Here it is, the sixteen books I read in January! All of the 5 star books have their own individual reviews, so be sure and check those out. Secret of the Sassafras is a reread (still loved it!) But the other 5 star books are all very highly recommended! If I had to pick my 3 favorites that you NEED to add to your TBR I would say The Women, by Kristin Hannah; One Summer in Savannah, by Terah Shelton Harris; and The Frozen River (probably my top favorite of the month,) by Ariel Lawhon.
And what about February? I have several books at the top of my list of hopeful reads for next month. I may have to interrupt my mood reading in exchange for some beta reading, but until I know for certain, here’s a short video with some that I hope to read very soon:
The amount of challenges a body can endure is pretty remarkable. In Soundtrack of Silence, author Matt Hay takes us through his journey with NF2 (Neurofibromatosis, Type 2,) a rare disorder that has affected him throughout his life, robbing him of his hearing, causing facial paralysis, and tampering periodically with his mobility and balance.
Even more amazing is the human spirit, something that Matt has curated and strengthened while dealing with NF2, empowering him with a drive to move forward instead of wallow, and to share his story with a mixture of humor and wisdom.
This is an advanced copy that I’ve had for a while and, like so many other memorable books, appeared in my mood reading queue at just the right time. Here, at the beginning of a new year, where starting fresh and making resolutions is the norm, it was fascinating to read about someone whose medical challenges have necessitated that he make life resets in abundance. RE-solutions, or “solving again,” facing old challenges packaged in new ways with determination, is a pattern in which both Matt and his incredible wife, Nora, have become veterans.
Simply put, NF2 is a (usually) genetic condition in which benign tumors grow along nerves. For Matt, the tumors’ location affects sound to effectively reach the brain. Confronting the removal of these tumors, which keep returning, is one thing. Recovery is another. The possibility of new medical issues arising from each surgery is something else. Factor in the strain on mental health, finances, and family, and this man has not had it easy.
So where does the soundtrack fit in? Despite grappling with sub par hearing most of his life, Matt Hay adores music. Melodies, lyrics, and the marriage of these elements with the right voice and instruments have sustained him in a formidable way. It may seem unfair that someone who loves music so much has struggled to hear it, but that struggle has also created insight and opportunity at different times. One of those tender mercies whose purpose unfolds when you least expect it.
This is an important book which will yield different takeaways for different readers. Some will feel inspired by Matt Hay’s dogged determination, some might decide to finally have their hearing checked, and still others will use his story as a way to put their own difficulties into perspective. Whatever the reason, it’s a book worth reading with an author worth knowing.
9/10 Stars for the writing, but 10/10 for the inspiring story. You can visit Matt Hay’s website at: https://hearmatthay.com/
August has been only a semi-productive reading month, but better than I expected after a very slow start. It’s been a hodge podge of advance copies, historical fiction, regency romances, a cute story of a pet fox, and a fantastic contemporary novel with time travel. Here are some of the highlights:
Best Book of the Month:The Seven Year Slip, by Ashley Poston
I LOVED this book. Imagine a magical apartment in NYC, one that transports you seven years into the past. This is what happens to Clementine when she inherits her aunt’s flat in a one-hundred year old building. Problem #1: Seven years ago her aunt was alive, traveling abroad, and had sublet the apartment to a young man named Iwan. While Clementine and Iwan learn to share the space in the past, she is also vying for a promotion at a literary agency in the present. Problem #2: Every time Clementine goes home she doesn’t know if she will stay in the now or be swept back seven years. Despite that, there is a certain advantage of knowing the past and the present, because she has the power to change things for the better. It isn’t as confusing as it sounds, but it is incredibly clever. Some will figure out the “twist” (I did) and some will not, as well as the hint that is always given when the time slip is about to happen. This is my second Ashley Poston book and I think I may have liked it even more than The Dead Romantics. She takes the modern rom-com concept and adds a bit of magic that I’ve never seen anyone do better. 9.5/10 Stars
Biggest Disappointments:Shark Heart by Emily Habeck and Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
Oh, these two books! I was so looking forward to both of them, especially Shark Heart, the story of a newly married couple who receive the news that the husband is changing into a Great White Shark. Such a unique concept that was executed so poorly, due to flashbacks and tangents. Oddly, this was exactly the problem (plus a ton of language) in Happiness Falls, the story of a Korean American family where the dad goes missing one morning. The youngest child, a 14 year old non verbal autistic son with Angelman Syndrome, is the only person who saw what happened. Again, a superb concept with so much potential. And, again, a plot bogged down by tons of minutiae. Sadly, 6/10 Stars for each of these.
