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3.25.2024

Looking Back: Books

As I mentioned last week, I have been struggling a little bit to concentrate on books lately. However, I am happy to report two things. First of all, per Engie's recommendation, I started reading A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking. I am about two thirds of the way through it and so far, it is just what I needed! It is light and fun and easy and there are gingerbread men who come to life. I will report back when I am done, but I think the reading funk has been banished! 

Secondly, just because I have not had a lot of luck in March does not mean that the last quarter was all bad. Here are several books that I read during the first quarter of this year that I did enjoy! 


The Secret Book of Flora Lee by Patti Callahan Henry: In 1939 Hazel and her younger sister Flora are sent out of London to the country to live to escape the bombs. One day, while playing near the river, Flora vanishes and Hazel blames herself for her sister's death. Years later, Hazel is working at a publisher when she reads a manuscript of a story that only her and her sister would know. This makes her believe that maybe her sister is still alive after all. I enjoyed the story itself and the author's writing style, and was even surprised from time to time as the story progressed. 

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell: Unassuming Josie bumps into famous podcaster Alix in the bathroom of a local restaurant at their separate birthday celebrations. After that Alix runs into Josie several more times and eventually even agrees to interview Josie for her podcast. Of course Josie ends up being different than expected, and there are many twists and turns along the way before we find out what is really going on. This is another typical Jewell novel, but I mean that in a good way. Some of hers have been a little less exciting than others, but this one did not disappoint. 

The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel: This is the story of two friends during WWII. When Elise becomes a target of the Nazis, she entrusts her daughter with her friend Juliette to care for until it is safe to send for her. When the war is finally over, she returns home to find Juliette's house reduced to rubble, Juliette nowhere to be found and no knowledge of what transpired during her daughter's final moments. She searches for years to find Juliette in order to get answers about her daughter so that she can have some closure in her life at last. 

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King: This is not your typical King horror novel; it is a thriller about murder and an ex-detective named Hodges who tries to solve the mystery of the killer and of course there are some twists and turns along the way. I was pleasantly surprised, as I was not sure what to expect after years of not reading a King novel (but I did read most or all of them back in the 90s!). 

Evil Eye by Etaf Rum: The tale of the expectations placed on Palestinian-American women, this is the story of Yara. She married the right guy, moved to the suburbs, had children and is doing everything right, as her culture expects. However, after her husband forbids her to go as a chaperone to a school trip, she begins to wonder if she really is happy, and if she is not, how she can be happier but not rock the boat with  her family. This seems impossible and is an interesting look into the struggles that some woman face even still.

The People We Keep by Allison Larkin: April leaves home early after a fight with her Dad and goes off to make her own way in the world. She moves from city to city trying to find her place in the world, and meets a lot of interesting people along the way. This is more of a character driven novel, which I am not always a big fan of, but I did find some of her trials and tribulations interesting and felt engaged with her throughout the story. 

Kill Show by Daniel Sweren-Becker: This one got accolades from many of you, and I jumped on the bandwagon a little late, but I am glad that I jumped, as it did not disappoint! It is a story of a girl who goes missing and her family's struggles to find her. To do this, they agree to make a reality show about her disappearance in real time. The best part was that it was done in an interview style format, which really kept me engaged the entire time. It has an essence of Gone Girl, in that it keeps you guessing and tickles you a bit at the end. 

What was your favorite book over the last three months? Have you read any of the above and/or did you enjoy them? What is your favorite genre? 

17 comments:

  1. I am taking notes. I've had a couple of these titles on my radar and if you're telling me that these books worked for you during a time of huge change, that's an extra endorsement.

    My absolute gold star of a book so far this year is Every Last One by Anna Quindlen (rec via Jenny). Perfection!

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    1. I actually have Every Last One on my audiobook shelf and I read two books in the last two days so I should get to it soon! Also I just finished Die With Zero, which was okay, but maybe I have already heard his ideas so it didn't really wow me. However, much of what he says is how I live my life, or at least want to, so I guess he and I do agree!

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  2. I have only read Kill Show! I was thinking about reading Evil Eye and then had a few people tell me it wasn't great. I had almost included it in my selections to vote on for our 2024 book club but pulled it when I heard mixed reviews. Now I think I will try it since you liked it.

