Saturday, September 26, 2015

Books Read and reviewed - September


I can't believe how many books I've been able to read lately!  My messy house is evidence that I should probably do something else, but housework is just so boring.



Pretty Baby  
by Mary Kubica
Rating 5/5



What a great book. There are a lot of twists and turns that kept me guessing right until the end. There are a few different issues throughout, but the author did a great job of not making it confusing. There was instances of sexual abuse, a teenage runaway, some marital issues, cancer, and loss of a baby. It sounds like maybe a bit too much in one book, but it isn't.

I look forward to reading any future books by this author.

The Space Between Us
by Thrity Umrigar 
Rating 4/5



I enjoyed this book very much. It's very tough to believe that this isn't a historical book - this is still the way many women live. It definitely isn't a 'feel good' lighthearted read. It tells the story of an abused wife, her very underprivileged servant and her servant's granddaughter. The way the servant and her granddaughter live is very bothersome.

Nice eye opener to what's still going on in the world.

I was slightly disappointed in the ending as it left me wondering what happened to the characters.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry 
by Gabrielle Zevin 
Rating 3/5




This was a very quick read for me (started and finished it on a 4 hour flight) that I found quite enjoyable. It's the story of a widowed bookstore owner who undergoes a dramatic change in his life as the result of the influence of some important people in his life. It doesn't have a happy ending, but you were able to see how his life was not an unhappy one.


And Then I Found You
by Patti Callahan Henry
Rating 2/5


The Boat Who Wouldn't Float
by Farley Mowat
Rating 2/5




I really wanted to love this book but I didn't. I read a Farley Mowat book when I was a teenager but can't remember how I felt about it. As a well-known Canadian author, I wanted to try him again. I found I just really couldn't get into the book. From other reviews I thought it was going to be very funny but I found it only slightly amusing. I really think it must be me though since there are some wonderful reviews on it.

The Red Notebookby Antoine Laurain
Rating 4/5



Second Time Around


The story of college friends who get a second chance at their old dreams. A quick read that doesn't have too much depth but sometimes that's okay. I did find that with as many characters as there in this story, it's hard to really get to know each of them sufficiently.


The Lost Recipe for Happiness





Sometimes all I'm interested in is a feel good, fun read and this fit the bill. The main character has enough 'tough-luck' history behind her that you feel for her and hope things turn out this time. She is a tough character who you empathize with immediately. The supporting characters also have issues in their past but not so much that it's unbelievable. The author successfully tells the story from a couple of points of view, and the ending makes you happy.

Rating 2/5


I didn't find the writing in these books very good. I expected them to be light 'chick-lit' books, which I frequently enjoy, but these didn't cut it for me. I don't find the relationships between the sisters very real and found much of the story shallow. The grandmother bribes them to visit her (really??), and they reunite as sister (obviously they don't know each other at all, but become best friends???).

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