Sunday, December 13, 2020
Review - One Day in December
AUTHOR: Josie Silver
RATING: ★★★★
Summary (from Goodreads): Two people. Ten chances. One unforgettable love story.
Laurie is pretty sure love at first sight doesn't exist anywhere but the movies. But then, through a misted-up bus window one snowy December day, she sees a man who she knows instantly is the one. Their eyes meet, there's a moment of pure magic... and then her bus drives away.
Certain they're fated to find each other again, Laurie spends a year scanning every bus stop and cafe in London for him. But she doesn't find him, not when it matters anyway. Instead they "reunite" at a Christmas party, when her best friend Sarah giddily introduces her new boyfriend to Laurie. It's Jack, the man from the bus. It would be.
What follows for Laurie, Sarah and Jack is ten years of friendship, heartbreak, missed opportunities, roads not taken, and destinies reconsidered. One Day in December is a joyous, heartwarming and immensely moving love story to escape into and a reminder that fate takes inexplicable turns along the route to happiness.
REVIEW: After reading several sad, heart-wrenching books back to back, I felt the overwhelming need to lose myself in a sappy romance story that would, hopefully, put a smile back on my face. Well, this one did. I'm glad I chose One Day in December because it's a very sweet love story. I have to admit, though, that Jack really got on my nerves at times. He did have a few redeeming qualities, but he wasn't the most likeable hero I've ever come across. But I loved Laurie (the heroine) and her best friend, Sarah. Reading about their close friendship was my favorite part of the book. If you're looking for a feel-good love story, then I encourage you to give this one a try.
Friday, December 11, 2020
Review - The Great Alone
AUTHOR: Kristin Hannah
RATING: ★★★★★
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Summary (from Goodreads): Alaska, 1974. Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed. For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.
Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.
Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if it means following him into the unknown.
At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.
But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.
In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska―a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.
REVIEW: This is such an amazing book! I've never been to Alaska, but Kristin Hannah's beautifully descriptive writing made me feel like I've lived there my whole life. I've heard tales about how hard the winters are in Alaska, and reading this story made me feel like I was a part of the Allbright family's struggle to survive. I have to say the relationship between Cora and Ernt made my heart ache on many levels. Having been in an abusive relationship many years ago, I understood Cora's rollercoaster emotions on a deeply personal level. I loved cheering for Leni and Matthew, and I also enjoyed reading about Leni and Cora's strong bond. I believe I went through every emotion while reading this story, and the ending left me in tears. I would happily recommend The Great Alone to everyone, and I can't wait to read more of Kristin Hannah's work.
Thursday, December 3, 2020
Review - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
AUTHOR: V.E. Schwab
RATING: ★★★★★
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Summary (from Goodreads): France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.
Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.
But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.
REVIEW: What a wonderful story! The plot intrigued me from the very beginning, and it’s honestly unlike anything I’ve ever read before. V.E. Schwab is an incredible writer. Her words flow so effortlessly - it was almost like reading poetry. There were many times a certain quote or line just stopped me in my tracks, and all I could think of was “Damn...she is really good!” Miss Schwab, I tip my hat to you. From one author to another, I just have to say you have truly inspired me. Thank you for that. For anyone reading this review who hasn’t read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue yet, I just have to ask...what are you waiting for?
Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Review - The Last of the Moon Girls
AUTHOR: Barbara Davis
RATING: ★★★★
Summary (from Goodreads): Lizzy Moon never wanted Moon Girl Farm. Eight years ago, she left the land that nine generations of gifted healers had tended, determined to distance herself from the whispers about her family’s strange legacy. When her beloved Grandmother Althea dies, Lizzy must face the tragedy still hanging over the farm’s lavender fields: the unsolved murders of two young girls.
Lizzy discovers a Book of Remembrances meant to help Lizzy embrace her own special gifts. When she reconnects with Andrew Greyson, one of the few in town who believed in Althea’s innocence, she resolves to clear her Grandmother’s name.
