Saturday, January 1, 2022

Mini Book Reviews: December 2021

Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy of The Unsinkable Greta James from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review. The Taste of Ginger was provided free as an Amazon First Read. This post contains affiliate links.

I bookfess that after waiting forever to be able to download Liane Moriarity's latest, Apples Never Fall, from the library to my e-reader, I accidentally hit the 'return' button instead of 'read' and poof! It was gone. Ugh! I put myself back in the queue. I continually work on mindfulness--but it seems I've got to do a better job.

Fortunately, there were plenty of other great options for me to read this month.


Written prior to COVID, this deep dive into a fictional pandemic hits a little too close to home. The author, a former ER physician and infectious disease junkie, knows her subject matter well. The main character, who works for the CDC, navigates this pandemic with her fellow researchers and physician friends. Well researched, there is plenty of science here but it all fits with the drama and personal stories of the characters. As a nurse practitioner, I had to suspend disbelief at times, reminding myself that Doctors and Friends is a fictional story. I couldn't help but compare the book to what we've all been living for the past 2 years. This is a fascinating read!




It's always fun to read a well-written romance and It Happened One Summer didn't disappoint. After another over-the-top night on the town, a spoiled LA party girl and her sister get banished to a small Washington fishing town to fend for herself. She meets a grumpy, studly fisherman and you can just feel the sparks. I wish the author had been a little more subtle in her descriptions of their lovemaking, though. I'm no prude, but it was pretty graphic. A quick, fun read.






A musician, grieving for her deceased mother, reluctantly agrees to take her place on an Alaskan cruise that was originally planned as a 40th anniversary trip with her father. The twist? The musician and her dad don't get along. He never approved of her career as a musician, instead wishing she had chosen a more conventional path. She manages to enjoy herself, spending time with an author who is sorting out his own relationship issues. There are a lot of fun characters on the cruise and I really enjoyed this story. Although The Unsinkable Greta James feels like a lighthearted book, it's about working through loss and moving forward. To be released on March 1, 2022.



Twins Jeanie and Julius have lived all of their 51 years with their mother, isolated in a cottage in the woods. When their mother dies, they are left to fend for themselves, uneducated and clueless. Their lives turn upside down when they begin to learn their mother was not who they thought she was. At times, the story was heartbreaking. There are also moments of dark humor, which helped lighten the mood and allowed me to continue. The writing in Unsettled Ground is wonderful and I was completely immersed in the story. I found myself cheering for both of them and angry at the people who wronged them. This would be a great book club read!



And to think I almost didn't read The Last Thing He Told Me. I haven't had the best luck with Reese's recommendations, but this one kept popping up in my Goodreads feed, so I gave it a try. I'm glad I did because once I started,  I couldn't put it down. It's a suspenseful, twisty story about a marriage where the husband leaves after his business undergoes investigation by the FBI. The main character is left behind to protect his teenage daughter, with whom she already has a difficult relationship. As the story unfolds, she learns that she knew absolutely nothing about her husband. I will admit to finding the ending a little outlandish. But it was nice to read a book that just kept me turning the pages until it was done! 



Bright Burning Things
was a tough, tough book to get through. Don't get me wrong, it was really well written. But this story of a young mother, who struggles with alcoholism, was heartwrenching. The author does an amazing job of sharing the mother's story, from her denial that she has a problem to the potential loss of her son. Edgy and buzzing with energy, this powerful read will stick with me for a long time. Another book that would be excellent for a book club discussion. You might not like the topic, but you can't deny a good story. 




The Bad Muslim Discount
was just SO good. I almost didn't read it, but so many trusted reviewers recommended it that I picked it up and then I couldn't put it down. Surprisingly complex but totally immersive, I loved the main character's irreverent humor. As clever as he is, he makes some critical mistakes at the worst times. There is romance--the main character is torn between two women, technically forbidden because of his religion. He's not devout, but he explores his faith throughout the story, which I found fascinating. There's a lot of family drama too. The author also explores prejudice towards Muslims and between them too. The plot of the book is so clever with unpredictable twists that make the pages turn. But don't read it too fast. The author is a gifted wordsmith and I savored his writing, highlighting multiple passages. One of my favorite books of the year, it will stay with me for a long time.


The Taste of Ginger
is the story of a young Indian American woman who struggles with her California upbringing and the traditional Indian values of family first and the caste system. While I found it to be an interesting reflection on the Indian culture, I just couldn't find a groove with the story. I was frustrated with the main character's repetitive ruminations on her life situation--I kept thinking of Cher's mom in Moonstruck saying "snap out of it!" --and I couldn't help but marvel at the grace her relatives gave her while she lived with them in India. I say this often, but a good editor would have helped the author tighten up the dialogue. Still, it was a worthwhile read.


