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michellewatson's reviews
216 reviews
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
4.0
There's foul play afoot at a British estate in the year of our Lord 1950. A dead man is found in the cucumber patch. Never fear! Flavia de Luce is on the case. She's an 11-year-old genius who functions as a fearless detective as well as a competent chemist to crack the case. So, although this cozy mystery isn't exactly (ahem) believable, it's very humorous and rich with period details to please any anglophile.
I cannot handle anything that's scary, twisted, or too "real," when I read mysteries and thrillers. This one was perfect for my delicate sensibilities, ha. It's more about solving the puzzle and bringing dastardly devils to justice — no analyzing of criminal minds, no gore.
I was impressed by how much detail went into this book. Turns of phrase and pop culture references that were characteristic of the time, as well as what would've been classic historical allusions back then...they all served to anchor the book firmly in its time and place. It's very, very British.
Flavia is brilliant and mischievous and brash. But she's also very vulnerable underneath — the whole book she wonders if anyone in her family really loves her, if anyone would care if she were dead. She is morbidly attracted to death, too, which was weird but not necessarily bad for her as a character. I guess I just didn't really like that aspect of her, even though it does make her more complex. I got the sense that she's fascinated by death for its own sake vs. the sake of science and learning. So, even though she's basically a girl in pigtails and Mary Janes, a significant portion of her little soul has been steeped heavily in the macabre.
I cannot handle anything that's scary, twisted, or too "real," when I read mysteries and thrillers. This one was perfect for my delicate sensibilities, ha. It's more about solving the puzzle and bringing dastardly devils to justice — no analyzing of criminal minds, no gore.
I was impressed by how much detail went into this book. Turns of phrase and pop culture references that were characteristic of the time, as well as what would've been classic historical allusions back then...they all served to anchor the book firmly in its time and place. It's very, very British.
Flavia is brilliant and mischievous and brash. But she's also very vulnerable underneath — the whole book she wonders if anyone in her family really loves her, if anyone would care if she were dead. She is morbidly attracted to death, too, which was weird but not necessarily bad for her as a character. I guess I just didn't really like that aspect of her, even though it does make her more complex. I got the sense that she's fascinated by death for its own sake vs. the sake of science and learning. So, even though she's basically a girl in pigtails and Mary Janes, a significant portion of her little soul has been steeped heavily in the macabre.
Close to Famous by Joan Bauer
3.0
I've been super-short on reading time lately, so I needed a quick win. I was on the floor at my local library reading a book to my boys, and I looked over at the nearest shelf, saw Joan Bauer's name on this book jacket, and grabbed it. Joan Bauer is just what I needed at this moment in time — kind of like when a cupcake is just the thing.
Foster is a sweet-spunky 12-year-old protagonist. She's terrible at school (reading in particular) but gifted in the kitchen (baking in particular). She's got losses and demons in her past (nothing too dark) and she learns to overcome. I love how Joan Bauer's protagonists are underdogs who are determined not to be victims of life. I like how Foster learns how NOT to shift blame onto others but instead girds up her loins and works through her deficits and damages.
Foster is a great example for the young-side-of-middle-grade audience that this book is for. Honestly, I think anyone about 12 years old or so would really enjoy reading this. Bauer's language is snappy and full of humor, but it's the right kind of funny (not toilet bowl stuff). Teenagers may like it, but this is surely best for the younger set.
Now, this isn't exactly a fully conceived believable story. But it's light and delicious as a cupcake — and finished almost as quick.
Foster is a sweet-spunky 12-year-old protagonist. She's terrible at school (reading in particular) but gifted in the kitchen (baking in particular). She's got losses and demons in her past (nothing too dark) and she learns to overcome. I love how Joan Bauer's protagonists are underdogs who are determined not to be victims of life. I like how Foster learns how NOT to shift blame onto others but instead girds up her loins and works through her deficits and damages.
Foster is a great example for the young-side-of-middle-grade audience that this book is for. Honestly, I think anyone about 12 years old or so would really enjoy reading this. Bauer's language is snappy and full of humor, but it's the right kind of funny (not toilet bowl stuff). Teenagers may like it, but this is surely best for the younger set.
Now, this isn't exactly a fully conceived believable story. But it's light and delicious as a cupcake — and finished almost as quick.
Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
4.0
Delicious story! This is not the typical book that I pick up. I haven’t read a connected narrative that’s built with short stories in a long while, but I really liked the construction. It’s also an homage to the roles food can play in our lives.
Each chapter is told in a different character’s voice. They are all extremely well executed and distinct. (I think my favorite was Pat Prager!) All of the stories have one character in common, and that’s Eva, the protagonist (of sorts). We get one chapter told in her voice, but as the chapters progress toward the midpoint and end of the book, she is less and less involved in each one, only making (wonderful) cameo appearances. This is strategic and very effective — it increased my interest in her (as I have less and less access to her) and this parallels her rise to culinary fame.
Food is a character in this book, and each story explores ways in which we use food to express ourselves and define ourselves. People used food to show love, to exercise devotion, to make money, to astonish and astound, to demonstrate discipline, to compete, to gift, to learn, to extend the hand of friendship. In many ways, food is communication.
Lots of foul language, my only beef.
Each chapter is told in a different character’s voice. They are all extremely well executed and distinct. (I think my favorite was Pat Prager!) All of the stories have one character in common, and that’s Eva, the protagonist (of sorts). We get one chapter told in her voice, but as the chapters progress toward the midpoint and end of the book, she is less and less involved in each one, only making (wonderful) cameo appearances. This is strategic and very effective — it increased my interest in her (as I have less and less access to her) and this parallels her rise to culinary fame.
Food is a character in this book, and each story explores ways in which we use food to express ourselves and define ourselves. People used food to show love, to exercise devotion, to make money, to astonish and astound, to demonstrate discipline, to compete, to gift, to learn, to extend the hand of friendship. In many ways, food is communication.
Lots of foul language, my only beef.
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall
5.0
This is such a pure, sweet story. It feels comfortable—a warm place where kids can escape from the cold world. I looked back in my book journal from 2019, and this wasn't in there, so I'm assuming I read it sometime in 2018. Since I'm reading the third in the Penderwick series right now, I wanted to log the previous installments.
Honestly, I wasn't enthralled by this, but I'm not a 12-year-0ld girl, either. I'm thinking this would've been much more relatable if I'd read it as a kid—but it wasn't written yet. ;-) But, this is such a great book to give to a middle-grade girl because it's just so dang cute. It's about girls, but it's got boys, too. And it's totally clean with nothing questionable, so you can gift it without hesitation. Not much to entice a middle-grade boy, so I'd definitely peg this as a girl read.
Honestly, I wasn't enthralled by this, but I'm not a 12-year-0ld girl, either. I'm thinking this would've been much more relatable if I'd read it as a kid—but it wasn't written yet. ;-) But, this is such a great book to give to a middle-grade girl because it's just so dang cute. It's about girls, but it's got boys, too. And it's totally clean with nothing questionable, so you can gift it without hesitation. Not much to entice a middle-grade boy, so I'd definitely peg this as a girl read.
The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker
5.0
This is the perfect example of a book that I never would've sought out. Never would've known I'd like. Totally random, but loaded with benefit—and not just for event planners.
Gathering. It's an abstract topic, but this book was very relatable in surprisingly concrete ways. I gather all the time, I realize. At church, at birthday parties, at meetings, at memorials, at sporting events, at dinners, at conferences.
Planned or impromptu. Grand or minimal. Parker argues that every gathering, even a routine one, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The unique mix of people in a specific location for an express purpose is something that happens in a fixed, finite moment that will never occur the same way ever again. Why not make the most of it? Why not use that opportunity to make human connections, to further true progress, to open our eyes afresh?
Gathering with other people means more than ever in light of on-again-off-again bouts of isolation and distancing. Gathering is special. It can even be magical. But, Parker argues that it's all too often blah and meaningless. In this book, she goes from macro to micro, first exploring why we gather and how to give your gathering a specific purpose. She goes into the logistics (time, place, invites) and how they matter. I love how she broke down the specific elements of gathering, such as the invite, the buildup, the entry, and the welcome. Similarly, she deconstructs the gathering's closing and exit point. I like her discussion of "adding heat" to a gathering by allowing for good controversy if it serves a healthy purpose. I really loved the whole idea of crafting the event so that it feels like an alternate universe for the attendees, separate and sacred from the "real/fake" world.
