Review: Top Down by Jim Lehrer

Top Down

by Jim Lehrer

Publisher: Random House

Pages: 208

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  November 22, 1963. As Air Force One touches down in Dallas, ambitious young newspaper reporter Jack Gilmore races to get the scoop on preparations for President Kennedy’s motorcade. Will the bubble top on the presidential limousine be up or down? Down, according to veteran Secret Service agent Van Walters. The decision to leave the top down and expose JFK to fire from above will weigh on Van’s conscience for decades. But will it also change the course of history?

Five years after the assassination, Jack gets an anguished phone call from Van’s daughter Marti. Van Walters is ravaged by guilt, so convinced that his actions led to JFK’s death that he has lost the will to live. In a desperate bid to deliver her father from his demons, Marti enlists Jack’s help in a risky reenactment designed to prove once and for all what would have happened had the bubble top stayed in place on that grim November day.

For Jack, it’s a chance to break a once-in-a-lifetime story that could make his career. But for Van the stakes are even higher. The outcome of a ballistics test conducted on the grounds of a secluded estate in upstate New York might just save his life—or push him over the edge.

Kritters Thoughts:  On November 22, 1963 in Dallas, TX something happened that changed the life for individuals, families and the country.  Most everyone talks about Kennedy and his death that impacted his family and the future of our country, but this book takes a look at one Secret Service agent and how this day changed the course of his life forever.  

Jack Gilmore is a reporter based in DC now, but he was there on the scene the day in Dallas, TX and he remembers interacting with the head of the Secret Service team on THAT day.  During a panel he speaks about the decision to take the top off the car before the fated drive and this peaks the interest of the daughter of the agent and together they try to figure out how to help her father recover from that day.  

It was so interesting to see the affects of this day on someone that was more on the sidelines of the day.  This book felt like both a non fiction and fiction read and could be because the author was really close to the main character and was a journalist himself.  

If you have read all of the books that focus on this day in history, this is a good addition to your collection; it felt unique because of the different viewpoint and focus.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2020 Challenge: 15 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Lawyer for the Cat by Lee Robinson

Lawyer for the Cat

by Lee Robinson

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Pages: 240

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Sally Baynard is one of the best lawyers around. In the years since her divorce from Family Court Judge Joe Baynard, she dedicated herself to representing the worst and craziest Charleston, S.C. had to offer. But none of the murderers, burglars, or angry divorcing clients compared to Sherman, the dog her ex-husband appointed her to represent. Although the miniature Schnauzer found his way into her heart (and brought his handsome vet Tony along too), his case was a thorny one. With that business out of the way, Sally is happy to move back to non-canine clients... until a probate judge asks her about a cat.

Agreeing to represent Beatrice, a black cat who's the beneficiary of a multi-million dollar trust and a plantation, Sally must put her wit, charm, and brains to the test, choosing among three colorful potential caregivers while dodging the former owner's angry son. Meanwhile, Sally must juggle the demands of the court with those of her aging mother and make a decision about Tony, who wants to get more serious. Lawyer for the Cat is Southern women's fiction at its most delightful, featuring strong, smart characters, a charming setting, and plenty of adorable critters.

Kritters Thoughts:  The second in a series and although the law case is full resolved in this book and the one previously, I would recommend starting at Lawyer for the Dog as there are a lot of character development moments that you would miss if you jumped straight to this one.  

As in the first book, it centers around Sally Baynard who is a lawyer with her own practice in Charleston, SC.  Her ex husband is a judge and she likes spending her time helping the people in her community solve the problems that matter to them most.  In this book, there is a cat that is worth quite a bit as her owner has recently died and left her estate to the cat to ensure the cat is able to maintain the "emotional environment" that she is used to!  

I read this book at quite an interesting time in my personal life as my parents were dealing with their will and trust.  It made this book feel almost a little too real - I had a little more understanding than I have in the past on what was going on.  

I enjoyed these books, they were easy reads to dip into during the work week when I had limited time and wasn't mentally available to get into a heavy book.    


