Becoming by Michelle Obama

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
📌Stand-Alone: 
📌Release Date: November 13, 2018
📌Format: Paperback (Large Print)
📌Setting: N/A
📌Page Count: 720
📌Genre(s): Non-Fiction, Autobiography
📌Date(s) Read:  8/25-8/31/19
📌Rating:   Book:  4.5/5  Audio:  5/5  Narrator(s): Michelle Obama

NEWT's Magical Readathon 2019:

Muggle Studies: 'O': Read a book by a person of color
(This could have got a couple of spots under muggle studies but decided to go with this one)

My Rambles:

Loved learning about her life from her childhood through the presidency of Barack Obama. Enjoyed hearing her read it. She confirmed some things that I pretty much already figured had happened. Learned things about her family that I didn't know a lot a bout. It may have been common knowledge, maybe she's talked about it when she did interviews but as a person who doesn't watch a lot of regular television, I missed a lot, sometimes, I still do. The stuff I do catch, I'd like to think instincts kick in when I feel something is off. Not always but when they do, I follow them and do my own digging sometimes, even with this current administration. 

I noticed, while listening to her read, she would say something and sound so much like her husband! Especially when she does an imitation of him. The way he speaks, she can get his diction down. lol. 

I sometimes wondered how much of the rumors about her she had actually heard, she confirmed that question right off. I loved them as a couple and Barack as president. He wasn't perfect but no president is. It was nice to know more details of the things I did hear her and Barack talk about. Many questions I may have had and thought about answered. 

There isn't really much I can say about this book without giving too much of what is said away. I can say that whether you like the Obama's or not, it is still good to get a different view of them, especially if you aren't "A Fan" of them. Get their take on them. Maybe you can understand things from their perspective at least. Go into it with an open mind without pre-judging the book and wanting to go in ready to "roll your eyes" at everything. Would I read anything from #45? I can honestly say I don't know just based on what I see from him now. I was willing to read this because the Obama's are very articulate and easy to listen to, as well as many previous presidents.

One thing I'm glad she made clear, that people keep asking from her...she has no intention of ever running for office. I don't blame her! At all! She has been through enough hell as FLOTUS..I doubt know I wouldn't have been take it..I'm not sure I would have been able to take all she dealt with for eight (plus) years and stay quiet.

I am in no way a political person so I don't read many books by political people (directly or indirectly involved) although lately, some have caught my attention. 

Okay, done...I think...

Happy Reading,

Bridget

Maybe This Time by Kasie West

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
📌Stand-Alone: 
📌Release Date: July 9, 2019
📌Format: Hardcover
📌Setting: Alabama
📌Page Count: 353
📌Genre(s): Contemporary Romancs; Young Adult; Fiction
📌Date(s) Read: 8/20/19
📌Rating:   Book:  3/5  Audio: 4/5  Narrator(s): Ana Isabel

N.E.W.T.'s Magical Readathon:
Herbology: O: Read a book with a flower on the cover

My Rambles:

This one was, good. Not a favorite but I am glad that I finally got to it. It's a pretty solid 3 for me. The characters for me were a bit much sometimes but I still liked them well enough. I really don't have a whole lot to say about it honestly except that I am still a huge Kasie West fan. For now, I can say that although I liked it, it fell kind of flat for me this time. 

I don't want to give away too much as to why it fell flat because of those that may be reading this and haven't read the book yet. If you are like me, you like going in knowing very little about the books beyond the synopsis, if that. Of course, I would always recommend her books, even if I may not be shouting to the rooftop about a book. I am looking forward to any other book she writes. It has officially been two years this month since I read my first book by her (The Fill-In Boyfriend), so, I read this at the perfect time I guess. 

