booktalkwithkarla's reviews
1324 reviews

The French House: Gripping and heartbreaking French historical fiction by Helen Fripp

Go to review page

inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

“I want it for the same reason as you, darling. Freedom from men, respectability. To be above the rules, like you.”

“It’s a collective knowledge, gathered over centuries by thousands of people who’ve worked the land, and I intend to contribute as much as I can while I’m alive.”

“He was like the vines, a cycle of nature. Sometimes he withered, and sometimes he bloomed.”

This fictionalized account of the life of Barbe-Nicole Clicquot was a fun read. Some of the characters and storylines were a bit much for me. After having recently read The Widow Clicquot (nonfiction) and watching the movie of the same name, I found myself comparing the facts with Helen Fripp’s additions. Each work is its own. I’ve enjoyed the process of exploring widow Clicquot’s life and the history of the Champagne region, plus drinking Veuve Clicquot. Our book club discussion about The French House added to its many layers. I would recommend this novel for readers who want to know more about that time in history and enjoy stories about resilience and overcoming. 
The Yoga Store Murder: The Shocking True Account of the Lululemon Athletica Killing by Dan Morse

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

5.0

This is a heartbreaking story on so many levels. Senseless. Devastating. Tragic. I couldn’t stop turning the pages based on the story and compelling way it was written. The included photos of both Jayna and Brittany (plus law enforcement and some crime scene images) made it more real in a way the podcasts I listen to can’t. Plus the location being a retail establishment I visit regularly. I feel deeply sad for the families involved and am grateful for Dan Morse’s reporting of this true and awful crime. I appreciate that Morse focused on the entire story from beginning to end - psychologically and judicially - and found it respectful and responsible reporting. I will still be thinking about this story for a long time to come and each time praying for pathological liars and psychopaths to get help before it turns deadly. 
The Running Club by Ben Gross

Go to review page

dark funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Books written by runners about all things running are so fun. And this one with a murder mystery at the center was no exception. My book club of runners chose it so our discussion should be great. I loved being reminded of the beauty of community and specifically the bonds runners have with each other. Recommend this for the mystery and the running talk throughout. 
Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God's Transforming Presence by Ruth Haley Barton

Go to review page

hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.5

Yes to everything Ruth Haley Barton claims about solitude and silence. Having her as a guide is wonderful. From her writing and honesty, you can tell she practices where she shares. I listened to the audio and read in tandem. 
Long Bright River by Liz Moore

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

“This was the secret I learned that day: none of them wanted to be saved. They all want to sink backward toward the earth again, to be swallowed by the ground, to keep sleeping.”

“… but he’s not all bad. Almost nobody is.”

Mickey is a cop and Kacey is an addict. Long Bright River is their story of growing up as sisters and then their lives of survival, as Mickey attempts to solve a series of murders and save her sister. 

Liz Moore writes both sisters so well in this modern day retelling of the prodigal son. Her writing is beautiful and poignant. The mystery is solid and I had to know what happened. I cared about all the characters (even Gee) because Moore writes people with depth. 

This is a great read. I wanted to start again at the beginning when I turned the last page. I cried and prayed for everyone to be okay. Outstanding writing. Outstanding book. 
The It Girl by Ruth Ware

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

The It Girl is a thriller about before and after Hannah Jones finds her friend April dead in their room at Oxford University. Ruth Ware set this book in a really cool place and I loved reading about the university. Ware was able to surprise me with who the murderer turns out to be and how it was committed. What I enjoyed least was Hannah’s whining. My book club read this and most of them loved it even more than me. 
Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

October 2024
Rating 4.5 stars.

I like this book even more after a reread. The facts at the heart of the mystery from book 5 became clearer. Penny is brilliant and I’m excited to continue the series. 


June 2021
Rating 4 stars.

“Things are strongest when they are broken.”

In this sixth book of the series, a historian is found dead in the cellars of the Literary and Historical Society building. As Gamache and his team get involved, we revisit the murder from book five.  Olivier is in jail and Gamache is dealing with his own tragic case gone wrong.

The three mystery storylines are handled well by Louise Penny. She also weaves Quebec history, little known facts, and legend in, giving the reader an interesting journey. The title is brilliant, applying to every storyline. Separists and Federalists,  English and French, past and present, injured and healed - differences continually considered with the common reality of death always present. Penny again integrates the four things that lead to wisdom.

I am sorry. I was wrong. I need help. I don’t know.

I am working my way through the Gamache series happily. This one I listened to and it was a wonderful experience. I will try the next one on audio too. I really enjoyed the narration, especially getting clarity with the French pronunciation.  Since I read paper books for the first five, I am sure I was mispronouncing many of the names and French words as I read. Recommend this series.
The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It by Tilar J. Mazzeo

Go to review page

informative inspiring slow-paced

4.5

I love Veuve Cliquot champagne so when a dear friend alerted me to the book (and the movie) I was immediately sold. Life intervened and it took me some time to listen/read and then watch (with 14 friends, drinking Veuve, of course). My interest has only grown. Barbe-Nicole was a fascinating woman and the history of the champagne region of Reims is compelling. Tilar Mazzeo writes the account of both the woman and the beverage well. I can see why this is a bestseller. If you like narrative nonfiction and/or champagne, may I suggest this be your next read. 
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

In All the Colors of the Dark, Chris Whitaker gives us a fascinating thriller and tale. The darkness of missing people and serial killers alongside the hope of love and friendship make this a true page turner and a novel I won’t soon forget. Patch, Saint, and Missy have my whole heart. All of the cast are well drawn and memorable. Read this novel as soon as you can for its literary significance and the experience offered, plus the realities it calls to mind. It’s fiction. Yet it’s real. And it’s a plea for us to do better for our children, our communities.

Some favorite quotes:
“Friendship was a difficult art to master.”

“Saint knew there was not always an exact moment when children turned to adults. For the lucky ones it was a long, hard-earned acceptance of responsibility and opportunity. But for her, and for Misty, the divide had been curt and fatal.”

“I just wanted to show you that sometimes things survive despite the harshest of odds.”

“Saint wanted to ask what it was like, to lose the thing that defined you. But perhaps she knew: it left you someone else. A stranger you had no choice but to tolerate, and see each day and feel and fear.”

“I want everything to mean something, to lead somewhere.”
The Good News about Estrogen: The Truth Behind a Powerhouse Hormone by Billie Fitzpatrick, Uzzi Reiss

Go to review page

hopeful informative medium-paced

4.0

Great information about hormones and the role they play in women’s health. Dr. Reiss also includes information on diet, exercise, supplements and other habits that can help women. My favorite part is the hope that is offered by the author. Women need not suffer the dire effects of hormone deficiencies. We have agency and options.