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(amazon // bookshop // better world books)
First line: “The Salinas Valley is in Northern California.”
I read this chunky novel for book club. (Not sure if I would ever pick this up on my own, so I’m glad for the push!) A quote I’ve been thinking about: “In uncertainty I am certain that underneath their topmost layers of frailty men want to be good and want to be loved. Indeed, most of their vices are attempted short cuts to love. When a man comes to die, no matter what his talents and influence and genius, if he does unloved his life must be a failure to him and his dying a cold horror. It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure to the world.” (p.412-413)
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)
First line: “‘It would have to rain today,’ said Rush, lying flat on his back in front of the fire.”
We read this one for school read aloud. The story is about four siblings who pool their weekly allowance so each child can experience something exciting outside the house. I especially loved that the siblings were so good to each other, so unlike many modern books that emphasize sibling rivalry or annoyance. (This book was also my 1941 pick for the 20th Century in Literature Challenge.)
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)
First line: “My name is Lila Macapagal and my life has become a rom-com cliche.”
More than half of my friends in high school were Filipino, so this cozy mystery was such a blast from the past! From the attentive aunties to the delicious meals of lumpia, pansit and adobo, I loved all of the Filipino references. The story itself was decent; a solid three star read.
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First line: “Hattie sat up in bed at the sound of a door slamming.”
There is a lot going on in this book! Set in WWII, the main character is a female pilot who becomes involved in solving a mystery regarding a kidnapped child, much like the Lindbergh baby case. While I found it to be a quick read, there were just too many pieces that felt completely unbelievable. (P.S. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book! Only One Lie was released back in December 2022!)
(amazon // better world books)
First line: “Lev saw Svetlana first.”
From the description: “In 1946, after five years as a prisoner―first as a Soviet POW in Nazi concentration camps, then as a deportee (falsely accused of treason) in the Arctic Gulag―twenty-nine-year-old Lev Mishchenko unexpectedly received a letter from Sveta, the sweetheart he had hardly dared hope was still alive. Amazingly, over the next eight years the lovers managed to exchange more than 1,500 messages, and even to smuggle Sveta herself into the camp for secret meetings. Their recently discovered correspondence is the only known real-time record of life in Stalin’s Gulag, unmediated and uncensored.” Really interesting look at human resilience and the power of love. (I also read this for my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)
First line: “Serena Gorringe, I love you.”
A good lesson in not judging a book by its cover: while this looks like chick-lit, it’s actually much deeper and darker. There are themes like domestic abuse and inappropriate relationships between teachers and students. I couldn’t put it down, although I did have to suspend my belief quite a bit. At the end, I felt like this book showcased (unintentionally?) the far-reaching consequences of sin. 2.5 stars, rounded up. (I also read this for my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)
MY UNREAD SHELF PROJECT
Unread Books as of January 1, 2023: 207
Books Finished in February: 6
Finished Books Donated/Sold in February: 2
Books Added: +7
Unread Books Remaining: 209
#9 sounds lovely and #12 very interesting!