Have I been a busy bookworm this summer! I figured I'd give you a BIG book drop and start the fall off to a once a month post (back to business as usual!) I hope you find one you love, some of these are extraordinary! Affiliate links used. A small commission may be received if you purchase an item through my links with no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog!
The Signature of all Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
Goodreads Synopsis:
In The Signature of All Things, Elizabeth Gilbert returns to fiction, inserting her inimitable voice into an enthralling story of love, adventure and discovery. Spanning much of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the novel follows the fortunes of the extraordinary Whittaker family as led by the enterprising Henry Whittaker—a poor-born Englishman who makes a great fortune in the South American quinine trade, eventually becoming the richest man in Philadelphia. Born in 1800, Henry's brilliant daughter, Alma (who inherits both her father's money and his mind), ultimately becomes a botanist of considerable gifts herself. As Alma's research takes her deeper into the mysteries of evolution, she falls in love with a man named Ambrose Pike who makes incomparable paintings of orchids and who draws her in the exact opposite direction — into the realm of the spiritual, the divine, and the magical. Alma is a clear-minded scientist; Ambrose a utopian artist — but what unites this unlikely couple is a desperate need to understand the workings of this world and the mechanisms behind all life.
Exquisitely researched and told at a galloping pace, The Signature of All Things soars across the globe—from London to Peru to Philadelphia to Tahiti to Amsterdam, and beyond. Along the way, the story is peopled with unforgettable characters: missionaries, abolitionists, adventurers, astronomers, sea captains, geniuses, and the quite mad. But most memorable of all, it is the story of Alma Whittaker, who — born in the Age of Enlightenment, but living well into the Industrial Revolution — bears witness to that extraordinary moment in human history when all the old assumptions about science, religion, commerce, and class were exploding into dangerous new ideas. Written in the bold, questing spirit of that singular time, Gilbert's wise, deep, and spellbinding tale is certain to capture the hearts and minds of readers.
Thoughts:
Gilbert is slowly turning into one of my favorite authors (you can find my other favorites here) Her way with words is astounding. I never knew how fascinating moss could be but in her skilled hands, it is exhilarating. Be prepared to be taken on an adventure.
Stars:
5 out of 5
Buy the book
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now...
Thoughts:
The frankness of tone that this is written in makes it wholly plausible. I am dying to watch the Hulu series but haven't gotten around to it yet.
Stars:
4 out of 5
Buy the book
Cypress Point by Diane Chamberlain
When her best friend Mara is left severely brain damaged after giving birth, Joelle D'Angelo finds solace in Mara's husband Liam, but as their attraction for each other grows, Joelle, driven by guilt, searches for a legendary healer to save her friend.
Thoughts:
My can Chamberlaine spin a tale. I got chills reading the beginning of this book because I thought I knew how it would play out, and I was only halfway right; the twists she throws in are awesome. This also is set in Monterey and reading about my hometown dulled some of my homesickness just a bit.
Stars:
4 out of 5
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The Lost World by Michael Crichton
It is now six years since the secret disaster at Jurassic Park, six years since the extraordinary dream of science and imagination came to a crashing end – the dinosaurs destroyed, the park dismantled, the island indefinitely closed to the public.
There are rumors that something has survived....
Thoughts:
At first I was a little confused how a dead man could be the main character in this sequel but with some creative (re)writing, Dr Malcolm is back. Just as fast paced as Jurassic Park.
Stars:
5 out of 5
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
Goodreads Synopsis:
Nearly eighteen, Molly Ayer knows she has one last chance. Just months from "aging out" of the child welfare system, and close to being kicked out of her foster home, a community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping her out of juvie and worse.
Vivian Daly has lived a quiet life on the coast of Maine. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past. As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly discovers that she and Vivian aren't as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.
The closer Molly grows to Vivian, the more she discovers parallels to her own life. A Penobscot Indian, she, too, is an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past. As her emotional barriers begin to crumble, Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life - answers that will ultimately free them both.
Rich in detail and epic in scope, Orphan Train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, of unexpected friendship, and of the secrets we carry that keep us from finding out who we are.
Thoughts:
I enjoyed learning more about this period of American history but was underwhelmed with the characters as a whole. The teenaged protagonist was barely likeable so having her driving this story was a big shame.
Stars:
3 out of 5
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Beartown by Fredrik Backman
Goodreads Synopsis:
People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys.
Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected.
Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain. In this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman has found the entire world.
