Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

Continuing my summer reading theme of books recommended by others, I am absolutely shook by this book.  I reviewed Hannah's novel The Four Winds during the Rona here, and I admit to being a bit skeptical as she seems overly wordy sometimes.  This was suggested by another client in my hair salon, and when I posted the picture our Board of Education Chair replied she loved it.

I did too.

It is slow to start.  Meredith is the heir to a very successful apple orchard, mother to two college age daughters (both attending highly selective universities) and married to her high school sweetheart Jeff (although their relationship is more friend than lover these days).  Her parents live nearby, and she visits her doting but ailing father Evan and exceptionally cold mother Anya regularly.  Nina is the younger wild child, currently a journalism photographer in Africa.  When Evan passes, Anya seemingly goes off the deep end.  Doctors think it's just grief, but Meredith thinks dementia is setting in.  Evan's final request is that Nina and Meredith convince Anya to tell a fairy tale story from long ago.

It isn't until Anya starts telling the fairy tale does the story really begin.  I was honestly getting annoyed with Meredith and Jeff's marital woes, and Nina's, I think, Australian, boyfriend.

But then, wow.  Anya tells a fairy tale that devolves rapidly into what her daughters realize is an autobiography of her youth in Stalin's Leningrad.  And their mother is NOT who they think she is.  I can tell you, as a mother, parts of this story had me sobbing.  Ugly crying.  And the plot twist at the end?  Shocking.

This is a definite recommend from me!

A reminder all opinions on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. and do not represent those of WHHS or WHPS.           

Don't Look for Me by Wendy Walker

Don't Look for Me by Wendy Walker

This was recommended to me (and donated to the WHHS Library by) a fellow client at my hair salon.  When I posted that picture of summer reading titles on my FB, many commented how much they liked it.

The premise is that a mom, dealing with guilt from a car accident that killed her youngest daughter, goes missing during a storm.  Her oldest daughter, a high school drop out alcoholic goes looking for her.  The story alternates between their viewpoints over two weeks until their timelines merge. 

I don't get the hype.  

First, there is a glaring error in the weather.  It doesn't go from hurricane to thirty below in one night.  Furthermore, it's not hitting thirty below in October in CT.  Second, the story is taking place in the southern Berkshires.  A hurricane, if it were to still be hurricane strength by the time it got there, would be devastating; life wouldn't be back to normal in less than a day.  Third, the book was published during the height of Covid, but only one little girl is wearing a mask? No one else is?

On top of that, I found the writing flat, the plot too convoluted, and the ending downright comedic rather than a drama climax.   

Yeah, no.  Won't be a recommendation from me.

A reminder that all opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. and do not represent those of WHHS or WHPS.  

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

This is the teachers and friends book club selection for May.  We are behind in meeting due to an injury and a family member's passing.  Our meeting is next week for this and our previous book The Weekend Retreat. 

This romantic comedy was chosen by Mrs. Tirollo over at Mackrille.

Eye roll, eye roll, eye roll with vomit, eye roll. Yeah, this was NOT my cup of tea.  Far-fetched, contrived, wishy-washy, bad childhood/crazy parent, cringe romance scene, set up for a trilogy.  Now, if you like rom-coms, especially ones that can be read in one beach day, then cool.  But blah for me.  

Emma and Justin are both seemingly cursed--the person they break up with finds their soulmate in the next person he or she dates.  They meet via Reddit DM and Emma drops everything to move to Minnesota to meet him.  Emma's mother is bonkers, her foster sister Maddy and her family are grounding, Justin is about to assume custody of his 3 younger siblings when his mother goes to prison for money laundering.  Way too convoluted and unbelievable.  Maybe for you, but for me?  Sorry, not sorry to dislike. 

However, that's kinda one point of a book club: be forced to read things you yourself probably wouldn't pick up, let alone finish.  Will I be reading books 2 and 3 in the series? No. 

A reminder all opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. and do not represent those of my school or district. 

Summer Reading 2024

After a very long hiatus, I am going to start reviewing here again!  Here is my summer reading list: