Funny Girl

By Nick Hornby

This story is set in the 1960’s about a girl from Blackpool England who dreams about becoming a comedic actor. 

While I don't think that this is one of Hornby's best work - I felt disconnected from the protagonist, especially since the book jumps back and forth to different characters. I did enjoyed reading about London in the 1960’s and the book addresses the challenges of a women trying to break into comedy - still a relevant topic today.

Boy, Snow, Bird

Boy, Snow, Bird

by Helen Oyeyemi

A modern-day fairy tale, Boy, Snow, Bird takes place in small town Massachusetts, 1953.  Fleeing an abusive father, Boy Novak arrives in Flax Hill and adopts it as her home.  She meets and marries Arturo Whitman and becomes a mother to his beautiful daughter, Snow.

Snow’s goodness and beauty is legendary, and she’s often treated like a delicate doll.  At first Boy is absolutely taken with her, but when her own daughter, Bird, is born, Boy becomes, shockingly, the wicked stepmother.  To Boy's surprise, Bird is dark-skinned.  Her birth reveals deep secrets about the Whitman family.  Boy loves her daughter and cannot stand the contrast between Bird and the perfect Snow.  She sends Snow away, and Bird grows up knowing little about her sister.

Helen Oyeyemi’s novel touches on dark family secrets.  It features chilling scenes with Boy’s father (the rat catcher), and later portrays a family that shuns its own racial heritage. The final chapters reveal the strangest secret of all as Boy’s family ties are finally explored.  The end will leave readers feeling breathless… and wanting more.

Me before you

Me Before You

by Jojo Moyes

I had heard the name Jojo Moyes buzzing around the book blogs in the past year or so, but I hadn't read anything by her until now. Me before you is fantastic. Dealing with some very serious issues that make you think long after you've finished reading the book.

Heart-wrenching, funny, thought provoking - an overall great read. Jojo Moyes is now on my favourite authors list, and I can't wait to read the sequel, After you.

Go Set A Watchman

Go Set A Watchman

by Harper Lee

It's hard to follow up a classic like To Kill A Mockingbird, especially after 55 years.  Harper Lee's other manuscript has finally been published, and fans of To Kill A Mockingbird may not like what they read.  

The story didn't draw me in until about page 100.  After that, I enjoyed it and tried to take it with a grain of salt.  The story takes place 20 years after To Kill A Mockingbird and some of the changes that have taken place will not be to readers' liking.  

Atticus has lost his saintliness and become a more of a regular human being.  This shift, in fact, is the crux of the story.  When Jean Louise (a.k.a. Scout) discovers that the racism of 1950s Alabama is now part of her father's world-view, she has a breakdown.  She must come to terms with Atticus the man as opposed to Atticus-who-can-do-no-wrong the father.  Readers will also struggle with this new Atticus as many of us have revered him for years.

There are other changes that are quite unsettling which I won't give away here.  Suffice to say, some To Kill A Mockingbird fans may want to avoid this novel, but many, like me, won't be able to stay away.  Overall I liked the book and I can still separate it from my feelings about Lee's original novel. 

Kitchens of the Great Midwest

Kitchens of the Great Midwest

by J. Ryan Stradal

I had read many positive reviews about this title and I was really excited to read it. The reviews were right - this is an excellent book. However, it is definitely not what I expected.

When I first started to read the book I thought the book would be mainly about Eva Thorvald - a genius with food at a young age. However, the book is, and is not, about Eva. Each chapter is from a different character's point of view. Eva is sometimes central to this character's life, but more often than not, she makes an appearance in a small, but vital way.

When I finished the book I thought to myself - what is this book trying to tell me? And I think I could probably have some pretty interesting discussions about what this book's goal is, but for me it is a subtle reminder about slowing down and enjoying life. Taking each moment, whether good or bad, and understanding its importance. Food is a major theme in this book, and becomes a way to connect people in a variety of ways; for example, a way to meet up with friends and family, to appreciate the simple things in life, to get through tough events, and as a way to show people you care. This book can really be interpreted in several different ways which makes me thing this would be a fabulous book for a book club as there are so many subtle nuances to explore and discuss - all with some yummy food of course.

Who do you love

Who do you love

by Jennifer Weiner

Rachel Blum (pronounced Bloom) and Andy Landis meet each other for the first time in the Emergency Room waiting room when they are only eight years old. Rachel has a congenital heart defect and has just undergone heart surgery to save her life. Andy is there for a broken arm. Rachel is surprised to find out that Andy is at the hospital all alone. She decides to tell him a story to help him forget about the pain. However, Andy's mom soon arrives and he leaves to see the doctor - both believe they'll never see each other again. However, soon after Andy and Rachel's live become intertwined in one way or another. Linked by a night that changes both their lives.

This is a sweet and heart warming story about the importance of love, even if it may break your heart.

Americanah

Americanah

 

by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Sweeping love story meets meditation on race relations: this is Adichie at her best.

 

Ifemelu grows up in Nigeria and in high school, meets Obinze, the love of her life.  Sounds cliché, but Adichie’s writing makes it so real, so heartfelt, that even the most jaded readers will want this love to flourish.

But, as often happens after a high school romance, things change.  In a country where children are primed to move abroad when they reach adulthood, Ifemelu moves to the United States.  It is there that she discovers the concept of race.  In Nigeria, race is not something she ever thinks about.  In the U.S., her life is defined by race.  She must learn her place in a complicated racial hierarchy and discovers that she is on the bottom.  As she struggles to find work, Ifemelu begins to blog about her experiences.

Race is a central concept in the book as Adichie touches on everything from the acceptability of wearing your hair in braids, to the racial divide between light-skinned and dark-skinned blacks.

Her life evolves in the U.S., and Ifemelu begins to thrive.  But something is pulling her back to Nigeria.  Which brings us back to Obinze.  Now married with a child, Obinze and Ifemelu find each other again.  Will their love return after all these years?  What follows may bring some readers to tears.