Two lifelong friends, Jess & Storey, at the end of their annual hunting trip in rural Maine, leave the woods to head home but find a world in chaos anTwo lifelong friends, Jess & Storey, at the end of their annual hunting trip in rural Maine, leave the woods to head home but find a world in chaos and violence.
While they were off the grid, civil war erupted, towns are burnt to the ground, and destruction and death is everywhere. While attempting to make their way home, they are met with secessionists and military who intend to kill anyone they meet who are not one of them.
Their trek becomes even more treacherous when they find a little girl hidden away who is frightened and crying for her parents and her dog. The scenes with the little girl are some of the most heartfelt and emotional of the book.
As they attempt to make their way home, they try to make sense of what happened. Who are the bad guys here? Secessionists or the military? Or both?
Heller never gives us the details of the political divide that led to civil war, and I was thankful he didn’t make it political, which would do nothing but divide readers.
This is a wilderness and survival story like no other. It’s a thriller but a quiet literary one. There’s an emotional depth with themes of male friendship, love, courage, and moral responsibility.
I love Heller’s portrayal of good men, men who are thoughtful and do the right thing at great risk to themselves, men who are tender and protective of children. He writes of men, through no fault of their own, who are tested to the limits. More than once I was brought to tears.
This is a beautiful story I won’t soon forget. 5+ stars
* I received a digital copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own...more
There’s power in the DNF. I’m a huge fan of moving on when a book isn’t a good fit. No book is for everyone and dnf’ing leaves room foOutlier opinion!
There’s power in the DNF. I’m a huge fan of moving on when a book isn’t a good fit. No book is for everyone and dnf’ing leaves room for books that are.
I usually know fairly quickly when a book isn’t for me. But once in a while I ignore my instincts and power through, especially when I see a lot of glowing reviews.
This was one of the times I fell victim to the hype. This book was most definitely not for me:
* Unrealistic situations. Be prepared to suspend a massive amount of disbelief. It’s fiction, I don’t expect complete realism but this reached my tipping point * Too long. At 600 pages, 250 could have been cut. I don’t think I would have liked it any better but I would have wasted less time * The writing style kept me from becoming invested in the characters. This type of writing appeals to many, but not me. * The characters failed to move me emotionally. Zero emotion, and I’m easily moved and brought to tears. I stopped caring what happened to any of them * The author jumped around in time with every chapter and there are 261 chapters * The story is S-L-O-W. It’s not a thriller which is fine. I love a character driven story, I just didn’t love THIS one * So many pages where nothing of interest happens filled with lots and lots of description * What some readers call beautiful language, I call overwrought and flowery with many nonsensical sentences * I have a lot to say about the religious overtones but I’ll refrain * I couldn’t buy into most of the situations. To list them would involve spoilers but my eyes rolled * But surely there would be a huge payoff in the end, right? Nope!
What I liked: the author’s last book
Many readers have loved this book, so be sure to check out their reviews.
* I received a digital copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own...more
I was very into Jane and her personal struggles but then at 35% the plot meanders along into various tangents that felt like preaching and read like aI was very into Jane and her personal struggles but then at 35% the plot meanders along into various tangents that felt like preaching and read like a textbook.
The MC calls people “dumb” but then says that was harsh, it was probably due to their education. She, however, went to Wesleyan where her classes focused on marginalized voices and talked about reparation, allyship, and gender fluidity twenty years ago so now she has a lens through which to see the world.
Unlike us plebeians, she’s so much better and more enlightened than the rest of us.
Sorry but this book is boring and reads like a lecture.
* I received a digital copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own (obviously)....more
Have you ever been on an online dating site? It’s practically a full-time job with a parade of potential dating partners. It’s easy to be picky when tHave you ever been on an online dating site? It’s practically a full-time job with a parade of potential dating partners. It’s easy to be picky when there is a sea of choice.
(Full disclosure: I’ve been happily married for many decades but I have kids who have participated in online dating. Quite happily I might add - our daughter met her husband on Match - but I’m well aware of the pitfalls, especially for men.)
