Everyone is absolutely right about The Wedding People. I could not have loved this book more.
Phoebe, a recently divorced adjunct college professor, haEveryone is absolutely right about The Wedding People. I could not have loved this book more.
Phoebe, a recently divorced adjunct college professor, has arrived at the Cornwall Hotel, a place she’s dreamt of visiting for years. Leaving her entire past life behind, literally walking away, she is struggling hard with her mental health. Upon arriving at the hotel, she discovers it’s been almost entirely booked for a wedding party… She is the lone person not a member. She meets the bride, Lila, and from there forms a friendship and so much more than that.
In The Wedding People, the darkness of mental health struggles is not the focus. Instead, it’s connection. Humor. Growth. Understanding. Love. So much love. There’s so much to love about these characters. This story will make you feel good, but it’s not in a high (only one) note, easy story way, though it’s highly readable and perfectly written. This is a carefully, tenderly drawn story with substance out the wazoo. I’m on a reading roll right now, and this was another favorite for me this year. Phoebe’s insights into marriage and separation made me feel seen, and this story of opening her new chapter gave me a lot of hope for my own.
Thank you, @doubledaybooks, for the gifted book. Thank you, as well, @bibliobeth, for buddy reading one of my favorite books this year.
Wow…za… Julia AThank you, @doubledaybooks, for the gifted book. Thank you, as well, @bibliobeth, for buddy reading one of my favorite books this year.
Wow…za… Julia Ames has to be one of the unique characters I’ve ever experienced, and I loved her for that. I knew she had a story, one that was truly novel. Claire Lombardo’s writing absorbs the reader. Nothing is boring. Everything has purpose, even with a chunky almost 500 pages. The chapters alternate between past and present, and I adored every facet, every nuance.
At heart of it all is its realness. Julia simply has to be real. Someone experiencing an almost empty nest, the trials of marriage, the scars from an unusual early life; all while seeking understanding and connection, and at the same time, holding herself back. Julia’s friendship with Helen captivated me. Helen captivated me. Mark, Julia’s husband, was equally phenomenal; just so good, understanding, even-keeled, constant. Julia’s children - love how they were explored. How Julia found some healing with her connection to Sunny, Ben’s fiancé.
While very different from me in most ways, the way the story is told makes aspects of Julia so entirely relatable. It became easier to step inside her shoes once I knew her, and with such an intimate portrait, how could you now know her, in the end? There’s so much to love here, so many shifting dynamics, including long marriages, mother-daughter relationships, mothers and sons, mothering of adult children, and the role of Suzanne in the story deserves mention, too. It’s just all so very, very good. And smart. So emotionally smart and resonant.
I love love love a novella that packs so much in to a slim volume, especially when it is ultimately a quiet, peaceful story like Whale Fall. A portionI love love love a novella that packs so much in to a slim volume, especially when it is ultimately a quiet, peaceful story like Whale Fall. A portion of my family has been traced back to Wales, and over the years, I’ve been especially drawn to books set there. Whale Fall delivers all the Welsh atmosphere I was looking for with sparse, but magnificent, prose.
Set in 1938, just as a whale washes up on the shores of a remote island in Wales, Whale Fall is the story of Manod and her father and younger sister, Llinos, as well as the other island inhabitants. The island is small with a stark few inhabitants.
Two English ethnographers arrive shortly after the whale, to study the island and its people. They employ Manod as a Welsh to English interpreter and an assistant. While they may have had good intentions, they are clearly there for a book and not necessarily to gather the most truthful information. During this time, Manod truly finds her voice.
As mentioned, this is a quiet story about the daily life of these people. The beauty is in the writing, atmosphere, and the authentic, whole, clear characters. Sometimes the most cherished reading experiences are with a book like this. I adored this one.
Thanks to Beth (@bibiobeth) for another great buddy read.
