Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Collaboreads: January {Inspiring Read}


I first learned about #Collaboreads from Kristin's blog and the bookworm in me rejoiced.
Finding new books to read is a never-ending quest for me so this link up is pure gold.  Here is the criteria:

A theme for the month is chosen
Pick your book
Read.  You get a whole month!
Review your book and link up with Amber and Rachel

January's theme was to read whatever inspires you so I chose my favorite author, Alice Hoffman and read The Probable Future.

Goodreads Synopsis:
"Women of the Sparrow family have unusual gifts. Elinor can detect falsehood. Her daughter, Jenny, can see people's dreams when they sleep. Granddaughter Stella has a mental window to the future - a future that she might not want to see.

In Alice Hoffman's latest tour de force, this vivid and intriguing cast of characters confronts a haunting past - and a very current murder - against the evocative backdrop of small-town New England. By turns chilling and enchanting, The Probable Future chronicles the Sparrows' legacy as young Stella struggles to cope with her disturbing clairvoyance. Her potential to ruin or redeem becomes unbearable when one of her premonitions puts her father in jail, wrongly accused of homicide. Yet this ordeal also leads Stella to the grandmother she was forbidden to meet, and to an historic family home full of talismans from her ancestors."

Riveting:
I love the generations of women who made up the Sparrow family and how Hoffman gave each woman a special gift on their 13th birthday. Hoffman can w-r-i-t-e about relationships but I wish some of the characters were more present throughout the story or maybe a story line or two were just dropped altogether. It was almost as if a string was dropped to be picked up too late to be of any importance (but in my opinion was very important.) 
  
Elements:
The three main Sparrow women were Elinor (grandmother), Jenny (mother) and Stella (daughter) and the story would bounce around from each women's perspective. It was awesome to relate to and feel for each one but I wanted more resolution at the end because that's just what I like.

Associate:
Sarah Addison Allen's Garden Spells. Family of strong women, check. A magical background, check. A fast read, check. I have a suspicion Allen was strongly inspired by Hoffman.

Design:
The cover I had was of an angel. This is the second angel I have seen on one of Hoffman's novels (the other being on the inside covers of The Museum of Extraordinary Things) so I wonder if there's a deeper meaning or personal connection there. I'll pretty much read any of her books regardless of cover design.

Stars:
3 our of 5.
This wasn't my favorite Hoffman novel, but her writing is so poetic and magical I can't quit her. The very last sentence alone made me savor the experience I had reading it. I won't spoil it by revealing it here but trust me, that last line is beautiful.

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase an item I may earn a small commission. Thank you so much for supporting me and my blog!

Linking up with Amber and Rachel.

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10 comments:

  1. Love this idea! I need to jump on this bandwagon! Reading is my jam. I hate when a book doesn't live up to others by that author. :)

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  2. Posts like this kinda make me wish I was a reader :)

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  3. Posts like this kinda make me wish I was a reader :)

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  4. I think I may have read one Alice Hoffman book a long time ago. This makes me want to check her out again. Thanks for the rec!

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  5. How fun, now if I could just carve out some time!

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  6. ooooh have you skylight confessions? i have it (and have had it for SOOOOO long) but haven't read it. maybe it's time to pick it up and REALLY do myself some justice. :)

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  7. I don't believe I've ever read anything by Hoffman, but your teaser of the last line in the book has me wanting to!

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  8. Ooh I'm intrigued. I may need to pick this up.

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  9. You know, I've never read anything by her. I am intrigued and may have to try one. What is your favorite novel by Alice Hoffman?

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  10. I've never read anything by Hoffman but this may be a book I could really get into!

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