REVIEW: This book was recommended to me by a family member, and it was my first time reading the author’s work. I was intrigued by the Moon girls and their magical gifts, and I enjoyed rooting for Lizzy as she tirelessly worked to clear her grandmother’s name. (Her grandmother was falsely accused of murder.) The story did lag a bit in the beginning, and it took a few chapters before the storyline got really interesting. If you decide to give it a read, just hang on and don’t give up because the twists and turns in the story are well worth the wait. I look forward to reading more from Mrs. Davis in the near future.
Tuesday, November 10, 2020
Review - What You Wish For
AUTHOR: Katherine Center
RATING: ★★★★★
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Summary (from Goodreads): Samantha Casey is a school librarian who loves her job, the kids, and her school family with passion and joy for living. But she wasn’t always that way.
Duncan Carpenter is the new school principal who lives by rules and regulations, guided by the knowledge that bad things can happen. But he wasn’t always that way.
And Sam knows it. Because she knew him before—at another school, in a different life. Back then, she loved him—but she was invisible. To him. To everyone. Even to herself. She escaped to a new school, a new job, a new chance at living. But when Duncan, of all people, gets hired as the new principal there, it feels like the best thing that could possibly happen to the school—and the worst thing that could possibly happen to Sam. Until the opposite turns out to be true. The lovable Duncan she’d known is now a suit-and-tie wearing, rule-enforcing tough guy so hell-bent on protecting the school that he’s willing to destroy it.
As the school community spirals into chaos, and danger from all corners looms large, Sam and Duncan must find their way to who they really are, what it means to be brave, and how to take a chance on love—which is the riskiest move of all.
With Katherine Center’s sparkling dialogue, unforgettable characters, heart, hope, and humanity, What You Wish For is the author at her most compelling best.
REVIEW: After reading this book, I immediately added Katherine Center to my list of favorite authors, and I can’t wait to read more of her work. This story had me sighing happily at times and laughing out loud more times than I can count. I don’t know what else to say other than it was just wonderfully written. There’s humor, romance, friendship, rivalry, heartbreak - you name it. I also want to commend Katherine for her poignant portrayal of a character living with epilepsy. (Having grown up with a step-parent who has it, I’ve witnessed firsthand how frightening it can be.) An author friend recommended this book, and I’m SO thankful she did. I would recommend it to everyone!
Sunday, November 1, 2020
Review - Before We Were Yours
AUTHOR: Lisa Wingate
RATING: ★★★★★
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Summary (from Goodreads): Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge—until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents—but they quickly realize the dark truth. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of danger and uncertainty.
Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family’s long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption.
Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.
REVIEW: Such a beautiful but heartbreaking story! I was pulled into this book from the very beginning, and I felt so many emotions while reading it - sadness, anger, and shock, just to name a few. Lisa Wingate brought to life a gut-wrenching topic that is happening far too often in our society today - child trafficking. I had no idea the story was based on true events until I read Lisa’s comments in the book. I was curious about it, so I looked it up on Wikipedia, and I was stunned when I discovered the villain from the book, Georgia Tann, grew up ten miles from where I live. She was such a despicable human being. It breaks my heart how many children suffered at her hands. If you’re curious about Before We Were Yours, I highly encourage you to read it. You’ll be SO glad you did!
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Review - Anxious People
AUTHOR: Fredrik Backman
RATING: ★★★★★
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Summary (from Goodreads): Viewing an apartment normally doesn’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers begin slowly opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths.
First is Zara, a wealthy bank director who has been too busy to care about anyone else until tragedy changed her life. Now, she’s obsessed with visiting open houses to see how ordinary people live—and, perhaps, to set an old wrong to right. Then there’s Roger and Anna-Lena, an Ikea-addicted retired couple who are on a never-ending hunt for fixer-uppers to hide the fact that they don’t know how to fix their own failing marriage. Julia and Ro are a young lesbian couple and soon-to-be parents who are nervous about their chances for a successful life together since they can’t agree on anything. And there’s Estelle, an eighty-year-old woman who has lived long enough to be unimpressed by a masked bank robber waving a gun in her face. And despite the story she tells them all, Estelle hasn’t really come to the apartment to view it for her daughter, and her husband really isn’t outside parking the car.
