Top Ten Tuesday - FREEBIE - Books With One Word Titles That Are Worth Reading!!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Below is a list of books with one word book titles that are worth the read! I've listed the books alphabetically. The links provided below are to my reviews of each book.

1. Becoming by Michelle Obama -I loved reading Michelle Obama's memoir. It's well organized and flows smoothly through the various facets of her life. I listened to the unabridged audio version and enjoyed hearing Ms. Obama narrate her own memoir.

2. Drama by Raina Telgemeier - I read this graphic novel in 2018 during Banned Book Week. Drama had been banned due to LBGQT characters in the book.

3. Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi - I love this graphic novel about the lives of Iranian women. It's worth the read!

4. Flight by Sherman Alexie - I read and reviewed this novel in 2016. I gave it 5 stars out of 5 stars. Great read!

5. George by Alex Gino - I love this novel. I read it last year during Banned Books Week. George has been the number one banned book the past few years. I gave it 5 stars out of 5 stars.

6. Loser by Jerry Spinelli - I was introduced to Jerry Spinelli by one of my former college professor. I've read at least 8 of Spinelli's novels and enjoyed them a lot.

7. Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli - This is the 1st novel I ever read that was written by Jerry Spinelli back in 2011 and it is a phenomenal novel! I read this book prior to starting my book blog, so I do not have a  review of it. Maybe it's time for a reread and a review.

8. Tangerine by Christine Mangan - Do you love fiction novels with unreliable narrators, toxic female relationships, and/or set in an exotic locale? Then Tangerine maybe just the book for you!

9. Wringer by Jerry Spinnelli - This is another novel I really enjoyed reading before I started my book blog. Maybe it's time for a reread and a review.

10. Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates - This is a short novel and a fast read!! This book is creepy and reads like reading someone's journal/diary.  Zombie takes the reader into the mind of serial killer, Quentin P., a fictional character based on the life of Jeffrey Dahmer (according to what I discovered through Wikipedia.) The plot is truly chilling and not for the squeamish at heart.

11. Brass by Xhenet Aliu - I recently listened to this novel and really enjoyed it!

Have you read any of the books from my top ten list this week?

Murder By the Book: Carolyn Haines in Conversation with Jess Dylan

 

I enjoy reading cozy mystery novels. However, I've never heard of cozy mystery writers Carolyn Haines and Jess Dylan. So, with this in mind, I decided to watch Murder By the Book's live author event with Carolyn Haines in Conversation with Jess Dylan on Thursday, May 27, 2021 at 5pm PDT.

I really enjoyed watching this virtual author event and learned a lot about each author. I'll look into their novels.

Murder By the Book: Carolyn Haines in Conversation with Jess Dylan is the 5th virtual author event I've seen during the month of May 2021.

Below is a video of Carolyn Haines in Conversation with Jess Dylan which was hosted by Murder By the Book.

Have you attended any author events recently?

Diagnosis: Solving the Most Baffling Medical Mysteries by Lisa Sanders MD

 

I received a paperback copy of Diagnosis: Solving the Most Baffling Medical Mysteries by Lisa Sanders MD through the Goodreads Giveaways Program.

Below is my honest, unbiased review for Diagnosis: Solving the Most Baffling Medical Mysteries by Lisa Sanders MD.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Diagnosis: Solving the Most Baffling Medical Mysteries by Lisa Sanders MD. It's a work of nonfiction dealing with medical mysteries, which made for a captivating read.

I especially enjoyed how neatly organized Diagnosis: Solving the Most Baffling Medical Mysteries by Lisa Sanders MD is. Each of the five page nonfiction medical mysteries featured unusual medical complaints made by patients which fell into one of eight various subsets/topics - Fever, Abdominal Pain, Headache, Not Being Able to Breathe, It's All In Your Head, Passed Out, Rashes, or Feeling Weak.

Each story was a short, bite sized read, which was engaging and to the point. I found all of the stories interesting and I learned a lot of facts about medicine that I never knew before reading this book. This is the perfect book to read if you like reading about medical mysteries. Additionally, if you are short on time or are waiting for an appointment, etc. then this book helps to pass the time nicely.

Below is a summary for Diagnosis: Solving the Most Baffling Medical Mysteries by Lisa Sanders MD from Amazon:

As a Yale School of Medicine physician, the New York Times bestselling author of Every Patient Tells a Story, and an inspiration and adviser for the hit Fox TV drama House, M.D., Lisa Sanders has seen it all. And yet she is often confounded by the cases she describes in her column: unexpected collections of symptoms that she and other physicians struggle to diagnose.

A twenty-eight-year-old man, vacationing in the Bahamas for his birthday, tries some barracuda for dinner. Hours later, he collapses on the dance floor with crippling stomach pains. A middle-aged woman returns to her doctor, after visiting two days earlier with a mild rash on the back of her hands. Now the rash has turned purple and has spread across her entire body in whiplike streaks. A young elephant trainer in a traveling circus, once head-butted by a rogue zebra, is suddenly beset with splitting headaches, as if someone were “slamming a door inside his head.”

