Becky's Book Reviews

Friday, May 02, 2025

44. Mickey7

Mickey7. Edward Ashton. 2022. 320 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, science fiction, adult fiction]

First sentence: This is going to be my stupidest death ever.

Premise/plot: Mickey Barnes is an expendable. The Mickey readers first meet is Mickey7. Every time his body dies--he's deployed on the most dangerous, ultra-impossible missions--a new body is 'born' and his mind uploaded. Multiple copies of the same expendable are not only frowned upon but illegal. There are valid reasons for concern after past experiences on other planets. So when Mickey's death is reported prematurely, well, there's a problem--a big one. Mickey7 and Mickey8 both exist....and have to share an identity or risk being destroyed forever.

Mickey7 is adult science fiction with some adult themes. It is set on a planet hostile to the human settlers, and a colony facing increasingly difficult problems--lack of resources being one, a limited population being another.

My thoughts: I liked this one okay. It was fine. There was one scene that was offputting let's say. I'm trying to decide if it's fair to judge a book based on a scene that is decidedly not for you...or not. I think if you enjoy science fiction about colonizing other planets....and alien drama/conflict, then this one might be for you. This one was recently released as a film, Mickey17. I don't know that I will seek out the film--my library hasn't ordered it yet--but I did know that *if* I was going to watch the film, thenI wanted to have read the book first. There is a sequel as well. Not sure if I'll seek out that either...but maybe.

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Century of Viewing, Month Four

In April, I watched eighty-three things (some were repeats). Twenty-five were five-stars.

I started a Chronological Watch of Buster Keaton--many rewatches, some not. Hayseed Romance was something I watched and absolutely loved, loved, loved...but it was watched before I began the chronological approach! It is a talkie short.

I finished THREE decades this month: 1960s, 1970s, and 1990s.

The Karen Read trial has begun. I have been watching hours of court when it's in session. (Some days are half days, most are full days. Of course, Monday through Friday only).

April's 5 Star Movies

Adventures of Robin Hood
Aristocats
April in Paris (Doris Day)
Babe
Bachelor Mother (Ginger Rogers)
The Blacksmith (Buster Keaton)
The Boat (Buster Keaton)
Cyrano de Bergerac
The Electric House (Buster Keaton)
The General (Buster Keaton)
The Goat (Buster Keaton)
The Gospel of John
The Haunted House (Buster Keaton)
Hayseed Romance (Buster Keaton)
High Sign (Buster Keaton)
Les Miserables
Men in Black
Murder in Coweta County
My Wife's Relations (Buster Keaton)
One Week (Buster Keaton)
The Rainmaker
The Saphead (Buster Keaton)
The Scarecrow (Buster Keaton)
Schindler's List

Aprils 4 1/2 and 4 Star Movies

Notorious Lady (Jack Lemmon)
My Sister Eileen (Jack Lemmon)
Out West (Buster Keaton)
The Cook (Buster Keaton)
Backstage (Buster Keaton)
The Garage (Buster Keaton)
Doctor, You've Got To Be Kidding (Sandra Dee)
Coney Island (Buster Keaton)
The Bellboy (Buster Keaton)
Hollywood (1980) 13 part documentary
Cinderella's Castle
Convict 13 (Buster Keaton)
Empire Records
Alien Intervention
Easy Street (Charlie Chaplin)
You're Darn Tootin' (Laurel & Hardy)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
The Paleface (Buster Keaton)
Cops (Buster Keaton)
Three Ages (Buster Keaton)

April Reflections

In April, I read thirty-four books. Thirteen of the thirty-four were five star reads! This was also the month that I discovered how much I enjoy listening to audio books. (Though I think technically it was the last week of March I 'discovered' audio books).

