Set it Up

Zoey Deutch (Before I Fall) and  Glen Powell (Scream Queens) are assistants who want more free time and they way to get it...have their bosses in a relationship. Since they are in the same building why not with each other. Lucy Liu (Elementary) and Taye Diggs (All American) are the bosses. It's a romantic comedy on Netflix so you know how it ends. All in all, I say: SEE IT  it's kind of cute

The Stranger

An 8 episode series on Netflix. Hannah John-Kamen from Killjoys is a Stranger who walks up to a man (Richard Armitage from The Hobbit) at a child's soccer game and drops some truth on him. She says his wife faked a pregnancy. When he confronts his wife she says there is something else she has to deal with first. Siobhan Finneran (Loch Ness) is a detective who while solving a murder comes upon a blackmailing scheme and connects it all to the now missing lying wife. Jennifer Saunders (Absolutely Fabulous) and Stephen Rea (The Crying Game) also star. For most of the series you have no idea how everything is connected or why. It's well crafted like most Harlan Coben plots around secrets and lies and the damage they do. All in all, I say: SEE IT

The Half of It

A cute teen romance in a small town is the genre of this Netflix movie starring Leah Lewis from Nancy Drew. It's a modern retelling with a cultural twist of Cyrano de bergerac. Basically, a smart not very attractive man helps a very attractive man get into the pants of a very attractive woman. In this modern retelling - a smart girl originally from China helps a small town jock try to win the heart of the preacher's daughter. The added cultural parts make it a fun watch. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Rock the Kasbah

Bill Murray (Groundhog Day) is a talent agent. He needs money and takes a gig for one of his singers (Zooey Deschanel from Trolls) in Afghanistan. He meets a mercenary (Bruce Willis from Die Hard), a hooker (Kate Hudson from Deepwater Horizon), two arms dealers (Danny McBride from Eastbound & Down and Scott Caan from Hawaii Five-0), and a Cat Stevens's singer. He helps a young Pashto woman get on their version of American Idol. It's not great, but it doesn't suck. I liked the soundtrack. All in all, I say: SEE IT on HBO

Antiques Fate

The duo travel to a neighboring city for a festival in book 10 of the series. A lot of people die in this, so it's a bigger book. Amazon writes, "Brandy Borne's exceedingly eccentric mother, Vivian, has been invited to perform her one-woman interpretation of "the Scottish play" (sometimes called Macbeth)--with different hats for different characters--at the neighboring town of Old York's annual fête. The weekend festival celebrates the quaint village's English flavor. Brandy, sensing a possible theatrical disaster, and savvy shih tzu Sushi, sensing possible doggy treats, tag along with the scene-stealing septuagenarian. As soon as they arrive in the cozy hamlet, tragedy strikes: the theater owner drops dead onstage while giving Vivian the grand tour. That wasn't in the script and before they know it, Brandy and Vivian are entangled in a progressively perilous murder plot. Besides the cream teas and Chippendale chairs, it seems there are skeletons lurking among Old York's charming pubs and enticing antiques stalls … When a second victim turns up mysteriously murdered, the dynamic duo knows they've got to step into the spotlight. But the remorseless killer seems to be well rehearsed for the Borne girls…and won't leave even the smallest detail of their demise to fête!" All in all, I say: READ IT

Antiques St. Nicked

Another short story from the series. Amazon writes, "Baby, it’s cold outside at small-town Serenity’s annual Holiday Stroll festivities. But that doesn’t stop Brandy Borne and her theatrical mother, Vivian, from making merry. That is, until the two find something frosty in Santa’s workshop—the jolly man in red, dead as a doornail. And the goodies inside his donation bag have vanished like cookies and milk on Christmas Eve. It’s up to Brandy and Mother—with spirited shi tzu, Sushi, in tow—to take the reins and start checking off their naughty list. But the sleuthing duo might have to reckon with some ghosts of Christmas past before finally unwrapping the murderer…" All in all, I say: READ IT

Antiques Swap

In book 9, Brandy has suspicion cast upon her after the death of the wife of a former boyfriend is found dead. I knew the murderer within a couple of chapters. Amazon writes, "It happened at Serenity's swap meet, right after Brandy Borne and her ever-more-eccentric mother Vivian finished shooting the pilot for their very own TV show, Antiques Sleuths. Brandy just, well, lost her balance and fell . . . into the helpful arms of an old flame, local tycoon Wesley Sinclair III. But did Brandy's innocent slip lead to the murder of Wesley's wife, Vanessa? Sure, Vanessa was furious that she caught Brandy in Wesley's embrace. And she did storm off threatening dire consequences for her humbled husband. So when Vanessa turns up very dead, the local tongue-wag is that Wesley may have permanently dethroned the queen of his castle. But Brandy--along with her notoriously nosy mother and their sleuthing shih tzu Sushi--is determined to dig for the whole truth. Each new clue points in a different direction. What about this suspicious Club of Eight, a super-secret high-society bridge group that supposedly has very liberal rules about "partners"? When a key witness joins the dead list, Brandy and Vivian know they've got to crack this case before the remorseless killer puts an end to their antiquing days--forever!" All in all, I say: READ IT 

