Monthly Archives: February 2017

Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens

Posted on 02/27/2017 | 5 comments

never-let-you-goRating: ***** (5/5)

Published: St. Martin’s Press, March 2017

Format: Hardcover

Genre: Thriller

Source: Publisher

I have loved every novel Chevy has written and as much as I liked her latest, I felt like it was missing something.  Her usual grit and depravity was absent.  Don’t get me wrong – it was riveting and suspenseful, but not quite as wickedly twisted as her prior books.  It did keep me guessing and the misdirection was well executed.   Anyway…

Lindsey’s abusive ex-husband is released from prison, and she’s convinced his first priority will be to come after her and their daughter, Sophie.  The first half of the book transitions from past to present, giving glimpses of Lindsey’s marriage to Andrew and her life after Andrew, with chapters narrated by Sophie interspersed.  As their lives are  outlined and more characters are introduced, there’s a sense that Andrew isn’t the only sinister aspect of the plot.  Chevy is skilled at teasing out just enough (mis)information, leaving me speculating to nearly the end.  Great book, just a smidge tame for a die-hard Chevy fan.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

Also by Chevy Stevens (all 5-star books!):

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The Miserable Mill by Lemony Snicket

Posted on 02/25/2017 | 9 comments

miserable-millA Series of Unfortunate Events Book 4

Rating: **** (4/5)

Published: Harper Collins, 2000

Format: Hardcover

Genre: Middle Grade

Source: Personal Collection

Another miserable experience (pun intended) for the Baudelaire children and this time it violates child labor laws. The siblings are sent to the Lucky Smells Lumbermill and are subjected to harsh treatment, backbreaking work, and a cruel foreman. When Klaus is hypnotized by a nefarious ophthalmologist, Violet must channel her brother’s researching skills to foil the plot. And when Count Olaf and Dr. Orwell conspire to murder the mill’s partner, Klaus must channel Violet’s inventing skills to rescue the doomed Charles. Though predictable and pitiful, Sunny’s swordfight using her teeth to defend herself was downright hilarious.

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Victoria: The Queen by Julia Baird

Posted on 02/23/2017 | 4 comments

victoriaSubtitle: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire

Rating: ***** (5/5)

Published: Random House, November 2016

Format: ARC

Genre: Biography

Source: Publisher (BEA)

Having never read about Queen Victoria prior to tackling this behemoth, I found Baird’s biography very comprehensive and approachable. Covering 8 decades of an era that would be named for her, it was interesting to see the vast changes between her childhood and death. Upon ascending the throne as a teenager, Victoria was able to shed her unhappy childhood and exert her independence. Of course, when she married Albert, she became dependent on his counsel. Though it is one of the great love stories of all time, it wasn’t always an idyllic marriage. And bearing 9 children while ruling the greatest empire in the world was certainly taxing. Albert’s untimely death (at the hands of inept doctors, IMHO) would forever define Victoria, but it did not diminish her tenacity. She greatly improved the living and working conditions of her subjects, went toe-to-toe with prime ministers, ushered in the industrial revolution, populated the courts of Europe with her descendants, and was the matriarch of her empire.

It’s such a shame that a majority of useable source material, (Victoria’s most significant documents, letters, diaries, et al) were edited or destroyed by her youngest daughter Beatrice in an attempt to protect her mother’s image.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

 

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Long Black Veil by Jennifer Finney Boylan

Posted on 02/21/2017 | 2 comments

long-black-veilRating: **** (4/5)

Published: Crown, April 2017

Format: ARC

Genre: Mystery

Source: Amazon Vine

I picked up this book because I like stories about how a past tragic event affects the futures of the people involved.  The narration seamlessly alternates between past and present and even between character perspectives.  If the premise of a creepy abandon prison isn’t enticing enough, the aftermath certainly is.  When a group of friends decide to infiltrate the prison walls, their lives will be forever changed.

It is Judith in particular who carries the greatest secret, though it doesn’t have a direct correlation with the events within the prison in 1980.  If she can transcend her own carefully guarded identity, she can absolve one of her friends of any past guilt, 35 years after their prison foray.  This is an intriguing character study of how one day can alter the trajectory of friendships and futures.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via the Amazon Vine program.

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Shelf Lust Returns

Posted on 02/20/2017 | 2 comments

I am bringing back a photo feature I did when JulzReads was in its infancy.  A few times a month, I will post a shelfie from somewhere in my home.  I am hoping that you will link back to your own shelfie, whether on your blog, Twitter, Instagram, or whatever other platform you prefer.

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My first shelfie is actually my collection of books about books that sits on my fireplace mantle.

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The Fallen Angel by Daniel Silva

Posted on 02/18/2017 | 14 comments

the-fallen-angelRating: ***** (5/5)

Published: Harper, 2012

Format: Pocket Paperback

Genre: Thriller

Source: Personal Collection

An apparent suicide in St. Peter’s Basilica leads Gabriel Allon’s Vatican allies to enlist his help investigating the suspicious circumstances. Of course there is more to the story than just a dead woman, which leads Gabriel to Berlin, Switzerland, Vienna, and Jerusalem. And those darn Iraqis keep causing trouble which leads to a nail-biting conclusion. The last 70 or so pages were so intense! I was especially intrigued by the history and controversy of the Temple Mount. And I nearly lost it when one of my favorite characters almost didn’t make it, but I was also relieved that for once Gabriel didn’t get the crap kicked out of him. I will be interested to see whether he will actually go home and settle in Israel in the next book. Needless to say, I’m definitely hooked on this series!

