More Myself: A Journey

More Myself: A Journey by Alicia Keys
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I don't read a lot of celebrity memoir, but I admire Keys' musical ability and her activism, so I decided to give this one a try. After all, I woke up to Empire State of Mind for a least a year as my alarm ringtone of choice, and I loved Keys' role as June in The Secret Life of Bees. This book is probably a 3.5 and definitely higher for others who know her work better, but I got bogged down in some of the details. I wanted a little less philosophizing and more tangible details about specific projects she has been a part of. That said, I still think she's remarkable and the audio version is a must if you're going to read this. Not only is Alicia a good reader, but she has guest narrators like Bono, her husband, Oprah, and Michelle Obama who chime in.

Happy reading and happy musical living--

ps. I loved the details about why she chose Keys as her stage name, and I appreciated her commentary on finding her voice as she got older. I strongly identify with that experience.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix...Again

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Seems pretty fitting to read a book where some government officials are unwilling to acknowledge reality and others are just blatantly evil. Also, I love reading Harry Potter books in the fall.

Happy reading--

Station Eleven

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm not sure reading a book about civilization's collapse because of a pandemic is advisable during a real pandemic, but I didn't know what Station Eleven was about. I only knew that many people highly recommended it, and it was available through my Libby app. I had no idea what a great book it would be - how timely and how profound. To strip away the lights, the noise, and the chaos of current life and to just focus on survival is hard to imagine, yet Mandel managed to create a believable world post-collapse. I loved how the characters were subtly linked and that the early repercussions of choices and relationships resounded throughout the story. I also loved the Station Eleven story references and how they applied to the lives the characters were actually living. The concluding portions about the characters, especially Arthur, were such that I will be thinking about this book for a long time.

I know our pandemic is nothing like the one in Station Eleven, but I do think it's had a similar effect. People are making hard decisions as they realize that life is short and we shouldn't wait to live the life we want. I know that's not all that this pandemic has brought us - despair, discordance, etc are rampant. The political ridiculousness and faulty logic in our country is horrifying, and crazily enough, Mandel does manage to capture some of that fanaticism. But the simplicity and the focus on life at home during our real life pandemic has been interesting and caused me a lot of introspection. I'm glad to be able to be safe at home and not forced to face a scary world like the characters of Station Eleven.

I highly recommend this book, but it could be triggering for some readers.

Seems to strange to say happy reading after such serious topics, but in this crazy time, I'm grateful for the simple things like reading that make life more meaningful.

ps. If the review makes you think of Cormac McCarthy's The Road, you are not wrong. That said, The Road was so disturbing and so dark. Though Mandel's world collapse is just as severe, it is not nearly as hard or devastating to read.

pps. Another book read in a day - couldn't stop listening.

Hold On, But Don't Hold Still

Hold On, But Don't Hold Still by Kristina Kuzmic
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's not often that I would say you should a read a book written by a person who has gotten famous because of YouTube and Instagram, but I love the content Kristina Kuzmic creates. Her honesty about parenthood and life mixed with her hilarious commentary was a perfect distraction from a tricky parenting day. I didn't expect her to open up so much about her experiences getting divorced and becoming a single parent or having to flee her home country as a teenager, but she manages to convey her experiences with the same relatable candor that she exhibits in each of her posts. It's not a perfect book, but it was thoroughly entertaining.

Happy reading and happy parenting--

Ps. Literally read this book in a single day. So fun to have Kuzmic as the voice in my head for a few hours.

Anxious People

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. While the plotline is unconventional, the characterization is exceptional. Backman's ability to describe people and their relationships is unparalleled. They are not overly simplified, overly flawed, or overly heroic - they're just people. They have hopes, dreams, and disappointments. They love their kids, aren't sure how to save for the future, or explain to their spouse that they're having a hard time. They have to go to the bank. They want to order pizza for dinner. And yet - the humanity Backman conveys is more than the mundane. I love his work, and I loved this book.

This story is one that you're better off not knowing specifics about it and just diving in. But trust me - it's a really great book.

Happy reading--

ps. What a perfect title for 2020!

The Screwtape Letters

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Despite being a religious person, I tend to shy away from religiously themed texts. I literally have started and stopped this book a half a dozen times in years past. The evidence of that was a piece of Netflix DVD envelope advertising Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince being used as my book mark. Still like so many others, I love C.S. Lewis' unconventional approach to Christianity. While I may get bogged down in his writing style, the messages he conveys are incredibly powerful. I'm glad to have finally read The Screwtape Letters cover to cover. Can't say I'd immediately recommend it to lots of people, but I would gladly discuss his ideas with anyone.

Happy reading and happy better living--

Nobody Will Tell You This But Me

Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A True (as Told to Me) Story by Bess Kalb
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When we were in college, my then-roommate, Maria, came over to my grandparents' house for dinner. On our way home, she said, "I didn't know you were so much like your grandma." I was taken aback initially. How many times do you compare yourself to a person 45 years older than you are? But as we drove, Maria explained the similarities she noticed and in the weeks that followed I realized how much of who I am can be directly tied to my beloved Grandma Joan. She is evident in my love of books, my love of hosting, and my desire to have everyone I love best live on the same street. She's quick to laugh, unfailingly supportive, critical of those who hurt her family, and my dad's number one fan. She instilled in me my love of the Oscars, Diet Coke (cheese, chocolate and bread are her close seconds), Italy, Trivial Pursuit, decorating, the perfectly smelling candle, and a dozen other things. I haven't been able to hug her since this COVID madness began, and it breaks my heart a little each time that I see her from the frustrating six feet away.

