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Book Reviews- Jan 2025

Welcome back to SGL, my friends! We’ve another book review post today, and at the bottom, there’s a quick review of my December reads.

The Complete Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes #1-9) by Arthur Conan Doyle – Doyle’s famous detective, Sherlock Holmes’ and his trusted assistant, Watson, in all nine books of adventures put together in one audiobook.

~I started this 69 hour long audiobook back in the beginning of September. I enjoyed finally reading the Sherlock stories but will admit that doing it all in one ‘chunk’ was probably a bit much. I enjoyed seeing how Holmes’ was written- rather than how he’s portrayed in movies/tv series. He’s more talkative and considerate in general than I think is portrayed. I enjoyed these and look forward to reading specific ones again. Definitely recommend.

Uprooted : How 3,000 years of Jewish Civilization in the Arab World Vanished Overnight by Lyn Julius – (a snippet of the excerpt from Goodreads) Who are the Jews from Arab countries? What were relations with Muslims like? What made Jews leave countries where they had been settled for thousands of years? What lessons can we learn from the mass exodus of minorities from the Middle East?

~I am working to regularly read a bit more non-fiction with the focus being Jewish history. Unsurprisingly, this was a rather hard read, which made it a slow one for me. There were so many points that I tabbed and I have started a blog post for a separate review. Definitely recommend this for adult readers who want to learn about Jewish history in the Middle East.

A Lady in Attendance by Rachel Fordham – When Hazel takes a job as Dr. Gilbert Watt’s lady in attendance, she uses an alias. Five years in a New York state reformatory have left a stain on her real name – as well as on her heart. Gilbert Watts is unsure about admitting a woman into his office, but finds that Hazel is a cheerful addition to his life even while he senses something secretive underneath her chatter. For Hazel, she finds a friend in the quiet dentist and the hope that if she can put her past to rights, she just might have a future after all.

~My mom loaned me this book with the ‘you’ve got to read this’ suggestion. =) This is the only book by Fordham that I’ve read and it was well written and enjoyable! There was one moment for Hazel that felt so out of character that I stopped reading for a few days. But it was compelling enough that I came back to it and finished. Fordham had some twists throughout the plot that kept this story feeling fresh and I appreciated that. Recommend.

Castle of Whispers (Secrets of the Quilt #1) by Elizabeth Penney – Sofia Parker inherits a family heirloom the evening before her grandmother’s funeral. A trunk and the silk quilt inside have been passed down for generations, a secret trust to be guarded. But all the guardians were women who were excellent seamstresses and Sofia can barely thread a needle, much less stitch a straight line. So Sofia is stunned to inherit this heirloom, and even more so to find that there’s a diary inside the trunk as well. A diary that chronicles the significance of each piece of the quilt and the one that intrigues Sofia is that one is claimed to be connected to the Mona Lisa!

~This was another book my mom loaned me. I admit that I was a bit uncertain about it but I’m glad I gave it a try. It was a cute read – one with a fun historical twist that since the synopsis doesn’t say too much about it, I won’t either. Suffice it to say that this was a sweet story although, once again, the main character, Sofia, did something that irked me. It was better explained further on (the motivations behind) but, I’ll admit, it still doesn’t sit quite right…? I don’t know. But. If you’re wanting a sweet read with some fun history thrown in, check this one out. And apparently it’s a whole series!

Lord Peter: The Complete Lord Peter Wimsey Stories by Dorothy L. Sayers – a full collection of the 21 Wimsey short stories along with an article about the author.

~This is linked to a review that I did of the whole series earlier this month – definitely check it out if you like mysteries. It was quite fun to go through these, even though I’m not normally a fan of short stories. I will always recommend this series!!

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia #1) by C.S. Lewis – When the Pevensie children are sent away from London, they’re sent to stay at a house owned by the professor. Lucy, the youngest, finds a wardrobe in an empty room and stumbles upon the fantastical land of Narnia. Soon, all four siblings – Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy- will be blinking in the bright sunlight of that frozen land, meeting Aslan and be forever changed.

~After the chaos that was December, I needed a cozy story to listen to, so I (naturally) turned to Narnia. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Michael York. I adore the Pevensie siblings, and of course, especially Lucy. And Peter. The beavers and Mr. Tumnus are wonderful as well. Suffice it to say, I highly recommend this intro to the Narnia series!

