Hope everyone stayed away from the news and got lost in some good books this past year! I made the mistake of reading a handful of novels that made me angry at society’s historic (ongoing??) treatment of minorities and women. Not a great year for that – please send happy reading suggestions!
West with Giraffes (2021)
By Lynda Rutledge
This book is an entertaining adventure filled with the characters you meet along the way. It’s a sweet coming of age tale that takes the reader on a road trip from NYC to San Diego during the Dust Bowl, and as the title eludes, with giraffes! My issue with the book came from the author teasing and withholding the main character’s big reveal until annoyingly late in the book, but overall it’s a good read. Did I mention there are GIRAFFES in it?!
The Berry Pickers (2023)
By Amanda Peters
Wow, what a great book! The plot pulls you in from the beginning and grips your heart until the very end. Peters beautifully weaves together a family’s story using two siblings to narrate events from separate (and distant) perspectives. The book is about family, love and loss, and the power of belonging. The character development is superb, making you feel their pain and anger. Highly recommend.
The Frozen River (2023)
By Ariel Lawhon
This book was on the “staff picks” shelf at the library and I need to thank the person who put it there. I thoroughly enjoyed it, despite its description of women’s lives in the late 1700s. Infuriating! Interestingly, this book also takes place in Maine (see Berry Pickers above), right after the United States became, well, the United States. The main character is based on the life of Martha Ballard, a real midwife and healer, who fights for the truth in a time when women don’t have a voice.
The Soul of an Octopus (2015)
By Sy Montgomery
Who doesn’t want to learn more about octopi… or octopuses… or as we learned in the book: octopodes. The author takes the reader on her personal journey to learn more about these fascinating creatures. Most of the book takes place in the New England Aquarium in Boston, which sounds like a thoughtful animal prison, but it was hard for me to be excited about the octopodes’ lives in captivity. A proper read for those interested in these intelligent, supernatural beings here on earth.
A Gentleman in Moscow (2016)
By Amor Towles
Sharp, humorous, educational, and completely enjoyable. Hard to beat! My book reader friends know that I rarely give out five stars, but this one gets them all! Five out of five! No notes! The book COULD NOT BE ANY BETTER! It’s hard to fathom how a story about a man stuck in a hotel can be so incredible, but it truly is. This book is good all the way until the last page – I didn’t want it to end! Do yourself a favor and read this book!
The Devil in the White City (2003)
By Erik Larson
Thanks to Kimmie, this book made its way around the family. Elaine kept calling it historical fiction and saying she had never read a book like it. I was all, “Umm, I know you have. We’ve read many of the same historical fictions.” Then I read it and was like, “Ohhh, I see what you mean.” It’s like historical fact in fiction form. The book weaves together events of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair that are bizarre and educational. An odd, but interesting book.
Nothing to See Here (2019)
By Kevin Wilson
Very quick read – silly and heartwarming. Just what I needed to kick my reading into gear (I was in a bit of a reading rut). The characters are enjoyable. The storyline is enjoyable. The writing is enjoyable. I guess the book is enjoyable. I’m not going to send anyone out to read it IMMEDIATELY, but if you see it at the library and think to grab, give it a go.
White Teeth (2000)
By Zadie Smith
Woah, what a writer. Zadie Smith is next level. I don’t think I’ve ever looked up so many words while reading a book. The book is humorous, intelligent, and thought provoking. That said, I’m torn on my review. There are parts I loved – the first 100 pages, the characters, the dialogue – but I felt the book dragged on and I lost interest in the main character’s life. I’ll give Smith another chance because of her writing skills, but I’m thinking this isn’t her best work
Before the Wind (2016)
By Jim Lynch
I don’t think I would have been able to follow this book when it was originally published since I didn’t move to Washington until 2017. Until then, I didn’t speak the language of sailing. I’m certainly not fluent now, but at least I can get by. More so, I can 100% relate to the strange personalities of live-aboards in this book and life in the boat yard given my years on Lilypad. For that reason, the book was funny and relatable, but I don’t think many people outside the PNW would say that.
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café (1987)
By Fannie Flagg
Having watched the movie Fried Green Tomatoes hundreds of times, I can say without a doubt, the screenwriters followed the book to a tee. I love the movie and now the book. Flagg’s writing is humorous, heartwarming, and dare I say controversial. It’s a love story in the Deep South during the Depression… and it involves two women! There’s some argument the black characters are not portrayed well, and I agree, but I still think it’s a great story.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (2010)
By Rebecca Skloot
This book was extremely interesting, but went on a bit too long and started to rub me the wrong way. One aspect of the book is a story that the world should know: a Black woman’s cells – taken without her or her family’s knowledge – changed the medical field as we know it today. The other aspect of the book is how the author imposed herself into the story of these cells and this family’s tragic experience in trying to understand the science behind the cells. Ugh…
James (2024)
By Percival Everett
I’m torn on my review for this book. On one hand, it was a straightforward, quick, easy read. On the other, it was disturbing, heart wrenching, and difficult to stomach. Perhaps the author deliberate used this simple writing style to make the content more “digestible.” I would recommend this book, but I might also suggest revisiting The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (or at least the Cliff’s Notes) to recall some of the situation. All that said, a creative endeavor by Everett, no doubt.
