Review: The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes

The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Listened to AUDIOBOOK on Scribd - Actual rating: 3.5

I wasn't sure, initially, how I was going to like it but I ended up really enjoying it and relating very well to both CeeCee/Eve and Corrinne. Well read/narrated. A sweet, enjoyable book that makes you think about both sides of what seems to be an easily answered moral question that you come to realize isn't so easily answered. A book about the depths of love and the true depth and power of forgiveness. I am a Diane Chamberlain fan now.

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Review: The Witch Elm

The Witch Elm by Tana French
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

DNF. Finally had to abandon this book at about the halfway mark. It took me took long to get to that point, trudging through the text. I was incredibly intrigued with the story and where it was headed, but the sheer length of it was reading like drudgery and I just wasn't feeling terribly connected to the characters. I may revisit it at another time as I still want to finish but I just was in a place that I needed something that moved with a more compelling pace. Moving to my dnf-resume shelf.

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Review: The Round House

The Round House by Louise Erdrich
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dark. Powerful. Beautifully written.

This was a selection for my favorite book club, Open Canon Book Club. I was not familiar with this author but have added her to my "must read" list for her other works.

This story will impact you. The imagery it invokes will be scored into your memory banks. The character development is beautifully done. You don't necessarily become familiar with each character's back story, but you will develop a picture of their character, the type of life they've lead, and how parts of their story have brought them to where they are.

Highly recommend reading this and other works by this author.

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Review: Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

Disturbing, powerful story, well told. Not an easy read due to the racially charged language and incidents but they are central to the telling of the story. The writing speaks a dark truth of circumstance and environment. Definitely a story with impact and will not easily be forgotten. My first Tom Franklin read. Looking forward to reading his other works.

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REVIEW: Mary Shelly (film; 2017)

I know the rating on IMDB is only 6.4 but I absolutely loved it. Elle Fanning's performance was stupendous, as was the rest of this young but talented cast.

Beautiful telling giving the insight into the relationships that brought about the pain she channeled into this writing.

One of my favorite books of all time. They did a spectacular job of portraying it's inspiration and how it all came to life for her. Better than any telling I've seen as yet.

...and to have it come from such young talents gives me hope that her writing won't be forgotten and dismissed as some series of Hollywood tales. That a new generation will see the depth and intensity of the truth behind the story.

Mary Shelley
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3906082/