Review: Skylark (by Paula McLain)

My Rating: 4.5 stars

With her latest novel Skylark, author Paula McLain brings us a gorgeously written tale of survival and resilience that is poignant and heart-wrenching, yet also ultimately hopeful and inspiring. 

Using a dual timeline narrative, McLain starts off with the heartbreaking story of 18-year-old Alouette Voland, the daughter of a master dyer in 1664 Paris who longs to rise above the cruel circumstances she is placed under as a woman in a society of powerful men where, being female, she is expected to obey and do what she is told, to not ask questions, and most importantly, to not step out of bounds by daring to think that she is capable of doing anything outside of the cleaning tasks that she has been relegated to.  Alouette yearns to be as free as the skylark that she is named after, but instead, after her father is framed and arrested, her efforts to save him lead to her being condemned as “hysterical” and “insolent,” which results in her being sentenced to the notorious Salpetriere insane asylum.  In the nightmare of a prison where she is subjected to horrific treatments, Alouette meets other strong and brave women with whom she forges close friendships as they try to help each other survive.  In a second, alternating timeline, Kristoff Larsen is a doctor at a psychiatric hospital in 1939 Paris who decides to join the resistance after the German invasion and subsequent occupation of France leads to devastating consequences for his patients. When his story line begins, Kristoff meets a stranger who introduces him to a series of underground tunnels that runs the expanse of the city and beyond – knowledge that comes in handy when Kristoff’s Jewish neighbors, the Brodskys, are rounded up by the authorities and he becomes the family’s only hope to help their teenaged daughter Sasha escape. Both timelines feature unforgettable characters who embark on harrowing journeys filled with hardships and impossible decisions.  I was captivated by both stories and was so invested in the characters that I found myself feeling the emotional ups-and-downs of their journeys keenly. 

Being a fan, I’ve read a lot of historical fiction featuring dual timelines, but this one is different in that the connection between the two timelines is way more subtle. Most of the time, I felt like I was reading two completely unrelated stories and when I got to the end, I actually had to think a bit (and do some re-reading) before I saw the connection, which is a different experience from what I’m used to with these types of alternating narratives.  Not a bad thing of course, I just felt the structure was interesting, as it seemed that each timeline perhaps could’ve been separated out into its own full-length novel, which I personally would’ve preferred because I was so attached to some of the characters that I wanted more of their story.

It's been awhile since I’ve read such absorbing, transportive historical fiction and this book reminded me why I love the genre so much.  Of course, it also helped that McLain’s writing is stunning and her characters are so realistically rendered that they felt like real people to me, which made the atrocities they endured particularly difficult to read about. 

With its beautiful writing, nuanced storyline, and courageous characters whom you can’t help but root for, this haunting read is one I know will stay with me for a while to come.  After finishing this book, I immediately put McLain’s backlist on my TBR and hope to experience more of works soon!

Received ARC from Atria Books via Netgalley

Review: What We Left Unsaid (by Winnie M. Li)

My Rating: 4 stars

As I sit down to write this review, it dawns on me that I have now read two road trip themed books back-to-back -- while this was definitely unintentional, I appreciate how different the experience reading each book was. Specifically, what I found most interesting was seeing how two authors from entirely different backgrounds take the same road trip theme in completely opposite directions, yet if we look closely, both books actually share something else in common: they are both timely and poignant responses to the chaotic nature of the world we live in currently, which is a connection I was not expecting, but I’m glad I got to experience.

Winnie M. Li mentions in her Acknowledgments note that the idea for her novel What We Left Unsaid was sparked by her realization that, as a Taiwanese-American who grew up in the United States, she “had never done the Great American Road Trip – and was maybe missing out on some seminal life experience,” so she gathered her partner Sam and her two year old son Timo and together, went on a three week road trip to do “research” for this book.  The result is a profound and eye-opening exploration of not just family, race, and culture, but also what it means to be an American, especially one of foreign descent.

Li’s fictional story revolves around the 3 Chu siblings: Bonnie, the ever-responsible eldest sister who married into wealth and lives in the Massachusetts suburbs with her husband Chris and 3 sons; Kevin, the precious middle son living a well-to-do life with this family in Chicago; and Alex, the free-spirited and rebellious baby sister who lives with her partner Nya in London.  All three of them are called back home to California, where their parents live, when their mother becomes gravely ill.  But before they are allowed to visit, their mother makes an odd request – she wants them to complete the road trip to the Grand Canyon that their family was in the middle of 30 years ago, but ended up aborting due to an incident that had occurred on their way there.  So the Chu siblings decide to do a road trip via Route 66, with a stop at the Grand Canyon before heading to California.  In chapters that alternate between past and present, and told from the perspectives of each sibling, the present-day road trip is juxtaposed with the one from their childhood, with the details of that long-ago incident revealed bit by bit over the course of the story.

This was a story that resonated deeply with me – not the road trip part of course, as I dislike driving in general and my motion sickness makes riding in a car for hours on end unfathomable.  Rather, what I connected with most were the three siblings’ experiences growing up in a Chinese immigrant household and the various cultural nuances that influence the family’s dynamics – specifically, the issues with communication amongst the various family members that cause so many misunderstandings in the story. To this point, I feel that the author, Winnie M. Li, captured our culture’s reticence and propensity towards silence perfectly.  Indeed, the title What We Left Unsaid is extremely fitting:  not only does it refer to the incident that happened on the aborted Grand Canyon trip, but more specifically, it is a particularly apt explanation of the simultaneously fraught yet loving dynamic that underlies each sibling’s individual relationship with their parents – relationship dynamics that I’m more than familiar with due to the outsized role they play in my own life everyday. In fact, at so many points throughout the story, I couldn’t help nodding my head in recognition at many of the familiar thoughts, feelings, and experiences that the characters go through as they reflect on both their place in the family as well as within society. 

Overall, I enjoyed reading this one, even though, admittedly, some parts were uncomfortable to read, precisely because the scenario hit too close to home -- looking back at it now, I appreciate the way reading about these dynamics made me reflect on my own family situation and relationships.  I would definitely recommend this book, though with the caveat that, undoubtedly, each reader’s reaction to it will be different. While I agree with some of the same things that other readers found annoying with the story (for example – Kevin and Alex’s constant bickering, which got on my nerves at times), I feel this was a worthwhile read overall, and also a timely one given our current environment.

