I decided that I would start a new post for my 2021 books. This should allow for easier navigation. I am also going to start this year by adding subcategories to the non-fiction and fiction sections that should allow you to more easily find a book that you would like to read. Although I have not done it yet I will go back to the 2020 post and organize the books there into the same subcategories. I will continue to update the book of the month post as a quick way to find great books.
I continue to very much enjoy reading and find it a great way to both learn and be entertained. I normally still have two books on the go at once, one reading and one an audiobook I listen to while I exercise. Most of my reading is done on Libby the reading app that can be activated with your local library membership. The app and book borrowing is completely free and has an amazing selection of books. If you want to get more detailed information on my reading and book reviews you can follow me on Goodreads (a great app for readers). My id is Tgandco2.
I will continue to highlight the current month's books in red. Let's get started, here are my reads.
NON-FICTION
Current Politics
Peril - Bob Woodward - 2 stars - I feel like Bob Woodward is now producing the MacDonalds of political books. Cookie-cutter replicas of each other. Content has become nothing more than a summary of what you can read in any daily publication. No new insights, no recommendations, no conclusions. Just a weak summary of events. Despite stating the hours and hours of research that he says went into the book it feels very very superficial. I think this will be the last book I read by Woodward.
Fear: Trump in the White House - Bob Woodward - 3 stars - I read this earlier but forgot to add it to my reviews. Just ok. A lot of information that is already out there. I think Woodward is losing his touch.
True Crimes and Misdemeanours: The Investigation of Donald Trump - Jeffrey Toobin - 4 stars - Better than I thought it would be. I was done reading books on Trump but I like Toobin (despite his recent very embarrassing and inappropriate incident on zoom). The book has all the same facts as all the other Trump books but Toobin's analysis and perspective make this book worth reading.
A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing America - Philip Rucker - 2 stars - I have read a lot of books on presidents and many about Trump (probably too many). This is one of the least interesting. Really just a collection of gossip and random reporting on specific situations. After reading the book you are really left with, so what? I would pass and now Trump is gone we can all move on.
Political History/Analysis
The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House - Kate Anderson Brower - 2 stars - I was looking forward to this book and was very disappointed. I found it very superficial, not much new and the book is haphazard in how it is put together. Definitely disappointed.
The Guns of August - Barara Tuchman - 4 stars - A monster at 712 pages this classic is well worth reading. Tedious at times, you have to pay attention to all the names and places to get full value. Like many books on war, whether the US civil war, Vietnam it shows both the stupidity of how wars start and how poorly managed they are. Both unfortunately extend the time at war.
Winner-Take-All- Politics: How Washington Made the Rich Richer -- and Turned Its Back on the Middle Class - Jacob S. Hacker, Paul Pierson - 4 stars - Excellent. Frightening how clear the authors detail the problems in the US caused over time by both parties. The level of corruption is incredible along with the influence of lobby and business interests on both parties. A little short on solutions the book is an important read. Our oldest son Sean lent me this book and it is well worth reading. It was fun to read his notes in the margins. It was the first time in a long while that I read an actual book (versus reading off my iPad). It was a surprisingly hard adjustment (I am back to my iPad now).
Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism - Anne Applebaum - 1 star - I was really disappointed in this book. I found it disjointed, without purpose or direction. I feel like the author was just trying to show how many famous people she knows by quoting them and you are left with the feeling she wants you to know how smart she is at the expense of writing a good book. I would pass.
Memoir
Saga Boy: My Life of Blackness and Becoming - Antonio Michael Downing - 1 star - I have not read a book by an author that is so totally self-absorbed since I read Brian Mulrooney's memoir. I bailed on his book and bailed on this also. Tedious does not begin to describe this crappy book. The self-centred author just drones on (and on) with no insight or learning from his story. Glad I quit and saved some time. Just as an indicator of the author, he reviewed his own book. Need I say more?
Long Walk to Freedom - Nelson Mandela - 5 stars - Excellent. Long and detailed but lots of new information both about Mandela and the ANC that I did not know. Definitely worth reading.
Just as I am - Cicely Tyson - 4 stars - Probably about 25% too long but otherwise a great book about an amazing woman, Interesting, well-paced the book is a history of the US as well as her life. Her believe in ESP and divine guidance is a little hard to take at times but you have to just take that as part of her as a person.