Antiques Fruitcake

A short story in the series. It's a little over the top since it focuses on a play that Vivian is in. Amazon writes, "During the dress rehearsal for small-town Serenity's festive Christmas play, star Madeline de Morlaye topples over—on stage!—after a bite of prop pastry. Since the frosty actress had earned plenty of enemies through her offstage dramatics, the cast of suspects is longer than Santa's "Naughty or Nice" list. Prop mistress Brandy Borne and her diva-turned-director mother, Vivian—assisted by their savvy shih tzu, Sushi—must solve this fruitcake fatality before it's curtains for anyone else". All in all, I say: READ IT

Wolf Hollow

During the Great Depression a WWI vet with PTSD is chosen by a local bully to be the fall guy. Only one girl has his back. With the strength of her convictions she tries her best to get through to him and protect him. She will realize that the world has other plans for outsiders. It's a little rough for younger audiences. Amazon writes, "Despite growing up in the shadows cast by two world wars, Annabelle has lived a mostly quiet, steady life in her small Pennsylvania town. Until the day new student Betty Glengarry walks into her class. Betty quickly reveals herself to be cruel and manipulative, and though her bullying seems isolated at first, it quickly escalates. Toby, a reclusive World War I veteran, soon becomes the target of Betty’s attacks. While others see Toby’s strangeness, Annabelle knows only kindness. And as tensions mount in their small community, Annabelle must find the courage to stand as a lone voice for justice. The brilliantly crafted debut of Newbery Honor– and Scott O'Dell Award–winning author Lauren Wolk (Beyond the Bright Sea, Echo Mountain), Wolf Hollow is a haunting tale of America at a crossroads and a time when one girl’s resilience, strength, and compassion help to illuminate the darkest corners of history." All in all, I say: READ IT

Antiques Con

Book 8 in the series takes the readers to New York for a comic-con convention. When there is murder and it may be tied up with the mob Vivian gets an idea. She thinks she can use her talents to get the mob to drop the contract out of Brandy's boyfriend. But can she solve the murder and have the mob come out on top? Amazon writes, "Small-town sleuths Brandy and Vivian Borne--with their trusty shih tzu, Sushi--head for a Big Apple comics convention to sell a rare 1940s Superman drawing. When an intruder breaks into their hotel suite, their madcap Manhattan misadventure is only beginning. Soon the out-of-towners stumble onto a murder victim impaled by a pen-shaped award. Villains abound--from cartoonists to crime bosses--creating a jumble of clues. Brandy and Vivian will leave no comic-book page unturned in their race to trap a ruthless killer" All in all, I say: READ IT

The Wild Robot

In the future, a ship carrying a lot of robots is sunk. One lone robot's box makes it onto the shore of an island and is activated by otters. The robot learns and adapts by learning from the animals on the island. The animals also learn from the robot. After an accident, the Robot ends up raising a gosling. The company, however, keeps track of all their inventory and they come for the Robot. Amazon writes, "Can a robot survive in the wilderness? When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is all alone on a remote, wild island. She has no idea how she got there or what her purpose is--but she knows she needs to survive. After battling a violent storm and escaping a vicious bear attack, she realizes that her only hope for survival is to adapt to her surroundings and learn from the island's unwelcoming animal inhabitants. As Roz slowly befriends the animals, the island starts to feel like home--until, one day, the robot's mysterious past comes back to haunt her. From bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator Peter Brown comes a heartwarming and action-packed novel about what happens when nature and technology collide." All in all, I say: READ IT - I cried.

Antiques Slay Ride

A short story in the series. It's a quick read. A short mystery with the series characters. Amazon writes, "The Christmas rush is on as Brandy Borne and her quaintly quirky mother, Vivian, sniff out plum collectibles for resale, only to find the owner of a Santa's workshop worth of treasures has received some deadly tidings. It's beginning to look a lot like murder. . .but who wanted the deceased closed for the holidays—permanently? Maybe a rival antiques dealer, a Grinch who collects Christmas? Or the victim's suspiciously frosty stepchildren? Brandy and Vivian check their list of who's been naughty or nice, but it may take a Christmas miracle—and some help from Sushi, their elfin shih tzu—to tie a bow around the season's most wanted killer!". All in all, I say: READ IT

