Ponder: Two Summer Books

In my previous post (12/19//19), I wrote a glowing review about an excellent book I had just finished, The Giver of Stars. It felt rewarding to write that blog post and refreshing to do it so soon after completing the book. That is not the situation in this post. I read these two books months ago in the spring/summer, but then life has a way of getting away from you and I never completed the draft reviews I had started. Since I want to take credit on the count in my Books Read in 2019 list I will give a token opinion on each. Both were rated 4.5 stars on Amazon but I think they fall short of that rating, although I do not regret having spent time reading them.

The Summer List ©2018 by Amy Mason Doan is a tale about two very close friends who have a falling out. "Why" is the glaring question. Curiosity draws the reader willingly along a path to learn "what happened". Laura is being raised by very religious parents and Casey lives with her single parent mom. They live on a California lake near each other, reachable by a brief row boat ride. They are inseparable during their summers together. Casey's mom is the "cool" mom and often creates scavenger hunts to interest and engage the local high school students. The scavenger hunt premise is what initially drew me to explore this book. I loved the majority of the novel, although I do remember struggling with some flashbacks in which the same character could be referenced by a name or a nickname depending on where on the timeline the action is occurring. That confusion could be a brain retention lapse of mine, though. The character development was great and I loved the interaction and mutual caring of the girls for each other before their divisive event.

The final lines of Amazon's description reads – accurately in my opinion –

Mesmerizing and unforgettable, Amy Mason Doan’s The Summer List is about losing and recapturing the person who understands you best—and the unbreakable bonds of girlhood.

The ending was a shocker, not necessarily because the pieces of the puzzle did not fit together, but rather because the situation seemed was so improbable. I would rate this book 3.5 stars but, since my system does not accommodate partial stars, I will round to 3 stars. Amy Mason Doan does have another book out, Summer Hours ©2019, that was published straight to paperback, no hard bound version, which may be a clue to its "literary value". But I like this author's style and characters sufficiently that I may pursue her second novel for some light reading.

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Lost and Found Sisters ©2017 by Jill Shavis, is another novel purported as a beach read and seemingly verified by the cover image. I view a beach read as a novel light enough in scope and plot that is does not require deep mental concentration to absorb while basking on a beach. I am not a beach person. Although I enjoy strolling along the water's edge maybe in the cool of the morning or late evening, no way do I want to lie on a lumpy towel or a tipsy lawn chair on a sandy shore, sweating in the sun, getting a burn on my skin, a friction rash in my bottom, and grit in my mouth from the white granular stuff blowing all around. Give me my comfy soft blue leather chair-and-a -half in my nice air-conditioned home and I will curl up and read contently any book that is light fare. That is exactly where I perched myself to read this book one evening and a bit the following morning.

I will describe the plot by deferring to Amazon's synopsis and by picking some choice phrases.

After losing her sister in a devastating car accident, chef Quinn Weller is finally getting her life back on track. She appears to have it all: a loving family, a dream job in one of L.A.'s hottest eateries, and a gorgeous boyfriend. Then when a lawyer tracks down Quinn and reveals a bombshell secret and a mysterious inheritance that only she can claim, the shocking revelation washes over her like a tidal wave. Quinn gives up her job, home, and boyfriend and heads up the coast. As Quinn settles in, she discovers the inheritance isn’t a house or money, but rather something earth-shattering.

Reading this book is like watching a Hallmark movie, which believe me, I have done lot of this holiday season. I find it relaxing and satisfying and can be assured there will be a happily ever after ending. I had fun reading this book. There was an unexpected twist at the end that made it worthwhile. Consider it a Hallmark Christmas with a beach setting. I rate it 3 stars.

Ponder: The Giver of Stars

I give The Giver of Stars © 2019  FIVE stars.

This novel by Jojo Moyes is based on the real-life project known as the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky. Per Wikipedia

The Pack Horse Library Project was a Works Progress Administration (WPA) program that delivered books to remote regions in the Appalachian Mountains between 1935 and 1943. Women were very involved in the project which eventually had 30 different libraries serving 100,000 people. Pack horse librarians were known by many different names including "book women," "book ladies," and "packsaddle librarians." The project helped employ around 200 people and reached around 100,000 residents in rural Kentucky.

The book features the grit of four women who braved harsh conditions, rugged terrains, gender biases, race biases, and societal prejudices to deliver books to the under-privileged in the remote hill areas of Kentucky. Margery, the team leader and a strong feminist in today's terms, is also a role model for Alice, Isabelle, and Beth. Alice comes from a wealthy family in England and strives gallantly to adapt to a rustic Kentucky lifestyle. Isabelle struggles with a physical disability and Beth – well, pipe-puffing, chain smoker, Beth is just ornery, outspoken Beth. The physical and emotional endurance of these women is awe-inspiring. Their compassion for the hill people and less fortunate is heart-warming as time after time they demonstrate acts of kindness and bravery on the behalf of the less fortunate. Although the book features many common stereotypes – the  cruel and greedy coal mine boss, the hillbilly with his still, the gun toting macho man who is mean when drunk, the illiterate men and women trying to scratch out a living and raise their many children, the strong but gentle and kind supporting males contrasted with the weak milk-toast husband – the characters all become real, believable, and interact together superbly. Personally I think character portrayal is one of Jojo Moyes greater strengths. I have read and enjoyed other books by her, rating most four or five stars:

• After You ©2016 (9/20/16) ★★★★☆
• One Plus One ©2014 (7/17/15) ★★★★★
• Me Before You ©2014 (6/28/15) ★★★★☆
• The Last Letter from Your Lover ©2012 (10/14/15) ★★★★☆
• Windfallen (7/25/15) ©2004 ★★★☆☆ (or even less)

The action and suspenseful scenes are plentiful and keep the novel fast-moving. I read it in one continuous read, stopping reluctantly one night to sleep. The action and suspense are mainly vehicles to showcase an inspiring tale of friendship, camaraderie, mutual support, understanding, and loyalty among a group of women. A broad spectrum of the relationships between a man and a woman are explored and provide much food for thought. I also found Jojo Moyes' wording and similes captivating. Here are a few examples.

"You know the worst thing about a man hitting you?" Margery said finally. "Ain't the hurt. It's that in that instant you realize the truth of what it is to be a woman. That it don't matter how smart you are, how much better at arguing, how much better than them, period. It's when you realize they can always just shut you up with a fist. Just like that." [Chapter 12]

This town could polish a piece of gossip and preserve it like an insect in amber. It would still be rolling around whole centuries later. ...[Chapter 15]

... a route most considered impassable, given the steepness of the terrain and the dense undergrowth. But both she and Charley, having been raised on rough ground, could see a way through as instinctively as a boss could see a dollar sign... [Chapter 18]

I enjoyed the action, the suspense, the plot surprises, the language, and the characters immensely. I recommend it highly for discussion within book clubs, between husband-wife pairs, or perhaps just with a close friend or family member.