Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

 

Title:  Murder on the Orient Express

Author:  Agatha Christie

Narrated by:  Dan Stevens

Publisher: William Morrow

Length: Approximately 6 hours and 37 minutes

Source: Checked out in Libby through the Kewaunee Public Library.

What book have you read that has the best ending?  Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie has one of my favorite endings where justice is ultimately served in an unconventional way. 

Hercule Poirot is heading home from the Middle East aboard the famed Orient Express.  An American, Rachett, tries to hire him for protection as he has received death threats, but Poirot refuses.   When Ratchett shows up dead when the train is stopped due to a snowstorm, Poirot must investigate.  Someone on the train must be the murderer, but who and why?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       I read Murder on the Orient Express for the #ReadChristie2026 challenge.  This year is Agatha Christie’s Biggest, Best, Beloved stories.  The theme for April is “Beloved in your Collection.”  I’m showcasing a picture of my son Daniel’s very nice copy of Murder on the Orient Express and other novels.  Daniel has started reading Agatha Christie novels on audiobook and he is a fan.  He is going to pass me up soon on how many I have read.  It is fun discussing the books with him.

·       As this was my second read (first time on audiobook), it was interesting to focus on how Poirot was investigating the crime rather than who did it.

·       I loved how methodical Poirot was interviewing the witnesses.

·       This book was inspired by the Lindburg baby kidnapping case which is such a sad crime in history.

·       This is one of my favorite Agatha Christie novels.  It is so well written.

·       The ending is perfect with a mike drop moment.

·       Dan Stevens was a good narrator to give unique voices to the characters.

Overall, Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie is one of Agatha Christie’s best mysteries.  It is a classic for a reason, and it is best to read it for the first time not knowing much about the plot.

Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely? By Sarah McCoy

 

Title:  Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely?

Author:  Sarah McCoy

Narrated by:  Cassandra Campbell, Helen Laser, Stephanie Németh-Parker

Publisher: William Morrow

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 11 minutes

Source: Audiobook purchased from Audible and hard cover copy from the Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!

Do you have a favorite film star from the 1960s?  I love classic films.  One of my favorite stars of the 1960s is Julie Andrews.

Lou Tibbott is struggling to finish her senior thesis in American history in 1990.  She suddenly is inspired to write about her Aunt Lori.  Lori was a 23-year-old Hollywood starlet who gave it up all up in 1969 to become a Benedictine nun.  Why did Lori choose to leave her Hollywood life and become a nun?  Prior to this, Lori had denied all interviews, so the world is still wondering.

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was the January read for the Brenda Novak book group, but I just got to it in April.  I’m running behind!

·       This was a dual narrative novel.  One narrative focused on Lou in 1990 interviewing her aunt and the other narrative is her aunt’s story set in the 1960s.

·       I had a hard time thinking about how Aunt Lori would only be in her 40s in 1990s and not an old aging nun.

·       This was great on audiobook with interesting narrators.

·       I guessed how the book would end, but it was still entertaining.

·       I love Hollywood stories and the making of old movies.  Lori was the star of a Romeo and Juliet film with a handsome heartthrob, Lucas Wesley.

·       I loved that in the afterward, Sarah McCoy stated that it was based on the story of three real life classic actresses.  McCoy had correspondence with former actress now nun Dolores Hart and also met her. 

·       The section of the novel where Lori is discovered through the display of her portrait in the family store reminded me of how Lana Turner was discovered.

·       I love the cover of this book!

·       I also loved how Lori found the people and life she was looking for by going to the Catholic faith and becoming a nun.

·       This is a character driven historical fiction novel with found family, romance, and romantic drama.

·       Part of this novel was set in Italy.

Overall, Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely? By Sarah McCoy is an intriguing historical fiction novel set in 1960s Hollywood with family drama and romance. 

Come Close to Jesus by Lysa TerKeurst

 

What type of books do you like to gift to friends and family?

Come Close to Jesus by Lysa TerKeurst has the subtitle “What to pray when you need the Lord to still your thoughts, calm your heart, and guide your way.”  This is a perfect description of this Christian devotional.

My thoughts on this devotional:

·       This book is beautiful with thick pages and a ribbon bookmark.  It would make a great gift.

·       There are fifty short chapters, one chapter per prayer.  It is perfect to read one per night.

·       Each of the chapters in the first half of the book begins with a Bible verse, the authors thoughts on the verse or topic, a prayer, and the prayer in action (how can you make a change with prayer.)