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Review: Lawyer for the Dog by Lee Robinson

Lawyer for the Dog

by Lee Robinson

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Pages: 230

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  One of the sharpest attorneys in Charleston, S.C., Sally Baynard isn’t your typical southern belle. She’s certainly not what her mother hoped she’d grow up to be, especially since she divorced her husband, Family Court Judge Joe Baynard, and his historic family with their historic wealth and historic houses. Maybe Sally was never going to be a proper society lady, but her success as a public defender and family lawyer have been enough for her. She’s represented murderers, burglars, drug dealers and lately has taken on some of the thorniest divorces, all cases closed with her Sally Bright Baynard wit, charm and brains.

Or have they? One case she’s never successfully closed is her marriage. And when Judge Joe assigns her to one of his divorce cases by appointing her as the Lawyer for the Dog -- Sherman, a miniature schnauzer-- she’s forced into close quarters with him again. Juggling the needs of the dog, the angry owners, her amorous but uncommunicative ex-husband, her aging, Alzheimer’s-ridden mother, and the expectations of the court is more than Sally could have imagined. And as rascally Sherman digs his way into Sally’s heart, he brings along his charming vet Tony, a man who makes Sally question her views on love and marriage.

Kritters Thoughts:  Sally Baynard prides herself on being an attorney in Charleston, SC, but after divorcing a guy from a well known family who becomes a judge, she is often put into awkward situations - hence she becomes a guardian lawyer for a dog who's parents are going through a divorce.  

First, I am a huge dog fan.  I have three of my own, so a book where the dog is a central character and they don't die, sign me up!  This book already had points before I even started reading it.  BUT I really did love this book.  I loved the concept of a dog being a valued item in a divorce and needing more context than dividing up houses and cars and such.  It was so sweet to follow Sally and she tried to find the best solution for Sherman, the dog and I loved the way she went about "investigating."  

This was a fun and sweet book that was perfect to curl up with in one day.  It was short and sweet and I was excited to follow it up with the sequel, which I will review later today.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

Another week without a commute and some extra reading time.  I am definitely going to hit my reading goal this year!

A meme hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 

Finished this past week:

Who Speaks for the Damned by C.S. Harris
Going Solo by Zoe Sugg
The First Date by Zara Stoneley
Meet Me at Emotional Baggage Claim by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella

Currently Reading:

Fighting for Space by Amy Shira Teitel
A Criminal Justice by William Myers, Jr.

Next on the TBR pile:

The Socialite by J'nell Ciesielski

Review: The Sea Glass Cottage by RaeAnne Thayne

The Sea Glass Cottage

by RaeAnne Thayne

Publisher: HQN Books

Pages: 384

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  The life Olivia Harper always dreamed of isn’t so dreamy these days. The 16-hour work days are unfulfilling and so are things with her on-again, off-again boyfriend. But when she hears that her estranged mother, Juliet, has been seriously injured in a car accident, Liv has no choice but to pack up her life and head home to beautiful Cape Sanctuary on the Northern California coast.

It’s just for a few months—that’s what Liv keeps telling herself. But the closer she gets to Cape Sanctuary, the painful memories start flooding back: Natalie, her vibrant, passionate older sister who downward-spiraled into addiction. The fights with her mother who enabled her sister at every turn. The overdose that took Natalie, leaving her now-teenaged daughter, Caitlin, an orphan.

As Liv tries to balance her own needs with those of her injured mother and an obstinate, resentful fifteen-year-old, it becomes clear that all three Harper women have been keeping heartbreaking secrets from one another. And as those secrets are revealed, Liv, Juliet, and Caitlin will see that it’s never too late—or too early—to heal family wounds and find forgiveness.

Kritters Thoughts:  Another standalone book by RaeAnne Thayne and I historically like her stand alone books the most.  Told through multiple perspectives, but mostly through a mother daughter duo who have been reunited by a health crisis and both must decide where they want their lives to go next.  Olivia Harper has lived far from her mother for awhile and there are many reasons for this separation.  Juliet Harper, her mother, fell off a ladder at work and Olivia feels the draw home to help take care of her and maybe push the pause button on her current life and rhythms and reevaluate everything.

I always love a story that allows multiple characters to tell their side of the story.  I think you get much deeper and full story when characters are given a chance to tell their side of things.  

