Devil May Ride by Wendy Roberts

Devil May Ride by Wendy Roberts

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Satanism, a motorcycle gang, and ghosts galore! Seriously, this woman is fast becoming my new favorite author. This series is so up my alley! They characters talk like my friends talk and I just love that. The main mystery is seedy and fascinating. We learn some really interesting back story and it seems to fit in well. Sometimes, when an author goes back to explain things, they can stop following their own rules or it will stick out in some way. That did NOT happen for me at all. I felt it was all very smart and it totally worked for me. I can't wait for more in this series. :)

Push by Sapphire

Push by Sapphire

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I imagine this book will become required reading in many college lit classes. It has some great themes and a unique voice. But, even without analyzing it, it's still a great book. It's hard and raw and feels more real than not.

You know what book I would compare it to? The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne. That one left a similar impression on me. It's another book with a strong and unique voice and of course, it has sadness. The subject matter is totally different, but it left a huge emotional impression.

That is the strength of Push, for me. The emotional impression is really key. I've read several Jodi Picoult books and while they are well crafted, I have trouble connecting to the characters emotionally. Push allowed me to emotionally connect with Precious. She didn't hide the emotions and I don't believe she focused on them too much, either. It's just a really fascinating book to me.

While My Pretty One Knits by Anne Canadeo

While My Pretty One Knits by Anne Canadeo

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Overall, I was a little disappointed because the mystery was so easy to figure out. I knew who did it and the motive long before the reveal. So, it was a little difficult for me to give it a higher star rating when I felt annoyed at how simple the mystery was to solve. But, that being said, I still finished the book and enjoyed it well enough. I will give the next book in the series a shot because I'm a knitter that loves to read knitting related mystery novels. What can I say? I'm a total sucker. lol! :)

The Chris Farley Show by Thomas Farley Jr.

The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts by Thomas Farley Jr.

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
An emotional book for me. I adored Chris Farley and loved getting to know him throughout this book. Of course, the story is heart breaking in the end and it's hard not to get a little teary eyed while reading. I liked that not everyone agreed on certain points, but that they were still represented. I have more empathy for David Spade than ever before. I can't imagine what that time was like for him. Overall, it was much more than I thought it would be. It was more emotional, more honest, and more brutal than I expected from a biography written by friends and family. There are a lot of great pictures included too. I loved being able to put a face to the few names that I didn't recognize.

Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell

Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Well, it was different than what I was expecting. There were excellent and realistic depictions of witchcraft mixed with the more fantastical Hollywood depictions of it. I felt conflicted by this throughout the entire book. I guess I don't understand why the author chose to mix realism with fantasy as much as she did. Weird. I enjoyed the store and the cast of characters quite a bit. I liked the setting, the action, and most aspects of the story. I just didn't like the real versus Hollywood versions of magic. It was just so inconsistent for me that it took away some of my enjoyment. I would be willing to give the next book in the series a try though. There were definitely enough positives for me to go into the next one with an open mind.