Blurb: It’s New Year’s Eve 1982, and Oona Lockhart has her whole life before her. At the stroke of midnight she will turn nineteen, and the year ahead promises to be one of consequence. Should she go to London to study economics, or remain at home in Brooklyn to pursue her passion for music and be with her boyfriend? As the countdown to the New Year begins, Oona faints and awakens thirty-two years in the future in her fifty-one-year-old body. Greeted by a friendly stranger in a beautiful house she’s told is her own, Oona learns that with each passing year she will leap to another age at random. And so begins Oona Out of Order...
Hopping through decades, pop culture fads, and much-needed stock tips, Oona is still a young woman on the inside but ever changing on the outside. Who will she be next year? Philanthropist? Club Kid? World traveler? Wife to a man she’s never met? Surprising, magical, and heart-wrenching, Margarita Montimore has crafted an unforgettable story about the burdens of time, the endurance of love, and the power of family. Thoughts: One of the best books I have read this year. It is whimsical and heartbreaking while also a different take on a coming of age and personal growth story. In a story that's told linearly, but also non-linearly, I didn't know how it was going to end and the story surprised me several times. I sometimes wished that some of the sections and "leaps" were less pages, so we could experience more of her evolution. Recommend!
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The Blurb: There are rules for murder mysteries. There must be a victim. A suspect. A detective. The rest is just shuffling the sequence. Expanding the permutations. Grant McAllister, a professor of mathematics, once sat down and worked them all out – calculating the different orders and possibilities of a mystery into seven perfect detective stories he quietly published. But that was thirty years ago. Now Grant lives in seclusion on a remote Mediterranean island, counting the rest of his days.
Until Julia Hart, a sharp, ambitious editor knocks on his door. Julia wishes to republish his book, and together they must revisit those old stories: an author hiding from his past, and an editor, keen to understand it. But there are things in the stories that don’t add up. Inconsistencies left by Grant that a sharp-eyed editor begins to suspect are more than mistakes. They may be clues, and Julia finds herself with a mystery of her own to solve. Thoughts: This book seemed to have been written as a set of short stories first, then try to find a way to tie them all together with another mystery. I liked the concept and the individual mysteries. They were very well written and I enjoyed the mathematical reasoning behind them. However, but I think the execution of tying them together, particularly the reveal, was a little clunky and was overly laborious. The Blurb: The life of Spokane Indian Thomas Builds-the-Fire irrevocably changes when blues legend Robert Johnson miraculously appears on his reservation and passes the misfit storyteller his enchanted guitar. Inspired by this gift, Thomas forms Coyote Springs, an all-Indian Catholic band who find themselves on a magical tour that leads from reservation bars to Seattle and New York--and deep within their own souls.
Thoughts: It's a story of the rise and fall and mystical wonder of an Indigenous blues band. Perhaps I was expecting more. Perhaps, it straddled the line between mystical and wild folklore and music business reality. Perhaps a couple of the characters just were so unlikable, but I came away disappointed. One side, there is the story of life on the reservation itself and understanding the sense of hopelessness one can have when a people have been pushed somewhere and then given rations. On another side, there is the mysticism of Big Mom, of the dreams and the magical guitar. Still, there is a story of a blues band strung together for no other reason as it provides some hope, but why would they let a jerk and his crony be a part of the band. It seemed the parts were greater than their sum. bookshop.org/a/23143/9780802141903In the end, I liked it, but was hoping for more. The Blurb: Benson and Mike are two young guys who live together in Houston. Mike is a Japanese American chef at a Mexican restaurant and Benson's a Black day care teacher, and they've been together for a few years--good years--but now they're not sure why they're still a couple. There's the sex, sure, and the meals Mike cooks for Benson, and, well, they love each other. But when Mike finds out his estranged father is dying in Osaka just as his acerbic Japanese mother, Mitsuko, arrives in Texas for a visit, Mike picks up and flies across the world to say goodbye. In Japan he undergoes an extraordinary transformation, discovering the truth about his family and his past. Back home, Mitsuko and Benson are stuck living together as unconventional roommates, an absurd domestic situation that ends up meaning more to each of them than they ever could have predicted. Without Mike's immediate pull, Benson begins to push outwards, realizing he might just know what he wants out of life and have the goods to get it. Both men will change in ways that will either make them stronger together, or fracture everything they've ever known. And just maybe they'll all be okay in the end.
