Kali

Too much spice, not enough story

Revisado: 01-29-25

I loved the first Mistletoe trilogy and was excited to see another one was being released this holiday season AND that the narrators were from ones that I enjoyed in the previous trilogy.

Trying to keep this appropriate here: I am NO prude by any stretch of the imagination, so for me to be turned off by spice in a book is really saying something. The original trilogy were really wonderful, heartwarming stories with some great spicy scenes.

This one, well, at least as far as I got into it, was more adult entertainment with a tiny bit of story thrown in. The whole thing felt forced and heavy handed, more like the spice was for effect than it really added to the story line. I quit listening about halfway through.

It's unfortunate, because I think there were a lot of really interesting opportunities to develop the characters beyond their carnal urges.

I was hoping for the RomCom style of the first trilogy, but this book feels like a different genre that wasn't what I was expecting or wanted. YMMV

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Doesn't really live up to its title

Revisado: 08-28-24

This book has been on my list for months, even before its release. I have been writing a lot about the need for people to connect and I was really anxious about what I could learn from this book. And I did learn a few things about why third places are harder to come by. But mostly I was disappointed.

The author spends a fair amount of time at the start expounding on the evils of social media. I get it. We all get it. He's not wrong, but I would guess that anyone who doesn't know that also isn't probably buying this book. That said, social media is not likely going anywhere and we need to learn how to live and connect in a world WITH social media.

Kyte went on to describe the key traits of a third place, why they are important to connections, what kinds of experiences can be had at third places, a bit about what third places are not and how we can differentiate. He also went on to share how various factors - education, community zoning, etc. have all but eliminated third places. As a reader I was left thinking, sooooo, where does that leave me?

Not really sure because Kyte didn't offer up a lot of solutions. He referenced organizations such as Kiwanis, Lions, and Elks clubs. I grew up knowing that these organizations existed, but had no idea what they did or what purpose they served. TBH, I thought they were clubs for men only, and largely old men. He didn't necessarily dispel that, but he did reference women at the club he belongs to, He seemed to promote these organizations as good choices as third places, which if they align with your needs and values, they might very well be. But it sounds like he doesn't think there are many other options in most areas for adults.

For children, he specifically spoke about Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Recent scandals aside, both are probably decent examples for connecting with others, if hiking, camping and the outdoors is your thing.

In both the above examples, however, they appeal to a certain group of people. However, the author seemed to be unable to extrapolate ideas for people for whom those groups aren't a good fit. There are people who find community and connection making music together, bonding at the ball field, doing community theater, helping in local elections, etc..

The entire viewpoint of the book felt very narrow and also somewhat aged, in my opinion.

The narrator had a pleasant enough voice and delivery. He probably would be great reading a fiction book in a character role. For me, he sounded and felt a little too folksy which, combined with the tone of the book, just felt like it was a step away from "back in my day..."

Was not worth my 3 hours and 34 minutes.

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Another disappointment for fans of the YA series

Revisado: 08-18-24

I was a HUGE fan of Staub's YA Lily Dale series, and perhaps foolishly, keep listening to the adult ones hoping to find the magic again.

There are significant continuity issues between the YA and the adult books that I have mentioned in reviews of previous books - the adult books rewrite the history of the few characters than carried over from the YA books, which is just so disappointing for LilyDale YA fans.

I also wish more attention had been paid to continuity in characters' portrayal by the narrators. In the YA books, Odelia was brash and colorful, and her voice reflected that. In these books, the narrator makes her sound formal and almost British. It's like replacing Diane Ladd with Maggie Adams. Both are fine actresses, but not interchangeable.

I had hoped that by now, Bella would be less of a cynic about the gifts and professions of the people she now considers her closest friends and who are residents of the town she now calls home. It feels ick to me that Bella still looks down her nose at mediumship and thinks her friends and neighbors are a little crazy because of their beliefs.

I also had hopes after the previous book that Calla would be brought back as a more significant character, but my hopes were dashed again.

If you are only reading this book or the adult series, you may find them enjoyable. If you were a fan of the YA books, you will probably be confused and disappointed.

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Great Content, needs a PDF

Revisado: 08-15-24

I am 3/4 of the way through the book and feel confident in saying that the content of this book has been overall, pretty great. Lots of new ways of thinking and writing. The premise of the book is really about how writing can help us know ourselves better and heal ourselves, which is exactly what I was hoping for, and by and large, the author delivers.

There are a few spots when it feels like the author drifts into her other expertise - being an author, which really didn't feel applicable, but fortunately, she came back to the main subject quickly.

