Recent Reads
After I Do – Taylor Jenkins Reid
After reading Maybe in Another Life, I was interested in trying another book by its author, Taylor Jenkins Reid. After I Do is the story of a marriage in trouble, and begins with the young married couple (Lauren and Ryan) deciding to separate for a year. Their resentments and frustrations with each other have taken over, and they want some time apart to see if they can figure out a way to come back together. I liked this book, it was engrossing and I felt for Lauren. I wasn’t as fond of Ryan, but we don’t see much from his point of view, so perhaps he would be more sympathetic if we did. I don’t know if I would purchase this book, but as a free read from Libby, it was worth my time.
The Violin Conspiracy – Brendan Slocumb
Ray McMillian is a young violinist, preparing for a prestigious international competition, when his priceless violin is stolen from his hotel room. From that beginning we go back to Ray’s childhood as a poor black child in North Carolina, and learn about his consuming passion for the violin and for classical music. It is a passion that his mother neither understands nor supports. She wants him to do something more practical with his life, like take the GED to get out of high school early, and get a job to help support the family. I knew nothing about this book going in, except that a couple of blog friends had loved it, and I’m glad I didn’t, because it took a lot of twists and turns, and I enjoyed going along for the ride. I really didn’t like his mom, and would have liked to ‘slap her to sleep’ as my Grandma used to say. He had a wonderful relationship with his Grandma, and one of his Aunts, and that was enough to give him the encouragement he needed. The author clearly knows his character well, he understands what it means to be a black man in America, and to be a black classical musician, because he is one himself. I really enjoyed this book. I listened via my Libby app.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek – Kim Michelle Richardson
My neighbor loaned me this book, and I took awhile to get to it because I was reading other things. Coincidentally, Tobia recommended it on her blog.
This is the story of Cussy Mary Carter, aka Bluey, a young woman growing up in abject poverty in the hills of eastern Kentucky during the Depression of the 1930s. Thanks to FDR’s WPA program, The Pack Horse Library Project, Cussy Mary is a Book Woman, delivering books to locals in the very difficult terrain via her mule Junia. Cussy Mary has a rare genetic disorder which colors her skin blue, and it’s not the beautiful blue like in the film Avatar. She and her father are two of the last people with this condition, and they suffer hatred and discrimination because of it. It was very interesting to learn about this program, and about the Blue Fugates, a real group of people with Methemoglobinemia. I really enjoyed this book, and I felt like I learned a lot along the way. There is a sequel that I just put on hold at the library, as I need a physical book to read.
Happiness Falls – Angie Kim
This book seems to be love it or hate it, from what I’ve seen on your blogs. Me? I really liked it. I listened via Audible, so of this group of books, this is the only one that I paid for. I liked the narrator, I liked the characters. Seems like I’ve gotten ahead of myself by not giving you any background at all, so here goes.
From Goodreads:
“We didn’t call the police right away.” Those are the first words of this extraordinary novel about a biracial Korean-American family in Virginia whose lives are upended when their beloved father and husband goes missing.
Mia, the irreverent, hyperanalytical twenty-year-old daughter, has an explanation for everything–which is why she isn’t initially concerned when her father and younger brother Eugene don’t return from a walk in a nearby park. They must have lost their phone. Or stopped for an errand somewhere. But by the time Mia’s brother runs through the front door bloody and alone, it becomes clear that the father in this tight-knit family is missing and the only witness is Eugene, who has the rare genetic condition Angelman syndrome and cannot speak.
I didn’t love Mia, but I liked her fine, and I wanted to find out what happened to her father. The story kept me engaged. At first I was pretty unhappy with the ending, but then I went back and listened to the last chapter again, and I liked it more.
21 Comments
Nicole MacPherson
TJR is hit and miss with me, but the premise sounds interesting enough that I’m going to give that a try.
Everyone is talking about Happiness Falls, but my very good friend who knows my taste thinks that I will like it – so I put it on my list!
J
I haven’t read much TJR, just these two books. I liked Maybe in Another Life more, but I liked After I Do also.
I hope you like Happiness Falls!
Lisa’s Yarns
I think I liked Happiness Falls more than most bloggers but I didn’t love it and I could have done without the happiness quotient aspect. I loved the authors note at the end that spoke of her work with the autism population.
I have read a lot of TJR and I usually love her books but I haven’t read that one!
J
The happiness quotient stuff was OK for me. I didn’t love it but it didn’t bug me as much as it did for some folks.
Jenny
I’m STILL reading Happiness Falls- it’s taking me forever to get through the book, and it’s not because I don’t like it. I DO like it, and want to find out what happens. I’m hoping to finish it today or tomorrow, and now I’m extra curious about the ending. I’ll report back when I’m done!
J
Yes, I’m going to need to know what you think!
NGS
It was hard for me to find a great deal of compassion for Lauren in After I Do when she throws a vase at Ryan early on. I mean, I got over it, but the fact that TJR didn’t address the dangers of domestic violence disappointed me, to be honest. I wish she’d dealt with it better.
Meanwhile, count me as one of the people who had serious gripes with Happiness Falls. How did she even take an exciting story and make me want to fall asleep every other page?! I don’t know, but Angie Kim has that talent!
J
I haven’t read any of Kim’s other stuff, have you had that experience before?
Regarding Lauren throwing the vase, yeah, that bugged me too. I am glad it was a one off and not a sign of deeper issues.
Beckett @ Birchwood Pie
I have this weird block with TJR – I’ve only read 7 Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which I loved, but for some reason I’ve never wanted to read another one of her books. But After I Do sounds interesting, so maybe I’ll take a look.
I adored The Violin Conspiracy and didn’t make it through Happiness Falls.
J
I’ve only read 2 TJR books. My daughter read Daisy Jones and really liked it, and we watched and enjoyed the series on TV, mostly to see how it was like and unlike Fleetwood Mac.
Margaret
We read one by TJR in Book Club and it was OK but didn’t make me want to read another. Most people in my BC liked “The Violin Conspiracy” whereas I was more ambivalent.
J
No love for Violin Conspiracy from you? I really liked it, though there were no real clues about the ending. But when he was at the storage space my heart was BEATING. Scary.
coco
thanks for sharing these. i love books that are hate or love 🙂 it means a good book as it could create such controversy.
J
I hadn’t thought of that! Interesting.
Daria
I am muscling through the brain health book- non-fiction by Daniel Amen – and it’s surprisingly good but just really long. Next, I need a fiction to diversify a bit. Thank you for these recommendations!
J
I can’t do most non-fiction, my brain just does not like it. I hope one of these tickles your fancy!
Kyria @ Travel Spot
There are some TJR books I really enjoyed (Malibu Rising, Seven Husbands, Taylor Jones, Carrie Soto) and then some of her others are just ho hum (One True Loves, Maybe in Another Life, Forever Interrupted) but I actually have not read After I Do! I guess I need to put it on my list!
If you like Bookwoman, you will probably also like The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes, which is also about the Packhorse librarians and is a good read!
J
Oh, interesting about another book around the packhorse librarians. I haven’t read any of the TJR books you mentioned, maybe I’ll give one of them a try…
Anne
I loved Book Woman but never read the other, similar book. The methemoglobinemia was so interesting (to a genetics person :>).
J
So interesting, right? I have the sequel now, which is the story of the girl that she adopts at the end of the first book. I haven’t gotten very far yet, though.
Tobia | craftaliciousme
I am so happy you enjoyed The book woman. I just gifted it to a book club friend in our secret santa and I am hoping she enjoys it too. I found it so interesting to learn about the history and the medical condition. The sequel is unfortunetly not available at the lirbary right now but I am hoping they will get a copy.
I have After I do already on my TBR. Good to know it was enjoyable. I find it hard to find books that feature married couples.