2019 Books Read - August

I read 10 books in August.   I read many different genres, some new authors and some repeats. I would rate only one book a little below an "average" read with most of them above average.   A good month.  Hope you can find one or two that interest you.


The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michelle Richardson

An interesting story of a blue woman who is ostracized by society yet accepted by those who know her through her job as a book woman. This is an interesting story on two levels. First off – I didn’t know there was such a thing as blue people. Learning about this genetic manifestation and how they have learned to “treat” it is interesting. In the context of the book, we are brought face to face with the prejudices that exist based on anything that makes a person different – in this case color. As a reader I learned what a kind person Cussy is and it saddened me that others around her could not see that. 

It was also interesting reading about Cussy’s route to bring books to rural Kentucky. The people that waited each week for the books, the books they wanted, the kids at the school. We also learn about the poverty and poor living conditions that most were in. But we also learn the power of reading and books to somehow help a little as people escape from life. 

All in all a good book, even though it does have a melancholy feel to it.

What My Sister Knew by Nina Laurin

Twists and turns abound in this psychological thriller. I was surprised at some of the turns and most of the time was trying to figure out who was the “bad” guys and who were the good ones. We do know early on that Andrea is a disturbed person and that her brother, Eli, at the least borders on narcissism. How this all plays together in their past history and in the present is where the story ties itself together. The story begins with Andrea in a one vehicle car crash after she sees Eli on the road. Eli, she discovers, is wanted for murdering his girlfriend. From there the story is told in the alternating past/present format.

There were times that I figured something out right before it was revealed, but it was still a bit of a cliff hanger. If there is such a thing as an easy reading psycho-thriller, than this is it. I was never on the edge of my seat but it was an interesting story,

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

I will admit when you read the synopsis of this book, It doesn’t exactly sound that exciting. It is the story of Count Alexander Rostov who at the age of 32 is declared a unrepentant aristocrat in Russia and is given a life sentence of house arrest in a luxury Moscow hotel, the Metropol. If he steps out of the hotel he is to be shot with no questions asked.

The story of Rostov’s life in the Metropol is not dull and boring. He develops friendships with not only the hotel personnel, but also some of the guests. He finds a purpose in his life and while he can’t leave, he can still receive visitors. Another character driven book that kept me interested until the end. It is a longer book – 462 pages – and what I would call a leisurely read. By that I mean that while it kept my interest there were times that it seemed to be a slow pace. Instead of a boring slow pace, it was more a pace that reflected the way that time must have passed for Rostov. I highly recommend this book.

A House Among the Trees by Julia Glass

I read “Three Junes” by Ms Glass in 2009 and while I liked the book, I had not read another one of hers until this one. The synopsis caught my eye, and having read her before, I dove in. I mean who can resist a story about a children’s author.

The book begins at the death of Mort Lear, the popular children’s author, who leaves his estate to his long time assistant, Merry Galarza. Merry is surprised at this discovery and must decide the best way to handle everything. Needless to say, there are others, including a museum, that would like to have his papers and drawings. Add that a movie on Lear’s life was slated to be made with a leading man who wants to learn more about Lear and you have the story. This is another past/present told story. I remember when that style was cutting edge. Now pretty much used more than not it seems.

I can’t decide about this book. At times I really liked it and at others, I just found it ok. It may be the frame of mind I was in when I read it, but overall, I’d give it a little below average.

Properties: Stories Between Two Novellas by Lionel Shriver

This was my “walking on the treadmill” read so I could do short stories and not be carrying a longer story over between times. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The stories are about what you would think from the title – property of different types and how people view and cherish or don’t cherish it. The stories were a mix of humor and serious. Some had thoughts that stuck with me and others were mainly just an entertaining story. I’ve read 2 other books by Ms Shriver, both about very different topics than this. This was my favorite of hers.

Room by Emma Donoghue

Told in a 5 year old narrative, this book took a little for me to get into, In fact, I had started it 3 or 4 years ago and had put it down because of the narrative style and what I thought the story was. This was this months selection for my book club, so I dove in. Once again I found it a little hard to get going, but stuck with it and was glad I did. I found myself at times questioning Jack, the nararator, as far as his level of education, but in this story it was believable. I think Donoghue does a nice job of presenting the thoughts and reactions of a 5 year old boy who was raised in one room without seeing the outside. Through him, we also understand his mom and the deep emotions that she feels. Overall, a well written story, once I got into it.

I have not seen the movie but in our book club discussion those who did compared the two. The consensus seemed to be that the movie stayed fairly true to the book, yet with some characterizations of the people that didn’t go along with the book. So if you’ve seen the movie, I think you would enjoy the book and maybe seeing a few things from a different perspective.

Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes

Baseball and love – what’s not to like?! A nice lighter read that could be classified as a “beach read.” The day that Evvie is leaving her husband is the day that he is killed in an accident. Evvie is forced to start over but not in the circumstances she wanted. This is an entertaining story that is one of my favorite styles – character driven. I loved getting to know Evvie, Dean (the former baseball pitcher who has the Yips) and Evvie’s BFF, Andy. They are a strong support system for each other. A nice story of friendship, love and overcoming.

Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service by Gary Sinise

Known best as Lieutenant Dan, this is the story behind how Gary Sinise evolved from a self-centered teen/young adult into a man whose main goal in life is service to others. The story of how Sinise became an actor and the many things he has accomplished is interesting in itself. Add the element of his kind, giving heart that doesn’t just compel him to give his money but more importantly so much of his time and this is a story that will inspire, and cause you to question where your heart is.

I will admit that when I know of someone who spends so much time doing for others, I wish I could hear the story from the family side. I wonder if they truly understand why dad/husband was gone so much and how it affects them and their lives. Having said that, I am thankful for people who are so devoted to helping make the world a better place, especially in the area of our armed forces. Too often the ones who give us the freedoms we cherish are forgotten when they are in need.

(On a side note – this year we gave a small donation to Sinise’s foundation and a few weeks later we got a phone call thanking us. That spoke volumes to me.)

Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson

This is the 8th book written by Ms Jackson that I have read. This one is a little different from the others I read as far as plot, but is still character driven and as always, well written. There are a lot of moral questions that arise with the biggest being how much of your past should you tell those closest to you? I would love to go into other questions, but they are all revealed as you get further into the book and I really don’t want to have spoilers.

The book is told in layers and as each is peeled back, more is revealed. There were a few twists that were surprising, but not unbelievable. I love twists in books, but dislike when they seem manufactured. While that could have easily been the case here, instead it all fit together and made sense. Another good one from Ms Jackson. 

Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple

Today Eleanor Flood will be different. She is going to be a kinder, more engaged person. Of course, the best plans of mice and men often go astray. In this case they did in many ways. Some funny, some serious, but all entertaining. Another one of my favorite styles – character driven. By the end of the book I felt as if I knew Eleanor and her family. A very easy read – I read it in one day. A good one.