The Girl with the Louding Voice

This book is written from the girl's point of view and written how she speaks, so it is very hard to get through and understand her broken English. Then there is rape and more rape. I skipped some chapters all together - skipping and skimming to get the gist. If you are curious how woman are created in Nigeria this is a good book. I already knew and this just hurt my heart more. Amazon writes, "Adunni is a fourteen-year-old Nigerian girl who knows what she wants: an education. This, her mother has told her, is the only way to get a “louding voice”—the ability to speak for herself and decide her own future. But instead, Adunni's father sells her to be the third wife of a local man who is eager for her to bear him a son and heir. When Adunni runs away to the city, hoping to make a better life, she finds that the only other option before her is servitude to a wealthy family. As a yielding daughter, a subservient wife, and a powerless slave, Adunni is told, by words and deeds, that she is nothing. But while misfortunes might muffle her voice for a time, they cannot mute it. And when she realizes that she must stand up not only for herself, but for other girls, for the ones who came before her and were lost, and for the next girls, who will inevitably follow; she finds the resolve to speak, however she can—in a whisper, in song, in broken English—until she is heard" All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Cosmoknights

In the future there is a royal family on almost every planet. In order for trade and peace to remain throughout the galaxy the Princess of each planet is married off to the winner of a space version of Jousting. The game has progressed over the years - wealthy men and/or company hiring knights to joust for the princess on their behalf. A small group of woman want to change that. They are jousting to get the girls and free them. Amazon writes, "Pan's life used to be very small. Work in her dad's body shop, sneak out with her friend Tara to go dancing, and watch the skies for freighter ships. It didn't even matter that Tara was a princess... until one day it very much did matter, and Pan had to say goodbye forever. Years later, when a charismatic pair of off-world gladiators show up on her doorstep, she finds that life may not be as small as she thought. On the run and off the galactic grid, Pan discovers the astonishing secrets of her neo-medieval world... and the intoxicating possibility of burning it all down" All in all, I say: READ IT

The Banks

Three generations of burglars plan a job that will being them not only money but revenge as well. The twist is that all three are women. My only issue is how irritating the youngest girl is - I can't stand her as a character. SHe and her grandmother argue a lot - it got to be annoying. Amazon writes, "For fifty years the women of the Banks family have been the most successful thieves in Chicago by following one simple rule: never get greedy. But when the youngest Banks stumbles upon the heist of a lifetime, the potential windfall may be enough to bring three generations of thieves together for one incredible score and the chance to avenge a loved one taken too soon. From New York Times bestselling writer Roxane Gay (Hunger; Black Panther) and artist Ming Doyle (The Kitchen). Collects issues #1-6, the entire story for you to binge-read!" All in all, I say: READ IT

Antiques Chop

Book 7 is by the far the grossest one of the series. A body is found chopped up. Amazon writes, "Brandy Borne and her dramatically ditzy mother, Vivian, are stars of the new reality show, Antiques Sleuths. The season opens in a perfect location--a quaint old house echoing with the unsolved whispers of a 60-year-old axe murder. But when the show's producer meets a similarly grisly end, Brandy and Mother must chop around for clues, axe the right questions, and get the edge on a murderer's mysterious motives. Otherwise our sharp-witted sleuths may face cancellation--on the cutting room floor!" All in all, I say: READ IT

One to Watch

If you are a fan of reality shows like The Bachelor or of the fiction show UnReal, then you will enjoy this book. It's a look behind the scenes. The woman searching for love among a house of men is a plus sized woman. It also gives the reader a glimpse into what life must be life for larger women in this day in age - the age of social media. I laughed and got angry. I enjoyed this book. Amazon writes, "Bea Schumacher is a devastatingly stylish plus-size fashion blogger who has amazing friends, a devoted family, legions of Insta followers—and a massively broken heart. Like the rest of America, Bea indulges in her weekly obsession: the hit reality show Main Squeeze. The fantasy dates! The kiss-off rejections! The surprising amount of guys named Chad! But Bea is sick and tired of the lack of body diversity on the show. Since when is being a size zero a prerequisite for getting engaged on television? Just when Bea has sworn off dating altogether, she gets an intriguing call: Main Squeeze wants her to be its next star, surrounded by men vying for her affections. Bea agrees, on one condition—under no circumstances will she actually fall in love. She’s in this to supercharge her career, subvert harmful beauty standards, inspire women across America, and get a free hot air balloon ride. That’s it. But when the cameras start rolling, Bea realizes things are more complicated than she anticipated. She’s in a whirlwind of sumptuous couture, Internet culture wars, sexy suitors, and an opportunity (or two, or five) to find messy, real-life love in the midst of a made-for-TV fairy tale. In this joyful, wickedly observant debut, Bea has to decide whether it might just be worth trusting these men—and herself—for a chance to live happily ever after" All in all, I say: READ IT

