There's not much I can say that hasn't been said before, so I will just say it was a super unrealistic but fun read. Don't come looking for realistic There's not much I can say that hasn't been said before, so I will just say it was a super unrealistic but fun read. Don't come looking for realistic characters or a plot that holds up under close scrutiny. It's pure fluff, and that is ok, if that is what you like.
3 stars = I enjoyed it but didn't love it. I read it for a book club...more
How do women navigate and learn to deal with the abuses of men and the abuses of an oppressive regime?
The women in these pages aren’t self-sacrificin How do women navigate and learn to deal with the abuses of men and the abuses of an oppressive regime?
The women in these pages aren’t self-sacrificing martyrs, they are complex human beings, flaws and all. The book reads as a collection of short stories that are woven together by a common theme. We begin in Cuba in the 1880’s and end in present day U.S. The characters and non-linear timelines makes for difficult reading. It’s hard to keep everything straight, and while a family tree at the start of the novel is helpful, I don’t want to work that hard as I read.
While some books are valuable solely for entertainment purposes, I also read for education, and to gain a broader view of history and see life from the viewpoint of those whose lives are very different from my own. I feel this novel intended to do the latter, but for me it was lacking due to the jumping timelines and multiple perspectives. Due to the short length and multiple characters, there is a lack of depth.
A worthy premise with beautiful writing is not enough. Unfortunately, I found this a slog to complete. Had it not been a book club selection I would have DNF’d. ...more
I read this back in October for book club and while I appreciate learning about Elizabeth Keckley and her amazing accomplishments after buying her freI read this back in October for book club and while I appreciate learning about Elizabeth Keckley and her amazing accomplishments after buying her freedom from slavery, it wasn't enough save the book. The writing style and the insertion of very long passages of the Civil War battles that read like a history textbook made it a slog.
The character of Ms Keckley was written as saintly, with no nuances to her character. I would have liked to have read about the prejudices she endured, yet, based on this book, there were none. It was a lot of telling, very little showing.
I think my time would have been better spent reading Ms Keckley's memoir. I was so bored that would have DNF'd if it had not been a book club selection. However, we had a good discussion, mainly because we all looked up the true story of Elizabeth and Mary Todd Lincoln....more
Sally Field is a favorite actress of mine, and we now know her persona as happy and bubbly was a façade to cover deep pain. The pain she tapped to porSally Field is a favorite actress of mine, and we now know her persona as happy and bubbly was a façade to cover deep pain. The pain she tapped to portray such characters as Sybil, Norma Rae, and Mary Todd Lincoln. All those pieces, as painful as they were, came together to form Sally Field, the serious, accomplished actress we all know today.
I appreciated her sharing her life with her fans, as well as the honesty and openness with which she shared the most painful parts of her past. She narrates the audio and hearing the story in her own voice was very powerful. This is not a Hollywood tell-all, although there is a little of that. But it’s an important story that needed to be told, and a cautionary tale of how deeply a troubled childhood can affect self-esteem and color every subsequent relationship.
I hope by writing this book she has gained a bit of peace and come to terms with her past. Mostly I hope she knows that we, her fans, “really do like her”....more
This was the longest short book I've ever read. I respect all the high ratings from friends whose taste typically aligns with my own, but I concluded This was the longest short book I've ever read. I respect all the high ratings from friends whose taste typically aligns with my own, but I concluded this was simply not the right book for me at this time, so I am leaving it unrated.
I appreciated the perspective of the plight of Native Americans. It opened my eyes to a culture I knew little of, and for that I am grateful. But I dreaded picking it up each day. Perhaps I will revisit it at a different time in my life....more
”...a moving story about love, friendship, grief, healing and the magical bond between a woman and her dog.”
I’m not sure the person wWorst blurb ever:
”...a moving story about love, friendship, grief, healing and the magical bond between a woman and her dog.”
I’m not sure the person who wrote the blurb actually read the book.