 

Received ARC from Atria/Emily Bestler Books via NetGalley.

Review: The Story She Left Behind (by Patti Callahan Henry)

My Rating: 4.5 stars

I am officially back!  I completed my final classes for my Master’s degree last week and while I’m admittedly relieved, I’m also feeling a bit off-kilter – not surprising given that I’ve spent nearly every day of the past two years doing some form of schoolwork.  I’m not complaining per se, as I did truly enjoy all of my classes and also the exposure to so much great literature that I probably would not have picked up otherwise.  What I didn’t like (aside from the stress of having to juggle work + school + family obligations) was the lack of “leisure” reading time during these two years – for a perfectionist like myself, not being able to “get to” the list of books that I plan to read every month is stressful in and of itself, so in that sense, I’m glad to finally have my reading life back (though I definitely have A LOT of catching up to do in the next few months due to how badly I fell behind in my reading goals, especially this year). 

As I slowly but surely get back up to speed, I decided to start with a book that has been on my list since the beginning of the year: Patti Callahan Henry’s newest release The Story She Left Behind.  I had read Henry’s previous novel The Secret Book of Flora Lea two years ago for book club and really enjoyed it, so this newest work was highly anticipated and in the end, it did not disappoint.  Though this is a very different book from her previous one (and not related in any way to that book), the premise is similar in that at the center of the story are a mysterious disappearance, charming characters, an enchanting countryside setting, multiple book-related plot points, and emotionally resonant storytelling that had me captivated to the point that I honestly could not put this book down.  This time around, the “disappearance” involves the main protagonist Clara Harrington’s mother, a child prodigy author who leaves her husband and young daughter behind in Bluffton, South Carolina one morning in 1927 and never returns, shattering their lives forever.  Twenty-five years later, Clara is an artist and illustrator and has an eight-year-old daughter of her own named Wynnie, whom she named after the mother she still yearns for after so many years.  So it is that when Clara receives a phone call from Charlie Jameson, a man in London who claims to have discovered a dictionary containing her mother’s secret language, she decides to go retrieve it.  Later, due to the disastrous weather, Clara and Wynnie escape to the Jameson family’s picturesque countryside retreat in the Lake District, where Clara not only finds love and friendship, but also the courage to finally unravel the mystery behind her mother’s disappearance and the story that she left behind.

Henry writes the story in a lyrical prose that is both descriptive and atmospheric, giving the story a delightfully immersive quality that definitely made me feel transported to the picturesque countryside location that Clara and Wynnie find themselves in. One of the things I love about Henry’s writing is the way she is able to infuse subtle elements of magic and mystery to a story, yet still firmly root it in the real world through its historical aspects.  The way she writes her characters – endearing, yet flawed (sometimes frustratingly so) – also adds emotional depth to the story.  With that said, I did find some of the plot points a tad bit predictable (i.e.: I figured out the “mystery” part pretty early in the story and already had a feeling how it would end), but this didn’t detract from the story, at least not for me. 

Overall, I enjoyed this one immensely and would definitely want to read what Henry writes next, especially if it is in the same vein as this story or the previous one.  I also want to say that even though I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley, I also bought a physical copy of it because of the beautiful cover art and that’s the version I ended up reading – for me, this enhanced the reading experience quite a bit, so I would recommend this option if possible.

Received ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley.

Review: My Friends (by Fredrik Backman)

My Rating: 5 stars

This year has been a chaotic one for me: in addition to being super busy at work, I’ve also had some family issues I had to take care of, plus my own health issues I had to attend to – on top of all that, I’m on the final stretch of my Master’s degree journey, taking several classes all at once so I can finish in time to graduate in September.  With so much going on, my “leisure” reading life has unfortunately taken a hit, resulting in me falling behind on my reading goals. While I have been able to squeeze in a few books here and there, I haven’t been able to read as much as I would like.  With that said however, I hope to be back in full force come September, as I will be done with school and everything else should be sorted out by then.

Now even though I’ve been so busy, that has not stopped me from making time to read the latest novel from one of my all-time favorite authors, Fredrik Backman.  Yes, Backman has another book out (released this month, in fact) called My Friends and it is SPECTACTULAR!  I honestly don’t have words to express how much I love this book (though I guess the fact that I got 4 different versions of this book – including a signed version!!! -- is proof enough?)

As is the case with all of Backman’s novels, this one is absolutely an emotional roller coaster where I found myself laughing hysterically one minute and bawling like a baby the next.  In his signature style, Backman takes us on a poignant, heartfelt journey of 4 teenaged friends who form an unbreakable bond so deep and powerful that it ends up changing the life of a complete stranger 25 years later.  In all of Backman’s novels, the emotional core of the story lies in the characters, all of whom are tremendously flawed, with lives that are messy and oftentimes dysfunctional, yet you can’t help falling in love with them and rooting for them regardless of what happens.  I don’t know how he does it, but with all his characters, Backman is always able to capture the essence of what it means to be human, and portray human relationships in a way that resonates deeply and emotionally.  To me, his characters are always so real and yes, always, always unforgettable!

Those who are familiar with Backman’s style already know that this will be a story that is at once heartwarming yet also heart-wrenching.  In this story, there is sadness and pain, violence and heartbreak, loss and suffering, yet there is also hope and healing, resilience and redemption, humor and warmth, and yes, loads of laughter and love.

If you believe in finding hope even in the face of loss and suffering, if you believe in finding humor in the most unexpected of places, if you believe in the transformative power of art to connect people across generations, but most of all, if you believe in the ability of deep and unwavering friendship to heal wounds and transcend the worst impulses of human behavior, then you need to pick up this book.  Read this one with an open heart, but also have a box of Kleenex by your side because you will definitely need it!

Received ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley.

