Book Review: The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride by Joe Siple
The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride
Series: The Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride #1
Author: Joe Siple
Published: May 11, 2018
Hardback: 234 pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: February 8-17, 2025
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
With all his family and friends gone, one-hundred-year-old Murray McBride is looking for a reason to live. He finds it in Jason Cashman, a ten-year-old boy with a terminal heart defect and a list of five things he wants to do before he dies. Together, they race against the limited time each has left, ticking off wishes one by one. Along the way, Murray remembers what it’s like to be young, and Jason fights for the opportunity to grow old. But when tragedy strikes, their worlds are turned upside-down, and an unexpected gift is the only thing that can make Jason’s final wish come true.
Jessica’s Review:
This book is the reason why I really enjoy being in a book club: Sometimes we end up reading books you might not ever had heard of. I had never heard of The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride but am so glad it was our read for March. I ended up reading it early and I LOVED it!
I don’t cry easily when I read books, but this one really got me in the last 10 pages. And it was an ugly cry too! Part of the ugly cry is personal reasons that I will not go into due to spoilers, but I say with appreciation as this book left me with so many feelings when I was finished with it. I will be reading the sequel next!
From the beginning I adored Murray. He is a grumpy, 100-year-old man who really doesn’t have much to live for… Until he comes across Jason Cashman. Jason is 10 years old and terminal. A chance encounter brings them together and they go on a journey to complete a list of five things Jason wants to accomplish before he dies.
Prepare yourself for all the feelings you are expecting and then more. I have a feeling this might be one of my top reads of the year. I can’t say it will be my top read as Adam Silvera has a new “They Both Die” book coming out in May and if you have followed my reviews, then you know I love that series.
I am so excited that there is a sequel to Mr. Murray and then in March a prequel coming out! I already know I will be reading both of these books.
If you have not heard of The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride, I am telling you to pick it up and join in on this adventure and prepare to fall in love with these characters and then have your heart broken in one of the best ways possible (If that is even possible!)
I completely adore this book and say that everyone must read it!
Audiobook Review: eMortal by Steve Schafer
eMortal
Author: Steve Schafer
Narrators:
Rebecca H. Lee
Stacy Carolan
Published: November 15, 2024
Audiobook: 8 hours 35 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: February 17-22, 2025
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
She made him. He’s just code. She’s almost sure.
…But what if he’s real?
When Liv entered a contest to code an advanced AI, she never anticipated what her creation might become-Breck is thoughtful, self-aware, and incredibly. . .human. And she certainly never intended for him to learn the truth about his existence or the fact that his world ends when the contest closes in six days.
But he does learn. And he revolts.
Liv’s efforts to save him fall on deaf ears. Nobody believes her. Breck’s efforts to outrun his fate only complicate his situation.
What neither of them know is that someone else is watching. Intensely. When they get involved, both Liv’s and Breck’s worlds are turned upside down. . .
Jessica’s Review:
This book was an unexpected surprise. I went in not expecting much and this book ended up being a complete 180 from that. It was such an engrossing novel! I never expected it to go in the direction it went in. eMortal leaves you thinking about where we are very quickly going with AI and sentience. The machines are alive: Or are they? Skynet is coming for you… And we are doomed! AI can have… feelings!?!?!
Liv has entered a contest to code an advance AI and the winner receives a glorious internship that she could only dream of. The contest is nearing the end and her creation Breck is seemingly becoming self-aware, has deep thoughts, and just seems human. But Breck is not aware that when the contest is over, so is he.
We have dual narrations of both Liv and Breck, the AI she created. We see Liv’s home life and with Breck we see the challenges he is working on for the contest. All while seemingly becoming more ‘real’.
Both narrations were intriguing for me, but Breck takes it all. You can see him evolving into something, and he begins to question so many things. I adored Breck, while his and Liv’s situations leave you thinking. There are so many thoughts this book leaves you with such as Who Am I?, Why are we (humans) here?, and Can AI learn and develop emotions? Are they truly alive?
The narrators both did an extraordinary job. Rebecca H. Lee was great a Liv while Stacy Carolan was perfect as Breck for me!
The surprising direction the book takes just adds to the thoughts the book leaves you with. This was my first book by Schafer and I really glad I came across it. Many thanks to the publisher BooksGoSocial for offering it on NetGalley as a “Listen Now”. I might not have ever found this book otherwise.
Something fun for you to do, which I also did: If you go on the author’s website you can actually converse with Breck. He will ask you lots of questions!
eMortal is a must read!
This is Breck on the author’s website. Feel free to converse with him!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
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Audiobook Review: The Crash by Freida McFadden
The Crash
Author: Freida McFadden
Narrator: Leslie Howard
Published: January 28, 2024
Audiobook: 9 hours 13 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: February 10-15, 2025
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
The nightmare she’s running from is nothing compared to where she’s headed.
Tegan is eight months pregnant, alone, and desperately wants to put her crumbling life in the rearview mirror. So she hits the road, planning to stay with her brother until she can figure out her next move. But she doesn’t realize she’s heading straight into a blizzard.
She never arrives at her destination.
Stranded in rural Maine with a dead car and broken ankle, Tegan worries she’s made a terrible mistake. Then a miracle she is rescued by a couple who offers her a room in their warm cabin until the snow clears.
But something isn’t right. Tegan believed she was waiting out the storm, but as time ticks by, she comes to realize she is in grave danger. This safe haven isn’t what she thought it was, and staying here may have been her most deadly mistake yet.
And now she must do whatever it takes to save herself—and her unborn child.
Jessica’s Review:
Freida did it again!
I really enjoyed The Crash. It was fast moving and intense and starts out with a death. It had some similarities to Misery with a snow storm and a main character keeping the other character locked away against their will. Granted we have a pregnant woman instead of an author, but still, why would you even go out and drive in bad weather!?!?! Some people just don’t have common sense… But then if Tegan did have common sense then we wouldn’t’ have this story to read!
Tegan is eight months pregnant and her life is not going the way she planned. After some ‘baby daddy’ drama she decides to go stay with her brother for a while until she figures out what to do next with her life. She never makes it as she crashes into a tree. And ends up with a broken ankle. Depending on how you look at it, Tegan is ‘saved’ by a couple and stays in their home. Until she realizes that she doesn’t want to stay there and she is unable to leave. Tegan’s rescue becomes her worst nightmare.
Polly is the wife and Hank is the husband and something is not quite right with the way things are going with them. We know from the start of the novel that there is a death, but we don’t know who the killer is and who is dead. This is a Freida book, so you may change your mind so many times as to what is going to happen. Just when you think you know what’s going on McFadden brings on yet another twist!
The Crash is very fast paced, and from the accident forward it is just four very intense days for Tegan. I am proud to say I picked out who the killer from the beginning is, just not who the victim is. And there were twists I never saw coming: I was shocked at one particular one. For most of the book I was thinking I would give it 4.5 stars, but the final part of the novel was just… perfect for me!
The narrator is Leslie Howard and she did a great job with the narration! She has been around for a while and has narrated several of McFadden’s previous novels.
I am excited to see what McFadden brings us next! Whether I read an older book of hers or an upcoming novel. I am definitely a Freida Readah! Keep on writing Mrs. McFadden!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK