I forgot to post this earlier....whoops.
1.) The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan
This was my book club's pick for September 2023.
From Goodreads:
Lime green plastic flower-shaped hair bobbles—Found, on the playing field, Derrywood Park, 2nd September. Bone china cup and saucer—Found, on a bench in Riveria Public Gardens, 31st October. Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects—the things others have dropped, misplaced, or accidentally left behind—and writing stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life’s mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost. Recovering from a bad divorce, Laura, in some ways, is one of Anthony’s lost things. But when the lonely woman moves into his mansion, her life begins to change. She finds a new friend in the neighbor’s quirky daughter, Sunshine, and a welcome distraction in Freddy, the rugged gardener. As the dark cloud engulfing her lifts, Laura, accompanied by her new companions, sets out to realize Anthony’s last wish: reuniting his cherished lost objects with their owners. Long ago, Eunice found a trinket on the London pavement and kept it through the years. Now, with her own end drawing near, she has lost something precious—a tragic twist of fate that forces her to break a promise she once made. As the Keeper of Lost Objects, Laura holds the key to Anthony and Eunice’s redemption. But can she unlock the past and make the connections that will lay their spirits to rest?
I thought this was a sweet story. Should it have been nominated as Best Fiction in 2017 by Goodreads? Probably not. But it is a gentle read about love, loss, and redemption. I liked the theme of being lost and found whether it was a person or an item. I loved the premise of the charming older gentleman writer who finds and collects "lost things" that he stores and catalogues in his beautiful home while he attempts to reconnect them with their former owners. Eventually Anthony passes away and leaves the house and his collections to his former assistant, a down-on-her-luck divorcee, named Laura. I wanted more Anthony and unfortunately his storyline just ends. The rest of the book is about Laura.
There were other great characters though. I loved Sunshine, a young woman with down syndrome and psychic abilities. She was a delight!! She was the best part of the book. I also really loved Eunice and Bomber and their storyline. Give me all of the pastry eating dogs...Douglas and especially the pug Baby Jane. (I am also an owner of a pampered pug!) I laughed out loud every time the detestable Portia submitted another book manuscript for publication. Those were hilarious!
But about 2/3 of the way through the book begins to unravel. The storyline stopped...sputtered...and seemed to lose its way. The parallel storylines became disjointed and difficult to make all of the connections. (My book club had questions too.) But it was the ghost that ruined it for me. What?! An abrupt change in personality/temperament all for a trinket? That was when the storyline jumped the proverbial shark.
I wish that part of the book would have been different and that the author had tied up some of the loose ends of the storyline. But I still enjoyed this sentimental book with a little bit of everything and our book club had a good discussion. Also, I will never look at lost objects in the same way again!
My Rating: Okay.
2.) The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
October is here and it's time for some cozy witchy reading! This book came highly recommended.
From Goodreads:
As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don't mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she's used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos pretending to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously. But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and...Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he's concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat. As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn't the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn't know she was looking for.
This book was perfect to read the first week of October. It kicked off witchy/spooky season reading in a great way! I enjoyed this book and thought that it was the perfect potion of found family, magic, and even romance...and a steamy one at that! I loved the charming setting of Nowhere House in the Norfolk countryside near the sea. It had great cozy autumn vibes and I loved the quirky loveable characters...especially the brooding Irish librarian Jamie and the hilariously dramatic Ian. I loved this world and the cast of characters. I hope this is the start of a series! I enjoyed this cozy fantasy. It is the perfect book to curl up with and enjoy this fall!
My Rating: Good!
3.) The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
This book has been everywhere and loved by many. Fantasy isn't my go-to but I wanted to see what all the hype (and some controversy) were about.
From Goodreads:
Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management; he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days. But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.
Do I feel that this book has been overhyped? Somewhat. There were several things that I definitely loved...the kids! Especially Chauncey the green amorphous blob who wants to be a bellhop. He was my favorite! I still think about him and laugh! I loved the relationships between the children and also their relationship with Arthur, their headmaster at the orphanage, and with Zoe the sprite who owns the island and helps care for them. I am a sucker for a story about a school or orphanage for magical children. I also love found family stories that are gentle and sweet. This book had all of that including heart and humor.
I enjoyed the fairytale-like quality of the storytelling with its juxtaposition of the dreary, gray, rainy, and cheerless city with the vibrant colorful sun-drenched island. The plotline was simple and straightforward. It read like a middle grade novel and I actually looked it up to see whether it was one or not. It is not but I would definitely recommend this book to adults who love middle grade. The main theme of the book is all about encouraging people to be who they truly are and accepting and loving them for it.
