The Bookshop of Second Chances
4.5 / 5 Stars
A heartfelt story of love and loss with a strong female character that made me want to be a bit more assertive in life.
This is the author's first published work and I would say it was a rousing success. It's an easy read that's truly enjoyable to tuck into on a rainy weekend.
Piranesi
4/5 stars
Magical realism is one of my favorite genres ever since I read The Starless Sea and The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern (two books I think about on a daily basis).
But there are not a lot of books that span the gulf between magic/fantasy and the real world. Piranesi was recommended to me as a strong contender and it truly filled that gap.
Overall it was not my favorite storyline, but the descriptions of another world, the plot, the resolution were all beautifully written. Definitely worth the read if you enjoy a bit of magic like I do.
The Man Who Died Twice – 4.5/ 5 Stars
This is the second book in the Thursday Murder Club series (the third book comes out in September). I LOVE a good cozy mystery - truly about the most suspense I can handle in a book - and this series is just the coziest. Set in England it follows a band of retirees who live in a posh community and work to solve murders that seem to fall in their lap. They are intrepid and you easily fall in love with all the characters. A must read for any cozy mystery fan.
Every Summer After – 4/5 Stars
A heartbreaking but satisfying summer romance that makes for a lovely vacation or weekend read. Through a series of flashbacks you follow the lives of angsty teenagers - now grown into angsty adults - and feel their emotions about life and love and mistakes and second chances flow through the pages.
Acquired Tastes, A Year in Provence, Toujours Provence
5/5 Stars
For the last few years, my favorite thing to do is read a chapter or two of a travel nonfiction book before going to sleep.
I find the works of Peter Mayle, Francis Mayes, Anthony Boudain extremely calming and so lovely to read before bed.
Last year I worked through Francis Mayes collection of works, (highly recommend!) and this year is Peter Mayle's works. If you're a fan of travel literature - his Year in Provence is lovely to read along with his other works about life in France.
Cloud Cuckoo Land – 3/5 Stars
I've had this on my bookshelf since Christmas and at the urging of Carly and Grace I gave it a chance. And this is why I love chatting about books with people – because books are uniquely personal and can impact one reader completely different than another.
They were significantly impacted by that book, whereas I found it difficult to read, disturbing at times, and slightly unsatisfactory at the ending. One thing I think everyone can agree upon though is it was magnificently written.
The Paris Apartment - 3.5/5 Stars
Lucy Foley's third work and just a "meh" from me. She writes suspense very very well, but after listening to half of the book as an audiobook and reading the other half I could do without the story. It definitely kept my attention though, so she wins a star for that.