Best Author Discoveries: Ashtyn Newbold and Martha Keyes
I’ve been in a clean historical romance mood lately, and happily surprised at the way certain authors create distinctive stories within the boundaries of time period norms. Aside from personal favorites Sally Britton and Joanna Barker, Ashtyn Newbold and Martha Keyes do a very good job of this. I loved the characters, dialogue flow, and plots in both of Ashtyn Newbold’s books I read this month. Martha Keyes writes a lot of books set in late 18th century Scotland. The writing is a bit more cumbersome because characters use a heavy Scottish accent, but I’ve enjoyed the characters and their stories. Although Unrequited, set in England, was a misfire for me.
The Captain’s Confidante: 9/10 Stars
The Matchmaker’s Request: 9/10 Stars
The Innkeeper and the Fugitive: 8.5 Stars
Of Lands High and Low: 8/10 Stars
Unrequited: 6/10 Stars
Expatriate Women in 1940’s Paris:The Paris Assignment by Rhys Bowen and The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel
These two books would make good reading for a college paper because there are so many parallels between them. Both books are about women who move to France and get swept up in marriages with men who do not live up to their expectations. Both women are separated from their children. Both are put to work during the war, doing jobs they never expected to do. I doubt all of these similarities were intentional (even the titles are similar) but I still liked each book. The plots are still individual enough to stand firmly on their own as decent stories of strong women making impossible choices during a very turbulent time. 9/10 Stars for each.
It’s been a VERY slow reading month. Favorite book so far? Definitely The Seven Year Slip, by Ashley Poston. It deserves its own review! I hope to get to that soon.
In the meantime, Boo Walker readers are gearing up for the August 22nd release of The Stars Don’t Lie! My signed copy–a special thank you for being a beta reader–was waiting for me yesterday afternoon. Hubby and I were returning home from a very emotional funeral for a close friend, so the arrival of this gift was especially timely. I’m a lot more motivated to be an unpaid beta reader because the author I work with is so appreciative and generous.
Speaking of which, here’s a 20 minute interview Boo did the other day with another member of our beta reading team, Lynn Scornavacca. He talks about his teenage ambition to be a writer, a few career detours along the way, and his current (and future) projects. Plus, he gives a gracious shout out to people like me, who read early drafts of his work and throw a few ideas and critiques in his direction.
By the way, Boo will be hosting a Facebook Live Launch Party to celebrate the release of The Stars Don’t Lie! You can tune in on Tuesday, August 22nd, at 2:30pm Pacific/5:30pm Eastern. I’ll be tuned in too! Here’s the link for more information: https://fb.me/e/1bBEtyhM9
You never know quite what to expect with a Charles Martin book, and that philosophy certainly carries over with his upcoming novel, The Last Exchange.
Despite the serene-looking cover, a lot happens in this story, centering around the bond between the oddly-named young actress Maybe Joe Sue and her Scottish bodyguard, Pockets. Yes, Charles Martin wins the award for unique character names!
“Joe” skyrocketed to early fame after being discovered while waitressing, garnering awards, millions of dollars, and plenty of unwanted attention. But a troubled childhood has left a lot of emptiness that she attempts to fend off with pills and bad relationships.
Kelly MacThomas Pockets, with his experience in the military, has now been hired as Joe’s bodyguard while her husband films on location and philanders with other women. Pockets is a firm believer in “the line,” that boundary of emotion and physicality that you never, ever cross with an employer.
Yet, within this platonic team is fierce devotion, and it goes in both directions. Between Joe’s resources and Pockets’ unusual methods, they go to great lengths for each other in a story that has suspense, action, and a plot that grabs hold of you until the very end. I don’t want to give anything away, so this vague review is done by design, but I really enjoyed this surprising book!
See that date up there? June 13th? Mark it on your calendar. Mark it… Are you marking? You better be marking…
Oh, Isadora. I just love you. I want to be friends with you. Twenty years ago I think I was you. Why did I let your story sit in my Kindle for 4 months? This was a story that spoke to my heart. It is a story that will speak to the heart of any introverted, cerebral, never-married-but-wants-to-be woman in her thirties who wonders why that kind of happiness seems to only be reserved for other people.
