to for FREE via YouTube at one's leisure! Click on the link above to listen to this novel for free for yourself.
Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie is a Hercule Poirot novel. It is different from other Hercule Poirot novels in that Hercule Poirot is working in conjunction with three other people to solve the murder.
I was hooked into the storyline for Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie from the start of the novel. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the writing for most of the novel. In fact, I initially thought I would be giving Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie a 5 star rating... That is until I listened to the last 20% of the novel, when things went south fast! Too many plot twists at the end of the novel and a few other things just didn't sit right with me. I was forced to lower my rating.
Below is the plot summary for Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie from the Goodreads website:
A flamboyant party host is murdered in full view of a roomful of bridge players… Mr Shaitana was famous as a flamboyant party host. Nevertheless, he was a man of whom everybody was a little afraid. So, when he boasted to Poirot that he considered murder an art form, the detective had some reservations about accepting a party invitation to view Shaitana’s private collection. Indeed, what began as an absorbing evening of bridge was to turn into a more dangerous game altogether…
I am giving Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.
Until my next post, happy reading!!!
A few of Grady Hendrix's novels have been on my radar for awhile now based on reviews I've read. However, it wasn't until July of 2023, that I actually chose to listen to my first Grady Hendrix novel. I decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix based on the storyline, reviews and narrators, Bronson Pinchot and Tai Sammons.
I wasn't disappointed! Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix is a very fun, fast paced, and entertaining read. It offers a different take on horror and what it means to be inside a haunted house! I liked the 'Ikea like' themed setting in this novel too. The characters are well developed and relatable. The plot for the most part was excellent, except for a few uneven spots. Overall a great read.
If you like audiobooks, then I recommend Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix in audio form.
Below is the plot summary for Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix from the Goodreads website:
Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down, security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking.
To unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour dusk-till-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they’ll patrol the empty showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter horrors that defy the imagination.
A traditional haunted house story in a thoroughly contemporary setting, Horrorstör is designed to retain its luster and natural appearance for a lifetime of use. Pleasingly proportioned with generous French flaps and a softcover binding, Horrorstör delivers the psychological terror you need in the elegant package you deserve.
I am giving Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.
Until my next post, happy reading!!!!
Earlier this year, I had my first experience with reading, well actually listening to, one of Belinda Bauer's novels titled, Exit. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this novel quite a bit and found it well narrated too.
Because I enjoyed Exit so much, I decided to try another one of Ms. Bauer's novels. This time, I listened to the unabridged audio version of Rubbernecker. Again, I wasn't disappointed with Belinda Bauer's writing! Her novels are unique in terms of perspective, their storyline, and characters.
In Rubbernecker, the main character, Patrick Fort, has Asperger's Syndrome. We learn a lot about how Patrick views and deals with the world around him through the specific filter/perspective of Asperger's Syndrome, which makes for interesting reading. I actually liked reading a novel where a main character has Asperger's Syndrome. Patrick has his quirks, but he is able to function in the world around him in his own unique way... All the while, attending classes and eventually solving a murder!Below is the plot summary for Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer from the Goodreads website:
The dead can't speak to us, Professor Madoc had said. But that was a lie. The body Patrick Fort is examining in anatomy class is trying to tell him all kinds of things. But no one hears what he does, and no one understands when he tries to tell them.
Life is already strange enough for Patrick - being a medical student with Asperger's Syndrome doesn't come without its challenges. And that's before he is faced with solving a possible murder, especially when no one believes a crime has even taken place. Now he must stay out of danger long enough to unravel the mystery. But as Patrick learns one truth from a dead man, he discovers there have been many other lies closer to home.
I am giving Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer a rating of 3 stars out of 5 star.
Until my next post, happy reading!!
