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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review So Far Gone by Jess Walter

    August 20, 2025
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    A book for these times of conspiracy theories and extremest militia cults. Jess Walter gives us a book of family and redemption. Here is my Book Review So Far Gone by Jess Walter.

    Jess Walter

    This is the third book I have read by Walter who is based in my home state of Washington. The thing I like about Walter is how varied the three books have been; Beautiful Ruines is about Hollywood in Italy post war; The Cold Millions is about class uprising in working class Spokane early 20th century. And now, So Far Gone, based in modern times (2016 when Trump is elected) of dealing with modern politics and problems.

    Rhys Kinnick

    Walter’s introduces us to a well thought out character, retired journalist Kinnick. Seven years earlier Kinnick had left the mainstream to live off the grid. Kinnick’s decision came after his daughter’s conspiracy theory husband goes too far with politics talk on Thanksgiving, and Kinnick punches him.

    Kinnick moves to a family cabin from his childhood where he lives as a recluse, not seeing his daughter or two grand kids. During this time politics in the United States is turbulent with Trump, changing media and journalism standards, and far right groups like the Church of the Blessed Fire, the militia Christian church Kinnick’s son-in-law is in.

    Disappearance

    When a woman shows up on his remote cabin porch with two kids, Rhys doesn’t even recognize his two grand kids. This is when he learns his daughter has vanished, and the kids are now in his care. But something is afoul, and Rhys must figure it out. He will need to enlist the help of people from his past, not all of who he has left on good terms.

    Book Review So Far Gone by Jess Walter

    So Far Gone is a book of redemption, for a crotchety old man, who drinks too much and has an anger problem. But he loves his daughter and his grand kids, and he will learn they are worth fighting for. Walter gives us multiple fine characters in this novel (and introduces their view in separate chapters) and a plot that has some humor as well as fear. Though fiction, it feels very believable in a crazy world we are currently living in.

    Not my favorite of the three Walter novels I have read, but a solid and engaging story that is compelling and beautifully written.

    ****Four stars for So Far Gone by Jess Walter. Thank you for reading my book review So Far Gone by Jess Walter. See last week’s book review Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab

    August 13, 2025
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    Schwab’s latest epic novel is pretty dark and bloody. Although she is one of my favorite authors, this one was not really for me. I didn’t hate it, but didn’t love it either. Here is my Book Review Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab.

    Vampire

    The word vampire is only used a couple times in this 544 page novel, but it’s clear early on what Schwab is eluding to in this new novel. Of course her work is always magical and mystical and often violent. But this book is the darkest and bloodiest of any I have read. The story follows three women through centuries…three vampires through different eras. Three bloodthirsty women with an insatiable hunger for blood.

    Characters

    In most of Schwab’s book’s I have fallen in love with the characters, even those who are violent. But in this book I couldn’t love these raging women, and the story dragged. Of all the characters the modern day Alice was the easiest to identify with, and be hopeful for, in a hopeless situation.

    Book Review Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab

    There were parts of this book that held me rapt. But generally I found it more contrived than any of Schwab’s previous work. I am aware I will be in the minority here. The book has been long anticipated, solidly reviewed and will be wildly popular. You may like it too. But, this one was not my favorite.

    ***Three stars for Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab. Thanks for reading my Book Review Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab. See last week’s book review Orphans of the Living by Kathy Watson. And be sure to see our Reading Round Up 2025 for our top book of our reading year.

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Orphans of the Living by Kathy Watson

    August 6, 2025
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    Note: This book was provided to me gratis by Mind Buck Media in exhange for a review.

    The Great Depression. The Stovall family lives hand to mouth. This first time novel by Kathy Watson follows Barney and Lula Stovall and their eventual seven children from Mississippi to Montana and California in search of the elusive life of security and promise. Told from the point of view of each four members of this family, each well developed character has a story to tell. Here is my book review Orphans of the Living by Kathy Watson.