Thoughts: First off, I appreciated the representation of these characters, their families and how the world sees them. These stories need to be told. However, I wished it was told better. I listened to the audio version and was left so underwhelmed. Some authors can bring life to their own writing. But perhaps Bryan Washington's words would have had more resonance if he would have had a Voice actor bring them to life. As it was, I enjoyed Mike's story (read by an actor) much better as he came to understand himself, his father and his relationships. The Blurb: An intimate story of brotherhood, love, sacrifice, and betrayal set against the panoramic backdrop of an early twentieth-century America that eerily echoes our own time, The Cold Millions offers a kaleidoscopic portrait of a nation grappling with the chasm between rich and poor, between harsh realities and simple dreams. The Dolans live by their wits, jumping freight trains and lining up for day work at crooked job agencies. While sixteen-year-old Rye yearns for a steady job and a home, his older brother, Gig, dreams of a better world, fighting alongside other union men for fair pay and decent treatment. Enter Ursula the Great, a vaudeville singer who performs with a live cougar and introduces the brothers to a far more dangerous creature: a mining magnate determined to keep his wealth and his hold on Ursula. Dubious of Gig's idealism, Rye finds himself drawn to a fearless nineteen-year-old activist and feminist named Elizabeth Gurley Flynn. But a storm is coming, threatening to overwhelm them all, and Rye will be forced to decide where he stands. Is it enough to win the occasional battle, even if you cannot win the war?
Thoughts: i admit, it takes a few chapters to really get into the story and if you're not in the right mood for them (plodding, sullen, depressing), they can lead you to putting it down and not pick it up again. But, I continued to read along and glad I did. Walter does another great job of creating his world and his story, interlacing "first-hand" narratives with his overarching story of Rye, the Spokane labor strife, class, police brutality and overall turn-of-the-century poverty politics. I needed some lighter reading... I was in Day 45 after I stop caring about what day of isolation it was. I was checking my sales data for Friends in Low Places. I was stressing over the book launch at a local brewery (which was a success by the way) and I also had a lot of the regular job thing I was also thinking about. I just needed to escape into someone else's story.
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion The Blurb: The art of love is never a science: Meet Don Tillman, a brilliant yet socially inept professor of genetics, who’s decided it’s time he found a wife. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which Don approaches all things, he designs the Wife Project to find his perfect partner: a sixteen-page, scientifically valid survey to filter out the drinkers, the smokers, the late arrivers. Rosie Jarman possesses all these qualities. Don easily disqualifies her as a candidate for The Wife Project (even if she is “quite intelligent for a barmaid”). But Don is intrigued by Rosie’s own quest to identify her biological father. When an unlikely relationship develops as they collaborate on The Father Project, Don is forced to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie―and the realization that, despite your best scientific efforts, you don’t find love, it finds you. Thoughts: I'm a sucker for quirky love stories and this is pretty much it. Of course, it's a little predictable. Of course, Don's going to meet Rosie. Of course, she's not going to be right for him. Of course, he's going to take an interest anyway. And of course, they're going to find a way at the end. But it's a fresh take and I liked how Don eventually sees his need for order and regiment is a crutch that is a protective shell rather than just a quirky character arc. I enjoyed my time in this book. The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop by Fannie Flag The Blurb: Bud Threadgoode grew up in the bustling little railroad town of Whistle Stop with his mother, Ruth, church-going and proper, and his Aunt Idgie, the fun-loving hell-raiser. Together they ran the town’s popular Whistle Stop Cafe, known far and wide for its fun and famous fried green tomatoes. And as Bud often said of his childhood to his daughter Ruthie, “How lucky can you get?” But sadly, as the railroad yards shut down and Whistle Stop became a ghost town, nothing was left but boarded-up buildings and memories of a happier time. Then one day, Bud decides to take one last trip, just to see what has become of his beloved Whistle Stop. In so doing, he discovers new friends, as well as surprises about Idgie’s life, about Ninny Threadgoode and other beloved Fannie Flagg characters, and about the town itself. He also sets off a series of events, both touching and inspiring, which change his life and the lives of his daughter and many others. Could these events all be just coincidences? Or something else? And can you really go home again? Thoughts: You ever watch those nice easy TV shows about a small town. Think "Providence" or "Everwood" or "Ed" or "Hart of Dixie." It's not high drama, but it's entertaining. I thought of my Mom while reading this book. The way neighbors talk to each other. The way strangers talk to each other and are willing to lend a hand or look out for one another. These are the stories that are lost in suburbia when the interaction with your neighbor may be a wave as you drive away in your tank... er... SUV. I listened to this one, read by Fannie Flag herself and she does as good a job acting out all the voices as she does putting them on paper. Very enjoyable. All right, All right, All right... Yeah, I know, His catch phrase needs to show up somewhere, right? So let's just get it out there and out of the way. The other one? Just keep livin' L-I-V-I-N' ... So, what how you think this memoir is going to read after reflecting on those two catchphrases. Exactly as how you'd think.
Yes, it is partly the narcissistic recap of early life and career that you'd expect from a celebrity actor. Yes, it does give some of the platitudes and overall truths that you may expect come from a future politician? And yes, you do roll your eyes on the sanctimonious thoughts of someone who can hold out for 20 months to find the right opportunity. But... It's pretty good. I listened to the audio book, which I would recommend. His lazy Texas drawl just adds to the experience. I mean, if you're going to spend the time reading, you might as well pop in those earbuds and listen for yourself. That's what I did for a week between workouts and chores around the house. I found myself rooting into my Bakersfield roots, remembering my childhood and the values my parents taught me and also the self-reflection I have partaken either on my Sunday morning meditations or my journaling in the mountains or the walks along the Deep Water Channel near home. I'll say it. I liked it. I found my own truth in Matthew and laughed at some of those stories I could relate to all too well. I've come across many of the characters he has had in his life and I found myself relating more to him than not. I guess this is the point of a memoir and I bought it, complete with the six pack of beer. My advice: Just enjoy it. It's a good afternoon with a friend sitting on the shore of the river or around a campfire. Have you ever read a book where you appreciated the writing and what the author was trying to do, but in the end, just had a tepid reaction? That was the case for both Luster by Raven Leilani, and Cheer Up Mr. Widdicombe by Evan James.
