Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett 5/5 StarsThis is such a great book! I was initially drawn to it because it’s based in a small New Hampshire town. Really I love everything about this book: it’s an easy read though it deals with tough topics; the historical non-fiction tie-ins with Ernest Harold Baynes; a very surprising twist; magical realism and more. It almost reads like a cozy mystery. I really appreciated the author’s note at the end where she says she…
I was so excited to receive a preview of An American in Provence by Jamie Beck. It has all of my great loves: France, photography, stories, and recipes. I’ve read the Autumn section (there’s one for each season). Beautiful, moving essays on her life in France and before moving and how the terroir has changed her. Photography tutorials include working with natural lighting, bug styling, and posing. The recipe I’m most excited to try once the weather starts to turn…
Ghosters 3: Secrets of the Bloody Tower by Diana Corbitt 4/5 StarsThis is a great example of a middle-grade beach read. It is fun and interesting (even for an adult!) without being heavy. While Kerry, Theresa, and Joey do take risks, they do so in smart and responsible ways and really think about something before they do it. This book mostly takes place in London and the feel of the city really came through. I highly recommend this book and…
Book Lovers by Emily Henry 5/5 StarsI love Emily Henry! I’m not even really a fan of the romance genre and I got into reading her books through A Million Junes, a magical realism book, but I’ve loved every book of hers that I have read. I don’t relate to the choices Nora makes but Emily takes the time to explore the reasons why her characters make the decisions they do and I SEVERELY appreciate that. It’s the difference between…
Alone Time: Four Seasons, Four Cities, and the Pleasures of Solitude by Stephanie Rosenbloom 4/5 StarsI really liked this book and the exploration of solo traveling, or alone time, was interesting to me. I value alone time a considerable amount and have always wanted to travel to a familiar place by myself (mostly, Paris). Stephanie’s exploration of her own travels as well as the studies, quotes, and other accounts of solo travels presented came together beautifully here. There were sights…
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts 100/5 StarsAs a general rule I am morally opposed to excessively long books. It is almost 1,000 pages long and the audiobook is just over 43 hours. I believe it is the longest book I’ve ever read and it is absolutely beautiful. It took me a long time to listen to the audiobook (the narrator is fantastic), not only because of the many hours but because I wanted to savor the story and the magic…
5/5 Stars The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is one of those books where you don’t want to say too much and spoil it for future readers. I loved everything about it- descriptions, setting, the lovable characters, the plot twists. I was delighted by surprises at the end. The end of this story has left me wanting more inspiration from this world: images, recipes, clothes. I can’t help but feel that an illustrated edition or comic adaptation would be…
The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec 5/5 StarsThis book is heartbreakingly beautiful. I love a good story about gods or ancient figures I know little about and the drama that only they can bring. I also really enjoyed the mindful, seasonal aspect, and Angrboda’s relationship with her children. I would have liked to see a little more about her past but it’s a small grievance. Highly recommended. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 4/5 StarsI like a lot about…
In reading order: Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy The Puma Years: A Memoir of Love and Transformation in the Bolivian Jungle by Laura Coleman We Are What We Eat: A Slow Food Manifesto by Alice Waters The Love That Split The World by Emily Henry Meet Me in Bombay by Jenny Ashcroft People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry For The Wolf by Hannah Whitten Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder Beach Read by Emily Henry I usually do…
A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan 5/5 StarsI don’t know how I missed a book about a line of French witches for four years but here we are. I loved this book. It’s a perfect witch/magic theme and is very connected to nature. It follows five generations and feels very much like five closely connected short stories. They’re each fascinating and heartbreaking in their own way but have many common themes throughout. Some of my favorites are discovering…