The paradox of choice: Too much choice causes the feeling of less happiness and less satisfaction with the constant search for what might be better out there.
I think we’ve all found ourselves caught in the endless search for the best of something: who hasn’t gone down that online rabbit hole?
But what if you had an endless choice of husbands with the lure of someone better right around the corner (or, in this case, up in the attic?).
When Lauren returns home one evening her husband Michael is waiting. The problem? She’s not married.
When Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb, a new husband descends. It seems Lauren has a magical attic with an endless supply of husbands. Switching husbands is as easy as swiping left. Some get an immediate “hell, no” and are immediately sent back up to the attic, while others stick around for a while before being sent away (sound familiar?….swipe left, swipe right…)
The dilemma: when so many different people offer you so many different things how do you settle? When there’s a niggle of dissatisfaction, why not see who is next?
The tone is light-hearted and I had a lot of fun with this story. Many of the situations Lauren finds herself in are quite humorous (an IRL version of a dick pic? Off to the attic!), while others are a bit tense.
The crux of the problem is when do you say enough, and stop looking for something better and be content with the life you have?
This is compulsively readable and expertly executed, yet also thought-provoking when viewed from the lens of online dating and modern life. Highly recommend!...more
Hearing a 35 yr old man’s perspective after a break-up is an intriguing premise.
It’s important to remember we are inside of Andy’s head through most oHearing a 35 yr old man’s perspective after a break-up is an intriguing premise.
It’s important to remember we are inside of Andy’s head through most of the book. Yes he can seem whiny but who wouldn’t be thinking these thoughts after the break-up of a long term relationship? Especially when given no explanation.
Toward the end we hear Jen’s perspective, which did nothing to endear myself to her.
My thoughts after I finished: 1. It’s not ok to end a relationship without an explanation. If a man did this, he would be thrown under the bus 2. It’s 2024 people! Do not demonize women who make different choices in order to justify your own. Single vs married, child-free vs motherhood, career vs SAHM….who cares?? It’s all valid and one isn’t better than the other.
This was a buddy read with Marialyce and a complete miss for both of us!...more
The novel opens when Annie, a 37-year-old wife and mother of four, drops dead of an aneurysm on her kitchen floor as her family gathers for dinner. AnThe novel opens when Annie, a 37-year-old wife and mother of four, drops dead of an aneurysm on her kitchen floor as her family gathers for dinner. And so begins life after Annie.
The novel is divided into seasonal sections, until a year has passed. The author, as she does in all her novels, puts us in the heads and hearts of her characters. We get to know and care about them deeply, and as we get to know them we also get to know Annie through their memories.
As I read, I began to think about these realistic and relatable characters even when I wasn’t reading. Anna Quindlen has a deep understanding of the human spirit, one that touches me.
Ali, who takes on more responsibility than any child should….Anthony (Ant), who in his grief turns into himself…the younger boys who still wait for mommy to come home….Bill, who is struggling to keep his plumbing business going while meeting the needs of his 4 kids without his Annie…..and her best friend Annemarie who struggles to stay clean in her recovery without Annie to save her from herself…
At this stage of my life, where I have known loss, and have dear friends who have suffered profound unimaginable losses, I related to the road these characters traveled. How do they cherish the memories of Annie while moving forward with the love she showed them?
The author doesn’t emotionally manipulate her readers, but instead has created a story of love, loss, family, and friendship, combined with the resilience of the human spirit, one that is ultimately filled with hope.
If you know me, you know I don’t give out 5 stars lightly. This book is worthy of 5 stars, and more. ...more
I loved the authors first book, Such a Fine Age. It was social satire at its best.
This has everything I should have loved in a character driven novel.I loved the authors first book, Such a Fine Age. It was social satire at its best.
This has everything I should have loved in a character driven novel. But I didn’t love it. To be fair, it’s difficult to make a book featuring a group of college girls and their banal conversations interesting. Fortunately, the excellent writing and the audiobook narrator kept me awake.
This was supposed to be (I think?) about money: who has it and who doesn’t and how this affects their attitudes. Race, power imbalance, sexuality and journalistic ethics come into play. So much potential. But the plot meanders along, tensions build slowly, (too slowly) and the climactic scene fell completely flat. Was the pizza cutter scene supposed to be absurd and funny? I don’t think so but I found it eye-rolling.