In each of these cases, the path to diagnosis—and treatment—is winding, sometimes frustratingly unclear. Dr. Sanders shows how making the right diagnosis requires expertise, painstaking procedure, and sometimes a little luck. Intricate, gripping, and full of twists and turns, Diagnosis puts readers in the doctor’s place. It lets them see what doctors see, feel the uncertainty they feel—and experience the thrill when the puzzle is finally solved.

I am giving Diagnosis: Solving the Most Baffling Medical Mysteries by Lisa Sanders MD a rating of 5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Being A “BOOK BUTLER” Is A Real Thing

 Who knew that being being a Book Butler is a real thing?? I came across an article yesterday morning on Book Riot's website titled, BEING A “BOOK BUTLER” IS A THING — TELL ME WHERE TO SEND MY RESUME by Abby Hargreaves. In the article, Abby Hargreaves wrote the following:

Travel + Leisure reported that one hotel in West Palm Beach, Florida, has a “Book Butler” on call for their temporary tenants to get on-demand book delivery.

Readers who too often finish a book before their trip is over or forget to pack a book in the first place, rejoice! Guests of the Ben West Palm can now simply dial “0” to request a delivery to their hotel room. The bookish fun continues with a customized tasseled bookmark and, if the guest is feeling peckish, they can order a “Book Bite.” Book Bites offer reader-guests with an additional sensory experience with their books: small plates of food paired specifically to their title of choice. Meanwhile, the delivered book is for keeps, if the guest wants. Otherwise, it may be donated to the West Palm Beach Library Foundation, which supports the library and its offerings. Guests who return to the Ben West Palm will enjoy new selections seasonally.

The Ben West Palm partners with the Palm Beach Book Store to make this bookish dream a reality for guests who love reading. It’s the perfect special offering for this hotel, too, which was inspired by writer Byrd Dewey’s nearby estate, Ben Trovato. Other literary features appear in the hotel, including secret sliding bookcases and an art piece depicting Dewey made of books. Part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, the Ben West Palm is one of over 170 independent hotels that boast singularity. Marriott states, “Each [hotel] is a product of passion and a personal realization of its individual founder’s vision, making each hotel singular and special: Exactly Like Nothing Else. Hand-selected for their inherent craft and distinct perspectives on design and hospitality, Autograph Collection hotels offer rich immersive moments that leave a lasting imprint.” I don’t know about you, but complimentary book delivery to my hotel room certainly counts as something that would leave a lasting imprint on me.

Having a Book Butler sounds like a perfect service for a hotel to offer for its guests if you ask me!

Filipino Award-Winning Graphic Novel, Trese, Becomes a Netflix Series!!

I recently learned through reading an article titled, Pinoy graphic novel is now a Netflix series, on Business World's website that the  graphic novel, Trese by Budjette Tan and KaJO Baldisimo, is a new anime series to be released on June 11, 2021 via Netflix.

In the above mentioned article, I learned the following information:

Trese is a crime/horror graphic novel about a detective who solves supernatural crimes which are often connected with creatures from Philippine mythology. The Original Anime series — directed by Jay Oliva and written by Tanya Yuson, Zig Marasigan, and Mihk Vergara — is set in Manila where these mythical creatures live in hiding amongst humans, and where detective Alexandra Trese finds herself going head-to-head with a criminal underworld comprised of malevolent supernatural beings.

I now want to both read the 'Trese' series and watch the new series when it comes out next month on Netflix. The online reviews sound great for this award winning graphic novel/comic series.

Below is the trailer for Trese from Netflix.

The Lincoln Obsession: The Author of Manhunt Chases Down His Own Lincoln Obsession by James L. Swanson

I was able to download The Lincoln Obsession: The Author of Manhunt Chases Down His Own Lincoln Obsession by James L. Swanson for FREE from Audible.

Below is my honest, unbiased review of The Lincoln Obsession: The Author of Manhunt Chases Down His Own Lincoln Obsession by James L. Swanson.

I have mixed feelings about The Lincoln Obsession by James L. Swanson. On the one hand, I enjoyed learning about author, James L. Swanson's obsession with Abraham Lincoln and also more details about the life and assassination of Abraham Lincoln. On the other hand, I kind of felt like The Lincoln Obsession by James L. Swanson was boring at times and also a plug for Swanson's book, Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer. Overall, The Lincoln Obsession by James L. Swanson was a good listen.

Listening time for The Lincoln Obsession: The Author of Manhunt Chases Down His Own Lincoln Obsession by James L. Swanson is 3 hours, 39 minutes and narrated by the author.

Below is a summary for The Lincoln Obsession: The Author of Manhunt Chases Down His Own Lincoln Obsession by James L. Swanson from Audible:

With an entirely fresh take on presidential history, James Swanson, author of the New York Times best-selling, Edgar Award-winning Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer, shares the story of his lifelong obsession with the murder of America’s most revered president and the frantic hunt for his assassin.