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson – Tress leads a simple life on her island home in the emerald sea. She enjoys colleting cups that sailors bring her and listening to the stories her friend Charlie tells her. But then he’s taken away from her by his father to find Charlie a bride and disaster strikes. Charlie has been captured by the Sorceress in the Midnight Sea. Tress decides she must sneak off her island and rescue Charlie. The journey she undergoes is dangerous, not only because one drop of water in a sea of spores can mean instant death, but because it will challenge her in every way.

~First off, how is this my third read of this book and yet it’s the first time I’ve reviewed it? Anyway, this is a fairytale but with the heroine being more than just the damsel in distress. Tress has no idea how she’ll accomplish her plan, but through it all, she proves that she is more than a simple window washer from a tiny island no one knows about. Sanderson wrote this with a bit of tongue-in-cheek that differs from his usual style and it just makes it that much more fun. Highly recommend.

Since I apparently missed doing a review on December’s reads, here’s a quick list of what I read! The first several are short stories from the Victorian age. I was part of a read-along on Instagram that’s called Dickens December. It’s quite fun if you want to check it out – look up Laura (pixie.hallows) or Jess (dickens.and.docks)

The Christmas Mummers by Mary Charlotte Younge

Old Hooker’s Ghost by Anonymous

The Black Bag Left on a Doorstep by Louisa Catherine Perkis (a new favorite. It’s about a female detective!)

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Book Reviews – Sept 2024

26 Sep

My crazed reading days have faded apparently. Part of that is simply because I am in the middle of two quite long books (the Sherlock Holmes audio is 67 hour long…). But, with finishing Murtagh, I’ve completed the last series I started earlier this year!

While covering different genres, I do not read anything that has blatant sexual content. I will tell you if there is any sort of such (typically very mild and delicately put) in them and if I don’t think they’d be appropriate for young/teenage readers.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury – As a fireman, it’s Guy Montag’s job to destroy books and the houses they are found in. Books are illegal contraband and Guy never questions his job, finding satisfaction in carrying out justice and going home at the end of the day to his wife, Mildred, who spends all her time with her television ‘family’. But when Guy meets a neighbor, Clarisse, who shows him that not only was the past not what he’s been told, but that the present can be one of enjoyment and peace, he starts to question everything he’s ever known.

~I hadn’t read this since high school and wow, did I forget the powerful way that this book is written. The emotions evoked by the repetition, the short sentences, the pacing of Guy’s journey… I listened to this via hoopla and the narrator (Tim Robbins) made it come alive so incredibly. What caught me was how much I could see the chain of events that occurred in the novel, actually happening. The ending was far different than I remembered but completed it well. I figure this will be a bi-yearly read, now. I quite enjoyed it.

Murtagh (The Inheritance Cycle #5) by Christopher Paolini- Now that Galbatorix has been defeated, Murtagh and Thorn are exiled – hiding from civilization as much as they can since the people still see them as murderers and traitors. But Murtagh learns of the rumors of brittle ground and brimstone-tarnished air and he and Thorn set off to investigate. It will take all of their wit and strength to overcome the mysterious witch they find – a witch that is much more than she seems.

~I am so glad that I’ve finally gotten to read this! I love that Paolini came back to Alagaesia and gave us this story all about Murtagh and Thorn. The storyline was not what I was expecting – don’t ask me what I WAS expecting though, because it wasn’t a fully formed idea… But that’s not to say that I didn’t get truly engrossed in the story. (I even read it during our drive to an event, because it was at such a climax moment that I couldn’t bear to leave it til the next day). It was a darker story overall, I felt, from Eragon’s – but after all, Murtagh had a different upbringing that affected his actions/thoughts. And it felt right that the story reflected that. (there is torture in this book, that while not graphic, is still fairly upsetting).

Intermittent Fasting Transformation: The 45-Day Program for Women to Lose Stubborn Weight, Improve Hormonal Health, and Slow Aging by Cynthia Thurlow- With her six-week program that was created specifically for women, Thurlow guides readers through what intermittent fasting is, steps on how to have the most success by fitting it to your body and life for your hormonal needs.

~While I didn’t read this cover to cover, I read as much as I felt was helpful for me to dive into intermittent fasting and not become overwhelmed. I enjoyed the chapter on her own experience with it as well. Honestly, if I was wanting something a bit more structured, this program seems like it would be really good. She gives you small-ish tasks to do in the beginning to set yourself up for success. If you’re wanting to know more about intermittent fasting, this book does a great job telling you what is happening in your body as you eat and as you fast.

