April 2018

Crenshaw

By Katherine Applegate

Crenshaw, written by Katherine Applegate, was a recommendation from my eleven-year-old grandson.  He had read it in school and really liked it.  That did not surprise me, because he loves cats and Crenshaw was an imaginary cat. The main theme of homelessness did surprise me.  It was presented in a sensitive way, but the harsh realities of being a homeless child were not hidden or watered down.  Both the story and the ending were realistic.  Although the story was sad, there was hope at the end.  I’m glad that children’s authors are reflecting the reality of twenty-first century life.  Definitely a good read.

Flat Broke with Two Goats: A Memoir

By Jennifer McGaha

Flat Broke with Two Goats: A Memoirby Jennifer McGaha is the April 2018 Overdrive Big Read.  When I saw that any member of Overdrive (in NJ) was able to check it out, I decided to give it a try. The memoir encompasses two main themes: the consequences of financial collapse and the realities experienced by new homesteaders. While the themes are interwoven, the book is not about the financial collapse, nor is it a homesteading how-to book. McGaha shares the realities that both had on her marriage and her family.  I enjoyed the significant and touching memoir.

Ender’s Game 

By Orson Scott Card

I’m going to begin my review of the entire Ender’s Game series with a disclaimer.  While I loved the book and the series, I do not share, support or endorse the author’s political and/or moral views.  I am reviewing the books, not the person.  I also have to mention that I have not seen, nor do I intend to see, the movie.  

That being said, I loved the book when I read it in 1999. It was one of the best recommendations that I’ve gotten from a former student.  I also loved the Audible audio version of the book.  My husband and I listened to the series on vacation in 2013 and thoroughly enjoyed it.  The multiple narrators did a great job and added to the excitement of the book.  I would definitely recommend Ender’s Game as a good read and a great listen.

Update: We listened to the book again in April 2018. While I still do not endorse the author or his views, the book itself (and the audio book) is great.  I started reading the book to our eleven-year-old grandson during his recent visit.  Then we listened to the audio book on the long trip taking him home.  This was my third time through the book and I still enjoyed it thoroughly.

Broken Harbor: Dublin Murder Squad, Book 4

Bu Tana French

Narrated by Stephen Hogan

Broken Harboris the fourth book in the Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French.  I have really enjoyed the entire series, especially Broken Harbor.The books are all very intelligently written psychological mysteries.  I love the way Tana French builds suspense and develops the characters.  In Broken Harbor, the detectives investigate the murder of an entire family. The investigation is complicated Kennedy’s kid sister and his rookie partner, Richie Curran’s, inexperience.  I also enjoy the Irish setting and speech.  It didn’t take long to figure out the meaning of “jacks” and “jumpers”.  The narration of this Audible book by Stephen Hogan was excellent and added a lot to the story.  Tana French is definitely a current favorite!

More 30 Second Mysteries

Spinner Books 

By Bob Moog and Jeff Pinsker

More 30 Second Mysterieswas our third Spinner Book.  My husband and I read it as a part of our shared breakfast reading.  It started our day with a little thinking and humor.  We easily guessed the mystery if the subject was within our experience range.  If it wasn’t, we had a hard time guessing and the clues didn’t help.  I have to admit there weren’t many that we didn’t guess, at least partially.  Our 11-year-old grandson seemed to enjoy it during his recent visit.  The entire 30 Second Mysteries series is a great-shared read.

The Female Persuasion

By Meg Wolitzer

I don’t buy many new books anymore, but I am very glad that I did decide to purchase The Female Persuasion.  I had seen it advertised as Barnes & Noble book club choice, both in the store and online.  It was an impulse buy and definitely was not what I expected.  Meg Wolitzer told a feminist story in a way that was engaging and thought provoking.  She approached being female and the topic of feminism from many different perspectives through both female and male characters.

The main relationship in the book was between Faith Franks, a baby boomer feminist, and millennial Greer Kadetsky.  They both grew and changed throughout the story, as did their relationship.  Greer learned a lot about feminism and living from Faith.  Faith learned about herself from her interactions with Greer.  Ambition is one of the main themes, experienced by Faith, Greer and other characters.  Class distinctions, sexual identity, aging, trauma and grief are among the other topics that are explored.  I definitely recommend The Female Persuasion.  It was a surprisingly good book.  

70 Things to Do When You Turn 70

Edited by Ronnie Sellers

I purchased 70 Things to Do When You Turn 70for my husband when he turned 70.  Since I’m approaching the same milestone, I decided to read it when he finished.  The book consists of 70 short essays about life at 70 or after.  The essays were motivational and probably could have been used for any book on aging.  Both of my favorite essays were near the end of the book.  “The Thank-You Prayer” by Lewis Richmond was a good reminder that being thankful helps ensure a happier outlook on life.  “Learn to See Through the Eyes of Love” by Tina B. Tessina was a special favorite.  She shared what she had learned from an experience with her broken Betsy Wetsy doll and her beloved Aunt Ida.  It’s a sweet story and also a good reminder to view yourself and the world through positive eyes.  The book is written in very large print, which will be helpful for senior eyes. It’s definitely a good read for those approaching 70 and/or those who one day will be.