Review: The River We Remember (by William Kent Krueger)

My Rating:  4.5 stars

I loved William Kent Krueger's previous stand- alone novel This Tender Land and since finishing that book, I've been highly anticipating his next one for some time. Though he did release 2 Cork O'Connor novels in between, I hadn't started reading that series yet, so I didn't read those 2 when they came out (I'm very particular when it comes to book series and prefer to start from the first book as much as possible).  Of course, it should come as no surprise then, that when I heard his newest novel, The River We Remember, would be another standalone, I knew I had to read it as soon as possible.  I'm happy to say that the wait was well worth it, as Krueger gives us another poignant, atmospheric, multi-layered story with complex, nuanced characters.  In the Editor's Letter at the beginning of the novel, Krueger's editor Peter Borland introduces the book this way:  "This is a spellbinding novel that asks big questions about justice, redemption, and the fragile ties that bind a community together. In this book more than any of his others, Kent shows us that heroes have flaws, villains have virtues, and our lives are made better when we can feel compassion instead of hatred for our enemies."  Such a fitting description that perfectly encapsulates this brilliantly-written story!

The story starts on Memorial Day 1958, in a small town called Jewel, located in Black Earth County, Minnesota, where the Alabaster River "runs seventy miles before crossing the border into Iowa."   When the body of Jimmy Quinn, the richest man in the county who also owns most of the land in the area, is found in said river, it sets off a series of events that profoundly changes this small rural community. The gruesome death triggers an investigation by the town's local sheriff Brody Dern (who is also the story's main protagonist).  As we follow the investigation that forms the "mystery" at the heart of the story, we soon come to understand that the narrative is actually much more complicated than what we initially thought.  In essence, this story is an exploration of life in a small, tight-knit community where things are never as simple as they seem and one event can cause underlying tensions to rise to the surface. Krueger covers a lot of ground here in terms of bringing to light many of the issues in society — such as the deep-seated prejudices resulting from the lingering effects of war, the country's history of mistreatment toward Native Americans and indigenous population, the divide between rich and poor, family conflict and dysfunction, abuse and trauma and grief, etc.  

There is a large cast of characters, all of whom are realistically portrayed in that they are flawed and morally ambiguous, with things in their pasts that they have to constantly contend with while dealing with present struggles that they try to overcome.  Also, as with most of Krueger's stories, the setting here — in the form of both time and place — plays a hugely important role in the narrative arc.  Even though it has been over a decade since the end of WWII, the wounds from the war still run deep in Black Earth County, which has the effect of shaping the attitudes and behaviors of its residents.  I mentioned the Alabaster River earlier, which has such an outsized role in the story that it can essentially be considered a character itself.  One of the things that always stands out to me in Krueger's works is his ability to incorporate the local landscape to great effect and also write about it in a way that makes us (the readers) care about it as much as the characters do.  I'm not much of a "nature" reader in the sense that I typically get bored with too much description of physical settings (i.e.: natural habitats and surrounding areas), but the way Krueger does it, I always find myself being drawn in — no doubt this is a testament to Krueger's powerful writing and storytelling.

Needless to say, I recommend picking this one up, though be forewarned that the book deals with some difficult topics, so trigger warnings abound.  Krueger fans definitely won't be disappointed with the masterful storytelling and the unforgettable characters presented here.

Received ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley.

Review: The Invisible Hour (by Alice Hoffman)

My Rating:  4 stars

I had heard so many great things about Alice Hoffman's works, but didn't get the chance to read anything by her until now.  Hoffman's newest book, The Invisible Hour, is a beautifully written story that covers so much ground theme-wise.  It is about a mother's undying love for her daughter, about the freedom of choice and defying the restrictions that society places on women, about love, heartbreak, self-discovery, found families, and what I loved most of all:  the enduring power of books and the myriad ways they can affect those who read them.  I'm sure many an avid reader will be able to recall an example of when the right book came into their lives at exactly the right time that resulted in a profound change or impact in some way.  In the case of the main protagonist in this story, Mia Jacob, the book is The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne — a book that not only (literally) saves her life, but also goes beyond that in its ability to provide profound clarity and meaning as the book accompanies her through her journey of self-discovery.

Hoffman weaves in time travel and magical realism to great effect here.  The first part of the story is set in an undefined "here and now" in Boston, Massachusetts, where Ivy Jacob, a young girl from a wealthy family, finds herself pregnant and alone after her boyfriend abandons her and her parents threaten to send her away as well as put the baby up for adoption.  Ivy runs away and ends up on a farm in rural Massachusetts, which turns out to be an oppressive cult called the Community, run by a charismatic but dangerous man named Joel Davis.  Ivy marries Joel and gives birth to her daughter, Mia.  The Community has strict rules and people who reside there are often subject to harsh punishments for the slightest infraction — punishments that usually involve public humiliation of some sort, such as having their hair forcefully cut or having a letter branded on their bodies.  When Mia commits the cardinal sin of reading books in secret (books are considered evil and are banned in the Community), she finds herself in an untenable situation where she must take matters into her own hands.  The second part of the story is set in 1837, in Salem, Massachusetts, and focuses on Nathaniel Hawthorne's life in the years prior to him writing the novel that would make home famous.  In part three of the story is where both worlds collide in ways that are interesting and unexpected, yet follow a trajectory that is careful about not altering history.

This was a book that I couldn't help being immersed in the entire time I was reading it, even though stories with time travel and magical realism aren't usually my jam.  I think much of this had to do with Hoffman's exquisite writing and brilliant storytelling, which wove the historical and fantastical elements together in a compelling fashion (though I have to say that I was a bit ambivalent about the ending).  When I finished the book, my first thought was to marvel at how Hoffman pulled this story off in a way that felt both magical and historically believable, while also incorporating timely commentary on societal issues.  Of course, this was also a wonderful tribute to books and reading. 

What a great first experience with Hoffman's works!  This definitely got me interested in reading her other books at some point.

Oh, also, for those who decide to pick this one up, there's a moving, gorgeously written Author's Letter at the beginning of the book that is absolutely not to be missed.  

Received ARC from Atria Books via Edelweiss

Review: The Many Daughters of Afong Moy (by Jamie Ford)

My Rating:  4.5 stars

Jamie Ford is one of my favorite authors, so it shouldn't come as a surprise how delighted I was to get my hands on an advance reader's copy of his newest novel, The Many Daughters of Afong Moy.  In his newest work, just as he has done with his previous novels, Ford takes an event or a person in history and builds a compelling story around it, all while paying homage to his Chinese ancestry and heritage.  I love this aspect of his works.  With that said though, this book is actually a bit of a departure from Ford's prior historical fiction works in that it leans more heavily into areas of science and technology as well as spirituality and philosophy. This book is quite a bit more complex than his other novels, which is fine, but I think it's beneficial to know that going into this one, especially since it has the potential to affect the reading experience.  

