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jennifer's reviews
173 reviews
One Day I Shall Astonish the World by Nina Stibbe
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer and Death
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris
3.0
I liked it but I was already a fan. Not the best place to start with David Sedaris though...
Fire & Water by Betsy Graziani Fasbinder
5.0
This woman can spin a yarn. It was so great to read a book with a real story! My habit is to read each night before I go to sleep, and over the last week I literally could not wait to open my Kindle and find out what happened to Kate. The mental health portrayal rang true - something I unfortunately feel qualified to assess since I have a close loved one who suffers from depression. But more than that, it was the storytelling. It is such a great summer read, and I say that not at all using the term 'summer read' as a pejorative. I mean a page-turner in every sense of the word.
A Place in My Country: In Search of a Rural Dream by Ian Walthew
5.0
Much like James Rebanks' The Shepherd's Life, Ian Walthew's memoir about living in the Cotswolds penetrates the heart of a place that most of us only know about as tourists. While Rebanks offers insights into the Lake District as a shepherd whose family has a history of living and working on the land, Walthew comes to the Cotswolds as an outsider but quickly assimilates with the help of a few locals. These include Norman, his crotchety next door neighbor and one of the few remaining small-scale mixed use farmers in the area, who eventually warms up enough to accept Walthew's assistance with the never-ending chores of the farm. The insight provided by this and other friendships differentiate Walthew's memoir from the run-of-the-mill incomer story. A moving, lovely book; one to linger over.
The Sound of Falling Stars by Michael Flocker
5.0
The debut novel from [a:Michael Flocker|22788|Michael Flocker|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] (I know him for his hilarious non-fiction, including the Metrosexual Guide to Style, The Hedonism Handbook, and Death by Powerpoint) has that rarest of things in fiction these days: a good plot. The Sound of Falling Stars begins when the protagonist, Martin Krumm, learns his beloved childhood babysitter, Renata, has died...and that she had a daughter who may be Martin's sister. This news sets Martin on a journey to Kent in rural England, then to his childhood home of Berlin before following the scent of the trail to Amsterdam. Against the backdrop of this enticing landscape, Flocker demonstrates exquisite pacing, throwing in just the right number of twists and turns to keep you guessing—and caring—til the end.