TV Tuesday: Veronica Mars

With my husband working from home all the time now, we needed a good "lunchtime show" last year. Generally, even with a suspense/crime type show, we like a bit of humor at mid-day to enjoy with our lunch. We decided to try Veronica Mars, a popular show that aired 2004-2006, then came back in 2019 for a final season (with a movie in 2014). We watched all four seasons and the movie (which actually takes place in between seasons three and four) and loved every moment of it. We were very sorry to say goodbye to Veronica when we finished!

At the start of season 1, Veronica, played by Kristen Bell, is a typical high school student ... well, not exactly. Her best friend was murdered, her dad (played by Enrico Colantoni) was kicked out as sheriff for investigating one of the wealthiest people in their town, and now she helps in her dad's PI business after school. In helping on her dad's cases, investigating her friend's murder, and solving cases for classmates at school, Veronica spends much of her time on surveillance, asking the teen leader of a local bike gang (played by Francis Capra) for favors, and sometimes getting thrown in jail. Not really your classic extra-curricular activities on most high-schoolers' resumes! The investigation of her best friend's murder, which was officially closed out by the police with the supposed culprit in prison, runs as a continual thread throughout the first season, though there is usually another case in each episode, often something a bit lighter brought to her by a classmate or a case her dad is working on. After the events surrounding the murder and her dad's public disgrace, Veronica is no longer welcomed by the wealthy, cool kids in her hometown of Neptune, CA. Now, her only close friend at school is Wallace, played by Percy Daggs III, plus she has a couple of on-again, off-again romantic relationships. Mostly, though, she's a loner with a sarcastic mouth that gets her into trouble and a dark undercurrent from all that she's been through. Season two also takes place in high school, season three takes place on a local college campus, and then there's a 10-year gap before Veronica returns to Neptune for season four.

We both absolutely loved this show! We are fans of Kristen Bell (we've also been watching The Good Place this past year and enjoyed her in House of Lies with Don Cheadle), and she's in top form here. The rest of the regular cast is just as good, and the writing is excellent. If the premise sounds a bit dark to you, well ... it is. Veronica's mom left, her best friend was murdered violently, and her dad was publicly disgraced, so there's good reason for her inner darkness. But this show also has plenty of humor, which we always appreciate to offset the darker moments. And while Veronica doesn't have many friends any more, her relationship with her father is very close and loving, with plenty of amusing banter between them. The underlying mystery plus the cases she solves in each episode provide plenty of suspense, action, and whodunit tension. We loved every moment of this show, through all four seasons and the movie, and were very sorry when it ended.

Veronica Mars is currently available with a subscription on Hulu and for purchase on Apple+ (though we had to rent the movie on Amazon for $2.99). You can also purchase episodes or seasons of the TV show on Amazon.

This trailer provides a preview of the first three seasons, with a teaser about the fourth, to give you a full idea of the arc of the series (without any spoilers):

It's Monday 3/8! What Are You Reading?

Late post today because my son is visiting from out of town, and I drove him to two out-of-state medical appointments today (in the same location). It's always a bit of a marathon for us: an hour's drive up there, back-to-back appointments while he gets an IV, and the drive back. The timing is not great for either of us--too early for him and too late for me! Today he ended up with a killer migraine while we were there. So, he's up in bed now and was resting all the way home, but at least we had a nice chat on the way there! I'm sorry he has to leave already this evening; we were hoping for more time with him this visit. His brother is coming over for dinner, though, so it'll be nice to have the Jackson 4 together again briefly.

It was a busy week for me, with lots of blog posts, two new videos up, and a busy weekend of cleaning, cooking, and tax preparation. Our big event this weekend was busting my 95-year-old father-in-law out of prison! ha ha Just kidding. He lives in Independent Living, and residents weren't allowed to leave the building (unless they quarantined in their apartment for two weeks after) for the past year. Now, all residents are fully vaccinated and they gave the OK for leaving the building. So, we were still masked and distanced, but my husband brought him over for dinner. He enjoyed getting out and being at our house again, though he's much weaker than he was a year ago, and it took a lot out of him. Worth it, though!

