#goodforbookclub

The Latecomers: deep love, mysticism, and challenges face a 60 year old couple

Terrie

Mar 3, 2020

The Latecomers: deep love, mysticism, and challenges face a 60 year old couple

The Latecomers by Rich Marcello Genre: General Fiction (ARC) Published Jan 15, 2020, 294 pages I received this book as an ARC through #BookSirens - all opinions are my own. From the jacket copy it sounded interesting and something different for me. After reading it, I was right - it's definitely not something I usually gravitate toward. THE PLOT: A MATURE LOVE STORY This is a love story of a 60-something couple at a crossroads. Deeply in love and happy in their relationship,

Is Kingsolver too political in this novel, Unsheltered?

Terrie

Jan 22, 2020

Is Kingsolver too political in this novel, Unsheltered?

Unsheltered, Barbara Kingsolver Genre: General Fiction Published 2018, 480 pages I'm a longtime Kingsolver fan, primarily due to The Poisonwood Bible. For me, this book is a mixed bag. Set in alternating time frames, the 1870s and 2016, the two storylines have similarities. I liked that format for this book. In both cases the male characters are teachers and have lost or are losing their jobs. In both cases there are female characters who are bucking the establishment, trying

A folktale or a mystery? Magical fantasy or a ghost story? Once Upon a River will carry you away....

Terrie

Dec 3, 2019

A folktale or a mystery? Magical fantasy or a ghost story? Once Upon a River will carry you away....

Once Upon a River, Diane Setterfield Genre: Fantasy Published 2018, 464 pages "A river no more begins at its source than a story begins with the first page." Setterfield is a terrific storyteller. (Did you happen to read The Thirteenth Tale?) This one reads like a fable or fairy tale told to you by your grandma..... As I struggled to find words to describe this book to my husband, I found I was using my hands more than my words. Soothing, calm, placid, smooth. Those words all

Sibling love, a broken family all revolved around The Dutch House.

Terrie

Nov 19, 2019

Sibling love, a broken family all revolved around The Dutch House.

The Dutch House, Ann Patchett Genre: General Fiction Published 2019, 337 pages Wow. This is one of the best sibling stories ever. AND, it's an excellent dysfunctional family story. Danny and Maeve, the brother and sister of the novel, (she's 7 years older) forge an unbreakable bond as they struggle through the abandonment by their mom, their dad's second wife, dad's death, and their effort to just survive. "The story of my sister was the only one I was ever meant to tell." An

A nonfiction ode to libraries, a bit of history and a mystery is our Buddy Read - The Library Book

Terrie

Nov 18, 2019

A nonfiction ode to libraries, a bit of history and a mystery is our Buddy Read - The Library Book

An ode to libraries and a history of librarians, all tied together around the terrible fire at the LA Public Library where 400,000 books were burned. The Library Book, Susan Orlean Genre: Nonfiction Published 2018, 336 pages Terrie's Thoughts "In the library, time is dammed up—not just stopped but saved. The library is a gathering pool of narratives and of the people who come to find them. It is where we can glimpse immortality; in the library, we can live forever." This is t

A story of survival, resilience, and personal growth for a lonely young woman

Terrie

Nov 15, 2019

A story of survival, resilience, and personal growth for a lonely young woman

as she strives to overcome a truly horrendous childhood. Eleanor is a closed-off, formal, socially awkward woman who makes a friend - and her world opens up. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Gail Honeyman Genre: General Fiction Published 2018, 325 pages This book made me laugh out loud (a pretty rare occurrence when reading) and get teary (a more common occurrence) and made me think. I'm not sure how a book can be all over the internet and on my shelf for months and when

Underground Railroad: Two slaves flee the south using an actual underground railroad.

Terrie

Nov 13, 2019

Underground Railroad: Two slaves flee the south using an actual underground railroad.

This engrossing book is the story of Cora and Caesar's journey - though it primarily focuses on Cora as she tries to escape her horrific life of slavery. The twist to this story is that the underground railroad is an actual functional railroad - under the ground. A little magical realism in play - and I like the way it was handled. The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead Genre: Historical Fiction Awards: Pulitzer, National Book Award Published 2016, 306 pages I read this a

A newlywed black couple, a wrongly convicted husband, big emotions: An American Marriage

Terrie

Nov 11, 2019

A newlywed black couple, a wrongly convicted husband, big emotions: An American Marriage

What follows is a heartbreaking story of love, trust, and a marriage broken. An American Marriage, Tayari Jones Genre: General Fiction Published 2018, 308 pages "Human emotion is beyond comprehension, smooth and uninterrupted, like an orb made of blown glass." This book is SO beautifully written and explores so many conflicting emotions that I found myself pausing and rereading passages to absorb the language; I have so many quotes marked throughout the book! None of the hard

The Last Child: 13-year-old Johnny searches for missing twin sister while dealing with family issues

Donna

Nov 7, 2019

The Last Child: 13-year-old Johnny searches for missing twin sister while dealing with family issues

The Last Child (#1 Merrimon), John Hart Genre: General Fiction, Mystery Award: Edgar Published 2009, 373 pages He watched the grief take her down. It broke her at the waist. She splayed her hands on the ground, dug her fingers into soft earth. “Make it stop,” she whispered. Boy, this book just rips at your heart. Johnny’s family is torn apart after his twin sister goes missing. Then, a while later, his father leaves. Both Johnny and his mother are devastated by these two loss

The Bookman's Tale:
A mystery, a romance, a murder, a Shakespeare book found...

Terrie

Nov 6, 2019

The Bookman's Tale: A mystery, a romance, a murder, a Shakespeare book found...

Did William Shakespeare really write all those plays himself or was it Christopher Marlowe, or someone else? One of literature's enduring speculations is creatively explored by Lovett. The Booksman's Tale: A Novel of Obsession, Charlie Lovett Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction Published 2013, 347 pages A good book-about-books story that was well written and informative about antiquarian booksellers and the question surrounding whether Shakespeare actually wrote everything att

Where the Crawdads Sing: A young woman survives alone in the marshes of N Carolina

Terrie

Oct 28, 2019

Where the Crawdads Sing: A young woman survives alone in the marshes of N Carolina

A young woman from an abusive home who basically raises herself finds her life complicated when she meets a young man - and someone ends up dead, with her as the main suspect. Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens Genre: General Fiction Published 2018, 384 pages This book certainly got a lot of hype so I picked it up as my first read of 2019 and I think it mostly lived up to all that attention. As a debut novel, it's amazingly perceptive and satisfying. It's not a book I would

Terrie

Oct 17, 2019

Two Books by Thrity Umrigar

A couple who loses their son moves to India to "start over" is the framework for The Weight of Heaven, which Donna read. Terrie read The Space Between Us, the story of a wealthy Parsi woman, her valued servant of 20 years, and their changing relationship. The Weight of Heaven, Thrity Umrigar Genre: General Fiction Published 2009, 365 pages Donna's read I have read several books by this author and they have all been wonderful. This is a heart-wrenching story of an American cou

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