    Personal History

    Watson tells the story of her own impoverished mother and grandmother, and the difficult life they led in post depression era 1930’s. Surviving the death of her first husband, Lula is left with two young boys. She knows she can never love another man, but when Barney Stovall asks for her hand in marriage she consents, while still grieving the loss of her first husband. Kathy Watson’s real grandmother Lula will spend the rest of her life, either having babies or caring for babies, all while Barney jumps from job to job searching for a better life.

    Lula agrees to leave her two boys Glen and Ray with her uncle, when Barney insists they can’t afford to take the entire family to California. He promises her they will send for the boys when they can. Lula falls into a depression as the years go by and she never hears from the boys.

    The Last Straw

    When Lula finds herself pregnant again, she attempts to abort the baby, only to nearly die herself. The baby is a little girl, Nora Mae. Lula’s deep depression and lack of interest in the new baby will color the child’s entire life, giving her a lifelong desire to just be seen.

    Nora Mae

    Little Nora Mae will grow up to be author Watson’s mother, despite her difficult and unloving childhood. Her siblings will serve more as parents than either of her parents, and Nora Mae will rebel and look for love elsewhere.

    Book Review Orphans of the Living

    Unfortunately this kind of family dysfunction was not unheard of during the early years of the 20th century. Families where poor, divided, overworked and underfed. Most American’s would find a similar family story in their own history if they searched. It’s a good reminder for us today, even despite difficult current times, we are still generally better off than our ancestors. We give gratitude to them for forging a path through poverty, racism, and inequality to help next generations achieve a better life.

    ****Four stars for Orphans for the Living by Kathy Watson. See last week’s READING ROUND UP YEAR END REVIEW 2025. Thanks for reading my book review Orphans of the Living by Kathy Watson.

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    Reading Wednesday

    Eighth Annual Reading Round Up 2025

    Year In Review

    July 30, 2025
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    As you likely know if you have been following all these years, I track my reading year from July to July – why not be different from everyone else who tracks January to January?. Nothing fancy, just keep a little tally in my notebook of all the books I read. This year I read 85 books, (eight more than last year) and today I will share with you some of my favorites for the Eighth Annual Reading Round Up 2025.

    Over the past year I have written 53 book reviews, pulling into reviews my favorites of the 85 books. Most of my reading is done on my Kindle while traveling, a few hardback and paperback and a few more on Audible. I like Audible for car trips, a great way to be entertained on the road.

    So as in the past several years, I’m sharing my most favorites from July ’24 to July ’25. I have a top ten list, and ten honorable mentions too. Some outstanding novels, biographies, historical non-fiction, as well as Booker finalists. Other than the number one slot, The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, the books are in no particular order. So here we go, my Eighth Annual Reading Round Up 2025;

    My Top Ten

    THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon

    My Favorite Book of the Year. I listened to it on Audible while we were traveling in Australia. It was well written and well narrated. Though a work of fiction, Lawhon has well researched the story of real life 18th century midwife Martha Ballard and woven a remarkable tale of mystery, family, love and perseverance. Set in a cold frozen Maine in 1789.

    And in no particular order nine more…

    MARTYR by Kaveh Akbar

    There are thousands of really good writers. And then there are the masters. Akbar’s first novel, Martyr is a mastering of the art of language. Cyrus Shams, an Iranian young man, moved to America as a child with his father. He has struggled through his life with the tragic knowledge that his mother died on commercial plane, shot down by Americans over the Persian Gulf. An incredible story unfolds.

    THERE ARE RIVERS IN THE SKY by Elif Shafak

    Ancient and modern this book felt like reading a fairy tale. I was enraptured from the beginning – the beginning where we meet a tiny raindrop and follow the rivers in the sky through generations.

    THE LIFE IMPOSSIBLE by Matt Haig

    Grace Winters leads a self-proclaimed boring life in England as a 72-year-old retired teacher and widow. That is until she receives an email from a former student. Grace’s response to her student Maurice will be the entire novel – in all it’s beautifully written language, incredibly developed characters, fantastical magic and mystery…and a tropical paradise too.

    THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF SAM HELL by Robert Dugoni

    What a great feel good novel.  This is a story of being different.  Being bullied because of it. And finding a way through it all to succeed and be happy. Dugoni has two books in my top ten list this year, see below. You must read his work.

