Sunday, July 23, 2017

WE'RE ALL DAMAGED BY MATTHEW NORMAN

Credit: goodreads.com
Rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received a free copy of We're All Damaged by Matthew Norman from Amazon.com's Kindle First benefit for Prime members in May of 2016.

In this adult fiction book the main character, Andy Carter has moved to New York and is recovering from an unexpected and recent divorce when he is called back to his hometown in Omaha to be with his dying grandfather.

Going back home proves challenging as Andy's self-esteem has taken a hit because his ex-wife divorced him for a paramedic who lived down the street from their marital home. Andy returns home to find that the once-lover is now married to his ex-wife and living in the house she and Andy once owned together. On top of that, his father is possibly having an affair. And his mother is completely wrapped up in furthering her career as a conservative, right-wing talk show, which is causing turmoil in their new posh neighborhood.

While in Omaha, Andy meets the mysterious Daisy who seems to have a personal relationship with his grandfather. She becomes a pivotal character in the development of the story and also Andy's healing process.

This read was quick and light. It gave me a relief from some heavier stuff I had been reading. There was a nice inspirational message for those who have experienced heartbreak. I found many parts of the book to be funny. My only criticism is in the inclusion of the political banter. I don't know that it really added value to the book. It seemed unauthentic and a cheap way to get in some personally-held political viewpoints. Without that, I might have considered giving the book another star.

Recommendation: There's not really a lot to say about this short book. If you're looking for a quick read that will leave you with a smile, I'd recommend picking it up. It would be perfect for weekend or beach reading.

Until next time ... Read on!

Friday, July 21, 2017

BORN A CRIME: STORIES FROM A SOUTH AFRICAN CHILDHOOD BY TREVOR NOAH

Credit: goodreads.com
Rating: 4 of 5 stars

I adore Trevor Noah. I appreciate his comedic style. I find him to be intelligent, quick-witted, funny, and I'm not gonna lie, easy on the eyes. When I heard about his memoir, Born A Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood, I immediately added it to my to-be-read list on goodreads.com.

This year, I've vowed to learn how to really listen and pay attention to audiobooks. In addition to my traditional reading, this has quickly helped me get through more reads. I've found that listening whilst on the treadmill is a way to metaphorically kill two birds with one stone. And as any reader knows, the more you can read; the happier you are. So, I thought this book would be a good one for audio.

Noah opens the autobiography with a story that illustrates the relationship between he, someone who seems to struggle and question faith, and his mother, a lifelong and devout Christian. This theme not only sets the stage for what is to come but permeates the entire book.

When I decided to read this, I thought I might get some laughs. Don't get me wrong, there are some funny parts. But since I have listened to the book, I've heard that Noah intended the book to be a tribute to his mom. Now knowing his intention, I would say he did not fail to accomplish the task. It was nice to get to peek into his life. (Isn't that always fun? That's why we are a reality TV society.) But more importantly, learning of his love for his mother and hearing it through his own voice as he narrated the book truly made her the heroine. The stories he shared were heartfelt, and I could tell through his reading that he was very vulnerable in some of the information he shared.

My critique of the book is that it jumps around in time from telling stories about his toddler years to his parents' illegal relationship before he was born to post-high school.  (During apartheid interracial marriage was illegal, therefore, procreation between two different races was very much a crime.) Sometimes the overall story was a little hard to follow since the vignettes were not told in linear format. However, I think he composed the book thematically - sharing stories about his relationships, race relations and apartheid in South Africa, and his struggles with his identity of not really fitting in anywhere.

Recommendation: I would definitely recommend this book, and I would actually recommend it as an audiobook. There are several parts in the book where Noah speaks in various tongues. He always offers translation. I also think him acting out the characters gave the book more depth. After reading this book, I adore Trevor Noah just a little bit more than before.

Until next time ... Read on!

Monday, July 10, 2017

DEFENDING JACOB BY WILLIAM LANDAY

credit: goodreads.com
Rating: 3 of 5 stars

I picked up a copy of Defending Jacob by William Landay at Half Price Books annual clearance sale for a whopping $0.50. I think I got my money's worth.

Andy Barber, the story's narrator, is an attorney in Newton, Massachusetts. He has assigned himself the lead prosecutor in a high profile murder of one of his son's classmates. Things turn for the worst when his son, Jacob, is accused and put on trial for the murder of Ben Rifkin. Andy is suspended from his job, his wife and Jacob's mother is literally dying from stress, and the whole family becomes outcasts in the community.

From there, Landay takes you on a roller coaster ride of a trial along including betrayal from friends and relatives, conflicts between professional and personal lives, and suspicious characters lurking in dark places. In the end, the author offers up, what I deem two plot twists that leave you jaw ajar. There is a conclusion, but I wouldn't say it's a particularly tidy one.

I enjoyed the legal aspect of this story as well as the moral question - how far will a parent (or parents) go for their child(ren)? There are parts in the book that flash forward to present day, making the reading a little confusing. I gave this book 3 stars because I guessed one of the plot twists, which is really saying something because I'm not that great at solving mysteries. However, the writer's style was thought-provoking and interesting enough to keep me engaged as a reader throughout its 400+ pages.

Recommendation: If you are a parent and enjoy mysteries and don't mind graphic murder descriptions, you might find this one worth picking up. At $0.50 investment, you won't lose too much in return.

Until next time ... Read on!

Friday, July 7, 2017

BRITT-MARIE WAS HERE BY FREDRIK BACKMAN

credit: goodreads.com
Rating: 5 of 5 stars

As with most of his books, Fredrik Backman's Britt-Marie Was Here gave me all the feels. A departure from how I normally consume books, I listened to this one. I've read all of Backman's books with the exception of his latest book, Beartown, released this May. You can read my reviews of: A Man Called OveAnd Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer, and My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell you She's Sorry - all on this blog.

This story starts out with Britt-Marie in search of a job, and ultimately a new life, after she learned that her husband of more than 40 years had cheated on her. Right after the financial crisis, the only job she is able to land is a temporary caretaker/house cleaner at a soon-to-be demolished recreation center in the pitiful town of Borg. While there, life happens to her. No matter how hard she tries to avoid it, she connects with people. A wheelchair-bound lady, named Somebody, Sven, the local police officer, Bank, a soccer legend with sight limitations, the delinquent - Sami, and a myriad of children who convince Britt-Marie to be their team's soccer coach. In this odd little town, we see that someone in her 60s can still come-of-age.

Similar to the Terry McMillan novel I read earlier this summer, we learn it's never too late to change the direction of your life by choosing ... you!

As I've mentioned before, the reason I enjoy Backman's stories is because of his beautifully-constructed prose. He takes simple themes that we've all read or seen and illustrates them in a very emotional, heart-tugging way. The main characters is most of his books are in their third act of life, but they are full of life and quite relatable. Britt-Marie is all of us, teaching us lessons that we can appreciate in any time in our life. Wanna get filled up and experience a variety of emotions from laughter to anger to sadness to joy? Read this book ... or any of Backman's novels.

Recommendation: This is a solid 5 stars out of 5 for me. I liked it a little more than Ove, and that was my book of 2016. My only caution is that this book has more profanity than the others. Don't let this dissuade you though. You'll find yourself wanting to visit Borg yourself!

Until next time ... Read on!