Beth and I buddy read Brooklyn and Long Island, one after the other. In Long Island, Eilis’s story continues now, years later, living with Tony’s famiBeth and I buddy read Brooklyn and Long Island, one after the other. In Long Island, Eilis’s story continues now, years later, living with Tony’s family in Long Island. The beginning of the story starts with quite the bang. It’s included in the synopsis, but I’ll hold off here. That first section where this is dealt with, and before Eilis goes to Ireland, is so absorbing and compelling. I was in awe of how Eilis handles such a difficult situation and how empowered she is to make her stance known to Tony and everyone in the family.
Then, also, there’s the story of Eilis’s return to Ireland, the changing dynamics with her mother, her friend, Nancy, and, of course, Jim. In both books, Eilis’s narrative is deeply personal and intimate. We know her, and perhaps even understand her motivations to an extent. Toibin concludes Long Island with another mic drop. I filled in the blanks, just as with Brooklyn, but I can’t help but hope for another story with Eilis. Beth and I agreed she has to be one of the most charming and well-developed characters in literature. So well-done.
Thank also to my dear buddy, @bibliobeth, for joining me for our 35th buddy read together! As ever, reading with you enriched my reading experience.
AbThank also to my dear buddy, @bibliobeth, for joining me for our 35th buddy read together! As ever, reading with you enriched my reading experience.
About the book: “Ayobami Adebayo, the celebrated author of Stay With Me, unveils a dazzling story of modern Nigeria and two families caught in the riptides of wealth, power, romantic obsession, and political corruption.”
A Spell of Good Things pulled me into its story of “the haves and the have-nots” right away. Eniola is a young boy living in Nigeria, dreaming of a bright future, and finding it difficult to acquire an education. When his father loses his teaching job and struggles with his mental health, the family is drowning. Education comes at a price in more than one way for this family.
Wuraola is a daughter from a wealthy family, completing her medical training as a doctor. Education is gifted to her without a second thought, but her life is not easy either. While a medical career is certainly lucrative, it’s not without its own set of vast challenges, including lack of medicine, well understaffed hospitals, and overworked providers barely keeping their heads above water. Wuraola always does what is expected of her in her family, and while it seems that would be an easy path, it’s not.
The two families intertwine in unexpected ways, as politics, corruption, violence, wealth, power, and greed are explored. Adebayo’s writing is smooth and easy to read. I felt completely inside the heads of these characters. This is a dark, enveloping, somber, but truthbearing story. It’s no surprise it was on the Booker Prize longlist. I hope for many more stories from this gifted author.
I’m going to try my hand at a quick review for this one. I’m grateful I finally tried this author. I own several of her books, and wow, this one is soI’m going to try my hand at a quick review for this one. I’m grateful I finally tried this author. I own several of her books, and wow, this one is so special. Thanks to Beth for buddy reading it with me.
The Island of Missing Trees is about a teenage girl named Ada, her parents’ young love, and a fig tree.
Yes, the fig tree is one of the narrators, and that is part of its magic. I don’t know how Shafak made that work, but it does in this case.
Ada’s parents are young, in love, and living in Cyprus- one a Turkish Cypriot; the other a Greek Cypriot. A civil war breaks out between the two groups and Kostas and Defne are very much in the middle.
I loved this book and its messages. It’s absolutely huggable. I couldn’t give it the full five stars because I was a little more invested in some of the storylines over others. As a bit of a tree hugger, I loved the voice of the tree. It was refreshing and enlightening, too. I cannot wait to read more of Elif Shafak’s books.
I’m so grateful I finally read it, and with my BFF, Biblio Beth.
About the book: “A sweeping and lyrical novel What took me so long to read this book?
I’m so grateful I finally read it, and with my BFF, Biblio Beth.
About the book: “A sweeping and lyrical novel that follows a young Palestinian refugee as she slowly becomes radicalized while searching for a better life for her family throughout the Middle East, for readers of international literary bestsellers including Washington Black, My Sister, The Serial Killer, and Her Body and Other Parties.”
