Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton
“I’ve never seen a mountain I didn’t think I could climb.” – Dolly Parton Jolene might have tried to take her man, but no one can take away the impact that Dolly Parton has made on country music and music in general. She has sold over 100 million records worldwide! Dolly Parton has a rags-to-riches story, a perky personality, and an unwavering drive. She broke through barriers, wrote her own songs, won people over with her unique sound, she crossed over into pop music and had a movie career, and she put books into the hands of children through her imagination library. What’s not to love?????? “I’m not offended by all of the dumb blonde jokes because I know I’m not dumb… and I also know that I’m not blonde.” – Dolly Parton In Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton, Martha Ackmann tells the rags-to-riches story of how Dolly Parton rose to success. The book begins with Dolly’s childhood in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. She grew up dirt poor, but music was in her veins. The book tells of her family members and their love of music and musical abilities. They supported Dolly and her desire to be a performer. She did not have an easy rise to fame, and this book chronicles her early struggles and setbacks on her path to success. It also chronicles her marriage to Carl Dean, and her lifelong friendship with Judy Ogle. “You can wish your life away. But if you’re going to dream, you’re going to have to get out and, like I always say, you have to put some wings on them dreams, and some feet and fingers and some hands. They gotta get into some stuff. You can’t just sit around and think of all the things you want to do. You’ve got to think of what you want to do, and then you’ve got to get out and make that happen.” – Dolly Parton I learned a lot about Dolly Parton that I did not know, and some things I did know were expanded upon in this book. Dolly is perky and spunky and a businesswoman. She attributes her musical skills to her mother’s side of the family and her business skills to her father. Her father was illiterate but had a keen business sense. She began the Imagination Library to honor her father who could not read or write. She gave children the gift of books and reading. Again, what’s not to love? “I hope life treats you kindAnd I hope you have all you’ve dreamed ofAnd I wish you joy and happinessBut above all this, I wish you love” – I will always love you – Dolly Parton Dolly Parton has written over 3,000 songs – some amazing, some not. But she has never stopped. She is a tiny, tiny powerhouse who has lived, loved, entertained, given, inspired, and continues to dazzle. Hopefully, she keeps writing, keeps singing, and keeps entertaining us for years to come! This book gives readers a glimpse into her long career and life. It does long footnotes after each chapter which I wish would have been saved until the very end of the book. This did feel very academic at times but I put that into my I-don’t-give-a-hoot category as I adore Dolly Parton and getting to know more about her. “You’ll never do a whole lot unless you’re brave enough to try.”- Dolly Parton Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Imaginary Friend
Welp! I thought this would be a slam dunk for me and that I would love it! The synopsis states ” A must-read for fans of John Marrs and Jason Rekulak.” Nope. I enjoy both of their books and no, just no, this was not for me. That is not to say it is not for other readers; it is – unfortunately it was not for me. This book has triggers galore. I don’t want to say what as I do not want to give away any spoilers but know going in; this is not going to be an easy read. It is also a slow burn. I am not a slow burn kinda gal. I struggle with them, and I struggled with the slowness in this book. I kept picking up other books to read while reading this one. That is never a good sign. Even when things began to become clear and take shape, this was still too slow for my taste. What is good about this book is the mood. It is creepy, brimming with unease, dread and heavy on atmosphere. Pennie and Eve are alone in a house that once took in foster children until they aged out of the system. It is not a happy home nor a home that will give one the warm and fuzzies. But it is home, and Eve vows to take care of her younger sister, Pennie. They are all alone except for Pennie’s imaginary friend!! The tone of the book had me feeling as if something bad was going to happen at any second. Things do become clear closer to the end when the reveals begin to happen, but that was not enough to save this book for me. I wanted to keep reading to see how it ended. While this book did not work for me, it did work for other readers, so please read their reviews as well. I thought I would love this one, but the slowness did not work for me. Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Howdie’s Apprentice