For me, I had never actually heard of epigenetics prior to reading this book and even now, after reading up on the subject after finishing the book, I still don't really understand what it is, to be very honest.  While the mechanics of this science and all the terminology went completely over my head, I did catch onto the overarching concept of inherited generational trauma, which played a huge role throughout the entire story.  

The science part aside, there were plenty other aspects to the story that I loved:  the historical and cultural elements, the beautiful writing, the meticulous storytelling, and of course, the wonderfully rendered characters.  I was fascinated by the interwoven stories of the seven generations of Moy women (Afong, Lai King, Faye, Zoe, Greta, Dorothy, Annabel) in a narrative that spanned several time lines and settings — from Baltimore in 1836, to San Francisco in 1892, to England in 1927, to China in 1942, to Seattle in 2014, 2045, and 2086.  Truly this is a narrative that covers past, present, and future, with strong female protagonists at its core, each with moving, poignant backstories where they endure a defining, traumatic event— these are characters I couldn't help rooting for, even when their actions and some of the decisions they made gave me pause.

Overall, I appreciated how ambitious this book was and while I didn't always understand exactly what I was reading, it was hard not to be drawn in by Ford's masterful storytelling.  Though this wasn't my favorite of his novels (my favorite remains Love and Other Consolation Prizes), it was still a fantastic read that I wholeheartedly recommend.  Not sure how long we'll need to wait for Ford's next book, but I absolutely look forward to what he may have for us next!

Received ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley.

Review: Bomb Shelter (by Mary Laura Philpott)

My Rating:  3.5 stars

I read this for book club and overall, I enjoyed this well-written and witty memoir-in-essays.  Mary Laura Philpott begins the book with the incident that changes her life (and that of her family) forever:  the medical emergency that wakens her in the middle of the night, where she finds her teenage son unconscious on the bathroom floor. In the aftermath, Philpott wonders whether she she should've seen warning signs of her son's condition, but more broadly, she ponders the limitations of the human ability to protect and keep those we love safe.  A self-admitted lifelong worrier, yet also possessing a sunny disposition that helps her balance her anxious thoughts by focusing on the bright side of things, Philpott looks back at various aspects of her life and explores essential questions related to love, family, relationships, anxiety, death, fear, etc. — basically all the realities of human existence.

While reading this, I definitely appreciated the many insights that Philpott conveyed as well as the way she approached so many tough issues with a sense of humor.  In exploring various situations that occurred in her life, Philpott is candid and doesn't shy away from showing her vulnerability and insecurities in her roles as wife, mother, daughter, friend, or just as an ordinary person trying to live her life as best she can, in a challenging world.  There were a few essays that I related to more than others, and some I ended up skimming because I found it difficult to maintain my focus (most likely because that particular essay's subject matter didn't appeal to me).  I especially loved the essays about the turtles and also the peculiar behavior of the family dog, which I found hilarious.  The meditation chapter made me chuckle and, not surprisingly, it quickly became one of my favorite essays in the book.

Even though not all of the essays spoke to me, I still recommend reading this one, as I really enjoy Philpott's style of writing and the way she is able to infuse humor when relaying difficult topics, but in a way that is respectful and doesn't make light of the seriousness of some situations.  I would definitely be interested in reading more of Philpott's works at some point.

Received ARC from Atria via NetGalley. 

Review: The Winners (by Fredrik Backman)

My Rating:  5 stars



A couple days ago, I received a surprise in my email box that made me squeal with delight.  An advance copy of a book that I've been dying to read since January but didn't think I would get the chance to until October, landed unexpectedly in my inbox and my first reaction was to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming (I wasn't). My second reaction (after I stopped screaming of course, lol), was trying to decide whether to forego all upcoming reads that I had lined up (including anything I was currently reading) so I could jump on this one right away — which is exactly what I ended up doing.  The book I'm referring to is Fredrik Backman's The Winners, which is the third (and final) book in the Beartown series.  I read Beartown and its sequel Us Against You for the first time back in January and fell absolutely head over heels in love with the story as well as the characters.  I loved both books and when I heard that the last book in the series would come out in the fall of this year, I was agonizingly counting down the days until I could get my hands on a copy (given this context, it probably makes sense now why I was so delighted to have received an ARC so many months in advance of publication)!  As is usually the case when I pick up one of Backman's novels (not to mention this one being Beartown-related), I knew I would be so absorbed in the story that I wouldn't be able to tear myself away, so I decided to start this on a Saturday, which would give me the entire weekend to read non-stop if it came down to that (a sensible decision, especially when I saw that this book clocks in at nearly 700 pages!).   In the end, I finished this one in a matter of hours, which is nothing short of a miracle for me (though worth every single minute I spent on it). 

The story opens 2 years after the last events in Us Against You where, in addition to being reunited with all the beloved characters from the first 2 books, we are also introduced to a few new ones who, by the end of the book, still managed to find a place in my heart despite their relatively brief appearances.  Going into this third book, I was already expecting it to be an emotionally charged read for me, just like the previous 2 books were, but what I wasn't expecting was the extent of the emotional impact — perhaps because, not long after the story opens, it hits me that this will actually be my last opportunity to spend time with these characters that I had grown to love so much, or perhaps because I already had an idea of the tragedy that would occur at the conclusion of the story (even though the previous 2 books had already dropped hints as to what the fates would be of certain characters and so I had time to brace for impact, it didn't make the moment, when it occurred, any less heart wrenching). Perhaps it was also my mindset going into this, knowing it was going to be the final chapter to a beloved series, it made each moment — whether happy, sad, sweet, upsetting — feel much more pronounced and poignant.  I was actually quite conflicted while reading this because on the one hand, I didn't want to let these characters go, so part of me wanted to read slowly and prolong my time with them, but then on the other hand, I was eager to find out what was going to happen and whether they would be okay in the end.

