Now that I'm back to reading, this link-up is just what I need. Look at the bottom of the post for the hosts, see what others are reading, and for inspiration for new books to read. Here are my books this month:
This is the first book by Virginia Woolf that I have read. I read a couple of books with references to Mrs. Dalloway, so I felt like I needed to give it a try. The description says that it's about a woman (Clarissa) getting ready for a party in London. I expected it to be about her day as she went through the day to get ready. But that wasn't it. It was more about the people you come across in your daily life. It may be a random person you pass on the street, or someone in your past who has come to visit, stirring up past memories. It made me think about how everyone has something going on in their lives. Someone may be dealing with depression or dealing with a loved one with mental illness. Someone may be frivulously flitting throughout her day without thinking about others. In the end, there was a connection with all of the attendees at the party.
At the beginning of the book, I struggled with figuring out what was going on because the characters seemed to jump from one to the other without a lot of segues and without any kind of break in the page. Once I got used to the style of writing, I found it quite enjoyable. I will definitely read another of her books, especially since another one was mentioned in a book in the Seven Sisters Series that I read.
This is actually a re-read for me. I was about halfway through the book, and I kept thinking it sounded familiar. I wasn't sure if it was similar to another book or if I read it before. I checked my Libby app, and sure enough, I read it in 2022. I didn't remember how it ended, so I kept reading.
Owen and Hannah have a great marriage. Owen's daughter, Bailey, is 16 and isn't too keen on having a stepmother. Hannah receives a cryptic note from a 12-year-old who said some man gave her $20 to deliver the note to her. Then, Hannah's world falls apart. The company where Owen worked is raided (think "Enron"), and Owen disappears. As Hannah & Bailey try to figure out what happened, they find out that Owen isn't who they think he is, and neither is Bailey.
This was an excellent book; I would highly recommend it. It's definitely a page-turner!
I thought I read Alice Hoffman before, but after checking Goodreads & Libby, I don't think I have. I can sum this book up in one word: Tragic. Gretel's family has gone through 1 tragedy after another, and the members of the family don't deal well with it. The book touches on Gretel's life from the time of her parents' breakup until she is in her 20's, a college graduate, and making a life. In the end, Gretel is the only member of her immediate family who gets it together.
I have to be perfectly honest: at the beginning of the book, I wondered if this was Alice Hoffman's first book (it isn't) because the sentences seemed short and choppy. I don't know if it got better as I read further in the book, or if I just got used to the writing style. I was able to read the book in 1 day, so it was a quick read at only 197 pages. My opinion is that the book is just "okay". I'll probably read another one of her books just for comparison. A friend recommended one of her books, but I haven't read it yet, and I can't find her recommendation.
I'm pretty sure this is the first Agatha Christie book I've read; it's definitely the first Hercule Poirot book I've read. It was a fairly quick read, and it was very good. I thought for sure I knew who did it, but I was surprised at the very end to find out who murdered Roger Ackroyd. If you like a good murder mystery, I'd highly recommend this one.
Melanie is a successful realtor in Charleston who specializes in old homes. She also sees dead people. When she inherits an old house from a man she met just a few days before his death, she's left with costly renovations (but he also left her a hefty bank account to use) and a mystery. Why did his mom leave him when he was a child? Why is his mother (who is dead) urging Melanie to discover the truth? And who is the evil man trying to keep her from it? History, mystery, bad guys, romance, and Charleston. What's not to love? The author did an excellent job with the descriptions of everything in the book. It may sound a little creepy (with the ghosts), but it wasn't. Another very good book! This is the first in a series, so I've already put a hold on the next book.
This book started off really slowly; it took me a while to read it, even though it's only 374 pages. Perveen is the first lawyer in India. There are chapters dedicated to the backstory of her becoming a lawyer, including a very tumultuous marriage. When a man with 3 wives dies following an illness, the inheritance must be discussed with his 3 wives. The problem is that the women live in a separate part of the house where no man is allowed. In order for the wives to speak confidentially, Perveen is able (as a female lawyer) to discuss their options with them. As is the custom, there is a male in the household who has taken over the management of the house and the women. After his murder, the book takes on a deeper mystery. Who killed him? Was it one of the wives, or was it one of their children? Or an employee?
Reading about the different Indian cultures in the early 1900's was fascinating. Women basically had very little rights. It was an interesting read, but I don't know if it's one I would recommend to anyone.
Based on a true story,
We Were the Lucky Ones follows the Kurc family, a Jewish family in Poland, during WWII. The author found out at 15 years of age that her grandfather escaped the horrors of the Jewish extermination, but had no contact with his parents and 4 siblings for close to a decade.
The resilience of the Jewish people during this time fascinates me. All of the family (including spouses) surviving WWII is indeed extraordinary. If you're a crier, keep the tissues handy. This is definitely one to read if you're interested in this time period.
Hop Shelf Book Reads
These are the books that I read for the brewery book club this month:
We took 2 club meetings to read this since it's around 500 pages. It didn't take long to get involved in this book. The main character has different names, with none of them being gender-specific...for a reason. She's been on the run for 3 years and has had a few attempts on her life. When she is asked to run one more operation, she is suspicious, but she does it. (Spoiler: She should have gone with her instinct.)
After the first book meeting, several of us had different opinions on what was going to happen. As it turns out, we could have written a better ending than the one Stephenie Meyer did. The book was excellent; it was probably the best book I've read so far this year. The ending was a little anticlimactic. This is definitely a page-turner. I would highly recommend!
If you need ideas for what to read next, check out the host's blog:
Slices of Life
We took 2 club meetings to read this since it's around 500 pages. It didn't take long to get involved in this book. The main character has different names, with none of them being gender-specific...for a reason. She's been on the run for 3 years and has had a few attempts on her life. When she is asked to run one more operation, she is suspicious, but she does it. (Spoiler: She should have gone with her instinct.) 