    My reading so far this year has been kind of lackluster. But right now I am reading and enjoying "Family Family" by Laurie Frankel. I also really like Adelaide but I wouldn't broadly recommend that one as it's a very coming of age story that focuses on a hard break up and that isn't for everyone...

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    1. I thought that Evil Eye did a good job of making you feel frustrated for her situation but also giving you a little bit of understanding that sometimes there is not a lot you can do when your family has certain ways of doing things. I think that it was very similar to the Woman is No Man in that it is about the struggle that some cultures go through, especially the women.

      I had put Family Family as a book to read when it came out, so I am glad to know that it is now available and will put it on hold!

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  3. Defensive Baking is such a lovely little book! Yay for getting it out of your book rut. I really thought Kill Show was excellent and such a propulsive read - I was happy to hear you also liked it.

    According to my spreadsheet, my last five star book was My Brilliant Friend for CBBC. Ha! I loved it even if no one else did. I gave 4.5 stars to the newest Mossa and Pleiti book by Malka Older, a science fiction/mystery/romance book. I love a good genre mashup.

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    1. I am about 80% done with Defensive Baking and am still enjoying it! I will probably finish it tonight and will let you know my final thoughts! Re MBF, I know that you and Jenny really liked it! I don't know if you have have watched all the shows yet too, but she really enjoyed those too. You have one partner in crime at least! I will check out Malka Older; I have never heard of her before!

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  5. Defensive Baking! I love that title, and I’m adding the book to my list. People we keep also sounds good to me. I love Allison Larkin as a narrator, and I’ll pretty much listen to anything she reads, so I’d love to listen to a book that she wrote!

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    1. I finished Defensive Baking and it was fun! It's definitely a YA book but I don't care. I liked it and if you are looking for a fun read, you may too!

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  6. My son just asked me to read Monstrilio by Gerardo Samano Cordova. He has read most of it, but he'd like me to read it so we can talk about it and analyze it together. I sampled part of it, and the writing is lovely. Not the kind of book I'd normally go for, but....

    I read The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters, and I have to say I was a bit disappointed. It received a lot of acclaim, but I found it sort of distant. Characters in it suffered emotional trauma, but I didn't really feel it. The writing felt cool to me in that regard. And the ending was that way also.

    The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams, however, is very good. Good for word people, feminists, those who like period pieces, and there's even a love story. I think that was my most recent five star read.

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    1. I have read The Dictionary of Lost Words and enjoyed it too! I haven't read The Berry Pickers or Monstrillo, but will look into those...I do see that Berry got good reviews from others and is compared to The Vanishing Half!

      Did you read The Vanishing Half and if so, what did you think of it?

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    2. Didn't read TVH. I know I'm an outlier about TBP; most people liked it, and liked it a lot. I guess I just couldn't connect emotionally with any characters.

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  7. Added a few of these to my TBR shelf! I had high hopes for Kill Show but I think I was expecting something different? There was a major plot point revealed on the first or second page, so I didn't find it as propulsive as I had expected.

    I think my favorite book of 2024 so far is Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez, followed closely by Hello Beautiful and The Final Revival of Opal & Nev!

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    1. Interesting that you say that. I tried to listen to Opal and Nev on audiobook and I just could not get into it! Perhaps I need to give it another go?

      I am reading another Abby Jimenez now and it is fine but very predictable! I am about 75% done and I could see everything before it came (including the ending, I think!) I know that a lot of genres are this way so am not complaining, just stating the facts.

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  8. None of This is True just came in on my library holds, I will report back.
    My favourite genre is women's literary fiction. I've had a lot of good reads lately, but a lot of duds too. I just finished a lovely little book called Mrs Quinn's Rise To Fame, which was just a delightful, cozy, feel good book.

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    1. I just checked out Mrs. Quinn; it does look like a fun book! I have put it on hold per your recommendation!

      I just got The Women by Kristen Hannah off of hold and am looking forward to reading it.

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  9. Hmm, these all sound good! This is going to sounds crazy, but I've never read any Stephen King! This sounds like it might be a good one to start with. I think I would like all of these, with the possible exception of The People We Keep- I don't usually like character-driven novels either.

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