The book was much more about writing and the writerly life than it was a book about grief and the magical bond between a woman and her dog. I found certain passages beautifully written, but I didn't enjoy the book as a whole. There were some brilliant passages about the dog every once in a while, which demonstrated that the author knows dogs well. She also has a wry wit that I enjoyed and I highlighted more than a few sentences/passages.
However, I grew very weary of all the musings about writing and found myself skimming large sections. There was a lot of complaining about how hard the writing life is, and she insulted authors who aren’t “literary” enough, those who self-publish and/or write romance novels, and readers who don’t “get it”. Which felt extremely pretentious and mean-spirited.
Wry and witty, this collection of essays is both hysterically funny one moment and heartbreakingly poignant the next. Nothing is taboo, and t4.5 stars
Wry and witty, this collection of essays is both hysterically funny one moment and heartbreakingly poignant the next. Nothing is taboo, and topics range from the serious to the ridiculous: aging, family, bodily functions, suicide, his Fitbit obsession (which I could relate to, having been known to 'house walk' late at night to get to my target), social commentary, literal potty humor, and much, much more. His powers of observations are spot on and he says it all without a filter. As in any collection, there were some essays I enjoyed more than others and a couple that I think would have been better left out.
I have this in HB as a BOTM selection but decided to listen on audio after reading rave reviews of the author reading his own work. I’m so glad I did. His comedic timing was perfect and my one complaint is that it wasn’t longer because I was left wanting more.
This the first book I’ve read by Sedaris so I can’t compare it to his previous works but I will definitely consider picking up another book by the author.
Recommended by those who like wry humor and who aren’t easily offended by some R-rated material....more
Edited 9/20 to add: My book club discussed this last night and while not everyone loved the book (but no one disliked it), it made for a lively and inEdited 9/20 to add: My book club discussed this last night and while not everyone loved the book (but no one disliked it), it made for a lively and interesting discussion. I'd highly recommend for book clubs.
I’m afraid I’m in the outlier club with this one.
What I liked: - The writing is gorgeous. 4-5 stars for the beauty of the prose. Plus the author writes in a way that sounds like the way real people think and talk - The letters Celestial and Roy exchanged - How one unfortunate tragic event, unfair as it was, can totally change the trajectory of your life. It gives food for thought. - it was thought-provoking with complex moral themes surrounding loyalty and marriage
What I didn’t like: - The characters. While I sympathized with their plight I just didn’t like them. Which I can’t explain because I usually like my characters somewhat complicated and flawed. Unlikability is not a deal breaker, but I like what I like and often I can’t even explain why I am so turned off by some characters. - The plot – after the beginning I just stopped caring. It felt like I was reading the script of a cheesy movie. There’s a time and place for cheesy, it just wasn’t what I was expecting when I went into this book. - The epilogue! My eyes may have rolled more than once.
I will definitely read anything else the author writes because I found this book so well-written and her style so engaging, but this one just didn't quite work for me. It all boiled down to plot....more
I listened to this on audio with Michael C Hall as the narrator. He did a great job even though I had to get past Dexter reading the book to me -ha.
HoI listened to this on audio with Michael C Hall as the narrator. He did a great job even though I had to get past Dexter reading the book to me -ha.
However, I didn't connect to the story at all. I thought it a very mediocre story and Holly Golightly a crude opportunist. After reading it I have no idea why Audrey Hepburn was cast in the movie role. In the words of Capote himself Holly was an "American Geisha" girl looking for wealthy men to support her in a high-class lifestyle. Maybe it had meaning for the times in which it was written but I found nothing appealing or informative about the story. No one in my book club liked it.
This is a rare case where I'd recommend the movie over the book. It's vastly different than the book - in a good way....more
This book will easily be one of my favorite reads of 2017. I finished it nearly a week ago and I still feel inadequate to write a review that will do This book will easily be one of my favorite reads of 2017. I finished it nearly a week ago and I still feel inadequate to write a review that will do it justice. The plot has already been described by other reviewers, so I won't repeat it here.