Antiques Disposal

In book six, more people are starting to die. It seems the further in the series the more dangerous the situations get and the more people die. In this edition they find a rare treasure that will take us into the next book. It's a clever way to get the characters further out of Serenity. Makes it "more plausible" so to speak. Amazon writes, "Storage wars erupt when Brandy Borne and her suspiciously well-informed mother, Vivian, win an abandoned storage unit's "mystery" contents. The good news is a rare vintage cornet. The bad news is the recently stowed body of Big Jim Bob, Vivian's former tipster. Even worse, an intruder steals into the Borne home to mete out some ruff justice to Brandy's ferociously fluffy shih tzu, Sushi, while making off with the heirloom horn. When the sleuthing duo finds another stashed victim, the hunt is on for a corpse-hoarding killer who's trying to blow "Taps" for all concerned. . " All in all, I say: READ IT

The Last Flight

Two women find themselves in serious trouble and have been forced to take desperate measures for their safety and happiness. What seems like a chance encounter at an airport might not be chance or luck at all. Two women swap flights and when one of the planes unexpectedly crashes it could be a saving grace or it could be the end of them. It's not mind shattering fantastic, but it was a good read. Amazon writes, "Claire Cook has a perfect life. Married to the scion of a political dynasty, with a Manhattan townhouse and a staff of ten, her surroundings are elegant, her days flawlessly choreographed, and her future auspicious. But behind closed doors, nothing is quite as it seems. That perfect husband has a temper that burns as bright as his promising political career, and he's not above using his staff to track Claire's every move, making sure she's living up to his impossible standards. But what he doesn't know is that Claire has worked for months on a plan to vanish. A chance meeting in an airport bar brings her together with a woman whose circumstances seem equally dire. Together they make a last-minute decision to switch tickets—Claire taking Eva's flight to Oakland, and Eva traveling to Puerto Rico as Claire. They believe the swap will give each of them the head start they need to begin again somewhere far away. But when the flight to Puerto Rico goes down, Claire realizes it's no longer a head start but a new life. Cut off, out of options, with the news of her death about to explode in the media, Claire will assume Eva's identity, and along with it, the secrets Eva fought so hard to keep hidden.For fans of Lisa Jewell and Liv Constantine, The Last Flight is the story of two women—both alone, both scared—and one agonizing decision that will change the trajectory of both of their lives.". All in all, I say: READ IT

Lost Boy Lost Girl:Escaping Civil War in Sudan

A love story...kind of. A war story for sure. Every other chapter is told from the perspective of one of the lost girls and one of the lost boys of the Sudan. You get to hear from them the beginning of the war to their end in America. It's nonfiction  - some of it is hard to handle (hurts your heart). It has always been a struggle to find an interesting book for the continent of Africa to appeal to 12 year old girls. This might be it - I'd have to test it out. Amazon writes, "One of thousands of children who fled strife in southern Sudan, John Bul Dau survived hunger, exhaustion, and violence. His wife, Martha, endured similar hardships. In this memorable book, the two convey the best of African values while relating searing accounts of famine and war. There’s warmth as well, in their humorous tales of adapting to American life. For its importance as a primary source, for its inclusion of the rarely told female perspective of Sudan’s lost children, for its celebration of human resilience, this is the perfect story to inform and inspire young readers." All in all, I say: READ IT

Antiques Flee Market

Joe is starting to become a bigger character in this book 3 of the series. Brandy  mom is going to be taking on more and more as the series goes. The editor is going to be making more and more comments as well. Amazon writes, "As the Christmas season gets into full swing in the Mississippi River town of Serenity, Brandy Borne finds herself in the midst of holiday mayhem when Walter Yeager, an old flame of her mother's, becomes a victim of Yuletide homicide." All in all, I say: READ IT

Antiques Knock-Off

In book 5 of the series, the blackmailer has been discovered and murdered. Amazon writes, "Brandy Borne is pretty sure her "charmingly eccentric" (a.k.a. "off her meds") mother, Vivian, didn't kill that viperous mousy-haired busybody Connie Grimes. But there's the small matter of her guilty plea. . ..While Mother blithely adapts to life behind bars by organizing a jailhouse theater troupe, seven-months-pregnant Brandy and her intrepid shih tzu, Sushi, trundle into a morass of fake antiques and faux collectibles. In the dog days of summer, they'd better not bark up the wrong tree--or a scheming killer just may put the bite on them!" I didn't guess the killer and it was so easy to spot not sure how I missed it. All in all, I say: READ IT

Little Fires Everywhere (tv show)

