How I found, chose this book-It chose me. I ran across this book while I was cleaning up our spring book sale and the cover spoke to me.
I finally finished my fiction read from Israel and it was a gritty, moral look at the prejudice one can have against refugees in any country. It’s dense and slow moving, but it does pack a punch.
Dr. Etian Green hits a black migrant on his drive home from a long shift at an Israeli hospital. Even a doctor couldn’t save the man and so begins the moral crisis for this husband, father, and healer. When he is blackmailed by the man’s widow Etian’s whole life begins to spiral.
It felt like a quiet book because there wasn’t a lot of dialogue. What I got instead was a front row seat to the inner minds of Etian, his wife, and the beautiful widow. Fascinating. Etian goes from dislike of the refugees to understanding their plight in his country.
The writing was beautiful. The story was thoughtful and somewhat suspenseful. But I had zero problem putting this down until about 3/4 of the way through, when it picked up and I stayed up late to finish it. So, it’s a good book, but not one you’ll breeze through. And it’s the better for it.
And that cover? Gorgeous.
A few examples of the writing…
“However much he wanted to feel compassion for them, he couldn’t help recoiling from them. Not only from their smell and bodily fluids but also from their faces-alien, staring, filled with undying gratitude. He didn’t speak their language, and they didn’t speak his, so they communicated with waving hands and facial expressions.” p. 54
“A thin man reached out for a handshake, and Eitan shook his head, thinking that somewhere along the way, his empathy button had stopped functioning. He should have felt something. Kindness. Compassion. The responsibility of one human being for another. Not only toward this man standing here and shaking his hand emotionally while he himself was only waiting for him to stop. He hadn’t felt anything for the man on the ground with his head split open either. Or perhaps he had felt something but not the right something. Not what he should have felt.” p.75
“But Eitan knew he had never been more awake. And, appalled, he realized that at that moment, at that specific moment, he was prepared to set the whole house on fire.” p.208
“It would be his fault. Because he hadn’t taken good enough care of his family, and families are fragile things.” p.227
Another month where I’ve largely neglected my space here. Sigh. I don’t know if it’s going to get any better with Gage home for the summer, but we’ll see.
I read 12 books, with 4 thrillers being my most loved category. This is mainly because I’m caught in a Mickey Haller bubble as I read books 2-4 of the series. It’s June 3rd and I’ve finished the 5th already, lol. I also read 2 fiction, 2 non-fiction, 2 YA, 1 historical romance, 1 picture book.
“Learn to look at other beings with the eyes of compassion”. “The first time I recited the Lotus Sutra, when I came to these words, I was silenced. I knew that these words are enough to guide my whole life.”
“Understanding and love aren’t two separate things…to develop understanding you have to practice looking at all living beings with the eyes of compassion. When you understand you love.”
“I myself feel Ike I cannot get along with this society very well. There are so many things that make me want to withdraw, to go back to myself… but I am aware that if I leave society, I will not be able to change it. That is our only hope for peace.”
“We will respect the right of others to be different and to choose what to believe and how to decide. We will, however, help others to renounce fanaticism and narrowness through compassionate dialogue.”
This is the second book in the Mickey Haller series. It picks up about a year after the first and it’s the basis of season 1 of the Netflix series. I loved it and thought it was way better than the first.
At the end of the first book, defense attorney Mickey is shot. He has multiple surgeries and ends up addicted to pain killers. After rehab he’s just thinking of going back to work when he inherits a practice and all of his clients from a murdered colleague. And one of them is a a doozy. To my surprise, Harry Bosch is in this one quite a bit. I wasn’t expecting that since he wasn’t in the series at all. And that twist at the end was fun!
This is book 3 and it’s a good one. Mickey becomes a special prosecutor and makes sure he works with his ex-wife and Bosch. The case was good and had one of those shocking scenes that we all read thrillers for. Twisty turns and a legit evil bad guy keep Mickey and Company on their toes.
This is book 4 in the Mickey Haller series and is the basis for season 2 of the Netflix series. There were quite a few significant changes to the plot, but they weren’t necessarily bad. Mickey and company are spending their time and efforts on forclosure defense, seeing how long they can keep clients in theirs homes before the banks force them out. One of these clients gets jailed for murder and all of the sudden Mickey is back on a big case. The twist at the end was a good one, even if I knew it was coming because of the show.