This is a gritty and heartbreaking story, with writing so beautiful, a setting so real, and characters so well-developed, that I was completely immersed in the story from the beginning. My heart broke again and again for the people, alive and dead, who inhabit these pages.
I’m not normally a fan of the magical realism of "ghosts", but in this case it works, and the ending - oh my, that ending - brought it all together so it made sense why it was included. Although the synopsis sounds unrelentingly sad and grim, with bad things heaped upon yet more bad things, it was never gratuitous. These are fictional characters, but there are real people who live this reality: the racism, poverty, drug addiction, injustice, abuse. But the story is also one about love and hope. There are characters who angered and disgusted me, but then there are characters like JoJo, Mam, and Pop who bring love and hope to these pages, and restores faith in humanity.
My recommendation: Read it!
** many thanks to Netgalley and Scribner publishing for providing me with an e-galley of the book in exchange for an honest review...more
My kids live in Cleveland and it was such fun to read about familiar neighborhoods and places. I’m not sure how the residents of 4.5 stars, rounded up
My kids live in Cleveland and it was such fun to read about familiar neighborhoods and places. I’m not sure how the residents of Shaker Heights will feel about the stereotyping, and I can’t speak to the accuracy of the portrayal, but it was fun for this reader.
Shaker Heights is an idyllic planned community where everything is carefully ordered and governed by rules. Elena Richardson has done everything “right", and in her carefully ordered life, the good life naturally follows. She has the successful husband, 4 children, a job as a reporter for the local newspaper, and an upper middle class lifestyle.
Elena owns an apartment and rents it out to tenants she feels are deserving and would benefit from her help. Mia and her teen-age daughter Pearl are the most recent recipients of Elena’s “philanthropy”. Mia, unlike most of Shaker Heights residents, is a free spirit, an artist who lives a vagabond lifestyle, moving frequently from city to city, and working odd jobs to support her art.
Before long, the lives of Mia and Pearl become entwined with the lives of the Richardson’s and the status quo is upset. Mia has secrets and Elena is a reporter, accustomed and driven to uncover secrets. No one's life will remain unchanged.
Meanwhile, a custody battle is taking place in the community between a co-worker of Mia’s, and a friend of Elena’s. Battle lines are drawn and it ends in explosive revelations that threatens everyone involved
The characters are so well-developed, the setting so real, and the story so well told, that it was a pleasure to read. The issues of motherhood, class, ethnicity and privilege are explored. What makes a good parent? There are no easy answers in this novel and it leaves the reader with much to think about. This would make an excellent book club choice.
I wasn't a fan of the author's first book, but absolutely loved this one. Highly recommended!
Many thanks to EW and Penguin Publishing for a free copy of the e-book for review....more
This book drew me in from the start and the narrators of the audio version were excellent. What I liked: - the author is a human rights advocate who giThis book drew me in from the start and the narrators of the audio version were excellent. What I liked: - the author is a human rights advocate who gives 20% of her profits to charities uplifting women and children around the world. This alone makes me a huge fan of the author. - the story is an honest portrayal of grief and the guilt that often accompanies it – but the author tempers it with humor and heartwarming moments, which saves it from being a depressing read. - I appreciated that Maddy, the mother who died, wasn’t portrayed as a “perfect angel”, which sometimes happens when a person dies young. Even awesome people have flaws and this was an unflinching look at a perfectly human wife and mother - the ups and downs of marriage was portrayed honestly, but with the deep love that is always there - I suspect every mom will relate to the portrayal of moms who give and give, but rarely see it reciprocated. - how a spouse’s contribution to the marriage isn’t fully realized until after they are gone - I loved how Maddy’s love for her family was so strong and I liked how she influenced them through sending out "thoughts" to her husband and daughter. This sounds cheesy but it was done very well. I find the idea that our loved ones who have passed are cheering us on very comforting -even amidst grief and horrific circumstances, there’s beauty to be found. - the revelations through the diary entries was a nice device to learn more about Maddy - the surprise ending (and that’s all I’ll say about that) - there’s a lot here for book clubs to explore and discuss
What didn't quite work for me: - This is my own personal bias but I don’t enjoy reading about teenage angst and Eve was hard to take at times - I found the middle dragged a bit and there was unnecessary repetition and melodrama. - I became annoyed at what I thought was an overriding theme of “women are all oppressed and unappreciated after marriage and children”. Luckily, the author turned it around
It's a very enjoyable debut that I highly recommend!...more
5+ stars! I love, love, love this book! It’s laugh-out-loud funny, but also heartwarming and quirky. I'm going to have a difficult time explaining jus5+ stars! I love, love, love this book! It’s laugh-out-loud funny, but also heartwarming and quirky. I'm going to have a difficult time explaining just what makes this book so special. My words won't do it justice.