On Hulu, this perfect 8 episode series matches the book almost completely. It is perfectly cast as well: Kerry Washington (American Son) and Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show) star as the mothers. Joshua Jackson (Dawson's Creek) is the father. Read the book first. It's about family and the lies people tell - as well as - the secrets people keep. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Loch Ness

Siobhan Finneran (Downton Abbey) is an fancy city detective brought into the small Scottish town of the Loch Ness monster to investigate a murder. Laura Fraser (The Missing) is the local detective and this is her first murder. It's a small town and the kids are obnoxious. Too many secrets and the kids trying to lie and keep things to themselves make it difficult for the investigation. A famous profiler is brought in to help. The characters are interesting. All in all, I say: SEE IT on Acorn 

Hidden

On Acorn, a Welsh detective is trying to solve the murder of a girl that had gone missing over 15 years ago. There's a creepy reason - held captive by a guy who is beaten by his mother a lot. Mistakes are made which is why it takes 8 episodes to get the killer. The actress who plays the detective does a good job. It's just the subject matter I guess. The entire thing was too disturbing and depressing. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Gold Digger

A recently divorced woman is celebrating her 60th birthday in the London alone (Julia Ormond from TWD: The World Beyond). Her children have forgotten or not thought it important to join her, so while wandering museums she meets someone. He is impressed by her intelligence and humor. They go for drinks and it continues from there. The catch is....he is much younger (Ben Barnes from Westworld). In the 6 episodes we get a glimpse at each of the main characters. We learn secrets about each one, and we are led to believe the young man is only in it for the money. Which was obviously a ploy - I didn't fall for it. SPOILER


Turns out the woman and her adult kids are the ones with the secret. The ex-husband had been abusing her their entire marriage and it had scarred all the kids.

Again, we see it could have been done in an hour and a half movie, but they had to draw it out with a bunch of nonsense that didn't further the plot at all. All in all, I say: SKIP IT on Acorn

Blood

On Acorn, the unhinged youngest daughter of a town doctor believes her mother was murdered. She runs her own investigation in order to prove she is right. In doing so she uncovers a lot of secrets and destroys a lot of lives only to discover....SPOILER


Her father was only following her mother's wishes - who was tired of suffering. What could have been handled in an hour and a half movie was done is 6 painfully slow one hour episodes. So so much of which was not relevant at all. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Love Wedding Repeat

On Netflix, an English wedding where things go wrong or do they? Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark) is getting married and wants things to go right. She doesn't want the groom to know she slept with an old boyfriend a few weeks earlier, she wants her only family (her brother played by Sam Claflin from Adrift) to reconnect with a love interest (Olivia Munn from The Daily Show), and she wants the Man of Honor to give a good toast. Aisling Bea (Home Alone reboot not yet named) also stars. After everything goes wrong - it starts over again - different things go wrong this time. I don't know why it repeats? I guess there was funny stuff they had to leave out the first time, so they did it again and added repeat?! All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Queens of Mystery

On Acorn, the niece of 3 mystery writers returns to her hometown - a small town. She is a detective and with the help of her aunts is able to solve several murders. There is a narrator - it kind of reminds me of Amelie, but English instead of French. It's cute, quirky, and not grotesque. She was raised by her aunts after her mother's death under suspicious circumstances. We get some clues into her mother's life in season 1, but not much else until season 2. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Ready or Not

A black comedy-horror film on Hulu. Once all the guests have gone home this newly married couple retreats to the family game room. It's tradition to play a game to welcome the new member of the family. The family has made their money in games - all sorts. Really, though the family has made a deal with the devil. Will it be chess? Nope. It's Hide & Seek - the bride hides and everyone else gets a weapon and seeks her out. If she is not killed by dawn everyone in the family dies. It is a good blend for both horror and comedy. All in all, I say: SEE IT if you like horror.

The Healer

Jonathan Pryce (Tales from the Loop) is a long lost uncle to a loser in this Netflix movie. His nephew has had lose and is struggling with debt. To become debt free he has to live in Canada at the family home for one year. When he arrives he learns there was more to it. All in all, I say: SKIP IT - kind of cheesy.

