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 Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko (Length: 448 pages). I could have sworn I already posted a review of this non-fiction book but apparently, I haven’t. This is a tale of the fastest trip through the Grand Canyon via boat (a wooden dory) thanks to an overflow of the Glen Canyon Dam in 1983. The parts of this book where the author focuses on the boat trip are my favorite as he is a fantastic writer and puts the reader directly in the middle of the pulse-pounding action. It’s the rest of the book that was a bit slow for me, especially regarding the building of the dam and the issues with water surrounding the Colorado River. I recommended this book to a coworker of mine who geeks out over water stuff as I think he’d enjoy the entire thing. I’d give it a 3.5/5 stars for an interesting non-fiction read.
Book #2:
The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka (Length: 132 pages). I really enjoyed this novella set at a community swimming pool thanks to the author’s truly lyrical writing that describes, from a macro to a microlevel, the various swimmers who visit the pool. She writes about their type of swimming styles, how often they visit the pool, and who they are “aboveground”. Then she narrows her focus to Alice, a woman who suffers from dementia. Then even more narrow, the author describes Alice’s move to a memory care facility and her relationship with her husband and daughter who are navigating these changes along with Alice. This is a gorgeous and unforgettable book that you won’t be sorry you read. It took me two hours to read and I enjoyed every single second and then immediately pressed into the hands of my best friend.
Book #3:
Hide by Kiersten White (Length: 342 pages). After I heard one of my favorite book podcasters rave about this horror novel, I immediately placed a hold on it at my local library. I LOVE this book! It’s a horror/supernatural thriller set inside an abandoned amusement park and the premise here is very unique. The local townspeople have devised a contest where 14 contestants (who were carefully chosen beforehand) have to play a game of hide and seek for 7 days. There can be only one winner, but that winner will walk away with $50,000. This is very well-written, pulse-pounding and I enjoyed the creative plotline, with a very satisfying resolution. It is a bit violent in parts but it was never “too much” for me. I give this a very enthusiastic two thumbs up!
Lora Terrill 