I am going to keep this review deliberately short, as it is incredibly difficult to talk about any of the plot points that occur without giving away too much of the story (especially if you haven't yet read the previous 2 books in the series).  To be honest, I feel that the blurb describing the book already reveals too much — if you decide to pick this one up, especially if you've already read the first 2 books and are as big a fan of the series as I am, I would recommend not even reading the blurb and going straight into the book itself (I know for me, the mere fact of this being "Beartown #3" was enough for me to dive right in, lol).  And if it so happens that you haven't read the first 2 books yet (I only just read them earlier this year myself, even though both books have been out for quite some time already), definitely read those 2 first before attempting his one, as being able to see all the characters grow and evolve throughout all 3 books makes the reading experience so much more special.  Also, if you do decide to pick this one up, just make sure you have some tissues handy because while the events that happened in this one were a fitting conclusion to the entire series (I loved how Backman brilliantly and masterfully  brought the story arc full circle), it was also sad and bittersweet.  

It's not often that I rate all the books in a series 5 stars, but this one absolutely deserves it!  I'm not much of a re-reader nowadays, as I already don't have a whole lot of time to read in general due to work and family priorities, so I prefer to spend that time chipping away at my ridiculously huge TBR of first time reads, but this is a series that I can totally see myself re-reading at some point, which says a lot about how much I loved the entire series.  

Received ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley.

Review: No Land to Light On (by Yara Zgheib)

 

My Rating: 3 stars

I'm a little torn on this one.  The story, which revolved around a Syrian couple caught up in the travel ban against Muslim countries back in 2017, definitely had a lot of potential.  In fact, the story actually started off strong -- I was immediately sympathetic to Sama and Hadi's situation and was absorbed in how things would play out for them.  However, a few chapters in, the story seemed to unravel a bit in terms of plot and some things started to not make much sense.  Even so, I continued to stick with it, as I felt the characters were well-drawn and their story was an important one to tell.  Indeed, what happened to both of the characters was heartbreaking and in detailing their plight, especially the various injustices that they had to endure, I felt that the author, Yara Zgheib, did a good job making the story emotionally resonant, to the point that I couldn't help but root for the characters, even if there were times when I didn't agree with their actions.

With all that said though, I did have some issues with this one that made the reading experience a little bit of a struggle for me.  The issues were mostly with the structure and the writing, which made parts of the story confusing and hard to follow.  Structure-wise, the story was mostly told through Sama's and Hadi's alternating perspectives, which wasn't unusual, but the mode kept switching too, between first person, second person, and third person points-of-view, sometimes all in the same chapter, which to me, was a bit too much.  In terms of the dialogue, that too was done in a way that was different -- some of the dialogue was in quotes while some of it wasn't and it seemed to be randomly done throughout the story (at least I wasn't able to figure out any particular rhyme or reason to it).  I had actually read Zgheib's debut novel The Girls at 17 Swann Street back in 2019 and while I liked that book quite a bit, I remember mentioning in my review at the time that the structure was odd because some scenes were written in ways that were intertwined to the point that it was hard to tell where one moment ended and the next one began.  Interestingly enough, I saw nearly the exact same structure issue with this book as well, which leads me to think that perhaps this is just the way this author writes? 

As if that weren't enough though, the prose throughout the story was what I would describe as overly "flowery" and metaphorical -- normally I wouldn't have a problem with this, but in this case, it was way overdone and had the effect of making the story too abstract -- to the point that, with some sections, I would finish reading several pages and have no idea what just happened.  I have nothing against flowery language and actually feel that it works well in certain situations, but it can't be at the expense of the story and the plot, which was what happened here, as I felt like I kept having to unravel the metaphorical language and interpret what the author was trying to say -- this distracted from the story and also made the overall reading experience too exhausting for me.

One more thing about the structure that confused me was how there were excerpts from what looked to be a paper about bird migratory patterns (which I'm going to assume was Sama's dissertation, since the backstory scenes indicated that she studied anthropology and wrote a paper on birds) scattered throughout the story.  While I get that the author likely included those snippets as an analogy for the immigrant experience (since the entire premise of the story was about the immigration system in the U.S. after all), I honestly didn't see the relevance from the technical details provided in those sections.  After a few times, I ended up skipping those sections and not even reading them, since they were unnecessary to the understanding of the rest of the story.

Overall, I think this one had the potential to be a powerful story, but the not-so-good execution (with its odd structure and overuse of metaphorical language) made the narrative come across as too fragmented and disjointed.   As I mentioned earlier, there were some parts of the story that I felt were done well and this was definitely a story worth telling in my opinion (which is why I didn't rate this one lower than I probably would have in other circumstances).  I feel like this was one of those instances where an inexperienced author tried to do way too much -- i.e. play with structure and language, employ as many literary devices as possible, etc., while trying to write about a heavy, controversial topic that naturally required incorporating social and political commentary as well.  Instead of having the intended effect, it ended up feeling like the story was all over the place. 

It looks like this one has been a mixed bag so far in terms of reviews, so I would suggest checking out some of the other reviews to get a better feel for whether this is one you would want to pick up, since some of the things that bothered me about the structure might not be an issue for others.

Received ARC from Atria Books via Edelweiss.

Review: Eight Perfect Hours (by Lia Louis)

My Rating:  4 stars

As I'm sure it has been for many, I found the past two months to be especially difficult and stressful — part of this is because of everything going on in the world right now and the resulting negativity that seems to have permeated every corner of the globe.  On a personal level, having to deal with various concerns and issues related to work and family has been tremendously draining, to the point that, most days, I feel too exhausted to do anything that requires any level of sustained concentration.  Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, this has also started to affect my reading life in that my inability to focus has made reading certain types of books more challenging.  It also didn't help that my last couple of reads have been more on the heavy side, with a few that actually bordered on depressing.  

Given all of the above, I was at the point where I was in desperate need of a "palette cleanser"-type read that would help me forget about my worries (albeit temporarily) and hopefully get my reading life back on track. It is within this context that I decided to pick up Lia Louis's forthcoming release Eight Perfect Hours to read, even though a) I'm not usually a fan of romances, especially rom-coms,  b) I'm a bit of a cynic when it comes to relationships and so I'm not too keen on sappy, cliched, angsty love stories, and c) this book was pretty low on my "priority" list to read right now due to the fact that it publishes at the end of September and I have a slew of ARCs publishing before this one that I also need to get to.  But like I said earlier, I needed something that would get me out of this reading funk that I'd found myself in, and having read (and enjoyed) Louis's previous book Dear Emmie Blue, I figured at least I'm reading a familiar-to-me author.  Well, this one turned out to be a great choice!

