Book Review — February 2019

I used to do reviews here and there on here but I went through a personal reading lull when I was reading a lot for grad school. Last year I did the Goodreads reading challenge and read 50 books, and this year I've challenged myself to 55, so since I'm reading consistently each month to reach my goal, I thought I would start these back up!

There may be some months in here where I only read one book and some where I read five or six. Some months might be solely romance novels SORRY BOUT IT. Additionally, I rate books within their own category/genre/age group, so if I give a middle grade novel a 5/5, it's to be compared to all other middle grade novels and not the contemporary adult fiction novel that follows it, etc.

So as we round out February, let's talk books—my very favorite thing.

I initially heard about this book from Caroline at Cup of Jo who raved about it saying she had read it two days. It's a memoir about family, life's twists and turns, and identity. So basically my kryptonite. I picked it up the same day and also read it in two days.

Plot from Goodreads:

What makes us who we are? What combination of memory, history, biology, experience, and that ineffable thing called the soul defines us?

In the spring of 2016, through a genealogy website to which she had whimsically submitted her DNA for analysis, Dani Shapiro received the stunning news that her father was not her biological father. She woke up one morning and her entire history—the life she had lived—crumbled beneath her.

Inheritance is a book about secrets—secrets within families, kept out of shame or self-protectiveness; secrets we keep from one another in the name of love. It is the story of a woman’s urgent quest to unlock the story of her own identity, a story that has been scrupulously hidden from her for more than fifty years, years she had spent writing brilliantly, and compulsively, on themes of identity and family history. It is a book about the extraordinary moment we live in—a moment in which science and technology have outpaced not only medical ethics but also the capacities of the human heart to contend with the consequences of what we discover.

Timely and unforgettable, Dani Shapiro’s memoir is a gripping, gut-wrenching exploration of genealogy, paternity, and love. 

It's well written making me want to pick up some of Dani Shapiro's other work. The pace is fantastic which I appreciate in memoirs. I give it 4/5 stars because I think I wanted the tiniest bit more from it although I can't quite pin down what that would be.

A perfect follow to Inheritance even though it couldn't be more different and has nothing to do with the actual book other than being written by the person who recommended it! This debut middle grade was written by Caroline Cala Donofrio of Cup of Jo and you must purchase for every 10-year-old (and up!) you know. It's a perfect dose of early adolescent nostalgia. It's everything I wanted in books when I was the target audience's age, and quite frankly, even now. It has a sweet and believable plot, diverse characters, and witty, funny, age-appropriate dialogue.

Plot from Goodreads:
Once upon a time, a girl named Kristy Thomas had a great idea: to form The Baby-Sitters Club with her best friends. And now twelve-year-old Malia Twiggs has had a great idea too. Technically, she had Kristy’s idea. (And technically, little kids seem gross and annoying, but a paycheck is a paycheck). After a little convincing, Malia and her friends Dot and Bree start a babysitting club to earn funds for an epic birthday bash. But babysitting definitely isn’t what they thought it would be.  

Three friends. No parents. Unlimited snacks. And, okay, occasionally watching other people’s children. What could possibly go wrong?

I couldn't have loved it more and am, like the 10-year-old I am, waiting anxiously for the second book in the series to be released this August. 5/5 stars.

I could talk a long time about this book but I'm hoping to keep it succinct because I would never be able to find the right words to describe how good this book is. Even though I will admit to having a slow start with it—which is no reflection on the writing or story itself, I just think it takes a little adjusting to get in the rhythm of the story telling—it was utterly compelling and I've thought long about it since finishing it.

Plot from Goodreads:

For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life--until the unthinkable happens.

Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Karen Russell, Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps. 

I've said it repeatedly, but it's truly one of the most masterful pieces of fiction I have ever read. Delia Owens' (who is remarkable and fascinating on her own) ability to write about isolation and nature and family is breathtaking and mind boggling to me. Her talent is mind boggling. 

I will be recommending it to everyone. I'm especially excited Reese Witherspoon's production company picked it up and is making a movie of it! I can't wait to see who they cast. 5/5 stars without question.

I've been meaning to read Kristin Hannah's books after reading so many rave reviews but haven't gotten around to it till now. I'm definitely going to keep reading her stuff after this one. 

Plot from Goodreads:

Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.

Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if it means following him into the unknown

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.

In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska―a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.

I checked this out from the library and ended up getting stuck in the first chapter too long and lost my loan, so I checked it out again last week and finished it over the weekend. It's on the longer side for contemporary fiction at over four hundred pages but it certainly doesn't drag. The pacing is awesome, the relationships are gripping, and the story is engaging. Something I really loved was how it spanned the main character's life from thirteen years old to late twenties (?). I feel like lately I've been reading a lot where the main character is the same age the whole time, which is obviously totally fine and great, but it's awesome when you can see a lot of development throughout an extended period of time (this is how it is in WTCS too).

I highly recommend. 4/5 stars because I tend to reserve five stars for books with exceptional writing quality (like WTCS) and ones that leave me feeling happier. This story is a heavier one, which is great because sometimes you need that, I certainly did, but at the end of the day, a feel-good story is going to finish out with five stars from me. But Kristin Hannah's writing is stellar and the story has such depth and I kind of can't imagine the amount of time she must have spent researching for this, so... maybe 4.5 stars ;) Ps. I did a quick Google and found out it's being adapted for the screen! Very exciting.

 Currently reading: 

My last two reads were heavier, so as soon as I finished The Great Alone (and stopped crying),  I decided I needed a break from those hefty stories and went back to my tried and true, ol' faithful YA category. My very favorite. 

I'm about halfway through and I like it so far.

Plot from Goodreads:

Clara Shin lives for pranks and disruption. When she takes one joke too far, her dad sentences her to a summer working on his food truck, the KoBra, alongside her uptight classmate Rose Carver. Not the carefree summer Clara had imagined. But maybe Rose isn't so bad. Maybe the boy named Hamlet (yes, Hamlet) crushing on her is pretty cute. Maybe Clara actually feels invested in her dad’s business. What if taking this summer seriously means that Clara has to leave her old self behind?

With Maurene Goo's signature warmth and humor, The Way You Make Me Feel is a relatable story of falling in love and finding yourself in the places you’d never thought to look. 

Maurene Goo is friends with Jenny Han, one of my favorite, favorite YA novelists, and I basically want to be IN their circle of author friends (I love following them on Instagram), so I knew she'd be a great next YA author to familiarize myself with. I'm on the wait list at the library for her first novel (which I wanted to read most) but was able to snag this one without waiting. I'm enjoying it so far. It's a light, humorous read and I'll be interested in the direction it goes toward the end here.

Any books I just HAVE to read? I'd love to hear. xo