While reading this, I was preparing to lead a church seminar for a bunch of teens, and I had that upcoming event in mind as I read through this book. It was neat to take Parker's advice and apply it to my seminar. Because of this book, I added entry and exit elements that I probably would've neglected without a prompt. But, I also mentally applied the advice to all kinds of personal events that I participate in on a routine basis. How can I take them from "nice" to "I am SO insanely glad I came"?
Gathering. It's an abstract topic, but this book was very relatable in surprisingly concrete ways. I gather all the time, I realize. At church, at birthday parties, at meetings, at memorials, at sporting events, at dinners, at conferences.
Planned or impromptu. Grand or minimal. Parker argues that every gathering, even a routine one, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The unique mix of people in a specific location for an express purpose is something that happens in a fixed, finite moment that will never occur the same way ever again. Why not make the most of it? Why not use that opportunity to make human connections, to further true progress, to open our eyes afresh?
Gathering with other people means more than ever in light of on-again-off-again bouts of isolation and distancing. Gathering is special. It can even be magical. But, Parker argues that it's all too often blah and meaningless. In this book, she goes from macro to micro, first exploring why we gather and how to give your gathering a specific purpose. She goes into the logistics (time, place, invites) and how they matter. I love how she broke down the specific elements of gathering, such as the invite, the buildup, the entry, and the welcome. Similarly, she deconstructs the gathering's closing and exit point. I like her discussion of "adding heat" to a gathering by allowing for good controversy if it serves a healthy purpose. I really loved the whole idea of crafting the event so that it feels like an alternate universe for the attendees, separate and sacred from the "real/fake" world.
While reading this, I was preparing to lead a church seminar for a bunch of teens, and I had that upcoming event in mind as I read through this book. It was neat to take Parker's advice and apply it to my seminar. Because of this book, I added entry and exit elements that I probably would've neglected without a prompt. But, I also mentally applied the advice to all kinds of personal events that I participate in on a routine basis. How can I take them from "nice" to "I am SO insanely glad I came"?
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
4.0
I do not like traveling on anything that could be termed a "vessel." Anything helmed by a pilot or a captain. Anything that takes a female pronoun. Ship. Airplane. Boat. Helicopter. I didn't even like the party boat that we rented last year on our trip to Lake Powell. Shiver me timbers, it freaks me out. So, a book about a maritime disaster that resulted in the greatest loss of life ever recorded in world history? Yow.
But, of course, this book is about character more than catastrophe. In fact, the cast of characters doesn't even board the ship until the novel's midpoint. The sinking happens at the climax, and it's quick. The story is primarily about these young people (and one old person) who are caught up in Operation Hannibal, Germany's attempt to evacuate tons of troops and civilians from Prussia, Poland, and the surrounding areas—by sea.
This is very much a YA story. The main characters are all teens or new adults. (There's one old man, the Shoe Poet, who is the grandfatherly glue that keeps them together.) They are trying to stay alive. They are trying to escape the past. The war makes their journey about as horrifying as you can imagine. (There is some very sad imagery here that may be too much for sensitive teenage readers.)
The story is told in short chapters that alternate between four POVs. I listened on audio (four different narrators, one for each character; a fabulous production!) but the first few chapters were a bit dizzying—who's who? Help! But, it didn't take me more than a few chapters to get my bearings. (Just hang in there.) It's interesting to jump from brain to brain, and it made the story more interesting for me. That's because each character was so distinct. (The addition of Albert, the pathetic, deluded Nazi, was a great contrast to Joana, Florian, and Emelia, who are all very sincere and commendable.)
The narrative has a puzzlelike quality. You know nothing about the four main characters at first. You guess and wonder about them. Then, bit by bit, you piece together their stories.
There's a strong love story in this book, which helps satisfy that YA romance itch. It's a sweet love story with no raunch.
This is the perfect book if your reading life needs a quick win. The chapters are short. The story propels you along. You'll learn things you didn't know about WW2. You'll feel something. (You've got to be OK with YA, though.)
But, of course, this book is about character more than catastrophe. In fact, the cast of characters doesn't even board the ship until the novel's midpoint. The sinking happens at the climax, and it's quick. The story is primarily about these young people (and one old person) who are caught up in Operation Hannibal, Germany's attempt to evacuate tons of troops and civilians from Prussia, Poland, and the surrounding areas—by sea.
