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Book Reviews

The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley by Hannah Tinti

6/29/2017

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I recently found several gift cards from former students to Barnes and Noble that *gasp* I hadn't used yet.  I know, I'm shocked they lasted this long as well (nearly two years).  I decided to treat myself on Monday, explore my favorite store, and finally use those lovely gift cards.  As I was making the rounds, I saw a sign that said there was a monthly book club that meets in the café of the store.  I asked one of the employees, who turned out to be the head of the book club, about it.  

​"We actually meet tomorrow and you're more than welcome to join-even if you haven't read the book."  

Too excited to not participate in some bookish fun in person, I walked over to the fiction section, picked up The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley, and gave myself a 24 hour challenge to read all 372 pages.

Did I make it?  Was it worth it?  Did I go to the book club?  

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Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

6/26/2017

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Never Let Me Go is one of those books that does not benefit from you reading the book jacket synopsis.  No matter how hard I try I can never do it justice.  Not to mention that all of the blurbs I've read give you an entirely different impression of the book than what it actually entails.  Nevertheless,  I'm not going to let that stop me from trying my best to entice you to read this novel.  

Never Let Me Go takes place in the Nineties, but not the Nineties we think of with TGIF classics and boy bands.  This version has more of a dystopian feel.  Everything seems perfect when we meet the three main characters, Kathy, Ruth and Tommy, at their boarding school.  Unfortunately, we all know that when the words "dystopia" and "perfect" combine in the same sentence, some . . . or a lot . . . of chaos is bound to ensue.   Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy soon learn that their education is actually leading up to a predetermined fate, one that they might not be so happy reach.  As the characters reach adulthood and come to terms with their existence and their fate, you as the reader are left with questions regarding morality and the power of culture. 

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And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman

6/21/2017

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If you're paying attention this summer, you know that Fredrik Backman is on everyone's lips for his newest release, Beartown.  I have yet to read it, as his works are in translation from Swedish, and I haven't had the best of luck with books in translation in the past (I'm looking at you, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo).  When I ventured into my local library earlier this week, I found myself looking for Beartown or A Man Called Ove, just to give him a shot.  Then And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer caught my eye.  I could easily make the joke that the title is longer than the novella itself, but I'll spare you.  So, because this book was only 76 pages, I decided it would be the best use of my time to decide if I really do want to tackle Backman's other works.  I thought, "It's only 76 pages.  If I don't like it, I haven't wasted my time reading too much of a book.  If I do like it, I'll give Beartown a shot."  So what was my verdict? Well, readers, this one left me wiping away tears as I read those last few pages, but not for reasons you might think.

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The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

6/18/2017

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No, this isn't a new book, but it's one I've been dying to read for years.  Something always pops up as more important or more pertinent to read, causing it to slip further down the TBR list.  I have actually owned The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in a lovely leather-bound cover since middle school, but have been too intimidated to read any or all of the five novels because of the sheer weight of carrying the thing around.  I'm so glad I finally read the first one, though, because it is one of those few books that actually make me laugh out loud.  I can't recommend this book enough, especially if you're a friend of kooky sci-fi or fantasy.  This one will have you wanting to grab a towel and explore the universe quicker than you can say "Zaphod Beeblebrox".

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The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey

6/15/2017

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I first heard of The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating when I was searching for books related to chronic illness.  Then it popped up as one of the "chronic illness reads" for the Dysautonomia Support Network Book Club.  When I actually cracked opened the deckled edge, I found that this book was not quite what I expected.  It's part self-discovery, part nature memoir, part autobiography.  ETB finds herself bedridden with a severe chronic illness, the only companion she keeps is a snail on her bedside table.  In between ETB's descriptions of her snail's daily habits are deep thoughts about the differences between being a snail and being human, and more similarities than I thought possible. 

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    The way to Alexandra's heart is through a great book recommendation.

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