With family relationships at the center of this story there wasn't a focus on romance and I liked this change.  There was of course a bit of romance in the story, but it wasn't the only thing in the plot and that felt refreshing.  I love the focus on mothers and daughters and all the complicated things that go into those relationships.  I have a great relationship with my mom and I could chuckle at moments where even the best of mothers and daughters can clash!

I adored this book and would recommend it completely.  I think it would be a great book to read during a summer vacation, it was a quick and easy read and I wouldn't have minded reading it in a relaxed beach setting!


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Ebook 2020 Challenge: 19 out of 100


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from HarperCollins.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

Without a commute and a quieter life this week, I was able to read quite a bit and hoping for the same this next week.  

A meme hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 

Finished this past week:

Miss Austen by Gill Hornby
Bark Park by Brandi Dougherty
No Bad Deed by Heather Chavez
To Have and To Hoax by Martha Waters
Sunrise on Half Moon Bay by Robyn Carr

Currently Reading:

Who Speaks for the Damned by C.S. Harris
Fighting For Space by Amy Shira Teitel (audio)

Next on the TBR pile:

The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany by Lori Nelson Spielman

Review: Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel

Darling Rose Gold

by Stephanie Wrobel

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 320

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  For the first eighteen years of her life, Rose Gold Watts believed she was seriously ill. She was allergic to everything, used a wheelchair and practically lived at the hospital. Neighbors did all they could, holding fundraisers and offering shoulders to cry on, but no matter how many doctors, tests, or surgeries, no one could figure out what was wrong with Rose Gold.

Turns out her mom, Patty Watts, was just a really good liar.

After serving five years in prison, Patty gets out with nowhere to go and begs her daughter to take her in. The entire community is shocked when Rose Gold says yes.

Patty insists all she wants is to reconcile their differences. She says she's forgiven Rose Gold for turning her in and testifying against her. But Rose Gold knows her mother. Patty Watts always settles a score.

Unfortunately for Patty, Rose Gold is no longer her weak little darling...

And she's waited such a long time for her mother to come home.


Kritters Thoughts:  This is going to be a hard review to write because I think it is best going into this book without much knowledge - like I did.  I hadn't really read even the synopsis before picking it up, just saw the cover all over the place and was intrigued.  

A book that has a focus on a mother daughter duo who don't have the best relationship due to their rocky past.  Patty is the mother and at the beginning of this story she is getting released from prison where she was guilty of endangering her own child as she made her sick her whole life.  Rose Gold is there to greet her mother as she leaves prison and is ready to start this new chapter with her life . . . 

This is one of those books where you just can't trust any of the characters and for me that isn't something I completely love.  I don't mind when you can't trust one, but when you can't trust any that makes for a hard story to read as you just can't believe anything that anyone as saying as complete fact.  

I am intrigued with how a parent could want to have a sick child to get attention partly due to the tv show, The Politician.  The look at Munchausen by proxy disease made me keep reading this book because I am so fascinated by a parent who could find comfort or joy or something from the attention that a sick child could get, I am not a parent, but this really fascinates me.

This book was interesting, but I wouldn't be quick to recommend it to just any reader.     


Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Before He Vanished by Debra Webb

Before He Vanished

by Debra Webb

Publisher: Harlequin

Pages: 256

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  His disappearance changed her life forever.

Twenty-five years ago, Halle Lane's best friend vanished from their Tennessee town. When a childhood photo brings Liam Hart to Winchester, Halle is certain the man is the same child who vanished. Now Liam seeks out Halle to help him investigate the circumstances of his mysterious past. Can Liam and Halle uncover the truth before a killer buries all traces of the boy Halle loved--and the man he may have become--forever? 

Kritters Thoughts:  Halle Lane is trying to revitalize her career as investigative journalist back in her home town in a small city in Tennessee.  She is back there after being gone for awhile and she is confronted by a tragedy that was far in her past.  When she was a young girl, her neighbor and best friend of the same age, Andy Clark went missing, never to be found again.  On an anniversary of his disappearance she writes an article that sets off a series of events that could change a lot of people's lives.

I absolutely loved this book.  I felt as though it was a little short and could have used a few more pages to make the book feel a little more full and complete.  The book's pacing was so good, the story moved so fast that I read it in two sittings.  The author was able to keep a pace from chapter to chapter that kept me reading and reading.  