There were a few things that I liked less. The first of these was the main character Linus. I know that we are supposed to root for him but he was fussy and annoying for most of the novel. I rooted for the children and Arthur Parnassus. Second, I am all for teaching tolerance but there was so much repetition of Klune's moral messages. It was too heavy handed. Maybe this is what made it read like middle grade? Adults understand subtext. It got a bit too much. We, the readers who are mostly adults, get it. Third, despite reiterating tolerance, inclusivity, and nonjudgment over and over again; there was so much body/fat shaming around the main character. This was confusing. You can be whoever you want to be. You can love whoever you want to love but don't be fat.
There has also been some controversy surrounding the novel. The author received some heat after he revealed that he got the idea for the story after reading about the Sixties Scoop which was when the Canadian government was in the practice of removing indigenous children from their homes with the intent of adopting them out to white, middle-class families. He was accused of sugar coating this travesty.
All in all, I enjoyed this novel. It was whimsical, quirky, and not without charm.
“The world is a weird and wonderful place. Why must we try and explain it all away?"
My Rating: Good.
4.) A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
This was our book club's pick for October 2023. It's a YA murder mystery thriller that has been all the rage with teen girls including my own daughter. It was fun to read a book that my daughter had already read and enjoyed and that we could discuss together.
From Goodreads:
The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it. But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn't so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?
This book starts out with a great hook that quickly draws you in and keeps you turning pages. Be prepared to suspend some serious disbelief as main character, Pip, can get anyone anywhere of any age to spill their guts to her just because she demands that they do so! Her character is definitely a modern day Nancy Drew who constantly puts herself in danger to play detective. But it made for good pacing and some definite tension as I constantly asked, "Why are you doing that?" and "NO! Don't do that!" This was a fun propulsive read with some great twists...despite every adult in the book acting like they've had a lobotomy! Our book club also had a fun and lively discussion!
My Rating: Entertaining.
5.) The Comfort Book by Matt Haig
I heard about this book on the Currently Reading Podcast and then happened to find a copy in a little neighborhood free library. Serendipity! Written by the same author as the well known book The Midnight Library, this volume of short essays packs an emotional punch. Haig reflects on his own struggles with depression and the time in his life when he was in a deep depressive state. He was suicidal and ultimately had an emotional breakdown. This book talks about the things that kept him going during that dark period of his life. Some of the essays are several pages and some might be a list of movies or songs, a poem, or even a recipe. It felt like I was reading his journal. It was deeply personal and vulnerable and yet gives a tremendous amount of hope and encouragement.
The writing is beautiful and raw. Some of the chapters really spoke to me...and others not so much...but the ones that did I was highlighting passages and writing comments in the margins. This is definitely a book to come back to when needed. I love that you can dip in and out of it. It can be a slow and steady read of an entry or two a day. I started out that way and then just finished in two days.
I love that Matt Haig is helping to normalize mental health struggles by being vulnerable about his own. This is self-help (ish) in essay form. It is like a daily vitamin. I found it cathartic and comforting.
My Rating: Good.
6.) Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century by Kim Fu
From Goodreads:
In the twelve unforgettable tales of Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century, the strange is made familiar and the familiar strange, such that a girl growing wings on her legs feels like an ordinary rite of passage, while a bug-infested house becomes an impossible, Kafkaesque nightmare. Each story builds a new world all its own: a group of children steal a haunted doll; a runaway bride encounters a sea monster; a vendor sells toy boxes that seemingly control the passage of time; an insomniac is seduced by the Sandman. These visions of modern life wrestle with themes of death and technological consequence, guilt and sexuality, and unmask the contradictions that exist within all of us. Mesmerizing, electric, and wholly original, Kim Fu’s Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century blurs the boundaries of the real and fantastic, offering intricate and surprising insights into human nature.
This was the Spokane is Reading 2023 selection for our community. It is a collection of twelve short stories. Each story is strange in its own way. Some are dark, disturbing, uncomfortable, or just plain weird. Many have a sci-fi or supernatural vibe. Some of the stories are speculative fiction, horror, true crime, magical realism...they run the gamut. The stories are supposed to make you uncomfortable in some way and they do. Each story describes a *monster* that is part of the human experience such as: grief, death, revenge, guilt, power, marriage, social isolation, puberty, technology, sexuality, domestic abuse, and depression to name a few.