The story is told exclusively from the POV of Graham, an introverted 50-something man, married to his bubbly, outgoing, missing-a-filter wife, and their son. There’s no point in going into the plot, because there isn’t one. If there had been a plot I think it would have made the reading less pleasurable.
What makes this book so fun - and funny - are Graham’s thoughts. He has a dry wit that is absolutely hilarious. It’s a rare author that can pull off this level of humor while also being insightful, thought-provoking, and heartwarming. Graham is spot-on with his observations of life and people. His wife Audra is adorable, warm, sweet and ditzy. She would probably drive me crazy in real life but I loved reading about her. Their son, Matthew is on the Asperger's spectrum and the love and lengths they will go to for their son (Origami Club, anyone?) provides humor while also tugging at the heartstrings.
I adored all the characters and I was sad to turn the last page. I would happily read more about this family, and hope the author has a sequel in the works. If not, I will have to re-read this one, which would be a pleasure. It will be on my 2017 favorites list for sure, and probably on my all-time-favorites list.
My recommendation: drop everything and read this book now!...more
A multi-generational family saga that follows two Irish sisters, Nora and Theresa, who immigrate to the U.S. from Ireland at a young age. One4+ stars!
A multi-generational family saga that follows two Irish sisters, Nora and Theresa, who immigrate to the U.S. from Ireland at a young age. One sister, the quiet, responsible one, arrives to wed through a pre-arranged marriage, while the other sister is a free spirit. Not surprisingly they take different paths in life, some quite surprising. Decisions are made and secrets are kept that have a life-long impact and threaten family bonds.
I love the way the author writes, in a quiet, unassuming way that is deeply emotional. I enjoyed the alternate points of view and fell in love with this family, flaws and all.
4.5 stars What an amazing book for a debut! The first pages had me laughing out loud. Eleanor is an odd duck who is socially inept, and frumpy in appea4.5 stars What an amazing book for a debut! The first pages had me laughing out loud. Eleanor is an odd duck who is socially inept, and frumpy in appearance. She’s very blunt and literal in interpreting conversations, which creates issues with those around her. I was thinking she was a little bit like Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory, maybe on the Asperger’s spectrum.
But, then, we realize Eleanor is actually a sad woman in pain who presents a “everything is fine” facade to the world. In reality she is damaged by childhood trauma (which I won’t go into so I don’t spoil it for anyone). She spends her weekends alone with the TV and vodka for company. She goes days without speaking to anyone, but has weekly conversations with her mother, a person who is mean and vindictive.
At this point I began to feel bad about chuckling at Eleanor’s odd behavior. It’s funny, but also heartbreaking. Her traumatic past is slowly revealed throughout the novel and the ending has a twist I didn’t see coming.