With this book, this completes all of my prompts for "Healer" in the N.E.W.T.'s Magical readathon (even with one mistake I made, which was this one. I wrote down the wrong prompt before lol), so now, I get to do some "extra credit". Not sure how much I will get done but hey, it will tick off some more books from my physical and non-physical TBR (books I own, books rented and some that I have been kind of wanting to get to for a while that may be on Goodreads or just semi been looking into)

Dead and Breakfast (Merry Ghost Inn #1) by Kate Kingsbury

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
📌Trilogy: #1
📌Release Date: 1/10/17
📌Format: Hardcover
📌Setting: Oregon
📌Page Count: 288
📌Genre(s): Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Fiction
📌Date(s) Read: 8/16-8/20/19
📌Rating:   Book:  3/5  Audio:  4/5  Narrator(s): Tavia Gilbert

N.E.W.T.'s Magical Readathon:
Cornish Pixie! Swat it away with a book by an English author or set in England

My Rambles:

It was a cute and an entertaining read. It was a solid 3/5. I may consider going on to the next book just to see what happens but it's not something I would buy to have on my shelves. I picked this book because it did fit a prompt for the N.E.W.T.'s. I just happened to see her last name. Don't know what made me look at where she was from, just the last name "Kingsbury" had me think of an English last name. She was born in London but moved to the States in the 1960's. 

I liked the main characters well enough, there was just something missing for me with the story. I just felt more bored throughout the book but it kept my attention enough to want to finish. Plus, I didn't want to try to go through finding another set in or English author search and didn't want to re-read any of my other books that I own. Been doing a lot of that lately it seems. 

I will say that this book is at least worth renting from the library and giving it a try. The reviews on goodreads seems to be a bit mixed. This is my first paranormal cozy mystery that I was actually able to finish. I have one other that I own but keep putting it off, hopefully I will get to it soon to see what I think...If I don't like it, I will DNF and carry on. Tried to sit and read it but couldn't get into it, found an audio book at the library. 

Rambling again...

Not much more to say on this one anyway...

So, I guess I will just hush....

And wish you a...

Happy Reading,
Bridget

Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor #2) by Jessica Townsend

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
📌Series/Trilogy: Nevermoor #2
📌Release Date: October 30, 2018 (Original Publication Date)
📌Format: Hardcover & Audio book
📌Setting: Nevermoor
📌Page Count: 521 (525 w/acknowledgements)
📌Genre(s): Fantasy, Middle Grade, Children's, Fiction
📌Date(s) Read: 8/15/19-8/18/19
📌Rating:   Book:  4.75/5  Audio:  4.75/5  Narrator(s): Gemma Whelan


📍N.E.W.T.'s Magical Readathon: 
  Transfiguration: "O"- McGonagall does not mess around! Read a book over 500 pages


My Rambles:

Jeez, I have no clue what I want to say about this book, especially seeing that this is the 2nd book in what will possibly be a series instead of a trilogy. I still loved this book almost as much as I loved the first book. This one is going between a 4.5-4.75 out of 5 stars. I have it at a 4.75 right now..if I choose to take it down, I always can I guess. Even with the imperfections, I still adore these little books so far. Imperfections in books should be expected but yet, sometimes, despite imperfections, many books just grab your heart and hold on tight. Nevermoor & Wundersmith have done just that. Of course, I love the characters & yes, there is still some similarity to Harry Potter but also with a lot of differences. There is a bit of a Alice in Wonderland vibe in an area or two  as well. At least to me. 

There isn't a lot more that I can say really that wouldn't possibly go into spoiler zone. The set release date for Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow is for February 6, 2020. I am looking forward to this one. Hopefully I will be able to get it within a couple months of it coming out. Not quite sure if I will just buy it or wait for the library to get it (borrowed both of these books from the library). I am considering buying the books eventually anyway but with there being a possibility of it being a 9 book series...not sure about that one...(Read some where there was a chance of it being 9 books, not sure the accuracy of that but we will see)

You Don't Own Me (Under Suspicion #6) by Mary Higgins Clark, Alafair Burke

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
📌Series: Under Suspicion #6
📌Release Date: November 1, 2018
📌Format: Hardcover
📌Setting: New York
📌Page Count: 271
📌Genre(s): Mystery, Fiction, Suspense
📌Date(s) Read: 8/13-8/14/19
📌Rating:   Book: 4.5/5  Audio:  4.5/5  Narrator(s): January LaVoy


📌N.E.W.T.'s Magical Readathon 2019:
     Transfiguration: (E)Read a book that's NOT first in a series:

My Rambles:

This one was a good one. A lot of mess and plenty of drama. I had become nosy in the book, looked ahead and saw "whodunit"....well, I was pretty sure of one, although, I had suspicion of two (one was right, the other was not)...but, of course, I finished it just to see how they came about finding out who did what and why. 

