Monthly Book Review: September 2021

Only one book last month - we went on a camping trip to WI and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and came home with COVID so one 14-hour book was all I could muster. I honestly thought I’d written this days ago. Once again, I’m reminded of how aptly named this blog is. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See is a wonderful story of history, tradition and sacrifice. It follows Li-yan, a young girl belonging to an ethnic minority tribe, the Akha, in the hills of Yunnan province, China. Her family picks tea leaves for a modest living and they expect Li-yan to eventually become a healer like her mother, but Li-yan dreams of attending university. Circumstances thwart that dream and Li-yan has a baby whom she must give up for adoption and due to tradition means she cannot return to her village. The story alternates between Li-yan, her daughter’s adoptive family in the U.S., and eventually her daughter, Haley. Haley’s thoughts on being a Chinese adoptee of white parents is nuanced and profound. I found myself rooting for Li-yan as she experiences the ups and downs of straddling the worlds of new China and the traditions of her roots. The history of tea was very interesting tea - I’ve ordered two kinds of pu-erh, the fermented tea made in Yunnan, to see if the health and beauty benefits are for real.

TBR List

• Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke
• Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
• The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
• Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
• The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
• The Good House by Ann Leary
• White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
• How to Have Impossible Conversations by Boghossian/Lindsay

Monthly Book Review: August 2021

I'll say it up front - A Wicked Kind of Husband by Mia Vincy is a bodice ripper. It's not what I normally read, but I thoroughly loved it. It clipped along with witty banter and delightful subtext. I saw the ending a mile away but really enjoyed the ride. Reminiscent of Bridgerton - you've been advised.

Our Italian Summer by Jennifer Probst was everything I wished People We Meet on Vacation was. Three generations of women, Sophia, Francesca and Allegra, embark on a life-changing trip to Italy. Each is experiencing their own personal crisis as well as age-old mother-daughter issues ... misperceptions, judgment of choices made and not made. Their trip reveals that they have more in common than they ever imagined. Revelations and healing result. The descriptions of food, piazzas and iconic sites were vivid and added depth to the story. Delightful from beginning to end.

TBR List

• The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See 
• Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
• The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
• Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
• The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
• White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
• How to Have Impossible Conversations by Boghossian/Lindsay

Monthly Book Review: July 2021

I loved Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult. Picoult deals with ethical dilemmas subtly and expertly. The story alternates between 13 year old Jenna who is trying to find her mother, an expert on African elephants who went missing 10 years earlier, Alice, Jenna's mother, and two misfits - a has-been psychic and hack detective. Alice's excerpts were read as journal entries and it was fascinating to learn so much about elephants and their handling of grief. I felt like I was taking a science class and I mean that in the best way. This had a a nice twist I didn't see coming which I love.  

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver was a nice escape. Lydia's fiancé dies and she find she can live an alternate life with him in her dreams. The book alternates between her real life and dreams. I had to suspend disbelief that one can be cognizant of their real life while living a chronological dream (each dream picks up as if it were the exact same date as real life). The ending was pretty predictable, but the message about dreaming one's life away vs. living it was well done. 

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo gave me major Jacqueline Woodson vibes. A coming of age story told through poetry. Xiomara has all the teen girl angst layered with baggage of being a twin and daughter of strict Catholic Dominican immigrants. 

TBR List

• A Wicked Kind of Husband by Mia Vincy
• Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
• Kitchens of the Great Midwest by  J. Ryan Stradal
• The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
• The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
• The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
• White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
• How to Have Impossible Conversations by Boghossian/Lindsay

 

Monthly Book Review: June 2021

Four books - a great start to summer reading!

I started light with a book touted as THE summer read of the year. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry is a will-they-won't-they reminiscent of When Harry Met Sally. It follows the friendship of Alex and Poppy who met in college, find they are from the same area of Indiana, become fast friends and do a summer trip every year without fail. Until they don't because things got weird. Each chapter alternates between past trips (leading up to the last one) and current time. Super cute and cleverly written - a great light read while sipping something cold and refreshing. I do wish there would have been more focus on the destinations as a real escape.

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano is a bit heavy and I don't want to give too much away, but it is a wonderful journey of a tween finding himself in the absolute worst of circumstances. A touching story that reminded me "family" is what and who you make of it, not just what you were born into. 

The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal is a delightful “hometown” read with references to familiar places and things - Red Owl, St Clair Broiler, Vescio’s and Heggie’s Pizza. Lager tells the stories of small town MN sisters, Edith and Helen, Edith’s granddaughter Diana, and beer. I’m not a big beer fan, but this made me want to be one. It mixes heart, grit, chemistry (the science kind) and small town America. Each chapter is labeled with a monetary value - the ebb and flow of money is central to the stories and a fundamental part of Scandinavian / Midwest life. My favorite parts involved "The Grandmas". I listened to the audio version which was expertly read by Judith Ivey. I had to look up if she was from the Midwest because her accent is so good I assume she was (she is from Texas, but when to college in IL), even if she veered into corny Fargo speak every now and again. The end was super satisfying and that's something I can't say as often as I'd like. 

Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad is a memoir of Jaouad’s battle with cancer and to the other side - how to create meaning and purpose once you've stared death in the face. A poignant reminder that once you've faced your own mortality it's likely impossible to "go back", hence the title of living in between. The last quarter of the book follows Jaouad as she travels the country by car with her dog visiting those that made a difference during her illness and recovery. It's super detailed so very long.

TBR List

• A Wicked Kind of Husband by Mia Vincy
• Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
• Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
• White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
• The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver
• How to Have Impossible Conversations by Boghossian/Lindsay

Monthly Book Review: May 2021

Happy Memorial Day! Home of the free because of the brave. 

It's the unofficial start of summer and I am ready for it. I read (listened to) two books this month and both were winners. I hope this is the start of a streak. 

The Flat Share by Beth O'Leary - Tiffy is just out of a relationship and needs to find somewhere to live. Fast. Her choices aren't great based on her budget but chooses what she believes is the lesser of evils, a flat share, where she and her "roommate" occupy the flat (British for apartment) at opposite times as they work alternative schedules. Their main form of communication is via sticky notes which I thought was a fresh spin. The story was a bit predictable and super sweet. One of the most striking themes for me was how Tiffy comes to realize after-the-fact just how emotionally toxic her boyfriend was and how she slowly realizes that she deserves better yet could so easily be sucked back in by his charm. Unfortunately I can relate. 

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins - Lydia and her young son must leave Acapulco due to tragic circumstances. They leave Mexico for a new life in "El Norte", risking life and limb, not knowing if any seeming kindness from a stranger is genuine or an opportunity to be taken advantage of, and meeting other migrants with their own tragedies to escape. I was hooked from the very beginning and didn't want to stop. They ride trains for a significant part of the journey and the writing makes you feel like you are right on top of the train with them. I've since learned there is some controversy about the book where some in the Latinx community feel that their culture is represented as a stereotype and misappropriated. 

TBR List

• Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad
• Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
• White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
• The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver
• Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
• Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
• A Wicked Kind of Husband by Mia Vincy
• The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal
• How to Have Impossible Conversations by Boghossian/Lindsay

Monthly Book Review: April 2021

Her Last Flight was exactly what I expected from a Beatriz Williams novel - strong, fiercely independent female leads, historical references (Spanish civil war), interesting intersections and a twist you don't expect. Irene is a pilot who disappeared in 1937 at the peak of her fame. Janey is the photojournalist hellbent on telling the story of Irene and her equally famously missing former mentor. Alternating between Janey's discussions with Irene (after she's tracked Irene down in Kauai and blackmailed her to spill the beans) and excerpts from the book she writes as a result, the tension between the two women adds an undercurrent that gives a sense of desperation I found slightly annoying at first, then turned intriguing. 

 

1. What was the artist trying to achieve? Examining love, loss (what might have been) and identity
2. Did he or she succeed? Yes - the love of an emotionally unavailable parent, sacrificing your own hopes for the future for someone else's, charting your own course.
3. Was it worth doing? Yes

I'm halfway through The Flat Share - really need to make a significant dent in my list.

TBR List

• The Flat Share by Beth O'Leary
• American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
• Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad
• Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
• White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
• The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver
• Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
• Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
• A Wicked Kind of Husband by Mia Vincy
• The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal
• How to Have Impossible Conversations by Boghossian/Lindsay

Monthly Book Review: March 2021

Today is April Fool's and I wish I could say I'm joking, but this month's read, The Farm by Joanne Ramos, was a total flop for me. "Farm" is a reference to the luxe retreat where surrogate mothers live out their pregnancies for wealthy parents who can't have children or who could but it's not convenient. I almost quit three times but kept going thinking it was about to all make sense. Nope. 14 hours of my life that I can't get back. 

This got me thinking, what was the author trying to achieve? Then I read a blog post about asking three questions when you finish reading a book and decided to incorporate into my monthly reviews.

1. What was the artist trying to achieve? Examining contrasts and similarities between motivations for money, identity and motherhood. Most people would do anything for money and/or their children - the means justify the ends. 
• Some people move through the world like they own it
• Sometimes a person has no choice but hard choices
2. Did he or she succeed? Not for me - it all seemed shallow and calculated. Certain people take advantage of others because they can through money or personality. Nothing new or compelling here for me.
3. Was it worth doing? Unfortunately no.

I have a 10-day trip coming up so hoping to make a significant dent in my to-be-read list. I hope the next one is a good one!

TBR List

• Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams 
• American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
• Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad
• Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
• White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
• The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver
• The Flat Share by Beth O'Leary
• Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
• Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
• How to Have Impossible Conversations by Boghossian/Lindsay