Friday Fives - Five Mini Reviews for Books I've Read Lately

I'm taking a bit of a break from my usual Friday Linkups to try something a little different.  I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much.  Today I'm sharing 5 short reviews for some random books I've read recently.

1.  Troublemaker by Leah Remini - I picked up the audio of this on a whim and found it absolutely fascinating.  Remini reads the audio and I really enjoyed listening to her though this is not a book for those who have issues with strong language as she does not mince words.  I found her childhood and how she was pulled into Scientology fascinating.   I had watched a few documentaries on Scientology featuring some of the people she mentions later in the book and this ties in fairly well with what I have seen in those.  She is a bit of the hero of her own story but not so much that I found it obnoxious and aren't we all from time to time.  This was a quick and interesting listen and if you are interested in the book I highly recommend the audio.  My Rating: Really Liked It

2.  Prologue to Murder by Lauren Elliott- I enjoyed the first book in this series about Addie Greyborne who unexpectedly inherited her great aunt's hope and fantastic book collection.  I liked this one but didn't find it as enjoyable as the first book.  The main issue was the addition of Lacey.  I understand why she was there but I'm not a huge fan of the nemesis and Lacey is just the worst.   As well Serena and Marc's reaction to her and their behavior at other times in the book also annoyed me.   The mystery was interesting and I enjoyed the history connection.  There were lots of twists and turns in the mystery and the reveal was a bit of a surprise for me.  I'm looking forward to seeing this series grow.  My Rating: Liked It

3.  Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti by Bailey Cates - This is a cute paranormal cozy with all kinds of witchy goodness combined with yummy baked goods and a Halloween setting.  I have really loved the most recent books in the series but when I looked back on my review of the first book I was surprised to see I was kind of meh on it.  Reading this book I can kind of see why book 1 wasn't a huge success.  Mostly because it features a love triangle which is one of my least favorite plot devices in any genre.  Luckily this is kept pretty tame and it didn't bother me too much though I must admit this could be because I know how it resolves.  If this is an issue for you I recommend reading the blurbs for the later books!  As well I'm not a big fan of secret keeping and Katie is keeping a big secret from her friend/love interest Declan.  Luckily that is not kept up too long and I was pleased with how it resolved.  This was an interesting mystery with a glimpse into a world Katie didn't even know existed and pushes her to explore her own heritage more.  I enjoyed this book and really enjoyed the reveal.  I'm looking forward to continuing the series.  My Rating: Liked It

4.  The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen - It's been way too long since I've read a Sarah Addison Allen book and this book reminded me just while I love her books so much.  I loved the characters from the very start and the atmosphere of small town North Carolina was beautifully done and essentially a character.  This was one of those books that when it ended I could do nothing but sigh happily and wish all the characters the very best.  The ending provided just enough closure to tell which way the futures are heading without being over the top tied in a bow.  I'm already looking forward to my next book by Allen and am wishing there was another book set in this little town.  My Rating: Loved It!

5.  The Bettencourt Affair: The World's Richest Woman and the Scandal That Rocked Paris by Tom Sancton - This is about a scandal centering around Liliane Bettencourt, the heir and daughter of the L'Oreal founder.  It sounds like it would be fascinating but unfortunately I ended up just getting through this one.  If I had been trying to read a print copy I probably would have DNF'd it.  I think part of the problem is the scandal mentioned in the title really only broke within the last 15 years so I don't think it gave me enough perspective.  Without that it felt just like a "he said, she said, and then this person chimed in" with no real solid foundation.  There are several interesting stories in this book but I think they would have worked better as articles versus shoved together in a book.  When it came down to it I just didn't care about the people or what happened.  My Rating: Not For Me