ML's Red House Reviews

Just a reminder that I am now blogging over on WordPress at:

 ML's Red House Reviews

You can also follow me on BlogLovin' at the following link: 

https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/mls-red-house-reviews-19083449

Thank you and happy reading.

-ML

The Chocolate Book Tag

I came across The Chocolate Book Tag on Musings of a Literary Wanderer. Here are my answers.

Go Ask Alice by Anonymous (Beatrice Sparks)

Summer at Sea (Summer, #1) by Beth Labonte

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter #7) by J.K. Rowling

Heaven is for Read by Todd Burpo

Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley 

Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Have you read any of these books? If you did The Chocolate Book Tag, be sure to leave your link in the comments below so I can check it out. 

Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

Dangerous Girls
By: Abigail Haas

Published: July 2013

Published by: Simon Pulse

Format Read: eBook, Riveted

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Rating: 5/5

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Anna Chevalier never had many friends until she transferred to an elite Boston prep school and met Elise Warren. Together they were inseparable and began living a wild life of excess. But, before long it would all come crashing down.  While on spring break in Aruba, Elise is found brutally murdered and Anna is suspect number one.

Abigail Haas’ Dangerous Girls is a fast paced young adult thriller that I picked up on a whim. Am I ever glad that I gave this one a chance because I couldn’t put it down. This mystery had me hooked from the first chapter.

The story is told from Anna’s perspective and shifts back and forth from when she first met Elise up to Anna’s more present situation. Sometimes books like that are hard to follow, but that wasn’t the case in this instance. It actually made for a really quick and intriguing read. The author also used different formats such as; call logs, text message conversations and television interviews. This book was chalk full of twists and turns that kept me guessing who the killer was right to the end. My suspicions of the characters would change with each page.

Dangerous Girls is easily one of the best books I’ve read in 2017. I would recommend it to fans of young adult mysteries. 

Charlie's Corner: April-July 2017 Reads

NOTE: AFTER SEPTEMBER 1 I WILL BE SOLEY BLOGGING FROM: ML's Red House Reviews. 

Charlie's Corner is a new segment to my blog, named after my son. It will feature baby and children's book hauls and short reviews. 

Because this is my first post for Charlie's Corner, I will combine some of the books I've read to him since April.

Reading Progress: April-July 2017

Elmo's Book of Friends (Sesame Street) by Naomi Kleinberg

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5

My Thoughts: 1..ah ah ah, 2 ah ah ah, 3 ah ah ah, 4 ah ah ah, 5 ah ah ah stars for Elmo's Book of Friends. The bight colours and the lovable Sesame Street characters has Charlie mesmerized. 

Little Fish: Finger Puppet Book

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5

My Thoughts: Charlie just loves this finger puppet book. The bright colours of the little fish and its surroundings are very eye catching. This book is a current favourite. 

Teddy's Camp: On a Bearish Adventure into the Woods by Peter Nicholas Liptak and Pascal 
My Rating: 🌟 1/5
My Thoughts: Unfortunately this one was a miss for us, as it was supposed to be a rhyming book, but just wasn't consistent. I also wasn't a big fan of the illustrations.

Franklin's School Play by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟 3/5
My Thoughts: Its holiday time and Franklin and his class are putting on a Nutcracker play. This is a cute story that I will share with my son for years to come.

The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan

The Day the Falls Stood Still
By: Cathy Marie Buchanan

Published: August 2009

Published by: Hyperion

Format Read: eBook, Kobo

Genre: Historical fiction

Rating: 4/5

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Bess Heath was raised on stories about the people who tested their fate with Niagara Falls and the river leading to it, but none was more thrilling than the River Man, who saved many lives, simply because he had a deep understanding and respect for the world wonder. As a member of an upper-class family, Bess never would have thought she would fall in love with the lowly River Man’s grandson. Beginning in 1915, The Day the Falls Stood Still chronicles her and Tom Cole’s love story, during a time of great change for the town and the country with the growth of the hydro power plants along the river and the environmental impacts they had.

I’ve had the opportunity to visit Niagara Falls several times over the years, but I knew very little about its history, especially during the early days of hydro-electricity in Canada. I appreciated how the author fused the prominent issues of that time into the story. It explored the environmental and moral sacrifices these advances brought.

Buchanan crafted a fictional story that was inspired by the real life River Man William “Red” Hill and his heroic rescues. I enjoy when a historical fiction gives the reader a good image of how daily life was during a specific time period and I felt The Day the Falls Stood Still did just that.

It took me some time to really get into the story. It wasn’t until the end that I really understood what drew Bess and Tom together. However once I was hooked, I became very immersed in the plot. I also liked the old photographs that began each section.

I would recommend Cathy Marie Buchanan’s The Day the Falls Stood Still to historical fiction fans.  

The end of a chapter

Today I would like to share with my readers an announcement that is bitter sweet for me. After a lot of deliberation, I have decided to move on from my blog here at Melissa Lee's Many Reads. Please allow me to explain..