Distilled: A Memoir of Family, Seagram, Baseball and Philanthropy - Charles Bronfman - 2 stars - First it seems to me that the only thing Charles Bronfman was good at was being born into Sam Bronfman's family otherwise he would never have had the wealth he ended up with. He lost all the family wealth as well as losing the Seagrams company. It seems most of the deals that made him money someone else did for him. He clearly made consistently bad decisions in business and then whines about it. In the book, he writes excuse after excuse and then the book ends. He writes about what a great guy he is because he donates money to charity. The book is tedious and annoying and I ended up just skimming the last third.
Rock Solid: My Life in Baseball's Fast Lane - Tim Raines - 2 stars - Largely tedious and boring written in a template like so many other boring sportsbooks. Not worth spending the time to get the (very) few interesting pieces
Now I'm Catching On: My Life On and Off the Air - Bob Cole - 1 star - Poorly written, tedious and boring with very little insight. The (very) few interesting parts are certainly not worth reading the whole book for.
The Tender Bar: A Memoir - J. R. Moehringer - 3 stars - I had no intention of reading this book (had never heard of it). However, after finishing and loving Open by Andre Agassi, Agassi mentions in his summary that his book was written with Moehringer because Agassi had read The Tender Bar and had loved it so much that Moehringer was the only one he wanted to write with. I clearly did not love it as much as Agassi but it was an interesting story of how the author great up, raised by his mother a single parent and how much of his male role models and mentors come from a local bar.
Open - Andre Agassi - 5 stars - I am not a tennis fan and knew very little about Andre Agasi (Teresa and I did see him with the gold medal in Atlanta in the 1996 Olympics). The book was recommended by my sister and what a great surprise. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Well written, interesting and gives great insight into Agasi as a person. One of the greatest tennis players ever but more importantly he writes honestly have his life and struggles. A must-read whether you are a tennis fan or not
From the Ashes: My Story of Being Metis, Homeless, and Finding My Way - Jesse Thistle - 1 star - I was really looking forward to reading this book and understanding more about the Indigenous and Metis community. Maybe it is just me and I missed something but to me this was just chapter after chapter of how terrible the author's life is. I understand he had a terrible life but just detailing incident after incident with very little insight or purpose gets tedious. I found I did not learn or enjoy the book.
Can You Hear Me Now?: How I Found My Voice and Learned to Live with Passion and Purpose - Celina Caesar-Chavannes - 5 stars - Ms. Caesar-Chavannes is an immigrant, person of colour, mother, wife, entrepreneur and member of parliament (she represented the Whitby riding where we live). I have never (and I mean never) read a memoir that is as honest and open as this book. (The closest is Educated by Tara Westover another very interesting book). The author puts everything (and I mean everything) on the table. Issues with her parents (strict and gender-based rules along with corporal punishment well into her teens). Her struggles with high school and university, problems she got into at school, her mental health issues, marital issues. it is as I said the most open and honest memoir I have ever read. However, it is written in a way that you both feel empathy with the author and can learn along with the author. Most interesting to me is her time as an MP in the Liberal government. He holds nothing back about the racism she faced by the government, its bureaucracy overall and within the Liberal party specifically. She does reinforce everything I have felt about Justin Trudeau, that he is an entitled, self-serving, nasty hypocrite. Not easy to read at times but I think very worthwhile.
So, Anyway ... - John Cleese - 3 stars - I was looking forward to this book and the beginning I really enjoyed. Halfway through the book began to drag and by the last third, I was just skimming the pages to finish. Definitely, some very very funny stories in the book and one conclusion is John Cleese seems to be a very very nice guy. If you are a Monty Python fan you will probably enjoy it
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption - Bryan Stevenson - 5 stars - One of the best books I have read. Definitely, something you should put on your list. Excellent, although difficult to read when you hear about the racism, corruption and injustice in the US legal system. It is an amazing story of hope. The author is a lawyer who starts working to save people on death row and follows his legal career for over 25+ years. The author and his colleagues do amazing work.
Educated - Tara Westover - 5 stars - My friend Josephine recommended this book and wow!. The story is so extreme and strange at times I thought it was fiction until I googled it and realized it was a memoir. The story of a woman from when she was a young girl to an adult that grows up in an isolated Mormon community with a very (read very very) strange set of parents and siblings. It is really the story of how the author overcomes her incredible background to understand herself, her family and become a success.
