The Alice Network

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It took me almost two years to finish this book. I started it in the midst of fertility treatments and all the pregnancy chatter and spy drama was too much. It's beyond ironic that I started it again two years later and finished it in the midst of another round of fertility treatments. I'm torn on what to give this book because parts of it were so clever, but other parts felt a little forced. Now having finished this one, Quinn's The Huntress doesn't seem quite as original. Both her books draw on very similar themes, but I still appreciated the chase, the camaraderie, and the characterization of Eve and her Scottish gentlemen. Ultimately, I was entertained, but The Huntress is better.

Happy reading and happy fall. Wishing for gray days soon, so we can curl up with blankets and books. 

100 Books

I didn't realized until today that I had read 100 books over the course of 2019. The idea of reading 100 books in a single year was not my original goal. I just decided in January that I am happiest when I am reading a lot of books and since I don't get as many chances for intellectual development as a stay-at-home mom, I thought I'd make reading a priority. A few months into the year I realized that I was going to be well past my original goal of 75 books. I didn't expect to hit 100 so early and so easily, but I have loved reading so many books. I only wish I got to talk to more people about them. Still what a fun literary year. Can't wait to see what the next two months holds for me. Happy reading--

Heating and Cooling

Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro-Memoirs by Beth Ann Fennelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I admire people who can pack entire life lessons or experiences into a few sentences or paragraphs. The micro-memoir is uncommon, but it is SO fun to read. While I still love Amy Krouse Rosenthal more, I loved stepping into Fennelly's thoughts and experiences and wish I could read portions of it aloud to Seth or my sisters. Unfortunately, I read most of it in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep. Totally worth it though. If you're in a reading rut or need something you can pick up when you have five minutes, this is it.

Happy reading--

(Book 100 - 2019)

Evvie Drake Starts Over

Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda  Holmes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A recent widow. A washed up baseball player. Four seasons in a small Maine town. What's not to love? On some levels, this book is that straight forward, but really it's more than that. And I love books where adults are figuring out what they really want and then going for it...not to mention any book that mixes love and baseball gets my hearty stamp of approval.

Happy reading and happy falling in love--

(Book 99 - 2019)

As You Wish

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Totally fun and light-hearted look at one of the funniest and most quoted movies of all time. I think the audio version is a must since so many of the real actors share their own memories. Inconceivable that this movie almost didn't get made. Really loved all the random anecdotes.

Happy reading--

(Book 98 - 2019)

A Trick of the Light

A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I was younger I thought it was ridiculous that people talked about rivalries and fights from decades before as though they were yesterday. Now almost twenty years out of high school, I realize that some experiences feel as though they were just a moment ago. Penny plays with that tension well in this installment of the Armand Gamache series. I found myself loving Jean Guy's story line even more in this book and wishing even more that Clara would divorce Peter...which is not the focal point of the story, but I keep wondering if I'm the only one who really dislikes Peter. Even in the first book he made me a bit uncomfortable to the point that I wondered if he was the murderer...and then I hoped he was the murderer in book four so he'd go away. Either way, I'm thrilled to have read another of Penny's books and am sad that I have to wait so long for the next one to come up on my library hold's list.

Happy reading and remember to let grudges go. After all, what would Armand Gamache do?

(Book 97 - 2019)

Bury Your Dead

Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was by far the most intricate of the Gamache series - multiple story lines working together to propel us forward as readers. I really liked the exchanges between Jean Guy Beauvoir and Armand Gamache as they battled their own memories and issues. Additionally, I loved the carryover from The Brutal Telling (the previous book in the series). That case being reopened was fascinating. Very powerfully told and so descriptive that I've added Quebec City to my travel bucket list.

Happy reading and on to the next--

(Book 96 - 2019)

Circe

Circe by Madeline Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't think I ever would have found this book on my own, but it kept showing up in friends' reviews and Anne Bogel of The Modern Mrs. Darcy mentioned it a couple times on her "What Should I Read Next" podcast.

Miller manages to focus on Circe as entirely her own story instead of just being a fixture of Odysseus' journey. To be honest, I have forgotten so many of the Greek myths since I haven't studied or taught them in ages, so many of the details were brand new to me. The writing is exquisite and Miller's ability to make Circe a relatable character surprised me over and over again. Circe's motivations, especially as a mother, are so compelling. Plus Greek myths are great stories to begin with....and occasionally when I hear Greek names referenced, the soundtrack to Hercules begins to play in my head. Who doesn't want that?

Happy reading and good luck staying out the way of the gods--

(Book 95 - 2019)

The Brutal Telling

The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't know how Penny manages to keep writing better and better stories, but I was so lost in this story that I didn't want to stop reading. Armand Gamache is such a compelling character and his support characters only get more interesting as the series continues. Cannot wait for the next one!