The Skin Collector by Jeffery Deaver. Thriller, 430 pages, 2013
Book 11 in the Lincoln Rhyme series.
Lincoln Rhyme was a brilliant criminologist for the NYPD until he was injured in the line of duty and now is a consultant on major cases. Amelia, an NYPD detective and the the love of Lincoln’s life, is asked to look at the body of a woman who has been tattooed with poison ink. The pair and their friends are on the case and in danger. A solid addition to the series.
Amelia and her siblings just became wealthy beyond their imaginations, but keeping their brother from gambling it away will be a challenge. Enter Cam, a well respected ‘gypsy’ and Amelia begins to feel a support and caring she’s never had. I love this series and was happy to reread this one for a book club discussion. Kleypas is an automatic read when I come across her books.
Maya Angelou was a force and her strength and raw honesty was a beacon for so many around the world. Watching her perform Still I Rise is still one of my favorite poetry experiences.
This gift book is a lovely tribute to the author/speaker. It has some words by her, but it’s really the words of those close to her that make this book special. That and the gorgeous photographs. If you’re a Maya fan this one’s for you.
“She knows what we were born to discover. Every moment is important to her, and she brings to each her love and laughter, and passion for beauty, for life. She creates a world of caring around her and sees that it is good; each smile, each touch, each kindness offered, mirroring the grace of God. That’s our beloved Maya.” Susan Taylor
Where do we go after we die? In this YA novel we all go to the island of Elsewhere. When 15 year old Liz ends up there living with the grandmother she never met she is resentful, but eventually she accepts her fate.
What’s so special about Elsewhere? You age backwards from the day you arrive. When you reach newborn status you are sent back to the land of the living to enter a new body. So essentially, you get two lives. I love the concept of the book and as a YA book it works. It left too many unanswered questions for me to love it. But the pet dogs that made it to Elsewhere did steal my heart.
I’ve read and loved two other Nicola Yoon young adult books. They are heavy on romance with lots of real life issues to ground them. Surprisingly, this one had a touch of magical realism and I wasn’t mad about it 😁 Evie has grown up reading romance and her visit to a Little Free Library was the catalyst for her finding a superpower and love. I lover her openness to try something bold and new, but her acceptance of her new ‘gift’ baffled me and she treated two of her best buds horribly. The takeaway of the book is a strong one and the ending was unexpected so that made up for some of my issues.
Who wouldn’t want to go to a cafe run by talking cats giving real deal life advice? This Japanese bestseller is a quick fun read following the intersecting lives of four people who really need a cat god’s perspective.
I think it would be a fun book club book since it breaks down the stages of life and the astrology of our births. Fun things to talk about among friends. I didn’t love it, but again, I’m not one to complain about spending time at cat cafe.
Such a creative and fun kids book! It takes the fresco by Ambrogio Lorenzetti, The Effects of Good Governance in the City and Countryside, and makes a story. Using the original fresco the pig becomes the main character as we travel through the artwork. His exuberance was infectious.
I thought it was fun and it’s a perfect way to get kids to look at art differently and maybe inspire their own creativity.
Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America by Heather Cox Richardson. I started reading Heather Cox Richardson’s daily posts a few years ago. As a history professor she can give historical context to what’s happening politically. She is a must read if you want to understand the state of the country. This goes for both sides of the aisle. Her perspective may not be yours, but truth doesn’t take sides, and it shines through.
“The key to the rise of authoritarians, they explained, is their use of language and false history.”
So many people are being misled right now with blatant attacks on truth. Scary times are ahead if enough people don’t wake up to what’s happening. Highly recommend.
The Promise of a New Day: A Book of Daily Meditations. Do you read daily meditation/inspirational books/journals? I love them! I’ve been reading this classic for awhile and was a little sad to come to the end. Not religious but sometimes spiritual, it was a positive way to start the day. Originally published in the 80’s these thoughts are still relevant to lives today. This came though our book sale donations and I’m so happy I brought it home.
All My Friends Are Dead. A link to a little bit of the book I put on IG. This is such a cute book. If you see it, make sure to pick it up and take a few minutes to read through it. I guarantee at least one chuckle.