This is very much a YA story. The main characters are all teens or new adults. (There's one old man, the Shoe Poet, who is the grandfatherly glue that keeps them together.) They are trying to stay alive. They are trying to escape the past. The war makes their journey about as horrifying as you can imagine. (There is some very sad imagery here that may be too much for sensitive teenage readers.)
The story is told in short chapters that alternate between four POVs. I listened on audio (four different narrators, one for each character; a fabulous production!) but the first few chapters were a bit dizzying—who's who? Help! But, it didn't take me more than a few chapters to get my bearings. (Just hang in there.) It's interesting to jump from brain to brain, and it made the story more interesting for me. That's because each character was so distinct. (The addition of Albert, the pathetic, deluded Nazi, was a great contrast to Joana, Florian, and Emelia, who are all very sincere and commendable.)
The narrative has a puzzlelike quality. You know nothing about the four main characters at first. You guess and wonder about them. Then, bit by bit, you piece together their stories.
There's a strong love story in this book, which helps satisfy that YA romance itch. It's a sweet love story with no raunch.
This is the perfect book if your reading life needs a quick win. The chapters are short. The story propels you along. You'll learn things you didn't know about WW2. You'll feel something. (You've got to be OK with YA, though.)
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
5.0
Okay, if you need a quick win on audio, THIS is it. Clocking in at less than 2 hours of listening time, this little book was a dee-light to my ears.
Back in 1948, Helene Hanff wrote a letter to a bookstore located at 84 Charing Cross Road in London requesting to purchase certain antiquarian books. She got a reply from a man named Frank Doel, an employee at the store. So begins two decades' worth of correspondence between this zesty New Yorker and the buttoned-up Brit. (No romance here, just friendship.)
As the years pass, Helene exchanges letters with other employees at Marks & Co. She writes to Frank's wife, his neighbor, her U.S. friends living in England. There's talk of food rations, elections, coronations, and Dodgers baseball.
And, oh, there's talk of books! The bookchat in these letters is like catnip for me. Seriously.
The best thing about this tiny book is how kind and precious relationships can become over time. These people never set eyes on each other, yet they performed acts of generosity and love across the miles. It was heartwarming.
And it was short. Blissfully short. The audio is superb! If you can listen on audio, you won't regret it!
Some favorite quotes:
I love inscriptions on flyleaves and notes in margins, I like the comradely sense of turning pages someone else turned, and reading passages someone long gone has called my attention to.
I remember years ago a guy I knew told me that people going to England find exactly what they go looking for. I said I'd go looking for the England of English Literature, and he nodded and said: "It's there.”
My friends are peculiar about books. They read all the best sellers, they get through them as fast as possible, I think they skip a lot. And they NEVER read anything a second time so they don’t remember a word of it a year later. But they are profoundly shocked to see me drop a book in the wastebasket or give it away. The way they look at it, you buy a book, you read it, you put it on the shelf, you never open it again for the rest of your life but YOU DON’T THROW IT OUT! NOT IF IT HAS A HARD COVER ON IT! Why not? I personally can’t think of anything less sacrosanct than a bad book or even a mediocre book.
I must say, I rather like the Beatles. If the fans just wouldn’t scream so.
Back in 1948, Helene Hanff wrote a letter to a bookstore located at 84 Charing Cross Road in London requesting to purchase certain antiquarian books. She got a reply from a man named Frank Doel, an employee at the store. So begins two decades' worth of correspondence between this zesty New Yorker and the buttoned-up Brit. (No romance here, just friendship.)
As the years pass, Helene exchanges letters with other employees at Marks & Co. She writes to Frank's wife, his neighbor, her U.S. friends living in England. There's talk of food rations, elections, coronations, and Dodgers baseball.
And, oh, there's talk of books! The bookchat in these letters is like catnip for me. Seriously.
The best thing about this tiny book is how kind and precious relationships can become over time. These people never set eyes on each other, yet they performed acts of generosity and love across the miles. It was heartwarming.
And it was short. Blissfully short. The audio is superb! If you can listen on audio, you won't regret it!
