You've Been So Luck Already--#19 finished

This is a memoir by Alethea Black a writer.  I hadn't heard of her before but saw this book at a library sale & looked interesting.  It is a quick and easy read about some struggles in her early life and then when things seemed to be coming together--a house, great boyfriend and job, her health started falling apart and she basically lost everything in the course of a few years.  A really tragic story about her struggles and how she was unable to get diagnosed as to what the cause of her health problems.  Finally a doctor was able to find a cause--her body storing iron too much--or something like that, I am not a doctor and too lazy to go back into book for more accuracy.  Book ends with her deciding with better health and no job to move to CA from MA/NY area.  Book from 2018 so hopefully been successful move--got this book published at least.  

There are 2 WL for this book so I will probably post & mail off at some point.

What Waits For You--#18 finished

 This is the 2nd in series with LA homicide detective Tully, just read the 1st in series like 5 books back.  A gruesome serial killer investigation that doesn't fit--making a twist at the end.  Don't think I liked as much as the first book but not bad either.  There is a 3rd book written but not available on PBS, I think I have on WL but in no hurry to search out otherwise.  There is a sort of evil in the bad guys in both books that while interesting in the investigation I am not too attached to keep reading.

There is 1 WL for this book.  I posted the 1st book in series hoping the person would also have the 2nd as wanted but they didn't.  I will probably post & mail off somewhat soon anyway.

The Other Side of Russia--#17 finished

 The rest of the title is:  A Slice of Life in Siberia and the Russian Far East.  The author and her husband spent about 2 years in this area of Russia, their jobs were teaching jobs at universities there in conjunction with University of Maryland.  This was right after the breakup of USSR and Russia was still finding its way.  My interest in getting this book was information about Lake Baikal--I just find this lake interesting in many ways and there wasn't much info I could find when I first joined PBS back in 2009 at least where I was looking then and haven't really looked much since.  A really interesting read about the struggles of life then.  So much has changed I am sure but this is a period of Russia that people struggled and hopefully they remember that time.  Also a time before Putin and everything his being in power has done to the country.

I have posted it on PBS, it is the only copy but who knows if will move or not.

Full Disclosure--#16 finished

 Since this is coming back in the news & I had found this book recently at a library sale, figured why not read it.  It is a good read, she has led an interesting life from a poor and struggling upbringing and having to figure things out quickly in life by herself to becoming a successful porn star, writer & director.  The funny thing about all of this is that the involvement with Donald Trump was basically one night and a bunch of phone calls.  Her life is so much more than this but this is what she has become known for to most people.  And it wasn't just that one night--it was the fact that DT & his handlers--at the time Michael Cohen were worried if reports of this would get out DT it would hurt him in the 2016 election--and it probably would.  They decided to pay off Stormy and sign a non-disclosure agreement but sounds like she signed by no one for DT signed.  This with Karen McDougal also basically with same thing around time--both these stories were getting bought by a tabloid so that he would then not publish these and no one else could either.  Shady stuff but illegal ?  The illegal comes with using campaign funds to pay them off and as NY contends this was done to influence the 2016 election.  Becomes an accounting crime and with election involved makes it a felony--maybe a stretch but will see.  I think that makes this serious is that Michael Cohen did spend time in jail for his part and if DT is one that approved payments then he might be seeing jail time too.

This book has staining so cannot put into PBS system.  Not sure if my friends would be interested in this book so likely just getting donated away at some point.

My Horizontal Life--#15 finished

I had heard of Chelsea Handler before but never read anything of hers, might have caught her on TV once or twice on E network or something.  She hosted one of the Hollywood award shows--maybe SAG--it was on the WB, remember a joke about that and Oprah.  I think I had this book before that but anyway it was sitting on my pile of books & figured I should read it.  It is kind of funny about her life and the people around her and just crazy stuff she was doing--sex, drinking, lies, etc.  Book was written in 2005 so not sure really about her career but at least was a fun sort of mindless read.

There are a bunch of copies already on PBS so I will just put this in a give away pile instead.

Drinking Coffee Elsewhere--#14 finished

 This is a short story book by an African American writer and thought this being Black History Month a good time to read it.  A really enjoyable book that also makes you think about people, especially struggles of African Americans.  Good stories of different situations and perspectives of people.  I really enjoyed this book.

I have posted it on PBS, it is the only copy in system so hopefully will get mailed off at some point.

One Day You'll Burn--#13 finished

 This is a series about an LA homicide detective that was a PhD candidate in history that left that life and joined the police force.  A few years into being on the force they started a new program where they promoted police officers to homicide detectives based on work before they were on the force.  Tully and another officer that was a psychologist were 2 of them promoted.  Tully is the main character.  Good read about how he gets along with his partner and others in office as well as struggles that he has with his 2 dads--they believe he is throwing his life away being a police officer instead of being in academia--both are professors.  This is happening along side his investigation of 2 different crimes and how he was going about them.  A good read and a good start to the series, I have the 2nd book in series too and just started it as well.

Both this book and the 2nd book have 1 WL in PBS, will post this one hoping same person looking for 2nd and get to mail them out together.

The Van Apfel Girls Are Gone--#12 finished

 An interesting book, a women in her 20s that now lives in Baltimore, returns to Australia to help your sister fighting cancer.  The return home brings back memories of her at around 10 years old when their friends and neighbor girls disappeared.  Story gets a little confusing at times since is told from the 10 year old view point but easy to get the feeling that things are not right.  Not right in the Van Apfel girls home and also with a new teacher at the school that is the middle girl's teacher.  The 2 older girls were planning to run away and the 10 year old's older sister was going to help them.  The 10 year old and the youngest neighbor girl were being kept in the dark.  It comes out & the neighbor's father finds out too.  They were not able to get everything together they wanted but still made a break for it--the youngest joined in.  A big search went on & after a few days the youngest is found caught between 2 boulders--speculation is she turned around at night and fell trying to get back home.  Other 2 never found or heard from.  A good story in that you want to see what is next.  Ending is open ended, but hope for the best with the 2 girls at least.

There are 7 WL for this book so will get it posted & mailed off at some point.

Slaughter-House Five--#11 finished

 Another classic type book that I had not read before that had been on my shelves for too long.  I am not sure what to think of the book, I had to keep reminding myself it was written in the late 1960s and is a sort of anti-war book when the Vietnam war was going on.  The main character is a weird sort that sort of rides the waves of what happens to him but then also mixed in once aliens took him away that he flashes around in time to different happenings to him.  Can't really say that I enjoyed it but I guess sort of made me think.  

I will keep this book since it is a classic.  I didn't look to see but figure there are already copies on PBS & even if not this is an older beaten up copy anyway.