I love Reid’s writing but I just couldn’t muster enough interest to care about what happened to any of these characters.
* I received a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own...more
I find Peter Heller’s quiet, contemplative writing incredibly engaging. His books work particularly well on audio, with the incredibly talented and muI find Peter Heller’s quiet, contemplative writing incredibly engaging. His books work particularly well on audio, with the incredibly talented and multiple award-winning narrator, Mark Deakins, narrating of all of Heller’s books.
Heller writes well-developed characters with the theme of man vs nature. Ren is a park ranger at Yellowstone who spends his days patrolling the park and often saving humans from themselves.
How many innocent lives have been lost in service to Instagram?”
And he’s not just talking about human lives.
Along with the beautiful descriptions of Yellowstone and Ren’s musings about man and nature, there’s a mystery when an investigation into local poaching begins. Both human and animal lives are at stake. As always, Heller’s characters are well-developed and nuanced, and the author is able to maintain the tension while deftly inserting his message without coming across as preachy.
Heller is one of my favorite authors. A simple but deceptively powerful novel, and highly recommended!
* I received a digital copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review...more
….wow…if you like characters who are cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, this is the book for you!
I loved it!
Taking place over one week, we have a front row seat….wow…if you like characters who are cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, this is the book for you!
I loved it!
Taking place over one week, we have a front row seat to the unnamed MC’s love obsession with her husband.
On the outside, she is a loving wife, mother, teacher, and translator, but inside….well, she’s something far different.
In her world, everything must be perfect and she obsesses and over-analyzes every little thing people say, do, or look, most especially her husband.
He forgot to say goodnight? He didn’t hold her hand when watching a movie? What does it mean???
During a party game, he says if his wife was a fruit, she’d be a clementine.
WHAT? Reduced to a clementine? How dare he? Clearly she is a peach or a cherry. Obviously, he needs punished. And it’s completely justified because it’s coming from a place of LOVE.
He must be tested. He must follow her (unspoken) rules or there will be (extreme passive-aggressive) consequences.
On motherhood:
“….I’m too busy being in love to be a good mother.”
She only has eyes and time for HER HUSBAND.
This is a strange little book that had me completely enthralled from beginning to end.
There’s something about being inside a deeply flawed character’s mind that I find darkly humorous and entertaining. As the week progresses we discover just how cuckoo she is!
Things come to a head when The Husband tells her they need to talk. This sends her into a downward spiral.
The ending? I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. It was brilliant!
This book is refreshingly different than the same old, same old that we read over and over until they all blend together. This is one you will be unlikely to forget. But, be warned, if you require likable characters and a plot, then avoid!
* Expertly narrated by Kirri Sandy, at 5 hrs 33 min this is an easy one day listen.
* translated from French by Emma Ramadan * Winner of France’s First Novel ...more
Hollis, a famous food blogger (think Ina Garten famous), living on Nantucket, is a new widow, having lost Just what I needed after a dark heavy read!
Hollis, a famous food blogger (think Ina Garten famous), living on Nantucket, is a new widow, having lost her husband in a car accident. She has a strained relationship with her daughter, and is at loose ends as to how to move forward. She decides to host a “Five-Star Weekend” with her guests being her best friend from different stages of her life.
The weekend doesn’t quite go as planned, as each of the women have issues of their own. The setting and the descriptions of the food was enough to carry the story, and the backstories of the friends was enough to give the novel substance, while keeping it light and breezy.
THE WHISPERS: The moments that are trying to tell you something isn’t quite right here. The problem is some women aren’t listening to what t4.5 stars
THE WHISPERS: The moments that are trying to tell you something isn’t quite right here. The problem is some women aren’t listening to what their lives are trying to tell them.”
Parenthood is often depicted in idyllic ways in heavily curated posts on social media and in mommy blogs. Ashley Audrain brings us a far different story. The author admits to going very dark and deep but, as she says, it’s fiction.
