Books for Breakfast

I've had Eight Perfect Murders on my TBR shelf for a few months now; the synopsis instantly intrigued me because it evoked images of Agatha Christie. The idea of someone committing murders based on a list of "perfect" fictional murders was unique and intriguing. The novel itself, however, ended up falling flat for me. The whole plot ended up feeling like one convoluted story; I was constantly tripping up on names and the various fictional stories mentioned throughout. The main plot regarding the murders intermingled with past histories in a way that ultimately left me feeling confused and lost. Had the information been delivered in a more systematic way, I think the interconnected lives would have made more sense and come across in a creepier way, as I assume it was intended to. The narrator, Malcom Kershaw, was of the unreliable nature. I don't generally enjoy those, but I'm told it makes for more entertaining twists and turns :) There were certain aspects th...

Amish fiction is a niche genre that I enjoy reading very much. The Amish way of life is something of a fascination for me; years ago when I first started reading it, I often wished that I had been born into it. There's just something about the simplicity. I can't quite explain it, but with every book I read, I find myself drawn more and more to it. Someday I would love to go to Pennsylvania and visit the Amish townships there, and pick up an authentic quilt :) The benefits of this genre are that it inspires and convicts me. How can I serve my family better? How can I draw closer to the Lord, simply and sweetly? How can I practice forgiveness more? Usually, the Amish fiction novel contains some kind of romance and that's the kind I enjoy; clean, sweet, and endearing.  The Amish Outsider was a random find on Libby. After a quick perusal, I discovered that unfortunately, I won't be able to feed my habit much without the benefits of a library hold on physical books. ...

I promptly texted my friend "what the crap!" after finishing The Hand on The Wall . The journey through the Truly Devious series has been quite the ride. No doubt if COVID had not happened, I would have devoured the whole trilogy in the span of 2 weeks. Kindle holds are a thing, though, so I had to wait like a peasant (and practice patience) and instead finished the series in a span of several months... no big deal, I guess. It made the enjoyment last longer :) The series surprised me in so many ways and gave me some hope for the ever-expanding YA genre. The Hand on The Wall  was probably my least favorite in the trilogy, a-la Mockingjay style (if you know, you know). I genuinely feel like this last installment could have been parcelled out in such a way that the series could have been a duology. The first half trudged a little because it was basically a litany of Stevie's thoughts. Don't get me wrong, I like getting inside her mind because she is a fascinating char...

This book was an absolute delight; it was like a cup of tea and a warm blanket wrapped up in pages and bound in leather. Except of course, that I read a Kindle edition of this story and not a physical copy... but that's neither here nor there. I read the predecessor, The Bookshop on The Corner , last year and at first blush had no interest in reading the second book. I'll admit, I have a sort of bias towards books that center around an adult woman with a child and relationship problems; it's just not where I'm at in my own life and so I find it hard to relate and thus remain interested. However, I saw this book floating around on Goodreads and decided to give it a try. When my Libby hold finally came in after a couple weeks, I was able to dive headfirst into Scotland and the Loch Ness. This is one of the reasons I adore reading: I can visit new places without even leaving my home. Today, I was able to experience Scotland and London. While it took me several days to com...

I feel that I should begin this review with two things: first, a spoiler warning; in order for me to fully discuss my thoughts and feelings regarding this book, I gotta drop some big spoilers. Sorry, not sorry :) Second, I would like to share, word for word, the review I left on Goodreads immediately after finishing In The Woods ... "This book MESSED. ME. UP. That is all." After reading so many books in March, it feels like kind of a let down to have only finished one book in what is now the ending of the first week of April. However, I am in the middle of some rather large books; I might be a fast reader, but there is no way I can tear through the 700-page behemoth that is Goblet of Fire  in two days. That being said, my Kindle hold for In The Woods  came in on Sunday, and I felt the complete urge to drop everything I was reading and read it... hey, you only get 14 days! The premise of the book is this: three children go missing in the Knocknaree woods of Ireland. La...