4 Star Reads
How Reading Changed my Life by Anna Quindlen. This is is one of those lovely books to sit down with for an hour in a comfy chair with a cup of tea. I love her stories of growing up being a reader and what books meant to her. By reading this it somehow put to words my own feelings regarding books and the home we make for ourselves in them. It’s only 84 pages.
The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly. Jason and I have loved the Lincoln Lawyer series on Netflix so I thought I’d give the first book in the long series a try. As usual, Michael Connelly is a master.
Courtroom drama ✔️ Family issues ✔️ Innocent man in jail ✔️ Life or death situations ✔️
I really liked it and will most likely continue the series when I get my hands on book 2. Have you watched the series or the movie with Matthew McConaughey?
Galatea by Madeline Miller. This little gift book is a 56 page novella that would go well with a collection or look great on a shelf or table. Based on Ovid’s Pygmalion myth.
Pygmalion creates a real woman from a marble statue he sculpted himself. Told from the woman’s perspective this was a liberated take the unnamed statue and the distasteful man who created her. I thought it was everything a grown-up myth should be.
Jackpot by Nic Stone. I’m a new Nic Stone fan. Rico Danger spends her days working to keep her family afloat and attending a high school where she feels alienated for being so poor. When the gas station she works at sells a winning lottery ticket she decides to try and find the lady who bought it. Enter Zan Macklin, son in a wealthy family with lots of expectations. They two go on this lottery ticket hunt together, growing close in the process.
Things I loved…Rico and Zan were cute together. I liked seeing his crush on her wear her shields down a bit. I liked Rico making friends. Pretty much I loved it all until…
Things I didn’t like…the end! No. Just no. And that’s all I’m going to say about it.
The Thursday Murder Club. Four residents in a retirement village form a club to solve old cold cases that the police couldn’t. There was a LOT going on in this book. I listened to it and did occasionally get lost, but I’d rather have that problem than there being too little to focus on. I thought the ‘pushing eighty’ club was brilliant and loved each of the members. I’m undecided about continuing on. Have you read it? Yea or nay?
3 1/2 Stars
The Amateur Marriage by Anne Tyler. I picked up one from Anne Tyler I hadn’t read since she’s one of those authors I love. Her stories are always about real relationships with all of the ups and downs.
We meet Michael and Pauline right before Michael is shipped off to war in 1941. The marriage was a rocky one, but three kids in they’d found a rhythm. They even held it together when their daughter ran away. It wasn’t until they were older that the bond crumbled.
I was a little bored for a while and almost gave this one up, but there was just enough there for me to keep going and I’m glad I did. It’s a solid family saga.
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. This is a memoir of the year after author Joan Didion’s died. The night he died their daughter was spreading in the hospital ICU. Can you imagine? There were some insightful thoughts in this National Book Award Winner. I think it would be a good recommendation for anyone going through their own grief journey.
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko. Alcatraz Island. If you’ve ever visited you know its isolation. You also know that there were many families that lived there to support the prison. Can you imagine living on an island with the worst of the worst?
It’s 1935 and Moose has just moved there with his parents and sister. He finds some friends, but his life is very much affected by his sister, who in today’s world would be diagnosed with moderate autism. Since both of his parent’s work Moose is often in charge of his sister. It’s not always easy to put her needs first, but then his friends become hers.
This is a middle school or younger book and the beginning of a trilogy. I think this is a great book for any kid who has a sibling with autism or another disability. I think it would help them feel seen. And who wouldn’t think it would be cool to live among the convicts?
Better late than never! I read 12 books. Six fiction, 2 aduly nonfiction, 3 nonfiction picture books, 1 kids nonfiction.
5 Star Reads
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. Historical fiction loosely based on a short period of time in the life of midwife Martha Ballard. It starts with a birth and a dead body found in the frozen Kennebec River in 1780s Maine. It’s a bit mystery, a bit history lesson, a bit pre-constitution court drama, and a whole lot of a woman’s role in the world at the time.
I loved it and that was before the Author’s Note at the end! I loved learning about the process and the real Martha Ballard, midwife to the births of 1000 children.
The Private World of Katharine Hepburn. I’ve always loved Katharine Hepburn. She was spunky, smart, and no-nonsense. Some of her movies are among my favorites and I loved her ability to be her own person in a world that didn’t even want women to wear pants! This oversize coffee table books is gorgeous and a must for fans. The pictures are very much focused on her later years, but I loved it. Call Me Kate on Netflix is a must watch for fans too. She was a fascinating woman who knew her own mind. She was a movie star who still considered Connecticut her home.