Gripping, moving, tense, captivating, and atmospheric! Andy Marr has delivered yet again with The Howdie’s Apprentice! I love books that contain mystery, secrets, survival tales, found family, community, and people overcoming obstacles. These are on display in The Howdie’s Apprentice. I found this book to be wonderfully written, well thought out, perfectly paced, and intriguing. Jane is fourteen years old and pregnant when she stumbles and collapses in the sand of Myreton, Scotland. Luckily, she was found by three brothers, John, Alex, and Robbie. The reclusive brothers bring her to their home so that their siter, Grace, a local healer can tend to her. It is there, in the home, where Jane will find safety, comfort, normalcy, and found family. But being young with a new baby, has the villagers’ tongues wagging and gossip being whispered in the wind. Who is this mysterious young girl and where did she come from????? This book also takes readers to Edinburgh, Scotland where a newly married couple lives in discomfort and bleakness. The husband gets himself into a bit of a pickle and finds himself desperate and a wee bit testy – okay, massively testy. I thought the author did a tremendous job with time and place. I was instantly carried away to 1789, Scotland. I loved the atmosphere and settings in this book. With the vivid descriptions I felt as if I was right there in the scenes as a silent observer. This book is full of both likeable and unlikeable characters. The ones who were likeable were very likeable and I enjoyed getting to know them and spending time with them. Alex became a favorite as his hard exterior melted and he proved to be one of my favorite characters in the book. Many of the characters go through transformations in this book – some for the better and some for the worst. I also enjoyed how the author unraveled Jane’s backstory as well as the backstories of several of the key characters. As I mentioned, I loved the found family aspect in this book. I also enjoyed how Jane became a member of the community and the bonds she made with Grace and her reclusive brothers. A gripping coming of age tale of survival, found family, and healing. Thank Andy Marr who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
My Husband’s Wife
Talk about whiplash!!! They don’t refer to Alice Feeney as the “Queen of Twists” for nothing. My head is reeling after reading, My Husband’s Wife. I wasn’t quite sure what was happening during the first half of the book, but I was fully invested and intrigued! Once the second half came around, I had to hold onto my hat because Alice Feeney blew me away with one twist after another! Eden Fox went for a run before her first art exhibit. When she returned to Spyglass, her new home, she was shocked when another woman opened the door and that her husband, stated that the new woman was his wife! Talk about a shocker!!! Birdy has just received a shocking and alarming diagnosis and from a clinic in London which predicts the date of one’s death, she is left reeling. When she inherits her reclusive grandmother’s home of Spyglass, she returns to Hope Falls…. I usually have a good idea where a book is going when I hit the halfway mark, but not with My Husband’s Wife. I still had more questions than answers. I had no idea what was going on or where Alice Feeney was taking me, but I enjoyed the ride! Once the second half kicked in, Alice Feeney delivered!!!! Holy Cow! What a reveal! I mean seriously, I did not see the few reveals which occurred coming. Some were minor but that one reveal was a complete and total shocker!!!! This book is full of secrets, lies, tension, dread, and characters who are up to no good! I enjoyed not fully knowing where this book was heading and enjoyed the riveting and twist-filled ride! As with her other books, My Husband’s Wife was wonderfully written, well thought out, and shocking! I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narration!
Coffin Moon
A vampire walks into a bar…… Sounds like the opening to a joke, doesn’t it? But Coffin Moon is no joke! It reads like a ’70s noir horror film, and I mean that in the best way possible! Coffin Moon is gripping, dark, mesmerizing, gritty, and moody. I would go so far as to say, it’s a bloody good book! If you enjoy a good vampire book, this is the book for you. But be warned, these are not Twilight vampires. These ones are violent, scary, dark, and horrific. It’s 1975 and Duane Minor is back home and working as a bartender after a tour in Vietnam. His marriage to Heidi is rocky, and he is trying his best to take care of his thirteen-year-old niece, Julia. But then a vampire walked into the bar where he works…… I enjoyed the darkness in this book and the quest for vengeance. I enjoyed this look at who the real monsters are, what one does for love, what one is willing to do for revenge, and what happens when all hope is lost. This book took me and the characters on a road trip of rage, revenge, blood, grief, heartbreak, and connection. People, man, they will break your heart. Duane and his niece, Julia, do just that in this book. The author did a tremendous job with their characters and had me caring for them, fully invested in their plight, and their bond. Dark, horrific, heartbreaking, gritty, and raw! I listened to the audiobook and thought the narration was fabulous.