So, here is my very late update on what we've all been reading this past week:

I finished reading my neighborhood book group's next selection, The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne, and I loved it! I have been hearing great things about this novel for years, and I enjoyed Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, so I was thrilled when the group chose this one from my several suggestions. It's an epic novel, covering the life of one man in Ireland, starting in the 1940's, before his birth, and moving through the decades to the present. It begins when when his mother, a teen girl from a small town in County Cork, is publicly shamed by the local parish priest for her pregnancy and then thrown out of town and her family. She gets on a bus to Dublin, makes a new friend, and settles into the unfamiliar city with a new job while she waits for the baby to come. When Cyril is born, he is quickly adopted by a wealthy Dublin couple, where he is provided for materially but not emotionally. The novel follows Cyril through each stage of his life and focuses on his struggles with realizing he's gay, hiding his true self because of the time and place, and gradually coming to accept himself. It's a wonderful novel, both heartbreaking and heartwarming and, surprisingly, very funny! I cried twice and laughed a lot, too; you can listen to my description in last week's Friday Reads video.

Next, it was time to move onto my other book group's selection (I have two book group meetings on Zoom this week!), My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares. Ann is the author of the popular Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series (I think I only watched the movie adaptation), and this was her second novel for adults. I'm only at the beginning and don't fully understand what's happening yet, but it's about a man who has lived many lives over many centuries (2000 years) and remembers all of them. He keeps crossing paths with and falling in love with a woman he thinks of as Sophia, in life after life. As the novel begins, in Virginia in 2006, Sophia's current life is as a seventeen-year-old girl named Lucy, and he is a same-aged boy named Daniel. He manages to find her and enroll in her school, but she doesn't seem to remember him the way he remembers her. That's it so far! In the chapter I am reading now, he is remembering his early lives, all the way back to 250 AD. I'm intrigued by the premise, though I don't fully understand it yet!

On audio, I did something I very rarely do: I set aside a book unfinished (really, barely started). I was just not getting into Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty, so I stopped listening after chapter 5 and started something new. Heart Spring Mountain by Robin McArthur is providing the emotional complexity I was looking for. The main character is a woman named Vale who lives in New Orleans. In 2011, Tropical Storm Irene devastates her home state of Vermont, and she gets a phone call that her mother, Bonnie, is missing. Though they've been estranged for many years, Vale gets on a bus and travels to Vermont to help search for Bonnie. Once up there, she is surrounded by old friends and family, memories, and her family's history, including some long-held secrets she uncovers. It delves into five generations of women in the family, with an intricate sense of place. I was a bit confused by all the female characters at first (and jumping around in time), but I think I've got the generations straight in my mind now! I'm enjoying it so far.

My husband, Ken, just finished reading The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz (my review at the link), which I enjoyed last month. It was published in 2007 and lingered on our TBR bookcase for over a decade! The Spellman family runs a P.I. business, with mom, dad, older sister, Izzy, and younger sister, Rae, all involved (brother David is a lawyer). The novel is written from Izzy's point of view, with a heaping dose of humor in among the cases and investigations. Izzy has a lot of issues, though she's no longer quite the mess she was when she was younger. Still, most of her relationships are very short-lived (for some reason, men don't like their girlfriends to stake them out and run credit checks on them), until she meets one guy she really likes. In fact, she likes him enough that she lies to him about what she does for a living. Of course, this approach will eventually blow up in Izzy's face, and at that point, she decides to leave Spellman Investigations, though her parents want her to work on one last case. Ken enjoyed this fast-paced, witty novel as much as I did!