As far as heartwarming romances go, Eight Perfect Hours definitely checks all the boxes. While the story itself wasn't too original (and yes, the plot was absolutely predictable — everything panned out pretty much as I thought it would), I still enjoyed this one quite a lot (both from the story and characters perspectives).  One thing I noticed from reading Louis's previous book and now this one is that she has the ability to create realistic, relatable characters who are tremendously flawed and sometimes do frustrating things, yet we can't help but love them anyway (this goes for the main characters as well as the side ones).  With Noelle, the main protagonist in the story, I didn't always agree with her every decision, but I understood her struggles — of being torn between responsibility to family versus pursuing her own dreams, of feeling like she wasn't being seen, of living her life more for others than for herself, etc. — because I've experienced the same throughout my life, so I could definitely relate.  This was also one of the reasons why I found myself rooting for Noelle throughout the story, even though I already knew she would most definitely find her way to a happy ending (this is a romance after all).  And just like with Dear Emmie Blue, I loved all the side characters in this one nearly as much as I loved the main characters — the wonderful chemistry that all the characters had was a bonus that made this one all the more enjoyable.

Another aspect that I liked about this one was that the author was able to strike a good balance between lighthearted moments and the more serious ones, which I felt made this both a fun read as well as one with good emotional depth.  

For those who enjoy rom-coms, I definitely recommend this one.  Yes, the plot is predictable and there are romantic cliches galore, but the characters are endearing and the story overall is quite charming.  For me, this was exactly the "pick-me-up" I needed to get me out of my reading slump during this time.  I'm glad I decided to read this one!

Received ARC from Atria / Emily Bestler books via NetGalley

Review: The Paris Library (by Janet Skeslien Charles)

My Rating: 4 stars

This felt like such a perfect read!  As a book lover, I'm of course drawn to stories about libraries and book stores, but the added bonus with this story is that it also covers one of my favorite genres: historical fiction.  Based on real life people and events, this dual timeline narrative tells the story of the American Library in Paris and the efforts of its staff to keep the library open during the German occupation of France in World War II. The main narrative in the past is told from the perspective of Odile Souchet, the 20-year-old daughter of a police commissioner who gets her dream job working at the Library — she quickly grows close to the staff she meets at the library and together, they join the effort to fight the Nazis the best way they know how: through the power of literature.  In a second timeline interspersed throughout the story, teenager Lily lives in a small town in Montana in the 1980s — lonely and bored, Lily's curiosity is piqued by the elderly woman living next door to her, a widow named Odile Gustafson who mostly keeps to herself, yet has a sophisticated nature about her that stands out in such a small town.  Discovering that they share a lot in common, Lily and Odile strike up a friendship that grows into a special bond as Lily learns more and more about Odile's past and the circumstances that caused her to leave France.

When I first picked this book up, knowing that it would be historical fiction set during WWII, I admit that I was expecting a very different type of story.  Given the subject matter, I thought the story would be bleak and depressing, but while there was certainly sadness, the overall tone was hopeful and uplifting.  Having said that, I definitely preferred the past narrative to the present one, as I loved reading about the library and what went on, plus the characters were wonderfully drawn (it was fascinating to read the Author's Note at the end and find out which characters were actually real people). With the present narrative, the aspect I appreciated most was the special friendship between Odile and Lily, the connection they had, and how we find out towards the end the significance of the two of them entering each other's lives at the times they did.

This is a book that I would definitely recommend, as it is absorbing, engaging, and absolutely atmospheric — a lovely story from an angle that doesn't get covered much in the canon of WWII fiction.  I appreciate how the author didn't gloss over the serious stuff — the grueling history of that time period and some of the atrocities that took place — but at the same time, didn't take a heavy-handed approach either.  It's not often that I feel compelled to do additional research after reading a book, but this one definitely did — I was so fascinated by the story that I wanted to read more about the Library and the real-life people who had made things happen.  To me, that's as sure an indication as any as to how much I liked this book!  In addition to looking forward to this author's next book, I also hope to check out her acclaimed debut at some point!

Received ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley

Review: Anxious People (by Fredrik Backman)

My Rating: 5 stars

I've been wanting to read a Fredrik Backman book for a while now (I have pretty much all of his previous works on my TBR), but hadn't found the time to do so until recently when I was approved for an ARC of his latest novel Anxious People (which is scheduled for publication next month).  Of course, I had high expectations going into this one given the reputation of the author — well, after I finished reading, my first reaction was:  Wow!  Now I know why Backman is such a beloved author to so many (my second reaction was:  I need to go back and read all his previous books, like asap!).

 

This book was so unlike anything I've read before.  On the one hand, this was a sad story where each character had at least one (in some cases more) issue they were trying to deal with -- issues "serious" enough so as to make their lives seem utterly miserable and hopeless: be it a painful memory from their past that they were trying to suppress, worries over an uncertain future after entering a new stage in life, fear of losing loved ones due to circumstances beyond one's control, feeling helpless in the face of life's many injustices, etc.  There were also some "heavy" topics explored in the story, such as death, suicide, divorce, betrayal, emotional and psychological distress, etc.  But yet, this was not a "heavy" read at all – in fact, truth be told, this was actually one of the funniest books I've ever read!   Yes, I know it sounds odd – after all, how can a story be so sad and heartrending one minute, to the point that I'm tearing up, yet so witty and hilarious the next minute that I found myself laughing until my insides hurt?   Therein lies the brilliance in the way Backman crafted the story – the topics were heavy, yet the light-hearted tone in which this was written didn't diminish the issues in any way...in fact, it did the opposite in that it actually made me pay more attention to the circumstances that caused the characters to be in the predicaments they ended up in. 

 

Speaking of the characters, they were another reason why I loved this book so much.  All the characters were so brilliantly written – every behavior, emotion, quirk, personality flaw, etc was so spot-on!  Also, each character had distinctive personalities, yet their experiences and behaviors were so relatable and resonant on a personal level that with every single character, I actually found something in common either with myself or with someone in my life (in fact, I was nodding my head so often when I came across some familiar trait / habit / circumstance with the characters that I ended up with a neck cramp after I finished reading, lol).  If I had to sum up this book, I would say that, in essence, this is an ingeniously-told, character-driven story that, at its heart, explores the trials and tribulations of what it means to be human. 