Told in the present, with Nahr imprisoned in a state of the art jail cell, and in the past, following her early life in Kuwait, her time spent as a refugee in Jordan, and then when she visits Palestine, Against the Loveless World is a sweeping and powerful story. It goes to raw and dark places for Nahr, but the darkness isn’t what it’s about.
To me, it’s about the resilience of women, especially Muslim women. It’s about survival and family and love- all different types of love, and while it has a love story, my favorite focus was the one on self-love, as I observed Nahr develop love for herself and gradually open up and show more of her heart as that love deepened.
I’m grateful for a different perspective on conflict in the Middle East and how the story, though gritty and heartrending in places, inspires empathy and perhaps even hope.
I was hooked on this tale of adventure featuring two brothers, Emmett, just out of a prison/work camp, and Billy, his younger brother. Immediately I wI was hooked on this tale of adventure featuring two brothers, Emmett, just out of a prison/work camp, and Billy, his younger brother. Immediately I was endeared to each of them, and then the story widens with other narrators who are part, or become part, of Emmett and Billy’s world as they travel the country.
That’s another thing I loved- the adventure story within this novel. It takes place across just ten days and goes in directions I never expected. The layering of the two main characters’ lives is complex and provides a deep understanding of their feelings and perspectives. I’m an emotional reader, and for 95% of this book, I was completely invested and could not imagine loving the story more.
The last 5% lost me a little, and for personal reasons, one of the happenings and how it was portrayed did not suit me. I can’t tell you why without risking a spoiler, but I found it insensitive. I also would have liked to have learned more about Sally and why she was part of the story. Ulysses, too. More closure and follow-up with them would have added to the story for me, but I know; it was already a longer book.
All that said, revisiting the fact that I’m an emotional reader, due to my investment in these characters and the vast majority of the book, my overall feeling is that I enjoyed it even if there are things I would tweak about the ending. I read this pretty fast, especially for a chunk, and I think that may be the way to go if you can carve out the time. The quick chapters and pacing keep the plot moving exceptionally well. Now to visit Towles’ other two books! I can’t wait!
I WISH I could have “gotten” this book. I invested in the entire series hoping I would. My belief that I’m a super flexible, accepting reader has certI WISH I could have “gotten” this book. I invested in the entire series hoping I would. My belief that I’m a super flexible, accepting reader has certainly been challenged this year between Autumn and No One Is Talking About This.
I read the reviews about the impressionistic writing and going with the flow. I tried my best, but I found myself wanting to skip sentences, sections, then entire pages, and that frustrates this reader because I kept thinking I could be reading something else where I hang on every word. I think more than anything it’s because my favorite style of writing is not the descriptive, but the precise. My English degreed dad, with his own love for reading, would give me that feedback time and again about writing and also give examples of the books he loved most. And this writing? It’s the total opposite of precise, which is completely ok, but I’m realizing not the best fit for me. I didn’t mind the nonlinearity of the story. It wasn’t that. It was all the “extra” random thoughts, laundry lists of odd words? The quirkiness of it?
I also like to believe my analytical nature can grasp new concepts and make them work for me, but this felt over my head, and I didn’t like that feeling either. ...more
Beth and I buddy read Cantoras by Carolina de Robertis about a month ago, and we loved it. What a flawless book about friendship, love, and finding onBeth and I buddy read Cantoras by Carolina de Robertis about a month ago, and we loved it. What a flawless book about friendship, love, and finding oneself in the midst of a revolution. It deserves every award and recognition.
The President and the Frog is set in an unnamed Latin American country that often felt like the Uruguay of Cantoras. This slim novella highlights the life of a fictional president, one time guerrilla fighter of the resistance. One who chooses to live humbly in a small house with his wife who also holds a position in government. It’s about his time imprisoned in a hole under ground, and what turn of events helps to get him to the other side and keeps him from giving up on life and his own spirit.