I was pretty surprised at all the books I was able to read this month! As busy as the holidays were, there was always time to curl up with my iPad. I keep track of all my books and reviews on Goodreads--do you follow me there? Being a data junkie, it was fun to see my stats from 2021. According to Goodreads, my average rating was 4.2 stars, which means I read a lot of good books last year! In fact, I read 87 books, for a total of 28,444 pages. I don't set reading goals, but it is kind of fun to look back. To everyone who reads my reviews, thank you so much! The best books are found through friends, am I right?



Have you ever accidentally returned an e-book to the library before you read it? Have you read any good books lately? Any of the books I'm sharing in this post?

I'm linking up with Kim and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics.





32 comments :

  1. I keep seeing mention of The Bad Muslim Discount and think I have to get hold of it, really! Mind you, I have a terrible TBR, both print and ebook! I read a book just before Christmas that was a bit rude for me - I was actually a bit shocked and I'm not that prudish, either! I published my best books of 2021 on Jan 1 and had some great ones last year - but also Five Windows by D. E. Stevenson, my first finish of this year, was excellent! Good reading there, and happy reading in 2022!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I read your post and I have yet to comment on it! You read so many books, it's amazing. I'd move Bad Muslim Discount to the top of your TBR--it was THAT GOOD.

      Delete
  2. Actually, I just started the taste of ginger so I skipped your review just in case.

    Last year one of the best books I read was Year of Wonders, which was based on a true story of an English Town during the plague. There were definitely parallels, and it wasn't really an uplifting read, but it was just so well written.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've heard about Year of Wonders! I hope you like it. Let me know your thoughts on Taste of Ginger.

      Delete
  3. I really enjoyed The Last Thing He Told Me! I have made a promise to myself to make more time to read this year so your reviews are always helpful - thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm reading a really good one now! I always want to know what people are reading too!

      Delete
  4. Thanks for your reviews. I didn’t read anything in December. Marathon TEAMS calls poring over Excel spreadsheets wore out my eyes! You’ve made some good suggestions for 2022.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so over Covid and when I get home, it feels great to escape into a book!

      Delete
  5. I second that Reese's suggestions are hit or miss for me as well. I also really enjoyed "the last thing he told me". I am in the middle of "apples never fall" and I do like it so far. Just need to make more time to read!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have Apples Never Fall back in my iPad...it's next on the list!

      Delete
  6. I love these reviews. I just finished Hoover's Verity. Have you read it?

    Now I'm reading the Maidens.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Looks like you had a great selection, and quite the variety! That pandemic book was too timely!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I will have to get hold of The Bad Muslim Discount. I also like the sound of The Unsinkable Greta James. Thanks for these reviews, Wendy! I really like the way you summarize a book.

    Have you heard of The Rise of the Ultra Runners by the British journalist Ad Finn? Someone just recommended it to me today and I have to get it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I loved The Rise of the Ultrarunners! I have a review on my running book review page. He's quite the writer.

      Delete
    2. Ah yes! I found your review. Thank you so much, Wendy!

      Delete
  9. This is such a good mix of books! I like books like "It Happened One Summer" to kind of disconnect sometimes from the stress of work. Although those lovemaking scenes always have me skipping pages lol. I don't know why but depending on how they're written, sometimes it feels like something I shouldn't be reading!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kind of literary porn, right? But I agree with you, sometimes I need to read something mindless like that.

      Delete
  10. I'm finally out of my reading slump, so I'll check some of these out! I like the sound of The Unsinkable Greta James and The Last Thing He Told Me especially (although I'm suspicious of an "outlandish" ending.) I have to get through my Christmas books first! Thanks for the reviews.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for these recommendations. I am in awe you read that many books. I have 4 and so far started reading one. As much as I love to read, I haven't made time for it. Ha, I thought for sure I would do it more during break. Nope, I've been watching TV. I did add these to my list. Thanks again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can only handle so much TV, lol. I just love totally immersing myself into a book.

      Delete
  12. Thanks once again for all the book recommendations.

    ReplyDelete
  13. You read so many books last year! I finally got back into reading but it takes me awhile to get through a book. I only read before bed and some nights I'm so tired I only make it through a few pages.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That happens to me, too! Sometimes I have to backtrack the next night because I don't remember what I read.

      Delete
  14. I love your book reviews because it always gives me ideas on books to read. I'm really interested in reading It Happened One Summer - seems like it would be a fun read!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks for the reviews. I really need to check out a few of these. I need some "fresh" reading. I tend to wait until authors I like put out another book, so it's nice to have a few new ideas.

    ReplyDelete