Books reviewed at Becky's Book Reviews

34. Dead Happy (HappyHead #2) Josh Silver. 2024. [May] 416 pages. [Source: Library] [YA fiction, YA dystopia, 3 stars]

35. The Enemy's Daughter. Anne Blankman. 2025. 288 pages. [Source: Library] [MG Historical fiction, MG coming of age, MG fiction, 3 stars]

36. All Creatures Great and Small. James Herriot. 1972. 437 pages. [Source: Library] [semi-autobiographical, adult fiction, animals; 5 stars]

37. The Worthing Saga. Orson Scott Card. 1990. Tor. 465 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, adult science fiction, short stories, framework stories]

38. Wonderland. Barbara O'Connor. 2018. 288 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, mg fiction, mg realistic fiction]

39. Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (On A Dead Man). Jesse Q. Sutanto. 2025. 325 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, adult mystery]

40. Once for Yes. Allie Millington. 2025. 272 pages. [Source: Library] [magic realism, mg fiction, 3 stars]

41. Rebellion 1776. Laurie Halse Anderson. 2025. 405 pages. [Source: Library] [YA historical; MG historical, 4 stars]

42. Inkheart. Cornelia Funke. 2003. 563 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, MG fantasy, Mg Fiction]

43. The Hobbit. J.R.R. Tolkien. 1937. 320 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, MG Fantasy, fantasy, classic]

Books reviewed at Young Readers

31. Wrong Time Rooster. Michael Parkin. 2025. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [3 star, picture book, telling time, concept book, farms]

32. Monti and Leo: A Mystery in Pocketville. Sylvie Kantorovitz. 2025. 80 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, early chapter book, friendship, animal fantasy]

33. Board book: Runaway Blanket. Nancy Deas. 2025. 22 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, board book, bedtime book]

34. Board book: This Dog. That Dog. Jade Orlando. 2025. 24 pages. [Source: Library] [dogs, pets, board book, 5 stars]

35. Touch and Feel: Baby Animals with tactiles for toddlers to explore. (Board book) DK. 2025. 12 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [interactive, touch and feel]

36. Board book: Richard Scarry's Bunnies. Richard Scarry. 1976/2025. 26 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, bunnies, board book]

37. Little Freddie Two Pants. Drew Daywalt. Illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, picture book, humor]

38. Snarky Sharky. Bethan Clarke. Illustrated by Nikolas Ilic. 2025. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, picture book, humor, animal fantasy]

39. Umbrella. Taro Yashima. 1958/1977. 40 pages. [Source: Bought]

40. The Saggy Baggy Elephant. Kathryn and Byron Jackson. Illustrated by Gustav Tenggren. 1947. 24 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, picture book, golden book, children's classic]

41. The Kitten Who Thought He Was A Mouse. Miriam Norton. Illustrated by Garth Williams. 1951. 22 pages. [Source: Bought [4 stars, Little Golden Book]

42. It's Hard To Be a Baby. Cheryl B. Klein. Illustrated by Juana Medina. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, picture book, babies]

43. You're a Poet: Ways to Start Writing Poems. Sean Taylor. Illustrated by Sam Usher. 2025. [March] 72 pages. [Source: Library] [nonfiction, poetry, 5 stars]

Books reviewed at Operation Actually Read Bible

30. The Screwtape Letters. C.S. Lewis. 1942. HarperCollins. 224 pages. [Source: Bought]

31. Faith (Brides of the West #1) Lori Copeland. 1998/2020. 320 pages. [Source: Library] [audio book, christian fiction, historical romance, two stars]

32. And the Beagles and the Bunnies Shall Lie Down Together. Charles M. Schulz. 1984. 100ish pages. [Source: Gift] [4 stars, comic strips, theology]

33. The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple. Joanna Davidson Politano. 2024. 400 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, historical fiction, historical romance, Christian fiction]

34. Cries from the Cross. Erwin Lutzer. 2002. Moody. 170 pages. [Source: Bought] [5 stars, christian nonfiction]

35. Short-Straw Bride. Karen Witemeyer. 2012. Bethany House. 368 pages. [Source: Library]

36. God's Masterpiece: An Adventure in Discovering Your Worth. Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Illustrated by Julia Seal. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars; picture book]