DNF: (did not finish)

Choosing A Jewish Life: a handbook for people converting to Judaism and for their family and friends by Anita Diamant – honestly, this had been on my shelves for years before I finally started reading it. It had some good information and encouragement in it but a few things that I flat-out disagree with, so it’s now in the donate pile.

Currently Reading:

The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

Uprooted by Lyn Julius

Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Flight of the Falcon by Daphne Du Marier

To Read:

Of Gold and Shadows by Michelle Griep

And that’s it! Have you read any of these books or are interested in any of them?

Tags: book review, book reviews, books, christopher paolini, classic book reviews, classics, cynthia thurlow, eating healthy, fahrenheit 451, fantasy book review, fantasy novels, intermittent fasting transfro, murtagh, ray bradbury, the inheritance cycle

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Book Reviews – August 2020

26 Aug

First off, since I haven’t done a book review since May, I am going to add a few more books that I really have been wanting to share with you on SGL. Because of that, this will be quite the mix of classics and modern books, so get out your TBR list because I’m sure you’ll find a couple at least, to add to it!

A Lantern in Her Hand by Bess Streeter Aldrich – A story about a young girl that dreamed of doing something big with her life. When she became a young bride, she followed her husband West and became one of the pioneers that helped build a nation- in so doing, becoming part of something great! ~This story was heart-touching and with little life lessons all throughout. I can’t believe I’ve owned this book for years and haven’t read it before this! Following Abbie from childhood to the end of her days, you meet all the people she comes in contact with and see all the joys and trials she goes through. Living with her through the difficult pioneer years and raising children and watching them grow makes you appreciate all that our ancestors did.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo – When the poor hunchback, Quasimodo, is tortured during the Feast of Fools, the only one who steps forward and helps him is a young gypsy named Esmerelda. That one act of kindness fills Quasimodo with love. But his caretaker, a cold, stern priest – Dom Claude Frollo, has plans of his own for Esmerelda, and Quasimodo. What will happen to each of these people under the shadow of Notre Dame?

~Now, I’d tried reading this back about 12 years ago and didn’t get too far. I’d been wanting to give it another shot (as I’d been carting the same copy around all this time for just that reason), when I spotted a read-along on Instagram for it! The group helped me in finishing it as I likely would have given up again. Don’t get me wrong, the story is quite good and heartbreaking and the twists of the plot keep you turning the pages. It was just all the other aspects of the whole unabridged version that I tended to struggle through. In the future, I plan on reading the abridged version. But, I do recommend you read the full book for yourself, at least once. The end was GOOD and I can’t give spoilers away here but I didn’t see all of how Hugo was going to tie it all off. True, some of it was a little dissatisfying to me but, shrug. It didn’t end up ruining it for me. The other characters that Hugo weaves into the story were very interesting – the crazed woman, the beggars, the gypsys, etc. One last thing, this is quite different from the Disney version! Much darker and if you think Frollo is bad in that movie… Just give it a read yourself before giving it to a young teen to read, is my suggestion. (book pictured is my abridged version, 1956)

A Table By The Window by Lawana Blackwell – Carley has finally created a calm, orderly life for herself in San Fransisco. Her childhood was neither of those things, leaving her scarred. But, then she receives word that a grandmother that she barely remembers, left her an inheritance in Talullah, Mississippi. She travels to the small town and is instantly charmed by it as well as the friendliness of its residents. She decides to move there and open up a bistro. She loves her new life, and getting to know her family there. But she gets more than she expected when suddenly, she’s involved in a murder mystery.

~I’m not sure how I’ve never reviewed this book! I read it at least once a year, and that’s saying something since my favorites tend not to be set in modern times (unless of course, we are talking about Dee Henderson books…) I really enjoy how Carley learns and grows through the story. How she learns what it means to be part of a family and to let go of the past. The romance is good and sweet and unexpected. Plus, she opens a Bistro and there’s a murder mystery – as well as she gets migraines occasionally. Need I say more? Give this one a try!

Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life by C.S. Lewis – This is a partial biography by Lewis – his main goal of this book wasn’t to give a full description of his life. Rather, it was to share what he viewed as the main points in his life that drew him ever closer to what he’d been searching for all his life, that which he called – Joy. The longing for something so good and intense that it couldn’t be explained with words. However, he does cover quite a bit of his life, sharing stories with a mix of humor and sadness.