He has now just barely started Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline, which we are both looking forward to! I gave it to him for Christmas (the best kind of gift, the kind I can enjoy, too). He, I, and our son all loved Ready Player One when it came out (and we all enjoyed the movie, too), so we've been happily anticipating the sequel. According to the cover blurb, this book begins just after the events in the first book ended. Wade is now in charge of OASIS and the empire left by genius creator James Halliday (kind of a Willy Wonka-like set-up!) and discovers a new secret in his vaults, a brand-new technology that could changes OASIS and the real world dramatically. Apparently, there is a a new riddle, a new quest, and. ... a new evil villain ready to thwart Wade and his friends. Reviews say it is just as fun, nostalgic, and exciting as the first book!

Our son, 26, is back to reading a favorite series, The Demon Cycle by Peter V. Brett. He absolutely loved the first two books in this series, The Warded Man and The Desert Spear, and now he is enjoying book 3, The Daylight War. The series is about a world where frightening demons rule the night, and humans try to stay safe inside magical wards, though their protection is fragile. Three of those humans leave the safety of the wards to uncover the secrets of the past and try to take back their world.When he went up to bed last night, he was planning to finish this, so I'm not sure what he will read next, but he still has plenty to choose from here at the house!

Blog posts last week:

Movie Monday: On the Rocks - warm, funny film about a father-daughter relationship, starring Bill Murray and Rashida Jones

TV Tuesday: Lakefront Bargain Hunt - Our new stress relief! Watch families choose the lakefront home of their dreams, for a reasonable price!

Fiction Review: The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich - I loved this historical novel about a Native American community living, growing, and fighting for their existence in the 1950's

Teen/YA Review: Honestly Ben by Bill Konigsberg - a boy goes on a journey of self-discovery in this warm, funny novel

My Summary of Books Read in February - a great reading month for me! You can read my summary and see how I'm progressing with my reading challenges, then check out my February Wrap-Up video for a bit more information on the books I read.

What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.

You can follow me on Twitter at @SueBookByBook or on Facebook on my blog's page.   

What are you and your family reading this week?

Books Read in February

Before I jump into my books and challenges, be sure to check out my February Wrap-Up video on YouTube! In it, I briefly describe each book I read last month and what I liked about it. It's not a repeat of this blog post, but a little something extra, in case you want to know more.

And, now, here are the books I finished in February:

Furious Thing by Jenny Downham (UK) - teen/YA novel

The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz (CA) - adult novel

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (UK) - classic play

The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert - adult nonfiction

A Map to the Sun by Sloane Leong (CA) - teen/YA graphic novel

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich (ND) - adult fiction on audio

Honestly Ben by Bill Konigsberg (NH) - teen/YA novel

(my reviews at the links)

I read seven books in February, which is a lot for a short month! Granted, one was a short play and one was a graphic novel, but still. It was a mostly fiction month, with one excellent nonfiction book. Three of my books were YA, the rest were for adults, and two were on audio. All in all, it was a nice variety. I am torn in my choice of a favorite, so I'm going to cheat and choose two: both The Sixth Extinction and The Night Watchman were outstanding! So, one favorite novel and one favorite nonfiction book.

Progress in 2021 Reading Challenges:
You can see all of the reading challenges I am participating in and full lists of the books read for each at the challenges link above. I have some fun ones going this year!

Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2021 - Four of my seven books in February were from my own shelves. I think I should get extra credit for reading two that had each been on my shelves for almost ten years!

2021 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge - February was Laughter and Love, so The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde was a perfect fit.

Back to the Classics 2021 - I read my first classic of 2021! The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde fit into the category of plays.

2021 AtoZ Reading Challenge - Three of my books into open alphabet spots in this challenge, and The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz fit the February mini-challenge of Non-romantic Love.

PopSugar Reading Challenge 2021 - this is a unique one, with 50 quirky categories. I added another 6 categories to my list this month:

1. A book with a heart on the cover: Honestly Ben by Bill Konigsberg
2. A book set in multiple countries: The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert
3. A book by an indigenous author: The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
4. A book in a different format than you normally read:  A Map to the Sun by Sloane Leong
5. A book you think your best friend would like: The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz
6. The shortest book on your TBR list: The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

2021 Nonfiction Reader Challenge - I added The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbertto make two nonfiction books so far this year, and I put it into the category of Oceanography, since certain chapters deal with marine organisms.

