Tell the Wolves I’m Home– by Carol Rifka 10/10
I started this book years ago but put it aside because I was just not into reading at that particular time but I knew that this book seemed good enough to try again. So I did and I was right! This book is set during the original “outbreak” of HIV/AIDS. The story revolves around a young teenage girl who’s uncle dies of AIDS and the relationship she has with her uncle’s partner and also with her sister. It’s just a really good story and transports me back to the late 1980’s.
Mrs. Kimble– by Jennifer Haigh 10+/10
Jennifer Haigh is becoming one of my favorite authors. I just really like her character development and style of writing. This book revolves around 3 women who all were once “Mrs. Kimble.” We never really get to know Mr. Kimble as the story is only told from the point of view of his 3 wives and his children. Mostly his son from his first marriage. The stories are broken up into 3 parts- for the 3 wives but it all comes together in the end. It was jsut such a really good book and the ending was fairly satisfying.
None of This is True– by Lisa Jewel 10/10
I heard of a lot of people reading this book and it did not disappoint. Although the ending was a little different than I thought it would be, it’s definitely a book you can’t put down because you can never quite figure out what the heck is going on. The premise is 2 women become friends when they find out they have the same birthday and 1 of the women is bat shit crazy. This book has so many twists and turns and on the edge of your seat suspense. It’s just so good.
Anywhere But Home– by Daniel Speck 9/10
This book was a random find of my mom’s. It goes back and forth between 2014 Milan and 1954 Milan. In 2014, Julia finds out about a long lost family member that leads her on a journey through Italy to uncover family secrets. In 1954, Vincent is a German engineer for BMW and he falls in love with Giulietta, but they are forbidden to be together. The choices they make change generations of family forever. SO I really liked this book but I gave it a “9” because the parts about Julia just aren’t that great in my opinion. Not enough character development for her maybe? But the story of her family is really very good.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn– by Betty Smith 11/10
Published in 1943 it is a literary classic. One I never had to read in school but everyone should read it. It’s a coming of age story about a girl named Ruth set in Brooklyn New York in the year 1912 and the sheer poverty of her family and it is just such a great novel and if you never read it, I insist that you do. Or I strongly suggest that you should.
Monogamy– by Sue Miller 9/10
I started this book a few years ago and then put nit down but I kept it (I just wasn’t into reading at that time. I hate when that happens). So i picked it back up again and I’m glad I did. It’s about a woman who’s larger than life husband dies suddenly and she comes to find out all kinds of different stuff about him. It’s also about how she deals with the loss of him. It’s really good and the writing just flows well.
The Housemaid– by Frieda McFadden 9/10
Everyone (internet people) was reading this book so I did too. It’s kind of simple reading but it is so suspenseful that you can’t put it down and when you get to the end you say, “No f*cking way.” There’s a whole little series with the Housemaid name and I have 1 or 2 more, but I haven’t read them yet.