There Are Moms Way Worse Than You by Glenn Boozan and Pricillia Witte. This book is SO MUCH FUN! Not only is it great for moms to read and feel better about their parenting skills, kids will love the bizarre facts. All kids think poop is funny, did you know a koahla mom will feed her kids poop? And the sexton beetle will raise her babes in a decomposing mouse, so how badly can you really be doing? Loved it.
4 Star Reads
Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld. What would’ve happened if Hillary had kept telling Bill no to marriage and found the courage to walk away? From her graduation speech at Wellesley to the White House, this is the story of what could have been. Would she have married someone else? Become a lawyer, professor, or Supreme Court Justice? Would Bill eventually redeem himself and win her back? What if, gasp, she had won?
I respect Hillary, was happy to vote for her, and am shocked/not shocked at how much this country as a whole is still afraid of intelligent, capable career women with ambition. So, I really liked the book. If you like politics and speculative novels this is for you. If you hate Hillary I’m confident that you will equally hate whatever portion of this book you can stomach to read.
The King’s Messenger by Susanna Kearsley. I love all of Susanna Kearsley’s books, but this is a favorite. Set in 1619 Scotland King James has tasked Andrew Logan to find Sir David Moray and bring him back to the king to answer for the death of the prince. I LOVED the group making their way to the king while trying to escape from groups with competing interests.
There’s history, love in all its forms, second site, betrayal, respect, loyalty, and revenge. It’s fun and left me feeling satisfied for the futures of the characters. The author’s note at the end tells what is based on truth (quite a bit) and what was made up in the mind of a gifted storyteller.
When Passion Rules by Johanna Lindsey. I’ll read any historical romance Johanna Lindsey has written, but the silliness of the blurb had me laughing. “…AlanaFarmer learns the shocking secret of her heritage. Can it be true? Is she really the lost princess of the European kingdom of Lubinia?”
So, I wasn’t expecting much, but it was a PERFECT vacay read. Alana was easy to like. Christoph easy to like if you like alpha men that fit the times. The story had a few mysteries happening with a sinister feel and Alana’s abduction as an infant took an interesting turn. Loved it. There was love, history, mystery, and palace intrigue.
Firsts: Women Who Are Changing the World. When this was published in 2017 all of the women were still living. It was the mix of women, ranging from Maya Lin, designer of the Vietnam War Wall in DC, to Madeleine Albright, US Secretary of State. I loved the short essay by each woman and the photos. There were women and girls who each dared to do something never done before by a woman.
Two Friends by Dean Robbins, Sean Qualls, Selina Alko. Who knew Susan B Anthony and Frederick Douglas, two heavyweights in changing hearts and minds, met and were friendly? I liked this quick introduction for kids in a picture book for kids.
The Legendary Miss Lena Horne by Carole Boston Weatherford, Elizabeth Zunon. Lena’s parents left her alone with her grandmother in Brooklyn for a bit before her mother took her in the road with her. Her mother taught her what she knew and before long Lena was performing on stage and signing a studio contract with MGM, the first for a black actress.
This is text heavy for a picture book, great for older elementary and adults. This was also very descriptive of the racism that she faced. Some of it was surprising, even knowing it happened. If you want your kid to know what racism looked like with specific examples, this is a good one. One example: she was kicked out of a diner when trying to get something to eat on tour and as she was made to leave, these same people were asking for her autograph.
Rebel Girls Celebrate Neurodiversity. This is perfect for girls, the neurodiverse, and all the people who love and respect them. Tweens will love it.
There are known and unknowns included. GOATs like Temple Grandin and newbies like Amanda Gorman. The most common conditions were autism and dyslexia, but here are a few of the others you’ll find, bipolar, schizoaffective disorder, OCD, ADHD, ADD, auditory processing disorder, Down syndrome, dyspraxia. And who knew Billie Eilish has Tourette’s syndrome?
It’s an empowering and inspirational book for girls (or boys) who are different.
3 Star Reads
Always by Sarah Jio. Ryan sees the man who stole her heart on the sidewalk outside of a fancy restaurant she was visiting with her fiance. He was a vagrant begging for money now but he had vanished from her life without a trace years earlier. I really had no idea where this was going and that made it an interesting read. I had a problem with the plausibility of one unlikely thing after another so that kind of took me out of loving it. I did like it and was happy with the ending, another implausibility.