37. When I Talk To God, I Talk About You. Chrissy Metz and Bradley Collins. Illustrated by Lisa Fields. 2023. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [picture book]

38. When I Talk To God, I Talk About Feelings. Chrissy Metz and Bradley Collins. Illustrated by Lisa Fields. 2025. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [picture book]

39. [Expository Thoughts on the] Gospel of John. J.C. Ryle. 1879. 353 pages. [Source: Bought] [5 stars, Christian nonfiction, commentaries]

Bibles reviewed at Operation Actually Read Bible

3. KJV Large Print Journal the Word Bible. God. 1769. 2016 pages. Thomas Nelson Publishers. [Source: Bought] [5 stars]

2025 Totals

2025 Totals
Books read in 2025	128
Pages read in 2025	28690

January 2025
Books read in January	30
Pages read in January	7020
February 2025
Books read in February	30
Pages read in February	4782
March 2025
Books read in March	34
Pages read in March	8595
April 2025
Books read in April	34
Pages read in April	8293

Saturday, April 26, 2025

Week in Review #17

This week I read nine books.

41. Rebellion 1776. Laurie Halse Anderson. 2025. 405 pages. [Source: Library] [YA historical; MG historical, 4 stars]

Read this if...

You enjoy historical coming of age novels
You enjoy historical fiction set during the American Revolution
You enjoy reading books with epidemics--small pox in this instance

42. Inkheart. Cornelia Funke. 2003. 563 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, MG fantasy, Mg Fiction]

Read this if...

You enjoy books about books
You enjoy fantasy novels
You enjoy coming of age fantasy novels

43. The Hobbit. J.R.R. Tolkien. 1937. 320 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, MG Fantasy, fantasy, classic]
Read this if...

You enjoy classics
You enjoy children's classics
You enjoy fantasy novels with quests

39. Umbrella. Taro Yashima. 1958/1977. 40 pages. [Source: Bought]

Read this if...

You enjoy classic picture books
You enjoy picture books celebrating independence
You enjoy rhythmic picture books
You LOVE Taro Yashima's incredible art

40. The Saggy Baggy Elephant. Kathryn and Byron Jackson. Illustrated by Gustav Tenggren. 1947. 24 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, picture book, golden book, children's classic]

Read this if...

You enjoy classic Little Golden Books
You love elephants

41. The Kitten Who Thought He Was A Mouse. Miriam Norton. Illustrated by Garth Williams. 1951. 22 pages. [Source: Bought [4 stars, Little Golden Book]

Read this if...

You enjoy classic Little Golden Books
You love CATS
You love fictional mice
You enjoy nature versus nurture stories

36. God's Masterpiece: An Adventure in Discovering Your Worth. Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Illustrated by Julia Seal. 2025. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars; picture book]

Read this if...

You love books with mirrors
You enjoy books that are all about building self-esteem

37. When I Talk To God, I Talk About You. Chrissy Metz and Bradley Collins. Illustrated by Lisa Fields. 2023. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [picture book]

Read this if...

You enjoy books celebrating parenthood
You enjoy those sentimental sweet books [think LOVE YOU FOREVER or GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU)

38. When I Talk To God, I Talk About Feelings. Chrissy Metz and Bradley Collins. Illustrated by Lisa Fields. 2025. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [picture book]

Read this if....

