julie Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 House of Echoes Ben Tierney's young family has its share of problems :his wife has lost her job ,Ben , who is a writer has a major writer's block. Their son is being bullied at school.They feel it is time to pick up , move and make a new start .So, they move to an area where Ben's ancestors were from, out in the woods . They find a huge old abandoned house that needs a lot of work, but they buy it, and decide to work on it to make it an Inn .Little do they know the trouble that follows them to their new place. It starts with the animal mutilations . There oldest son's fascination with going into the woods, that is a very eerie place to be .He starts acting very strange ,after seeing things in the woods that no young boy should ever see.Things go from bad to worse in this novel, as the tension builds. You will have a shock of an ending ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 The Obituary Writer Oh my gosh, what a good book !It's told by 2 separate women ,one from the early 1920's, the other from the 1960's . It's very easy to follow, but at first ,you don't see a connection between the two, so you wonder how the book will weave the stories together .It talked quite a bit about the role a housewife had in the 60's and what her expectations were . I've often pondered whether life was better then , when people stayed married because they made vows ,and tried to work through problems, or whether it's better now when people seem to feel the freedom to get out of a marriage sooner ,without the stigma of being a "divorced person " ,like it was so long ago .It's a story of grief , of many different forms and types of grief, of marriages gone bad, and whether to work on repairing them or move on .It's the story of holding onto the past ,when you might be happier looking into your future .Just a wonderful book . My kind of story. It leaves you with an important life lesson . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 A Year Unplugged I really hate giving bad reviews , but this book really irritated me. Maybe it's my age . I can understand the theory behind the book. I think we all tend to rely too much on our gadgets nowadays. Everyplace you go, people are usually on their phones , either making calls or playing video games or watching videos or texting . It's their business, but it makes me wonder what this younger generation would do if they were plonked back down into the 60's, when you had one old rotary dial phone in your house ,which was probably on a party line. What would they do with ONE TV in the house ,so everyone had to watch the same show as a family or take turns on what to watch ?I might be old fashioned, but I wouldn't trade those years for any money . People actually TALKED to each other then. We had meals together and discussed our days . As kids, we LOVED going outside to play .Don't get me wrong. Technology and the ability to be able to LEARN and find out anything with one click of a button is great ,but I remember having a set of World Book Encyclopedias and thinking they were the greatest thing ever, to be able to look up things to learn THAT way.Do I love my computer ? Yes. Do I love having a Kindle so I can read anything I want with the push of a button ? Yes.But I still remember fondly, the days of going to the library, checking out FOUR books at a time, and feeling like I had TREASURE in my hands .I think we'd ALL be better off if we disconnected most of our gadgets and went back to simpler times. I didn't need this book to tell me that .I also thought the way the book was written was not that great. The author goes into detail about each day of the year, trying to figure out how to function and communicate . How to interact with her child .Then she tosses in a chunk of "educational material" about the pros and cons of technology .Good grief ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 The Moaning of Life Sorry , Karl. Not your best. No comparison to your previous " Idiot Adventures" when you went travelling .This book focuses on the bigger issues of life, about dating ,marriage, and how to find a mate. Whether to have children or not . I don't know, this one just didn't grab and keep my attention . Parts of it were interesting . I enjoyed learning a bit more about how they do arranged marriages in India. I find that fascinating . Other than that .. I can't think of much else that made it worth my time to read it .Get out on the road again, Karl.. Tell us about new places and adventures. You do better in those areas . