Sunday Skim - Holiday Edition

 

Week of 5/22/2022:

Finished:

Currently Reading:

Looking Forward To:

Well maybe in June I can make it through a bunch of books. Baseball takes a short break from tournaments and after this upcoming weekend when family visits, I should be good to go. June is another great month for books!

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Sunday Skim

 

Week of 5/15/2022:

Finished:

Currently Reading:

Looking Forward To:

When We Let Go will gut you so be prepared to have some kleenex handy. It is one of those books that will stay with you for a long time. The Forest Vanishing Stars is a heartbreaking tale of WWII with a bit of magical realism. 

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Julie's Review: The Lioness

Author: Chris Bohjalian
Series: None
Publication Date:  May 10, 2022
Publisher: Doubleday
Pages: 317
Obtained: publisher via NetGalley
Genre:  Historical Fiction, Thriller
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Intense
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab

Summary: Tanzania, 1964. When Katie Barstow, A-list actress, and her new husband, David Hill, decide to bring their Hollywood friends to the Serengeti for their honeymoon, they envision giraffes gently eating leaves from the tall acacia trees, great swarms of wildebeests crossing the Mara River, and herds of zebras storming the sandy plains. Their glamorous guests—including Katie’s best friend, Carmen Tedesco, and Terrance Dutton, the celebrated Black actor who stars alongside Katie in the highly controversial film Tender Madness—will spend their days taking photos, and their evenings drinking chilled gin and tonics back at camp, as the local Tanzanian guides warm water for their baths. The wealthy Americans expect civilized adventure: fresh ice from the kerosene-powered ice maker, dinners of cooked gazelle meat, and plenty of stories to tell over lunch back on Rodeo Drive. What Katie and her glittering entourage do not expect is this: a kidnapping gone wrong, their guides bleeding out in the dirt, and a team of Russian mercenaries herding their hostages into Land Rovers, guns to their heads. As the powerful sun gives way to night, the gunmen shove them into abandoned huts and Katie Barstow, Hollywood royalty, prays for a simple thing: to see the sun rise one more time. A blistering story of fame, race, love, and death set in a world on the cusp of great change, The Lioness is a vibrant masterpiece from one of our finest storytellers. ~amazon.com

Review: I have long been a fan of Chris Bohjalian's novels but The Lioness is very different than his other novels. This is a great combination of Historical Fiction and Thriller but a bit of old Hollywood glamour. Mr. Bohjalian always has an interesting take on societal issues and this one is no different. Are humans really that much different than the wild animals that live in the Serengeti? Would you want to die at the claws of a wild animal or by the gun of a human?

Katie Barstow and her husband, David Hill decided to take their closets friends and family on a honeymoon Safari with Katie footing the bill for everyone. Except this isn't a hunt Safari but rather a photo Safari with famed white hunter, Charlie Patton. It all starts out well enough, they enjoy the Wildebeast crossing the river and hoping to see other animals of the Serengeti. Quickly, this trip goes very wrong and they are ambushed by Russian mercenaries that take them hostage and brutally kill their guides. 

I really can't review too much more of it'll give away key elements to the story that I don't want to ruin for you. I flew through this book and enjoyed every single minute of it. It kept me guessing on the outcomes and who or what group was behind this kidnapping scheme. I will say that none of the characters are the same after this trip and for some it changes the trajectory of their careers and lives. 

Do yourself a favor and pick this latest Chris Bohjalian novel up; you won't regret it. 

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Sunday Skim (on Monday)

 

Week of 5/1/2022 and 5/8/2022

Finished:

Currently Reading:

Looking Forward To:

I always thought if I got COVID, that it would give me plenty of time to read but let me tell you I had no desire to do much but lay in bed and watch tv or sleep. I'm hoping to get my groove back this week. 

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Monthly Rewind: April 2022

* Denotes Audiobooks

Home Run (You should run and get this): 

Triple (You really don't want to miss it):

Double (You could get on the waiting list at the library and be ok):

Single (Wait it out): N/A

StrikeOuts (Don't bother):  N/A

I read a lot of books this month but only a few really stuck out for me. I know that By The Book is the really out this week (May 3) but I did read it in April. If you are a fan of Jasmine Guillory, you won't want to miss this one! 

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Sunday Skim

 

Week of 4/24/2022:

Finished:

Currently Reading:

Looking Forward To:

May is always a spectacular month for releases and this one is no different. I'm definitely looking forward to getting some great reading in. I've also decided to revist C.S. Lewis' The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe series on audio. I've been wanting to re-read them for years now, so this is the best way for me. I was also inspired from listening to Once Upon a Wardrobe. 

Is there anything you are looking forward to this month? What have you re-read lately?

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