The Gabriel Allon Series:

 

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Bookish (and not so bookish) Thoughts

Posted on 02/16/2017 | 1 comment

Now that the excitement of Mural City is winding down, I’m really feeling like the house is coming close to perfection.  We remedied the lighting situation in the family room, got a new doorbell that will hopefully function for more than a month, and found the cutest doorstop for the front door.

At last the master is painted and fabulous, but we were looking for the perfect rug to tie the room together, a la Big Lebowski.  Thus we are calling it The Dude rug.

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In addition to my rug purchase, another Zulily event caught my attention, and we bought 2 hummingbird feeders and nectar to hopefully attract the little flutterers this spring.

I’m thinking my next major project will be painting 2 of our steps like book spines.  Yes, ShortMan has allowed me 2 steps, so I want to paint my 2 favorite classics, Pride and Prejudice and War and Peace.

For the first time in months, I requested some books from the Vine.  The first is Long Black Veil by Jennifer Finney Boylan.  With promises to appeal to fans of The Secret History and a narrative alternating between past and present, I’m optimistic.  I also scored Mr. Rochester by Sarah Shoemaker, a retelling of Jane Eyre from the title character’s perspective, plus his life prior to Jane.  Because who doesn’t like a classic reimagined (if it’s done right, fingers crossed)?

I was stoked to win Katie’s giveaway of The Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston because the subject sounds intriguing and I loved his book The Monster of Florence.

Speaking of Katie over at Doing Dewey, I really like what she had to say about why she hosts giveaways.  I agree that sharing books is lovely,  but I’m also often curious to see who is interested enough to enter.

I have compiled my February/March to-read list and books I’m hoping to get to include: The Excellent Lombards, Pushing Perfect, Beauty Queen of Jerusalem, Topaz, The Boston Girl, and World War Z (if The Hubs ever finishes it).

Last, but certainly not least, today is the 15th anniversary of my engagement to ShortMan.  I can’t believe it’s been that long, while at the same time it feels like a million years ago!

Thanks Christine!

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The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket

Posted on 02/15/2017 | 10 comments

reptile-roomA Series of Unfortunate Events Book 3

Rating: **** (4/5)

Published: Harper Collins, 2000

Format: Hardcover

Genre: Middle Grade

Source: Personal Collection

Once again the Baudelaire children are shipped off to another distant relative, and once again, Count Olaf dons a disguise to try to claim their fortune. This time they are staying with Aunt Josephine on a hill above Lake Lachrymose. This woman is so terrified of everything, it’s frustrating. But she does have a library and loves grammar, so there are some redeeming qualities. When disaster strikes, the children have to tap into their resourcefulness to thwart Olaf, since the adults around them are so utterly clueless. Thus Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are set up for another miserable experience for book 4.

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The Game Room Gets an Incredible Custom Mural

Posted on 02/12/2017 | 1 comment

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After all the painting and decorating we’ve done over the past the past 9 months, we were left with one giant, blank wall in the game room.  After many discussions about what to do with this 14×5 blank canvas, ShortMan decided he wanted something entirely original and suggested a mural.   His thoughts drifted towards the Chicago skyline.  My thoughts drifted towards two guys I went to high school with.  They were The Art Guys.  You know the type?  Naturally talented, won tons of awards, and could draw or paint anything.  So I sent them a message and inquired if they would provide their artistic services, and sure enough, they were thrilled with the idea.  We had some back and forth for a while about what we wanted (The Hubs really wanted to incorporate Wrigley Field in there somewhere) and…

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Fast forward a couple of months.  Kevin and Keith provided a rendering of the Chicago skyline with Wrigley Field looming behind it.  They came to the house and we talked about specifics (dusky sky, red marquis, chalkboard paint).  After a week of work, I am excited to show the world the results and how it all went down.

And a huge thank you to Kevin and Keith Garbacz, who I graduated High School with nearly 20 years ago (gasp!).  Also to my photographer friend Sandy who provided the professional pics of the final result.

Beginning and end of day 1 (the projection of the image on the wall to be traced, and the skyline filled in).  Can you spot where Wrigley Field is going to go?

End of day two, they have added the gradient sky colors as a base.  We were going for a gradient dusk.

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End of day four, the sky has been toned down and details added.

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After six days of incredibly detailed work, here is the finished mural in all its glory:

Thank you again to Keith and Kevin for their immense talent and for being the nicest guys to work with.  (Yes, they are taking referrals, and they also do faux finishing and landscaping).

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Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig

Posted on 02/07/2017 | Leave a comment

last-seen-leavingRating: **** (4/5)

Published: Feiwel & Friends, October 2016

Format: Signed ARC

Genre: YA

Source: Publisher (BEA)

For a novel directed at a young adult audience, I was surprised by how dark the subject was. But I was also pleasantly surprised at how clever and well-written it was and that it didn’t read like typical YA fare.

Flynn is understandably upset when he learns that his girlfriend January has gone missing. In recent weeks, she had been distancing herself from him and her other friends. She was clearly upset about having to go to a new school and Flynn’s not even positive they were still an item after his last encounter with January. What does a confused 15 year old boy do when confronted with such a scenario? He begins his own investigation. What he finds out is utterly bewildering, changing his perception of January and how she was coping with the difficulties of the dramatic changes taking place in her life.

Beyond the troubling things he discovers about January and what may have happened to her, Flynn struggles with his own identity. Though he is an intelligent guy, he’s also insecure, complicated, and flawed, as 15 year olds tend to be. His vulnerability makes him an endearing, relatable character and since he’s the narrator of this intriguing mystery, I enjoyed reading this book from his point of view.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

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