·       The book also includes scriptural payers such as “a prayer for when you feel lonely,” “a prayer for your husband,” etc.  There is a discussion on the topic, followed by Bible verses to pray.

·       There was very thoughtful discussion on prayer, life, and how the teachings of the Bible fit into it all.

·       I found reading this devotional to be a peaceful way to end my day.

·       This is a book that I am going to keep on my nightstand for thoughtful contemplation and prayer in the evening.

·       I enjoyed the authors personal journey in her prayer life.

Overall, Come Close to Jesus by Lysa TerKeurst is a very heartfelt, calming, nice devotional with a collection of beautiful prayers.

Book Source:  Thank-you @tnzgift @lysaterkeurst @tlcbooktours for the review copy as part of the TLC Book Tour.  Thank-you!

Murder Bimbo by Rebecca Novack

 

Title:  Murder Bimbo

Author:  Rebecca Novack

Narrated by:  Jennifer Pickens

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 7 hours and 20 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster Audio. Thank-you!

What is a book you’ve read lately that was out of your comfort zone?  Murder Bimbo is a thriller told through the eyes of a sex worker and is out of my typical comfort zone for reading.

Murder Bimbo is a 32-year-old sex worker, and she has just murdered a political extremist, Meat Neck.  She thought she was working under cover for the government, but things may not be what they appear to be.  She begins writing her story to Justice Bimbo who writes and produces a popular podcast series to get her story out and goes into hiding. Will she be able to save herself?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       This book was weird and funny.  It was just what I needed to capture my attention over a long drive on bad roads.

·       The book does try to explain away sex work as just another job, but the nature of the story shows the dangers, disadvantages, and abuse of sex workers.

·       It is told as a first-person narrative story through emails.  The narrative shifts and changes as she tells it. Murder Bimbo is an unreliable narrator that tells her own story with a humorous, snarky, light tone.

·       Trigger warning in that there is s@#ually explicit material and r#pe. 

·       You think you know what is going on with the story, but then it is told differently to a different audience.  The first part are emails to Justice Bimbo where Murder Bimbo is an unwitting part in assassinating Meat Neck.  Part 2, she is emailing her lover what happened, and the story is a lot more complicated.  Part 3 she may be telling the true story of what has happened to the audience. 

·       I was looking for a crazily entertaining novel and this book met the need!

·       The book was full of terrible people, but it was fun, which seems weird to say.

·       What is true?  How do we change our narratives depending on who we are telling our story to?

·       I liked it on audiobook and the narrator captured the tone perfectly.

Overall, Murder Bimbo by Rebecca Novack was a unique political thriller that captured my attention that explored the nature of storytelling and truth.

Sorry for Your Loss by Georgia McVeigh

 

What is a thriller novel, show, or movie that you have enjoyed lately?

Iris has recently lost her fiancé and has joined a local grief group to work through her loss.  While there, she meets the very handsome Jack who has recently lost his wife to cancer.  As Iris plots ways to win Jack’s affections, she discovers things are not what they seem.  What is real and what is deception in Iris and Jack’s world?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This is a contemporary psychological thriller.

·       It’s hard to write a review for this one as I don’t want to give anything away.  It’s best to go in not knowing much about the story.

·       There were many twists and turns in this one, some I figured out, and some where a surprise.

·       The story alternates between the present and the past.  Iris lost her twin sister, Marcie, growing up and it details their relationship and Marcie’s fate.

·       The story is set in London.

·       Iris is not a very likeable person, but I was intrigued to see what she would do next.  I also felt sorry for the losses that she had in life.

·       The novel was very action packed at the end and I couldn’t put it down.

·       The story is told as Iris’s inner monologue.

·       I can’t believe this is a debut novel.  I’m interested to see what Georgia McVeigh writes next.

·       The ending did leave me wondering what could happen next. 

Overall, Sorry for Your Loss by Georgia McVeigh was an intriguing contemporary psychological thriller. 

Book Source:  Review copy from Penguin Random House.  Thank-you!

The Navigator’s Letter by Jan Cress Dondi

 

Do you believe in coincidence?   I think it’s really a small world overall and it is fun to meet people in places you don’t expect them to be.

The Navigator’s Letter details the story of two WWII heroes from the same small town in Illinois that were connected to one woman, one as her brother, and the other as her boyfriend.  Although they joined the military at different times, they both ended up as navigators in air raids over the oil fields of Ploesti, Romania.  This was the primary fuel source for the Nazis.  Only one man will make it back alive.  This is their story.