Diversity Reading Challenge 2021 - Three of my books were diverse last month, and A Map to the Sun by Sloane Leong fit the monthly theme of Black/African American.

Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge - Two more stops in the UK last month, but The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert took me to Panama, Iceland, Australia, and Peru!

2021 Literary Escapes Challenge - I added two states, North Dakota (big score!) and New Hampshire.

And finally, Bookish Bingo hosted by Chapter Break - not really a challenge per se, but a fun game that I play each month! Stop by to print out this month's Bingo card and play along. In February, I filled 19 spaces on my bingo card:

Spaces Filled:

Furious Thing - free book, audio book

The Spellman Files - red on the cover, in a series, candy/chocolate

The Sixth Extinction - book club read, library book

The Importance of Being Earnest - read a physical book, under 400 pages

A Map to the Sun - life changing decisions, not in a series

The Night Watchman - determination, favorite author, set in a small town, dreams/nightmares

Honestly Ben - romance, shelf love, happily ever after

Free Space

 

What was YOUR favorite book read in February?

Teen/YA Review: Honestly Ben

I was searching through my extensive TBR shelves for something appropriate to read for Valentine's Day when I found Honestly Ben by Bill Konigsberg ... with a heart on its cover! This was the first novel I've read from this popular author, and I enjoyed it very much.

Ben grew up on a farm in New Hampshire and is attending a fancy boarding school in Massachusetts on a scholarship. He doesn't always feel like he fits in, since most of his classmates come from wealthy families, but things are going really well for Ben right now. He was just elected captain of his baseball team and won a prestigious award at the school that will provide a college scholarship ... if he can keep up his grades. Unfortunately, Ben feels like his personal life is very confusing right now. Last semester, his friendship with his best friend, Rafe, grew into something more, until they had a falling out before break. Now, Ben is back at school, and he's met a really wonderful girl named Hannah from the local girls' school. Hannah is smart and funny, Ben really likes talking with her, and he's attracted to her. He misses Rafe, and he knows he still loves Rafe. But, Ben insists he is not gay, and anyway, what about Hannah? He really likes her, too. With outside pressure rising from the award, his classes, and the baseball team, Ben is questioning who he is and what is right for him. And he loves his family, but they don't talk much, especially about things like this; his dad's example has been silent and stoic, which just isn't working for Ben.

This is a warm, funny novel with plenty of emotional complexity. There are no neat answers here, as Ben struggles with labels that don't seem to fit and the judgements of his family and classmates when even he doesn't know what he wants. Obviously, issues of sexual orientation are at the forefront of this novel but also questions of identity, integrity, and being true to yourself. I found out after I read the novel that it is actually a sequel to Openly Straight, which I haven't read, but that wasn't a problem at all; this book stood on its own. I enjoyed getting to know Ben and the other characters and going along on his journey of self-discovery.

326 pages, Scholastic

Visit my YouTube Channel for more bookish fun! I talk about this novel in my February Wrap-Up and in my February 19 Friday Reads videos.

 

Listen to a sample of the audiobook here and/or download it from Audible.

 

You can buy the book through Bookshop.org, where your purchase will support the indie bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping online while still buying local:
  

 

Or you can order Honestly Ben from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Fiction Review: The Night Watchman

Looking for my next audiobook in February, I noticed a recent (March 2020) release from Louise Erdrich, The Night Watchman, in my long audio review backlog. I previously listened to her novels LaRose and Future Home of the Living God (my reviews at the links) on audio and enjoyed them both.  I absolutely loved The Night Watchman.