You are looking for a concept book about feelings and emotions
You are looking for a theologically light introduction to prayer

Century of Viewing, week 17

1920s

1922 My Wife's Relations. Buster Keaton. A man finds himself accidentally married and living with some unbearable relations. I absolutely LOVE this one. It's a great short.
1922 The Blacksmith. Buster Keaton. I LOVE this one so much now that I've discovered the Buster Keaton approved cut of the film. Definitely recommended.
1922 Frozen North. Buster Keaton. Life is but a dream. A man falls asleep at the movie theater...and dreams he's a villain in a film.
1922 The Electric House. LOVED this one. Buster Keaton. A mix-up of diplomas leads a botanist to take a job as an electrical engineer.
1922 Day Dreams. LIFE is NOT a dream. Buster Keaton. Run far, far, far away from that woman and her horrid father, Buster!!!! A man makes a deplorable deal in an attempt to win approval for a marriage.
1923 The Balloonatic. Buster Keaton. Misadventure abounds after Buster finds himself accidentally afloat in a hot air balloon....
1923 Love Nest. Buster Keaton. Life is but a dream. Yet another short where it's all a dream. In this one, a broken-hearted man vows to sail the seas in an attempt to forget his lost love....
1923 Three Ages. Buster Keaton. This is a parody--of sorts--to Intolerance (1916). Intolerance was NOT a comedy--not intentionally at least. Though there was much room to poke fun perhaps. This was Buster Keaton's first feature film to STAR and DIRECT. (The Saphead was his first feature film, it was for a different studio). Three different time periods, the same love story plays out: Prehistoric, Roman, and Modern. (Intolerance had four time periods: Babylon, First Century Judea, French Middle Ages, and Modern). Buster Keaton was "stuck" with his leading lady. She won a beauty contest in the UK, I believe, and was promised a leading role in a Hollywood film. The original movie that she was to have a role in....rejected her as talent-less...and sent her off to do a comedy because 'acting skills don't matter in a comedy.' Buster was not happy either. She didn't take to acting intuitively and wasn't the best with direction coaching either. But it is what it is. (I am curious how the movie would have done if it had had a better actress--one more Buster Keaton's match.) Buster, I believe, did a lot of improv and changing scenes in the moment.
1923 Our Hospitality. Buster Keaton stars with his wife, Natalie Talmadge, in this period drama. It actually features THREE generations of Keatons. His father, Joe, plays a train engineer. Buster himself, obviously in the lead. And his firstborn son plays a small role as well in the opening framework. Buster and Natalie found out they were expecting during the filming, so, that effected how they filmed her....which led to some convenient blanket scenes. Joe Roberts who had long appeared in Keaton's shorts stars for the last time. He died before the premiere of the movie. So filming also had to work around his health. Essentially, feuding families....a son and daughter from both sides...ultimately fall in love....and after many misadventures--and dashing rescues--true love wins the day. The first version I saw was good, but, the second I came upon was LONGER and was a much better cut of the film. Again just showing that you have to be willing to search around and see what cuts are available and be willing to rewatch to see if you're missing out on anything.
1926 The General. Carl Davis soundtrack. Buster Keaton stars as Johnnie Gray, a train engineer that loves his engine, The General, and his girl, Annabelle. He will be put to the ultimate test when both are kidnapped by the enemy. Love this one. Obviously. Which is why it keeps appearing weekly.

1970s

1970 The Aristocats. Disney animated musical starring Parisian cats! One of my absolute favorite Disney movies.
1978 Les Miserables. A GREAT adaptation of Les Miserables. It is ABRIDGED and quite severely cut down--as far as characters and extra side stories--but what it covers, it covers WELL.

1980s

1983 Murder in Coweta County. Andy Griffith plays a HORRID villain and it's Johnny Cash as sheriff who might just bring about justice.

1990s

1993 Schindler's List. I don't watch this Holocaust film often....but it is SO GOOD.
1997 The Rainmaker. Legal drama. It was SO good as well. Definitely glad I watched it. Essentially fresh out of law school lawyer takes on his first case--one of corruption involving an insurance company. Will he win?

2020s

2025 Not really 'completed' yet, but I am watching the Karen Read Retrial. Four days of trial this week. Some days are just about four or five hours of coverage, others are closer to nine. So expect that to have *some effect* on what I can watch heading into May.

