There is so much to like about this book. It’s got real depth, but still fairly short. Its characters are full of life without being cliché. It’s atmospheric, intelligent, and even occasionally fun; there is really only one problem with this book-it feels like a freakishly talented frat boy wrote it. Seriously, the amount of content about male parts, female parts, bodily functions, sex, masturbation, etc. was way too much. I could perhaps have over looked it if it was contained to a chapter here or there but alas, it was everywhere. It felt as though I was anticipating my…
The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
A lovely book. I thoroughly enjoyed L.M. Montgomery’s foray into adult fiction. Best known for her Anne of Green Gables series, Montgomery proves she can delight audiences young and old. The Blue Castle is a historical fiction full of life, charm, and heart. I sincerely loved my time with it. The beginning was perhaps a little slow but once the protagonist set herself in motion the plot likewise followed. The story stalled a couple times but always recovered nicely. I wish the blue castle had played more of a part and been fully fleshed out, and had it been written…
The Distant Hours by Kate Morton
Classically Kate Morton. If you’ve read her other books then you know how this one goes. Terrible family secret, alternating past/present timeline, some aspect of literary appreciation, and around 500 pages to get a conclusion. My first mistake was taking this to the beach to read. This is not a beach book. It’s dense and verbose and moody (I think the perfect time to read it would be late fall). I’m glad I had a couple years between her other (superior) books and this one. It let me enjoy it a little more, but I wouldn’t say it’s a favorite.…
Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance
A magnificent memoir, the best I’ve read in years. Since its publication in September of 2016 “Hillbilly Elegy” has been in the spotlight for its in depth look into the lives and minds of the poor white of Appalachia and the Midwest. This memoir has been referenced to exhaustion as a tool of understanding why so many from the Rust Belt and Appalachia turned out to vote Trump into office. I’ll admit, that was my primary aim for reading this book. But those looking for straight forward answers about voters backing Trump will be disappointed. This memoir never mentions…
The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
A wonderful story sure to capture the hearts of all book lovers. Please note I did not say “readers” although I’m sure this story will appeal to many of those as well. At its core The Storied Life of AJ Fikry is a wonderful tale of how reading and the love of books directly impacts and often improves the lives of those who read. Readers will delight in the literary references and quite possibly unearth a desire to better acquaint themselves with short stories, I know I did. This novel has a little of everything-tragedy, mystery, romance (a very little),…