The renowned Lincoln scholar treats listeners to an Audible Originals "walking tour" of the people, places, events, and artifacts that tell the story of those horrible days in April 1865. Taking listeners behind the scenes of his research, Swanson discusses the origins of his boyhood passion for Lincoln, including his first visits to Springfield, Illinois, and Ford’s Theatre as a high school student; accounts for John Wilkes Booth’s movements during the manhunt; reveals how he authenticates Lincoln blood relics; and offers details about historic sites that remain little known or obscure.

Swanson describes the intrigue he continues to pursue—the women who aided Booth, lingering questions about other conspirators, and a timeline for both Lincoln and the conspirators the night of April 14, 1865.

The Lincoln Obsession is a uniquely personal look at how historical places and relics will forever shed new light on the first presidential assassination in America.

I am giving The Lincoln Obsession: The Author of Manhunt Chases Down His Own Lincoln Obsession by James L. Swanson a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Stay Tuned (Unsettling #3) by Jeffrey Deaver

 

I've read or listened to 2-3 of Jeffrey Deaver novels in the past. So when I came across a free download for Stay Tuned (Unsettling #3) by Jeffrey Deaver and narrated by Zoe Chao on Audible, I decided to give this short work of fiction a listen.

Below is my honest, unbiased review of Stay Tuned (Unsettling #3) by Jeffrey Deaver.

At approximately 52 minutes in length, I thought Stay Tuned (Unsettling #3) by Jeffrey Deaver was an engaging work of short fiction that was well narrated and fun to listen to. I enjoyed the storyline, characters, and twist to this tale.

Below is a summary for Stay Tuned (Unsettling #3) by Jeffrey Deaver from Goodreads:

Amanda and Charlie are spending their first weekend away in months. They’ve rented a luxurious vacation house on Lost Valley Lake. Swimming, bicycling, and romance are the order of the day, and all is good. That is, until someone - or something - appears on the shore across the lake, just as the sky turns gray and the water chill and choppy.

When the apparition, or whatever it might be, grows closer and closer, it soon becomes clear that there are certain types of evil that you can’t protect yourself from with locked doors and windows.

And perhaps you can’t protect yourself from them at all.

I am giving Stay Tuned (Unsettling #3) by Jeffrey Deaver a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Author Talk with Jennifer J. Chow on Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines Hosted by the New York Public Library

 
Last Wednesday, May 19, 2021 from 3pm to 4pm PDT, I was able to attend a virtual author talk featuring author Jennifer J. Chow. 

Ms. Chow was on hand to give a short reading from her latest cozy mystery novel, Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines (this is the second novel in 'A Sassy Cat Mystery' series), followed by a discussion of her writing, answering audience questions, and so on.

I was interested in this virtual author event for two main reasons: 

1. I enjoy reading cozy mystery novels. AND
2. I currently have the first novel in 'A Sassy Cat Mystery' series titled, Mimi Gets A Clue, in my 'to be read' pile. I'm hoping to read Mimi Gets A Clue later on this year before moving on to the second novel in the series.

I really enjoyed listening to Jennifer J. Chow discuss her latest novel last week. 

Have you enjoyed attending any author events recently? If so, share with me which author event(s) you've attended recently by leaving me a comment below.

Just Like That by Gary D. Schmidt

 

Gary D. Schmidt is a new to me author this year. He's an English professor at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan and is also the author of Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, which is a Newbery Honor and Printz Honor book. 

I was recommended Just Like That by Gary D. Schmidt by one of my former, undergraduate college professors that I still keep in touch with over 26 years later. I have been recommended several excellent books by forementioned professor and all of the books he has recommended to me over the years have been really good reads.

Just Like That by Gary D. Schmidt is a young adult novel, which contains many layers and nuances to it that made for a great read. So many life lessons and interesting turn of events occur within Just Like That, that it made for a captivating and engaging read from start to finish. 

I loved the writing, the storyline, and characters for Just Like That by Gary D. Schmidt. I look forward to reading more books by Gary D. Schmidt in the future.

Below is the plot summary for Just Like That by Gary D. Schmidt from Amazon:

In this poignant, perceptive, witty novel, Gary D. Schmidt brings authenticity and emotion to multiple plot strands, weaving in themes of grief, loss, redemption, achievement, and love. Following the death of her closest friend in summer 1968, Meryl Lee Kowalski goes off to St. Elene's Preparatory Academy for Girls, where she struggles to navigate the venerable boarding school's traditions and a social structure heavily weighted toward students from wealthy backgrounds. In a parallel story, Matt Coffin has wound up on the Maine coast near St. Elene's with a pillowcase full of money lifted from the leader of a criminal gang, fearing the gang's relentless, destructive pursuit. Both young people gradually dispel their loneliness, finding a way to be hopeful and also finding each other.

I am giving Just Like That by Gary D. Schmidt a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!