The Lovebirds

On Netflix starring Issa Rae (Little) and Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick) as a couple going through a rough patch who find the night really could get worse. Anna Camp (True Blood) and Paul Sparks (House of Cards) also star. I wouldn't say I laughed out loud, but it didn't suck. I thought I knew everything about the movie from the previews, but it was more complex than that. It's mostly about relationships. The acting is what made this. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Space Force

Steve Carell and Greg Daniels (The Office) created this comical look at Trump's Space Force for Netflix. Each character is pretty funny on their own, but together it is really very funny. Episode one I wasn't sure about it, but I kept going and couldn't stop. There is humor for all types. So many famous comedians in this too. The only thing I didn't like was the ending. I'm not sure how they are going to make a second season...if they are. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Living with Yourself

In this Netflix series Paul Rudd (Ant-Man) plays a struggling ad man and his clone. Aisling Bea (Quiz) is his wife. The acting is good. You can tell a difference between the main character and his clone. It answers the questions: How do our experiences influence who we are as people? If we take the bad out of our genes are we really better? It was interesting, but how they set up the last show for a second season; that I'm not sure about. All in all, I say: TRY IT

Reckoning

On Netflix this series shows how a serial killer was born and the consequences the cases have on the family of the police. It is no secret who the killer is. Sam Trammell (True Blood) is the killer and Aden Young (The Code) is the autistic cop. It's slow - there's a lot in this that isn't really necessary for the story to be told. I think they did it because they are planning on making a second season. All in all, I say: SKIP IT. It was good acting, but nothing truly new or unique about it.

Amazing Stories

I remember being mesmerized by Spielberg's show in the 80s. I was disappointed it didn't continue as a series. Now everything 80s is coming back. The new series on Apple TV did not disappoint. It spoke to our time. All in all, I say: SEE IT

Patton Oswalt: I Love Everything

A Netflix comedy special that I had high expectations for because I think he is funny on twitter. I was disappointed. I don't think I laughed out loud, not even once. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Book 4 in the series. All in all, I say: READ IT. An auction creates an opportunity for  murder. It's predictable, but how they solve it is funny as always. There is also a new secret about Brandy that is revealed. The love interest stuff is in the background, but not the main thing which I like. Amazon writes, "Spring has sprung a major leak in far-from-serene Serenity, as the Mississippi River drops in for an extended stay. With homes and businesses flooded, how better to help the town recover than by staging a church bazaar? Brandy Borne knows her mother Vivian's plan, however, is more likely to lean toward bizarre, especially when she hears Mother wheedle a reclusive Russian heiress into donating the last Faberge egg ever created! When the winning bidder turns up mortally scrambled, Brandy and Mother cook up a plan to crack the case of this killer. . .who is one seriously bad egg! Don't Miss Brandy Borne's Tips On Antiques!"

Antiques Maul

Book 2 in the series. All in all, I say: READ IT (if you read the first) this one the author is getting even better. There are some funny parts, and again the mystery is easy but fun. Amazon writes, "Halloween may be a time of treats, but for Brandy Borne, there's nothing trickier than keeping her batty mom out of mischief. Opening a booth at the Serenity antiques mall seems like a frightfully sensible solution--until a corpse turns up between the cornucopia and the candy corn. Local law scares up a suspect in the victim's dog, Brad Pit Bull. But Brandy and Mother see through the killer's clever canine masquerade. Their mission: unmask a murderer--before the witching hour comes, and he mauls again."

Antiques Roadkill

All in all, I say: READ IT. Not bad for a first book in a series. The characters are just interesting enough. There is a manic mom, uptight sister, loyal best friend, an ex-husband, a son, a blind dog with diabetes and a small Midwest town filled with gossips. It was a quick read. It's not too gory and not a lot of cursing. It's worthy of Hallmark I would say. Killers are kind of predictable, but you don't mind. Amazon writes, "Determined to make a new start in her quaint hometown on the banks of the Mississippi, Brandy Borne never dreams she'll become the prime suspect in a murder case. . .Moving back in with her eccentric, larger-than-life mother, Brandy Borne finds small-town Serenity anything but serene. It seems an unscrupulous antiques dealer has swindled Vivian out of the family's heirlooms. But when he is found run over in a country lane, Brandy becomes Murder Suspect Number One--with her mother coming in a very close second. . .The list of other suspects is impressive--the victim's business seems to have been based on bilking seniors out of their possessions. And when the Borne "girls" uncover a few very unsavory Serenity secrets, they become targets for a murderer whose favorite hobby seems to be collecting victims."

Silent Spring

All in all, I say: SKIP IT. I get that it was written in the 60s, but it's a book for academics. It is boring. Now people already know all this and going back to read where it all started - turned out - not that interesting. Amazon writes, "First published by Houghton Mifflin in 1962, Silent Spring alerted a large audience to the environmental and human dangers of indiscriminate use of pesticides, spurring revolutionary changes in the laws affecting our air, land, and water. "Silent Spring became a runaway bestseller, with international reverberations . . . [It is] well crafted, fearless and succinct . . . Even if she had not inspired a generation of activists, Carson would prevail as one of the greatest nature writers in American letters" (Peter Matthiessen, for Time"s 100 Most Influential People of the Century). This fortieth anniversary edition celebrates Rachel Carson"s watershed book with a new introduction by the author and activist Terry Tempest Williams and a new afterword by the acclaimed Rachel Carson biographer Linda Lear, who tells the story of Carson"s courageous defense of her truths in the face of ruthless assault from the chemical industry in the year following the publication of Silent Spring and before her untimely death in 1964."

