Downfall of a Nineties Legend

Heavier Than Heaven: a Biography of Kurt Cobain by Charles R. Cross
4 stars



This fascinating book thoroughly examines Kurt Cobain’s tragically short life.  The author’s detailed research offers lots of insight into Cobain’s private relationship and conversations as well as his fragile mental state.  In the time just before his death at 27 he lived an incredibly sad life and increasingly found little joy in his former passions.  This is often a difficult book to read, especially as someone who listened to Nirvana and vividly remembers hearing of Cobain’s death but an incredibly well written rock biography.  I received a digital ARC of the 2019 rerelease of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

Romance Review

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves
Publication Date - April 2, 2019
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A young woman on the autism spectrum leaves home for college and is supported by a wonderful best friend and a burgeoning romance.  I like this book and read it fast but I wasn't blown away and had some nit-picking issues.  I kind of wish this was just about the wonderful friendship of Annika and Janice and the romance was pushed to the back burner.  I'm not qualified to comment on how well the inner monologue of a person on the spectrum was portrayed but I really got sick of hearing how beautiful she was.  It felt completely unnecessary.   Overall, this was a quick, mostly enjoyable read.  I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Monday Review

The Editor by Steven Rowley

Publication Date – April 2, 2019

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James Smale has just sold his manuscript and is meeting his editor for the first time.  After some comical miscommunications, he realizes that his editor is no other than Jackie Kennedy Onassis, who was an editor in the nineties when this novel takes place.   The book James has written is based on his own family, especially his mother, who is not in any way happy to be a main character.  There are moments of real humor in this book and I really enjoyed the family scenes.  I had a hard time with the character of James at times, his neurosis started to annoy me towards the end, but it’s an enjoyable read and makes me want to read more about Jackie Kennedy Onassis’s career in publishing.  I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Rock Stars for Life

Uncommon People: The Rise and Fall of the Rock Stars by David Hepworth
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This book is so much fun.  Going through each year, starting with Little Richard and "Tutti Frutti" and ending with Nirvana, this book gives snapshots of the music industry and it's rock stars.  There are fun observations on the over the top lifestyle and insight into the changes in music over the years.  This is definitely a great book to breeze through.  I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Journey Through the Arctic

The Sun is a Compass: a 4,000-Mile Journey Into the Alaskan Wilds

By Caroline Van Hemert

Publication Date - March 19, 2019

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I’ve become skeptical of memoirs based on a big journey because they sometimes feel forced, taken on for the purpose of writing a book but Caroline and her husband, Pat’s, journey feels much more authentic.  They are Alaskans who spend their summers in a log cabin they built themselves on the outskirts of a glacier.  They are people who clearly enjoy outdoor adventure and this is definitely one big adventure.  After the author finishes her dissertation, she finds herself disillusioned with the lab based science in which she has be immersed in for the last years.  In order to connect once again with the outdoors, she plans a trip starting in Washington state, ending in the far reaches of the Alaskan Arctic.  The trip involves rowing, hiking, and mountaineering and takes months.  Along the way, we learn the geography and nature of the land they traverse.  At times, the descriptions of the animals and land are so vivid, they are easily imagined.  The only negative is that I tired of hearing her inner dialogue of what her future plans should be, but besides that, I thought this a great tale of adventure.  I received a digital arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Favorite Fiction of 2019 So Far

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Publication Date - March 19, 2019
🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2



At one point in this novel, about one third of the way through, I didn't think I would be able to finish.  Twenty-five year old, Queenie, just kept hopping from one bad mistake to another with a clear goal of self-sabotage and I wasn't quite sure why.  But then, when it all falls apart, things started to make sense and it becomes clear that Queenie is dealing with some really difficult moments from her past in the only way she could see fit.  The rest of the book follows Queenie as she fights to get better, accept herself and discover how important her crazy family and loyal friends are to her.  Queenie herself has a bold sense of humor but I definitely wouldn't characterize this as light fiction.  This is a darker tale that discusses childhood trauma, race and emotionally abusive men and how one woman, with help from friends and family, teaches herself how to survive.  I received an ARC of this book through the BookishFirst program in exchange for an honest review.

Journey to the Moon

Shoot for the Moon: the Space Race and the Extraordinary Voyage of Apollo 11

By James Donovan

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Publication Date - March 12, 2019

I have read several books on the early days of the space travel and I am almost always exited by the history. This is more of an overview of the missions and people leading up to the moon landing.  This is well researched and has interesting anecdotes.  While not the most riveting of accounts, I still found this a great overview of the beginning of NASA and the early excitement surrounding the space program.  I received a digital ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Trial of the Century (19th century that is)

The Trial of Lizzie Borden: a true story by Cara Robertson
Publication Date - March 12, 2019
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Surprisingly, this is the first book that I have ever read on Lizzie Borden and the Borden murders so all of this information is new.  Unfortunately, I’m not sure I should have started with this book.  The beginning of the book introduces the Borden family and goes over the events of the axe murder of Lizzie Borden’s father and stepmother.  After this brief set-up, most of the remaining book is a play by play, every little detail, account of the trial itself.  It is tedious, repetitive and very slow going.  If you are interested in the case and have read other books, then this may prove more interesting but I found it strangely dry.  One positive is that it just lists the facts and does not sway into making a hypothesis either way.  It did end strong, with details about the reverberations of the jury’s decision and Lizzie’s life afterwards.  Overall, maybe not a good Borden book to begin with but for those interested it is a good addition to the body of work.  I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.