The President’s story is an inspiring one, and the author’s note explains the fact behind the fiction. The story reminds us that good can overpower evil, and the strength of the human spirit is immense. It has a strong philosophical flavor and is rooted, understandably so, in politics.
Carolina de Robertis is an extraordinary writer. Beth and I already have plans to read her debut, and I can’t wait for that!
A big thank you to Beth for buddy reading this book, as well as Cantoras, with me.
This is a first, or the first in a long while. I select books from Book of the Month every single monthStraight to my favorites shelf. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This is a first, or the first in a long while. I select books from Book of the Month every single month, and I actually started reading this book the month I bought it. The reason? I’m usually a delayed gratification reader. That said, I read Migrations in July, and it’s probably my book of the year. Once There Were Wolves is a very close second.
I love the way Charlotte McConaghey writes. It’s precise with perfect flow. She builds an atmosphere with ease. Each story starts out with tension and a mystery that builds better than any traditional psychological thriller. But even more than all of that, and that is, even though my dad would say this is a horrible word choice I’m going to use it any way ...more
Told in parts that eventually (mostly) connect to one another, The Rain Heron is a story that feels reaWhat an unusual, but beautifully written book!
Told in parts that eventually (mostly) connect to one another, The Rain Heron is a story that feels real and contemporary but yet involves myth coming to life in the form of a rain heron who brings the weather. The writing throughout is impressive - precise, yet still descriptive of this time and place. The author is immensely talented.
That said, the first two or three sections of the book were my favorite. I was riveted and learned so much from them. One was about a survivalist woman living on a mountain near the rain heron. Another section involved a teen girl and her aunt who caught squid (but then released them) capturing their ink for sale. Where the early life of one main character was explored, the same wasn’t true for the survivalist, and that’s where I wanted more.
I was left with many questions that weren’t explored in the story. I think the first half could have easily made for an entire book because it was so full, and that’s the part I wish were explored more.
I’m a relaxed kind of reader and happy to go where the author and book take me, and this was a book that held such promise. While it delivered in so many ways, I just wanted more. That said, I will happily read more from this author and look forward to it.
This book! It’s on my list of favorites for 2021, much like The Beekeeper of Aleppo was on my list in 201Thank you, Random House, for the gifted copy.
This book! It’s on my list of favorites for 2021, much like The Beekeeper of Aleppo was on my list in 2019!
Songbirds is the story of Nisha, a Sri Lankan nanny and housekeeper living in Cyprus who disappears. The reader does not meet Nisha in the present, only through the voices of Petra, the woman for whom she works, and Yiannis, her love. There are multiple side stories as well, some of them of the same importance as the main story. From the very start we know that Nisha is missing, and the eerie tension builds and builds. Has she been kidnapped? Did she go back to Sri Lanka?
Much like with The Beekeeper, Christy Lefteri shines a light on some important issues. The primary focus is how domestic worker are treated in some places, with very long days, little time off, and living far away from their families because it’s the only way to support them. Also important is that when multiple workers went missing, the police did not wish to investigate, seeing the women as less than. There’s a tie-in between this storyline and actual missing people, and the author’s note is not to be missed. Also of importance to the storyline are the gorgeous songbirds who are poached and consumed as a delicacy. All of the wildlife is depicted with such stunning writing.
I was reading another book, Migrations, about wildlife on the verge of extinction at the same time as Songbirds. The parallels were not lost on me. I highly recommend both books. Christy Lefteri has become a new favorite author. I admire her commitment to the research in her novels. She says that she writes to learn something new, and I have certainly learned many new things thanks to her efforts.
Thank you to my dear friend, Beth, for the great discussion, and to Taylor Noel and Christy Lefteri for the fabulous introduction to the book last week!
