The Forest of Vanishing Stars

The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A unique World War II story that was good, but not great. Some of the characterization is overwrought and the serendipity of some of the plot was a bit much. That said, the book does have a great title.

Happy reading-

What Kind of Woman - Round Three

What Kind of Woman: Poems by Kate Baer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sometimes you just need Kate Baer's words as part of your day. Her poetry really is extraordinary.

State of Terror

State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What a strange pairing: Louise Penny and Hillary Rodham Clinton. Because it was Louise Penny though, I had to read this book. The short version is that I was totally hooked by the story and the conflict from the beginning. However, the not-so-veiled references to the previous presidential administration in the book were SO heavy handed. I think he-who-must-not-named is practically the antichrist, but it was borderline ridiculous that some of the commentary didn't get edited out. It honestly distracted from their otherwise clever story. The other strange thing in the book was the random inclusion of Three Pines and Armand Gamache. You know that I love the Gamache books, but he didn't belong in this book. These sections might have read better to someone who didn't know who Gamache was. All that to say, I'd actually recommend the book if you're a high volume reader and/or you enjoy political thrillers. It was smart and fast paced and would make a great movie or mini-series.

Happy reading-

ps. 3.5 stars...I debated rounding up because I read this book so quickly, but the aforementioned issues really were frustrating.

Lift - Round Four

Lift by Kelly Corrigan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Still my favorite book on motherhood. Profoundly applicable in all stages of parenting. I love Kelly Corrigan.

Missing Books....

The last few months of 2021 were a bit of a blur. We navigated Hudson starting autism preschool and ABA therapy, while still trying to understand his overall autism diagnosis. We prepared for and completed another round of IVF, which thankfully was successful. I taught for the first time at BYU as an adjunct professor. And we just did life - parenting two small boys and trying to keep our heads above water as COVID continued and society seemed to crumble a bit more each day. All that to say, that I didn't write reviews for the last chunk of books that I read last year. I still clung to books as a life raft and sanity saver, but I didn't write much about them. Maybe someday I'll go back and list them out here or write those reviews, but suffice it to say, that I read and we lived our lives. Our boys were happy and growing. We were in love. The rest of the details don't really matter. Happy 2022. 

Lighten Up

Lighten Up by Chieko N. Okazaki
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Chieko Okazaki is one of my very favorite women of faith. I love her optimism and her honesty. Her tenacious spirit and commitment to being herself was remarkable. I loved reading this and appreciated her encouragement during a very chaotic stage of life. Both the audio and the hard copy are equally enjoyable to read.

Happy reading and happy lighter living--

Anxious People - Round Two

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

I knew I would revisit this book because I wanted to reread it almost as soon as I finished it last year. Issues in this book hit close to home, and I wanted the chance to see it through clearer, less emotional eyes. The book was still just as enjoyable, though I did miss the big surprises. I love Fredrik Backman, and I can't wait for my annual reading of his Christmas novella.

Happy reading, and remember, you are fine just the way you are. Here's to less anxious living in 2022, since 2021 certainly didn't mellow out the way we thought it would.

The Soul of a Woman

The Soul of a Woman by Isabel Allende
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ummmm - this book was a little odd. I love Isabel Allende's fictional writing. She's very talented. This was a bit rambling for me. I appreciate her candor and her feminism, but if she wasn't a famous author, an editor would have totally reworked this or not published it in the first place. There are some good passages, but overall I wouldn't recommend it. Allende's fiction is much more worth your time.

Happy reading--

ps. 2.5 stars rounded up.

The Trials of Morrigan Crow - Round Two

The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When real life is a bit all over the place, I love to reread books. Morrigan Crow and her world were a perfect escape. I love the audiobook reader, and I can't wait to introduce this enchanting story to my boys when they're older.

Happy reading--

ps. On a second reading, I'm bumping up my star rating from 4 to 4.5, so 5 rounded up. 

Restoration: God's Call to the 21st-Century World

Restoration: God's Call to the 21st-Century World by Patrick Q Mason
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't read a lot of books about faith and religion. I just can't seem to finish most of them, but Patrick Mason's Restoration is exactly the type of book we need right now. Mason pares back anything extra and deep dives into what members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should and can be doing to lift themselves and others.

When I was in college, Bonnie Parkin, the then-Relief Society General President said, "If I could have one thing happen for every woman in this Church, it would be that they would feel the love of the Lord in their lives." That became one of my core beliefs - if people could feel our Heavenly Parents' love daily, so many of the world's ills could be cured. Mason's words give me hope that the core of what the church does could one day focus again on things that are that simple and profound, and that the culture of the church that so often takes over our faith could be restored to something better. I look forward with hope until that day.

