December 2017

January 2017: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman is a sweet, without being overly sentimental, novel.  There were sad parts and I cried at the end, but it was not a sad novel.  The characters were well developed and I felt that I knew them all.  I don’t want to see the movie because I have a very specific vision of each one in my mind.  I enjoyed the book so much that I want to keep my own vision of the characters, the place and the story.  It’s a book that I’ll remember and will probably revisit.  For me, A Man Called Ove was an emotionally moving read.

December 2017: This was my second listen to A Man Called Ove, and I enjoyed it just as much as the first.  I loved being with Ove and his neighbors again.  I found myself crying at times, even though I knew what to expect.  A Man Called Ove passes the reread/re-listen test!

Julia’s Catsis a short, sweet book that will be appreciated by anyone who loved Julia Child and/or cats.  I was familiar with the facts of Julia’s life, but not her feline relationships. The stories, while true, were from an entirely different perspective.  Photos were included.  I love the little book and plan to find a permanent place for it near the cat books on my bookshelves.

I Feel Bad About My Neck is classic Nora Ephron.  I’ve read some of the essays before.  Published in 2006, Ephron’s thoughts and words were about aging. Her approach and humor were familiar. It was like visiting with an old friend.   Definitely a good read!

A Crafty Killing: Victoria Square Mystery: Book 1got Lorraine Bartlett’s new series off to a good start.  The mystery was engaging, drew me into the story and kept me there.  I liked the characters.  Katie grew on me as the story progressed.  I especially liked the Victoria Square/Artisan co-op theme. The rebuilding of the business aspect was interesting, as was Katie’s dealing with artists and crafters.  The story ended around holiday time, which made it a good December listen for me.  It was definitely a good book.  I’ll be interested in the continuing series.

I didn’t hate Gather ‘Round the Sound, but I’m certainly glad it was free from Audible.  Most of the stories were mildly engaging, but not great. It was a collection and included a little bit of everything: fiction, nonfiction and singing. I made it through to the end, but it wasn’t my favorite holiday read or listen.