My thoughts on this nonfiction book:

·       I loved how this was the personal story of two young men from the same small town.

·       The training process in the miliary in WWII was fascinating to read about.  I didn’t really think about how a navigator was a plum position and required a high level of math.

·       I loved all the talk of planes in WWII.  I love WWII aircraft and it’s been a lifelong fascination.

·       I also enjoyed how the author put together the letters, diaries, newspaper articles, historical records, etc. into a comprehensive story.  It was a fascinating and a personal story.  The author found a trunk full of memorabilia and that is what started her journey to write this story.

·       This was a nonfiction history book that read like a fiction story.

·       I did not previously know about the August 1, 1943, air road at Ploesti, Romania and how it was one the riskiest air raids of WWII.  I was intrigued.  52 aircraft and 532 crewman were lost on this mission.

·       I would highly recommend this book for those that love WWII history and aviation stories like Masters of the Air, 30 Seconds Over Tokyo, Memphis Belle, Midway, etc.

·       This book humanized the story of the war by following these two airman through their lives, training, and wartime activities.  When friends were killed in action, the reader felt it.

·       It was interesting how the book discussed looking for U-boats off of the Florida coast and how U-boats sank a tanker just off of Florida.  I don’t remember learning this before.

·       I’m passing this one to my husband and sons as I think they will all enjoy it.

·       Great pictures were included.

·       There is a touching afterward that pulled the story together.

Favorite Quote:

“The oldest of five children, John Brown White, Jr. (John B.), was born into a family that instilled the belief of giving back to a life given much.”

Overall, The Navigator’s Letter by Jan Cress Dondi was an amazing nonfiction history book that was the personal story of two airman who made a difference.  I couldn’t put this book down!

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

 

Title:  The Hobbit

Author:  JRR Tolkien

Narrated by:  Andy Serkis

Publisher: Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 25 minutes

Source: Purchased from Audible.com

What is a classic that you have always meant to read?  This was my second time reading The Hobbit, but it was the first time for many in my Back to the Classics Book Club at the Kewaunee Public Library.

Bilbo lives a contented lie in a comfortable hobbit hole.  One day he receives a knock at his door only to discover many visitors including dwarves and a wizard named Gandolf.  Gandolf tells Bilbo that he is going to be the “burglar” for their adventure.  Bilbo soon finds himself on a journey where he visit many new places and learns more about himself.  Will they recover the dwarves’ gold?  Will Bilbo make it back alive?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       Andy Serkis was a great narrator for the audiobook, especially the Gollum parts in Chapter 5, “Whispers in the Dark.”  He also was great at singing the songs.

·       I wish there was a prequel about Belladonna Took, Bilbo’s mother.  What kind of adventures did she have with Gandolf?  I forgot about this brief snippet.

·       I loved how Bilbo was an everyman on an adventure.  He discovered himself and how brave he was.

·       The Hobbit is a great prequel to the Lord of the Rings series.

·       This book was great for discussion at our book club.  We may continue reading the Lord of the Rings series one book a year moving forward.

·       This is a coming of age, adventure, and fantasy story.

·       It was also a great comfort read.  I really enjoyed reading it again, it’s been about 25 years since I last read it.

·       I really loved the humor that Tolkien sprinkled throughout the story.

Favorite Quotes:

“In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit.”

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. But sad or merry, I must leave it now. Farewell.”  - I agree with this sentiment!

Overall, The Hobbit by TRR Tolkien is a great adventure story full of great humor.  It’s a book that is fun to reread and Andy Serkis was a great audiobook narrator.

All for Love by Jen Geigle Johnson

 

Who is your favorite actor/actress?  I have many, but I will go old school with Cary Grant.

Sarah Siddons is distraught when her theater burns to the ground. As sad patrons surround her for support, she sits down and tells them the story of her life.  Her family was a traveling theater troop.  When she was a teen, her star started to shine and attract male suitors with unsavory designs upon her.  Her parents do not approve her love for her fellow actor Sid, so they send her away to be a lady’s companion.  How did she become a star?

My thoughts on this problem:

·       Based on the true story of Sarah Siddon; the famous Shakespearean actress of the Georgian era (17^th century).  She was especially known for playing Lady Macbeth.

·       She did not have an easy life and gave everything to keep her family alive.

·       I love this book cover, it is beautiful!

·       I had never heard of Sarah Siddon, and I enjoyed learning about her.

·       Sarah loved performing, but she is devoted to her family and must sacrifice and do everything she can to keep her family together.  She was the sole provider for the family.