2 Star Reads
Dallergut Dream Department Store by Mi-Ye Lee. This was magical, strange, and dreamy. It was also not my cup of tea. I do wonder if it would be a good one for book club discussions.
I’ve read 10 books this month. Four were mystery/thrillers, three romances, two non-fiction, and one fiction. Well on my way to my 100 goal for the year. Most amazingly, I’ve actually shared my thoughts about each of them here this month!
My favorite
This will not hit the same for everyone. I’ve read some of the issues people have had with it, BUT it did so much right! The disappearance of the father is what keeps this first person narrative moving along, but there are so many other things happening. Mia, the narrator, gives neurospicy vibes, which I love, but it’s her non-speaking younger brother with Angleman Syndrome that brings accurate representation to all kinds of families. There are studies about happiness and a biracial element too. You will be rooting for a happy ending for this family. my review here
Good Stuff
In my quest to read more current nonfiction this year, I picked this up at the library. It’s written by a woman diagnosed with autism as an adult and she shares some of the current thinking on the front lines of the neurodivergent. The numbers are abysmal. If you are neurodivergent your chance of having a job are so low it makes this mama want to cry. Also, the life expectancy is in the 30s. 30s! Something needs to change. my review here
This is the 4th and final book in a historical romance series set in London. The series revolves around three friends who bond over their love of riding. This last one, may have been my favorite because it was about two people finding comfort in each other. The hero was in a wheelchair and the heroine started going gray as a child so her desirability was low. A sweet romance. my review here
While the last romance was more about feelings, this one was a bit more on the physical attraction, enemies to lovers side. I had issues with some of it, but I really liked that this got messy and still managed a happily ever after. my review here
This was my first book of the year and it was a twisty fun thriller. A woman who lies for a living gets played. my review here
I love Anita Shreve and am working my way through her backlist. Her writing mesmerizes me 🙂 In this one a widow and a divorcee is staying with a family on Cape Cod to tutor the teen daughter. There are also two brothers, a caring father, and hateful mother. my review here
If you need a restart or a jolt to your daily life, this is a nice place to start. Meditation and mindfulness are the themes, but there are also studies and ways to look at the world and the people in it. Buddhism based, but good for anyone who wants to be more connected. my review here
These were okay
I didn’t realize this was the third in a series when I started it, but wish I had so I could have started with the first one. It was fine as a standalone, but probably would have been better if I’d read the first two. my review here
Kleypas is one of my favorite historical romance authors. This was the first book in the Wallflowers series, and as a first book it was fine. I didn’t particularly care that much for the heroine, but her other friends might prove more interesting. my review here
I didn’t care that much for it before the recent plane crash, but now it makes it almost impossible to talk about. A plane crashes into the ocean. You can read my review from a few weeks ago here.
“Happiness is love. Full Stop.” That is the conclusion of George Vaillant, the director of a 75 year study conducted by Harvard University that followed 268 men over the course of their lives. Valliant summarized the study’s conclusion as the “warmth of relationships throughout life have the greatest positive impact on ‘life satisfaction.'” page 118
Wanna be Radically Happy? Well a meditation master and a Silicon Valley bro team up here to let you in on the way. This book is beautifully illustrated. I’ve enjoyed just flipping through it again to write my thoughts.
If you know about meditation and mindfulness, much of this will cover familiar ground. But there is also more about interconnectedness and ways to make it all work in your life. They also included lots of studies, one of which was also mentioned in the fiction book, Happiness Falls. They did cover some of the same ground!
I like reading these types of mindfulness books because, at least for a bit, I do a better job on staying in the moment and loving myself and others proudly and loudly.
I think this is worth a look if you want some introspection and aspire to be a better person.
“Radical Happiness is not found in situations and things” p. 17
“I’ve been through lots of terrible things in my life. Some of them happened. – Mark Twain” p. 32
Neurodiversity is one of the most urgent political issue of our times. As the number of diagnoses of Autism, Aspergers, ADHD, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia rise, we are starting to understand that there is no such thing as a normal brain. But society is still organised around neuro-normalcy, and autism is treated as a social disease. Jodie Hare, diagnosed with autism at twenty-three, argues that it is time to redefine the politics of who we are.