The characters were fantastic.  I loved the characters in this story, they didn't feel over the top or fake, they felt real and true.  I love it when I can get invested in characters and really feel connected to them.

This was a great book, it makes me want to go back to the beginning and read some of the other previous books in the series.   

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2020 Challenge: 22 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from St Martin's Press.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: A Social Media Survival Guide by Melody Karle

A Social Media Survival Guide

by Melody Karle

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Pages: 184

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  The every person's guide to social media... how to use it and what never to do.

Are you trying to figure out how to safely use social media but finding yourself struggling? Here's a book specifically designed to help regular people figure out social media platforms.

It begins with a chapter about social media basics: how they normally work, why people use them, and general safety tips. It is easy to get confused by the large number of options that are out there so this book breaks down each major network into its own chapter. Chapters are included for:

Facebook
Snapchat
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
Twitter
Reddit, and
Tumblr.

Because each social media platform has its their own rules, benefits, and challenges, each chapter gives a summary of the platform and tells the reader why people use it. Next, each chapter has a glossary of terms to explain language and slang that are used. This will help people who are new to social media learn about terminology like subreddits, retweets, and more.

If readers decide to use the platform (or already use it and want to learn more), each chapter guides users through a "how-to" of using each platform. This includes the basic functionality, setting up profiles, settings, and odd features that even current users may not know about. Privacy and safety are also covered, with a platform-specific section devoted to these important issues in each chapter. Two final chapters cover other notable social media platforms that readers might want to know about and archiving tips for saving social media posts and information.

Kritters Thoughts:  An almost textbook for most/all the social medias that are out there.  I knew going into this book that I felt pretty savvy on some of websites, but was interested to read the basics for all and get a schooling on some that I don't use at all.  

I would recommend this book to any parent to read themselves if they are not versed in social media and then also to read it with their kids.  It really talks about privacy and which social media websites that are built to be very public and some that are built to be more private circles.  I think this would be something to review with your child as they start signing up and choosing which social media avenue will be the best one for them.  

I did wonder while reading this book how quickly it could be obsolete and outdated.  As there are constant updates and new apps added, this book may need to be quickly updated and reviewed as our world and technology are ever changing.  


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2019 Challenge: 68 out of 100


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

With the virus invading the country, I buried myself under books to avoid the crazy!

A meme hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 

Finished this past week:

Who Rescued Who by Victoria Schade
The Ingredients of You and Me by Nina Bocci
Essential Oils for Soothing Anxiety by Christina Anthis
I've Got This Round by Mamrie Hart (audio)
Truths I Never Told You by Kelly Rimmer
Girl Online by Zoe Sugg
On Tour by Zoe Sugg

Currently Reading:

Fighting for Space by Amy Shira Teitel
Miss Austen by Gill Hornby

Next on the TBR pile:

Going Solo by Zoe Sugg

Review: A Midwife's Song by Patricia Harman

A Midwife's Song

by Patricia Harman

Publisher: Flying Squirrel Press

Pages: 357

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  It’s 1956, the beginning of the Civil Rights movement in the U.S. and the middle of the Cold War. Revolutions are happening all over the world. On the home front, midwives Patience and Bitsy face personal challenges. Their young adult children are changing. Bitsy’s adopted son returns from Korea wounded in body and spirit. Patience’s daughter is pregnant “out of wedlock,” and Danny, her son, has a problem with booze. Childbirth in the U.S. is changing too. The midwives who were once called for home deliveries have been overshadowed by the new hospital with its “painless childbirth”, until a few rebel nurses appear and Bitsy and Patience step forward to help them. In the midst of these challenges, journals written in the 1850s by Grace Potts, the elder midwife of the Hope River, begin appearing on Patience’s porch at night. The diaries detail Grace’s escapes from slavery when she was fifteen. Who is bringing them? And why? What do the midwives do now? Read the journals, of course. Struggle to understand and help their children, of course. Join the civil rights protests on Main Street, of course… and sing! 


Kritters Thoughts:  The fourth book in a series where I suggest you really start at the beginning as you would miss out on some great character development if you were to start on this one.  