Chicago University researcher, Isadora Bentley, is celebrating her thirtieth birthday. Alone. (Does that qualify as celebrating?) Alone except for the local mini mart’s sugary delicacies that await her in Aisle 8. Twinkies, chocolate, and a 2 liter of Coke have medicinal properties that the science world has yet to recognize. (If you know, you know.) While checking out, Isadora spots a headline on a magazine: 31 Steps to Happiness, by Dr. Grace Monroe. Ha! 31 Steps. What a crock. On a whim of rebellion, Isadora buys the magazine with the intent of testing Dr. Monroe’s theory. She will implement one step per day–in any order–record her findings, and prove, unequivocally, that happiness can never be achieved so simplistically.
Unfortunately, most of these steps involve interacting with other people. Yuck. People. People lead to feelings, and feelings lead to loss and sadness and hurt. And Isadora has been hurt. A lot. Who wants that? Alone is safe. Alone is comfortable. Alone is…sometimes not all it’s cracked up to be.
Except that when you are a university researcher like Isadora, who is supposed to be working with other people, being alone isn’t always an option. Her self-imposed solitude is interrupted when Isadora’s boss assigns her to work with opposite-of-ugly Dr. Cal Baxter, a psychologist preparing a book for publication and conducting his own experiment.
Over the next year, Isadora Bentley embarks on a roller coaster ride of self-discovery, soul-searching, emotions, and regret. This sounds heavy–and it is–except that all of this wisdom is dressed in so much hilarity (her inner dialogue made me LOL on multiple occasions) that you almost don’t realize that you, the reader, are learning something too. And there are feelings–deep, deep feelings–as our beloved heroine goes on this journey, realizing that, while defensive walls are sometimes necessary, they aren’t always the answer.
I adored this book, its writing, characters, and many insightful nuggets. It’s a treasure. I highly recommend it. Remember: June 13.
This book was extremely enjoyable! The closest comparison I can give it, of which I’m sure the author would approve, is that it is like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for grownups. In this case, the reclusive genius is world-renowned children’s author, Jack Masterson. But unlike Willy Wonka with his golden tickets, Jack personally selects the “children” to compete for the prize. (I’ll let you discover what that is.)
The children, however, are not children at all. They are adults who grew up reading and immersing themselves in Jack Masterson’s extensive Clock Island series. Sixty six books in all. Books that helped and affected these readers so much during difficult times that all of them, at one point, went seeking their favorite author in person. Most of us can only imagine the thrill of doing such a thing.
The plot mostly revolves around one person in particular. Lucy Hart, a kindergarten teacher’s aide whose greatest wish is to foster and adopt one special little boy, and whose greatest fear is that Life’s obstacles will prevent her from doing so. But if there’s one thing to learn from the Clock Island characters, it’s that “the only wishes ever granted are the wishes of brave children.”
As someone who loved and devoured all of Roald Dahl’s books as a child and is fiercely protective of his legacy, I raised an eyebrow when I realized that The Wishing Game was a bit of a reboot of his most famous story. I didn’t need to worry. It is a lovely homage–faithful to the principles of the original in that kindness, courage, and humility are rewarded, but unique enough that it stands firmly on its own as a terrific read and a worthy addition to any library.
I’ve read several books by Catherine Ryan Hyde and, while they often seem to follow the pattern of pairing a child in distress with an unlikely adult companion, that is where the similarities end.
In this novel, five year old Remy is forced to live in the wilderness with his survivalist father as they both mourn the loss of Remy’s mother. Conditioned to think that the world’s societies are crumbling and all remaining humans will be killed or enslaved, Remy fears everyone outside their makeshift camp. But when he finds himself completely alone and must depend on others or die, he discovers the extremes in his father’s thinking. Embraced by a foster family with an especially determined and intuitive mother, Remy learns Life’s actual truths. Yes, the world is a tough place and bad things happen, but when you are loved, validated, protected, and wanted, it can make all the difference.
Catherine Ryan Hyde never fails to amaze me with her unique stories. Once again her young protagonist is wise beyond his years but with an emotional fragility that only love can heal. The character development is excellent. The theme of trust vs fear is very strong throughout, making readers examine their own lives and insecurities.
If I had one criticism, I would say that the COVID theme with its “we’re fine, we’ve been vaccinated” is a bit heavy-handed at times. The author lives in California, where that is very much the way of thinking, but the story takes place in Idaho, where beliefs are more varied. I wish that ideology had been fine-tuned more to match the setting. Overall, though, this is a special book that I would definitely recommend to others.
Readwithkristie.com 