A Gentleman in Moscow

 

“A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles

Published by Viking

Finished 3/26/21 3/5 stars

 

I know I’m in the minority with this rating.  Most people consider this a 5 star read.  I’m just not one of them.  Yes, it was well written and had good characters.  Yes, there was charm and humor throughout.  Yes, there were relationships formed that I enjoyed following.  Truly, I enjoyed the beginning and the end but most of the middle just dragged for me.  Because most people do consider it a 5 star read, don’t let my rating deter you from reading it.  Hopefully you are like everyone else and will fall in love with it.  

Raft of Stars

 

“Raft of Stars” by Andrew J Graff

Published by Harper Collins

Finished 3/18 – 4/5 stars

 

I feel like the book Gods have blessed me for some reason this year.  Another great book!  And I believe this is the authors debut so hats off to him.  This is the story of two 10 year old boys who are summertime friends.  “Bread” lives in a sleepy farm town in Wisconsin with his dad and “Fish” comes to town every year to spend the summer with his grandfather.  Over the last few years they have become best friends.  One night a tragic event has them fleeing into the woods to escape a punishment they are sure is to come.  They decide to travel down a river to their destination.  This is the story of their adventure down the river as well as the story of the adults trying to locate them.  Obviously, there are plenty of obstacles along the way and many suspenseful moments for both the kids and adults.  And thrown in are also touching and sometimes humorous moments as well.  It’s just an overall good book.

Favorite quote – Something Fish’s mom would tell him when he couldn’t sleep.  “Just for a minute, just enjoy your pillow, just rest, let it go.  Close your eyes and sail away from troubles on a raft made of stars.”  Such a relaxing thought.

Thank you to GoodReads and Harper Collins for a copy of the ARC of this book.  Although not required, in return I am providing an honest review.

Anxious People

 

“Anxious People” by Fredrik Backman

Published by Atria Books

Finished 3/12/21 – 4/5 stars

 

A failed bank robbery turns into a hostage situation for a number of unsuspecting people who were simply viewing an apartment for sale.  Mixed in are stories of young love, old love, parental love, self love, and empathy for others.  Oh, and then there are some life lessons and comedy thrown in there as well.  It wouldn’t be a Fredrik Backman book if there weren’t.  This is the fourth book of his that I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed (obviously, since I finished it in just a couple days).  “A Man Called Ove” is still my favorite though.

My favorite quote from this book is “Anyone can nurture a myth about their life if they have enough manure, so if the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, that’s probably because it’s full of shit.”  If that makes you chuckle I bet this book will too.

The Paris Library

 

“The Paris Library” by Janet Skeslien Charles

Published by Atria Books

Finished 3/10/21 – 5/5 stars

When I picked up this book I didn’t realize it was Historical Fiction…..I just thought it sounded like a good story.  Turns out it is a WONDERFUL story and I learned something new as a bonus.  Not only did I not know about The American Library in Paris that recently celebrated its 100 year anniversary, I had no idea of the role its librarians played in World War II.  They sent books to troops and brought them to the local hospitals so that wounded soldiers could have some entertainment.  During the Nazi Occupation of Paris, these librarians also risked their lives to bring books to Jews and foreigners that were no longer able to enter the library. This is the telling of their love of books, people, and friendships.  And to top it off, there is a coming of age story mixed in to go with it.  Sometimes those types of side stories are a distraction to the main story, but not with this book.  They actually compliment each other well and give further insight into the main character.

I highly recommend this book.  It has great characters, beautiful descriptions, a nice flow, and quotes of other best sellers woven in.  Pretty sure the author is a big fan of “Their Eyes Were Watching God” – that one has multiple references throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy of this book for an honest review in return.  I honestly loved this book so that is easy to do.