Melissa Lee's Many Reads has been quite a learning experience for me, as I have never created a blog before. It has given me the opportunity to join a wonderful community and to connect with people from all over the world, who share the same interests that I do. I even managed to gain a small group of followers and I am so grateful for each and every one of you. 

After such a positive experience, you are probably wondering why I have decided to move on from this blog, well there are several reasons..

As I prepared for the birth of my son and the months after his grand arrival, I had to take a step back from blogging and reviewing. It gave me time to reflect on this blog and I began to realize that although I still enjoy it, I just wasn't satisfied with my presentation of it anymore. I have quite lofty goals for the content I wanted to publish, but lacked the knowledge to do so. To be honest, I have tried to do too much with it and I haven't followed through with the plans I would announce. At the same time I began to realize that I had outgrown Melissa Lee's Many Reads, its appearance and even its name. 

Somehow it didn't feel right to me to just overhaul this blog and take a different approach with it. Then I began to have problems with this blogging platform. I tried several times to fix these problems, but just became more and more frustrated. In the end I came to the conclusion that I wanted somewhere I could start fresh and create a blog that I could keep up with. A space that could grow with me. 

And so I have created my new blog ML's Red House Reviews. 

Please visit the link above to learn more about my new blog and subscribe if you would like to continue following my posts. 

I don't plan on deleting Melissa Lee's Many Reads and I still have several upcoming pre-scheduled posts yet to come, however I wanted to take this time to share with my readers my plans moving forward. 

Thank you all for taking the time to read my posts and reviews. I hope to see you all over at ML's Red House Reviews. 

-Melissa 

DNF: A Beautiful Blue Death (Charles Lenox Mystery, #1) by Charles Finch

A Beautiful Blue Death (Charles Lenox Mystery, #1)
By: Charles Finch
Narrated by: James Langton

Published: September, 2011

Published by: Tantor Media Inc. 

Format Read: Audio Book

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery

Rating: DID NOT FINISH

Charles Lenox, Victorian gentleman and armchair explorer, likes nothing more than to relax in his private study with a cup of tea, a roaring fire and a good book. But when his lifelong friend Lady Jane asks for his help, Lenox cannot resist the chance to unravel a mystery.

Prudence Smith, one of Jane’s former servants, is dead of an apparent suicide. But Lenox suspects something far more sinister: murder, by a rare and deadly poison. The grand house where the girl worked is full of suspects, and though Prue had dabbled with the hearts of more than a few men, Lenox is baffled by the motive for the girl’s death.

When another body turns up during the London season’s most fashionable ball, Lenox must untangle a web of loyalties and animosities. Was it jealousy that killed Prudence Smith? Or was it something else entirely? And can Lenox find the answer before the killer strikes again—this time, disturbingly close to home? 

Synopsis from Goodreads 

I borrowed A Beautiful Blue Death from my library via the OverDrive app. It caught my attention due to its Victorian London location and the Sherlock Holmes feel. Unfortunately I found that the mystery didn't keep my attention. I listened to about 30% of the story, however it began to focus on politics, a topic that I don't generally enjoy reading about. While James Langton's narration suited the story and its characters, I wasn't able to establish a connection with it. 

This or That Book Tag

I came across the This or That Tag on Rebel Mommy Book Blog, however it originated on Tea and Paperbacks.

💚Reading on the couch or in bed?💚

In bed. But my absolute favourite place to read is in the bath.

💚Male main character or female main character?💚

I enjoy reading from both perspectives, but I generally relate more to a female main character.

💚Sweet snacks or salty snacks while reading?💚

Salty potato chips.

💚Trilogies or quartets?💚

Trilogies.

💚First person POV or third person POV?💚

First person.

💚Books that make you laugh or books that make you cry?💚

Depends on my mood. I enjoy both when read at the right time.

💚Reading at night or in the morning?💚

I’m not so much of a morning person. I prefer to read in bed at night.

💚Libraries or Bookstores?💚

Lately my budget is more fitting for the library.

💚Black book covers or white book covers?💚

Black and white!

💚Character-driven or plot-driven stories?💚

Plot-driven.

If you decide to participate in this book tag as well, be sure to leave your link in the comments so I can check out your answers. 

Book Haul: June 2017

Here are the books I added to my Kindle TBR in the month of June.

An Awakened Heart (Orphan Train 0.5) by Jody Hedlund

Sourdough Wars (A Rebecca Schwartz Mystery, #2) by Julie Smith

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

Finding Cinderella (Hopeless #2.5) by Colleen Hoover

Monthly Wrap-up: July 2017

July life in a few words:

• Charlie turned 3 months old.
• Rain.
• Exhaustion. 
• Good books.
• New car!
• More rain.
• There isn't enough hours in the day. 