I knew absolutely nothing about the book except that it was the 2023 selection so I started reading with zero expectations. Each story had a great hook and opening sentence which kept me reading. The stories were propulsive, eerie, and atmospheric. I quickly read the anthology. My favorite story was the first one; "Pre-Simulation Consultation XF007867" but each story was unsettling and a few were deeply so.
I attended the author event in Spokane where Kim Fu spoke about the book and her writing process. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to her. She explained that the running theme of the short stories had to do with the "anxieties of right now" the ones that we are currently experiencing and have no time to process and then learning to sit with those uncomfortable feelings. I thought that was a fantastic explanation for this collection.
Fun Fact: The short story "Do You Remember Candy?" was written pre-pandemic. So interesting!
My Rating: Interesting and disturbing but very readable and definitely unforgettable.
7.) In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace
I was hoping that this would be another book like The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches. It's been hyped on Goodreads as a Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets The Gilmore Girls...or even worse Practical Magic. No and No and definitely NOT.
From Goodreads:
For four hundred years, the Warren witches have used their magic to quietly help the citizens of the sleepy New England town of Evenfall thrive. There's never been a problem they couldn't handle. But then Constance Graves--a local known for being argumentative and demanding--dies while staying at the bed and breakfast Brynn Warren maintains with her aunts. At first, it seems like an accident...but it soon becomes clear that there's something more sinister at work, and Aunt Nora is shaping up to be the prime suspect. There's nothing Brynn wants more than to prove Nora's innocence, and it hurts her to know that even two years ago that might have been easier. Brynn, after all, is a witch of the dead--a witch who can commune with ghosts. Ghosts never remember much about their deaths, but Constance might remember something about her life that would help crack the case. But Brynn hasn't used her powers since her husband died, and isn't even sure she still can. Brynn will just have to hope that her aunts' magic and her own investigative skills will lead her to answers--and maybe back to the gift she once thought herself ready to give up forever.
This is the first book in the Evenfall Witches B&B Mystery Series. It is a cozy witchy mystery if you are in the mood for a low stakes whodunit; but to me this book was bland at best. The mystery wasn't that mysterious. The coziness wasn't that cozy. It wasn't terrible but I won't be continuing on with the series. It just didn't capture my interest.
My Rating: Underwhelming
8.) The Guncle by Steven Rowley
This book has been much beloved by several of my favorite book podcasts. I have to agree. This book was a delight!
From Goodreads:
Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is honestly a bit out of his league. So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick’s brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of “Guncle Rules” ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting—even if temporary—isn’t solved with treats and jokes, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unfailingly human.
Patrick is a former famous TV sitcom star who has retreated from Hollywood and is now living in Palm Springs. He ends up taking in his nine year-old niece and six year-old nephew during a difficult time in their lives. I loved this fish-out-of-water story as Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP) takes on temporary fatherhood. Think Three Men and a Baby vibes. Hilarity ensues. In my mind Patrick is Dan Levy of Schitt's Creek fame. GUP is hilarious and one of my favorite literary characters.
I got a kick out of this book about an uncle who nobody ever expected to be able to take care of children but ends up doing an incredible job and forming a beautiful relationship with them. I also delighted in the Hollywood nods and references. I loved Patrick's witty and sarcastic banter. Particularly with his nephew Grant and Grant's 101 questions. Maisie was great too. I laughed out loud many times!
There was also more emotional depth than I anticipated. Hats off to Steven Rowley who took on the difficult and heavy subjects of death, grief, and family dysfunction. He tackled it with heart and humor. It was a good counterbalance.
I was charmed by this book. It was an entertaining quick read. I want to read more by the author. I would recommend this as a great book slump buster or the perfect palate cleanser between heavier reads.
My Rating: Fun and memorable!
9.) The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
This was my book club's pick for November 2023. This is the second novel I've read by Gabrielle Zevin.
From Goodreads:
On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto “No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World.” A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means. A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island—from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who’s always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.’s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly. And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It’s a small package, but large in weight. It’s that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn’t take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J.; or for that determined sales rep, Amelia, to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light; or for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.’s world; or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn’t see coming. As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love.
This is definitely a story for readers and bibliophiles. It is about a bookshop and its owner. There are so many great quotes, references, and literary allusions. That was my favorite part of the book. AJ the bitter book seller with his literary prejudices and snobbery was fun. I enjoyed his critical judgements about which books he would carry and which he would not and also his preference for a well-written short-story collection. AJ was an interesting character. But this story was a tad too melodramatic and depressing for me. I don't love Zevin's writing style. Some found this book heartwarming and huggable. Not me. I felt that it was bleak and a bit reserved. There was always a distance between me and the characters. I cared but not quite enough. Police Chief Lambaise was my favorite character and his cop book club was an unexpected highlight.
If you enjoy a swing up (ish) book or a book about books; you will probably enjoy this novel. For me it just wasn't the cozy heartwarming read that I was hoping for.
My Rating: Okay
10.) The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum.
My Christmas reading has begun! I had no idea that this amusing little volume existed.From Goodreads:
Every child knows about Santa Claus, the jolly man who brings gifts to all on Christmas. There are many stories that tell of his life, but the delightful version relayed in The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus is by far the most charming and original of all. Only L. Frank Baum, the man who created the wonderful land of Oz, could have told Santa's tale in such rich and imaginative detail.
L. Frank Baum of the Wizard of Oz fame wrote about the life and legend of Santa Claus and I loved it! I enjoyed reading that Santa Claus was once a foundling who was adopted by a wood nymph and raised in a magical forest and protected by immortal beings like Sprites, Nymphs, and Fairies. I loved the idea of Santa as a child of the forest being watched over by the Master Woodsman, the Great Ack.
This classic story is set in the forest rather than at the North Pole. Santa lived in harmony with nature and the mystical beings of the forest. He knew the language of animals. He never harmed a living creature be it flora or fauna. As he grows and enters the World of Man his reaction to human suffering and the disparities between rich and poor cause him to become a champion of children. He wants to bring joy to them. He does this by making and giving away toys and sharing his love with the world.
Nickclaus, as he is called, is more than just jolly old Santa Claus. Baum has given him a rich depth and history. The meaning behind Santa's magic...reindeer, stockings, Christmas trees, are addressed as is how Santa became immortal. There is even a big battle between good and evil. Baum's origin story is a bit different from the traditional legend of Santa Claus but no less delightful. I was enchanted by this Christmas classic.
"Yet every man has his mission, which is to leave the world better, in some way, than he found it."
My Rating: I loved it!
11.) Boldly, Nobly, and Independent: 1893-1955 Saints #3
From Goodreads:
After decades of opposition, the Latter-day Saints have dedicated the Salt Lake Temple, a mighty symbol of their industry and faith. Now, with a new century on the horizon, the Saints are optimistic about the future and ready to spread the Savior’s message of peace across the globe.
This was definitely a slow but steady read for me. I dipped in and out of it. It is an interesting and lesser known history of the church. Post pioneers crossing the plains and post polygamy. The LDS church has now become a global church. It was charting a new course and addressing the challenges that came with it.
The history is told through many members and converts to the church. Their stories of faith, dedication, sacrifice, and perseverance were told via personal vignettes. The part that I found the most interesting was the section about WWII and particularly about the saints who were living in Europe and especially in Germany at that time. Members who were trying to hold church services while living in Nazi Germany. Members who were Nazi resistors and attempting to avoiding the secret police. Some lost their lives in the attempt. The story of Helmuth Huebener, a young German who was sentenced to death during the Nazi regime for opposing the party was heartbreaking. It was interesting to realize that there were members of the church on both sides during WWII and to read their stories.
I also thought that the section about the influenza pandemic of 1918 and its effects on the world and church members was especially compelling in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. I loved the mentions of past general authorities and prophets that I respect and love referenced. People like Elder Neil A. Maxwell, President Ezra Taft Benson, and President Gordon B. Hinckley. I was happy to see that there was much more of an emphasis on women and their influence and contribution to the church and its history in this volume. Hooray!
I also appreciated that tough subjects weren't avoided in this history. Comfortable and uncomfortable topics were discussed with honesty and transparency. There were times that I cringed while reading.
The biggest downside was that the story bounced around A LOT and followed the lives of so many people. I often lost track of whose story I was following. There were so many people and so many stories. That got frustrating.
I learned so much and I appreciated the tremendous amount of time and dedication that went into researching and writing this volume of history.
My Rating: Compelling and informative.
12.) Letters From Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien
You had me at Tolkien. This was recommended to me on Goodreads after I read The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum. Thus my Christmas reading continued.
From Goodreads:
Can you imagine writing to Father Christmas and actually getting a reply? For more than twenty years, the children of J.R.R. Tolkien received letters from the North Pole - from Father Christmas himself! They told wonderful stories of mischief and disaster, adventures, and battles: how the reindeer got loose and scattered presents all over the place, how the accident-prone Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas's house, and many others.
