The Library of Lost and Found

[Audiobook]
By: Phaedra Patrick 
Narrated by: Imogen Church
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Dates Listened: September 29 - December 4
Length:  10 hrs 32 min
Source:  Overdrive

Why did I read it?
Yet another audiobook to fill the complete silence of my office.  I seem to be on the search for the perfect book about book-lovers.  

 

Martha Storm is a part-time librarian waiting for her chance to finally be hired on full-time (after a decade plus of work).  One night on her way into work, she finds a mysterious book outside the library door.  However, this is not any ordinary book, it is a book full of stories she wrote when she was a child.  Not only are these her stories, but there is a handwritten note addressed to Martha inside from her grandmother, dated two years after her supposed death.  This sends Martha on a mission to figure out how her stories ended up in a book, how her grandma could have signed that note, and how it ended up at her library in the first place.  

 

The Library of Lost and Found is a nice book about a book.  Martha is a middle-aged woman just waiting for her time.  After leaving the life she knew to take care of her parents when they were sick, she has fallen into a life of taking care of others instead of herself.  When a book with her stories shows up all of that changes.  On her search to find answers, she makes some new friends, reconnects with family, and finds herself.  The story overall is pretty charming and there is maybe even a hint at love, but there were many parts you could see coming long before they happened.  The writing was really good but if you want more of a mystery, this isn't it.  

 

There was a little something at the end that I thought was pretty weird and random.  For a 40 something year old, she reacted (I feel) unrealistically and found herself in another unrealistic situation.  It through me off a fair bit and seemed pretty out of place.  It was used as a climax that sets the book off too finish, but it just did not work for me.  

 

The audiobook was read in a lovely British accent, as all British book should be.  It could make any book better - this one didn't need it, but it's always appreciated. 

Rating: 3/5

Recommendation: It's a charming book about a lady with a book.  If that sounds like something nice to you, go for it. 

Every Little Piece of Me

[Audiobook]
By: Amy Jones
Narrated by: Therese Plummer and Tavia Gilbert
Publisher: McClelland & Stewart
Dates Listened: 
Length:  11 hrs 36 min
Source:  Overdrive

Why did I read it?
Work was quiet so I went looking for a random book to listen to.  This one was by a Canadian author and mostly took place in Canada's east coast so I fell for Canada.

Every Little Piece of Me follows two women who are in the spotlight in their own right: Mags and Ava.  Mags is the lead singer of a rock band she formed with her eventual husband.  When they finally make it big, tragedy strikes and Mags is left to navigate the world of music amidst her grief and anger.  Ava is, reluctantly, a cast member of her family's reality show in which they run a bed and breakfast in Nova Scotia.  She grows up on the show and watches it broadcast her families ups and downs as it takes a heavy toll on them.  

They advertise this book as the first time they meet, Mags saves Ava's life and the second time they meet Ava saves Mag's.  Everything in the middle they are pretty well separate.  In all honestly, I did not like either character's story.  We go back and forth between each character and watch them grow up and into these broken women who need to save each other.  I guess I'm for the idea of women helping women, but the stories were not great.  It actually felt like both of them were just being dragged along as victims and all we could do was blame the media but don't worry, women support women.  It felt really forced and I don't know if it is the best showing of women empowerment.  We can blame the media for a lot of what happened to these young women, but they did a lot to themselves and were not just victims. 

It felt like the author was throwing grit onto grit and trying to make this as edgy as possible.  Going into it, I thought it would be cool to be in the brains of a reality start and a rock star, but it was all just...blegh.  I think this book was supposed to be heart-wrenching and throw some blame on how the media treats women but it just did not get me there.

I don't have anything bad to say about the narration.  They were fine.  If anything, they almost sounded a little too similar and if they didn't start each chapter with the character's name I would have been lost. 

Rating: 2/5 (This makes it to two mostly for the first few chapters and Canada)

Recommendation: I don't recommend this book.  There has to be better Canadian fiction than this.  There has to be better women empowerment, media shaming, edgy books.  There just has to be.  

Also I would give this book an 18+ because some of the content is not appropriate for high school (in my opinion)

Second Chance Summer

By: Morgan Matson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Dates Read: August 27 - September 16
Pages: 468
Source: Own it

Why did I read it?
Morgan Matson has very quickly climbed the list of my favourite authors so I was excited when I found this book in the bargain section.  

Second Chance Summer follows Taylor and her family as they all return to their lake house for their first summer together in five years.  Five years ago, when Taylor was 12, she left a mess behind at their summer home having hurt her best friend and boyfriend.  Now the family is returning to spend one last summer together as her father has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.  

