The Glass Hotel - Emily St. John Mandel (Spoilers?)

Not sure what to make of this book. On the one hand, I liked parts of it. On the other hand, I am not sure what the point of it all was. At first, I thought the characters' lives would be more intertwined but that didn't really happen. It makes no sense to me that Vincent would just be able to integrate into some billionaire's life seamlessly, having just the right look, personality, emotional intelligence, etiquette, etc. Who knows. 

The Plot - Jean Hanff Korelitz

This is a real page turner, and I think it would make a good beach read. It was a fast read and I enjoyed the titular plot and seeing it come together, although I think I figured it out before I was supposed to. 

The Strange Case of the Dutch Painter - Timothy Miller

I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. I didn't dislike it, but there was something about it that I just couldn't connect to for some reason. The story was interesting, the setting was interesting, I have no idea what the issue was. Sometimes I think that maybe I just wasn't in the mood and if I had been I would have loved it? Who knows. So if you're on the fence, definitely check it out. 

Hungry Ghosts - Kevin Jared Hosein

This book was well written and affecting but extremely bleak. Set in 1940s Trinidad, the book is full of characters that seem fully real, even as they are trapped in a system that seems to be set up to thwart them at every turn. It will definitely live in my mind for a long time. 

Sankofa - Chibundu Onuzo

This book club choice for April was a good one. I can absolutely sympathize with Anna, who wants to know more about the paternal side of her family as part of her own history has been kept from her. I can also understand the lengths a person can go to when the possibility of learning more is presented - and of feeling lost in the world, having no particular purpose. The book is well written and I enjoyed it. 

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers - Jesse Q. Sutanto

March's Book Club choice is utterly charming. As annoying as I can imagine the titular Vera Wong can be,    she is also super lovable and I want her to visit my house and cook for me for like three days maximum LOL I will say that there were times the book took just a little too long to get to the point and to tell us the stories of all the suspects, but I was having so much fun following the story that I didn't mind. I would totally read this author's other books. Recommended. 

Independence - Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

This was a deceptively short and fast read that covers a lot of history. Told through the story of two families, we learn a lot about India's independence as we experience the events in their lives. I loved all of the characters, who felt real - they react in sometimes unexpected ways, just like "real" people, and it's always gratifying to see characters develop their strength and resilience. Recommended.  

Groundskeeping - Lee Cole

This book box book for February was a welcome one. The writing is excellent, even if there were a few paragraphs here and there that definitely felt like "this sounds like someone who is doing an MFA for writing" LOL If I had the time I would love to reread it and take note of the symbolism - this would have been an interesting book to write a college paper on for sure. Recommended. 

Hello Beautiful - Ann Napolitano

February's book club choice was a decent read. I enjoyed the story even if I thought this book was sometimes a little repetitive about making a point about why characters are the way they are. It will be an interesting discussion. 

The Last Secret of the Secret Annex - Joop van Wijk-Voskuijl and Jeroen De Bruyn

Wow, readers, this book was fascinating. You might remember that in June 2015 my reading theme was Anne Frank and the Holocaust. I had not heard of this recent book, which is subtitled "The Untold Story of Anne Frank, Her Silent Protector, and a Family Betrayal." The authors are Bep Voskuijl's son, and an independent Anne Frank researcher who have provided a well written narrative of the events before, during, and after the Franks, van Pelses, and Dr. Pfeffer went into hiding. I knew some of the things that occurred after the people in hiding were betrayed and captured by the Nazis, but this particular account benefits from firsthand knowledge on the part of Bep's son Joop. There was a lot of information that could only come from someone with this firsthand knowledge, so I am so happy that he has told his story. Definitely recommended.