Another summer buddy read with my dear friend, Beth, and I don’t think we could have loved this more! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Beginning in the 1970s during theAnother summer buddy read with my dear friend, Beth, and I don’t think we could have loved this more! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Beginning in the 1970s during the military dictatorship and oppression of Uruguay, five women come together to vacation on a rustic coastal peninsula. It’s so rustic, in fact, that they don’t have accommodations, and when they find a place to rest, it’s an old fishing hut. The women find magic in this place where they can truly be themselves for once.
Bonds of friendship are formed, and over the years, they escape the oppression of Montevideo and city life to the peninsula, Cabo Palonio, and their beloved hut that they bought and finished, adding new touches year after year. Over thirty-five years pass in this manner, and during that time friendships are tested, romantic love is tested, as each woman seeks her own identity and happiness in a world where it’s not safe to be a “cantora,” a woman who sings, a woman who loves other women but cannot feel safe in doing so.
The characters, Romina, Flaca, La Venus, Paz, and Malena, each so different and well-developed; I could not have loved them more. I learned from them as they learned from each other. Carolina de Robertis weaves a flawlessly, richly, and dare I say, passionately told story, an ode to female friendship, love, and sexual identity, along the backdrop of a beautiful, tiny country whose inhabitants are suffering in turmoil, yet simply trying to live their truths.
After Beth and I finished this book, we eagerly added all of de Robertis’ other books to our TBRs. We recently read her newest, The President and the Frog, and next, we will be reading her debut. This type of immersive storytelling with formidable characterization is our absolute favorite type of book to read.
This book is on the Women’s Prize shortlist this year, which is why I read it with Beth, and I am so sad to say that I have no idea what it was about.This book is on the Women’s Prize shortlist this year, which is why I read it with Beth, and I am so sad to say that I have no idea what it was about.
I normally DNF books I’m not enjoying and don’t review them here. I think you all know this is rare for me, but I was buddy reading, the second half was supposed to be more grounded than the first, and again, the Women’s Prize.
This does not fit the mold of what I think a story or storytelling is, and I guess that’s the point. I could write for days, but the bottom line is that it wasn’t enjoyable, I could not connect with the main character, and the whole thing went completely over my head. ...more
Liz Moore can definitely write. I love her flawless writing. Heft was off to a solid start with its introduThis is more like 3.5 stars. I rounded up.
Liz Moore can definitely write. I love her flawless writing. Heft was off to a solid start with its introduction to Arthur, a likable, reclusive former professor. I latched on to Arthur’s story right away and wanted to know more about him.
Then, the story switches perspectives to that of Kel, a teenage athlete and son of a friend of Arthur’s. When that switch happened, I began to lose interest in the story as it took on more of a young adult feel and was more sports heavy due to Kel’s interests. I was waiting and waiting for the story to move back to Arthur and found myself wanting to skip sections, especially as Kel’s life veered off track.
The story eventually went back to Arthur, and I enjoyed how the author brought it all together in the end, especially the actual ending that left some things open that I could wrap up on a high note myself. I know every reader doesn’t like that, but I would rather have an ending open that I can decide than a sad ending.
All the stars for Arthur, all the stars for Liz Moore’s writing; but my overall enjoyment brought my star rating down. I’ve only read The Unseen World and look forward to reading Long Bright River soon.
Thanks to Beth for another lovely buddy read. All the stars to that too.
At 764 pages, woo!, China is a big book. It is the first book I’ve read by Edward Rutherfurd, known for writing epic tomes about significant places anAt 764 pages, woo!, China is a big book. It is the first book I’ve read by Edward Rutherfurd, known for writing epic tomes about significant places and times in history, across generations.
Set during the Opium Wars, and with his panning of characters on all sides of the issue, I learned so much about the perspectives of those involved. It was also a deep dive into culture in China, Great Britain, and the world at this significant time. There is a strong sense of adventure and even a touch of romance and drama to this story. I’ll never forget Mei-Lhing, Trader, and a eunuch named Lacquer Nail.