Biography
The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump - Mary C. Jordan - 1 star - I am almost embarrassed to say I picked and read this book (through the library Libby app). Very very superficial it felt like the author rarely got close to or talked to any close to Melania. Just very very little content and a lot of filler. I should have bailed on this book. The only good news is it is short and over quickly. One other thing. Anyone that thinks that Melania is "nice" and is stuck with Trump is wrong. She is not nice. They deserve each other.
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz - Erik Larson - 5 stars - Excellent. A (very) detailed account of Winston Churchill's first year in office. A fascinating view of him as a leader and how he lead Britain during the first critical year of the war.
The Undoing Project: A Friendship that Changed Our Minds - Michael Lewis - 5 stars - Excellent. Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Starts with a chapter on the different approaches the Houston Rockets took to managing their team and then gets into the subjects of the book, two Israeli psychologists who completely chart the way human decision-making is viewed. Fascinating, well written, great!
MBS: The Rise to Power of Mohammed bin Salman - Ben Hubbard - 5 stars - I have not read a lot about Saudi Arabia, its history, leaders etc. This book was very informative, well written, interesting and gives you a good insight into the complexities of the middle east and lots of great info about MBS (not a nice person) and Saudi Arabia.
Social Issues
The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America - Thomas King - 5 stars - If I could rate this higher than 5 stars I would. Excellent. I listened to the audiobook and I would recommend that. The reader was excellent. It was like listening to a very well told story., The book gives an amazing summary (a detailed summary) of the history of First Nations in North America. A must-read. Also part of my Canada Day project.
How to Be an AntiRacist - Ibram X. Kendi - 5 stars - Part of my Canada Day project the book is excellent, challenging and informative. Not a book to be skimmed but rather to be read carefully, likely needing to reread sections to get the full information/context. Educational and I would say a must-read for anyone who cares about or want to improve our world.
21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality - Bob Joseph - 5 stars - As part of my attempt to better understand indigenous issues in Canada I decided to read this book on Canada Day. It was excellent. Clear, concise, well written with recommendations of action non-indigenous Canadians can take as part of their recommendations. I am committed to this and this book was a great help.
Why Young Men: Rage, Race and the Crisis of Identity - Jamil Jivani - 3 stars - Good but not great. I feel like the author skims over a lot of subjects and research without getting into anything in sufficient detail. At 200 pages the book could have been longer and more complete. Having said that good insight into issues experienced.
History
The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 - Lawerence Wright - 4 stars - I decided to read this after watching the 9/11 documentary on NetFlix. Detailed bordering on tedious and boring at times the book gives a great overview and history of the Middle East and how those decades of history and the individuals involved led to the event we all now know around Al-Qaeda. Definitely worth reading to better understand the complete failure of the US agencies to worth together in a way that could have prevented 9/11.
American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century - Maureen Callahan - 4 stars - Kind of like watching Criminal Minds only you have to remind yourself that is not fiction, it is real. Scary, very very scary. The randomness of this killer's victims makes everyone vulnerable. Well written and researched. Worth reading (but it is dark)
The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and The Longest Night of the Second World War - Malcolm Gladwell - 4 stars - Short, easy to read and filled with a different and interesting perspective on the second world war. Focused on the evolution of the Air Force it is filled with information that I certainly did not know.
The Premonition: A Pandemic Story - Michael Lewis - 5 stars - Love books by Michael Lewis and this is no exception. Great insight, interesting and current.
Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster - Adam Higginbotham - 4 stars - While tedious at times and definitely too long the book was nonetheless interesting and informative. I had not read much about the disaster so definitely learned a lot. Although positioned as non-fiction I am not really sure how he got the detail for everything he writes in the book. Definitely great insight into the corruption and incompetence of the USSR/Russia.Worth reading.
Humour
Yearbook - Seth Rogen - 4 stars - Fun and easy to read, no great insights or messages, just like his movies kind of an easy enjoyable waste of time.
Is This Anything? - Jerry Seinfeld - 3 stars - Very Very funny at times the book covers almost all of Seinfeld's material over the years he has been a comedian. Repetitive at times but largely funny. I think the book would have been more interesting with some of his experiences mixed in with the comedy material.
