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?
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