Lucy Barton, a 63-year-old widow, recounts her complex twenty-year relationship with William GerhaSoulful Writing and A Poignant Story
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SUMMARY
Lucy Barton, a 63-year-old widow, recounts her complex twenty-year relationship with William Gerhardt, her 71-year-old first husband. From college to the birth of their two daughters to his affairs and the dissolution of their marriage. Lucy offers reflections of marriage, eternal bonds, family secrets, and how well we know, really know one another.
Lucy and William are still close, despite having been divorced for years, and both had remarried. They even still call each other by their nicknames, Button and Pillie. When things get tough, they know they can count on each other. When Estelle, Willian’s third wife, left him, the first call he made was to Lucy, and when David, Lucy’s second husband, passed away, William was there to help her with the paperwork.
Now Willian asks Lucy to accompany him to Maine. He has just learned that his mother, whom he called Catherine, has kept a secret from him. He wants to go to Maine to find out if it’s true, and he needs Lucy to go with him.
REVIEW Elizabeth Strout writes in-depth about human experiences, feelings, and imperfections. OH WILLIAM! is a poignant story, and Strout’s writing is soulful and moving.
Her character development is so emotionally rich that she makes it possible for readers to feel what it’s like to be another person. The characters, Lucy and William, are the story. They propel the narrative, are well-drawn, and are richly flawed.
Strout’s writing is seamless and smartly structured. It seems as if we are sitting beside Lucy on the couch, in her simple New York City apartment, glancing out the window at her view of the Empire State Building, while she tells us about William. As happens with an informal conversation, Lucy sometimes digresses into side stories that all merge into William and Lucy’s background,
Phrases like “That is all I am able to say about that...” or “Let me mention just a few more things… or “let me just say one more thing about…” recognizes the reader’s role and brings us into the story.
Surprisingly, my favorite part of the book is when Lucy shares her feelings of being invisible. She expressed difficulties in even explaining what she means by saying that, except to say “I feel invisible in the world.” How many of us feel the same way? This feeling certainly resonated with me.
Strout, who grew up in Maine and New Hampshire, won the Pulitzer Prize for Olive Kitteridge in 2009. Her recent novels include Olive, Again (2019) and My Name is Lucy Barton (2016).
Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A Heartwarming and Captivating Story With Characters That are Diverse and Intriguing.
SUMMARY Wallace Price, an arrogant workaholic attorney, drops deadA Heartwarming and Captivating Story With Characters That are Diverse and Intriguing.
SUMMARY Wallace Price, an arrogant workaholic attorney, drops dead of a heart attack. A reaper, named May comes to collect him at his funeral, which is poorly attended, and escorts him to an unusual house in a small nearby village. In the house is a tea shop, run by a ferryman named Hugo who helps lost souls cross over. But Wallace isn't quite ready to go yet.
Hugo helps Wallace realize how much he had and how much he missed in his life. When Hugo’s manager visits the tea shop, he gives Wallace a deadline. He must cross over in seven days. Wallace, who is falling in love with Hugo, spends the next seven days living a lifetime.
REVIEW UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR is a delightful and quirky contemporary fantasy novel about a ghost and the ferryman he fell in love with. T. J. Klune’s writing is clear, clever, and easy to read. Despite the topics of death, loss, and grief, he creates a story that is heartwarming and captivating, with characters that are diverse and intriguing. Hugo’s grandfather, Nelson, and his dog Apollo are particularly colorful.
T. J. Kline, an American author whose books feature gay and LGBTQ characters, is also the author of THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA (2020). Both books are full of warmth, humor, and hopefulness and with characters that will inspire you to think just a bit more about living your best life now.
The narrator for UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR, Kirt Graves, brings the story to life with a distinct voice for each character. His tone brings out the lightness and levity of the story.
Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillian Audio for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
An Endearing and Entertaining tale of Loss And a Family Full of Flaws That Teach Us About Forgiveness
SUMMARY
Vivi Howe, the author of thirteen beach nAn Endearing and Entertaining tale of Loss And a Family Full of Flaws That Teach Us About Forgiveness
SUMMARY
Vivi Howe, the author of thirteen beach novels and mother of three grown children, is jogging near her home on Nantucket when she is killed in a hit-and-run accident. Vivi soul is quickly escorted by her “guardian” Martha to a chic “green” waiting room in the “Beyond.” Martha allows Vivi the summer to watch what happens to her children after her death and grants her three “nudges” to alter events affecting her children. Martha advises Vivi to use her nudges wisely.
