Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling (Richard L. Bushman)

Why I have this book: We've had the Kindle edition for years since my husband read it a while ago. I bought the audio version to go along with it (which actually came in handy when I missed hearing something or wanted to go back and reference different parts).

This book has left me feeling somewhat empty and sad. It's complicated. I will say I feel very sad for Emma Smith. I feel sad for the deceit, hate, and destruction that came about during this time. I have a lot of other emotions about it, but those won't be shared here. 

I gave the book three stars on Goodreads just because a lot of research and time went into it. I definitely learned some new things and had other things confirmed. I didn't give the book more stars because I didn't like the apologetics that tried to excuse the inexcusable. 

Mostly clean. There are a few swear words, if I remember correctly. The book discusses adultery, murder, attempted murder, and other sins/crimes.

As Good As Dead (Holly Jackson)

Why I have this book: Read the previous two posts. :)

I gave this one four stars on Goodreads. I'd say this is even more implausible than the first two, and the profanity is at an annoying level, but... I did stay up until 3:00 am to finish it.

I had planned to stop around midnight because I was definitely getting sleepy, but then something happened in the story that woke me right up. Very intense.

I enjoyed this series. Again I'll say I wish I knew there was an original British version because I would have preferred that. (There's still a British feel in this third book even though they tried to Americanize it.)

I probably wouldn't have my teenage daughter read this even thought it's set right after graduation. I think the subject and storyline are for mature audiences.

Plenty of profanity including the F-word and using the name of God as an exclamation of emotion. The subject involves a serial killer and murder, and there is a rape trial that is a continuation of events from the earlier books.

Good Girl, Bad Blood (Holly Jackson)

Why I have this book: See previous post.

I actually liked this one more than the first book in the series. Still pretty implausible, but I reminded myself that I loved the culinary mysteries by Josi Kilpack, and they were also implausible to some degree. 

I gave this one four stars on Goodreads even though there were still a lot of indications that it started out as a British publication. (Let's talk about the names in the book... they do fit a British/UK setting more than an American one, I think. Pippa. Harry. Charlie. Flora. Camilla. Elspeth. Siobhan. Do those names exist in America? Sure... but probably not all of them in one small town. I wish they had just published the original British books as they were instead of trying to "Americanize" them.

I'm looking forward to reading the third and final book in the series. 

The storyline deals with murder, and this one brings in a child murderer/serial killer. There is an ongoing trial from the previous book that involves drugging women and sexual assault. There is one intensive scene that includes a shooting. There's a drug dealer in the story, and there's plenty of swearing, including the F-word and probably the name of God as an exclamation. 

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (Holly Jackson)

Why I have this book: I bought the Kindle edition of the whole series after a neighbor asked about it on the neighborhood FB page. I think I was feeling a little rebellious, too, at the moment, so it was a "rebellious moment purchase." :)

I gave this book 3 stars on Goodreads. I enjoyed it enough... I was invested in figuring out what happened and how everything would tie up. There were a few times the writing seemed a little juvenile, and the story had some implausibilities, but I'll still read the other two books in the series. (Honestly, I might not if I hadn't purchased them.)

I'm still debating in my mind if the use of the word "wardrobe" (aka "closet") was a mistake from the British author's language, or if she really meant it as in a freestanding wardrobe. It could go either way, I suppose. It was just an unexpected word in the setting, so it threw me out of the intensity of the moment in the story. 

ETA: I looked this up on Goodreads, and apparently the book was originally published in the UK, then they changed it to be set in America when they published it here. Other readers noticed the British influence, and it was said the UK version was better. How lame! It's not like Americans can't read the British language. It didn't need to be translated or anything to be published here. *massive eyerolling commences* I feel like I've missed out now.

This book is written for upper high school and YA crowd, I think. There are a lot of F-bombs and other swearing and sexual situations (but not described... we're just told that they happened), including rape that occurs when drinks are spiked. Also, as you might have guessed from the title, the storyline revolves around murder.

The Connecting Door (Josi Kilpack)

Why I have this book: Josi sent me an email telling me she wrote this and it was only $2.99 right now! (She actually sent the email to everyone on her mailing list, and turns out it was a novella, not a full-length novel, but whatever.)

I went ahead and bought it even though it was just a novella. Figured it would be a light, happy read that would add another book to my Goodreads goal for the year. (I set a lower goal this year, and I'm still having a hard time keeping up. Podcasts have taken over my life.)

Meh. I gave it two stars on Goodreads. I'm not sure it was even worth the $2.99. That's sad for me to say because I'm a Josi Kilpack fan. I wish she'd get back to more contemporary novels instead of the Regency (or whatever these novels are called) stories she's been writing lately.

Clean.

Schooled (Ted Fox)

Why I have this book: I think it was an Amazon Prime First Reads book. I got it for free on Kindle.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was kind of just silly and light-hearted and fun. Just a feel-good story that was a breath of fresh air amongst the heavier reading and learning I've been doing lately.

I gave it four stars on Goodreads, although I'd probably have gone with 3.7 if I had that option.

Pretty clean. Some suggestive flirting between married people. A handful of swear words, although I don't recall any F-words. They do use the name of God as a swear word.

Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living (Shauna Niequist)

Why I have this book: I bought it on Audible after a friend recommended it. (I used a "credit," to be more precise.)

Meh. I gave this two stars on Goodreads. I didn't love the way the author narrated it... it was a little too soulful (which I might have expected, given the title). What she's looking for in life and what I'm looking for in life are somewhat opposite ends of the spectrum. She apparently had a really busy life and wanted to slow down. I have a somewhat unexciting existence (which isn't a bad thing), and have been looking for things to do. 

I did find a few ideas of hers that I appreciated:

We can shape our own lives. Sometimes I know I let life just kind of happen instead of shaping how I would like it to be.

Friends support each other and carry each other's secrets, fears, worries, etc.

We shouldn't give our pen to others to write our life story. That's up to us.

Take time to listen to our minds and bodies to know if we're living the life we want to be living.

Live more lightly... don't crowd it with things and busyness.

There may have been another thought or two, but those were the ones I jotted down. Good thoughts, but other than those, I really was ready for the book to be over before it was even close to done.

This Christian book is clean.