How could J.R.R. Tolkien writing letters to his children each year from the perspective of Father Christmas be bad? Of course it wasn't bad. It was magical! So much thought and effort went into creating this world and history of Santa, the North Pole, and his friends and neighbors, and their yearly adventures in great detail. In these letters, Santa and his best friend and helper the North Polar Bear would write to the Tolkien children and fill them in on what had happened to them over the last year.
The letters span over 20 years starting in the 1920s and ending in the 1940s and reference not only the happenings in the family but also in the world at large including WWII.
“If you find that not many of the things you asked for have come, and not perhaps quite so many as sometimes, remember that this Christmas all over the world there are a terrible number of poor and starving people.”
The last letter to his youngest child on her last year of believing in Santa was so touching and sweet.
My dear Priscilla,
A very happy Christmas! I suppose you will be hanging up your stocking just once more: I hope so for I have still a few things for you. After this I shall have to say "goodbye", more or less: I mean, I shall not forget you. We always keep the old numbers of our old friends, and their letters; and later on we hope to come back when they are grown up and have houses of their own and children.
I loved this book from start to finish. This is a wonderful book full of the Christmas Spirit and the love of a father for his children.
My Rating: Excellent!
13.) A Quilt for Christmas by Sandra Dallas
I read this book over Thanksgiving vacation. It's my second Sandra Dallas novel. I previously read Prayers for Sale for book club several years ago and liked it. I was looking for a historical fiction Christmas book rather than the typical Christmas rom-com.
From Goodreads:
It is 1864 and Eliza Spooner's husband Will has joined the Kansas volunteers to fight the Confederates, leaving her with their two children and in charge of their home and land. Eliza is confident that he will return home, and she helps pass the months making a special quilt to keep Will warm during his winter in the army. When the unthinkable happens, she takes in a woman and child who have been left alone and made vulnerable by the war, and she finds solace and camaraderie amongst the women of her quilting group. And when she is asked to help hide an escaped slave, she must decide for herself what is right, and who can she can count on to help her.
Set during the end of the Civil War; it tells the story of a woman whose husband is gone fighting the Confederacy while she is left at home to manage the farm and care for their children. It was nice to read a historical fiction novel not set in WWII. This time period was interesting. I'm also not usually drawn to books about quilting and there is a lot of quilting in the book just like in the other Sandra Dallas novel I read but it was an interesting and integral part of the story.
While not a particularly *Christmas-y* book it was interesting enough and made the miles go by quickly while traveling. I liked the themes of friendship, community, and forgiveness of enemies. Dallas did a good job of describing some of the consequences of wartime. It also left me really wanting to make some divinity candy. LOL.
My Rating: Perfect book to recommend to my mother-in-law. Enough said. :)
14.) Home For Christmas by Maddie James
This was a free Kindle book. Usually you get what you pay for but it looked cute so I took a chance.
From Goodreads:
During the summer of 1989, Jenny Anderson meets Ben Matthews during a beach vacation with their families. Fresh out of high school and ready to get on with life—Jenny to Penn State in the fall and Ben to work for his uncle at Dickens Hardware—they didn’t expect to fall in love.
But love-at-first-sight happens anyway. This long-distance relationship doesn’t deter them. After a summer of love letters and clandestine trips in the fall, Ben asks Jenny’s father for her hand in marriage over Thanksgiving weekend. Much to Jenny’s horror, her father angrily denies his request. That’s when Ben and Jenny devise a plan to elope, enjoy a Christmas honeymoon in the mountains, and settle into life in Dickens, the Christmas Village. Jenny hopes her parents will come around, finally give their blessing, and welcome Ben into the family. But plans go awry when Ben’s truck breaks down not far out of Dickens. The young couple takes refuge from a fast-approaching snowstorm at an old farmhouse with elderly occupants. The pause in their getaway causes Jenny to have doubts—until she witnesses first-hand the power of love and the magic of Christmas.
The verdict: I didn't hate it. I guess I got my money's worth. LOL. It's a sweet story of first love. It is weirdly set in 1989 so the characters were just a few years older than I was at that time. They felt so YOUNG to be running off together. Now I have kids this age and the actions of the characters and the decisions that they were making still felt like Ben and Jenny were much TOO YOUNG. But putting that aside...the story is simple. It's sweet. There isn't much more to it than that.
My Rating: Okay