Thoughts:
Gah. This novel left me spellbound. Such beautiful writing about two topics I never would have put together but just work to create a whole world. The good thing aboutreading books years after their publish date? Less time to wait for the sequel!
Stars:
5 out of 5
Buy the book
The Hypnotists Love Story by Liane Moriarty
Goodreads Synopsis:
Ellen O’Farrell is a professional hypnotherapist who works out of the eccentric beachfront home she inherited from her grandparents. It’s a nice life, except for her tumultuous relationship history. She’s stoic about it, but at this point, Ellen wouldn’t mind a lasting one. When she meets Patrick, she’s optimistic. He’s attractive, single, employed, and best of all, he seems to like her back. Then comes that dreaded moment: He thinks they should have a talk.
Braced for the worst, Ellen is pleasantly surprised. It turns out that Patrick’s ex-girlfriend is stalking him. Ellen thinks, Actually, that’s kind of interesting. She’s dating someone worth stalking. She’s intrigued by the woman’s motives. In fact, she’d even love to meet her.
Ellen doesn’t know it, but she already has.
Thoughts:
I had a brief episode with a stalker and though it isnt anything to brag about or do I speak lightly about it, this book makes it seem “not that bad” because the stalker is female and very educated (and now I feel sexist.) But I guess how you flip the narrative is exactly why Moriarty is such a great writer.
Stars:
4 out of 5
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Mr Penumbra’s 24 hour Book Store by Robin Sloan
Goodreads Synopsis:
The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon away from life as a San Francisco web-design drone and into the aisles of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, but after a few days on the job, Clay discovers that the store is more curious than either its name or its gnomic owner might suggest. The customers are few, and they never seem to buy anything; instead, they "check out" large, obscure volumes from strange corners of the store. Suspicious, Clay engineers an analysis of the clientele's behavior, seeking help from his variously talented friends, but when they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, they discover the bookstore's secrets extend far beyond its walls.
Thoughts:
I love this story twofold! 1) it reminds me of my brother, everything he likes is included in this book and 2) a book about a bookstore can only have good things in it!
Stars:
5 out of 5
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The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty
Goodreads Synopsis:
Sophie Honeywell always wondered if Thomas Gordon was the one she let get away. He was the perfect boyfriend, but on the day he was to propose, she broke his heart. A year later he married his travel agent, while Sophie has been mortifyingly single ever since. Now Thomas is back in her life because Sophie has unexpectedly inherited his aunt Connie's house on Scribbly Gum Island -- home of the famously unsolved Munro Baby mystery.
Sophie moves onto the island and begins a new life as part of an unconventional family where it seems everyone has a secret. Grace, a beautiful young mother, is feverishly planning a shocking escape from her perfect life. Margie, a frumpy housewife, has made a pact with a stranger, while dreamy Aunt Rose wonders if maybe it's about time she started making her own decisions.
As Sophie's life becomes increasingly complicated, she discovers that sometimes you have to stop waiting around -- and come up with your own fairy-tale ending.
Thoughts:
Ive been on a Moriarty kick this summer and with good reason- she always ties up the loose ends and delivers a pretty packaged story! These characters are delightfully quirky and relateable; you just want to give them hugs and advice and be part of the family or at least I do!
Stars:
5 out of 5
Buy the book
The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand
Goodreads Synopsis:
Nantucket is only two and a half hours away from Martha's Vineyard by ferry. But the two islands might as well be worlds apart for a set of identical twin sisters who have been at odds for years. When a family crisis forces them to band together — or at least appear to — the twins slowly come to realize that the special bond that they share is more important than the sibling rivalry that's driven them apart for the better part of their lives. A touching depiction of all the pleasures and annoyances of the sibling relationship, Elin Hilderbrand's next New York Times bestseller, THE IDENTICALS proves once and for all that just because twins look exactly the same doesn't mean they're anything alike.
Thoughts:
I have read exactly three Hilderbrand novels and have really enjoyed the last two, so Im grateful I didn't wash my hands of her after that first ill-fated novel. I have a fascination with twins (who doesn't, amIright?!) and this read quenches that double trouble stigma.
Stars:
4 out of 5
I love The Handmaid's Tale series. I have the book, but I don't want to read it and ruin anything in the plot. You should definitely watch it when you get a chance. I read Orphan Train. Like you, I didn't love it, but it was a decent read!
ReplyDeleteI just finished watching Anne with an "E" and am ready to delve into the Handmaid's Tale!!!
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