~My brother and I had been talking about Lewis and when he heard that I hadn’t read this- he loaned it to me! I’m glad he did as it was an interesting read. His younger years were entertaining to read about and yet sad. If you’re a fan of C.S. Lewis, I recommend reading this as well.

She: A History of Adventure by H. Rider Haggard – When Cambridge professor, Horace Holly, and his ward, Leo Vincey, open the package left by Leo’s late father. It contains artifacts suggesting an ancient mystery about the Vincey family. They quickly set off on an adventure to the interior of Africa, but they’ve no idea what is in store. Eventually they meet Ayesha and a primitive race of natives. Ayesha reigns as ‘She’ or ‘She-who-must-be-obeyed’ – and who does have an inexplicable connection to Leo.

~Now this is an interesting story – and quite different from probably any that I’ve read before.I first read this well over 10 years ago, but my copy from at the latest 1905 (thanks to the inscription), didn’t have the last of the story printed in it… And i never found another copy (or didn’t really look) until last year when I did find one! It was much more satisfying, with the ending, even though it is still a fantastical story. It can be pretty open/violent/descriptive in places, I found, so I wouldn’t recommend it for a younger reader. I’m really not sure that I’ll read it again anytime soon, but there’s something special about it to me, plus, just look at the book itself!

The Pillar of Fire by J.H. Ingraham – The Prince of Tyre, Sesostris, goes to Egypt as a state guest of Pharoah. His letters to his beloved mother describe Egypt and the plight of the Hebrews that are enslaved there; all the way to their subsequent release from their labors and set free.

~This was a book that I found at Powell’s – and then it sat on my shelf for probably almost two years, waiting for me to read it! It did take me about four months to finish, a large part of that because I got on a Brandon Sanderson kick. It started out rather slow for me, as I expected the part about the plagues to start quite early in the story. But the descriptions of how the author envisions how Egypt was, were incredible. I did get bogged down by them at times, to be perfectly honest! I’m so glad I didn’t give up on the story though as it was well wort the full read. How they took the Biblical account and gave it such life was very interesting – and I didn’t spot any glaring discrepancies. I highly recommend this book as a way to bring that story to life. My copy is from 1859 but you can buy newer copies on Amazon.

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson (book 1) – Elantris was once a golden city in Arelon – literally glowing from the magic of the Shaod. It was the epicenter of trade and the demigods used their power to help others. Ten years ago, all that changed – the Elantirans became like lepers, and the city became their prison. In the devastation, a new capital has risen, Kae -in the shadow of the walls of Elantris. From across the waters, Princess Sarene of Teod comes to wed Prince Raoden – eager at last to meet and fall in love with this enigmatic man, but instead finds out that he has died and according to the laws of Kae, their engagement vows are as binding as marriage vows. Hrathen is a high priest of the Fjordell empire, and stepping into Kae hours after Princess Sarene has only one goal – convert the people of Kae in a few months’ time or they will all be killed. As Sarene battles politics in order to save both Teod and Kae from Fjordell control, she finds out the truth of Prince Raoden. He had become an Elantrian – outcast in the decaying city, and while trying to help the wretches there, he just might find the answer to the secret of Elantris.

~ Yes, this book deserves a long review. I LOVED this book. I never would have chosen it myself, but thank goodness for friends that send you books out of your ordinary! This quickly became a favorite of mine. The story line twists and turns so that I never knew how it was going to end and the characters were very well written. Neither Sarene nor Raoden are your typical royalty, and even the villian, Hrathen, has depths that intrigued and kept him from being someone you grew bored of. All in all, an excellent book full of suspense and lacking in anything sensual or ‘sketchy’. Highly recommend.

I did finish the Chronicles of Narnia series, click here for a review I wrote in 2018

Mistborn Era series by Brandon Sanderson

Currently Reading:

Sherwood by Meagan Spooner

Book in a Month by Victoria Lynn Schmidt

~Laura

What have you been reading this month?

Tags: a lantern in her hand, a table by the window, bess streeter aldrich, book review, book reviews, books, books to read, Brandon Sanderson, c.s. lewis, classic book reviews, elantris, h. rider haggard, hunchback of notre dame, j.h. ingraham, lawana blackwell, she: a history of adventure, surprised by joy, the pillar of fire, victor hugo