The Clockmaker's Daughter: Kate Morton

The premise of this book is gripping, which is why I wanted to read this book. Unfortunately, the premise ended up being way more interesting than the story itself.

I was frequently bored throughout the book; it just took so long to get to the meat of the story. I enjoyed that Morton slowly added more depth and more twists to the plot, but it just took too long for those various points to come together. I was frustrated that so many new characters were popping up and I had no reason to care about them, which lead me to skim through their sections, making me lose a bit of the story (my fault, surely). I just didn't care about them because I had no reason to, and I was already overwhelmed by the different times, places, and people Morton dumped on me. I'm sure that was the point, but it was so jumbled and disoriented, as if she dumped scraps of paper with ideas onto a plate and wrote in the order they fell.

Because of all the jumping around, I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters. There was not much for me to grasp for any of the characters. Just when I thought I was getting somewhere with someone, Morton jumped to someone new. It was hard for me to appreciate her characters when I didn't get enough time with any of them.

I did appreciate the ending of the story when all the points finally joined to one place. It is a testament to Morton's writing that she can bring so many different plots into one woven tale. I just didn't appreciate the way she went about it.

I'm pretty disappointed that I didn't enjoy reading this book because I do enjoy Morton's other books. This one just wasn't up to par with the rest, I think.

The Other Woman: Sandie Jones

Excellent writing. This was captivating and thrilling, as promised. I knew something was up as I read, but I couldn't quite figure it out, which helped me enjoy the process of reading. 

I really didn't like Adam in the beginning; I thought he was kind of a jerk. That being said, I didn't see the end coming until I was too late. That's the mark of excellent writing! I'm really impressed with Jones' writing style and greatly enjoyed the pace at which the story ran. It was riveting. The characters were nicely written although since we were supposed to like Adam, I think he could have used a little work.

This book was easy to read, and the speed of took made it difficult to put down, so I finished reading it the same day I started, while I made dinner.

I would recommend this for anyone who enjoyed Gone Girl, The Woman in the Window, The Couple Next Door, etc., as these all have the same, quick pace.

Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch: Sally Bedell Smith

This was a fascinating glimpse into the life of a woman who seems so far beyond anything I can reach. Smith makes Queen Elizabeth human; I won't go so far as to say she brings the Queen to our level, but she makes it easier to see that yeah, underneath all the reality, Elizabeth is a person beyond just a monarch.

Biographies are often thought to be dry, scholarly writing, a true bore to get through. Smith does a great job making this more than just a recounting of facts. This is a story, a tale, of a life. It was fun to read! Sure, there were dull moments; paragraphs about politics that I didn't fully understand or enjoy, but even those were written for enjoyment rather than strictly learning.

One aspect of biographies, especially when it comes to the royal family, is that I have to pay attention to who is writing the book and what his/her goal is. I only recently learned how much that can taint the glasses the book is being written through. For example, I love Lady Di. I'm inspired by her story. I'm angered by her death. I'm awed by her life. There was always a part of me that was angered by the royal family for their actions or lack thereof. It was easy to find a villain in Charles. After reading this book (and watching documentaries done by members of the royal family's press), I had to accept that there are two sides to the story of Lady Di and Prince Charles. How much of either side is true? We probably will never know. I just have to be more open that maybe Charles isn't the monster I'd concluded him to be. Thanks, Smith, for helping me realize this.

I've always been interested in royalty, and I've made it a goal to read more about the royal family. This was a great jump into the family, and I can't wait to keep reading.

Personally, I'd love more pictures...

The Craftsman by Sharon Bolton

Bolton has an incredible way of writing that sends shivers down my spine and has me looking over my shoulder. This whole book is just creepy! There were several times when I regretted that I was alone while reading this book.

In the first half of the book especially, Bolton does a great job stringing me along to keep me invested. She provides just enough details to make me keep reading- never too much information, and never enough information, even at the very end. I'm so excited to read the sequel, but I'm not sure how I can wait until December...

I do remember at about halfway through the book I strongly considered giving up the book because I was getting bored. However, I now realize that the middle of the book was all information to set up the ending, making it more important than I gave it credit. I sure am glad I kept reading.

I'm incredibly happy when a book is able to take me by surprise, and this one did! I didn't see the ending coming at all, and I never guessed the villain, although upon further reflection, I should have known better. Bolton gave me the answer in the first few pages, but then spent the rest of the book proving why that answer was wrong. Very nicely done!

Jack and Jackie: Portrait of an American Marriage by Christopher Andersen

What an excellent read. Before starting this book, the only think I knew about the Kennedy family was that JFK was assassinated in Dallas, TX. I picked it up because I want to be more learned by reading more nonfiction. This one sounded interesting, and I was correct.

It is well written and moving. Andersen does an excellent job telling facts like he's telling a story, making the book feel like a fiction piece. And I learned quite a bit. Andersen moves along the lives of Jack and Jackie, beginning with birth and ending with death. He describes events as if he was there, drawing the reader in and helping us to feel present as well.

I wish he had included more pictures because several times I had to put the book down and look up a picture that he was describing or a moment he shared. I know, however, that space is limited and he had to pick just a few pictures.

The book has definitely changed my idea of JFK. I always thought since he was president and was killed that he was an exceptionally good person, flawless and perfect. I know better, especially now. He was flawed, he made many mistakes, and he was a very selfish person. But so was Jackie. To see their relationship this way, to travel along their marriage as they did, shocked and enlightened me. I'm very glad I chose to read this book.

Animal Farm: George Orwell (A book with at least one million reviews on Goodreads)

I knew going into this book that much of the satirical aspects would be way over my head. To say I'm not great at politics is an understatement, and my knowledge of world history is shaky at best, so I don't have much to say about this book as it was intended satirically, which means my review is going to be pretty useless.

I did enjoy reading it, however. Politics and history aside, it serves as a good warning for what can happen when we stop asking questions.

It is a well-written and very easy to read story, that serves as a warning and an entertaining animal tale.a

And Then There Were Nun: Jane Christmas (A book that takes place in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent)

This was an interesting read to say the least. Christmas' religious journey is unlike any other I've heard which made the read fun. This was a great look into convent life.

I am struggling not to critique on a religious basis as that's not why I read this. I'll try to keep that out.

My biggest issue with the book is the overall lack of religion. Christmas loves to spout of about how religious she is and how important her faith has been to her, but actual faith in God is missing from these pages. She has a demonic encounter but relies on her self wit and books to protect her. Not once does she call upon the God who she claims is so important to her. Sure, she attends offices frequently but critiques the chanting and gives us little of the content or purpose. She studies Scripture but with the same way I studied and discussed this book.

She feels this call to become a nun, and has since she was young, and decided to finally pursue it, but then joining a convent isn't what she expected so she decides that she isn't called to be a nun after all. What? She didn't realize how much she would have to give up, and instead of giving up herself, she gives up this "call" that she has been feeling for 40ish years.

I guess the point of the book was to enlighten the world about convents and nuns, and she does so for daily schedules and clothing, but she never really goes into why one becomes a nun, what it means to be a nun, what the purpose of having nuns is, etc. She is very materialistic in her report of life for nuns, which is disappointing.

I gave it 4 out of 5 stars because it was an enjoyable read. Christmas has a sense of humor and writes well. My issues with it are more about her theology and personality than her writing. I don't quite know what to take away from the book, nor do I know what I should have gained by reading, but it was a compelling story of a woman's healing process.