Hurricane Season

All in all, I say: SKIP IT unless you need a book on bipolar disorder or LGBTQ. A single father is struggling with bi-polar and hasn't been the great musician he once was. His daughter has been trying to take care of him, but now social services could possibly take her from him. Because of an art project she begins to see her dad as Pablo and herself as his brother Theo. They both discover they are gay - hmmm. And they both have to work out their roles in the family. It felt like it had potential , but then some aspects felt forced into the story. It was made more complicated than it needed to be to be great. Amazon writes, "Fig, a sixth grader, loves her dad and the home they share in a beachside town. She does not love the long months of hurricane season. Her father, a once-renowned piano player, sometimes goes looking for the music in the middle of a storm. Hurricane months bring unpredictable good and bad days. More than anything, Fig wants to see the world through her father’s eyes, so she takes an art class to experience life as an artist does. Then Fig’s dad shows up at school, confused and looking for her. Not only does the class not bring Fig closer to understanding him, it brings social services to their door. As the walls start to fall around her, Fig is sure it’s up to her alone to solve her father’s problems and protect her family’s privacy. But with the help of her best friend, a cute girl at the library, and a surprisingly kind new neighbor, Fig learns she isn’t as alone as she once thought . . . and begins to compose her own definition of family. Nicole Melleby’s Hurricane Season is a radiant and tender novel about taking risks and facing danger, about friendship and art, and about growing up and coming out. And more than anything else, it is a story about love—both its limits and its incredible healing power."

Extraordinary Birds

A young girl believes that she is really a bird and one day she will be able to fly when she (and her) body are ready. The reasons for this belief are heartbreaking and will make you cry. She's in the foster system - the reason will make you cry. After many "houses", she may have finally found a "home". All in all, I say: READ IT. If you let your child read it - read it with them to talk through some of the heavier stuff. Amazon writes, "December believes she is a bird. The scar on her back is where her wings will sprout, and one day soon, she will soar away. It will not matter that she has no permanent home. Her destiny is in the sky. But then she's placed with foster mom Eleanor, a kind woman who volunteers at an animal rescue and has secrets of her own. December begins to see that her story could end a different way – but could she ever be happy down on the ground? In her arresting debut, Sandy Stark-McGinnis offers an inspiring story about family, friendship, and finding where you belong."

The Midnight Gang

All in all, I say: SKIP IT. The author is trying too hard to be like Roald Dahl and doesn't really make it. It's very British, too. It's very much for elementary, young, kids. Amazon writes, "David Walliams burst on to the American scene with his New York Times bestseller Demon Dentist, and now he’s bringing his signature humor to the sick ward in The Midnight Gang.

Tom lands in the hospital with a nasty bump on the head after a gym class accident. And things only get worse when he meets the hospital staff, including the wicked matron of the children’s ward.. But luckily, Tom’s time in the hospital will be anything but boring when he discovers that his fellow patients turn the awful ward into the most wondrous world after lights out. Join the Midnight Gang as they make their wildest dreams come true!"

The Knock Out Queen

All in all, I say: SKIP IT. A young gay high schooler while living with his aunt meets and becomes friends with a young lesbian high schooler. She is strong and athletic and he is not. I skipped the middle. In the end, she has brain damage from boxing, her loser (alcoholic) father is managing her. I couldn't connect with the characters and I was bored after 5 chapters. Reading the ending I'm glad I didn't waste my time. Amazon writes, "Bunny Lampert is the princess of North Shore⁠—beautiful, tall, blond, with a rich real-estate-developer father and a swimming pool in her backyard. Michael⁠⁠—with a ponytail down his back and a septum piercing⁠—lives with his aunt in the cramped stucco cottage next door. When Bunny catches Michael smoking in her yard, he discovers that her life is not as perfect as it seems. At six foot three, Bunny towers over their classmates. Even as she dreams of standing out and competing in the Olympics, she is desperate to fit in, to seem normal, and to get a boyfriend, all while hiding her father's escalating alcoholism. Michael has secrets of his own. At home and at school Michael pretends to be straight, but at night he tries to understand himself by meeting men online for anonymous encounters that both thrill and scare him. When Michael falls in love for the first time, a vicious strain of gossip circulates and a terrible, brutal act becomes the defining feature of both his and Bunny's futures⁠⁠—and of their friendship. With storytelling as intoxicating as it is intelligent, Rufi Thorpe has created a tragic and unflinching portrait of identity, a fascinating examination of our struggles to exist in our bodies, and an excruciatingly beautiful story of two humans aching for connection."