Enter Bess Kalb's "Nobody Will Tell You This But Me" - a book about her grandmother, told in the voice of her grandmother but written by Bess. I loved it. It's strange and a little hard to follow initially, but once I fell into it, the cadence of Bess' storytelling about beloved bubbe is everything. It's heartfelt, inspiring, hilarious, and sad. The great women that shape our lives all deserve this kind of notice. I was left wanting to write down every little detail about the people I love most from the sound of my family laughing around my grandma's table eating pumpkin stew in the fall to the sight of the little fake snow flakes around her Christmas village when I was a little girl. My first real memory is being in my grandparents' house, and it seems pretty fitting to me that it and so many other memories came to mind as I read about Bobby's life through her granddaughter's eyes. Read it. It's the kind of book that restores your faith in humanity, and I think we all need a bit more that right now.

Happy reading and happy appreciating the people who know you best and love you most--

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire....Again

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

September 17, 2020
While my love of all things Harry Potter continues, I have to be honest that this book frustrates me most because of how much backstory Rowling uses throughout this story. It's seriously 200 pages too long. That said, the Quidditch World Cup and the Tri-Wizard Tournament are such great features. I love the Weasley twins' attempts at creating joke shop items and Hermione's quest to get revenge against Rita Skeeter. Happy reading and happy fall(the reason I picked up the Harry Potters again :)).

The Exiles

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read The Exiles because of my previous reading of Kline's work. I honestly knew nothing about The Exiles, and so I was surprised to find myself reading about Australia in the 1840s when Great Britain was still sending their convicts there to work and help populate the country. I had no idea that Great Britain did that, so the story took on an added layer of complexity as I tried to wrap my head around first a seven year sentence for a minor crime and then having that sentence essentially become a life sentence because of being sent halfway around the world. Though the overall book is not something I would normally gravitate towards, the writing is good and the storylines compelling. The book mostly feels like a tragedy as the injustices faced by the convicts and the Aborigines are based on real events (though the characters are not real). That said, like Jean Val Jean's story in Les Misérables and others like that, there are moments of triumph where you can't help but root for the character's and their chance at a normal life despite all their hardships.

In short, if The Exiles sounds interesting, read it. It's worth your time.

Happy reading--

ps. And happy learning. I am continually stunned at how much history I am unaware of despite being actively interested in historical topics.

Outer Order, Inner Calm

Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make More Room for Happiness by Gretchen Rubin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Outer Order, Inner Calm is not groundbreaking, but I really liked it. I've said before that Rubin's approach to life, her structure, and her willingness to not do things that don't fit with her way of living totally appeal to me. This book is basically good reminders and tangible ways to live more simply and to have more order. As I am in the midst of a very chaotic season of life, more simplicity and more order are what I crave more than anything. This was a perfect middle-of-the-night baby feeding book.

Happy reading and happy calmer living-- What a dream in 2020!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban...Again

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

September 10, 2019
My sister and I were talking a couple days ago about how the start of fall makes us want to read Harry Potter. With that thought, I couldn't seem to focus on any other book until I had revisited Hogwarts. Sirius' story stands out more this time through. I want so many more details about his and Remus' missing years. Maybe someday Jo will write books about her side characters. Dare to dream-

Happy reading--

The Things We Cannot Say

The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I came to this book after The Stationery Shop and Next Year in Havana - two other books that deal with fleeing a country, a past and modern day element, and separated lovers. I don't know that this style of book is trend per se, but it seems to be one in my own book choices. I was captivated by this story because we don't see parents of children with special needs featured very often and because the idea of not sharing your story while you can is always compelling to me....plus, I read more books about World War II than any other period in history. I loved Tomasz and Alina's mother and liked Alina enough to push through to when she became a more fascinating character. I always liked Alice. I saw twists coming, but figuring them out only made me sadder and more invested. This is a 4.5 star read rounded down because occasionally some of the character details or conversations needed more depth.

Happy reading and hopefully, happy story sharing--

At the Water's Edge

At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The premise of this book was so odd - I have no idea how Gruen decided to write about Philadelphia socialites traveling to Scotland to look for the Loch Ness monster during World War II. I didn't love it, but I was hooked from the beginning. It helps that my husband was working late, and I had no adult contact all day so I literally listened to this book for hours as I cared for my boys and took care of the house. A couple things - this not a typical WWII book even though it takes place during the war. The main characters are just okay. The man and women who run the Scottish inn are more interesting for sure. This is one of those books that I would say to read only if you read a high volume of books....

Happy reading--

Next Year in Havana

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Next Year in Havana is a dual narrative that tells the story of an exiled family and the generations that follow. It's not a perfect book. Some of the characterization is odd, but learning a bit more about Cuba's history through fictional characters was fascinating. My knowledge of Cuban history is spotty and filled in only by headlines. The proximity of Cuba to the United States is part of what makes its history and realities so heartbreaking. Not to mention, Cuban "history" is so recent in terms of what has happened there. I'll be on the lookout for more stories like this one.

Happy reading--

ps. I adored a boy during my sophomore year of college that we often referred to simply as The Cuban. It took reading this book to remember that. For the record, he too was a great dancer.

pps. 3.5 stars rounded up