This one is one of the best from all of the books. It was an easy & quick listen. I took a break from listening to sleep and watch a show but otherwise, the book went quickly and it's pretty short (under 300 pages). 

Not sure if there will be another book after this one but if there ever is, I will definitely be getting it. I am looking forward to reading Alafair Burke's books and I already have one in mind that I will try to read to see what I think of her writing alone. And of course, I will be looking into Mary Higgins Clarks other books, hopefully some stand alone books as I already have series I need to finish! 

If you have yet to read these books, then the book I suggest you start with is of course the first in the series (I've Got You Under My Skin). Mary Higgins Clark wrote this one alone, the last four, she wrote with Burke. 

This series was very much worth the read. Glad I read that first book so I could fall in love with the [main] characters and trying to figure out 'whodunit'. The narrator made it that much better. And I was able to listen to it on at least 1.4-1.6 speed...she was still easy to understand. 

Assault & Beret (Hat Shop Mystery #5) by Jenn McKinlay

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
📍Series: Hat Shop Mystery #5
📍Release Date: January 3, 2017
📍Format:  Mass Market Paperback
📍Setting: Paris, France (mostly)
📍Page Count:279
📍Genre(s): Cozy Mystery, Romance, Fiction 
📍Date(s) Read: 8/11/19-8/12/19
📍Rating:   Book:  4/5      Audio:  4.5/5    Narrator(s): Karyn O'Bryant

N.E.W.T.'s Magical Readathon: 
Charms: "O"-Spongify (Softening Charm)-Read a paperback book

My Rambles:

This book was initially for the "Set in England" prompt under the NEWT's but it finally clicked with me more than halfway through, um, this isn't set in England! They traveled to Paris and that's where most of the book took place! Yes, I had an extreme slow moment there! lol

I am finally caught up on this series. I intially thought this was going to be the last book in this series until I happen to look it up for whatever reason and saw another one comes out in early 2020. This book came out in 2017 so that's why I thought it was the last one. But, as with the others, I really did enjoy the book and the narrator. She makes the books that much more fun to listen to and the already funny lines, funnier (at least to me). Hearing them read in each ones accent (American English and England's English..did I get that right? lol)

I kind of skipped ahead and cheated in this book when I hit the halfway point so I kind of spoiled the "whodunit" and "what happened" but, in this case, I didn't mind so much. I just couldn't help it this time! The suspense had finally taken it's toll on me! 😁

I did enjoy the book though. This series is not as much of a favorite as the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series by the same author but I am enjoying it a lot (Evidently, I mean, I am still reading it!). I am looking forward to the next one.

Copy Cap Murder (Hat Shop Mystery #4) by Jenn McKinlay

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
📍Series: #4
📍Release Date: January 5, 2016
📍Format: Mass Market Paperback
📍Setting: London, England
📍Page Count: 304
📍Genre(s): Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Romance
📍Date(s) Read: 8/6-8/9/19
📍Rating:   Book:  4/5   Audio: 4.5 /5    Narrator(s): Karyn O' Bryant

📌N.E.W.T.'s Magical Readathon: Gilderoy's Memory Charm-(Grab a pen!): First book you can think of on your TBR:
[this one I had to actually sit and go through my TBR pile and pick that way because I didn't remember every book on my TBR and so many were already assigned to prompts already. I some what went by what I needed to try to get off my shelf/been on my shelf for a while and this series was one]

My Rambles:
Well, once you start getting further into a series, what else can you possibly say that you may not have said already? I can say that I'm glad some things got aired out in this book and truth is finally being told. Some things were a bit of a surprise though. Of course, this is a book I enjoyed and the audio book helped get my through it that much faster and I did enjoy the narrator. She was the same one who read the last one I listened to and enjoyed her both times. I was glad to see she was reading this one as well . There is one more book that I need to get to and read (that I own) and then another one that comes out next year. Maybe I will get to book 5 this month, we will have to see how my mood is for it. It will fulfill one other prompt for the N.E.W.T.'s. 

