Thursday, December 11, 2025

Sister Wife by Christine Brown Woolley

I listened to this book right after I finished Becoming Sister Wives. It was really lovely to hear it in Christine's own voice. And, though some of the stories were re-hashed from the first book, they were also sometimes expanded. The story of meeting Meri and Kody, of "dating" Kody, and of meeting the other wives. This also goes beyond the marriage and gives some of the highs and lows in Christine's life. 
It's especially nice to be able to hear her tone of voice and to hear the sunny cheerfulness she (and Kody) say she had before she married him.

Four stars
This book came out September 2, 2025
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby
Opinions are my own

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Becoming Sister Wives: The Story of an Unconventional Marriage Kody Brown with Robyn Brown, Meri Brown, Christine Brown

If you go in not expecting much, this is a perfectly fine book. 
It starts with Kody talking about their first live appearance after the show aired. Of course, this book is 13 (!) years old at this point so it hasn't aged well, many of the stories talking about what a tight family they are.  We do get to see how Kody met all of his wives and some explanation in to how they each fit together but it is all rather superficial.  (with five rotating narrators, there's not much you can fit into a book). 
I did read this right before I read Christine's book and I think pairing the two elevated both. A couple of her stories are repeated but not many. It made for a nice book end to the beginning and what may or not be the end of a popular television series.

Four stars
This book came out May 1, 2012
Borrowed as ebook from Libby
Opinions are my own

Sunday, December 7, 2025

Fudge-a-Mania by Judy Blume

It's summer (yay!) and Peter's parents have a lead on a place to stay. Too bad the tip came from Sheila Tubman's parents. And that he's going to be staying right next door to her all summer long. Add in shenanigans of Fudge wanting to marry Sheila, Buzz Tubman and Peter's grandmother getting along Very Well, and Peter not telling Jimmy where Sheila's actually staying before his best friend visits and you have a rollicking good story. 

Four stars
Fudge #4
This book came out in 1990
Follows Super Fudge
Followed by Double Fudge
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby
Opinions are my own

Thursday, December 4, 2025

Superfudge by Judy Blume

Peter and Fudge are about to have some major life upheavals. First, their mother is pregnant. Second, they're going to be living in Princeton (NEW JERSEY!) for a year while their dad takes a sabbatical to write a book. 
Peter is NOT happy. And finding out he's going to be in the same school as Fudge makes it even worse, especially when he's called into the principal's office on the first day to help deal with Fudge. But he does make a new friend, Alex, so that's not so bad.
Is this book a little dated? In some ways. As with many of Blume's books, though, the overarching themes stand the test of time. 

Four stars
Fudge #3
This book came out in 1980
Followed by Fudge-a-Mania
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby
Opinions are my own

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

The Book of Sheen by Charlie Sheen

An interesting listen. Sheen did a good job as narrator and hearing the stories in an author's own voice always makes it a little more real.
We get to hear about his childhood, a little bit about working on various films, and a lot about his drug use. His many varied types of drug use. We also hear about his attempts at getting sober. 
There is also some frank discussion about his... relationships (?) with women. He's up front and fairly honest about who he dated, who he just had sex with, and the scandal in the nineties when he was tied to Heidi Fleiss. 

Four stars
This book came out September 9, 2025
Borrowed as audiobook from Libby
Opinions are my own

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Home by Martha Wells

The last book left Dr. Mensah in a bit of a pickle. She probably needs therapy, but she can NOT tell anyone what happened. Meanwhile, she's getting cheeky emails from SecUnit requesting more and more outlandish equipment. 
Short, definitely need to have read the previous books to get the most out of this story.

Three stars
The Murderbot Diaries, #4.5
This short story came out May 5, 2020
Follows Exit Strategy
Followed by Network Effect
Borrowed as ebook from Libby
Opinions are my own


Monday, December 1, 2025

Too Old for This by Samantha Downing

Lottie Jones is long past retirement. Not just work, but her early crime spree. So why is someone stirring up the past? It's too bad that the trend of docuseries has come to roost on her doorstep in the form of Plum Dixon. So she has to die. But cleaning up is harder than it was in her youth. And people keep following up on Plum.

Three and a half stars
This book came out August 12, 2025
Borrowed as ebook from Libby
Opinions are my own