THE HUNDRED YEAR HOUSE by Rebecca Makkai

THE HUNDRED YEAR HOUSE by Rebecca Makkai

I made it through 150 pages before deciding I didn’t really care about these people and their foibles and meandering progress through what passed for life. A failed writer, a failed artist, a failed mother, a failed son – who cares. 

The writing is lovely, the story failed.

3 of 3 stars

A Better Man by Louise Penny

A BETTER MAN  by Louise Penny

I have only one other Armand Gamache mystery. This one convinces me I should read more!

Armand is back at work, demoted and brushed aside for another – his son-in-law!  A flood is happening and Three Pines is in the crosshairs. A woman is missing and her husband, who may be a murderer, is unconcerned. A new agent is pushing for Gamache to take over the case. The missing woman’s father is threatening to murder the husband. And then there is the dog.

Oh my – all these plot points and we are only in the first few pages.  The tension doesn’t stop until the last page in this engrossing mystery.  Penny keeps the tension alive with just enough red herrings and plot twists to compel reading far into the night.

A well written, engrossing mystery with a familiar character in a new and uncomfortable situation.

5 of 5 stars

ELLIE AND THE HARPMAKER by Hazel Prior

ELLIE AND THE HARPMAKER  by Hazel Prior

This is a lovely book.  Ellie, married to a controlling husband, meets Dan, who lives in solitary splendor meticulously carving exquisite harps.

The writing is detailed and engaging.  Prior uses words to describe the woods and creatures surrounding the harp barn with great charm.  Her characters grow and become clear as the story progresses.  Although she never uses any words to indicate Dan is autistic (or at least on the spectrum), it is readily apparent through her word pictures. She writes with sympathy and tenderness about her characters allowing the reader to see them change and develop with her eyes. 

As the tale unfolds danger and fear emerge, but the overriding feeling is always sympathy and gentleness.

A good book for groups interested in music, woodworking, nature, personality development, marriage, autism, forgiveness, family dynamics, and love.

5 of 5 stars

THE GRAVE ROBBER"'S SECRET by Anna Myers

THE GRAVE ROBBER’S SECRET by Anna Myers

I have read and enjoyed other books by Anna Myers. This one left me slightly off kilter. It wasn’t bad or poorly written, I was just uncertain to the point of the book.  The ending didn’t seem to have a conclusion and for a middle grader book, there was no clear right and wrong.

Robby’s Pa takes him with him to rob a grave. They sell the body to a hospital for teaching purposes, but Robby is very disconcerted by stealing the body and defiling it. He thinks about the family whose loved one is now being dissected. 

Right, wrong, the value of education, concern for others, empathy, all come into play as the book proceeds. Because the book caused such ambivalent feelings, I am hesitant to recommend it. Parents may want to read and discuss the book with their preteens.

3 of 5 stars with reservations

DUMPLIN' by Julie Murphy

DUMPLIN’  by Judy Murphy

This book is not PC.  A teenage girl is called Dumplin’ by her mother who constantly reminds her how fat she is and how pretty she would be if she just lost some weight. 

Dumplin’ and her friends decide to enter the beauty contest Dumplin’s mother runs and had won many years before. Hilarity runs rampant as the young women (one fat, one disabled, one perhaps autistic and one gay) prepare their talent acts and wardrobes. 

This could have been awful. It was not. It becomes a sensitive and empathetic tale of young women learning to love themselves and accept others.  Oh, and there is also a gentle love story. This would be great book for a mother/parent book club.

4 of 5 stars

A BEND IN THE STARS by Rachel Barenbaum

A BEND IN THE STARS  by Rachel Barenbaum

Relativity and Russia star in this detailed novel of science and politics.  Siblings Vanya (male, older, trying to prove Einstein’s Theory of Relativity) and Miri (female, a surgeon in a man’s field, following her deserter fiancée) flee across Russia trying to stay alive long enough to prove Vanya’s theory by photographing a solar eclipse as World War I begins.

You do NOT need to understand the Theory of Relativity to enjoy this epic novel while meandering through Russia. A triangular love story ensues when Miri saves a Jewish mystery man who then falls in love with her.  The story is really the love story and the chase for a photo of the eclipsed sun all while being chased by a murderous villain.

The details are all there. The science is understandable, the characters are likeable (or detestable), the country is unmanageable, the climax is heart pounding. An enjoyable, if lengthy, read.

4 of 5 stars

AMERICA FOR BEGINNERS by Leah Franqui

AMERICA FOR BEGINNERS   by Leah Franqui

This was a delightful book.  A conservative Indian lady seeks closure with her son’s death by taking a guided tour of America. 

Pival hires an Indian (she thinks) tour company that is really Bengali.  Her “companion” is an erstwhile actress who is tired of life. Her tour guide has never led a tour before.  These three mismatched characters, each with their own set of opinions and expectations find themselves and America as they travel. Pival’s son, his chosen lifestyle, his companion, and  his life’s work become clear as the tour progresses. 

By turns hilarious and heartrending, America for Beginners presents an America like no other. The characters are interesting and well developed. The story line has great depth and insight. While reading, you might consider a tour of America you might arrange – especially the meals along the way.

5 of 5 stars

AMERICA FOR BEGINNERS by Leah Franqui

AMERICA FOR BEGINNERS   by Leah Franqui

This was a delightful book.  A conservative Indian lady seeks closure with her son’s death by taking a guided tour of America. 

Pival hires an Indian (she thinks) tour company that is really Bengali.  Her “companion” is an erstwhile actress who is tired of life. Her tour guide has never led a tour before.  These three mismatched characters, each with their own set of opinions and expectations find themselves and America as they travel. Pival’s son, his chosen lifestyle, his companion, and  his life’s work become clear as the tour progresses. 

By turns hilarious and heartrending, America for Beginners presents an America like no other. The characters are interesting and well developed. The story line has great depth and insight. While reading, you might consider a tour of America you might arrange – especially the meals along the way.

5 of 5 stars

YOU WERE THERE TOO by Colleen Oakley

YOU WERE THERE TOO  by Colleen Oakley

This was a different kind of love story.  A happily married woman dreams about a man, not her husband, for years. Then she discovers he is a real person who has been dreaming about her!  Love, desire, confusion, humor, guilt, forgiveness, and just plain weirdness ensues.

I liked it. Not the best book ever, but definitely an interesting take on human emotions.  Well written, likeable characters who show real emotions, who grow and change in the development of the story. 

You will wonder while reading where this is all going and you will be surprised. Taken all together, this is a good read. I’m glad I read it.

4 of 5 stars