Unmarried
Gripping, shocking, thrilling, mysterious, suspenseful, and humorous at times. This is the eighth book I have read by Emily Shiner, and she always delivers a thrilling, secret filled, and twist filled book!Unmarried kept me on my toes, entertained, and shocked!!!! I enjoyed the POV of the female characters in this book. I never quite knew who to trust, when the shoe was going to drop, or when the-you-know-what is going to hit the fan! I loved the mounting dread, tension, and sense of danger in Unmarried! This is the follow up to the book, Uninvited, and I highly suggest reading that book first as you will get lots of background on the key characters in this book. Amy, Hannah, and Mitch are back, and they do not save the drama for their mama. This book had me on the edge of my seat and loved every second of it. I kept changing my mind about who was more untrustworthy or what role other characters in this book would play. I enjoyed the not knowing and the tension and dread! Some of the characters gave me a laugh with their thoughts and I enjoyed the use of humor mixed in with tension and suspense. Hats off to Emily Shiner for writing a great follow-up book in the Perfect couples’ series! This book was filled with devious characters, suspense, secrets, control, manipulation, and twists. Just when I thought I had this book figured out, Emily Shiner threw in a curve ball which left me reeling. Not to mention the ending!!!!!!!!! Holy Moly, that is how you do it, and fingers crossed Emily Shiner will have another book coming out in this series. Addictive, wonderfully written, well thought out, suspenseful, and entertaining. If you have not read a book by Emily Shiner before, you are missing out! I had both the book and the audiobook which made for an enjoyable reading/listening experience! Thank you to Bookouture, Bookouture audio, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton
“I’ve never seen a mountain I didn’t think I could climb.” – Dolly Parton Jolene might have tried to take her man, but no one can take away the impact that Dolly Parton has made on country music and music in general. She has sold over 100 million records worldwide! Dolly Parton has a rags-to-riches story, a perky personality, and an unwavering drive. She broke through barriers, wrote her own songs, won people over with her unique sound, she crossed over into pop music and had a movie career, and she put books into the hands of children through her imagination library. What’s not to love?????? “I’m not offended by all of the dumb blonde jokes because I know I’m not dumb… and I also know that I’m not blonde.” – Dolly Parton In Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton, Martha Ackmann tells the rags-to-riches story of how Dolly Parton rose to success. The book begins with Dolly’s childhood in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. She grew up dirt poor, but music was in her veins. The book tells of her family members and their love of music and musical abilities. They supported Dolly and her desire to be a performer. She did not have an easy rise to fame, and this book chronicles her early struggles and setbacks on her path to success. It also chronicles her marriage to Carl Dean, and her lifelong friendship with Judy Ogle. “You can wish your life away. But if you’re going to dream, you’re going to have to get out and, like I always say, you have to put some wings on them dreams, and some feet and fingers and some hands. They gotta get into some stuff. You can’t just sit around and think of all the things you want to do. You’ve got to think of what you want to do, and then you’ve got to get out and make that happen.” – Dolly Parton I learned a lot about Dolly Parton that I did not know, and some things I did know were expanded upon in this book. Dolly is perky and spunky and a businesswoman. She attributes her musical skills to her mother’s side of the family and her business skills to her father. Her father was illiterate but had a keen business sense. She began the Imagination Library to honor her father who could not read or write. She gave children the gift of books and reading. Again, what’s not to love? “I hope life treats you kindAnd I hope you have all you’ve dreamed ofAnd I wish you joy and happinessBut above all this, I wish you love” – I will always love you – Dolly Parton Dolly Parton has written over 3,000 songs – some amazing, some not. But she has never stopped. She is a tiny, tiny powerhouse who has lived, loved, entertained, given, inspired, and continues to dazzle. Hopefully, she keeps writing, keeps singing, and keeps entertaining us for years to come! This book gives readers a glimpse into her long career and life. It does long footnotes after each chapter which I wish would have been saved until the very end of the book. This did feel very academic at times but I put that into my I-don’t-give-a-hoot category as I adore Dolly Parton and getting to know more about her. “You’ll never do a whole lot unless you’re brave enough to try.”- Dolly Parton Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Imaginary Friend