The book lost a star because any audiobook that has exercises or activities in it should, IMO, also include a PDF of those exercises/activities. No one I know listens to audiobooks just sitting waiting to take notes. Most of us are listening while walking, working out, driving, etc. when it might not be safe to bookmark. Having the writing prompts in an accompanying PDF would have made the content much more actionable and helpful.

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esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

More aptly: Outside and Outsider of the Pack

Revisado: 05-17-24

Several of Andrew McCarthy's movies are on my favorites list, so I was interested to give this a listen, especially since he was also the narrator.

A significant part of the book is about his time outside of the pack, his attempts to distance himself from the Brat Pack and how the inner circle of the Brat Pack weren't very nice to him.

There were some good stories, and if you are looking for a memoir about his life, this is a great book for that. If you are looking for a book chock full of Brat Pack stories, BTS, inside scoop, it's going to fall short.

With his writing style, I think that he would definitely get the Sophistication Point on an AP English Essay - IYKYK.

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Great book so far, but think I need a hard copy

Revisado: 04-13-24

So far, I am enjoying this book (about 4-5 chapters in), but I really feel like i need the written version. I listen to audiobooks during my commute and while doing mundane tasks, like showering or preparing a meal. But there is just so much good stuff that is not included in the PDF, that I want to remember, and it's too much to take notes on.

If you are able to just listen and take what you can from it and let the rest go, or if you are the type of person who listens and take notes, the audio is great. It's just not working for me in audio form.

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So fun, but you gotta have fast ears...

Revisado: 04-13-24

For those of us who are huge Gilmore Girls fans (even those of us late to the party on that ), you know that Lorelei Gilmore is known for her fast talking. And Lauren Graham embodied her and more in the reading of this book.

The stories were great and heartfelt and helped ease the pain of the end of my binge watching the show. But dang, does she read fast. I found myself trying to rewind because I couldn't process everything she said at the speed at which she said it, and then I eventually gave up, because it just isn't possible.

Great book, but you might want to consider the paper version.

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You can't lose with Abby Jimenez

Revisado: 03-07-24

Abby Jimenez's books are great love stories with a healthy dose of humor. Her characters are real, messy and wonderful. This short story was no exception.

If I had to give one critique, it would be the same as it is for all of her books: I was sad when it ended. because I wanted more.

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A fun listen

Revisado: 03-07-24

In a genre filled with male rockstars and average Jane female leads, it is refreshing to find a book where the rockstar is female. And with all of the hype around Taylor Swift and the Eras tour, a book inspired by her was sure to be a fun listen, and it was.

I really liked Riley - she felt real and I admit, I often imagined TS in the role - reading the lines, what her expressions would look like.

I listen to a lot of dual POV/couples books and it's a genre I greatly enjoy. But I struggled with Max. He was a likeable character for the most part, but his parts were... I don't know... flowery? He tended to wax poetic a bit much for me. Don't get me wrong, I swoon over a guy who is in touch with his emotions and sensitive side. But his language was more fanciful than most anyone would use in this era. More like an old fashioned romance novel in some places.

Despite that, I enjoyed the story and will give the author another try.

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Almost all good

Revisado: 01-25-24

While most of John Stamos's shows and movies aren't what most people would call "great cinema", I always felt like no one could fake the way he looked at his leading ladies and the kids he starred opposite of - he had to be a great guy at heart. I am pleased to say that this book solidified that for me.

He shares his life with honesty, the good and the bad. He opens his heart about his love for his family, co-stars, friends, and of course, his wife and son. He is a little cocky (not surprising), but also a little star stuck and a lot humbled by the big names he has met.

I have heard the hoopla about what he wrote and his first marriage, and honestly, that's all it is - the media rumor mill. Does he talk about how hard his divorce was? Yes. Anger is a part of grief and he shares that. But most of that part of his life was about his struggle and sadness and ultimately, he says nice things about her. So I truly don't understand the response to it.

The only part I didn't like was when he was sharing about his friendship with Don Rickles. He specifically references Rickles off-color and what some could rightfully call "racist" humor. Stamos claims that it wasn't racist because in one case, there were only white Americans in the audience. He claims that Rickles took on the persona of racism to make his audiences take a deeper look at themselves. Perhaps as a close personal friend of Rickles, Stamos knew his intentions or who he really was.

But a racist joke told to white Americans is still racist. And harmful, IMO. So it is really disappointing to hear Stamos defend that given his own lived experiences.

Aside from that, I enjoyed it the book and his stories. I don't regret the investment of my time.

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