As police surround the premises and television channels broadcast the hostage situation live, the tension mounts and even deeper secrets are slowly revealed. Before long, the robber must decide which is the more terrifying prospect: going out to face the police, or staying in the apartment with this group of impossible people.
Rich with Fredrik Backman’s “pitch-perfect dialogue and an unparalleled understanding of human nature” (Shelf Awareness), Anxious People’s whimsical plot serves up unforgettable insights into the human condition and a gentle reminder to be compassionate to all the anxious people we encounter every day.
REVIEW: This is most definitely one of my FAVORITE books of 2020! Wow...just WOW! I honestly don’t know what to say or where to even begin. I read this book in one day because I couldn’t put it down, and I haven’t done that with any book in a very long time. Mr. Backman’s writing style is incredible, and I believe I went through every possible emotion while reading this book. There were countless times I literally laughed out loud, and when I turned the last page I was in tears. (I mean, seriously...like crying so hard I was hiccupping.) I highly commend Mr. Backman for addressing mental illness and suicide as poignantly and beautifully as he did with this story. I would happily recommend Anxious People to everyone, and I look forward to reading more of Mr. Backman’s work in the near future.
Thursday, October 15, 2020
Review - Where the Crawdads Sing
AUTHOR: Delia Owens
RATING: ★★★★★
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Summary (from Goodreads): For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet fishing village. Kya Clark is barefoot and wild; unfit for polite society. So in late 1969, when the popular Chase Andrews is found dead, locals immediately suspect her.
But Kya is not what they say. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life's lessons from the land, learning the real ways of the world from the dishonest signals of fireflies. But while she has the skills to live in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world—until the unthinkable happens.
In Where the Crawdads Sing, Owens juxtaposes an exquisite ode to the natural world against a profound coming of age story and haunting mystery. Thought-provoking, wise, and deeply moving, Owens’s debut novel reminds us that we are forever shaped by the child within us, while also subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.
The story asks how isolation influences the behavior of a young woman, who like all of us, has the genetic propensity to belong to a group. The clues to the mystery are brushed into the lush habitat and natural histories of its wild creatures.
REVIEW: Oh my goodness...what an incredible story! I believe I went through every possible emotion while reading this book - sadness, anger, hope, happiness - you name it. Kya’s story is truly heartbreaking, but it’s also one of amazing perseverance, and it’s so beautifully written that it draws you in right away. My favorite parts included Kya and Tate. Their love story is so touching, and it gives you that “feel good” feeling that lasts long after the story has ended. (Oh, and I’m not giving out any spoilers, but I have to say the ending surprised me.) READ THIS BOOK! You will be SO glad you did!
Thursday, October 1, 2020
Review - The Giver of Stars
AUTHOR: Jojo Moyes
RATING: ★★★★★
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Summary (from Goodreads): Alice Wright marries handsome American Bennett Van Cleve hoping to escape her stifling life in England. But small-town Kentucky quickly proves equally claustrophobic, especially living alongside her overbearing father-in-law. So when a call goes out for a team of women to deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s new traveling library, Alice signs on enthusiastically.
The leader, and soon Alice’s greatest ally, is Margery, a smart-talking, self-sufficient woman who’s never asked a man’s permission for anything. They will be joined by three other singular women who become known as the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky.
What happens to them–and to the men they love–becomes an unforgettable drama of loyalty, justice, humanity and passion. These heroic women refuse to be cowed by men or by convention. And though they face all kinds of dangers in a landscape that is at times breathtakingly beautiful, at others brutal, they’re committed to their job: bringing books to people who have never had any, arming them with facts that will change their lives.
Based on a true story rooted in America’s past, The Giver of Stars is unparalleled in its scope and epic in its storytelling. Funny, heartbreaking, enthralling, it is destined to become a modern classic–a richly rewarding novel of women’s friendship, of true love, and of what happens when we reach beyond our grasp for the great beyond.
REVIEW: This was my first time reading this author’s work, and I loved it! It was so easy to become immersed in the characters lives, and you can’t help but cheer for these strong, admirable women. Being a librarian myself, I felt a special bond with these traveling librarians, and I love how the author added book quotes from some beloved classics. This is an amazing story of perseverance and friendship. I would recommend it to everyone.
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