Welp! I thought this would be a slam dunk for me and that I would love it! The synopsis states ” A must-read for fans of John Marrs and Jason Rekulak.” Nope. I enjoy both of their books and no, just no, this was not for me. That is not to say it is not for other readers; it is – unfortunately it was not for me. This book has triggers galore. I don’t want to say what as I do not want to give away any spoilers but know going in; this is not going to be an easy read. It is also a slow burn. I am not a slow burn kinda gal. I struggle with them, and I struggled with the slowness in this book. I kept picking up other books to read while reading this one. That is never a good sign. Even when things began to become clear and take shape, this was still too slow for my taste. What is good about this book is the mood. It is creepy, brimming with unease, dread and heavy on atmosphere. Pennie and Eve are alone in a house that once took in foster children until they aged out of the system. It is not a happy home nor a home that will give one the warm and fuzzies. But it is home, and Eve vows to take care of her younger sister, Pennie. They are all alone except for Pennie’s imaginary friend!! The tone of the book had me feeling as if something bad was going to happen at any second. Things do become clear closer to the end when the reveals begin to happen, but that was not enough to save this book for me. I wanted to keep reading to see how it ended. While this book did not work for me, it did work for other readers, so please read their reviews as well. I thought I would love this one, but the slowness did not work for me. Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Howdie’s Apprentice
Gripping, moving, tense, captivating, and atmospheric! Andy Marr has delivered yet again with The Howdie’s Apprentice! I love books that contain mystery, secrets, survival tales, found family, community, and people overcoming obstacles. These are on display in The Howdie’s Apprentice. I found this book to be wonderfully written, well thought out, perfectly paced, and intriguing. Jane is fourteen years old and pregnant when she stumbles and collapses in the sand of Myreton, Scotland. Luckily, she was found by three brothers, John, Alex, and Robbie. The reclusive brothers bring her to their home so that their siter, Grace, a local healer can tend to her. It is there, in the home, where Jane will find safety, comfort, normalcy, and found family. But being young with a new baby, has the villagers’ tongues wagging and gossip being whispered in the wind. Who is this mysterious young girl and where did she come from????? This book also takes readers to Edinburgh, Scotland where a newly married couple lives in discomfort and bleakness. The husband gets himself into a bit of a pickle and finds himself desperate and a wee bit testy – okay, massively testy. I thought the author did a tremendous job with time and place. I was instantly carried away to 1789, Scotland. I loved the atmosphere and settings in this book. With the vivid descriptions I felt as if I was right there in the scenes as a silent observer. This book is full of both likeable and unlikeable characters. The ones who were likeable were very likeable and I enjoyed getting to know them and spending time with them. Alex became a favorite as his hard exterior melted and he proved to be one of my favorite characters in the book. Many of the characters go through transformations in this book – some for the better and some for the worst. I also enjoyed how the author unraveled Jane’s backstory as well as the backstories of several of the key characters. As I mentioned, I loved the found family aspect in this book. I also enjoyed how Jane became a member of the community and the bonds she made with Grace and her reclusive brothers. A gripping coming of age tale of survival, found family, and healing. Thank Andy Marr who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
My Husband’s Wife
Talk about whiplash!!! They don’t refer to Alice Feeney as the “Queen of Twists” for nothing. My head is reeling after reading, My Husband’s Wife. I wasn’t quite sure what was happening during the first half of the book, but I was fully invested and intrigued! Once the second half came around, I had to hold onto my hat because Alice Feeney blew me away with one twist after another! Eden Fox went for a run before her first art exhibit. When she returned to Spyglass, her new home, she was shocked when another woman opened the door and that her husband, stated that the new woman was his wife! Talk about a shocker!!! Birdy has just received a shocking and alarming diagnosis and from a clinic in London which predicts the date of one’s death, she is left reeling. When she inherits her reclusive grandmother’s home of Spyglass, she returns to Hope Falls…. I usually have a good idea where a book is going when I hit the halfway mark, but not with My Husband’s Wife. I still had more questions than answers. I had no idea what was going on or where Alice Feeney was taking me, but I enjoyed the ride! Once the second half kicked in, Alice Feeney delivered!!!! Holy Cow! What a reveal! I mean seriously, I did not see the few reveals which occurred coming. Some were minor but that one reveal was a complete and total shocker!!!! This book is full of secrets, lies, tension, dread, and characters who are up to no good! I enjoyed not fully knowing where this book was heading and enjoyed the riveting and twist-filled ride! As with her other books, My Husband’s Wife was wonderfully written, well thought out, and shocking! I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narration!