Health
Life in the Fasting Lane: the Essential Guide to Making Intermittent Fasting Simple, Sustainable and Enjoyable - Jason Fung, Eve Mayer, Megan Romos - 2 stars - Like many of these books there was some (very little) good information in this book. Unfortunately not enough good information to make this worth reading. The book is written by a doctor, a researcher and a layperson. Unfortunately, it seemed most of the book was the layperson giving a bunch of antidotal crap with nothing but her personal random experiences. Some of the food recommendations (by all three authors are outrageous). Drink whole milk? Eat ribs? Enjoy a big rib-eye steak? Eat bacon and eggs? Really? It is like these people have not seen any of the research on healthy eating and fasting is going to make up for all this crappy food? I don't think so. Way too much crap in this book to wade through to get to the (very) few good parts.
Diet for the MIND: The Latest Science of What to Eat to Prevent Alzheimer's and Cognitive Decline - Martha Clare Morris - 4 stars. One of the few good things from Sanja Gupta's book was that he referenced this book so I took it out of the library (off the Libby app) and read it. Lots of good information in this book although repetitive if you have read other healthy eating books. The good news, healthy food for your body is also healthy food for your mind. The author does highlight food which is specifically good for your mind. Worth reading.
Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age - Sanjay Gupta - 1 star - I was really disappointed in this book. Although I have stopped watching CNN (too much Trump (even after he is gone) and too narrow reporting the news). I always enjoyed Gupta's reporting. I found this book just a jumble of ideas and actions, poorly written and not well laid out. I love reading health books but this one is not worthwhile.
How to
Putting Like a Genius - Bob Rotella - 4 stars - Short but good. Definitely good a couple of good times I will try out on the course.
FICTION
Historical Fiction
Five Little Indians - Michelle Good - 5 stars - Also part of my Canada Day project. Very difficult to read at times but excellent. Very impactful insight into the impact of residential schools on the survivors. A must-read.
If Beale Street Could Talk - James Baldwin - 4 stars - I found this difficult to read and in the end sad, not hopeful. It gives amazing insight into the lives of the characters and their circumstances.
The German Heiress - Anika Scott - 4 stars - Good (not great). A good historical fiction with a good description of some of the issues during and after WWII. Good pace, easy to read.
Homegoing - Yaa Gyasi - 4 stars - While difficult to read as the book describes the horrific treatment of black people from the 1700s to the 1960's it is a very well-written historical view. Fascinating how the authorities the families and individuals together over time
This Was a Man (The Clifton Chronicles#7) - Jeffrey Archer - 4 stars - Finished! (finally). Seven book series. While certainly no deep meaning the books are enjoyable and easy to read. Overall I would rate the series 3.5 stars
Cometh the Hour (The Clifton Chronicles #6) - Jeffrey Archer - 3 stars - Number 6 in the 7 book series (almost done!). I would say this was the least interesting so far and the format the most repetitive. The author clearly has a standard formula for each book and follows it closely. However, too late to quit now only one book left. Overall I think the series is worth reading.
Mightier Than the Sword (The Clifton Chronicles, #5) - Jeffery Archer - 4 stars - As I said I thought this series was 5 books and therefore I would be finished, but it is 7 so I am still going. Can't quit now. I have rated all these books 4 stars. Not perfect but certainly worth the time and interesting historical fiction.
Be Careful What You Wish For (The Clifton Chronicles, #4) - Jeffrey Archer - 4 stars - I thought this was a 5 book series, but it is seven so the commitment to get through this is even greater. I am still enjoying the series (I can't quit now!). Villians are still exaggerated but overall this historical fiction is fun to read.
Best Kept Secret (The Clifton Chronicles, #3) - Jeffrey Archer - 4 stars - Number three in the five-part series. I have enjoyed this series and will definitely make it to the end of the five books. The stories are interesting, it is fun how historical facts are integrated into the story. I enjoy all the main characters although the villains are consistently exaggerated which I think distracts from the story. Worth reading.
The Sins of the Father (The Clifton Chronicles, #2) - Jeffrey Archer - 4 stars - This is the second book in a five-part series (you have to make a commitment to get through all five books). I found this book really started to drag in the middle of the book and I seriously considered bailing on the book and the series. However, the story was saved as the character Emma travels to the US to find her true love, Harry Clifton (one of the central characters). I stuck with it and am on to the third book.
Only Time Will Tell (The Clifton Chronicles, #1) - Jeffrey Archer - 4 stars - This is the first in a five-book series, the Clifton Chronicles a multi-generational story set in post-WW II Britain. I enjoyed this. Good pace to the story and interesting how history is integrated into the story. Warning, if you are like me and don't like to not finish a book once started, you are really committing to five books to complete this story.