I sped through the last 20% this morning because I literally could not stop reading, it was that wild of a ride. The Vanishing Stair got off a little slower than it's predecessor Truly Devious did, but I'm willing to look past it for the rest of the heart-pounding pages. I literally got to the last page, turned it expecting to get another chapter, and all I got were the "acknowledgments." I looked at the page, flipped back to make sure I hadn't skipped anything, whispered "no," yelled "are you kidding me," and flung my kindle onto the couch... my family can attest to this. But seriously though... what did I just read? Mysteries were solved, new ones arose, David went crazy... so many things happened! This is another case of my kindle riding in on a white horse and saving the day; if I hadn't been able to rent this as an ebook, I would have waited for weeks in utter misery until our library opened up again. The magic of technology! ...

My Kindle has become a lifesaver to me during this crazy time, let me tell you. Of course, the problem is now everyone and their mother is checking out ebooks because they can't get to a library, so it's slim pickings. Thank goodness for holds; just my luck all the books I want already have holds on them... Anyways, to the review ---> I picked up Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death on my Kindle because I had recently discovered the TV series Grantchester on Amazon (the show is based on the book, FYI). The book is told in a short-story format, I believe there were 6 stories in total? Sidney is a priest in the 1950's, post-war England, living in the small town of Grantchester. James Runcie, the author, has a very simple and straightforward writing style and in the beginning, I found it to be compulsively readable; it was so easy to get through that I could sit still for a good chunk of time and blaze through a story. Once I finished, though, the book ended up be...

The more books I read through my Kindle, the more I find myself actually... liking it (gasp). Never would I ever have thought I, Rachel, would be enjoying reading books on an e-reader. I have been staunch in by support of "real books" and high in my judgment of those who read e-books. I'll eat my words and enjoy them, because miracle of miracles, I've been converted. I will still continue to call paper and ink books "real books," but I no longer feel as though that is my only option now. One of the reasons I love Kindle books is because it makes long books easier to tackle. I get to hold something in my hands that is less than an inch thick, versus holding a 3-inch tome. Instead of feeling overwhelmed as to how many pages I have left, I find it easier to simply focus on the page I'm at. I plan to read books like Gone With The Wind and Middlemarch in this way. Another advantage of e-readers, as is the case with my latest read, you can often grab a cop...

Prepare yourselves, friends. This review will not be a short one. I suggest you make yourself a hot drink and perhaps a snack and settle in, because I've got thoughts. First of all, I don't know how I managed to go 21 years before reading and finishing Little Women . I have attempted this novel several times in the past and I never got very far. My most recent attempt was a few months ago; I borrowed my sister's pretty Puffin copy, but only achieved the first 10 chapters or so. After she and I watched the new Little Women movie adaptation (twice!), I decided once and for all, come hell or high water, I was going to finish this book. And OH. MY. GOODNESS... YA'LL!!! This is now my favorite book. You know how we can never pick a favorite book or movie because there are just too many and we have so many beloveds in different ways? Well, this tops all that... Little Women will forever and always be my favorite book. Let me begin my review by saying that I credit p...

I read this novel rather quickly, in less than a day in fact. A Clever Alliance by Laura Beers was my first Kindle read of the year. I had a craving for a romance, and the plot of this story involved a fake engagement, which is another trope I love. I don't have a whole lot to say about this one; it was a quick, easy, and clean read. I only gave it two stars, mainly because I found the romance less than convincing. I found it engaging and I wanted to keep reading more. I liked that there was an added element of intrigue and action and a villain you just want to hate. The dialogue and story-telling alone were just fine, and for that, I may have given it three or four stars, had it not been for the delivery of the romance. In the end, the romance crossed that line for me between sweet and sickeningly sweet. I used to swoon over this kind of dialogue, but in this context and delivery, I found myself feeling the opposite. So I guess my quest for clean romance will continue. I do gra...