September 2020: Recent Reads

Words fail me to describe how much I delighted in this book. I realized, as I read this book, that one thing that makes a book a five-star experience for me is the voice of the narrator. If the narrator’s voice is unique, cheeky, or makes humorous, insightful remarks directed at the reader, I tend to love it. This book deftly dealt with heavy topics like loneliness, childhood trauma, and severe depression, while not feeling overwhelmingly heavy and ending on a strong hopeful note without feeling contrived. Takes a skilled author to do that. Also loved the subtle nod to Jane Austen in the names of characters.

I hope to devote an entire post to the topic of human trafficking and educating yourself on it eventually, but in the meantime, this is a book I think just about everyone should read. Or at least people from the U.S., since it specifically discusses the reality of human trafficking in the U.S.

I think this was an excellent introduction and a great place to start if you haven’t learned much about it. Plus, it lists great resources for further learning and for taking action. I also appreciated that, while honest about the realities, the author didn’t belabor the point or feel the need to make you feel what it is like…the stark reality is enough.

Amazon’s blurb describes The Penderwicks 5-book series as a “modern classic”. I must concur. It has a very wholesome feel, while dealing with emotions and topics universal to lots of children. The series focuses on a different Penderwick sibling each time, all about the time when they are in the age range of 10-12 years old. The first book involves the four Penderwick sisters and their widower dad on a summer vacation that changes their lives. I especially appreciated the beautiful symmetry with which the author concluded the series. The series made me laugh and was a good, easy read to escape somewhere pleasant where mischief that starts with good intentions turns out all right in the end. The use of a paper map dated the books a little, but otherwise there weren’t many indications of when these stories took place.

After reading several books by Katherine Reay last year which I really liked, I was looking forward to reading this one. It is sort of a continuation of The Printed Letter Bookshop.

I didn’t love it. It just seemed to be missing. . . something. Since it had been over a year since I’d read the first story, the introduction of an entire cast of characters in the first two chapters was confusing . . . I couldn’t even figure out at first who the main people were supposed to be. (maybe I was distracted?)