Vivi’s children include Willa, who has had three miscarriages; Carson, a bartender, who parties until all hours of the night and Leo, who is soon off to college and is struggling in his relationship with his high maintenance girlfriend. Police Chief Ed Kapenash is investigating Vivi's death, and all fingers point to Leo’s long-time best friend Cruz, who was the first person to find Vivi. Was Cruz, who was like a second son to Vivi, responsible for her death?
When a relationship from Vivi’s past comes to light, family members are shocked and Vivi's last book, titled Golden Girl, skyrockets in the rankings.
REVIEW The writing, the setting, and the story for Hilderbrand’s 27th novel were enjoyable. Who wouldn’t want to escape with a beach read to Nantucket? Her descriptions of the high-end homes, the restaurants, and the flora and fauna of the island are enticing.
Sometimes the timing of when you read a book makes all the difference. I was prepared to be unimpressed with Golden Girl. I had not been overly enamored with Hilderbrand’s most recent novels and delayed reading this one for months. When I finally pIcked the book up my timing must have been right, I was ready for something light. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the book. I devoured it quickly and for a beach read the novel didn’t disappoint.
The writing is crisp, clear and easy on the eyes. The story is entertaining and the characters are complex and authentic and full of issues and drama. Hildebrand nimbly includes and negotiates topics such as ex-spouses, discrimination, secret pasts, and extra-marital affairs. Martha’s character and Vivi’s afterlife watching experience was unique, intriguing and even amusing. Wouldn’t it be nice if this clever invention was real?
Similar to Vivi, Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and three children. She grew up in Pennsylvania and is a graduate of John Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa. Narrator Erin Bennett’s vocal inflections made listening to this book as breezy as the shore on Nantucket.
A Startling Tale of How Far A Person Will Go to Bury the Truth.
SUMMARY Shelby Tebow is missing. Then Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, DeA Startling Tale of How Far A Person Will Go to Bury the Truth.
SUMMARY Shelby Tebow is missing. Then Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, disappear. Are the disappearances connected? A search only reveals more questions, and the cases eventually go cold. Eleven years later, Delilah is found, and everyone is anxious to hear what happened to her. But some, including Delilah’s brother, Leo, are not so sure of her story.
REVIEW LOCAL WOMAN MISSING is a fast-moving satisfying story of how far a person will go to bury the truth. The story effortless goes back and forth in time between now and 11 years before. Meredith, Delilah, Leo, and the neighbors tell the story of what happened when Shelby, Meredith, and Delilah went missing.
Have you heard the saying “everyone has a story?” It’s certainly true in this book and we get it all. Of course we hear Shelby’s, Meredith’s, and Delilah’s story, but we also get the story of the neighbors Bea and Kate, and Deliliah brother, Leo, not to mention the husbands of Shelby and Meredith. The characters are plentiful but distinct and easily identifiable.
Kubica is a master at misdirection in this book, with an ending that will knock your socks off. The ground shifts halfway thru and everything you thought you figured out is blown away.
I listened to the twelve hour audio version of LOCAL WOMAN MISSING, narrated by a multicast. The four narrators did an excellent job with the voices. It’s a great listen
Publisher Park Row/Harlequin Audio Published May 18, 2021 Narrated Brittany Pressley, Jennifer Jill Anaya, Gary Tiedemann, Jesse Vilinsky Review www.bluestockingreviews.com...more
An Unhappy Full-time Mother is Recruited as an Undercover Agent by the FBI in this Intriguing Historical Fiction Novel.
SUMMARY 1954 New York City. KathAn Unhappy Full-time Mother is Recruited as an Undercover Agent by the FBI in this Intriguing Historical Fiction Novel.
SUMMARY 1954 New York City. Katharina Edgeworth is Ivy-League educated and speaks four languages. She has the perfect life: two healthy sons, a pediatric surgeon for a husband, and a Fifth Avenue address. But it’s not enough. She misses her job as a translator at the United Nations, where she devoted her days to the promise of world peace.