During a barbecue in an upscale neighborhood, Whitney is overheard exploding in an ugly fury and hurling cruel words at her 10-year-old son. Shortly afterward, this same child falls from his bedroom window and is now lying in the hospital in a coma with an uncertain prognosis. Was his fall an accident? Did he jump? Or was he pushed?
This incident is the catalyst for exposing the secrets and inner lives of the neighborhood women. The consequences of their choices, as well as their insecurities, suspicions, shameful thoughts, deep-seated anger, and envy of one another is explored. Unsurprisingly, it is not always a pretty picture.
Blair: is struggling with her identity as a SAHM, and suspects her husband is having an affair. Her envy of her neighbor leads her to some shocking actions.
Rebecca: a physician who has suffered multiple miscarriages. Her husband wants to quit trying, but Rebecca has a secret and fears her husband’s reaction. She is depressed and in despair at her inability to carry a child to term. I found her the most sympathetic of all the women and my heart broke for her
Whitney: a career-driven mother of 3 who doesn’t have a maternal bone in her body, especially with her son Xavier. Her regret comes too late. She was the character I most wanted to slap silly.
Mara: an elderly Portuguese immigrant who has watched the neighborhood’s gentrification and is invisible to them. She knows their secrets and has secrets of her own.
My children are grown and even though I’m past the stage of life these women are in, I was still riveted and found the topics explored to be compelling and thought-provoking. (Be aware the author’s descriptions can sometimes be quite crude and cringe-inducing, but thankfully a small part of the story. Perhaps it was a device to highlight how ugly their actions were?) When forced to put the book down, I was thinking about it and couldn’t wait to get back to it.
And that ending! There were a few surprises in store and the last line was explosive.
This would be an excellent book club choice, as my reading buddy, Marialyce and I found much to discuss. Do check out her review....more
Irene, having known much tragedy and loss from a young age, leaves her life in San Francisco, and finds herself in the town of La Esperanza in CentralIrene, having known much tragedy and loss from a young age, leaves her life in San Francisco, and finds herself in the town of La Esperanza in Central America. She begins to heal and build a life in this foreign country.
At first glance, the story is a simple one: a woman flees a tragic past and starts a new life in a new country. But it is so much more than that. Describing the plot would not do the book justice.
The stunning setting with the exotic wildlife and flowers, the Mayan culture and food, the hotel on a lake at the base of a volcano, the wonderful characters who inhabit this island, as well as the travelers passing through who stay at hotel La Llorona, all wormed their way into my heart. However, not all is idyllic, as evil can also exist in the midst of such beauty.
Told in a series of vignettes spanning 4 decades, this was a saga that evoked many emotions in me as I experienced life right alongside Irene. It’s a rare book that justifies over 400 pages, but this story earned every single one of them.
This is the type of writing I can lose myself in, clear and concise. Joyce Maynard’s masterful use of language paints a vivid picture of the place and people, and transported me to a different world.
The novel is set in a fictional Central American country but told from an American expat point of view. The fact that for many years the author has owned property in Guatemala, where she lives part-time, lent the story authenticity.
I was completely enthralled from start to finish and was sad when the last page was turned and I had to leave the world the author created. It's a place I never wanted to leave. 5+ stars
* A buddy read with Marialyce, and one we both highly recommend. A top read of 2023! *The audiobook was narrated by Joyce herself, which was the perfect choice....more
This is a rather melancholic look at a struggling marriage, a failing business, infertility, and the loss of a couple’s hopes and dreams.
A s3.5 stars
This is a rather melancholic look at a struggling marriage, a failing business, infertility, and the loss of a couple’s hopes and dreams.
A strong character-driven novel, there is no propulsive plot to keep you flipping the pages quickly. Instead, it’s one to read slowly and savor the writing and insights into the human heart when life doesn’t turn out as you’d hoped.
The characters are deeply flawed, and I admit I became annoyed at some of their choices. Malcolm is the owner of a struggling bar called The Half Moon and he and his lawyer wife, Jess, are dealing with financial and fertility issues along with infidelity. The story takes place over one week in the midst of a blizzard, utilizing flashbacks to gain an understanding of Malcolm and Jess’s past.