Thursday, April 24, 2025

43. The Hobbit

43. The Hobbit. J.R.R. Tolkien. 1937. 320 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, MG Fantasy, fantasy, classic]

First sentence: In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.

ETA: I listened to the audio book narrated by Andy Serkis. It is a little over ten hours, I believe. IT WAS WONDERFUL, FANTASTIC, A JOY AND DELIGHT. He is a talented voice actor. I loved all his voices, except perhaps for some birds? But I recommend the audio a hundred million percent. I would say the audio book is perhaps better than the book. Perhaps. It definitely HELPS the singing portions! I usually skip the poems/songs when I read. But Serkis actually makes them enjoyable!!!!

Premise/plot: Bilbo Baggins has an unexpected adventure in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. When this children's classic opens, Bilbo is decidedly not a burglar. But by the end of it, well, you may have to decide for yourself if he is or isn't... Regardless, Bilbo sets off with THIRTEEN dwarves on a get-rich-or-die-trying quest. They're off to face down a DRAGON, but the dragon won't be the only challenge they face. Will Bilbo return to his beloved shire wiser?!

My thoughts: I love, love, love, love, love, love, love this one. I do. I may even love it a tiny bit more than the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Maybe. It's a tricky thing really because in truth, I just LOVE hobbits. I love spending time with hobbits. I love Tolkien's insights about hobbits. One of the things I love about Tolkien is how quotable he is.

Quotes:

“Good Morning!” said Bilbo, and he meant it. The sun was shining, and the grass was very green. But Gandalf looked at him from under long bushy eyebrows that stuck out further than the brim of his shady hat. “What do you mean?” he said. “Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?” “All of them at once,” said Bilbo.

“What a lot of things you do use Good morning for!” said Gandalf. “Now you mean that you want to get rid of me, and that it won’t be good till I move off.”

He liked visitors, but he liked to know them before they arrived, and he preferred to ask them himself. He had a horrible thought that the cakes might run short, and then he—as the host: he knew his duty and stuck to it however painful—he might have to go without.

“Go back?” he thought. “No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!”

He was altogether alone. Soon he thought it was beginning to feel warm. “Is that a kind of a glow I seem to see coming right ahead down there?” he thought. It was. As he went forward it grew and grew, till there was no doubt about it. It was a red light steadily getting redder and redder. Also it was now undoubtedly hot in the tunnel. Wisps of vapour floated up and past him and he began to sweat. A sound, too, began to throb in his ears, a sort of bubbling like the noise of a large pot galloping on the fire, mixed with a rumble as of a gigantic tom-cat purring. This grew to the unmistakable gurgling noise of some vast animal snoring in its sleep down there in the red glow in front of him. It was at this point that Bilbo stopped. Going on from there was the bravest thing he ever did. The tremendous things that happened afterwards were as nothing compared to it. He fought the real battle in the tunnel alone, before he ever saw the vast danger that lay in wait.

“You have nice manners for a thief and a liar,” said the dragon. “You seem familiar with my name, but I don’t seem to remember smelling you before. Who are you and where do you come from, may I ask?” “You may indeed! I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led. And through the air. I am he that walks unseen.” “So I can well believe,” said Smaug, “but that is hardly your usual name.” “I am the clue-finder, the web-cutter, the stinging fly. I was chosen for the lucky number.” “Lovely titles!” sneered the dragon. “But lucky numbers don’t always come off.” “I am he that buries his friends alive and drowns them and draws them alive again from the water. I came from the end of a bag, but no bag went over me.” “These don’t sound so creditable,” scoffed Smaug. “I am the friend of bears and the guest of eagles. I am Ringwinner and Luckwearer; and I am Barrel-rider,” went on Bilbo beginning to be pleased with his riddling. “That’s better!” said Smaug. “But don’t let your imagination run away with you!”