Erdrich is a Native American author who writes novels about Native American people, families, and their lives. In this case, her latest novel is based in history and the life of her own grandfather. Did you know that in 1953 Congress passed a resolution to disband and abolish certain tribes, take all land from the Native American tribes and "relocate" them to urban areas, all in the name of "emancipation"? I didn't, and the historical backdrop here is stunning and horrifying. But, as always, Erdrich focuses in on one Indian community, a group of families, and what happens to them because of that push from Congress. In this case, her focus is on the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (of which Erdrich is part). Most of the characters are purely fictional, but Thomas, an older man who takes charge of giving the local tribe a voice, is based in part on her own grandfather and the role he played in this historical event. Pixie, who now wants to be called Patrice, is Thomas' niece, a young adult Indian woman. She works in the local jewel plant, the only real option for employment on the reservation, where Thomas works as the night watchman. The novel follows Pixie's adventures in discovering the wider world and coming of age and her eventual inclusion in the delegation that travels to Washington, DC (also based in history).

Erdrich always reads her own audiobooks, which I love because her light accent and the cadence of her speech is authentic and really immerses you in the story (listen to a sample of the audio below). As with all of her novels, the characters are fully developed and feel real. With this book, the historical perspective is fascinating and the prejudice and racism they face in Washington, and from one real-life senator in particular, is stunning and left me rooting for the Turtle Mountain crew. But it's not all politics. The plotlines about Patrice's coming-of age and the other young people around her were warm and sweet and tender. In fact, there's a good sense of humor running through the novel, too. It was heartwarming and engrossing, as are all of her novels, and I was sorry when it ended, and I had to leave these characters behind.

464 pages, Harper

HarperAudio

Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced by my relationship with the publisher or author.

 

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Listen to a sample of the audiobook here, a scene with Thomas working as a night watchman and an introduction to Patrice, and/or download it from Audible at the link.

 

You can buy the book through Bookshop.org, where your purchase will support the indie bookstore of your choice (or all indie bookstores)--the convenience of shopping online while still buying local:     
 

 

Or you can order The Night Watchman from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

 

TV Tuesday: Lakefront Bargain Hunt

Life's been stressful here lately, with lots of medical problems between the two of us and caring for my father-in-law as he declines. Last weekend, before we ran out for our Sunday visit to help him, I thought of something I'd meaning to try on TV for awhile: Lakefront Bargain Hunt. It did the trick! Both of us have been enjoying watching an episode or two together when real life feels too stressful.

This HGTV show features a couple/family in each episode who are ready to buy a lakefront home. They have a budget--usually somewhere around $200,000-$350,000--and a real estate agent shows them 3-4 houses that meet their needs/wants. That's really about it! Each episode is in a different part of the country, so it doubles as a travel show. The episodes we've seen so far took place in the Ozarks in Missouri, the Poconos region of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Minnesota (Land of 10,000 Lakes!), south Texas, and the Rockies in Colorado. The show is made more interesting by the fact that each region has its own style and type of lakefront housing. For instance, the Minnesota couple were looking for a rustic cabin-style home and had plenty to choose from, while the Texas couple looked at lakefront retreats that looked to us like houses in the suburbs, and in Colorado, only lakefront condos were available in the region in which the  mother and son were looking. As is typical if you've ever gone house hunting with a real estate agent for any kind of house, they usually have one that "is outside your budget, but I think you'll love it!" Each house has its pluses and minuses, and you listen to the buyers discuss what they like and don't like as they go through each house. Then, at the end, you hear parts of their discussion, and of course, the big reveal: which house did they choose? 

We are not usually HGTV people--I think this it the first show we have watched on the network. One reason why this particular show appeals to us is that they're not looking at $2 million mansions on 10 acres of land, but houses, cabins, and cottages that regular people might afford. We've been surprised to see that all of these areas do have some really nice places located right on the water for a reasonable price. It's peaceful and calming to look at these lovely places on the water with docks or beaches. Most of all, it's fun to just escape into a fantasy world and dream of having a lakefront home! This is our new go-to escape from stress, and we can't wait to see where they take us next. Just be forewarned: when we watched the latest episode, my husband starting looking at real estate websites online!

P.S. I was worn out tonight, so we just watched another episode while eating Chinese take-out! This one took place in Oshkosh, WI.