Mystery
Seven Dirty Secrets - Natalie D. Richards - 4 stars - Simple easy to read and although not a believable premise the book is suspenseful and a page-turner that is fun to read.
While Justice Sleeps - Stacey Abrams - 4 stars - First I want to say Stacey Abrams rocks. She runs for governor fights for voting rights and has time to write a novel? Wow! The book is probably 20% too long but otherwise a good read. The characters are a little stilted but the author still creates excitement. Worth reading.
Falling - T. J. Newman - 3 stars - I would say a very predictable drama. Kind of like a cheap made-for-TV movie. Not a lot of suspense as you could be reasonably sure what would happen next. Very average.
The Other Black Girl - Zakiya Dalila Harris - 5 stars - Wow one of the most different and intriguing books I have read this year. I am not sure I even knew it was a mystery/drama until I was well into the book. Kept me turning the pages as I struggled to stay with the story and figure out and understand the plot. One of the most different and interesting books I have read in a while.
We All Fall Down - Natalie D. Richards - 1 star - Awful. I should have dumped this book. Kept reading waiting for something to happen and it just dragged on and on with senseless drivel. Total waste of time.
State of Terror - Hillary Rodham Clinton / Louise Penny - 1 star - I have read books by Louise Penny and have always enjoyed them so I can only guess that Clinton was a major factor in the writing of this book as it is awful. The writing is formal, stiff, mechanical, stilted just like Hilary Clinton. Louise Penny should have done more to make this book better. In addition, Clinton feeling like she failed running for President (she did) creates a story that makes her, The Secretary of State (under a fictional name) the superhero in the story. She gets all her grudges out, Trump, Putin, the political ideas and positions she could not get through. I feel like Clinton needs to get over herself. She lost the election, was ineffective as the Secretary of State and carry's all the Clinton baggage. Not a good book despite being at the top of many lists.
Five Total Strangers - Natalie D. Richards - 5 stars - Athough the premise of the book is slightly unbelievable the book is excellent. Although it starts off a little slow it gets better, stick with it. Fun and easy to read.
The Wrong Family - Tarryn Fisher - 1 star - Tedious and not very interesting. The premise of the book is silly bordering on stupid and the book is just uninteresting. I don't like to bail on books once I start but I should have bailed on this one. Not good.
A Slow Burning Fire - Paula Hawkins - 1 star - Not good. Loved girl on a train. This is awful. Boring, convoluted, poorly written. Definitely not worth reading.
The Lions of Fifth Avenue - Fiona Davis - 4 Stars - I would have never guessed that a book that revolves around a library, a librarian and a journalist would be this interesting, but it was! Goes back and forth between the present and the previous generations. Interesting and worth reading.
An Unwanted Guest - Shari Lapena - 5 stars - A repeat of books I have read by Lapena, fun, easy to read, a page-turner.
The End of Her - Shari Lapena - 5 stars - Fun easy to read. A page-turner you will enjoy.
The Hunting Party - Lucy Foley - 4 stars - Fun and easy to read will keep you wanting to turn the page. The book is written from the perspective of different characters in the book which is interesting.
The Devil and the Dark Water - Stuart Turton - 4 stars - An interesting book. A Sherlock Holmes knockoff set in the 1700s. A good mystery, good pace, easy to read with a good ending.
The Push - Ashley Audrain - 4 stars - Strange, dark and disturbing at times it is definitely a page-turner although not quite as mysterious or exciting at the end as I had hoped.
Leave the World Behind - Rumaan Alam - 5 stars - Definitely a page-turner and to a large extent like no other book I have ever read. It is difficult to describe without a spoiler so I will just say you never really know exactly what is going on all the way through the book. Definitely worth reading if you like trying something different.
n a Dark, Dark Wood - Ruth Ware - 4 stars - The book starts very very slow, drags and is tedious so you may be tempted to bail on it. I would suggest you keep going as the story and the mystery definitely pick up and is worthwhile in the end.
Dark Places - Gillian Flynn - 3 stars - Creepy, gorey, dark which I guess I should have expected from the title. Good but not great. I would not call it a page-turner, but I did stick with it. I would say it is 50/50 whether it is worth reading or not.