The Women (2024)
By Kristin Hannah
Dang it, she’s so good! How does Hannah do it time and time again!? I honestly don’t know how to review this book because there is so much to mention. The main character is a nurse in Vietnam… and then I don’t want to say much more. The theme of my book reading this year seems to be the unequal treatment of women in the United States. So, as you can guess ladies, this book will make you angry. It’s a must read. HA!
Nineteen eighty-four (1949)
By George Orwell
I’ve wanted to reread this book for some time now, and I guess 2025 finally felt like the year. Bad decision! The party’s slogan is: War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength. And by the end, it makes total sense. I highlighted too many lines to share here, so I’ll direct you to this page. Orwell wrote this book as a warning against censorship, authoritarian regimes, and oppression. Sadly, it’s being used as a playbook.
Miss Benson’s Beetle (2020)
By Rachel Joyce
On the surface, this is a story of adventure. At its core, it’s about how our past shapes us and the personal growth one can find through incredible friendships. It’s about dedication, resilience, and strength when everything else in life points the opposite direction. I wouldn’t say it was the best book ever, but it was an easy and enjoyable read. The ending was not what I expected and I have mixed thoughts about it.
The Underground Railroad (2016)
By Colton Whitehead
In three words: unique, creative, and brutal. Whitehead makes the underground railroad an actual railroad, which I’d love to chat with him about that decision. The main character catches the train from Georgia and makes her way north, despite one horrendous incident after another. (Spoiler: it’s about slavery.) The writing and storytelling are good, but dang, it’s a tough reminder about the things we’ve done in America.
Parable of the Sower (1993)
By Olivia Butler
Honestly friends, do not read this book right now. Written in the early nineties, it takes place in the distant future of… 2025. And let me tell you, it doesn’t look good. Oye. Beyond not good. It’s bad. So dark. So depressing. And yet, so easy to see how it got that way. It’s not a post-apocalyptic book, and it’s not apocalyptic in that it’s the exact time when society as we know it has collapsed. It’s pre-apocalypse, and let me tell you, it’s terrifying. I strongly recommend this book, but it is not for everyone.
Bel Canto (2001)
By Ann Patchett
Oh wow. Ann – I can call you Ann can’t I?! – wow. You did it again and this time you might have outdone yourself. I’ve loved a lot of your books, but this one was a masterpiece. Thank you. Friends, read this book. Like another five star book from this year (Gentleman in Moscow), it’s about a cast of characters stuck in a building. The character development is beyond outstanding. It’s beautiful, moving, and a love story to music.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (2020)
By V.E. Schwab
I heard of this book from a few people, so decided to pick it up even though I don’t read much in the fantasy genre. It’s more like fantasy light, so that aspect wasn’t an issue. I wouldn’t say I disliked this book, but I didn’t love it. I kinda didn’t like the writing or really any of the characters. I found the main character boring, but maybe living for 300+ years can be that way. The more I write this review, the more I don’t think I liked the book.
My Friends (2025)
Fredrik Backman
After being on the waitlist for months, the library finally told me the book was available five days before we were to leave for Panama. Power reading time! I enjoy Backman’s writing – it’s often humorous and usually his main characters are flawed, yet lovable. This book falls into that exact category, but it’s not my favorite of his. I enjoyed how he weaves the two stories together, but felt it sometimes rambled. It hits hard at grief, belonging, and other massive mental health issues that made it more heavy than humorous.
The Hearts Invisible Furry (2017)
By John Boynes
This was the PERFECT vacation book – the kind that makes reading in a hammock or poolside the only thing you want to do. Through one person’s life story, Boynes illuminates how Irish culture is completely shaped by Catholicism, and how that culture destroyed the lives of those who didn’t “fit the mold.” It’s a saga of a gay man that starts in the 1940s and goes to present day, with each major chapter skipping seven years. Boynes’ writing is top notch. I laughed, cried, cringed, and hoped. This book is not for everyone, but I absolutely loved it.
The Hearts Invisible Furies is one of my all time favorite books. Have you read The Great Believers?!
No, but I will! I always love your recommendations!
I also highly recommend The Great Believers. One of my faves. I would have leant it to your family last year, but someone else has my copy. Thanks for doing these book reviews. I love them. And you!