apriltrepagnier's reviews
67 reviews

This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

I have loved every Ann Patchett book I have ever read...this one is my favorite. Honest, sometimes raw, often insightful, occasionally funny, this collection of essays is just magnificent. As a writer, I found much of it encouraging. This goes solidly into the "will read it again and again" pile.

"All the while I understood it was fiction. I knew the narrator was a made-up person. The author very likely had never been to an orphanage before. I understood this not because there was anything shoddy about the work, but because I was concentrating very hard on what it meant to write at that time in my life. Writers need not be confined by their own dull lives and petty Christmas sadness. They could cut new stories out of whole cloth, stories that did not reflect their own experiences but spoke instead to the depth of their emotions. In short, this was something I could do." 

Fear of Flying by Erica Jong

adventurous emotional funny reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

As I was born three years after this book was published, I had never encountered it until it had a passing mention in the first book read by the ladies in The Book Club (which I also had not heard of until The Book Club 2 was coming out). Because I enjoyed the movie so much (and am not interested in 50 Shades), I decided to give it a go. I am thoroughly glad I did.

Jong says all the things. If you are not ready for book that criticizes men, women, religion, professions, countries, gender norms, sexuality - all of it - leave this one alone. Very early on, I picked up a pen and began marking it up. Shortly after, I wished I could sit at a bar with Jong herself. 

I have read some of the other reviews that rate it far lower; they have valid points. The protagonist is a stand-in for the author (which she doesn't deny and I don't mind). Isadora has an unacknowledged position of privilege. There is a bit of self-centeredness. The taboo of female sexuality is not as explosive now as it was in the early 70s. I considered all these things and decided they meant nothing to me. Privilege does not exempt one from self loathing or worthiness challenges, many 20 somethings (and 30 and 40 and 80 somethings) have some self centeredness about them. Sexuality and hidden fantasies are still problematic for a great many people and Jong did tackle it all in 70s (even if I am just getting to it now). In the end, it still gets all the stars. 

A Love Letter to Whiskey by Kandi Steiner

lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Spicy Romance is not my preferred genre. However, I enjoyed the original story. 

The sex scenes were dispersed well and I like that Steiner waited until after the characters graduated high school to incorporate them. Unfortunately, including a rape narrative in the plot was jarring for enjoying the sexy aspect. It was an odd move all the way around.

There were a few other oddities like a modern day Florida girl not knowing about push up bikinis until college in California and the elementary handling of the Whiskey knowledge throughout (the Scotch reference was particularly infuriating). In all fairness, whiskey is a topic I am fairly passionate about so this item is probably more about me than the story itself. 

Overall it was a good spicy romance.  I think I would have rated this higher if it had not been the Anniversary Edition... The addition of the Jamie story nearly ruined the whole experience for me. I was excited about the other side until I realized, with very few additions, the bonus book (and it is damn near book length), was little more than a copy paste of the original narrative with the he said / I said tags changed. 

The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Solid genre read. The history throughout the book was interesting. The Author's note at the end brought a lot to the table. I would have liked to have known much of that information before I read the book, but it would have to be rewritten without spoilers. 

The story was interesting and I did want to find out what happened. I had a hard time giving a shit about the characters though. 

How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question by Michael Schur

funny informative lighthearted reflective medium-paced

3.0

This was our book club pick and I am glad we chose it. Overall, the book was funny and informative. The first half is better than second half. In the beginning, he is clear that he interchanges morals and ethics because life is too short to deal with semantics. I was willing to ride with him on that (although I thought it would be an issue later). The book later moves into the political (slightly) with a blatant misrepresentation of Ayn Rand's ideas. I get it - you don't have to like her, but you can't misrepresent to support your own views. While I do not think this was a method he used often, it does make you wonder how many of the other concepts he massaged to his own end. 

Either way, the book was pretty great for what it was and overall the bookclub enjoyed it fine. 

Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I wanted to like this one. There was so much possibility here. But in the end, it just left me flat. I think this is an important story and hope the author tries again. 

Babel by R.F. Kuang

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

“We African writers are bound by our calling to do for our languages what Spenser, Milton and Shakespeare did for English; what Pushkin and Tolstoy did for Russian; indeed what all writers in world history have done for their languages by meeting the challenge of creating a literature in them, which process later opens the languages for philosophy, science, technology and all the other areas of human creative endeavors.” ~ Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o

Huang has succeeded in taking issues such as capitalism, colonialism, and nation language and weaving them into a stunning (albeit, long) narrative. Her characters are nuanced in both their actions and motivations in a way that has the capacity to open up dialogue in all of these areas. 

While Huang's own opinions are clear, she does not idealize her heroes nor does she leave the villains without room for redemption. The result is an extremely satisfying work of fiction.

The text gets a bit long and this slows the pacing, but otherwise I would have given it 5 stars. 

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I wish I could give this book more stars. It was a stunning work of poetical prose that played with structure in a way that was neither contrived, nor off putting. I read it fast because I couldn't wait to read the next word and I could not put it down. But it deserves to be read again, slowly and in sections, which I plan to do. Just can't say enough things about this amazing work of art. 

An Academic Life: A Memoir by Hanna Holborn Gray

challenging informative inspiring medium-paced

4.0

Excellent look into the life of an academic in the changing landscape of university education. It inspired in places and bogged down in some. Glad I read it (but it took a while to get through).

Sex Love Repeat by Alessandra Torre

adventurous funny lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I do not typically read sexy romance, it just isn'y my thing. But I completely enjoyed this one. I love the way Madison is set up from the beginning so that you can like her and not question her behavior. The sex scenes are varied and exciting. It doesn't save the genre for me, but I am thrilled that I now have a solid recommendation when anyone asks.