January 2022 Books Read

 

I likely rang in the new year with my "nose stuck in a book" but that pretty much sums up winter in the cozy book nook.  Reading is how I keep my brain moving and not going crazy during the shorter, darker days of winter.  This year 800 days of January was offset with some really fantastic books and the first of my 2022 Audiobook Challenge.  Here are some musings on the plot and my handy dandy rating for those who may not enjoy the swearing, sex or blood and guts.  Have you read any of these books?  What did you think? 

*Audiobook Challenge 2022*: The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant: This book has remained in my Top Five Favorites since I read the hard copy and it has sweet memories attached to it as well.  After I wrote about the book on my previous blog I shared the review on my Twitter feed.  I was really in to learning social media at that time and learned that sometimes a person could get lucky and find and tag the author in the original tweet.  What I didn't expect was to receive a personal message from Ms. Diamant and then her willingness to send me an autographed placard for my used copy out of appreciation for my review.  It meant the world to me during a really dark, sad time of life.  The audiobook was absolutely wonderful.  I listened to it during a trip for work and I hardly noticed the hours go by.  The tragedy and triumph experienced by a pre-WWII Jewish family in Boston was still just as poignant.  There were elements of the story that made my heart hurt more now than before.  I think that has a lot to do with 7 years of life experiences since I read it and having a narrator say it out loud with the emotion the author intended. If you'd like to read the original blog post click on this hyperlink.  This is a solid PG-13 due to thematic issues and sexual content.  

The Elephant of Belfast by S. Kirk Walsh: This was a gripping book about the Nazi invasion in Budapest and how it affected a local zoo.  The main character is a young woman who connects well with a young elephant named Violet.  Throughout the book we read about the sadness, danger and adventure that came with war and how it affected the zoo animals and those caring for them.  This is a solid PG-13 read due to gore related to wartime.  

Let Them Eat Cake by Sandra Byrd: I really had high hopes for this book and read it after The Elephant of Belfast to have a side of funny after a lot of sadness.  It was dumb.  It was low budget Hallmark movie dumb.  I finished it and was drawn in enough to finish, but it was nothing to write home about and promptly went in the "Back to the Thrift Store" box in the corner book nook.  This is a PG due to mild adult themes and lack of brain cells used to write it.

The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce: I absolutely ADORED this book.  It really spoke to my musical hippie, Beatles-loving, avante-garde heart. The story centers around a record shop owner in the 1980s and the day-to-day experiences he has with people and their quest to find the right soundtrack for their life.  In the course of his journey as a small business owner he has met many people with their own tales to tell that often include music.  His shop is on a quirky street along with other vibrant shopkeepers doing their best to stay afloat.  Then one day a beautiful and mysterious woman faints in front of the record shop and his life changes forever and ever. The writing style in this book was outstanding and the author did a very good job at building a voice for each character that came alive for me on the page.  Definitely a 5 Star Rating! This is a PG read due to some language, but it's pretty tame.  

The Secret Gift of Lucia Lemon by Celia Anderson: This was a darling book about an older woman who takes a trip in Europe and finds herself through following the footsteps of a dear family friend.  This book was a great escape for the bleak winter outside and the characters all had delightful personalities.  Lucia seeks out answers of where to go next in life after a dead end marriage to someone she likely never loved anyway.  She learns that it's never too late to start over and there is always time for an adventure.  I gave this 4 stars.  This is a mild PG-13 for adult themes and some sexual content.  

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadow: Hear ye, hear ye, you must read this book! My friend from college recommended this book after her book club read it in 2021. She said the reviews were mixed among the members of her book club but she loved it.  When I read the description on Amazon I was instantly hooked.  Just the sarcasm of the book synopsis had me laughing.  And laughing I did not stop.  From page one until the word "the end" I laughed my guts out.  This is a clever and hysterical re-telling of Jane Grey who is married off at 16 to a guy she really detests and then finds out he's actually a horse and that makes their wedding night super awkward and then they magically save the kingdom (and her cousin) and they all live happily ever after.  Read. it. today. Just hilarious and in the #1 spot for best book of 2022. Rated PG which was refreshing and it is mostly because it's technically youth fiction.  

Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy: This book has been on my wish list for years and I'm glad I only listened to it on the audiobook from the public library.  It was a disappointment and there is no way around it.  I am a diehard Anne Shirley fan and when I read about this book I was so pleased that someone had taken the time to tell Marilla's story and why she was such a sour soul until she had Anne.  I think the author wanted that to be her outcome, but for me it felt like regurgitating Anne's story that was already masterfully written by L.M. Montgomery.  The writing wasn't terrible and she did attempt to develop the characters which kept me listening, but the majority of the time I felt like I was being unfaithful to the OG Anne with an E.  Rated G.  Not a bit of scandal.  

So there you have it, my nerdy book friends! I'm so happy to be back on the blog train o' crazy and look forward to sharing my musings about the books I'm reading and listening to in 2022.....oooh that rhymed.  I would love to hear from you about the books you're reading and especially if you've read any of the books I mentioned.  Bombard my comment section, peasants! I welcome ye!

The moral of the story: January is over. Hallelujah.

Until next time, my lovelies,

-R

Flowers Who Flourish in Evil: "The Alice Network" by Kate Quinn

Not long ago I had a conversation with some friends about our preferred genres when reading books.  I shared that I really enjoy reading books set during wartime.  I love reading about characters who have overcome immense destruction in their life, both physically and emotionally, with an element and faith and hope.  I especially gravitate towards stories about Jewish families because their faith and courage was so stalwart.  They escaped death, looked death in the face and mourned for those who had died at the hand of Hitler and his regime.  Those who flourished in trials inspire me, thus I am drawn to these kinds of stories.  It's no surprise that "The Alice Network" by Kate Quinn sucked me in from the first page and I couldn't put it down until I knew what happened next. An incredible story inspired by the lives of actual women who flourished in the midst of evil and lived to talk about it. This book is up there with "The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah" in its descriptions and accuracy about the sacrifices made in both world wars.

The book has my favorite writing style and that is alternating point-of-view (POV) that switches between World War I London and post World War II London.  The majority of the details in regards to spy work is during World War I.  We soon discover that in spite of two very different women being showcased, their lives are going to connect at some point and it is pretty incredible when they do.

Character one is Charlie St. Clair, a young American with French ties.  She struggles with the expectations of her family to fit in a neat and tidy box that was so common in the late 40s.  In her quest to blaze her own trails, she ends up pregnant. The beginning of the story talks about the details on this baby or "little problem" as she calls it and a clinic in Switzerland where these "little problems" can be taken care of in a timely manner.  Charlie is very torn about what she should do in life and deeply mourns the loss of her cousin Rose.  Rose was lost in the war and the family has presumed she is dead after all this time, but Charlie is never convinced. She starts to do her own research and figures out there is a woman, living in London, who she can talk to who might have some information regarding Rose.  In steps character two....Eve Gardiner.  Eve is now an old woman with deformed hands and tries to intimidate people away by being grouchy, drunk and a recluse.  But, Eve has a story and a long list of reasons why she is grouchy, drunk all the time and a recluse.  Two words: the war. The first one.

Where do I even begin on Eve Gardiner? Her tale is one that can't be adequately described in a short blog without giving the book away.  Eve is a trailblazer of her own when the first world war breaks out in Europe.  She wants to do her part to serve her country and against her family's wishes she joins the Alice Network, a network of female spies in Europe.  These women are some of the fairest of them all, those who can lure the evilest leaders to their bedrooms and coax them to share war secrets.  The sacrifices each of these women make for each other and their country is beyond humbling.  I can honestly say this book drew me in and hooked me emotionally because these women were fiercely loyal to each other and didn't give up. While we are learning about Charlie and her interactions with old lady Eve, we are also learning about Eve's heroic efforts as a spy. It took awhile for me to realize how they would ultimately connect with the cousin Rose, but they do.  When it's all said and done you will feel like you've been through it with them.  It is straight-up intense.

The stories that are shared in this book are based on factual women and events.  That being said, it's gnarly. There is a lot of sex for secrets, lots of drinking and plenty of violence.  If that's not your cup of tea, this book is not for you.  It's INTENSE. But, it is SO good and very humbling.  As I said before, I enjoy reading books set in wartime because it reminds me that my life is pretty damn good because of my freedom and the ability to make choices about my body.  I struggle with any plot lines that include rape culture and this one came pretty close to me calling it at one point.  However, it was real and I knew this piece of world history was something I needed to continue reading about so I could get to the end.  So, just be forewarned.

My recommended reading group is definitely 18 or over.  It's a solid Rated R for the reasons I listed above. 

The moral of the story: Even the daintiest of flowers can do what is right, face their fears and overcome evil.

Happy reading, my amazing, geeky lovelies!
-R

Missed last week's book review? Click here to read it!