Thank you for joining me here!   I hope you enjoy this series and I’d love to hear from you about what you are reading these days.

Book #1:

Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner (Length: 400 pages).   I’ve read a few books by this author who is known more for her “chick lit”, but this is her first mystery. The central mystery is well-crafted and interesting enough to keep me turning the pages. What I enjoyed even more (and what I think Weiner is good at) is her depiction of motherhood in a very wealthy neighborhood in Connecticut. My favorite characters in this novel are her spicy firecracker of a young daughter (Sophie) whose one liners made me chuckle and her best friend Jamie, who is Sophie all grown up. This is a cute beach book but I wouldn’t rush out to get it . . . it’s worth a library rental but overall it’s nothing to write home about.

Book #2:

In Shock by Dr. Rana Awdish (Length: 265 pages). This is an excellent memoir of an ICU doctor’s personal journey (over the span of two years) in the ICU (after literally dying in the OR). This is very well-written, with lots of (medically) scary details of her health issues. (She does lose her baby during childbirth so trigger warning here). I think EVERY medical caregiver and professional should read this book as it’s so important to see through a patient’s eyes. Dr. Awdish argues for empathy and better communication between doctors (and nurses) and their patients. She wasn’t aware of these issues until she was a patient, but has the humility to recognize where she went wrong as a doctor (fellow) and actually gives concrete tips at the end of the book to both patients and medical professionals regarding HOW to open the lines of communication and increase compassion between these two groups of people. I personally have had a few aggravating encounters with doctors, and found this book to be SO helpful as a patient going forward on my own medical journey. An example from the book that horrified me was when Dr. Awdish saw a glimpse of her baby on the ultrasound (and recognized the baby’s heart had stopped beating) WHILE Dr. Awdish was bleeding out, and the resident asked her how she saw that, and could she point it out to him. This is a must-read!!

Book #3

Grace & Favor by Caroline Upchur (Length: 411 pages).  This is a family drama set in both London and in the Hamptons, and concerns two sisters split at the birth of the younger sister. The older sister is a very famous semi-reclusive author, while the younger sister is a woman with a family of her own. The writing here is good, with excellent character development. The plot is generated by the sisters eventually meeting and what happens from there. The older sister is NOT likeable (in any way) although the author seems to argue she’s just misunderstood. If likeable characters are important to you, skip this one. (Which you may have to do anyway as this book is incredibly hard to find for some reason . . . I had a copy from a library book sale but I am not seeing it on Kindle, etc.)

Thank you for joining me here!   I hope you enjoy this series and I’d love to hear from you about what you are reading these days.

Book #1:

The Curve of Time by M. Wylie Blanchet (Length: 272 pages).   This is a book of essays written by an author (known as “Capi”), who, as a widow with 5 children, spent every summer exploring the coast of British Columbia via the family’s 25-foot boat. This was in the 1920s and 30s, pre-technology, and is utterly fascinating, and very well-written. Capi’s stories are so interesting and detailed, full of the sea journeys, wildlife (both shore and oceanic). I love her essays about the various Indian villages as well as the harrowing storms and sea passages the family enountered. This isn’t widely available (it was gifted to me by my friend who grew up in BC) but it’s worth a read if you are ever lucky enough to come upon a copy.

Book #2:

The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra by Vaseem Khan (Length: 305 pages). This is a delightful “crime” novel set in Mumbai, featuring a newly-retired police inspector who continues to investigate a murder that occurred on the last days of his job. Concurrently he comes into the possession of a baby elephant, and the elephant ends up assisting him with his investigation in very cute ways. The characters in the novel are very likeable (I love his wife!) and the murder mystery is simple, but fun to follow. I’m always a fan of novels set in India, and there is a wonderful sense of place here, which is a bonus. This is the first of at least five books in the series, and I will absolutely be reading more.

Book #3

Think Again by Adam Grant (Length: 319 pages).  This book came onto my radar thanks to Instagram (if you don’t follow @SharonSaysSo, you’re missing out!), and I’m glad I read it. This reads like a Malcolm Gladwell book, with lots of relevant anecdotes to illustrate the author’s arguments. His main argument here is that we should all rethink our assumptions, as doing so will force us to consider any gaps in our knowledge. This book is full of practical tips, which I love. For example, when debating someone about a firmly-held idea, instead of focusing on WHY they believe in something, focus on HOW such an idea would work in practice. This forces both sides to figure out what is missing in their assumptions. Also, in a heated argument or negotiation that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, ask “What evidence would change your mind?” If the answer is “Nothing”, there is no point in continuing. (This also has the added benefit of underscoring that evidence may not be the basis for that person’s convictions). While I’m not sure I’ll remember much of this book six months from now, I did get a lot out of reading it, and would absolutely recommend it.

Book #4:

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant (Length: 465 pages).  Who knew I was a fan of mermaid horror? I LOVED this book, and literally couldn’t put it down once I hit the 20% point. This is not the best writing, technically speaking, and the character development isn’t very detailed, but the sense of place AND the plot are where this fun novel really sing. There are fantastic science-based details throughout which lend a sense of legitimacy (real or not) to the idea that there are killer mermaids residing in the Mariana Trench in the middle of the ocean. I really enjoyed the novel once the characters arrived onto the luxury research/cruise ship and were anchored above the trench . . . this is when the novel grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. The horror here is more of the gore/suspense type, and not the type that will give you nightmares (unless you happen to be in that area of the ocean of course!). I hope this is a movie someday. If you love the ocean and/or marine life, and if you love being entertained, read this book!