Katharina is miserable and desperate to escape her domestic life. When she is approached by the FBI and asked to become an informant, she jumps at the chance to do her patriotic duty. A man from her past has become a high-level Soviet spy, but no one has been able to infiltrate his circle. Katharina may be the only one who can. Her husband has no idea that she is now couriering stolen government documents from D.C. to Manhattan. But as several friends she works with die, Katharina worries that both her husband and the Soviets may uncover her secret role.
REVIEW A WOMAN OF INTELLIGENCE weaves Katharina’s domestic dramas with her adventures as an undercover agent during the post-World War II Red Scare era. The theme of how a woman can love her husband and children and still want more out of life is still relevant today.
The story is entertaining and intriguing, and author Karin Tanabe’s writing is descriptive. She creates a highly visual story with her descriptions of monuments in Central Park, the streets of D. C., and the glitzy apartment on Fifth Avenue
To be a woman of such intelligence, Katharina’s character was perplexing. She lacked backbone and strength. This educated and multilingual woman becomes a doormat upon the birth of her children. She is overwhelmed by the task of raising children and is incapable of confronting her bully of a husband of her desire to go back to work
Tanabe is the author of six novels, including A Hundred Suns and The Gilded Years. She has written for the Washington Post, the Miami Herald, the Chicago Tribune, and Newsday. She’s a graduate of Vassar College and lives in Washington, D.C.
Narrator Jennifer Jill Araya provides a great performance bringing Katharina to life in the audiobook with an emotional tone and dramatic style. Her ability to differentiate characters is superb.
Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook.
SUMMARY The centerpiece of Cloud Cuckoo Land is ancient fragments of a moldy manuscript written by GreekDoerr’s Intent for the Book is Immensely Noble.
SUMMARY The centerpiece of Cloud Cuckoo Land is ancient fragments of a moldy manuscript written by Greek author Antonius Diogenes. The manuscript tells the story of Aethon, a shepherd who dreams of being transformed into a bird so he can fly to a utopian paradise in the sky. Aethon’s story is the thread woven between five characters in Cloud Cuckoo Land, who are from the past, the present, and the future.
Past - Anna, an orphan, lives inside the walled City of Constantinople. She teaches herself to read and finds the text, the story of Aethon, in an abandoned abbey. She read the manuscript to her ailing sister while the city was preparing for war. Outside the city's walls is Omeir, a boy from a faraway village. Omeir and his oxen have been conscripted by the invading army. Omeir’s only wish is to return to his family. The paths of Omeir and Anna will intersect during the siege of the city.
Present - In the children’s section of a library in Idaho, octogenarian Zeno Ninis, who had served in the Korean war, has translated Aethon story into a play, and five fifth-grade children from the local elementary school are rehearsing for a performance. While the children are rehearsing, Seymour, a troubled teenager, enters the Library with a bomb inside a backpack.
Future - Konstance and her family are aboard the interstellar ship Argos to find a new planet on which to live. They have everything with them on the ship they will ever need. Konstance is alone in a vault on the ship, copying the story of Aethon, as told to her by her father, onto scraps of paper.
“The world we’re handing our kids brims with challenges: climate instability, pandemics, disinformation. I wanted this novel to reflect those anxieties, but also offer meaningful hope, so I try to create a tapestry of times and places that reflect our vast interconnectedness— with other species, with each other with the ones who live before us, and the ones who will be hereafter we’re gone.”—Anthony Doerr
REVIEW Doerr’s intent for Cloud Cuckoo Land is immensely noble. But honestly it made me think I was cuckoo, simply because I did not love it as much as others. My main issue is with the book’s structure and the lack of accomplishing the intended theme.
The writing was great and character are intriguing, but the read was difficult. Keeping up with with five characters across three time lines and multiple settings was difficult. The shorter chapters, normally a delight, made the individual story lines seem choppy and disjointed. Despite the 640 pages, I didn’t feel the authors intended interconnectedness between the characters. Aethon’s story is what supposedly weaves them all together, but it all felt somewhat contrived. After all, readers love reading books about books. Are we interconnected because we have all read the same book or heard the same story. I think there is more to interconnectedness than that.
Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I loved listening to these delightful stories and lessons from Robin Wall Kimmerer. I learned so much about plants and developed an increased appreciaI loved listening to these delightful stories and lessons from Robin Wall Kimmerer. I learned so much about plants and developed an increased appreciation for giving thanks to the natural resources used and consumed daily. Kimmerer's narration was like listening to poetry. Did you know that trees talk to each other?...more
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