 

Another thing I loved about this book was its cleverness in terms of structure.  On the surface, it sounded like a really simple story – so simple in fact that, after the first 10 pages or so, I thought for sure the story was over, as what else was there to tell?  A lot, it turned out!  The "simple" story turned into multiple seemingly unrelated threads, with various tidbits of information added here and there as the story progressed that seemed to alter the narrative slightly -- just when I thought I had things figured out, well, it turns out I had nothing figured out at all!  The way all the variant threads came together so perfectly and flawlessly at the end, I only have FIVE WORDS* to describe my reaction:  Fredrik Backman is a genius! (*inside joke for those who read the book).

 

If this review sounds a bit vague, note that this was done on purpose, as nothing I say (or write) about this book will be able to do it justice.  You need to experience this wonderful book for yourself – and sooner rather than later!   Oh and if you're like me, who usually only skims the Acknowledgements section after finishing the book, you may want to actually read this one, as it was as much fun as reading the book itself!

 

Received ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley.

 

Review: Musical Chairs (by Amy Poeppel)

My Rating:  5 stars

This was such a charming, delightful read!  I honestly can't remember the last time I had so much fun reading a book (years at least!).  From the story to the characters to the plot to the descriptive writing (and everything in between), there were so many things I adored about this book that I honestly don't know if I can do it justice even with a lengthy review.  Where do I even start?  Ok, perhaps with one of the elements that made this story so good:  the quirky, yet realistically drawn characters who, despite their flaws, turned out to be so endearing.  I love the fact that the two central characters in this story, Bridget and Will, have such a unique, special, long-standing relationship — one that transcends both friendship and romance and instead is akin to family, with a shared bond closer even than siblings.  To say that the family dynamics in this story are complicated is an understatement — I would say that "dysfunctional" is a better term to describe this family, albeit in a completely lovable and irresistibly charming way.  I adored nearly every character in here (both human and pet alike, lol, though of course, special shout-out to Ronaldo, the funniest parrot on the planet in my opinion).   Some would say that there were too many characters in the story and it was hard to keep track, but I was actually fine with it, as I appreciated the different perspectives that each character brought to the story.  In fact, I'm glad the author, Amy Poeppel, structured the story the way she did — basically allowing us to see the various events from each character's viewpoint while at the same time giving us insight into the characters' backgrounds.

The other thing I loved about this story was the humor.  Most people may prefer "deliberately funny," but I'm actually more of a fan of subtle humor — the kind that comes across so naturally that you don't even realize how hilarious it is until you find yourself suddenly laughing out loud (and getting sideways glances from people around you).  This kind of humor is extremely hard to pull off well, especially in written format where words always convey the intended emotion properly — yet Poeppel absolutely mastered it here!   I don't know how she did it, but she was able to make the story consistently funny in a thoughtful, respectful way, even while exploring some pretty heavy topics.  Again, not an easy feat by any means.  I talk about emotional resonance a lot in my reviews because this is a key component for me when it comes to reading.  How does the book make me feel?  What was the reading experience like?  These (among others) are the types of questions I ask myself after each book and the answers help me figure out what rating best aligns with my feelings.  One of the things that many of my 5 star reads have in common is that they move me to tears in some way (which isn't easy given that I can be quite the cynic when it comes to emotions).  With this book, while it didn't move me to tears exactly (though a few scenes were mighty darn close to doing so), it did move me to (constant) laughter, which is even harder in my opinion given the type of humor I prefer. 

I also like the fact that there was depth to the story and, like many of the best books out there, a meaningful message that was both thought-provoking and poignant.  My favorite scene is the toast that Edward Stratton (Bridget's father) gives at the wedding, which, aside from being one of the most best scenes I've ever read in a book, also perfectly captured the brilliance that Amy Poeppel was able to achieve with this story:  hilarious and heartfelt!   The brilliance wasn't just in the story though....the many nuances with the book's title – in reference to a website, the menagerie of characters and their various positions as they go through life, the throwback to the actual music component in the story, etc. – and the way it tied into the story in such a significant way, also added a fun dynamic to reading this book.

Obviously, I enjoyed this one tremendously and so of course would wholeheartedly recommend it!   If you want a smart, well-written, hilarious story with lots of heart that also features a wonderfully eclectic group of quirky but lovable characters, Musical Chairs is all that and then some.  Those who know me know that I'm a picky reader and usually very stingy with my 5 stars (case in point – out of the 38 books I've read so far this year, not including this one, I've only rated 2 of them 5 stars), but this book absolutely deserves it!  And yes, I have every intention of going back and reading Amy Poeppel's backlist, as I've been told her previous novels are great as well.

Received ARC from Emily Bestler / Atria Books via NetGalley

Review: In Five Years (by Rebecca Serle)

My Rating:  3 stars

Once again, I seem to be the outlier with this book, as I wasn't as enamored with it as most other readers were.  It's not that I didn't enjoy reading this – certain parts of it were well-done and overall, I appreciated the different, interesting direction that the author Rebecca Serle ultimately took the story.  For me, the strongest aspect of the story was the friendship between Dannie and her childhood best friend Bella –the way their relationship was written, the bond that they shared, it was one that many of us who also grew up with a best childhood friend could relate to (on a personal level, it reminded me of my relationship with my own childhood BFF).  But with that said though, it's precisely because Dannie and Bella's friendship was portrayed so strongly that the entire story arc involving Aaron felt a bit contrived to me.  In a sense, it felt as though Aaron's role was created merely to complicate the plot rather than for any other significant purpose.  It's kind of hard to explain without giving away the ending, which I don't want to do obviously, so instead, I will say only that some parts of the story felt "gimmicky" (which is something I can't stand), to the point that after finishing the book, I was left with a feeling of having been misled.  There were also moments where the threads of the story didn't blend together as smoothly, which made it feel like I was reading two different books at times.

The other thing was that I didn't really feel an emotional connection to any of the characters, which was surprising given the marketing of this book as a "tug at your heartstrings" love story.  There were actually plenty of emotional scenes in the story, but for some reason, I didn't feel anything when I read them.  I'm not sure if this was because of the way the characters were written or the setup of the scenes was insufficient, I just know that I was expecting to feel more than I actually did.

Overall, this was a decent read, one that I liked well enough but didn't "love" as expected.  Regardless, I'm still interested in reading this author's other works, especially her previous novel The Dinner List, which has a fascinating premise and has been on my TBR for while.

Received ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley.