    BOY WITH WINGS by Mark Mustian

    This is a story about an unlikely hero. Just a boy. A boy born with an abnormality to a single mother in the south in the early part of the 20th century. When anyone who was not white or “normal” was dehumanized, hunted, condemned and chastized. Johnny Cruel lives this life. Mustian has two books on my top ten list this year (see below).

    GO AS A RIVER by Shelley Read

    This is a beautiful coming of age story set in the high mountains of Colorado post WWII. Love grows in many ways; between people, for the land, for family, for nature, for a way of life. At the heart of this story is love.

    GENDARME by Mark Mustian

    Incredible. I am an avid historical fiction reader, particularly when the plot is based on real events and people. Having recently been to and fallen in love with Armenia and the surrounding Caucasus countries, I devoured this story. Mustian makes my top ten list twice – see above Boy with Wings.

    HOLD STRONG by Robert Dugoni

    Hold Strong is a story of true events that occurred during war time, this story is WWII. Despite the fact there are literally hundreds of novels and non-fiction books about WWII – I was unaware of the horrific “hell ships” of the Japanese military. A truly remarkable book, and the second of Dugoni’s work to make my top ten this year. See Boy with Wings above.

    VICIOUS by V.E. Schwab

    The underlying theme of this mind-bending book is ambition and the evil it begets. The book bounces back and forth over a decade time frame with two brilliant college roommates, Eli & Victor, creating a chaotic and dangerous game for their Senior Thesis. When things go terribly wrong, people start to die. I am a huge fan of V.E. Schwab and this book was excellent.

    Ten More You Should Read

    THE UNMAKING OF JUNE FARROW by Adrienne Young in a word Secrets

    THE HORSE by Willy Vlautin in a word Redemption

    THE GLASSMAKER by Tracy Chevalier in a word Women

    TANGLES by Kay Smith-Blum in a word Radioactive

    SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE by Claire Keegan in a word Conscience

    THE SAFEKEEP by Yael van den Wouden – in a word Unexpected

    THE LION WOMEN OF TEHRAN by Marjan Kamali – in a word Friendship

    THE MEASURE by Nikki Erlick – in a word Value

    MY FRIENDS by Hisham Matar – in a word Profound

    THE GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore – in a word Mystery

    Eighth Annual Reading Round Up 2025

    Thanks for reading my Eighth Annual Reading Round Up 2025 and for reading all my book reviews this past year. Every Wednesday I post a new review…I hope you will continue to enjoy, share and comment as we read together.

    See last week’s book review The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife here. See you again next week for more Reading Wednesday!

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston

    July 23, 2025
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    What would happen to a down and out lonely old man if he is mistaken for someone else? Life can have unexpected twists and turns, and that is the story of today’s Book Review The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston.

    Mistaken Identity

    A case of mistaken identity turns into a comedy and tragedy as Frederick Fife finds himself living as someone else in a nursing home. The lonely old man was out of money and about to lose his apartment, when suddenly his life changed. Despite trying several times to explain who he really was, no one at the nursing home will listen. Fred is frustrated at the ageism he experiences, but begins to enjoy his warm bed and hot meals so decides to just live as Bernard Greer, believing he isn’t hurting anyone.

    Friends and Family

    Fred has no family of his own, but this kind and gentle soul immediately makes friends in the nursing home, all while the staff wonder about his positive change in personality and improving health. Things are going along well until Bernard’s estranged daughter shows up. Having not laid eyes on her father in 30 years, even she does not recognize that Bernard is actually Fred.

    Comedy of Errors

    What will happen as Fred finds himself dug deeper and deeper in this misconception, unwilling to hurt those around him but living with heavy guilt?

    It’s a fun and uplifting story, with a variety of well-developed characters all looking for a sense of purpose. The book looks at issues of aging, family, memory, grief and friendship. A perfect summer read.

    Book Review The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston

    ****Four stars for The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston.

    Thanks for reading my Book Review The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston. See last week’s book review The Will of the Many by James Islington.

