Saturday, April 22, 2017

Books Read - Week in Review - W/E 4/22/2017


This past week started with all of us together for a nice Easter Brunch. It was 80 degrees outside so the little ones did lots of bubble blowing and running around the yard after we ate.  On Monday I met a former coworker for coffee, hit the outlet malls and had lunch out. On another day we went to the movies to see Going in Style (silly but fun), and then there was yoga, which always makes me feel good. This weekend the sisters are celebrating their 5th and 3rd birthdays (their birthdays are 5 days apart), so we'll be at the party.  It's amazing how fast those years have past.

Finished (2) books this past week and, I loved them both.

White Fur; Jardine Libaire
Hogarth - 2017

(My Thoughts) - This is an addictive debut novel: a love story that is raw, gritty and sexually explicit.  Jamey Hyde and Elise Perez were neighbors in New Haven, CT. They meet and fall in lust love but, their backgrounds couldn't be more different.  It's 1986, Jamey is white and a junior at Yale. His family is extremely wealthy. Elise is bi-racial and never even graduated from high school. She grew up in a Bridgeport, CT housing project.  Somewhat blinded by the chemistry,  Jamey decides to leave Yale in the hopes of building a life with Elise. The couple moves to Manhattan to begin their life together.  Without giving away too much I'll just say that all does not go smoothly for this young couple. White Fur is a terrific character driven novel with flawed characters who struggle to keep it together despite prejudices over gender, race and class differences. I was impressed with the writing and thought that the character development and back stories were very well done. The romp around New York City in the mid 1980s made for some great reading.  (5/5 stars)


Britt Collins - Atria Books - 2017

(My Thoughts) - You don't have to be a cat lover to be moved by this story. It's a true story about (2) men and one cat: the man who lost the cat and one who found it.  Michael King, was a depressed alcoholic, homeless and living in Portland, Oregon.  One rainy night he finds a skinny, dirty, injured cat who he begins to feed and care for. He names the cat Tabor and day by day Tabor shows his appreciation by staying close by. He gives Michael a new sense of purpose - someone to care for.  In another area of Portland is another man, the one who misses and longs to see his missing cat once again. Tabor is an amazing cat, who obviously becomes very attached to his new caretaker and also learns to be a very good cross country traveler, hitch-hiking to various locales in his carrier with Michael.  Reading about the plight of both homeless people and homeless cats was both heart-warming and heart-wrenching.  Well-written, so happy I read this one. (4.5/5 stars)

Have a Great Weekend!

14 comments:

  1. I'd had my eye on White Fur, but wasn't entirely sure about it. Putting it on my list now...sounds so good! Love anything described as addictive by someone other than the publisher's marketing team!

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  2. Sarah, White Fur is one of those stories where once you begin, it's hard to stop reading.

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  3. A friend and I have talked about going to see Going in Style but it hasn't worked out yet.

    Happy birthday to your sweet girls! I can't believe they're 3 and 5 already!

    Both of your books are new to me but I think we have similar taste in books so I'm making note of them.

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  4. Sounds like a great Easter weekend...what can beat blowing bubbles?

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  5. We lived in CT in the mid80s (I worked in New Haven, my husband in Bridgeport) and spent time in NYC. White Fur sounds great... adding to my list right now. Enjoy the b-day celebrations this weekend. Hard to believe the girls are 3 and 5!

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  6. Diane,

    Strays sounds very touching! I recently watched A Street Cat Named Bob--what a wonderful story and movie!

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  7. What a great week! I want to go see Gifted, but our local theatre has been featured due to an increasing string of crime and break-ins. We'll have to travel as only one theatre close by has it in. :/ We had afternoon showers at the beginning of the week, and now a cool front. The weather is pretty nice right now. Hope you have a great week!

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  8. That lost kitty book sounds really great!

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  9. I can't believe your grand babies aren't even remotely babies any more! What fun to watch them grow.

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  10. I hope you've been enjoying your weekend. Really want to read White Fur.

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  11. White Fur sounds like a good read!

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  12. I can't believe your grandbabies are 5 and 3. I'm pretty sure they were just born and you put new pictures of them on your blog. The time has flown

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  13. It sounds like you had a nice Easter, Diane. Happy birthday to your granddaughters. They really do grow so fast, don't they? Stray sound like a memorable book. :-) I hope you have a great week, Diane.

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  14. I've been very curious about White Fur. Thanks for sharing, and have a great week.

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