All Roads Lead to Austin

All in all, I say: READ IT. It is not only a nonfiction, travel book; it is also a book that analyzes Jane Austin's novels. Why are they read so widely, why do they connect to people today, why are they made into movies, and spin offs? I like how she describes the country she is in with some history. She also includes the book discussions. I love Austin and I liked reading about South America. Amazon writes, "With a suitcase full of Jane Austen novels en español, Amy Elizabeth Smith set off on a yearlong Latin American adventure: a traveling book club with Jane. In six unique, unforgettable countries, she gathered book-loving new friends— taxi drivers and teachers, poets and politicians— to read Emma, Sense and Sensibility, and Pride and Prejudice. Whether sharing rooster beer with Guatemalans, joining the crowd at a Mexican boxing match, feeding a horde of tame iguanas with Ecuadorean children, or tangling with argumentative booksellers in Argentina, Amy came to learn what Austen knew all along: that we're not always speaking the same language— even when we're speaking the same language. But with true Austen instinct, she could recognize when, unexpectedly, she'd found her own Señor Darcy All Roads Lead to Austen celebrates the best of what we love about books and revels in the pleasure of sharing a good book— with good friends."

Transcription

All in all, I say: SKIP IT. The writing style is not my cup of tea. I really didn't like it after 5 chapters. I read the ending and disliked it even more. Amazon writes, "In 1940, eighteen-year old Juliet Armstrong is reluctantly recruited into the world of espionage. Sent to an obscure department of MI5 tasked with monitoring the comings and goings of British Fascist sympathizers, she discovers the work to be by turns both tedious and terrifying. But after the war has ended, she presumes the events of those years have been relegated to the past forever. Ten years later, now a radio producer at the BBC, Juliet is unexpectedly confronted by figures from her past. A different war is being fought now, on a different battleground, but Juliet finds herself once more under threat. A bill of reckoning is due, and she finally begins to realize that there is no action without consequence."

Typhoon

All in all, I say: READ IT. I like TWD and I like zombies. This is in the same time period as TWD the show and graphic novel. This is what it would be like in the countryside of China. I like the mix of zombies with the Asian culture. It's really well done. Amazon writes, "In this white-knuckled and high-stakes thriller, set in the expansive world of Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead series, three different people in China—a rural farmer, an urban military veteran, and an American student—are caught in the typhoon of undead as chaos sweeps over the most populous country in Asia. In the aftermath of a horrifying outbreak, the last remnants of the Chinese government have estimated that one billion walkers (called jiangshi) are currently roaming the country. Across this desolate landscape, large groups of survivors have clustered together for safety in settlements that have been built to protect against the unceasing wave of jiangshi. In one of these settlements, Beacon of Light, scavengers of vastly different backgrounds struggle to provide supplies for the survival of thousands. Before this devastation, Zhu was one of the millions of poor farmers who left their rural roots for the promise of consistent employment in one of China’s booming factory towns. Elena was an American teaching English in China while on a gap year before beginning law school. Hengyen was a grizzled military officer of some renown, and a passionate believer in his nation’s ability to surmount any obstacle. But with the settlement’s 3,000 mouths to feed and the scavengers having to travel further and further in search of food, Zhu ends up at his home village, where he is shocked to find survivors. Does he force them to join the settlement or keep their existence a secret? Meanwhile, a veritable typhoon of walkers is headed towards the Beacon of Light. When the conniving leader of the Beacon, Secretary Guo, tasks Hengyen with rounding up all survivors in the area for a desperate last stand, the military man sees it for the foolish, futile directive that it is. Ever the patriot, though, he will stand with his compatriots to the very last. But Zhu finds himself caught between his love for Elena, his duty to the Beacon, and his desire to flee with the villagers. With time running out and the stakes higher than ever, these three survivors must figure out how to live with the overwhelming odds against them."

The Walking Dead Official Cookbook and Survival Guide

All in all, I say: READ IT. Rather buy it and put it in your "go" bag. I liked all the survival stuff - tips and so on. The cooking stuff - I imagine would be hard to do in an apocalypse. I don't like cooking, but I like TWD. Amazon writes, "The Walking Dead: The Official Cookbook and Survival Guide details the skills and recipes you need to survive (while avoiding being eaten) during a walker apocalypse. Inspired by the hit AMC television series, the book features recipes for meals featured on the show, plus food and drinks inspired by key characters and locations, along with expert information on foraging, hunting wild game, and outdoor cooking. Featuring familiar treats like Carl’s pudding, Carol Peletier’s baked goods, and Hershel’s spaghetti, this is the ultimate gift for fans and walker-wary survivalists alike."