Lakefront Bargain Hunt airs on HGTV, and you can also watch it on Hulu or purchase episodes on Amazon or YouTube. Uh-oh, I just noticed there are 13 seasons! There is also a Beachfront Bargain Hunt show. This should keep us pleasantly occupied for awhile ...

I couldn't find a trailer for the whole show, but here's a short clip from one episode, in Indiana:

 

 

Movie Monday: On the Rocks

Saturday evening, my husband and I watched On the Rocks, a movie on Apple TV starring Bill Murray and Rashida Jones. We both enjoyed this warm, funny film about marriage and a father-daughter relationship.

Laura, played by Rashida Jones, is a busy mother of two in New York City, struggling to juggle everything at once, including a writing career. She's married to Dean, played by Marlon Wayans, a successful entrepreneur who works long hours and is a devoted dad. Laura's father, Felix, played by Bill Murray, comes into town to visit. He's a perennial ladies' man, full of charm, who flirts shamelessly with every woman he sees. Over drinks, Laura confides that she feels harried and unseen and sometimes wonders if Dean is tempted to cheat with his gorgeous business partner. Felix latches onto that theory (you can hear bits of that conversation in the trailer below), certain that Dean is cheating and launches a spy campaign to help Laura find out for sure. Felix is way too excited about the whole prospect, but Laura's so worried that she goes along with him, even when his antics veer into the obsessive. The two of them dash all over the city together, plotting over martinis in tony hotel bars and even following Dean and his colleagues out at a business dinner. Along the way, father and daughter spend lots of time together, and the viewer is left to wonder: Is he cheating? Or isn't he?

With Bill Murray at the heart of this movie, you know there are lots of laughs, but there's also plenty of warmth, especially in the imperfect father-daughter relationship at the center of the story (made me miss spending time with my dad!). The cast is great, with the focus on Murray and Jones, and the writing is excellent. Oh, and the movie was written and directed by Sofia Coppola, Hollywood royalty! The setting, mostly in New York, is a lot of fun, too, with Felix preferring classic New York hot spots and taking Laura out for lots of dinners and drinks, as they plot their next move. My husband and I both enjoyed this fun movie very much.

If you are a fan of Bill Murray, another great movie of his is St. Vincent, where he plays a grumpy old man roped into babysitting his neighbor's son: lots of laughs and a few tears, too (my review at the link). St. Vincent is available free on IMdB, which you can access through this link.

On the Rocks is currently available exclusively on Apple TV (which you get free for a year with purchase of any Apple device).

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Whew, we had a tiring, busy weekend with no real time for fun, other than collapsing in front of the TV. My 95-year-old father-in-law is continuing to decline, requiring almost constant care, but he still lives in Independent Living, so my husband is running over there (about 20 min away) sometimes twice a day (we do have some help on certain weekdays). We spent some time with him Saturday afternoon, but he was still in bad shape by dinnertime, requiring another visit. He's now been vaccinated, as have most elder-care facilities in the area, so we are hoping to find him a space in Assisted Living. We didn't want to move him when we wouldn't have been able to visit at all--that would have been the last straw for him, cognitively, to be removed from his family. Sorry for the downer, but it's tough right now, especially for my husband, and he is also recovering from a painful outpatient procedure. So, our weekend was exhausting and stressful. 

We have a new form of stress relief, though: watching an episode (or two) of Lakefront Bargain Hunt! We're not usually HGTV people--I don't think we've ever watched any other show on the network--but there is something very calming about watching people shop for a reasonably-priced house on a lovely lake. It's a nice escape, though yesterday my husband starting look at real estate websites - uh-oh!

