Review 351: The Imperiled Ocean

The Imperiled Ocean: Human Stories from a Changing Sea by Laura Trethewey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A set of essays, where so far most is about the humans and not the ocean. The title is misleading, it should be called something closer to Humans and Water Interact. Hopefully my next listen will be stellar

This was okay, but not really what it claimed to be. Yes, human stories, but very little on how that relates to a changing sea. It could be stories for any time on the ocean. I bought this audio book in January 2020. Finally working on some of my owned audio for this year. Hoping to finish one more today to end the month, fingers crossed.

Review 350: The Glovemaker

The Glovemaker by Ann Weisgarber
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An okay story, but had a lot of repetition. The characters kept repeating what was already known. This is a slow story, but also told in a simple way.

Takes place in the 19th century over several months in 1887-1888, in a small community in Utah. A woman, Deborah, is alone, waiting for her wheelwright husband Samuel to return. Meanwhile some trouble comes to them bringing a Marshall from Tennessee.

Listened to the audio book that had two narrators, one for Deborah the other for her husband's stepbrother Nels. Both narrators were decent.

Review 349: Mad Honey

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The book is told in two parts – one is with time going forward and the other timeline going backwards. I find it odd when a book is told backwards in time. The main story line is about a teenage romance, which ends up with the young girl dead. Most of the book is the trial, with the boyfriend being accused of her death. We are sure he didn’t do it, but maybe, and if not him, who or how did she die? So, a little bit of a mystery.

Like Picoult’s other books this one has a strong social awareness aspect, but it felt over the top with this one. Several times (three at least) we are told how and why a person is as they are, and it was too much. Once, maybe even twice if it was short, but no it went on, and this preaching at me really detracted from the book. I appreciate the thoughts and understanding behind the book, but it would have been a better story without this. The book itself seemed to be going on and on, and easily could have eliminated many pages.

I liked all the information about bees and honey contained in the book, that was a nice touch. There are many issues thrown into this book, which sometimes felt heavy-handed, but life can be like that too. Just wished for less lectures, and wished the authors trusted their readers more.

Thanks to Ballentine and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book. Although I did listen to the audiobook version of the book and the narrators did a great job.

Review 348: Half a King

Half a King by Joe Abercrombie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Book 1 in the series: Shattered Sea

Listened to this book in two pieces...started it in June, then put on standby for longer than expected, while I listened to some library audiobooks I had on hold that came up. I returned to the book in September. 

 It's a good book, first in a series, and it ended where things are tied up, but yeah, can see there is more too. Not sure I'll continue the series since I have soooo many other books.

The book is a hero's journey type book. A sheltered boy, more like a teenager, who was raised in the castle, his father being a king, had his life turned upside down. After his father's unexpected death his Uncle tried to kill him. Somehow, amazingly he survived beyond all odds for what happened, but ended up being caught as a slave. He was made to row a ship along with other oar-mates. Thus begins his journey back to his home as the rightful heir to the throne.