And Now She's Gone - Rachel Howzell Hall - 3 stars - Good but not great as the rating indicates. 50/50 on whether it is worth reading. Poor writing, annoying dialogue spoil a good plot and story with lots of twists and turns.
Don't Look For Me - Wendy Walker - 4 stars - Kind of creepy but definitely a well-written mystery thriller that exposes the storyline in pieces as the book unfolds. A page-turner for sure, I enjoyed it.
The Boy from the Woods - Harian Coben - 5 stars - Fun, easy to read and entertaining. My first book by this author (he has written many). Good pace, story and characters. Definitely keeps you wanting to read more. I enjoyed it.
Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens - 3.5 stars - given this book was included in some many "best of/favourites" list I was largely disappointed. 3 stars is 50/50 whether it is worth reading so this is just above that. I found the book long, tedious at times and a little boring. It is certainly not a page-turner. Having said all that the premise of a young girl that is forced to grow up on her own and how her life unfolds is interesting.
The Vanishing Half - Brit Bennett - 3 stars - Good but not great, definitely 50/50 on whether you would find it interesting I think. The book is hard to describe without spoiling the story but it follows the story of two twin sisters, their lives and their families.
Pretty as a Picture - Elizabeth Little - 2 stars - Really not very good. Just kind of drags on with no interesting plot or storyline to an end that is neither exciting nor anticipated. Dull.
When No One is Watching - Alyssa Cole - 2 stars - Dull for 80% of the book and then ridiculous at the end. Not very good.
Romance
The Honey-Don't List - Christina Lauren - 3 stars - close to being embarrassed to admit I read this. If you like romantic comedies and even if you don't you will find this easy to read. A good book to read after you have just finished a 1000+ page non-fiction.
Get a Life, Chloe Brown (The Brown Sisters, #1) - Talia Hibbert - zero stars - Total crap. Useless and pointless. I really don't like to quit on books once I start but I should have quit on this one. I will not be reading The Brown Sisters #2.
Social Commentary
The Sentence - Louise Erdrich - 5 stars - Complex and not easy to read. You really need to pay attention as you read. It is both and ghost story and a social commentary (great combination!). If you pay attention you will be rewarded with a beautiful detailed story well worth reading.
Infinite Country - Patricia Engel - 4 stars - I would say 3.5 stars. In parts very good and gives a real sense of the frustration of living in the US as an immigrant. Often times the storyline wanders around with seemingly no direction.
Horror
Mexican Gothic - Sivia Moreno-Garcia - 4 stars - This may be the only book I ever read in this category as like in movies I am really not a horror fan. Not sure how this book got on my list but I enjoyed it. I often define horror movies as a roller coaster, it scares the crap out of you while you are on it but when you get off you say that was fun. The book is less intense than watching a movie (easier to put down etc) but still good for a few nightmares. Creepy but not gory, the story develops into a relatively complex tale that I found enjoyable. I may have to try another horror book!
Not Sure
Assembly - Natasha Brown - 3 stars - I read a wide variety of books by a wide variety of authors and although I will say I think I understood the message of the story/book I will also say I don't get it. I found the style of the writing choppy and unenjoyable. Again I am sure it is better than my assessment and I just don't get it.
Black Girls Must Die Exhausted - Jayne Allen - 4 stars - Part romance, part social commentary, this book is much different than I thought it was going to be (I was expecting a non-fiction documentary). However, the book was easy to read (dragged at times) and mostly interesting. Certainly contained perspectives unique to black women, some perspectives unique to all women and other perspectives that apply to everyone. Definitely worth reading.
The Midnight Library - Matt Haig - 5 stars - It is hard to give much detail about this book without giving it away but I really enjoyed this book. The premise is really interesting. The book is well written with a good pace. I found it caused me to do some reflecting which is always good. The ending was great. Read it!
The Lola Quartet - Emily St. John Mandel - 1 star - In my effort to support Canadian authors and to attempt to find out why everyone raves about this author this is my third book by St. John Mandel. It will be my last. I have suffered through Station 11, The Glass Hotel and now the Lola Quartet. I disliked them all. The books are all the same, they wander aimlessly with no purpose and create no interest. I am done.
Anxious People - Fredrik Backman, Neil Smith (Translator) - 5 stars - I don't think I have ever read a book like this. Is it humour? Romance? Mystery? Thriller? It is a little of all of them and you have to read carefully to ensure you don't miss anything. At first, I thought it was just silly humour but it is so much more. A must-read.
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