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Book Club Reads

  • Strout, Elizabeth: Lucy by the Sea: A Novel

    Strout, Elizabeth: Lucy by the Sea: A Novel

  • Wilkerson, Charmaine: Black Cake: A Novel

    Wilkerson, Charmaine: Black Cake: A Novel

  • Lefteri, Christy: The Beekeeper of Aleppo: A Novel

    Lefteri, Christy: The Beekeeper of Aleppo: A Novel
    A 4 1/2 star read for me since it had beautiful writing, fascinating characters, and tragic events/history. The book was full of sadness yet also hope. I'm not a fan of the non-linear structure though. I learned a lot about the Syrian Civil War and the refugee crisis; it was unimaginably disturbing. (****)

  • Williams, Pip: The Dictionary of Lost Words: A Novel

    Williams, Pip: The Dictionary of Lost Words: A Novel
    3 1/2 stars. This was a slooowww read that I thought was headed somewhere plot-wise but it never arrived. The sadness and tragedies started to take over from the fascinating story of the dictionary and how they were compiling their words. The ending was supposed to tie things up in a satisfying way but it felt contrived. (****)

  • O'Farrell, Maggie: The Marriage Portrait: A novel

    O'Farrell, Maggie: The Marriage Portrait: A novel
    I very much wanted to love this book but could only give it 3 1/2 stars. It was well-written and the portrayals of powerful Italian aristocrats and the lives of their families were enlightening (the De Medicis, wow!) However, it was so slow and lacking in plot that I had trouble wanting to finish it. (***)

  • Kingsolver, Barbara: Demon Copperhead: A Novel

    Kingsolver, Barbara: Demon Copperhead: A Novel
    Although not always a Kingsolver fan, this engrossing and atmospheric re-telling of David Copperfield drew me into Demon's world, and Appalachia. The beauty and ugliness of the characters, their realness and the flow of the story made me want the book never to end. A masterpiece and a classic. (*****)

  • Garmus, Bonnie: Lessons in Chemistry: A Novel

    Garmus, Bonnie: Lessons in Chemistry: A Novel
    4 1/2 stars for this quirky, emotional, sad, joyful, fascinating read about chemistry, relationships and life. I don't know how it will work in a Book Club discussion, but I didn't want it to end. It was cheesy and unrealistic at times yet somehow emotionally fulfilling as well. (****)

  • Perkins-Valdez, Dolen: Take My Hand

    Perkins-Valdez, Dolen: Take My Hand
    This beautifully written and intricate book is my first 5 (or 4 1/2) star read for quite a while. It was powerful and filled with fascinating and well-developed characters. I even liked the ending! Jumping between two time periods isn't my favorite style, but the author handled it masterfully. (*****)

  • Haigh, Jennifer: Mercy Street: A Novel

    Haigh, Jennifer: Mercy Street: A Novel
    4 for the writing which was excellent, and 4 for the characters who were interesting and well-developed. 2 for the non-existent plot. The ending of the book left me extremely dissatisfied. Sadly, there are no discussion questions for it which might force me to reflect on the book's messages. (***)

  • Slocumb, Brendan: The Violin Conspiracy

    Slocumb, Brendan: The Violin Conspiracy
    A solid 3 1/2 stars for me, but a disappointment in general. As a former violinist myself, I was excited about the topic. I love mysteries which was what this novel was billed as. (not much of one and very predictable) I found the writing sophomoric and rather repetitive; the topics of slavery and underrepresentation of POC in classical music were compelling though. As always, I'm hoping for an excellent discussion at BC. (***)