First, Luster. The Blurb: No one wants what no one wants. And how do we even know what we want? How do we know we're ready to take it? Edie is stumbling her way through her twenties--sharing a subpar apartment in Bushwick, clocking in and out of her admin job, making a series of inappropriate sexual choices. She is also haltingly, fitfully giving heat and air to the art that simmers inside her. And then she meets Eric, a digital archivist with a family in New Jersey, including an autopsist wife who has agreed to an open marriage--with rules. As if navigating the constantly shifting landscapes of contemporary sexual manners and racial politics weren't hard enough, Edie finds herself unemployed and invited into Eric's home--though not by Eric. She becomes a hesitant ally to his wife and a de facto role model to his adopted daughter. Edie may be the only Black woman young Akila knows. Irresistibly unruly and strikingly beautiful, razor-sharp and slyly comic, sexually charged and utterly absorbing, Raven Leilani's Luster is a portrait of a young woman trying to make sense of her life--her hunger, her anger--in a tumultuous era. It is also a haunting, aching description of how hard it is to believe in your own talent, and the unexpected influences that bring us into ourselves along the way. Thoughts: Edie is a mess and such a frustrating character, that I couldn't decide whether to just yell at the console (audio book) or just turn it off. The situations the characters put themselves through just seemed so insanely needy and selfish. I just couldn't see anyone acting that way in real life, let alone three people living in tandem. A few times I just wanted to be done with it and move on, but if I would have turned it off, I would have missed some beautiful turns of phrases and the narrator's talents. In the end, I can tell why it's been lauded but why I am usually not normally drawn to these type of characters. My lackluster opinion is more due to my own preferences than the writing. Which brings us to Cheer Up, Mr. Widdicombe. The Blurb: The inimitable--some might say incorrigible--Frank Widdicombe is suffering from a deep depression. Or so his wife, Carol, believes. But Carol is convinced that their new island home--Willowbrook Manor on the Puget Sound--is just the thing to cheer him up. And so begins a whirlwind summer as their house becomes the epicenter of multiple social dramas involving the family, their friends, and a host of new acquaintances. The Widdicombes' son, Christopher, is mourning a heartbreak after a year abroad in Italy. Their personal assistant, Michelle, begins a romance with preppy screenwriter Bradford, who also happens to be Frank's tennis partner. Meanwhile, a local named Marvelous Matthews is hired to create a garden at the manor--and is elated to find Gracie Sloane, bewitching self-help author, in residence as well. When this alternately bumbling and clever cast of characters comes together, they turn "as frothy and bitter as a pot of freshly brewed dark-roast coffee, the kind that's always available on the Widdicombe's sideboard. And the dialogue, oh how it singes and sears" (The Washington Post). Thoughts: While I could not relate at all to the characters in Luster, I did relate to those in Mr. Widdicombe. You have the midlife crises, the awkward relationships and misunderstandings and people trying to make the most of situations. Unfortunately, the author's style choices were distracting. While I didn't initially object to lack of chapters, the breaks in the text marked by a couple of spaces, didn't make much sense. In one particular chapter, the narrative jumped consciousnesses from one character to the next. I liked the plot, the story and the prose, but wish it didn't make those odd narrative choices. Click on books to purchase on Bookshop.org A bestselling modern classic—both poignant and funny—about a boy with autism who sets out to solve the murder of a neighbor's dog and discovers unexpected truths about himself and the world. Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow. This improbable story of Christopher's quest to investigate the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog makes for one of the most captivating, unusual, and widely heralded novels in recent years. My thoughts: I listened and enjoyed this book on audio. Author Mark Haddon takes us right into the world of a boy with autism filled with sensory sensitivities, need for order and literalism, and vulnerability when those needs are not met Christopher is a character that we may pass in our daily lives, but we regrettably only see what our mind and experience perceives as "special" or "too much trouble to deal with." What we learn is that there is someone who just wants the world to make sense and whose mind doesn't allow them to make blacks and whites into grays. The narrator, Jeff Woodman, provided the right amount of quirkiness and vulnerability of a boy with autism. Click on book to buy on Bookshop.org I am continuing my 2021 reads.
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin Grit by Angela Duckworth Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware Drop Shot by Harlan Corben Storm Front by Jim Butcher The Greatest Beer Run Ever by John "Chick" Donahue You've Got Something Coming by Jonathan Starke The Paris Hours by Alex George The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon The Wife and the Widow by Christian White |