I read some good books in July, as you can see by their ratings below. Dangerous

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5

The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan 

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5
Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas 

The Stats

Total Number of Books Read: 3

Total Number of Fiction: 3

Total Number of Non-fiction: 0

Total Books Sent for Review: 0

Total Books Read from My Shelves: 1

Total Library Books Read: 2 (Dangerous Girls was from Rivited)

Formats Read:

Physical Books: 0

eBooks: 2

Audio Book: 1

Genres Read:

Young Adult, Mystery,Suspense, Contemporary, Magical Realism, Historical Fiction

Total Books Read in 2017: 15

My Historical Fiction Evolution Part 5

Today I will wrap up my series by talking about technology. But first let’s recap the previous posts:

Part 1: My introduction to historical fiction in elementary school with Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr.

Part 2: Historical fiction close to home with Booky: A Trilogy by Bernice Thurman Hunter and Guest of War Trilogy by Kit Pearson.

Part 3: Learning about the holocaust.

Part 4: Eras of Interest

How today's technology has enhanced my historical fiction evolution

It’s no secret that technology has come a long way in the past 20 years. Hell it’s come a long way in the past year alone. And with that new technology it has brought an enhanced experience for readers.

The internet alone has opened the door to me for more learning opportunities than I could have ever imagined.

All those time periods I have been mentioning, now I can find out more on a topic I have read about, with just a click of the mouse. Websites like Goodreads and Pinterest have made my TBR list never ending and many of those books are of the historical fiction and non-fiction genres.

Goodreads

Goodreads allows its users to create bookshelves to organize their books. I have created several bookshelves for my historical fiction and non-fiction books. Click on the links below to see my shelves:

• Historical Fiction
• World War I
• World War II

Pinterest

One thing I enjoy when reading a historical book is looking up pictures of that time period, the events that occurred and even sometimes the people. My cell phone comes in handy in case I’m not near my computer at the time. I have started to save these pictures in a Pinterest board I created called From the Books I Have Read.

eBooks

There are many books I have read over the past couple of years that I haven’t been able to get a physical copy of, but have been able to obtain in eBook format. This has been a wonderful and cost effective way to get my dose of history.

I read my eBooks using:

• My Kobo
• Kindle for PC
• Adobe Digital Editions

Blogging and Booktube

And of course the blogging community and booktube has been a wonderful source for great recommendations.

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

The Girl Who Chased the Moon

By: Sarah Addison Allen

Published: March 2010

Published By: Books on Tape

Format Read: Audio Book

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Magical Realism 

Rating: 4/5

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Emily Benedict is sent to live with her Grandfather, after her Mother’s untimely death. Not only is he a real life giant, but the small South Carolina town of Mullaby is home to many magical secrets. One of which was the catalyst for Emily’s Mother leaving town. She befriends neighbor Julia Winterson, owner of a local BBQ restaurant and baker of the most delicious cakes.

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen is a contemporary novel with dusting of magic. Normally fantasy or magical realism isn’t my cup of tea, but I decided to give this one a shot anyway. And in the end I was happy that I did.

The author painted a beautifully magical picture of the small southern town of Mullaby. The characters were charming with detailed backstories. Rebecca Lowman was a good fit as narrator for this book and kept me engaged throughout.

While I really enjoyed the contemporary romance story-line, I found that the explanations behind the mystery and magic to be a bit underwhelming. I had hoped it would be more exciting or shocking.

Still I think that The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen was a good book and worthy of a 4 star rating. I would recommend this book to fans of lightly magical contemporaries. I will consider reading more from this author in the future. 

ML's Worth a Watch: Book Trailers (January-June 2017)

Today I would like to share with you some of the trailers for books I have read between January and June 2017.

Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

If You're Gone by Brittany Goodwin 

My Historical Fiction Evolution Part 4

Welcome back to the next installment in my series about how my love for historical fiction has evolved.

Here is a recap of my previous posts. Click on the links to check them out.

Part 1: My introduction to historical fiction in elementary school with Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr.

Part 2: Historical fiction close to home with Booky: A Trilogy by Bernice Thurman Hunter and Guest of War Trilogy by Kit Pearson.

Part 3: Learning about the holocaust.

Notable Time Periods

Today I will spotlight some of the other different time periods I have discovered through books.

As I got older I began to read adult books (both fiction and non-fiction) and this opened the door to discover more events, eras, cultures and places throughout history. I began to branch out from books set during World War II to include a wider variety that fascinated me just as much.

Some of these books include:

The Russian Revolution including The Romanov’s

Edwardian Aristocrats and the people who worked for them

Old New York City

The Immigrant Experience

Pre-20^th Century America

The Tudors

Among others..

I just love being transported to a different time and discovering all there is to know about. I know that my future reading will only take me farther and I can’t wait to learn more about the past.

In the 5^th and final installment of My Historical Fiction Evolution will focus on today’s technology and how it has enhanced my reading experience.

What are some different time periods you enjoy reading about? Leave me a message in the comments. Recommendations are always welcome.