Most of last week for me was--again--taken up with YouTube! I added three new videos last week for a total of five so far, so now my YouTube channel is fully up and running, though three videos in one week is definitely too much for me to do physically! I'm having fun, though, and enjoying it. A few people commented on last week's Monday post that they'd rather read a blog post than watch a video version (of course! we're all avid readers here, after all), but I wanted to clarify that I won't be recording videos that duplicate my blog content. Instead, my BookTube (yes, that's a thing!) videos will complement and enhance my blog content. In exploring BookTube myself, I've found it fun to see and hear some of the people whose blogs I've followed for years--it's almost like meeting in person! So, last week, I posted two new book-related videos: BookTube Newbie, where I introduce myself and talk about my reading habits, and another #FridayReads video, so check them out and let me know what you think by clicking Like, Subscribe, or leaving a comment.

So, here's what we've all been reading this past week:

I am still reading my neighborhood book group's next selection, The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne. I have been hearing great things about this novel for years, and I loved Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, so I was thrilled when the group chose this one from my several suggestions. It's an epic novel, covering the life of one man in Ireland, starting in the 1940's, before his birth, and moving through the decades to the present. It begins when when his mother, a teen girl from a small town in County Cork, is publicly shamed by the local parish priest for her pregnancy (as you might guess, it was not consensual but she was blamed) and then thrown out. She gets on a bus to Dublin, makes a new friend, and settles into the unfamiliar city with a new job while she waits for the baby to come. When Cyril is born, he is quickly adopted by a wealthy Dublin couple, where he is provided for materially but not emotionally. The novel follows Cyril through each stage of his life and focuses on his struggles with realizing he's gay, hiding his true self because of the time and place, and gradually coming to accept himself. It's a wonderful novel, both heartbreaking and heartwarming and, surprisingly, very funny!

On audio, I finished listening to The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich, an author I always enjoy. She is a Native American author who writes novels about Native American people, families, and their lives. In this case, her latest novel is based in history and the life of her own grandfather. Did you know that in 1953 Congress passed a resolution to disband and abolish all tribes, take all land from Native Americans and "relocate" them to urban areas? I didn't, and the historical backdrop here is stunning and horrifying. But, as always, Erdrich focuses in on one Indian community, a group of families, and what happens to them because of that push from Congress. Her focus is on one older male character (based on her grandfather), who takes charge of giving the local tribe a voice, and on one young Indian woman's coming-of-age. I also love that Erdrich always reads her own audiobooks, so the accent and cadence of her speech is authentic (this novel is about the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, of which she is part). It was immersive and engrossing, as are all of her novels, and I was sorry when it ended, and I had to leave those characters behind.

In contrast, I'm not sure what to think of the new audio I started. Since I so enjoyed Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty for last year's Big Book Summer Challenge, I wanted to try another Moriarty novel. I had Three Wishes in my audio backlog (which is considerable!), so I started it last week. It's the story of three sisters in their thirties who are triplets: Lyn, Cat, and Gemma. They are tall and beautiful and living fairly well financially, but each of them is struggling with her own problems. Lyn is a busy mother of two, struggling to keep all the balls in the air and be a good mother to both her baby and her step-daughter. Cat just found out that her husband cheated on her, while they were trying to get pregnant. And Gemma can't seem to ever commit to a relationship, chasing that new-guy glow for a few months before moving on. To be honest, I'm not loving it so far. Truly Madly Guilty was so engrossing, gripping me right from the first pages, with suspense building to almost unbearable levels. There is none of that here, and listening on audio, it feels like the three women are always whining. I would love some feedback from others who've read the book: Does it get better? Should I stick with it? I rarely give up on a book, but with all the stress in my life, I'm just not enjoying this one right now. Advice welcome!

My husband, Ken, finished reading one of his Christmas gifts, taking a break from his usual thrillers to read Erik Larson's latest nonfiction book, The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz. As the subtitle indicates, this book is focused on the year-long bombing campaign that Hitler waged on London during WWII, with a focus on Churchill's leadership of the British people during this horrific period. Ken says it's very good and he read me some interesting tidbits (always a good sign with nonfiction). Did you know that Churchill had a black cat named Nelson? He tried not to read me too much of it, though, because he knows I'll be reading it myself. He really enjoyed the book--said it was his favorite Erik Larson book besides The Devil in the White City--and learned a lot about Churchill.