    Be sure not to miss NEXT WEEK our EIGHTH ANNUAL READING ROUND UP 2025 – my top picks of my reading year July 2024-July 2025.

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review The Will of the Many by James Islington

    July 16, 2025
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    This book showed up on a must read list I follow and since it is really long, it seemed like a good one to listen to on Audible in the car. More than 28 hours of listening it is an epic story, book one of two, and I was transfixed. Here is my book review The Will of the Many by James Islington.

    The Future?

    It’s never exactly clear if this fantasy novel is Earth in the future or something else. It’s a dystopian society that is both backward and forward of where we are on present day Earth. And yet it is also a mysterious place, where personal “Will” can be traded or “ceded” for favor, and those with more “Will” are the Hierarchy of this society known as The Catenan Republic.

    Secrets

    Vis Telimus is not who most people think he is. Keeping his real identify secret, he feigns being an orphan after a tragic accident. He is “adopted” by the powerful Magnus Quintus Ulciscor Telimus. Ulciscor places Vis in the prestigious Catenan Academy to find out answers to secrets. But Ulciscor’s wife has her own answers she is searching for. Vis is a spy for both, all while knowing if they knew his real identify they would kill him.

    Rising Through the Ranks

    Vis must rise through the ranks of the Academy, and try to make friends while learning as much as he can about the Hierarchy, a murder, a secret chamber and what is really going on behind this “civilized society”. A lot for a young man who really wants justice for his own family’s murder.

    Book One of Two

    When I started this book I did not realize it would leave me hanging in the end…as we wait for the second book scheduled for November 2025. The novel is a bit Harry Potter, a bit Hunger Games and a bit Lord of the Flies, all while most definitely not YA. I was intrigued by the story, though complicated, left with many questions at the end, and looking forward to what will happen in the next installment.

    Book Review The Will of the Many by James Islington

    Thank you for reading my book review The Will of the Many by James Islington. I really recommend it if you are looking for an epic story with intrigue and fantasy.

    *****Five stars for The Will of the Many by James Islington. See last week’s book review Vicious by V.E. Schwab.

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    Book Review The Will of the Many by James Islington

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Vicious by V.E.Schwab

    July 9, 2025
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    I have been a fan of V.E. Schwab ever since I read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue about five years ago. At that time I did not see myself as a fantasy reader. But Schwab changed that with her unique style of reality against fantasy and good against evil. I have read a lot of her work since Addie LaRue, and this week I’m sharing another favorite. Here is my Book Review Vicious by V.E.Schwab.

    Ambition

    The underlying theme of this mind-bending book is ambition and the evil it begets. The book bounces back and forth over a decade time frame with two brilliant college roommates, Eli & Victor, creating a chaotic and dangerous game for their Senior Thesis. When things go terribly wrong, people start to die. Ambition gets the better of the friends, and they turn against each other after their fascinating discovery – how to create supernatural powers in humans.

    Revenge

    Victor will end up in prison for ten years, while Eli spends the decade trying to eradicate every other human with super powers. When Victor gets out of prison, he has one goal…revenge. Eli’s own superpower is to heal himself, while his girlfriend has the power to make others obey her. Meanwhile Victor has his own power to give and take-away pain. He meets Sydney, who is running from Eli and has her own remarkable superpower, and with Victor’s prison mate Mitch they hatch a plan to do away with Eli once and for all.

    Book Review Vicious by V.E.Schwab

    I really enjoyed this book and found the characters were fascinating and well developed. The story line is fast paced and violent but kept my attention, right up to the final sentence. It’s a story about loneliness, and searching for meaning. It is a story about family and grief and how a superpower is not always about being a hero. It can be about becoming vicious. It’s a story about redemption and bending reality, while coming back around to the strength of friendship.

    *****Five stars for Vicious by V.E. Schwab.

    Thanks for reading my Book Review Vicious by V.E.Schwab. See last week’s book review Unshackeled by Amanda DuBois. We love it when you comment, pin and share our book reviews. Thank you.

    Book Review Vicious by V.E.Schwab
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