Happy reading--

View all my reviews

Incense and Sensibility

Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sense and Sensibility is my favorite of Jane Austen's books - mainly because of Elinor Dashwood's character and the bond between the Dashwood sisters. This meant that I was extra excited to hear the Sonali Dev's newest Austen adaptation would be a take on Sense and Sensibility. Just like Dev's first two books, Incense and Sensibility is clever in its adaptation. I still love the Bay Area ties and the portrayal of the Indian-American community. It's not a perfect book - certain phrases and commentary gets a little repetitive, but I loved the update to Elinor as India Dashwood and the modernization of the issues facing the characters. As in all of Austen's novels, you know that Dev will always give her characters a happy ending, and we could all use a little more of that in this world.

Happy reading--

ps. 3.5 rounded down.

View all my reviews

Garlic and Sapphires

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love books about food, and Ruth Reichl is great at writing about food. What's not to love? The book got a little long in portions, but overall it was a thoroughly delectable read. I only wish I could have walked the streets of New York as I was reading to get a better feel for what she was describing.

Happy reading and happy eating--

Kingdom of the Blind - Round Two

Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I seriously love disappearing into Three Pines. Add it to the list of fictional places I wish were real.

Happy reading and happy imaginary traveling-

Sisters of the Resistance

Sisters of the Resistance by Christine Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Honestly, I was only sorry that this book ended. I really liked this story of sisters fighting in the French Resistance in Paris during the Nazi occupation. It had elements of Jennifer Robson's The Gown because of the presence haute couture fashion as part of the story. Those visual details were fantastic, though I wish there had been an author's note to explain what was fiction and what was fact, since Christian Dior was part of the book. Definitely worth a read, and I really like the audiobook narrator (Saskia Maarleveld) who reads this one and some of my other favorites.

Happy reading--

One True Loves - Round Four

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've read this book four of the last six summers. The only reason I missed those two summers was that I was having my babies. Otherwise, this book is everything I want in a summer read minus the drinks with the tiny umbrellas. Happy reading--

The Night Portrait

The Night Portrait: A Novel of World War II and da Vinci's Italy by Laura Morelli
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Oh man - I should have stopped this book partway through. The premise of The Night Portrait is a good one. I love stories of art and history being woven together, and I like the artwork this book is centered around (Leonardo da Vinci's The Lady with an Ermine), but this book just wasn't for me. The writing was choppy and often cliche. Even harder for me were a couple of the audiobook readers - they just were not good. I had picked up this book because two of my favorite historical fiction writers endorsed it. Apparently, that was not enough. Oh well. On to the next.

Happy reading--

ps. I think had I read a physical book, rather that the audiobook, that this probably would have been a three star for me. However, I still would only recommend it if you love WWII fiction and are a high volume reader. Otherwise, there are better books out there.

Glass Houses - Round Two

Glass Houses by Louise Penny
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just as good the second time. I really like the cobrador imagery and discussion surrounding opioids. Penny is often topical without being overly pedantic. Definitely worth working hard to get through the series.

Happy reading--

The Road Trip

The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm sorry to say that Beth O'Leary's The Road Trip is almost a two star review. I did not really like this book. I LOVED The Flatshare and I liked the Switch, and this one just fell flat for me. O'Leary still managed to create interesting lead characters - you're totally rooting for them, but the rest was just so weird and their road trip felt interminable. Normally, I'm so glad to be a long for the ride, but this time, I just wanted it to be over. The reason it gets the bump to three stars is that I did want to know how it played out, but I wouldn't really recommend it. Reread The Flatshare. That will be a better use of your time.

Happy reading--

A Great Reckoning - Round Two

A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Louise Penny. The end.
(Seriously though - she's just really good at keeping your attention from beginning to end....to the point that I'm sure I'll reread these all again in a few years just because I miss Three Pines and the characters Penny has created.)

Happy reading--

Notes on Grief

Notes on Grief by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has a gift of getting down to the heart of an issue and then articulating her thoughts on it in a way that no one else can. Because of that gift, I expected a little more from her Notes on Grief - more takeaways or broader ruminations. Literally though, this is her experience of losing her dad, and perhaps because it was so recent (June of 2020), there hasn't been time for her draw on lessons learned, etc.

I wouldn't really recommend this book unless you are looking for a window into someone else's loss. I am preparing for grief. My grandfather is terminally ill, and our whole family is seemingly holding our respective breaths waiting for our patriarch to die. The world seems to be shifting a bit with the imminence of this loss, and I'm sorry for the reminder of how short this life really is. I appreciate how long Chimamanda's love for her father radiates off every part of her experience. That is part of why the loss is so hard, but that love is what makes life worth living.

Happy reading and here's to more intentional living--