Some favorite quotes:
I love inscriptions on flyleaves and notes in margins, I like the comradely sense of turning pages someone else turned, and reading passages someone long gone has called my attention to.
I remember years ago a guy I knew told me that people going to England find exactly what they go looking for. I said I'd go looking for the England of English Literature, and he nodded and said: "It's there.”
My friends are peculiar about books. They read all the best sellers, they get through them as fast as possible, I think they skip a lot. And they NEVER read anything a second time so they don’t remember a word of it a year later. But they are profoundly shocked to see me drop a book in the wastebasket or give it away. The way they look at it, you buy a book, you read it, you put it on the shelf, you never open it again for the rest of your life but YOU DON’T THROW IT OUT! NOT IF IT HAS A HARD COVER ON IT! Why not? I personally can’t think of anything less sacrosanct than a bad book or even a mediocre book.
I must say, I rather like the Beatles. If the fans just wouldn’t scream so.
One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp
5.0
This is truly a beautiful topic. Cultivating more gratitude toward God and all His gifts. I was surprised by how DEEP this book went. Ann says that this practice of gratitude totally transformed her. It curbed her fear, deepened her trust, and brought her into closer communion with God. I must say that I believe her at her word.
A few things that I liked a LOT:
• She describes gratitude as a "practice." Reminds me a little of yoga in that you don't ever really "master" it. You're always practicing and ingraining it into yourself. It's something that we know we need to do, but we don't often put that knowledge into regular, everyday practice. I love this idea! That gratitude isn't just a feeling that pops into my heart. It's a perspective that I choose with my free will, and the more I choose it, the more naturally it comes to me.
• She describes how we can be thankful even in hard times. And this is a sticking point for a lot of people...how can a good God allow His followers to suffer? She maintains that everything can be perceived as a gift. Or, the exquisitely good gifts far outweigh the challenges that God allows (usually for our spiritual shaping and maturing). I cherish a picture in my head: a Christian who can face any bad thing and respond with "Blessed be the name of the Lord." Could that possibly be me someday? Ann gives us hope that, yes, it can!
The writing—oh my poetry. What a gorgeously written book! The writing here is lyrical and evocative, and it had me in tears at turns. My goodness. I do think, though, that her beautiful writing style (ironically) had me feeling a little weary by the end. Here's why: I was trying to finish the book, and I was reading it more often (to finish, ya know?) and it got to be a little much. I think that this book should be read chapter by chapter with time in between. Like a rich meal needs to be digested...so do these chapters. Next time I read Voskamp, I'm going to read one chapter a week and see if I better appreciate those last chapters.
A few things that I liked a LOT:
• She describes gratitude as a "practice." Reminds me a little of yoga in that you don't ever really "master" it. You're always practicing and ingraining it into yourself. It's something that we know we need to do, but we don't often put that knowledge into regular, everyday practice. I love this idea! That gratitude isn't just a feeling that pops into my heart. It's a perspective that I choose with my free will, and the more I choose it, the more naturally it comes to me.
• She describes how we can be thankful even in hard times. And this is a sticking point for a lot of people...how can a good God allow His followers to suffer? She maintains that everything can be perceived as a gift. Or, the exquisitely good gifts far outweigh the challenges that God allows (usually for our spiritual shaping and maturing). I cherish a picture in my head: a Christian who can face any bad thing and respond with "Blessed be the name of the Lord." Could that possibly be me someday? Ann gives us hope that, yes, it can!
The writing—oh my poetry. What a gorgeously written book! The writing here is lyrical and evocative, and it had me in tears at turns. My goodness. I do think, though, that her beautiful writing style (ironically) had me feeling a little weary by the end. Here's why: I was trying to finish the book, and I was reading it more often (to finish, ya know?) and it got to be a little much. I think that this book should be read chapter by chapter with time in between. Like a rich meal needs to be digested...so do these chapters. Next time I read Voskamp, I'm going to read one chapter a week and see if I better appreciate those last chapters.
Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald
3.0
Oh, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle! If you were real, I'd be calling you every day asking for cures. My boys think these stories are hilarious. Honestly, I liked Book 1 better than this one. Most of the cures in this book are magical, unlike in Book 1. For example, gossipy girls lose their voices. A show-off disappears. We need to read Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's magic to fill in the gap on her husband's treasure chest filled with potions and elixers, haha.