However, he felt in need of a light read next! Stress in real life plus WWII reading was getting to him, so he is now reading a fun novel I just finished, The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz (my review at the link). It was published in 2007 and lingered on our TBR bookcase for over a decade! The Spellman family runs a P.I. business, with mom, dad, older sister, Izzy, and younger sister, Rae, all involved (brother David is a lawyer). The novel is written from Izzy's point of view, with a heaping dose of humor in among the cases and investigations. Izzy has a lot of issues, though she's no longer quite the mess she was when she was younger. Still, most of her relationships are very short-lived (for some reason, men don't like their girlfriends to stake them out and run credit checks on them), until she meets one guy she really likes. In fact, she likes him enough that she lies to him about what she does for a living. Of course, this approach will eventually blow up in Izzy's face, and at that point, she decides to leave Spellman Investigations, though her parents want her to work on one last case. So far, he's enjoying this fast-paced, witty novel as much as I did!

 

Our son, 26, is back to reading a favorite series, The Demon Cycle by Peter V. Brett. He absolutely loved the first two books in this series, The Warded Man and The Desert Spear, and now he is enjoying book 3, The Daylight War. The series is about a world where frightening demons rule the night, and humans try to stay safe inside magical wards, though their protection is fragile. Three of those humans leave the safety of the wards to uncover the secrets of the past and try to take back their world. He's loving it so far!

 

 

Blog posts last week:

Nonfiction Review: The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert - Fasctinating & eye-opening book: a must-read!

YA Graphic Novel Review: A Map to the Sun by Sloane Leong - immersive, colorful, unique graphic novel about a group of girls saved by a ragtag basketball team

What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.

You can follow me on Twitter at @SueBookByBook or on Facebook on my blog's page.   

What are you and your family reading this week?

 

YA Graphic Novel Review: A Map to the Sun

I recently finished reading the teen/YA graphic novel A Map to the Sun by Sloane Leong. It turned out to be far more intricate than I expected, delving into the lives of five teen girls in California, all dealing with issues related to family, school, and poverty. A basketball team--and a caring teacher--save them.

Ren and Luna first meet during the summer between eighth and ninth grades. Luna spends most of her time in the water, surfing, and Ren prefers to spend her time on the basketball court, but one day Luna sees Ren on the beachside court, and they strike up a friendship. Luna is from Oahu, but she's staying with her aunt in California because her mother is very ill. The two girls end up spending every day together all summer long and become very close. Ren is excited for how great high school will be with Luna by her side but then, Luna vanishes without a word and moves back to Oahu. Ren is badly hurt that her friend never called or texted or stayed in touch. Now, three years later, Luna is back, but Ren is determined not to let her in and get hurt again. Meanwhile, Ren is also struggling with her family and her grades. Then, a kind teacher, who is new to the school and not used to the lack of funding, starts a girls' basketball team for the first time. There are a lot of naysayers, including the boys' coach who doesn't want anything to take away from his team's meager funding and sees girls' sports as a waste. But the five girls, including Ren and Luna, and their coach persevere. They're terrible at first, but with training, practice, and gradually learning to trust each other, the ragtag team begins to improve, as they also learn about friendship and teamwork.

 

2 sample pages from A Map to the Sun

There is so much more to this book than I first imagined. Basketball literally saves these girls' lives, and they face huge challenges to even forming a team, let alone getting any good. It's a diverse team, but the five girls all come from poverty and are dealing with serious issues in and out of school, which are all explored in this novel. Then, there are the illustrations that help to tell their story--I'm not even sure how to describe the unique look of this graphic novel. The pages are saturated in color; when you look at the edges of the pages, it looks like a rainbow. The deep, ever-changing colors help to tell the story, separating scenes and providing the reader with a certain feel or mood each time. This approach, along with the book's intricate, emotionally complex plot, create a unique and immersive reading experience. You'll be rooting for these girls to win not just their games but their lives.

368 pages, First Second

Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced by my relationship with the publisher or author.

 

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