Books: February Reviews!

Another good month, four book reviews, crossing four genres

Books read this year: 10
Genre reach: self-discovery, YA, historical fiction, chick-lit, literary fiction, cookbooks

Classics: Have you read either or these titles: The Great Gatsby, or The Bell Jar?  I'm not sure which to read for the 100 day challenge.

Have you read any of these titles?  A few wonderful reads to share. 

Friends at my Table: I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  It's more than a cookbook.  Filled with tips for all types of entertaining, from table settings, preparing causal get together's, to weddings.  The author talks about utensils and other kitchen gadgets throughout the book.  Such a hardy reference!

Recipes I will try include: Lemon and Rosemary Tart ~ Hearty Vegetable Soup ~ pumpkin salsa 

Goodreads rating: 4 stars

Table for Seven:  I gave this one three stars, a good review but it lacked the wow factor.  I liked the "messiness" in the main character since I know a lot of women in the forties who seem to be dealing with what she deals with in the book.  For that alone, women will enjoy the journey.

Goodreads rating: 3 stars

The memory of Love: As with Astrid and Veronika… Olsson’s writing is stunning.  This is a quiet, powerful story of about a woman with a past, trying to navigate life.  I enjoyed the flashbacks, a lovely style for sharing background.  This novel is about life, rebuilding and the idea that we can make family.  Ika, Marion and George have this sense of family.  It’s a short, powerful novel.  Read it.

"Sometimes we are given exactly what we need.  Those precise people that you need the most come stumbling into your life.  Sometimes you don’t notice, and this is very sad.  Sometimes you lose them again.  This is sad too, but not as sad.  Because what you have once had together, you have forever.”

Goodreads rating: 4 stars

Quiet: I read this as part of a read-a-long.  Click here to read a complete review, and a Q&A  

Goodreads rating: 4 stars

Other books: I read a book for an author this week, being sent to the publisher next week so I'm not sure when I can mention it.  A fun, contemporary women's lit novel.  

I started The Painted Girls but put it down for a few weeks.  My book club rescheduled our book talk with Cathy Buchanan and I want the story fresh in my memory.  It's so good, I can't wait to reengage but thought it was be best to read it the week before our chat.