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 On the Carpet I must say for someone who enjoys reading anything historical, this is an interesting book, filled with letters ,mainly from Penelope ,who is a young teen when the book starts . Her mother has died, and her and her brother are sent off to school ,where she is a frequent writer to her Father in the beginning ,then as she grows older, her letters continue on to her brother ,and then her husband in the end .You certainly get a good view of what life was like in the 1830's in the South, from a young woman's viewpoint She writes a lot about her schooling, then of family friends and neighbors, church sermons, crops and farm life, but mainly she likes to gossip about all the other girls getting engaged and married. It seems that is a consuming thought to her, to get married as soon as possible, but I guess in that time, that is what was done. She was apparently engaged or close to it MANY times ,and finally married a Dr . I'll leave off the ending so as not to ruin the book for others . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted April 18, 2015 Share Posted April 18, 2015 I love these reviews, Julie. Very straight and to the point. You have read a lot of interesting books lately. It looks like you have an interest in true crime. I do as well, though I find that good ones are quite hard to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 18, 2015 Author Share Posted April 18, 2015 A Plain Scandal The village of Appleseed Creek is mostly Amish people .Chloe , the main character isn't Amish , but is good friends with a brother and sister who have left the church . Events start to escalate in the community when a new Bishop arrives ,who is much more strict with the rules, especially for the young people . Then begins a series of hair and beard cuttings among the Amish, which escalate into a murder .Chloe decides to try to help the police solve the crimes and figure out who is behind these crimes . * I'm not much of a mystery fan ,so that's one of the reasons for the low review .The book didn't have a whole lot of excitement in it and seemed to draw out far too long . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 18, 2015 Author Share Posted April 18, 2015 I love these reviews, Julie. Very straight and to the point. You have read a lot of interesting books lately. It looks like you have an interest in true crime. I do as well, though I find that good ones are quite hard to find. Thanks Bobbly, Yea, I've been reading a lot this year . I do like true crime, but it seems like the older ones are better than most of the new authors I have tried . If you are interested, try to find Fatal Vision by Joe McGinnis, And the Sea Will Tell by Vincent Bugliosi , or anything by Carleton Stowers , Darcy O Brien, Gregg Olsen .... I'll try to think of some others. I'm not sure why, but it seems as if the old ones had more of a story to them, went into lots more detail and you got to know the characters better . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted April 18, 2015 Share Posted April 18, 2015 Hi Julie great to see you back and Wow! You have certainly been reading some cool books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted April 18, 2015 Share Posted April 18, 2015 Wowee! You are returning with a Big Bang! Very happy to see you back again, Julie! Great reviews and sketches of each book, some of which I've read, and some I'm very interested in reading. Sorry some were duds, but that's how it goes. Your take on Mrs. Poe is interesting. I've seen it around. Another author, Mary Doria Russell...(the one that wrote Doc, about Doc Holliday and the new sequel Epitaph) was going to write a bio of Poe but finally, after lots of research decided not to as there was already one book out (yours). It's a shame really as I think Russell's would have been far better and would have been more factual and not "romancy". I read To Serve Them All My Days eons ago. If I remember correctly, it's one of the sequels to God is An Englishman......really good stuff! Glad you enjoyed it for a second time! I bet The World of PostSecret was interesting, although I can't imagine anyone sensible actually sending a postcard to a stranger with delicate information! Yikes! Oh! Carter Beats the Devil.....Kay's nemesis! I'm glad you enjoyed it, redeeming it's reputation! Dare I Call It Murder : A Memoir of Violent Loss sounds very interesting. I seem to remember a case like that, a true story? Interesting, the two cold case books you've got on the list. Great to know they were eventually solved. Murder on a Lonely Road and Finding Bethany Oh, where did Murder on Rouse Hill take place? That is a local families name that owns a chain of large grocery stores in New Orleans and around the area. Hah, re I Am Sophie Tucker.....yes, back before the days of pencil thin models and Twiggy! I love your review, especially, of The Wrong Man The Final Verdict on the Dr. Sam Sheppard Murder Case. I remember the case well, and always thought he could easily be an innocent scapegoat. The Bullet sounds great! Hissing Cousins is already on my wish list! I remember how horrifying it was when I read about this in the papers... No one Helped : Kitty Genovese, New York City, and the Myth of Urban Apathy Oh, Julie! I've read The Pines....in fact I've read lots