Review: This Tender Land (by William Kent Krueger)

My Rating: 5 stars

Wow, what a story!  It's not often that I start a review off this way, but I'm a bit speechless right now — all I know is that this book is absolutely deserving of all the accolades it had gotten up to this point, so what better way to start this review than with the first thought that came into my head after finishing this one.  The summary for this book refers to it as a "big-hearted epic" that has "the feel of a modern classic," which is a description I definitely agree with, though beyond that, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to also use the word "masterpiece" to describe William Kent Krueger's beautifully written newest novel.  This is a book I would heartily recommend – one that packs a lot of heart and plenty of soul into a powerful, absorbing story with some of the most richly developed, endearing characters I've come across in awhile.

The story opens with our main protagonist Odie O'Banion, an elderly man now well into the eighth decade of his life, who is asked by his great-grandchildren to tell them a story — which, as a lifelong storyteller, is a task he is more than willing to oblige.   He starts to recount for them the story of what happened to him during the summer of 1932 and from there, we are taken back several decades to when Odie was 12 years old and ends up with his older brother Albert at the Lincoln Indian Training School in Minnesota after their father dies.  Odie's lively personality and mischievous nature gets him into constant trouble with the school's superintendent Thelma Brickman, who is given the moniker 'the Black Witch' for her cruel and ruthless treatment of the hundreds of children in her care, many of whom were Native American children forcibly separated from their parents and sent to the school to be educated.  It is not long before circumstances force Odie to flee the school and together with his brother Albert, along with their best friend at the school, a mute Native American boy named Mose,  and 6-year-old Emmy Frost, whom they all adore as a little sister in tow, they set out in a canoe, journeying along the Gilead River toward Mississippi in search of a place they could call home.  On their journey, these 4 orphans, who nicknamed themselves "the Vagabonds," encounter an eclectic mix of characters from various walks of life — people with good intentions as well as bad ones; depraved families displaced as a result of the Great Depression; people who themselves are struggling to survive, yet display a generosity of spirit that is unparalleled; a faith healer who helps Odie and the others discover their true selves; Gertie and the others they meet in the backwater shanty towns of Saint Paul.  Along the way, the 4 of them must also reckon with the past and confront a cruel history — specifically the country's inhumane treatment of Native Americans.  In the end, the journey becomes one of self-discovery and regardless of the outcomes, each child's life becomes enriched from what they experienced during that fateful summer.

Clocking in at  nearly 500 pages, this book covers a lot of ground both thematically and historically, yet never once does it feel overwhelming or tedious to read.  Krueger's prose here is masterful, and as our narrator, Odie's voice and the amazing story he tells is poignant as well as absorbing.  This is very much a character-driven story with Odie and his fellow "Vagabonds" as the driving force of the entire narrative,  however with that said, all the other characters that they crossed paths with at different points in the  journey were equally important in shaping this into the powerful story that it became.  For me, the best historical fiction novels are the ones that have the ability to transport me to a time and place where I feel as though I am experiencing the events personally alongside the characters, and without a doubt, this book absolutely accomplished that.  More significantly though was the emotional resonance of the story, as I felt like I experienced the entire spectrum of emotions while reading this – whether it was anger at the way the children were being treated at the school, sadness at the plights of the families displaced due to circumstances not of their doing, joyfulness when Odie and the gang triumphed over one obstacle after another, hopefulness during those moments when even those people with the hardest of hearts were moved enough to help others in need (those were just a few  examples).  This was a story where every character touched my heart in some way, to the point that I was reluctant to see the story end because I wanted to be with these characters for as long as I could.

I don't give 5 stars very often, but this book definitely deserved it (actually, if I could give more stars, I would)!  I've heard a lot about Krueger's works over the years, though (I am a bit ashamed to admit) this is the first book of his that I've actually read (a wrong that I hope to rectify some time in the near future!).   In a letter to his readers at the beginning of this book, Krueger talks about "pouring the best of himself into this story" and in asking us to read it, he is "offering [us] his heart" --  I am honored to have taken up this offer and in so doing, I can now count this among one of my favorite reads this year!    If you get the chance to read this one, I hope that you will also love it as much as I have!

Received ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley

Review: The Eight Mountains (by Paolo Cognetti)

 My Rating:  4 stars

This was a beautifully written story about the friendship of two young Italian boys, Pietro and Bruno – both of whom come from different backgrounds, yet from the moment they meet, they develop a closeness akin to two brothers.   Their friendship is indeed a special one, as Pietro is from the city and though he shares an almost immediate love for the Dolomites – the mountains located in the northeastern border of Italy where his family travels for vacation – he does not fully understand the deep relationship that his friend Bruno has with these mountains where he grew up, nor does he understand the inexplicable pull that these same mountains have on his own parents, especially his father.  Despite the divergent paths that their lives end up taking and the many months, even years, they often spend apart, the friendship between Pietro and Bruno endures over the course of several decades and later it is through Bruno that Pietro eventually comes to appreciate and connect to the late father with whom he had grown distant over the course of his life.  More than just a coming of age story, this is also one that emphasizes the bonds of family, especially that between father and son….at its core, this is a story about relationships in its many forms – between friends, various members of the family, love relationships, and of course, relationship with nature and its surrounding landscape.

There were so many things I loved about this atmospheric yet quietly written book:  the beautiful descriptions of the mountains and its surrounding landscape, rendered in a way that made the mountains an important character in the story;  the lyrical, contemplative prose, writing so full of depth and meaning, yet uncomplicated in its execution – I found myself highlighting extensively throughout my reading and even stopping at various points just to absorb and reflect upon what I had just read;  the characters whom I grew to really care about and root for, characters created by the author Paolo Cognetti so meticulously and presented with obvious care, yet were still realistically portrayed with personalities and flaws that we can all relate to -- characters that, by story’s end, made me feel a little saddened knowing that I would not be able to continue the journey with them.  I also loved the way all the different relationships were portrayed, especially the enduring friendship between Pietro and Bruno as well as the strenuous one between Pietro and his father…both relationships were poignantly drawn – touching, yet at the same time also heartbreaking. 

This was a book that captivated me from the beginning, found its way into my heart, and after that wouldn’t let go -- a short book, yet one packed with so much depth and meaning.  This was a lovely read, one that I won’t soon forget.  Definitely highly recommended!

Received ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley.