Book Review - The Midcoast; Adam White

 

The Midcoast; Adam White

Hogarth - 2022

The Midcoast is a debut novel that opens in small coastal town of Damariscotta, Maine.  Andrew is a writing instructor and lacrosse coach who returns with his family to the area where he grew up to settle down.  The story opens with a lavish outdoor reception for the Amherst College lacrosse team hosted by Steph and Ed Thatch at their enviable coastal home.  The Thatches daughter Allie attends Amherst College and their son EJ is a local cop.  Andrew wonders how Ed, a high school dropout and the son of a lobster fisherman could rise to their current status of achieving the American dream and more?  His wife Step is the unofficial town mayor as well. As Andrew does a little snooping indoors while the event is taking place, he uncovers some disturbing photos and with a little investigative work, the reader will soon begin to understand what has been going on.

This novel got off to a rather slow start but, I quickly found myself totally engrossed with the crime drama elements of it all.  I found myself on the edge of my seat often with an uncomfortable feeling as I read.  The descriptions of midcoast Maine and Amherst College, Amherst, MA seemed accurately portrayed and, I thought the author did a great job building the suspense of the Thatch story.  I was really glad I read this one, it was so hard to put down even though some of the characters needed a bit more depth. Recommended

Rating - 4/5 stars

(NOTE: the eGalley download was sent to me by the publisher (Hogarth) in exchange for my unbiased review.)

Book Review - Very Cold People; Sarah Manguso

Very Cold People; Sarah Manguso

Hogarth - 2022

Set mostly in the 1980s in the small town of Waitsfield, MA (not a real MA town).  Waitsfield is a town where not much happens these days but, its history and former townspeople date back to the Mayflower. It is a town where the cold of winter feels like it lasts year round.  Ruthie is the only child of an Italian father who works as an accountant and a Jewish stay at home mother. The family struggles financially:  the bill collectors call on a regular basis, the food they eat is mostly unhealthy and whatever is cheap, their home is always freezing cold and the exterior of the house needs a paint job. The mother seems to suffer with severe depression.  Ruthie isn't physically abused but, the scars from her emotionally neglectful parents still do a number on her over the years.

Fortunately for Ruthie, she does have a few friends. Most of her friends come from families with more money but, they do not have better lives. These girls are also to be pitied for very different reasons.

Told from the POV of Ruthie from grade school to adulthood, Ruthie is a character I cared about from the start.  I loved the 1980's coming of age vibe, I only wished I had the power to have made her childhood better.  The writing style was crisp and grabbed me from the start. It was almost like a memoir or a series of journal entries.  We eventually learn the root of Ruthie's mother's depression.  This was not an upbeat story but, it was a well-written one that packs a punch. There are a lot of darker subjects which surfaced in this 192 page book - dysfunctional families, suicide, eating disorders, self-harm and even sexual assault.  Despite the dark tone, I liked this book a lot - for me, dysfunctional families makes for some thought provoking reading.

This is my second book in a row that featured people and families who have difficulty expressing emotions even to the people closest to them.  Fortunately, my (2) current reads: One Italian Summer and Taste: My Life Through Food, Stanley Tucci are more upbeat.

Rating - 4/5 stars

Thanks go to Hogarth and Edelweiss for allowing me access to this download in exchange for my unbiased review.)

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Very Cold People; Sarah Manguso

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book we are reading or plan to read soon.

Very Cold People; Sarah Manguso

Hogarth - 2022

1.

My parents didn't belong in Waitsfield, but they moved there anyway.  My mother answered the first knock at the door of the new house, expecting a casserole.  We'd painted the house Evening Fog, she told me, but the woman from across the street wanted to know why we'd painted it purple like Italians.  Some people wore their difference honestly, but my parents were liars, illegitimate Waitsfielders, their off-whiteness discovered only after the paint had dried.  By the time I was born, the house had faded to the color of dirty snow.

This is a relatively short debut novel which seems like it takes place in the 1980's. I already like the young narrator.

What do you think - read more or pass?

The Ditch; Herman Koch

TITLE: The Ditch
AUTHOR:  Herman Koch

PUBLISHER:  Hogarth

PUB. YEAR: 2019

SETTING:  Amsterdam
FORMAT:  - eGalley

RATING - 3/5

I really enjoyed the darker nature of the last (3) books by Herman Koch: The Dinner, Summer House with Swimming Pool and Dear Mr. M, so I couldn't wait to try this new novel.  Unfortunately, it was a bit of a slog for me.

Robert Walter is the 60 year old mayor of Amsterdam. Married to Sylvia, the couple has one daughter, Diana.  The story begins with a party on New Years where Robert notices his wife smiling and laughing with an alderman.  He notices him whisper something in her ear and from that point on he is convinced the two are having an affair.

The more he he obsesses about it, the more jealous he becomes and his anxiety and paranoia intensifies.  Even a vacation to Paris with his wife doesn't convince him that he's imagining the whole affair.  He decides to spend more time at home observing his wife and daughter and listening for clues. Robert is very secretive when it comes to specifics about Sylvia and Diana. Along with the whole affair suspicions, there's a minor story but a serious subject with the mayor's parents contemplating suicide. In addition, there is talk about Dutch politics and the environment including minute details about their recycling program.

I really wanted to like this novel. There is a good amount of subtle humor which I enjoyed and, it has an ending I wasn't anticipating as well but, overall the story just failed to engage me.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - The Ditch; Herman Koch

Each Tuesday, Vicki, from I’d Rather Be At The Beach hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where  readers post the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book they are reading or that they plan to read. 

The Ditch; Herman Koch

Hogarth - 2019

PART 1

"Let me call her sylvia. that's not her real name--her real name would only confuse things.  People make all kinds of assumptions when it comes to names, especially when a name isn't from around here, when they don't have a clue about how to pronounce it, let alone spell it.  So let's just say that it's not a Dutch name. My wife is not from Holland. Where she is from is something I'd rather leave up in the air for the time being.  Those in our immediate surroundings, of course, know where she's from.  And people who read the newspaper and watch the news with any regularity can't really have missed it either.  But most people have a bad memory. They may have heard it once, then forgotten."

I've read every dark novel by this author; this one will be released in the US on June 11th, what do you think? Read more or pass?

Normal People; Sally Rooney

TITLE: Normal People

AUTHOR:  Sally Rooney

PUBLISHER:  Hogarth

PUB. YEAR: 2019

SETTING:  Ireland
FORMAT:  - eGalley (268pp)

RATING - 4/5

Normal People is a quiet coming of age story which drew me in immediately as it's a story about early relationships and missed opportunities.

Marianne and Connell are both very bright but couldn't be more different, Yet when they meet, something clicks. Marianne's a cold, emotionless teen who comes from a wealthy but dysfunctional family. She's awkward and others her age think she's just plain odd. Connell is handsome and popular, his family is poor and his mother is a cleaning lady for Marianne's family.  One day when he goes to pick his mother up at Marianne's house, they begin to chat and soon become friends and eventually sexual partners.  Fearing he will be teased by his peers if their relationship is found out, he wants them to keep things secret and just between them. She goes along with this, probably because she's used to be mistreated, at least emotionally, by her own family.

The following year both Marianne and Connell end up at Trinity College in Dublin but here their roles seem reversed. Marianne becomes the popular one, a social butterfly and it's Connell who's feeling insecure, shy, depressed and like he doesn't fit it. Although they come in and out of togetherness, they always seem drawn back to each other.

The story is told from both of their POVs and although well written, at times I felt a bit frustrated by the story and the failure by both to communicate what they were feeling.  It reminded me about just how very much we are a product of our upbringing.  I also wish that the author delved more into Marianne's family and why she was treated the way she was growing up.

There are many themes running through this novel: social class differences, relationship dynamics, mental health issues, bullying, young love and more. A deeply drawn story with an overall darker tone. I'm glad I read it and, the more I've thought about this one, the more my opinion changed a bit overall to a slightly more favorable rating.

A Ladder to the Sky; John Boyne

TITLE: A Ladder to the Sky

AUTHOR:  John Boyne

PUBLISHER:  Hogarth

PUB. YEAR: 2018

SETTING:  Germany, Amalfi Coast, NYC and London
FORMAT:  -  ARC

RATING - 4.5/5

Just who is Maurice Swift, the protagonist and sociopath, of this delightful literary novel?  We first meet him in 1988 when he is working as a waiter at a West Berlin hotel's restaurant.  He's a guy who wants to a writer but, he's lazy and has no talent; he does have charm though.  He figures he doesn't have to give up on his dreams to become a success, why not just find another way to achieve his goal.

His first opportunity to achieve that literary success is when he meets a somewhat famous, but lonely, older novelist named Erich Ackermann.  Maurice is full of charm and compliments and quickly has won the trust of Ackermann who in a weak moment shares some private, secrets from his past which Maurice sees as excellent material for a successful novel. He takes what he's learned and turns it into his own successful book. He isn't satisfied just yet either,  he's certain he's capable of even more literary success, and you can be sure he'll find another unsuspecting, talented victim soon.

I thoroughly enjoyed this delicious novel. The handsome, but sinister Maurice is not a character I will easily forget. Was he unlikeable, yes, but memorable all the same. This is a guy who knows when and what buttons to push to manipulate others for his own personal gain. There were a few parts which were a bit slow, but overall, this a pleasant treat. I must say that I loved the ending as well. Try It!

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - A Ladder to the Sky; John Boyne

Each Tuesday, Vicki, from I’d Rather Be At The Beach hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where  readers post the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book that they are reading or plan to read. 

A Ladder to the Sky; John Boyne

Hogarth - 2018

PART 1

BEFORE THE WALL CAME DOWN

1.

West Berlin

"From the moment I accepted the invitation, I was nervous about returning to Germany. It had been so many years since I'd last been there, after all, that it was difficult to know what memories might be stirred up by my return."

I've been wanting to begin this one for several months and I'm so glad I finally did - such an addictive story.

What do you think? Have you ever tried this author's books before?

Sight; Jessie Greengrass

TITLE: Sight

AUTHOR: Jessie Greengrass

PUBLISHER: Hogarth

PUB. YEAR: 2018

SETTING:  
FORMAT:  - ARC

RATING: 2/5 stars

I not sure what I was expecting when I decided to read this brief novel (less than 200 pages), but I can honestly say, it just was not my "cup of tea".

An unnamed narrator is expecting her second child and spends a great deal of time obsessing about everything: her first born growing up and away from her, her mother's death when she 20, the father who left her, a less than sensitive psychoanalyst grandmother and more.

I found the stream of consciousness writing style was somewhat off putting; the thoughts jump from one worried thought to another. There are lots of heavy themes in this short novel as well. Sorry I just can't recommend this one, it's depressing.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - The Heart's Invisible Furies; John Boyne

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros sharing the first paragraph, maybe two, of a book that I'm reading or plan to read soon.  

The Heart's Invisible Furies; John Boyne

Hogarth - 2017

The Good People of Goleen

"Long before we discovered that he had fathered two children by two different women, one in Drimoleague and one in Clonakilty, Father James Monroe stood on the altar of the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, in the parish of Goleen, West Cork, and denounced my mother as a whore."

Does this intro make you curious for more?

Please feel free to join in each Tuesday with your own "First Chapter, First Paragraph Intro" by linking your post from the book you are reading below. 

Books Read - Week in Review - 4/29/2017

Everything I Never Told You; Celeste Ng

Penguin - 2014

(April Book Group Read) - This was a reread for me (audio both times) and, my opinion remains unchanged - I loved this book as did everyone in my book group even though it's a sad story.  Here is my review from a few years ago----

"Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet." is how this story begins. As the Lee family sits together for breakfast mother, Marilyn, father, James, oldest child and brother Nathan, and youngest child, Hannah, Lydia is absent, but they expect Lydia to be down any minute. When she doesn't join them, they discover her bed has not been slept in and Lydia isn't around. It isn't until two days later that her body is discovered in a nearby lake. So what happened to sixteen year-old Lydia and why? The year is 1977 and the Lee's live in a college town in Ohio. The father, James is a Chinese American and teaches History at the college in town, and his wife, Marilyn is a white stay at home mom. Lydia and her siblings are the only children in their school of Chinese descent, and have been the subject of taunts and slanted-eye gestures from some unkind classmates over the years. Both parents have different wants for their daughter Lydia, andthey pressure her in different ways to become what they what their daughter to be. Brother Nathan will be heading off to Harvard in the fall, and he believes a neighbor may have been involved in Lydia's disappearance and drowning. The story is told in the third person, and from that we learn a great deal about the family background, a short separation of the parents, and the way the children handled that. And, although this story is certainly part mystery (what happened to Lydia -- murder, suicide or accidental drowning), it is much more a story about the Lee family dynamics and how that impacted not just Lydia, but the other two children as well. What happens when parents try to see their unrealized dreams materialize through their offspring? The audio version was read by Cassandra Campbell and so well done. This is an impressive debut novel that will appeal to readers who enjoy well written stories about family dysfunction, while mystery fans might be a little disappointed. 4.5/5 stars

The Dark Flood Rises; Margaret Drabble

Farrah, Straus & Giroux - 2017

(My Thoughts) - Fran Stubbs, 70 - something is still an active working woman,  her job involves housing for the elderly, traveling to various locales and conferences keeping abreast of housing options for British seniors.   Fran does, however, read the obits and can't help thinking about her own death and that of others she has known as she drives long distances for her job. Her best friend from childhood is terminally ill and her son's girlfriend died way too young. Drabble makes the topic of death and dying touching, entertaining and thought provoking at times as she talks about the way old age has a way of "thinning our emotions.".  I loved the writing and the story, and, even though it meandered along at times, it was never boring or depressing.  There was much about Drabble's writing that spoke to me and, I found myself highlighting various passages as I read. Highly recommended for readers of a certain age -- Drabble is a master at writing about aging and death. (4.5/5 stars)

The Hideaway; Lauren Denton

Thomas Nelson - 2017

(My Thoughts) - The Hideaway, a debut novel, was a nice light read with two story lines -- one storyline features Sara Jenkins who runs a popular antiques shop in New Orleans. The other story like is that of her grandmother, Margaret (Mags) Van Buren who ran a B& B in Sweet Bay, Alabama where Sara grew up.  When Sara receives word that her grandmother has died she heads to The Hideaway and learns that she has been willed, B&B provided she refurbish it, as it had fallen into a state of disrepair.  Sara agrees and is surprised by the emotions that are stirred from her childhood and even more surprised by what she learns about her grandmother while sorting through items she left behind.  Although the story has been done before, it was still an enjoyable, easy read.  I liked the quirky cast of characters and how the Mags story was slowly revealed.   A nice choice for your summer reading list. (4/5 stars)

(8) Books read in April - (40) Books YTD

1. How To Be Human; Paula Cocozaza - 3.5/5 - April/2017
2. The Inner Life of Cats; Thomas Macnamee - 4.5/5 - April/2017
3. Sons and Daughters of Ease and Plenty; Ramona Ausubel - April/2017
4. Born A Crime; Trevor Noah (NF) - (audio) 5/5 - April/2017
5. White Fur; Jardine Libaire - (ARC) - 5/5 - April/2017
6. Strays: A Lost Cat, a Homeless Man, and Their Journey Across America; Britt Collins - 4.5/5 - April/2017
7. Everything I Never Told You; Celeste Ng - (audio) (book group) - 4.5/5 - April/2017
8. Dark Flood Rises; Margaret Drabble - library - 4.5/5 - April/2017
9. The Hideaway; Lauren Denton - (arc) - 4/5 April/2017

Favorite Read in April

• Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine; Gail Honeyman (Penguin Audio)
• Woman No. 17; Edan Lepucki (Hogarth - Amazon Vine)
• Jane Austen the Secret Radical; Helena Kelly (Knopf)

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)

Strays: A Lost Cat, A Homeless Man & Their Journey Across America

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!

Books Read - Week in Review - 4/8/2017

This has been an interesting week and although I did finish (2) books I've found myself wasting lots of time playing Scrabble and Yahtzee online (so addictive). The weather has been rainy and we still have a small mound of snow left but next week we are supposed to have a few 70 degree days so hopefully that will be the last of the snow.  

These are my (2) completed books for the week.

How to Be Human; Paula Cocozza

Metropolitan Books - Henry Holt - May, 2017

(My Thoughts) - Set in an urban area of London where fox sightings are common, Mary is a troubled young woman with a lot on her mind. She's recently broken off her engagement and is on leave from work over a disciplinary issue.  As the story opens she sees a baby on her doorstep and a beautiful fox in her garden.  The fox soon becomes a regular around her home, he brings her little gifts and the two seem to have a deep soulful connection.  Is Mary losing her grip on reality or is there something more here?  The story is told mostly from Mary's POV but, occasionally we hear from the fox as well. An odd, quirky different kind of love story which focuses on loneliness and obsession. 

 (3.5/5 stars)

The Inner Life of Cats: The Science & Secrets of Our Mysterious Feline Companions

Thomas McNamee - Hachette - March, 2017

(My Thoughts) - Being a cat lover all of my life, I really enjoyed the insight that this book provided.  This book is well written and I liked that much of it was a love letter to the author's cat, Augusta, who arrived as a kitten one cold day in winter when the author lived in Montana. The book also provides terrific information about the psychology and biology of cats both domestic and those in feral colonies.  He makes the reader think about the needs of a cat and what owners need to insure to make the cat's life a good one.  There was much in this book that made me smile like when he discussed how his cat and his wife "mastering the art of the slow turn in bed at night" so as not to disturb the cat sleeping in the fold of one's legs.  This is something that I grew to love and now miss that our Lily is gone. At times I found myself in tears as the author explained signs to look for when your cat be very sick since cats do an excellent job hiding illness (we missed many of the early signs ourselves). He describes the euthanasia process and his decision to have his 15 year old beloved cat, Augusta put to sleep. This part was tough to read about for me since it was just (7) weeks ago that we had our sweet Lily put to sleep but, I was also appreciated reading about how the grieving process for a beloved pet is very normal and that it takes months and sometimes longer to heal (I still feel our sweet girl's presence everywhere and hardly a day goes by when I don't tear up at some point thinking about her).  I really enjoyed this book overall, very readable, even the research and scientific material was interesting and not dry in the least.  

(4.5/5 stars)

• The People We Hate at the Wedding; Grant Ginder (Flatiron Books)
• White Fur; Jardine Libaire (Hogarth) Amazon Vine

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - The First True Lie; Marina Mander

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros sharing the first paragraph or two, from a book I'm reading or will be reading soon.  

The First True Lie; Marina Mander

Hogarth - 2014

Some Days

Some days I wonder: What does it mean to be a half orphan?

You can't know because you are a grown-up.

You've got parents who already seem like grandparents, a house where you're free to go into all the rooms, a car to get away in....There are so many things you can forget."

Based on this intro, would you read more or pass on this book?

Feel free to join in by posting your own First Chapter First Paragraph Intro and linking below.

Dear Mr. M; Herman Koch

Dear Mr. M; Herman Koch

Hogarth - 2016

Once upon a time Mr. M wrote a highly successful novel called Payback. The story, although a work of fiction, was based on the disappearance of a high school history teacher in Amsterdam. The teacher was having an affair with a student. Of course being a work of fiction, Mr. M writes the story and the outcome as he sees fit and, not necessarily how the actual story unfolded. As one might expect not everyone, who played a part in the real life event is pleased with his use of literary license.

Now decades later Mr. M is an aging writer with a pretty younger wife, Ana, and a three year old daughter. His writing is at a standstill but, he hasn't totally slipped into the woodwork. Someone is watching his every move and those of his family.

As the story unfolds the reader gets several (5) different POV of what actually transpired. I was never sure what to believe and although each POV was interesting, Herman's POV (Mr. M.' downstairs neighbor) was the one I found most intriguing. His voice felt very unsettling and somewhat sociopathic. He came across as someone with a score to settle. This was at times a challenging read, I suspect it was because of all the POVs and the translation but, I enjoyed it very much. Definitely a tougher read than his first two books, The Dinner and Summer House With Swimming Pool but, very enjoyable all the same. I highlighted lots of paragraphs and quotes as the writing is very good and it challenged me. Great literary mystery.

4.5/5 stars
(review copy-Amazon Vine)

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Dear Mr. M; Herman Koch

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where I share the first paragraph sometimes two, of a book that I'm reading or plan to read soon. I loved the first two books by this author and can't wait to try this one as well. 

Dear Mr. M; Herman Koch

Hogarth - 2016

Teacher Mortality

1

"Dear. Mr. M,

I'd like to start by telling you that I'm doing better now.  I do so because you probably have no idea that I was ever doing worse.  Much worse, in fact, but I'll get to that later on.

In your books you often describe faces, but I'd like to challenge you to describe mine.  Down here, beside the front door we share, or in the elevator, you nod to me politely, but on the street and at the supermarket, and even just a few days ago, when you and your wife were having dinner at La B., you showed no sign of recognition."

What do you think -- keep reading or pass? 
(Feel free to join in this week by posting your intro below?

July in Review and Some New Books

Not sure what I've got but there is nothing worst than a summer fever and body aches in the middle of a 5 day heat wave. I've been feeling under the weather since Thursday evening and yesterday I finally took my temp  yesterday and it was 100.7.  After a 4 hour mid day nap the fever seemed to break. I showered and was feeling better but, then went to bed again with more chills and, I tossed and turned all night, hopefully this virus will go away soon (no fever right now).  

July was a fairly good book for reading. I really enjoyed most of my selections.

1. Lily and the Octopus; Steven Rowley - 4/5 (eGalley) (July)
2. Vinegar Girl; Anne Tyler - 3.5/5 stars (audio) (July)
3. In a Dark Dark Wood; Ruth Ware - 4/5 (library) (July)
4. Ink and Bone; Lisa Unger - 4/5 (eGalley) (July)
5. Tuesday Nights in 1980; Molly Prentiss - 4/5 (arc) (July)
6. Before the Fall; Noah Hawley - 4.5/5 (eGalley & audio) (July)
7. The Dogs of Littlefield; Suzanne Berne - 4/5 (eGalley & Audio) (July)
8. Grief is a Thing With Feathers; Max Porter - 3.5/5 (eGalley) (July)
9. Wilde Lake; Laura Lippman - 3/5 (audio) (July)
10. The Good American; Alex George - 4.5/5 (library/bookgroup) (July)

New Books by Mail

• The House Between Tides; Sarah Maine (sent by Atria)
• Magical Jungle; Johanna Bamford (sent by Penguin)
• Intimations: Stories; Alexandra Gleeman (sent by Harper)
• Mercury; Margot Livesey (sent by Harper)
• Commonwealth; Ann Patchett (sent by Harper)
• Dear Mr. M; Herman Koch (sent by Amazon Vine & Hogarth)

Hope everyone has a great day and a wonderful August.

Wreck and Order; Hannah Tennant-Moore

Wreck and Order; Hannah Tennant-Moore

(Hogarth) Brilliance Audio - 2016

Nicol Zanzarella (narrator)

In this coming of age story, Elise is a young woman who is trying to find herself. In lieu of pursuing a college degree she decides to travel abroad with the $40,000 her father has given her. When that money is gone she uses trust fund money and gets an occasional menial job here and there.

Elise is a train wreck: impulsive, self destructive. She goes from one relationship to another while she tries to find herself and her life purpose.  She comes across as rather lost and pathetic and, as someone trying to avoid responsibility and commitment.

I love coming of age stories and had high hopes for this one but, in the end I had a lot of issues with the story. The audio book narrator, Nicol Zanzarella, was pretty good and, although this really wasn't my cup of tea, like a sinking ship, I had a hard time bailing on this one. The author does a terrific job getting into the psyche of Elise. I liked reading about her travels to Sri Lanka which helped me learn a bit about the culture.

If you are looking for a book with a character you can connect with, this probably isn't the book for you. However, it is very different story and the writing is good and even funny at times.

3/5 stars

(library audio)