·       Sarah was a strong multi-layered character, and her story was fascinating.

·       It creeped me out how men began objectifying her as a teen and thinking she had loose morals because she was an actress.

·       I have never realized there were family theater groups that traveled the countryside together.  It was a way to make a living doing what you love and to keep women safe. 

·       It was a clean read and inspirational.

·       The story was very engaging and well researched.

·       I loved that it was a unique historical fiction story that gave a new life to a famous actress from the 18^th century.

·       This book had a love story, but it is also a life story filled with many tragedies.  Have your tissues handy as you read it.

Overall, All for Love by Jen Geigle Johnson was a captivating and immersive story of an intriguing actress in history, Sarah Siddons.  I enjoyed this book!

Book Source:  Thank-you to @author.jen.geigle.johnson @sarah.siddons.story @cedarfort @greatreadsbookpromo for the review copy as part of the Great Reads Book Promotion Tour.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

 

Title:  A Wrinkle in Time

Author:  Madeleine L’Engle

Narrated by:  Hope Davis, Ava DuVernay, Madeleine L'Engle, Charlotte Jones Voiklis

Publisher: Listening Library

Length: Approximately 6 hours and 27 minutes

Source: I used my monthly audible allotment from Amazon.com for this book.

What book would you like to see adapted for the big screen?  I had not read A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle when I was young, but I did read it with my kids before the movie came out a little less than ten years ago.  It was good to reread it again for the Classics Buddy Read with @dees.reads in March.

Meg Murry’s father disappeared years before and her family waits for his return.  Neighbors whisper that he abandoned his family, but his wife and kids believe it has something to do with this work.  One night a strange woman visits Meg’s home and invites her, her brother Charles Wallace, and her friend Calvin on an adventure to find her father.  Will they find him?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I enjoyed reading the physical version with my kids last time around, but it just didn’t really click with me this time around. 

·       The audiobook had a good narrator and I enjoyed that Madeleine L'Engle also discussed how hard it was to get this book published.

·       This is a young adult fantasy, science fiction, and coming of age story.

·       It was published in 1962 and won the Newbury medal in 1963.

·       I liked the time travel through the universe.  The tesseract and explanation were intriguing.

·       This is the first book in a series, but I have never read the other books. Have you?  What did you think?

·       I did love how this was great story of the power of love.

·       This book was referenced in the last season of Stranger Things, and it was fun to read it after watching that.

·       I liked that Meg was a strong female character who thought differently but was very gifted in math.  I felt like her and Charles Wallace may have been on the spectrum.

Overall, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle did not engage me this time around, but it is a unique young adult novel with a great female lead.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory by Matthew Kelly

 

Did you read any book for the Lent or Easter season?  33 Days to Eucharistic Glory by Matthew Kelly was given to us at church last year.  I decided to this 33-day challenge for Lent starting on Ash Wednesday.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory is the first guide to Eucharistic consecration.  “At critical times throughout salvation history, God’s people have been invited to consecrate themselves.”  Author Matthew Kelly believe we are at such a time and should consecrate ourselves to Jesus in the Eucharist.  This book is a spiritual journey through 33 days.  It’s a spiritual guide that goes through a wide variety of topics in easy daily snippets. 

The book was split up into the following section:

Week 1 - The Eucharist and the Pilgrim

Week 2 – The Eucharist and the Saint

Week 3 – The Eucharist and You

Week 4 – The Eucharist and History

The finale – The Moment of Surrender

My thoughts on this book:

·       It was very interesting to listen to on audiobook.  It was nice to listen to each day and to have the back-up to read.

·       There were stark and interesting facts about people falling away from the church in the intro.  It states that we need to focus on what makes the Catholic church different than other Christian churches and the belief that the Eucharist is the body of Jesus Christ is what makes the Catholic church unique. 

·       It was a nice way to learn more about my faith during Lent.

·       I liked the statement that the only failure in prayer is not to show up.

·       Holy figures such as St. Therese of Lisieux and Maximilian Kolbe have chapter dedicated to them.

·       It was interesting that one of the essays discussed how the designers of the most beautiful churches fully understood and are in communion with the Eucharist.  I will say that what is considered beautiful changes, so I am not 100% behind this thought.

·       I thought it was fun that it brought up those to read who are fully a part of the Catholic faith and one of those mentioned was JRR Tolkien.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory by Matthew Kelly is a wonderful and uplifting guide to the Catholic Faith.  It cheered me up to read this each of the 33 days.