Overall, Rutherfurd is adept at presenting well-researched history from all sides in an approachable, highly readable way. I can’t imagine how much time it took to plan this saga and tie these story threads together.
I read China with my dear friend, Beth, and I’m so grateful we read this together so we could discuss how much we’d learned. It sparked our interest to read additional books set in China, both fiction and nonfiction.
Why did it take me so long to read this beautiful book? It also took me too long to write this review because I finished this book about a month ago. Why did it take me so long to read this beautiful book? It also took me too long to write this review because I finished this book about a month ago. During this time, I have not forgotten Janie or Tea Cake. They are characters that will stay with me.
The story is Janie’s, her journey through life and towards happiness. Written decades ago, it feels timeless. The writing is seamless. Not a spare word, but at the same time there were stunningly vivid descriptions of people and places that brought out every sense. My dad, an avid reader and writer, has always said that the most talented authors can say it all in fewer words, and that she does, writing with intention and purpose. I did not find the dialect hard to read, perhaps because I live in the south, but also it is consistent throughout, and it only added to the authenticity of time and place in the story.
As I mentioned above, Janie is very much on a journey. The first chapter foreshadows that she’s been on a journey that’s not gone well, and she’s now home. For the entire book, I thought I knew what that journey may have been, how it went with Tea Cake, and I was entirely wrong. I loved every bit of that because the journey was a complete surprise to me. Through a series of marriages, she finds her true love, and through him, love for herself.
I have to mention the hurricane Janie and Tea Cake experience. Having lived through several myself, I never had to experience on literally on the ground, on foot, running to escape the winds and rising waters with no external guidance towards safety. I felt like I was alongside them as they make their treacherous escape.
One of the biggest messages in the story is that people are complex and imperfect. You can love a person with your whole heart and not love everything they do. When characters are drawn this way, as they are in this book, they become living, breathing real people, and that’s exactly how I felt the entire time I read this book.
I’m disappointed with myself that I didn’t write this review sooner after reading because I think my feelings would have flowed better. If this is a classic you haven’t read, it’s more than worth the read. Between the spare writing and shorter length, it’s a quick read, too. As many of you know, I hardly ever re-read, but this is one I will re-visit because I know I will get even more out of it the next time. As it is, I highlighted dozens of memorable passages.
Zora Neale Hurston was an immensely talented writer, and this book was not given the recognition it deserved during her lifetime. What a gift she has given us in her storytelling. I look forward to exploring her other works.
Thank you to Beth for another fabulous buddy read.
I really, really loved this. I buddy read it with Beth back in July. What a gem!
Miss Benson’s Beetle is my first book by Rachel Joyce. I’ve definitelyI really, really loved this. I buddy read it with Beth back in July. What a gem!
Miss Benson’s Beetle is my first book by Rachel Joyce. I’ve definitely been missing out.
Set just after World War II, Margery Benson is a teacher on the edge-of something great? Of something new and something completely different than the stale life she’s been living. She’s also on the verge of discovering the tenacity she’s had all along, and she does that through her friendship with Enid, who also happens to be her assistant. They are on a quest to discover a rare beetle in stunning but remote New Calendonia.
Oh my gosh, I don’t think I could love two characters more than my affinity for Margery and Enid. Rachel Joyce has a knack for complex characters whom you can love with your entire heart. I also adored the adventure type feel of the novel. Beth and I discussed a few times that we would like to go on this same trip together. The excitement of discovery and also the beauty in the friendship that develops between these two; well, they make you want to get out and do something adventurous, too.
There were short bits of time where I was a little bogged down, but I’m such an emotional reader, I can give this no less than five stars because of how much I came to love Enid and Margery, how much I rooted for them, and also, the ending. I think the author gifted us with an ending that left a mark and brought great closure.
It goes without saying I gave this a book a giant hug when I finished. ...more
Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader
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