of the Wayward Pines stories...yours is the first in a trilogy.......just sayin'. Good stuff! I like the sound of The Obituary Writer! Well done, Julie, and so glad to see you back posting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 18, 2015 Author Share Posted April 18, 2015 Dobryd This was a short autobiography of a 5 year old girl ,who at the beginning of the book, was hiding with a small group of other Polish people ( only a few were related ),in the top of an old barn .It was the last few months of WW 2 .One day, some Russian soldiers came to rescue them and they slowly made their way back to their home town, where they had once lived a good life with a nice home,servants and plenty of everything .This was a sad time, as so many adults didn't know the fate of family members, but through the grapevine, were able to find out about so many who had died .To sum up the book, this was the story of the aftermath of a horrible war, seen through the eyes of a child . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 18, 2015 Author Share Posted April 18, 2015 Not From Here As the 60 year old author sits by his 93 year old dying father's bedside, singing to him , he thinks this will be the final act he can do for his dad .Not so, because when he receives his father's ashes, he realizes there is one more meaningful journey he must make : to find a place to put the ashes.His family had travelled extensively and lived in many places, so the author takes a trip to find the perfect spot for his dad.A well told tale of a son's final act of kindness he can give his father .Sometimes rambling ,but also beautiful writing in spots .This man can teach us all the meaning of family and importance of "where we are all actually FROM " . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 18, 2015 Author Share Posted April 18, 2015 (edited) Hi Julie great to see you back and Wow! You have certainly been reading some cool books Hi James Thanks for the welcome back . Yep, I have been on a reading BENDER .. Edited April 18, 2015 by julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 18, 2015 Author Share Posted April 18, 2015 Wowee! You are returning with a Big Bang! Very happy to see you back again, Julie! Thank you kindly ! Great reviews and sketches of each book, some of which I've read, and some I'm very interested in reading. Sorry some were duds, but that's how it goes. Yea, you can't help but find some duds amongst the good ones . Your take on Mrs. Poe is interesting. I've seen it around. Another author, Mary Doria Russell...(the one that wrote Doc, about Doc Holliday and the new sequel Epitaph) was going to write a bio of Poe but finally, after lots of research decided not to as there was already one book out (yours). It's a shame really as I think Russell's would have been far better and would have been more factual and not "romancy". I may be in the minority . Poe would be a fascinating character to learn more about , but I think it'd be best to try something nonfiction about him . This one just seemed too fake throughout ,and I DON'T DO ROMANCE books.. YUK .. Too much gushiness for me ! Ruined a perfectly unusual character by slobbering all over him ! * I bought Epitaph .and have yet to read Doc ! Good grief ! I can't resist a good western though . I read To Serve Them All My Days eons ago. If I remember correctly, it's one of the sequels to God is An Englishman......really good stuff! Glad you enjoyed it for a second time! God is an Englishman is part of another series I think -- haven't read it but I think it's part one of another set ??? I could be wrong . I bet The World of PostSecret was interesting, although I can't imagine anyone sensible actually sending a postcard to a stranger with delicate information! Yikes! The Postcards are sent anonymously. Surprisingly, I think people have burdens that they are carrying and may be easier to unload to a stranger with out their signature on it ! Not sure ... Oh! Carter Beats the Devil.....Kay's nemesis! I'm glad you enjoyed it, redeeming it's reputation! Yea I thought it was really good ! Who woulda thought .. Warren Harding ... looks BORING ,but not so much after reading a bit about him ... Dare I Call It Murder : A Memoir of Violent Loss sounds very interesting. I seem to remember a case like that, a true story? Yep --true story . Interesting, the two cold case books you've got on the list. Great to know they were eventually solved. Murder on a Lonely Road and Finding Bethany Yea I like cold case books, better when they get solved ! Oh, where did Murder on Rouse Hill take place? That is a local families name that owns a chain of large grocery stores in New Orleans and around the area. Missouri -- a little north of you guys ... Hah, re I Am Sophie Tucker.....yes, back before the days of pencil thin models and Twiggy! Sophie was quite the character ,with a singing voice as loud as her mouth ! I had never heard the name before reading this book . I love