Category: Fiction

Currently I’m working on reading the Murphy Shepherd series by Charles Martin, which is marvelous. It’s slow-going because they are so full and so well-written. In the meantime, here are 5 quick reviews of some books I’ve read recently. The rating is based on the Goodreads 5 Star system. Happy Reading!

The plot of this book reads like a semi-modern Les Miserables. There were many things to like, but it was also a bit too saccharine–like a Hallmark Movie–especially the ending, which is slightly ridiculous.

Oh, Jake and Kassie! This story was beautiful and unique and had some wonderfully heartfelt moments. But, alas, there were some scenes, language, and horrible characters that detracted. If those were stripped away, this one would be a 5 Star book.

This novel’s characters reminded me a lot of Jane Eyre and Rochester in a current setting. There’s even a scene near the end that mirrors the classic almost word-for-word. The 3 stars are just because it was a tad bland and, if you are a Jane Eyre fan, you’ll see right through it as not completely original.

OK, NOW, we’re talking literature. Charles Martin books– how have they eluded me until now? The Water Keeper is the first in the Murphy Shepherd series–the story of a broken man who has the wits, skill, and resources to help others. The writing is beautiful and the story has a little of everything: action, humor, romance, depth. Plus it is incredibly touching. For those who shy away from fiction, you’ll feel differently after this novel. Book 2 is The Letter Keeper, available now. Book 3 is The Record Keeper, due out on July 5, 2022. More on this series in a future post.

Part of Your World is a new book and it’s already incredibly popular. I read it as a mental palate cleanser after The Water Keeper. I loved the premise of a 38-year old lady ER doctor from the city and a 28-year old burly small town carpenter trying to find a way to merge their different worlds. But I wish I could take a giant melon baller and clean this book up. Alexis and Daniel are wonderful characters and the majority is very well-written, but there is a lot of language and some scenes that take away from its potential greatness. A shame, really, because I’d read a cleaner version again and again.

I suppose we all have days where we think to ourselves, “The world is a fine place, except for the people.” There’s nothing wrong with having days like that, unless you’re Ove and it’s every day.

Ove lives in a black and white world. People are soft, people are lazy, people have no skills, people drive the wrong cars, people don’t follow rules, people are out to swindle and inconvenience him. Essentially, with the exception of his late wife, people have no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Or dogs. Or cats. Or children. They barely qualify as people.

And yet, in Ove’s Swedish neighborhood of row houses, there is one person determined to connect with him. His new neighbor, Parvaneh, “The Pregnant One.” She’s married to the equally affable Patrick “The Lanky One.” Most people are beneath Ove’s notice for him to even learn their names.

Yes, he’s cranky. Yes, he’s infuriating. But though it’s easy to be as dismissive with Ove as he is with everyone else, you cannot help but pity him and wonder why? Why is he like this? And so you read on in this witty character study of a man who is, for better or worse, shackled to his principles to the point of obsession. Why? Because in his mind, they are the only things that have never failed him.

Having principles does have its benefits. A person of principles is not a hypocrite. A person of principles is honest. A person of principles does not abandon someone he can help. Even when helping someone can ruin all his plans for the day. Very important plans.

You will want to slap Ove. You will want to slam the door in his face. But you will also want to save him. He’s worth saving. Everyone is worth saving.

“You know, Ove, sometimes one almost suspects you have a heart…”

9.5/10 Stars

P.S. There is a Swedish movie based on the book, available for viewing on Amazon Prime. An American version, with Tom Hanks as Ove, is currently in production.

Here are five books I’ve read recently with some brief thoughts. The ratings are based on the Goodreads 5 star system. All are available now.

In the Distance, by Hernan Diaz (a Pulitzer Prize finalist) is a book completely out of my comfort zone, but I’m still very glad I read it. The story of a young Swedish immigrant in the mid 1800s who gets separated from his older brother is nothing short of gripping. Over time he meets a myriad of people, all with their personal agendas. Greed, compassion, power, curiosity, love, loyalty–each are represented and all make an impression on him, molding his skills and character over the years. The narrator uses a singularly poetic style, softening an otherwise difficult journey. Available through online libraries.

The Next Thing You Know, by Jessica Strawser was odd and disappointing. It addresses mortality in a unique way, using an “end of life doula” and one of her younger clients as protagonists. Unfortunately, it fell short of the depth it was trying to accomplish.

Always and Forever, by Delaney Cameron–a cheesy title in an equally cheesy series. This is the only one I could finish, but I really liked it! It is sweet, clean, with wonderful characters. That “prince on a white horse sweeping you off your feet” kind of story. Sometimes a light romance like this is the perfect palate cleanser of a book after heavy reading. Available with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Starlight, by the beloved Debbie Macomber. Sadly, everything about this book is misrepresented–the Christmasy title, the whimsical cover, even the idea of calling it a love story. This is not a love story. There is verbal abuse, manipulation, codependency, and extreme dysfunction. This book is so terrible it baffles me how it was even published. Consider this a warning. Do not read it. A colossal waste of time.

Seaglass, by Chris Bridges, is a book that led me on quite a quest. It is not easy to find. When I did, I devoured the book in less than 3 hours. I truly loved it. Maddie and Knox are two banged up people from completely different backgrounds. They find each other in an unlikely way when Maddie moves from New York to Colorado to start her life anew. Alone, she is embraced by the loving Barrow family, connecting with their son who has recently returned from Iraq. A modern-day version of Pamela Nissen’s Rocky Mountain Match, which I also enjoyed very much. It tugs at your heart from start to finish.