Two women are a midwife duo in a small town in West Virginia.  A white woman and a black woman in the middle of the Civil Rights movement as the country is trying to decipher where they will land on race issues (I could argue this is still going on today, but I digress).  These women have been working together for awhile, but this current climate will test their friendship and they must make some hard decisions.  

I feel as though this series reminds me of Forrest Gump, each book tackles a different moment in time and the major things that are happening at that time in their place.  It was interesting to read about these women as they enter a new era in the United States history and see how they will each react to it.  

I have enjoyed each book in the series.  I wished this one had a little bit more midwifery, it seemed a little light compared to other books in the series, but I still enjoyed the book on the whole.  


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from the author.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: My Life in Thirty Seven Therapies by Kay Hutchison

My Life in Thirty Seven Therapies

by Kay Hutchison

Publisher: RedDoor Publishing

Pages: 281

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Kay Hutchison had it all: a successful career, a beautiful home, and a loving husband. But her life changed forever one annual holiday, and it started with "I’m leaving." Going solo, Kay embarked on a unique journey of self-discovery. From colonic irrigation to cupping and reiki to reflexology, Kay found herself calling psychics, going to healers and tarot card readers, and dabbling in past-life regression, sonic therapy, silent retreats, astrology, shamanic retreats and much, much more. This book is the funny, moving and occasionally harrowing account of one woman’s search for the truth, from the sunshine of Spain to deep inside the psyche of her Scottish childhood. The result is an unusually candid exploration of both the challenges and opportunities of middle age. 


Kritters Thoughts:  As a person who hasn't tried a lot of types of therapy, but has had my eye on a few, I was intrigued to read this book and see what therapies this author tried and if any are on my list.  

The parts where she tried therapies were interesting, but mixed within them she travels back in time and tells stories of her past that led her to the therapies.  What I didn't love about these parts was they seemed to pop in at weird times and were in no way chronological, so almost made the book confusing.  

What struck me most about the book was once she started trying therapies each one almost led to the next.  With recommendations from friends and unique places, once she tried one she was organically led to the next and I hope that I can find a few therapies this way!  

This wasn't the book I was hoping for when I went into reading a book about alternative therapies, but it did inspire me to get out there and try a few.  I see a float therapy or a salt room in my future!


Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Ebook 2020 Challenge: 17 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from PR by the book.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: One Little Lie by Colleen Coble

One Little Lie

by Colleen Coble

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Pages: 352

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  It started with one little lie. But Jane Hardy will do everything in her power to uncover the truth. 

When Jane Hardy is appointed interim sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama, after her father retires, there's no time for an adjustment period. He is arrested for theft and then implicated in a recent murder, and Jane quickly realizes she's facing someone out to destroy her father.

They escaped from a cult fifteen years ago, and Jane has searched relentlessly for her mother—who refused to leave—ever since. Could someone from that horrible past have found them?

Reid Bechtol is a well-known journalist who makes documentaries, and his sights are currently set on covering Jane's career. Jane has little interest in the attention, but the committee who appointed her loves the idea of the publicity.

Jane finds herself depending on Reid's calm manner as he follows her around taping his documentary, and they begin working together to clear her father. But Reid has his own secrets from the past, and the gulf between them may be impossible to cross.

It started with one little lie. But Jane Hardy will do everything in her power to uncover the truth.


Kritters Thoughts:  Before reading this book I was already a Colleen Coble fan, so I went into this book with some expectations and she lived up to them!  

Jane Hardy is the interim sheriff for a small town in Alabama when her father retires.  She is thrown into the life of a sheriff and almost immediately she has some crazy cases that hit her desk and one of her detectives believes her father to be at fault and wants to pursue him heavily and she must stay impartial while being a daughter and the sheriff.  

I loved Jane Hardy as a character.  I could tell that this was the first in the series as this book was setting the ground work with the characters for the following books to come.  A lot of the book was character development with the cases taking a back seat to their development.  I didn't hate this fact, just felt a little different from the typical mystery thriller books with such a focus on the main characters.  

Just to warn anyone before they pick this one up, Colleen Coble is a Christian fiction author and some books there are minimal references to her faith, not so in this one, so if you try to avoid books with religious references, you may need to avoid this one.  The plot and everything is so good, so I would still recommend this one, just with the one caveat.  


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.