your review, especially, of The Wrong Man The Final Verdict on the Dr. Sam Sheppard Murder Case. I remember the case well, and always thought he could easily be an innocent scapegoat. Yea, and I think they have pinned it on the WRONG MAN again .. Too bad they didn't do a bit better job on this one... Maybe money talks ? The Bullet sounds great! REALLY good -- might sound a bit of a stupid idea but it works ! Hissing Cousins is already on my wish list! OH, boy, you will LOVE these ladies -- great book ! I remember how horrifying it was when I read about this in the papers... No one Helped : Kitty Genovese, New York City, and the Myth of Urban Apathy Yea, but according to this author, the papers and news people at the time made it into a bit of a lie -- there were people who tried helping -- it all happened so fast and no 9-1-1 back in those days, so too late to get her help in time . Oh, Julie! I've read The Pines....in fact I've read lots of the Wayward Pines stories...yours is the first in a trilogy.......just sayin'. Good stuff! Yea, I know there are 2 more in the set -- the first one kinda gave me the creeps.. Not really my type of book. I'd rather read about true stuff ... I like the sound of The Obituary Writer! Beautiful ! Well done, Julie, and so glad to see you back posting! Thanks very much ... on a reading roll .. let's hope it continues . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted April 18, 2015 Share Posted April 18, 2015 Woooaaaah. Thank you, I now have 7 new books to add to my wishlist (and I don't like crime novels, so it's basically the majority of the non-crime ones you mentioned!) You've been hidden away having an amazing reading year! I loved reading these reviews Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Hey Julie, good to see you ! You've been reading a lot of nice books (and unfortunately a few books you didn't like), it's great to read your thoughts on them . I hope you are doing okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 Woooaaaah. Thank you, I now have 7 new books to add to my wishlist (and I don't like crime novels, so it's basically the majority of the non-crime ones you mentioned!) You've been hidden away having an amazing reading year! I loved reading these reviews Hi Noll I'm glad you found some new books to add to your reading list . I've read more this year than in a long time . I hope you like the ones you picked ! I try to read a wide variety of things . Not too much into certain kinds of books myself, but I'm trying to branch out a bit . It seems weird that I like true crime, but don't much like horror or made up scary stuff . I probably still lean more towards nonfiction in general, but have tried other books sprinkled into the mix this year . Hey Julie, good to see you ! You've been reading a lot of nice books (and unfortunately a few books you didn't like), it's great to read your thoughts on them . I hope you are doing okay. Hi Athena Thanks , yes, I've read a few duds, but most have been good or ok at least. I'm just picky about certain things in books. I really dislike romance in books ,but I think it's fine if others like it . Just ruins a book in my opinion . They can casually toss in a little bit ,but that's enough ! I've actually found some really good YA books, too ,but it's hard to find the sort I like . I don't like the sci-fi sort, the future world sort .. I like the ones about kids in school and the issues they deal with . I guess it reminds me of my school days, which I really loved . Makes me feel a bit younger when I read about those days, maybe ! Doing ok -- mainly trying to focus on reading and less on other stuff as much as possible . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Hi Athena Thanks , yes, I've read a few duds, but most have been good or ok at least. I'm just picky about certain things in books. I really dislike romance in books ,but I think it's fine if others like it . Just ruins a book in my opinion . They can casually toss in a little bit ,but that's enough ! I've actually found some really good YA books, too ,but it's hard to find the sort I like . I don't like the sci-fi sort, the future world sort .. I like the ones about kids in school and the issues they deal with . I guess it reminds me of my school days, which I really loved . Makes me feel a bit younger when I read about those days, maybe ! Doing ok -- mainly trying to focus on reading and less on other stuff as much as possible . That all makes sense . I've been reading more YA and children's books too this year so far, so it makes sense if they were to make you feel a bit younger. I'm glad you're okay . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 20, 2015 Author Share Posted April 20, 2015 (edited) Every Day by the Sun : A Memoir of the Faulkners of Mississippi by Dean Faulkner Wells I loved this book !Such a beautiful remembrance of an imperfect family ,which we all have .But this one was more famous than most.The Faulkners had an interesting cast of characters , including murderers ,thieves, adulterers , racists ,sociopaths and real bad tempers ( author's words) ,but they also knew when to come together to support each other in time of need .Dean Faulkner Well's uncle was William Faulkner . Her father was William's youngest brother, who was killed in his 20's in an airplane crash ,in which he was the pilot . Dean states that William never in his lifetime stopped grieving for his lost brother ,and somehow, feeling responsible. All the Faulkner boys loved airplanes , but William had given the airplane to Dean and encouraged his love of flying .Dean never had the opportunity to meet her father ,as she was born a few months after his death ,but William promised on the day she was born that he would always take care of her ,and he honored that promise, although, at times, he had many others who depended on him, in extended family and close friends. William also had his own demons to deal with ,which were depression and alcoholism .If you want to meet an interesting ,and good old Southern family, read this book . It was an honor to read it . (less) Edited April 20, 2015 by julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 (edited) Every Day by the Sun : A Memoir of the Faulkners of Mississippi by Dean Faulkner Wells I loved this book ! Such a beautiful remembrance of an imperfect family ,which we all have .But this one was more famous than most. The Faulkners had an interesting cast of characters , including murderers ,thieves, adulterers , racists ,sociopaths and real bad tempers ( author's words) ,but they also knew when to come together to support each other in time of need . Dean Faulkner Well's uncle was William Faulkner . Her father was William's youngest brother, who was killed in his 20's in an airplane crash ,in which he was the pilot . Dean states that William never in his lifetime stopped grieving for his lost brother ,and somehow, feeling responsible. All the Faulkner boys loved airplanes , but William had given the airplane to Dean and encouraged his love of flying . Dean never had the opportunity to meet her father ,as she was born a few months after his death ,but William promised on the day she was born that he would always take care of her ,and he honored that promise, although, at times, he had many others who depended on him, in extended family and close friends. William also had his own demons to deal with ,which were depression and alcoholism . If you want to meet an interesting ,and good old Southern family, read this book . It was an honor to read it . (less) On your excellent review, I ordered it, and it arrived yesterday! Got a lovely second hand hardback copy. I think you've got me on a Faulkner kick, I'm starting his Sanctuary, the prequel to Requiem for a Nun. Edited April 24, 2015 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Good for you, Kate ! I hope you like it as much as I did . Let me know how the Faulkner book goes. One of these days, I'll screw up the gumption to try one ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Wow, you've been reading your behind off, I love the eclectic mix of your novels! Pines This TV series aired here just yesterday! As I already watched the first episode, I'm opting to see the show and not read the book, at least for now. I'm intrigued! House of Echoes Great review, this one's going on my wishlist, me thinks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 (edited) Lots more reviews to post ..... but not gonna bother posting them . The group doesn't seem the same here any longer. Very little participation , so why take time to post any more reviews ? Edited May 21, 2015 by julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 I think it's one of those times of ebb and flow on the forum Julie. It's funny how it goes an odd kind of quiet every once in a while. I read on the forum more than I write on it, which I know isn't the way I should go about it, but that's where I'm at right now, and I would rather keep visiting quietly than not come in at all. Your reviews are always enjoyable to read, so if you do post them I will definitely read them, and I promise that I will let you know about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 I'm sorry you feel that way, Julie. You are not alone in feeling that way, though. Chrissy is right, activity does seem to go in waves, there are times where people are more active and where they are less active. Like Chrissy, I'd read your reviews if you post them, but of course it's completely up to you if you don't feel like doing so. If you don't enjoy your time here, you're not at all obliged to spend time here if you don't want to do so. I do want to say though that I wish you the best in your life (in case you leave), you are such a friendly person and I enjoyed 'talking' with you on the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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