579. THE WEDDING COUPLE by Alison Espach (9/22/24) Fiction
Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn on a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, where the Inn is filled with wedding guests. But Phoebe is the only non-wedding guest at the Inn, but is mistaken for one. She had been dreaming of a romantic holiday at the Inn for years with her husband, only to come alone as she hits rock bottom.
This sweet and funny story, is a great beach read. Enjoyable but light.
3 Stars
578. THE LIFE IMPOSSIBLE by Matt Haig (9/16/24) Fiction
From the author of The Midnight Library, this anxiously awaited book sold more that nine million copies immediately. When retired math teacher Grace Winters inherits a run-down house on a Mediterranean island by a long-lost friend, she buys a one-way ticket to Ibiza, with no plans or dreams. What she does is she searches for answers to many questions about this friend who was absent to her for so long. First she tried to find answers about her friend’s life and death and uncovers a strange story. In order to come to terms with this impossible truth she must also examine her own past. This is a story of an “crotchety old Brit who feels ordinary or less, who follows a life-changing adventure, realizing she is “something” and finds a new beginning. Haig again suspends us into an enchanting unreality we long to believe.
5 Stars
570. THE FRIEND by Sigrid Nunez (8/28/24) Fiction
This moving story about a woman who inherits a large, elderly great Dane when her best friend and mentor dies, is further complicated by the fact that the dog is grieving for it’s owner and the rent-controlled apartment has a strict policy of “No dogs allowed”. To hide this fact she becomes isolated and obsessed with the care of the dog, who she refuses to be separated from except briefly.
This book shows how love and grief can affect both dogs and humans and how their lives can be transformed despite the odds. This is a feel-good book.
4 Stars
568. A NOVEL LOVE STORY by Ashley Poston (8/28/24) Fiction
Eileen (Elsy) is on her way to an annual book club retreat when during a torrential rainstorm she gets lost, swerves to avoid hitting a pedestrian crossing the street, and her ancient Pinto dies. While waiting for the only mechanic in town she discovers she is being magically transported to the fictional town of her favorite romance book series. She finds herself frozen in time at the place the deceased author had stopped writing in her book. Elsy is now part of the book and can move the storyline to suit her.
This modern-day fairytale of whimsy strives to become a magical realism, but I found it silly one moment and harsh the next. I was not a big fan.
3 Stars
567. HOME FRONT by Kristin Hannah (8/27/24) Fiction
In this book Kristin Hannah tackles the human experience complicated by a busy lifestyle and a marriage which needs a transfusion. They got their transfusion, but not in a good way. Michael, a busy attorney, has left most of the parenting and household duties to his wife Jolene. The marriage is suffering from neglect when life throws them a curve ball. Jolene is in the military and becomes deployed on short notice. Michael now has double duty raising his daughters like a single parent with no relief from his job, and Jolene goes off to fly helicopters in a war zone.
Hannah not only shows problems between the parents but covers the multiple emotions the children are going through, from resentment at disrupting their lives, to anger, to fear. There is no sugar-coating and stiff upper lipping as all the lives become disrupted as they selfishly are angry, and resentful of the wife/mother they are afraid might die. Jolene fights her emotions of putting all this hurt and anger from the family behind her as she goes off to defend her country.
It is easy to get emotionally involved in this situation that is complex and unyielding yet typical for military families. It both breaks and fills your heart.
5 Stars
566. NOTES ON YOUR SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE by Alison Espach (8/24/24) Fiction
Sally is mystified on how her older sister, Kathy seems to have all the answers for everything-like she was born knowing things. Both girls were attracted to Billy, a boy they had known for years and now at school. He only started showing interest in the girls as Sally was entering 8th grade and Kathy was in high school. Kathy and Billy become an item but not for long when a tragedy stuck.
The story spans two decades starting in the early 90’s and covers their coming of age lives of broken hearts, mixed connections, and joyful moments. I enjoyed the characters, related to their travails, and the frustrating love story that followed their lives.
4 Stars
564. FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD by Thomas Hardy (8/21/24) Fiction
Hardy published “Far from the Madding Crowd” in 1874. This and his other books, “The Return of the Native”, “The Mayor of Casterbridge”, and Jude the Obscure”, to name a few, have all become beloved classics. This book’s protagonist is Bathsheba Everdene, a beautiful young woman with a high spirit and a streak of independence for that day. She comes to the fictional county of Wessex and the town of Weatherbury, first to help her aunt, then to inherit the largest estate, a farm, which she plans to run herself. As she tries to navigate through in ins and outs of farm life she met three men all striving to win her love. All men are different-the poor shephard, Gabriel Oak, the gentleman-farmer, Mr. Boldwood, and the soldier-seducer, Sergeant Troy, but Bathsheba doesn’t want to give up her independence too soon to be a wife and raise children. She encounters many difficulties on the farm and needs the council of others. In this story we learn of the hardships of the day and how Bathsheba handles her farm and her men. She at 22 is a lovable coquette, making me think of Scarlet O’Hara.
This masterpiece of literature is so descriptive that you feel the beautiful but rugged countryside, the hardships of the work, the insecurities, bravado, and passions of the time.
I fell in love with Thomas Hardy’s books in college when I took an English literature class. This book was not in the curriculum, but I read it on my own and eventually most of Hardy’s books. His vibrant characters and his descriptive narratives bring the rural countryside of England and it’s people to life. And it is a fabulous peek into another time and place.
5 Stars
562. THE LIVING SEA OF WAKING DREAMS by Richard Flanagan (8/15/24) Fiction
Australian, Richard Flanagan, describes his 8th novel, as a realistic tale of ecological anguish, “a rising scream”. When the family of 87 year-old Francie gather at her bedside after she experienced a brain bleed, the children have different ideas of how to handle end-of-life issues. Although Tommy is ready to let Francie slip away, others want her life extended with high risk interventions including surgery, tubes and invasive procedures. Are these actions of love, obligation, or guilt?
Meanwhile outside, Australia is burning. The sky is black, the birds and bees are dying, and humans are experiencing collapsing lungs.
Flanagan’s novel is brutal, but not cruel. He depicts a world drowning in opinions, small-talk, and noise with no-one using words that are needed to be said. He shows, during a time of devastation and terror, how their words show their inability to speak to one another and may be the cause of their unhappiness.
This book is difficult to read as sad and hopeless as it is. However it does have relevance to see that our interactions with each other may be the key to contemplate human nature, learn how we can cope, and much more.
4 Stars
500. SAME AS IT EVER WAS by Claire Lombardo (7/25/24) Fiction
The protagonist is Julia Ames, a married mother of two. The back and forth narrative takes us through her life filled with a flawed nature and many insecurities which take her down a disastrous path. It is frustrating to watch her follow her second-guessing and her harmful inner dialogue. But if you have experienced this type of behavior before, it will be totally relatable. Julia’s life is a mess at best, but at times she figures out how to act as she navigates through life, however, the entire journey is exhausting, frustrating, and uncomfortable to watch and might seem a little too true-to-life for many. Is this story a little too accurate to enjoy or is the writing so good and believable as we know life is not easy for many. I think a lot will depend on your mood for this peek into a difficult life.
4 Stars
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