Not sure how your year has started off, but I am kicking butt on my reading goals! Not so much with my exercise goals, but that's another story!
At any rate, I have a couple of recommendations for you and a couple of books I read for you so that you don't have to. The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins I listened to this on Audible, and I enjoyed this mysterious, dramatic family saga that brings a runaway heir back to his family home in North Carolina to finally sort out the mess that his adoptive mother/ husband murdering multi-millionaire left with her will. It's a fun read, but ... it was a little over the top to win five stars from me. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner I'd call this memoir an exploration of grief, culture, and delicious Korean food. It will make you hungry, it will make you think, but it will not necessarily uplift you or help you feel like you truly knew much about the author. I would recommend it if you like to read about food! Otherwise, I'd suggest knocking it off of your TBR list. Florence Gordon by Brian Morton Speaking of the TBR list, Florence Gordon hung out on mine for the better part of a decade, I think! I finally got to it and almost put it down after just a few pages. While it wasn't a bad book, I'm a little sorry I stuck with it. The ending left a lot to be desired and most of the characters were kind of awful. A few scenes, however, were magical! It could've been so good. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett I'm so glad that I chose to listen to Tom Lake on Audible, as it is narrated by Meryl Streep. The opening scene is a community theatre audition of Our Town. So much fun! This book would be a perfect palate cleanser after reading something something crazy/gritty. Join Lara as she gives her grown daughters (almost) the full story of her affair with a future movie star one summer thirty years prior. The story unfolds as the family picks cherries at their farm in Michigan during the pandemic, which is so surreal, isn't it? Highly recommend! The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane The Half Moon is similar to The Heiress in that it was an awesome story, this time lots of family drama except with a restaurant at the center instead of a mansion and issues with lack of money rather than too much money. It's awesome, it's thought-provoking and totally worth reading, but when solutions arise in really convenient and unlikely ways, I get a little grouchy. Then again, sometimes it's nice to get that satisfying ending. If you're into messy and dramatic family/relationship stories (like me!), this will probably be your jam. Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez I recently saw this book in a photo I found on social media of a bookstore display called "Books NOT Worth the Hype!" No matter, I was excited to read about the Puerto Rican wedding planner in New York, her closeted politician brother, and their adventures. Olga Dies Dreaming did, in fact, belong on that bookstore display. Sorry. So, not my best round of reading, but hopefully I have more recommendations soon! What are YOU reading and loving?
1 Comment
Ramona Walker
2/1/2024 12:00:47 am
Again you have come up with a diverse group of books. I like family sagas, wondered about the book on the list, and will skip Florence Gordon. Thanks!!!
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AuthorMom of four, wife of one. By day I fund-raise with coffee, by night I read with wine and chocolate. Archives
June 2023
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