I’m drawn to quiet, contemplative stories about ordinary people dealing with hard things. While this didn’t have quite the impact of the author’s novel, Ask Again, Yes, I did enjoy it. The story is a heavy one, but, thankfully, the ending had a hopeful tone.
• I received a digital copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own...more
Claire Keegan writes achingly beautiful stories using few words. She trusts her readers and allows them to read between the lines to find the deeper mClaire Keegan writes achingly beautiful stories using few words. She trusts her readers and allows them to read between the lines to find the deeper meaning. This is the type of writing that makes me glad to be a reader.
This is a novella, but one that needs to read slowly in order to read between the lines, and absorb what is being left unsaid. It’s a heartbreaking and poignant look at the power of kindness in the life of a young girl who has known only deprivation, and her rebirth after being shown love and kindness.
In one home she is living in abject poverty and seen as a burden, where even the most basics of needs are not met, especially love. In the other home, she is loved and cherished and seen as deserving of good things.
I love an author who trusts her readers. It’s not the things that are spoken that will break your heart, it’s the things that are unspoken. Her sparse prose belies the deep meaning within. The author is able to say so much and leaves you with a story that begs to be pondered.
And, oh that ending….
*I received a digital copy of the e-book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own...more
When writing a review or leaving a comment on a review, I’ve often voiced the sentiment that “no two people read the same book”, and/or “no book is foWhen writing a review or leaving a comment on a review, I’ve often voiced the sentiment that “no two people read the same book”, and/or “no book is for everyone”.
This book takes that sentiment and runs with it, highlighting the life of Alice, the author of the book Theo, along with 9 people who read her book.
This is a book of short stories, with each chapter highlighting a different character who is wounded and broken. The stories often end abruptly, which short stories tend to do. They were fine, but I prefer a bit more depth, humor, and/or tension than these stories provided.
For those of us who are readers, the power of the written word comes as no surprise. It’s not a unique idea that every reader takes away something different from each book they read. We each bring our own life experiences and perspectives to each book we read. So, I didn’t find anything new or fresh in developing this premise and there isn't enough character development among the nine to make me care.
I enjoyed the first story about Alice, the author of Theo, but then the book lost steam. It took me a long while to get through it and I wasn’t drawn to pick it up.
This was a buddy read with Marialyce, do check out her review and see what she thought.
I didn’t love this book as much as many of my GR friends, which simply proves the point that no two people read the same book.
· I received a digital copy of the book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own....more
I made it to 50% before throwing in the towel. I loved the author’s book, Dear Edward, but this one failed to keep my interest and I found it strange I made it to 50% before throwing in the towel. I loved the author’s book, Dear Edward, but this one failed to keep my interest and I found it strange and weird.
It was depressing and slow, with unlikable characters. None of these factors alone is a deal breaker, but combined, it was the kiss of death.
William is the only sympathetic character but I just couldn’t slog through more of the story to find out what happens to him.
For some reason the author wrote the story it as if it was set during the 1940’s or ‘50’s, not the 1980’s, which created confusion.
* I received a digital copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own...more
Meredith hasn’t left her house in three years. She works from home, spending her free time cooking, baking, and working jigsaw puzzles. For company shMeredith hasn’t left her house in three years. She works from home, spending her free time cooking, baking, and working jigsaw puzzles. For company she has Fred, her cat, an online support group, and a few friends who visit. She is not quirky or neurodivergent (which has been overdone so I was grateful), but she has a traumatic past that keeps her at home, afraid to venture outside.
Gradually, Meredith’s world begins to look a little bigger. I appreciated the focus was on healing from trauma and the people who help Meredith along the way. The story is a hopeful one, and a good reminder of the healing power of a network of friends.
I enjoyed reading about Meredith’s journey even though this book has themes that I normally avoid. What really makes this story lovely is Meredith herself. She is likable and a supportive friend to the people in her life, as they were to her. I was firmly in her corner. Recommended!
• The audiobook narrator, Freya Mavor, did an excellent job bringing Meredith to life....more
Loading...