Eleanor has unrealistic fantasies about a musician, who she decides is the love of her life, and she sets about making herself over. Along the way several people enter her life and this opens a window for real change. The changes may be too neat and tidy but I’m not looking for too much realism here, so I just went with it. Her literal interpretation and her ignorance of cultural norms seemed a little off to me for someone who is well-educated and well-read, and watches so much TV, but again, I suspended disbelief because the story was so charming.
Ultimately, I came to love Eleanor and the story is sad, yet, uplifting. Seeing Eleanor blossom was a joy. I think a major theme is kindness. How just a little bit of kindness can make such a difference in a person’s life. Who of us hasn’t known (or know) someone like Eleanor? We don’t know what lies behind the “weirdness”, what demons they may be carrying. And we should all, first and foremost, be kind.
A quote: “These days, loneliness is the new cancer—a shameful, embarrassing thing, brought upon yourself in some obscure way. A fearful, incurable thing, so horrifying that you dare mention it; other people don’t want to hear the word spoken aloud for fear that they might too be afflicted or that it might tempt fate into visiting a similar horror upon them.”
Highly recommended. The narrator of the audio version was perfect!...more
I was completely captivated by Li-yan and her story. I also learned a lot about the strict, often brutal, customs and traditions of the Akha tribe froI was completely captivated by Li-yan and her story. I also learned a lot about the strict, often brutal, customs and traditions of the Akha tribe from rural China, whose primary occupation is the growing and harvesting of ancient tea leaves. Telling the story through Li-yan’s eyes was brilliant and made the story come alive. I really loved the theme of the strong mother-daughter bond.
We follow Li-yan for several decades as she grows up and eventually leaves her village for the modern world. She has a hard life and must deal with love and loss, hard times and good times, and changing fortunes. But she’s tough and resilient and bears her burdens with grace.
We also follow a Chinese baby girl who was abandoned at birth. She is adopted by an American couple from California, and is now named Haley. She, along with other Chinese girls adopted by parents of a different ethnicity, struggles with identity and discrimination. The only link she has to her past is a tea cake that was found in her swaddling clothes when she was dropped off at the orphanage.
I have two issues that kept this from being a 5 star book for me: 1. Haley. I appreciated the issues that were explored but when I'd get to a Haley section I couldn't wait to get back to Li-yan. (For audiobook listeners, this was the weakest narration due to an Alvin the Chipmunk sounding narrator).
2. The information dump on tea. It’s obvious, and appreciated, that the author did a tremendous amount of research and felt compelled to include it. I didn’t care for the term paper delivery (literally, at one point, a term paper). Truly, this is a wealth of information only for a die-hard tea aficionado.
But these are minor criticisms, and I still think it's a great book that I highly recommend. The strengths far outweigh the parts I didn't care for. Some have called the ending a little too pat but I loved it and thought it was perfect, bringing the story full circle....more
1.5 stars Wavy is a neglected and abused child who broke my heart. Her father is a meth dealer and her mother is an addict. She is constantly exposed t1.5 stars Wavy is a neglected and abused child who broke my heart. Her father is a meth dealer and her mother is an addict. She is constantly exposed to openly casual sex, and therefore, sees it as normal. The ugly.
When she meets Kellen, he is at first her protector and is genuinely concerned for her well-being. His life has not been an easy one either. He helps her in ways that no one else has and is the only person who truly seems to care about her. The wonderful. Finally someone sees what is happening and tries to help her.
And then the not-so-wonderful: the feelings grow sexual in nature. The problem is that one is a child who develops an unhealthy attachment to her caretaker, an adult man. Their relationship turns overtly sexual when she is 13. Unfortunately, the sex in this book is overly descriptive (what she witnesses and what she participates in), which to me just highlights the ugliness of it all. Such explicit details were unnecessary and gratuitous.
A love story, as many have described it? Not at all and I find it very disturbing that there are people who see it that way. Instead, this tale highlights the trauma and psychological damage that occurs to children who grow up as Wavy does. Do they see it as normal and as true love? Of course they do. They’ve never been exposed to a healthy loving relationship.