Well, there isn't much of a ramble here. If you like cozy mysteries and haven't read this series yet, I would recommend them. Even if you haven't read a cozy mystery series, of course I would recommend anything Jenn McKinlay. Most cozies center around one thing or another. This, is a hat shop. She has another that centers around a librarian and a library. A series around a cupcake bakery. So, whether you read Jenn McKinlay or someone else, if you want a light fluffy, many times cheesy read & mystery, cozies are great for that. 

Short & Skinny by Mark Tatulli

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
📍Stand Alone: 
📍Release Date: October 16, 2018
📍Format: Hardcover
📍Setting: New Jersey
📍Page Count: 250
📍Genre(s): Middle Grade, Autobiography, Humor, Graphic novel
📍Date(s) Read: 8/8/19-8/9/19
📍Rating:   Book:   4.75/5

📌N.E.W.T.'s Magical Readathon: House Ingredient: Book with a cover in your Hogwart's Color 
(I'm a Hufflepuff)

My Rambles:
This one is replacing another book I read for prompt mentioned above.

This was as cute and as sweet as some said it would be and I really liked it as much as I had hoped. This graphic novel does speak on bullying but that is not the total focus throughout the whole thing. It talks mostly about his love of what was a new movie then (book set in 1977): the first Star Wars movie. He is a sweet kid with quirky parents, two siblings,a few close friends and a crush. This is an autobiography of the life of the author during his middle school life in 1977 but he does it in a way that is funny and cute. 

I was hoping I would really like it but I wasn't quite sure if I would. From the moment I started reading it, all the way to the end, I adored this graphic novel. I am not one who seeks out graphic novels and comics but sometimes, I do pick some up for quick reads and/or if one catches my interest. 

I don't want to say much more for the risk of giving spoilers so, I will repeat that I did enjoy the graphic novel and would suggest it to anyone who likes middle grade and maybe even comics/graphic novels. 

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor #1) by Jessica Townsend

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
📍Trilogy/Series: #1
📍Release Date: October 12, 2017
📍Format: Hardcover
📍Setting: Nevermoor
📍Page Count: 461
📍Genre(s): Middle Grade, Fiction, Fantasy, Children's
📍Date(s) Read: 8/6-8/9/19
📍Rating:   Book:   4.75/5     Audio:  4.75/5     Narrator(s): Gemma Whelan

📌N.E.W.T's, Magical Readathon 2019:Book that starts with a Prologue
📌Big Book Challenge (Book over 400 pages)

My Rambles:

As far as the narrator goes, I liked her but because I couldn't speed up the audio book (had to use CD audio books), it drove me a bit nuts. I loved her voice, I just couldn't stand how much of a slow pace I had to listen. I would have at least tried it at 1.2/1.25 speed. I may not have been able to do much higher because she did have a [lovely] accent. 

I really did enjoy this book! There was a Harry Potter vibe to it but still held it's own in writing and lovable characters! For the vibes/few 'similarities', there was a huge difference.  As much as I like Harry Potter, I can say this first book in this trilogy (or series, not sure what it's going to be), I like quite a bit more. And again, I like Harry Potter, a lot..I just don't have the fanatic love for it that so many seem to and that, is  not a bad thing, because I get it. The Harry Potter series is a great series. How many times am I going to say that? Y'all get it right? I like Harry Potter! 