This was a very thoughtful and eye opening book about the current state of the neurodiversity fight written by a woman diagnosed with autism at 23.
It’s 120 pages of the why, the numbers, and the way the fight for neurodiversity intersects with many other groups struggling for a way to change the system we live in.
I appreciated her perspective. As a parent, I still need to process some of it. A few things I’m not sure I see the way she does and that’s okay. It still gave me a lot of new information and I’m glad that she covered how these other fights, LGBTQ and others..) intersected with the one of neurodiversity.
An interesting and current book on what’s happening in the world of autism.
“Autistic people are thought to experience a substantially increased risk of self-harm in comparison to non autistic people, studies suggesting their likelihood of self-harming is three times higher.”
“In medical settings, neurodivergent individuals are often denied access to life-saving transplants on the basis of their disability…The extent of this discrimination became so widespread that, in 2021, laws were passed in multiple US states to ensure that disabled people were eligible for organ transplants…”
“Recent studies suggest that transgender and gender-diverse people are between three and six times more likely as cisgender adults to be diagnosed as autistic.”
The Unhoneymooners. Finished 1-17-25, 4/5 stars, romance, 432 pages, 2019
“the only coherent thought that comes to mind is how insulting it is that eyelashes like his were wasted on Satan’s Errand Boy”
What happens when your twin sister’s wedding ends with all attendees in the hospital with food poisoning, except for you and the best man you hate? The two of you go off on their Hawaii honeymoon of course! Once there you have to pretend to be your twin sister and married to your new brother-in-law. I’m sure everything will be fine. Oh, wait! There’s your new boss and his wife and now he thinks you’re married. As does your new ‘husband’s’ ex when she shows up. Somehow Hawaii feels like Minneapolis 2.0.
I liked this one. I thought the twin aspect was fun. A huge, close knit family always makes for story. No spoilers, but one of the main characters was a real ass, but the revenge scene was perfection. Loyalty to siblings caused many of the problems, which felt pretty true to life.
A definite beach read, or if you’re like me stuck in the frozen tundra for much of the next week, it’s a perfect escape.
“She’d been made small for so long, the words hadn’t existed to articulate the wild yearnings within her… She knew now what she wanted– what she’d always wanted… The freedom to want, to choose, to be. To live a colorful, conspicuous, unconventional life.”
The Belles of London series has come to an end as the last of the four horsewomen find love. I’ve really enjoyed this historical romance series, set in 19th century England.
I’ve always had a soft spot for Stella. She had a head full of gray hair in her 20s, a problem I am familiar with, but I could die my streak of gray away. Stella, stood out in a way that made her not marriage material for many. And her jerk of a brother made her feel like a burden. Stella deserved better. Enter Teddy, wheelchair-bound due to Scarlet Fever, who is mesmerized by her and wants to paint her portrait.
They make such an interesting pair, each conspicuous and both having limited independence. I loved seeing how they were able to come together in an unconventional way.
The themes of independence, art, and being bold made this one shine for me. As well as having a leading man in a wheelchair. I found Teddy interesting because of his struggles and his resistance to his vulnerability.
This is my favorite since the first of the series.
Body Surfing. Finished 1-7-25, 4/5 stars, fiction, 291 pages, 2007
“Sydney discovers that she minds the loss of her mourning. When she grieved, she felt herself to be intimately connected to Daniel. But with each passing day, he floats away from her. When she thinks about him now, it is more as a lost possibility than as a man. She has forgotten his breath, his musculature.”
Sydney is a widow and divorcee by the time she’s 29 years old. She’s taking a tutoring job with a family at a New Hampshire beach house (this is the 4th this same beach house has appeared in her books as part of the Fortune’s Rocks series). As she works with the daughter and enjoys a good relationship with the father, the mother is less than thrilled that a half Jewish woman has ingratiated herself with the family. And that’s before her son’s arrivals and their interest in Sydney becomes evident.
Anita Shreve’s writing speaks to me, it’s the way she puts her words together and it’s just as much of what she doesn’t say as what she does. There is a multitude said in her pauses, her silences. They always feel like they are happening to people I could know. Sydney is not my favorite character, her willingness to go with the flow frustrated me at times. It’s through her relationships with the daughter and father I was able to see her in a more favorable light.
Stacy's Books 