Wavy demonstrates many symptoms of abuse: fear of being touched, she rarely speaks, she has a mistrust of adults, she is secretive, she can't let anyone see her eat, and she is hyper-sexualized. The only types of relationships she knows are sexual ones. It is hardly a surprise she latches onto Kellen or that she is the one who makes the first move. Children who feel unloved often turn to inappropriate relationships to fill the void in their lives.
I find both Wavy and Kellen to be sad characters who are trying to survive their dysfunctional lives in the only way they know how. I don’t think Kellen was a predator or pedophile in the traditional sense. It still doesn’t make the relationship right. There are many gray areas in life. But the sexualizing of children is a black and white issue for me and it is never ok. Yes, Wavy perhaps seems older than she is because of her upbringing, but emotionally and developmentally she is still child. A traumatized child.
The author writes what she knows. Her father was a drug dealer who ends up in prison, and as a young girl, she says she dated much older men, starting at age 13. She says she was made to feel ashamed and isolated because of it. She has openly questioned the rights of society to impose a legal age of consent onto children. Is this book her way of dealing with her experiences and framing it as legitimate? I don't know, but if so, she failed with this reader.
Wavy had a chance at a college education and a normal life. The missing piece is she didn’t receive the psychological therapy she so desperately needed. The real tragedy is that children such as Wavy are not rescued from such toxic childhoods filled with abuse and neglect. Not by other family members, not by teachers, not by those in authority. Are there children growing up this way? Sadly, yes.
If this book led to discussions on how we as a society can better protect our children then it would get 5 stars. But most of the discussions I've read are calling it a 'romantic love story', which I find shocking.
As a book that seems intent on legitimizing the relationship between Wavy and Kellen and calling it a love story, it gets zero stars. The author missed the opportunity to take this book in an entirely different direction in the end, but did not. She missed an opportunity to advocate for abused children but instead chose to legitimize a sexual relationship between a child and an adult.
I'm giving it 2 stars because I did finish it.
** Edited on 12/28 to add these thoughts to my review after reading an interview of the author's: The author makes much of the point of "consent". That Kellen was the only adult who honored Wavy's desire to not be touched. That Wavy's consent was respected by Kellen, and he only touched her after she gave consent. But I do not think a child of 13 is capable of giving consent to a sexual relationship with an older man. They are children, emotionally, intellectually, and physically. Wavy was exposed to casual sex among the adults in her life from a young age. She saw women being used as sexual objects to be used by men. Not surprisingly, she saw it as natural and as no big deal. Children depend on adults to protect them. Even from themselves. Her thoughts and feelings were not natural for a 13 year old. They were the result of her neglect and abuse. And that is the crux of my opinion of this book. She desperately needed an adult to protect her....more
Winner of the Pulitzer prize, this book was a surprise to me. Written in 1924, the themes are timeless and the wisdom and insight as appropriate now aWinner of the Pulitzer prize, this book was a surprise to me. Written in 1924, the themes are timeless and the wisdom and insight as appropriate now as they were then. It is beautifully written and I found myself highlighting many passages.
Isabel, struggling over her crumbling marriage, and Edward, a man in his 90s who is grieving over the recent death of his wife, strike up a f2.5 stars
Isabel, struggling over her crumbling marriage, and Edward, a man in his 90s who is grieving over the recent death of his wife, strike up a friendship over weekly dinners. The meals that are so lavishly described are a springboard for stories from both their lives. Edward's wisdom on love, marriage, and life is sprinkled throughout. Through this unlikely friendship, both begin to heal from their wounds.
The problem for me is I felt something was missing. It was sweet but there was no depth, and I didn't become attached to either character, especially Isabel. Although a short novel, I struggled to finish it. For a book that revolves around food so much, recipes would have been nice.
I do not recommend the audiobook. The narrator has an odd cadence to her speech and overacts the part. She reads it with a light chick-lit tone.
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