Book Reviews

I've had a hard time getting into reading lately, but here are a few books that I did read.

Leonard (My Life as a Cat) by Carlie Sorosiak, Children's fiction (elementary ages), 2021

Lissa from Postcards from the Bookstore mentioned this book in one of her Book Rant posts. I thought it sounded like a fun, easy read for bedtime when I don't want anything too exciting.

Leonard is an alien who gets to come to Earth for a month for his 300th birthday. He wants to come as a park ranger in Yellowstone, but ends up as a cat in South Carolina instead. Olive, an 11-year-old girl, rescues Leonard in a storm, and he becomes her pet. By typing on her computer, he convinces her he is really an alien and needs help getting to Yellowstone on time for his pickup home. 

Olive is spending the summer with her grandmother and struggling with self-confidence because she is different than many other kids. She loves animals and knows and shares everything about them. During the summer, she learns to like herself while Leonard learns what it is to be truly human.

The book is fun as Leonard discovers his catlike ways. You will definitely relate if you've ever had a cat. The book has just the right amount of strife and tension with a happy ending appropriate for a children's book. I thought it was an enjoyable read.

Grace and Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman, Adult fiction, 2025

This book was reviewed by Squishy Tulips, who thoroughly enjoyed it. We're a little past the holiday season, but I decided I couldn't wait for next Christmas to read it. :)

Grace and Henry are 30-somethings who have both lost their spouses within the last year. Grace has 2 young children, and Henry has none. Grace's husband died after a long illness, and Henry's wife died in an accident. Both Grace and Henry are suffering from profound grief. 

Their mothers, who are in a book club together, decided to "fix them up" so they can have someone to talk to about their losses. Slowly, but surely, cracks form in their grief, and they begin to hope that life can go on.

This is definitely a character-driven story, and the author does a good job of exploring the complexities of grief and the little things along the way that can pull the grieving person back to living with hope. Despite the fact that this story deals with a very serious subject, it is a charming romance of sorts and was an enjoyable read. 

Note: The story takes place in Baltimore, and at first, I was distracted by the numerous references to all things Baltimore because I was personally familiar with them. I don't know if that would be the same for the generic reader. As I got further into the story, that was not as much of a problem.

The Infamous Gilberts by Angela Tomaski, Adult fiction, 2026

This was a book of mistaken identity. I hurriedly picked it up at the library, and I thought this one was another take on the Gilbreths, the family in Cheaper by the Dozen.

I was very wrong. This book is a work of fiction about the Gilbert family, consisting of five children, their mother, and their aunt. It follows their lives from the eve of World War II to the early 2000s.

The story is told in an unusual way, with the narrator, Max, giving the reader a tour of the Gilbert House before it is converted into a luxury hotel. 

An example: "There is another scent, of course--oh, many--but do not despair. It is possible to untangle the threads. Take your time. There it is...a musty tang, like stewed nails. It is blood, very old blood, rubbed deep into the fibres of the sea-blue rug at your feet. It was cleaned badly, even then, but that story comes later."

I think the author was very clever in the way she wove the story, but I wish it had had more traditional narratives during the tour.

The Gilbert family is a mess. The father died in WWI, and the family never recovered. The mother is clueless about most things and lets the children do whatever they want.  They don't go to school, and today, we would call them free-range kids. A bossy paternal aunt steps in from time to time to help, but usually makes things worse.

As the children grow into adults, we see that they all have problems. No one is happy. And because of this, I found the book depressing. In fact, about halfway through, I stopped. If I had known that at least there would be something positive eventually, I would have kept on. But all of the comments and reviews I read suggested otherwise.

The book has been described as "darkly comedic, quite unique, a blend of tragedy, comedy, and intrigue, tragic," among other things. I didn't find it funny. Perhaps because I was too focused on waiting for something good to happen. This book was not for me, but if you don't mind dark, depressing books, it is an interesting, well-written story.

Peril in Paris by Rhys Bowen, Adult mystery, 2022

I needed a palate cleanser after The Infamouse Gilberts, so I went back to my comfortable and familiar Royal Spyness mystery series and read Peril in Paris, which is #16 in the series.

Pregnant Georgie and her husband, Darcy, travel to Paris, where Darcy is working on a secret mission involving the Germans. The story takes place in 1936, when Hitler is gaining power. While Darcy is working, Georgie stays with her friend Belinda and ends up modeling in a Coco Chanel fashion show. A woman is murdered at the show, and through a set of coincidences, Georgie becomes the prime suspect.  

 Per usual, several historical figures factor into the story one way or another, and I always enjoy that part of the books. I liked this book better than the last two Royal Spyness books I read. It seemed more in line with many of the earlier books in the series.

 *The Royal Spyness books follow Georgie, 35th in line to the British Throne, in the 1930s, as she stumbles onto murder after murder. There are castles, rich people, royalty, and many class restrictions that surround the stories. Despite being royalty, Georgie has no money, which causes a set of problems all its own. The stories are in historically accurate settings, and humorous relief is provided by her inept maid, Queenie.

These books are as much about the characters and settings as the mysteries, and I reach for one of them while I am waiting on a hold or looking for a familiar comfort read. 

Until next time...