If these books carry on the way this one did, I will probably become a fanatic of a middle grade series/trilogy. But, I will try not to get my hopes too high. It had it's imperfections but I still adored this not so little book. I love Marrigan, Jupiter and Hawthorn..and oh..that cat! Even with the sneezes I would get being around Fen, I still adore that cat! 

There are some things that could be considered scary to younger children and maybe more sensitive children but it's not horrible. I would suggest any parent read the book first if you know you have a more sensitive child. If you know someone who has read the book and knows your child well, ask them about some of the more "Scarier" parts (without giving spoilers). Ages I might recommend this for? Maybe about 3rd grade or so. Again, depending on the child. But I'd still wouldn't recommend it for those under 2nd grade (right at the time chapter books become a bit more important). Which reminds me, the chapters are kind of long and maybe to help along, listen to the audio book/CD. You might have to keep track by writing down where you left off because (the CD at least), doesn't end on chapters. It breaks up the chapters (if you pick it up, you might understand better what I mean)

Well, I went on a ramble about the CD and stuff...😁

So, overall, I can say that I loved the story and looking forward to getting to the other book. Of course, I have some others I need to get to first and get some more books off of my TBR (ones I own and the ones checked out from the library), before trying to go on to the other. Hopefully, by the end of this month, I will have done that and/or decided to unhaul some more books I know I won't get to any time soon and can always rent them from the library.

Thanks for reading this far!

Happy Reading,

Bridget

Breaking Dawn (Twilight #4) by Stephenie Meyer

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
📍Series: #4
📍Release Date: August 2, 2008
📍Format: Hardcover
📍Setting: Forks, Washington
📍Page Count: 754
📍Genre(s): Fantasy/Paranormal, Fiction, Romance
📍Date(s) Read:  8/3/19-8/5/19
📍Rating:   Book:  4/5   Audio:  4/5    Narrator(s): Ilyana Kadushin (Bella) & Matt Walters (Jacob)

☼Big Book Challenge (book over 400 pages)
☼NEWT's Magical Readathon: 
   Defense Against the Dark Arts: Read a book that's black under the dust jacket
☼Re-Read

My Rambles:

When I started doing this blog, I realized I began re-reading this book 11 years 1 day after it was published! That was so not planned! 

Starting off, some things annoying me about Edward & even Jacob but once passed those parts, I was okay with the book. I almost DNF'd it because of the first couple of chapters....What was my favorite book! But, I think I always found the wedding and parts of the honeymoon boring and/or frustrating. 

I enjoyed the book. Still loved the characters. Some things that happened that I didn't remember. Some things I had forgotten were so totally different from the movie. I didn't have the same feelings I did the first time I read the book of course but it was good to read one of the books that got me into YA, especially paranormal/fantasy YA. This is the series that started it all for me when it came to me reading YA. I read it the first time when the first movie was out. I think it was coming onto dvd and the second movie was coming to theaters or already out. I don't remember. It was sometime in the summer when I started reading this series. I picked up this series mostly because I started hearing the hype of the movie and wonder what all the hype was about not expecting to like it but wanting to read at least enough of the book to understand what was going on. Well, after starting it....I. Was. Hooked! And the rest is history. I wasn't wild about Kristen Stewart or Robert Pattinson in the movies but eventually got used to Pattinson, took my until Breaking Dawn to semi like Stewart as Bella. 

When I read the books last time, I was "Team Edward", when I watched the movies, I switched. I became "Team Jacob" even though I knew the ending. Maybe deep down, I had hoped they'd change it for the movies..lol..Yeah, I know, that would have messed up the whole thing! It was still fun to listen to the book this time. I got through it a lot faster than I did reading it the first time (I am a slow reader). Both times, the book was fun but of course, I loved it a lot more the first time because I didn't know what was going to happen. The first time, it was a 5/5. Took it down a star because the enjoyment I had the first time wasn't there and the annoyances of some the characters quirks. I listened to it between 1.6-2.0 speed normally. I had to slow it down a couple times to 1.6 but normally, I was able to have it at 1.8-2.0. I did enjoy the narrators for the book.