Ghostly: A Collection of Ghost Stories by Audrey Niffenegger

A special thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love Audrey Niffenegger's earlier work so I thought this one would be a slam-dunk.  Who doesn't love a good ghost story?

The collection is a bit on the ecclecic side, ranging from modern day to classic with a twist of contemporary.  The stories are more on the traditional side of a ghost story versus the creepy kind that keep you up at night.  All-in-all, a fun read, perfect for this time of year.  I do wish the author had included more of her work because I think her writing speaks for itself.  That being said, I enjoyed her introductions to each story and the illustrations, they were a perfect companion to the featured stories.

My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout

A special thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Olive Kitteridge, and I enjoyed this book as well (as much as you can). It did send me on a slow journey, and left me a bit sad. Lucy Barton is recovering from surgery, and her husband is caring for the children so her estranged mother comes to keep her company. Lucy came from an impoverished upbringing that lacked not only in money, but in experience, culture, love, and attention. With her mother's appearance at the hospital, we are given a glimpse into Lucy's childhood, and her difficult past. According to Lucy she is a successful writer, who is married with children.

I find that this book speaks to the reader on a different level, it is more about the nuances and what is left unsaid. I highly recommend this story of a girl whose life may or may not be a fictional account—after all, Lucy is a writer. 

BUY NOW

ELIZABETH STROUT is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Olive Kitteridge; the #1 New York Times bestseller My Name Is Lucy Barton; The Burgess Boys, and New York Times bestseller; Abide with Me. She has also been a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize in England. Her short stories have been published in a number of magazines, including The New Yorker and O: The Oprah Magazine.

Strout lives in New York City.

Thirteen Ways of Looking by Colum McCann

A special thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have been meaning to read Let the Great World Spin since purchasing it years ago and have yet to get around to it.  After binging on Thirteen Ways of Looking, I'm putting Let the Great World Spin back to the top of the heap on my nightstand.  Short stories are not usually something I pick up, and honestly, I requested the book not realizing this was a novella and short story compilation.  McCann has such a gift with language and writing, I highly recommend picking up this collection that is framed by notes from the author.  You won't be disappointed!

Thirteen Ways of Looking

This novella is so rich, I wanted it to be a full-fledged book!  I was instantly drawn in and devoured every page of this mystery.  McCann's character development is outstanding.  The story draws heavily on culture/literary references, daunting to some, but really worked with the character.  

The reader is introduced to varying perspectives from the main character's, the security camera footage, and the detectives'.  I am not familiar with the Wallace Stevens poem "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird" that is quoted at the beginning of each section and forms the basis of the title, so it may be a bit lost on me, but I understand the symbolism.  I don't want to give anything away, there is closure to the story, but he does leave the reader hanging.  

What Time Is It Now, Where You Are?

A writer walks through the steps of creating a story.  McCann tells us what the writer imagines it would be like for an American female soldier station in Afghanistan on New Year's Eve waiting to call her lover.  He writes all of his questions, his though process while creating the story.  It was so effective and so vivid, and yet so short.  

Sh'khol

This story was my least favourite.  A mom and her mentally disabled son are vacationing on the coast of Ireland and the son disappears.  I can't put my finger on what I didn't like about the story, it certainly wasn't the writing, as a reader, you can feel the anguish of the mother, but maybe it was the subject itself. 

Treaty

This story about an aging nun that confronts the man who tortured and raped her 37 years prior when she learns that he alive and well and is a posing as something completely opposite to what she experienced.  This story was so intense, well-written, and raw.

After You by Jojo Moyes

A special thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to preface this by saying that I would read anything by Jojo Moyes. Yes, anything. She could retype the phone book and I would still read it.  I adore her, I adore her writing. 

After reading a book that you love, like Me Before You, you always want more. You are left with so many burning questions about the characters and what will happen to them. But sometimes those questions should just be left unanswered and let the reader speculate or cherish those characters by imagining their own sequel. These questions probably followed the author around, as did the countless questions about Lou, and what she is doing now, but I don't think that this necessarily means that Moyes should've wrote a sequel. I'm not saying I didn't adore parts of this, but for me it almost read like it was written by another author, in fact, the introduction of Lily felt very much like About a Boy—a lonely thirty-something finds purpose in big-sister type relationship. I simply didn't feel the same connection and affinity to Lou, and the rest of the character and story really lacked in depth and emotion.  

I found the subplot about Lou's parents unnecessary. What was the relevance of her mum's newfound feminist ways? And her poor sister...    

For those of you that are fans of Me Before You, I get it, you will read it. At best, it's a good book, there are some funny bits, and some touching bits, but all-in-all I expected so much more. That being said, I am looking forward to whatever Ms. Moyes writes next.

JOJO MOYES is the New York Times bestselling author of Me Before You, The Horse Dancer, One Plus One, The Girl You Left Behind, The Last Letter from Your Lover, Silver Bay, and The Ship of Brides. 

Moyes lives in Essex, England with her husband and three children.

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

A special thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book starts off completely delightful with a great hook.  Sara arrives in small town USA to meet her elderly pen pal, Amy.  When Amy fails to show, Sara is taken to Amy's house where her wake is in progress.  Sara decides to stay at Amy's house, and inspired by her vast book collection, Sara opens a bookstore in the despondent town. 

My complaints about this book are that it gives away the ending for Jane Eyre, so if you haven't already read it, I would suggest doing so in place of this one, and that it was too long, it could've easily been 80-100 pages shorter to tighten up the story.  The story itself was interesting enough without all of the romantic subplots.  I was more interested in Sara’s personal journey, her discoveries about Amy and her immersion in Broken Wheel and the quirky collection of characters that call Broken Wheel home.  

The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende

A special thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Allende's novel takes a closer look at relationships, family, and love.  Irina, an immigrant from Poland accepts a job at a retirement home where we are introduced to Alma.  Alma and Irina fall into an unexpected friendship that stems from Irina working as her assistant.  This is also how Irina meets Alma's grandson, Seth.  Irina and Seth bond over their mutual interest in Alma’s past which is slowly revealed through letters and mysterious flower deliveries.

Alma's backstory involves Ichimei, a boy she meets when her parents send her from Poland to the United States during the Nazis rise to power.  Ichimei and Alma are close friends until his family is sent to an internment camp.  The two initially exchanged letters but eventually lost contact when the government censors stopped forwarding mail.  They continue to be reunited over the years, their love a constant.  

The relationship of Alma and Ichimei is mirrored with Irina and Seth.  Alma and Irena, both immigrants and slaves to tradition and Ichimei and Seth bound by family.  I thought this was an unnecessary comparison, Alma's story was interesting enough to carry the book.  Overall, there was some really beautiful writing and lovely passages.