Searching for Jane Austen by Emily Auerbach My rating: 1 of 5 stars I added this book to my required reading list for my research while preparing to write my graduate thesis on Jane Austen and her works. I just closed the book and I am half agony, half frustrated for having read it. The first chapter takes a great stab at Jane’s nephew’s biography on his aunt titled Memoir, attempting to dispel the image of “dear Aunt Jane”; a timid, sweet-tempered little woman, whose main calling in life was the keeping of her house. The tone of this first chapter is that of anger with more than a hint…
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Biss zum Morgen (Lustiges Taschenbuch, #473)
Biss zum Morgen by Walt Disney Company My rating: 1 of 5 stars I am very partial to good, spooky stories. I love reading them all snuggled up and having a good little scare. So, naturally, I was excited when I came across this edition of Lustiges Taschenbuch; the title and cover art looked so promising. I don’t think I have experienced a greater case of false advertisement than with this comic book. I admit, the first story, Biss zum Morgen, was somewhat spooky and included elements of the horror genre I have seen in previous Disney comics, but the rest of the stories just fell flat, really flat. They…
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Once Upon a River
Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield My rating: 1 of 5 stars I think this was one of the most anticipated books of 2019 for me and what a let down it turned out to be. I waited months for this story to become available at my local library; that’s how in demand it is. When I finally held it in my hands all I could think was “tis mine now!” and I took it with me on my trip to the UK. That’s right. I lugged a book halfway across the world on top of buying a whole bunch of books on my trip for research purposes. And…
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The Art of Fact
The Art of Fact: A Historical Anthology of Literary Journalism by Kevin Kerrane My rating: 1 of 5 stars There is disappointment after having finished a book that didn’t live up to one’s expectations, nay, hope. And then there is whatever I’m feeling right now, which is probably the cause for that big blue vein inside my head throbbing with increasing pain. It isn’t even noon yet, but I have had my day’s share of caffeine, been prowling the kitchen for more chocolate and I think I’m starting to get heartburn. Enough stereotypes for you yet? Well, let me take you on a journey of even greater gender stereotypes, lack…
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The Clockmaker’s Daughter
The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton My rating: 1 of 5 stars I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.Kate Morton used to be one of my all-time favourite authors. During the time I was reading her first three books, I was not to be disturbed. I was enchanted and pulled into her skilled way of storytelling. Sadly, with her fourth book, The Secret Keeper, I began to notice a change in her writing style. This continued with The Lake House and now with her most recent publication The Clockmaker’s Daughter. I missed her old way of telling a rich story…
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The Simplicity of Cozy
The Simplicity of Cozy: Hygge, Lagom & the Energy of Everyday Pleasures by Melissa Alvarez My rating: 1 of 5 stars I was given this ARC by the publisher in return for an honest review.The biggest difficulty I had with this book was the formatting of the file I was given; the entire text was just one big blob of words, starting with the publisher’s information. I kept flipping back and forth, trying to find the start of the actual book part. It was very confusing.The book itself begins with a description of the various ideas of “cozy” in different cultures, then it switches abruptly to an exercise for the…
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Witch: A Doyle Witch Cozy Mystery
Witch: A Doyle Witch Cozy Mystery by Kirsten Weiss My rating: 1 of 5 stars I received this ARC from Red Coat Publishing and the author in exchange for an honest review.A few months ago I read another of the author’s books called Deja Moo part of the A Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series and it turned out it wasn’t really my cup of tea. Naturally, I was a bit hesitant reading another of the author’s stories. Sadly, my intuition wasn’t wrong. Before I continue, I have to say that this is the first book in The Witches of Doyle series I have read.The characters seemed overdrawn and even exaggerated.…
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The Death of Mrs. Westaway
The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware My rating: 1 of 5 stars I was given this ARC by the publisher in return for an honest review.This is the second mystery book I read in late spring in an attempt to satisfy my craving for a good contemporary mystery story, alas in vain. I saw this story greatly promoted before its publication and I felt so special for having received an ARC. Plus, this story is set in Cornwall, a place I recently was fortunate enough to visit and admire.I must apologize in advance for perhaps coming across a bit strong, but I have a great pet peeve when…
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The High Tide Club
The High Tide Club by Mary Kay Andrews My rating: 1 of 5 stars I was given this ARC by the publisher in return for an honest review.In late spring I was in the mood for contemporary thriller/mystery stories and from the synopsis The High Tide Club seemed to be the right fit to satisfy my reading craving. Sadly, and I know I’m in the minority here, the story did not offer what it promised.I found all the characters underdeveloped and uninteresting. And the further I read the book the more annoying the protagonist became. I understand that the author intended to create a complex character to carry the story,…
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The Mermaid
The Mermaid by Christina Henry My rating: 1 of 5 stars I have loved Disney’s The Little Mermaid ever since I was a young girl. I loved Henry’s Lost Boys, the first book of hers I have read and I couldn’t wait for her latest one that I thought would take a similar dark and eerie perspective on a classic fairy tale. Little did I know that The Mermaid was less horror and more romance than I had hoped and sadly left me wanting for so much more.The characters were too far removed to make any connections with as a reader. As complex as they at first appeared, their development…