Coffin Moon
A vampire walks into a bar…… Sounds like the opening to a joke, doesn’t it? But Coffin Moon is no joke! It reads like a ’70s noir horror film, and I mean that in the best way possible! Coffin Moon is gripping, dark, mesmerizing, gritty, and moody. I would go so far as to say, it’s a bloody good book! If you enjoy a good vampire book, this is the book for you. But be warned, these are not Twilight vampires. These ones are violent, scary, dark, and horrific. It’s 1975 and Duane Minor is back home and working as a bartender after a tour in Vietnam. His marriage to Heidi is rocky, and he is trying his best to take care of his thirteen-year-old niece, Julia. But then a vampire walked into the bar where he works…… I enjoyed the darkness in this book and the quest for vengeance. I enjoyed this look at who the real monsters are, what one does for love, what one is willing to do for revenge, and what happens when all hope is lost. This book took me and the characters on a road trip of rage, revenge, blood, grief, heartbreak, and connection. People, man, they will break your heart. Duane and his niece, Julia, do just that in this book. The author did a tremendous job with their characters and had me caring for them, fully invested in their plight, and their bond. Dark, horrific, heartbreaking, gritty, and raw! I listened to the audiobook and thought the narration was fabulous.
Unmarried
Gripping, shocking, thrilling, mysterious, suspenseful, and humorous at times. This is the eighth book I have read by Emily Shiner, and she always delivers a thrilling, secret filled, and twist filled book!Unmarried kept me on my toes, entertained, and shocked!!!! I enjoyed the POV of the female characters in this book. I never quite knew who to trust, when the shoe was going to drop, or when the-you-know-what is going to hit the fan! I loved the mounting dread, tension, and sense of danger in Unmarried! This is the follow up to the book, Uninvited, and I highly suggest reading that book first as you will get lots of background on the key characters in this book. Amy, Hannah, and Mitch are back, and they do not save the drama for their mama. This book had me on the edge of my seat and loved every second of it. I kept changing my mind about who was more untrustworthy or what role other characters in this book would play. I enjoyed the not knowing and the tension and dread! Some of the characters gave me a laugh with their thoughts and I enjoyed the use of humor mixed in with tension and suspense. Hats off to Emily Shiner for writing a great follow-up book in the Perfect couples’ series! This book was filled with devious characters, suspense, secrets, control, manipulation, and twists. Just when I thought I had this book figured out, Emily Shiner threw in a curve ball which left me reeling. Not to mention the ending!!!!!!!!! Holy Moly, that is how you do it, and fingers crossed Emily Shiner will have another book coming out in this series. Addictive, wonderfully written, well thought out, suspenseful, and entertaining. If you have not read a book by Emily Shiner before, you are missing out! I had both the book and the audiobook which made for an enjoyable reading/listening experience! Thank you to Bookouture, Bookouture audio, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