Have you ever read the first chapter of a book and thought "oh shit this is going to make me cry?"  Well, if you haven't before, this book will do it.  From the very beginning you know that Taylor's dad is sick and is not going to get better.  When the family goes to their lake house, their dad encourages them all to live normal lives: to spend time with friends, get jobs, and enjoy the summer.  At first, this is difficult for them to do, but they all slowly fall into it as their father deteriorates.  Taylor has to face the old friends that she hurt long ago and, hopefully, get a second chance with them.  

This book was amazing.  Morgan Matson always has the greatest, realest character development in her books.  From the very beginning Taylor wants to run and hide, an emotion we can probably all empathize with in hard times, but in situations like this running is not an option.  We get to be with her as she stays and struggles and grows.  

In regards to Taylor's dad, well, what an accurate portrayal.  Like Taylor, I have watched my dad be diagnosed and deteriorate quickly.  It is not an easy thing to do, especially when you are young like Taylor is (17).  Her emotions are real and valid and spot on.  We also get to watch her siblings (12 and 20) struggle through the same experience differently.  This is the sort of book that every teenager needs to read.  Someday, we will all face these situations.  Mercifully, we will not all be this young, but we will have friends and neighbours and coworkers who are.  Young people need books like this to help give them a glimpse of these situations to understand the feelings of those affected and how to love and support others when these things happen.  

To say the least, I was right: this book made me sob, but in a good way.  Morgan Matson tapped into something real and true and everyone needs to cry over this book.  After I read this I ate ice cream for dinner and watched Gilmore Girls and had no regrets. 

Rating: 5.5/5

Not only is this a perfect book, but it includes a showing of What About Bob? starring the great Bill Murray, earning it an extra 0.5 stars.  Yes, you heard me right.  More books should highlight Bill Murray films like this one has.  

Recommendation: Every person (teens especially) should read this book.  Yes, there is love weaved in but I don't know that it is as strictly a "girl book" as many other YA summer reads.  I think the situations and the emotions are so real it is worth while for everyone. 

Looking for Alaska

By: John Green
Publisher: HarperCollins
Dates Read: August 15-23
Pages: 263
Source: Own it

Why did I read it?
Back in my bush years, one of my staff said this was her favourite book.  So when I found a used copy with a daisy on the front, I figured I should trust her and read it.  This was before I had ever read a John Green book and maybe should have known better.  (After finishing the book I talked to her about it and she said it has for sure changed.  Thank goodness.)

Looking for Alaska follows Miles aka. Pudge as he begins boarding school in Alabama.  Pudge knows famous people's last words which makes his roommate, the Colonel, decide he is worth being friends with.  Apparently everyone has to have a stupid nickname unless you already have a weird name: like Alaska.  Alaska is an attractive girl who lives just a few doors down from Pudge and the Colonel.  She has a room FILLED with books that she plans to spend the rest of her life reading.  

The book starts "before" and instead of chapters we are counting down the days to some unknown-to-us event.  I didn't care for the "before" portion of the book.  It was a lot of teenagers doing the worst of things people assume teenagers do with a lot of drinking, smoking, and pranks.  Pudge starts dating someone because he is in love with Alaska but she is dating someone else.  I think we're supposed to want them to get together but it just all seems a little to dysfunctional, even for teenagers.  All I can say is that this boarding school needs WAY more adult supervision and people should stop sending their kids here.  

The "after" is where the book is actually pretty good.  We are now counting the days up after the now known-to-us event.  We follow these teenagers as they struggle with grief, mourning, anger, guilt, and shame.  This is the half of the book teenagers need.  We need more real stories about these feelings so teenagers can have an understanding of tragedy and natural responses to it.  Unfortunately for us, we had to make it through the first half to get there (which I almost didn't). 

For whatever reason, John Green always feels like all his characters have to have some weird, out-of-the-ordinary like for something in order for them to be interesting.  Honestly, I am so sick of it but I still own one more book of his.  I will read it and then donate all four to get them off of my shelf.

Rating: 2.5/5 (half of this book was good, half of this book was not)

Recommendation: I don't know why I keep reading John Green's books and I don't know that you should either.  However, I've said it before and I'll say it again: the rest of the world seems to love him so proceed at your own risk. 

Christy Miller: The Baby Years

By: Robin Jones Gunn

Publisher: Robin's Nest Productions, Inc.

Dates Read: June 3-July 21

Pages: 822 

Source: Own it

Why did I read it?

I have always said and will continue to say, every teenage girl should read Christy Miller.  And now I guess every adult woman should as well so they can read into the marriage and baby years.  I've been reading Christy Miller (and friends) for 10 years and will never stop as long as she keeps publishing books.  

 

I have decided to group the Christy Miller trilogy, The Baby Years, together.  I decided to group them because most of what I have to say for one, I have to say for all three. This time around, you guessed it, Christy and Todd are pregnant and have babies!  The first novel, Sandy Toes, follows Christy's first pregnancy.  Salty Kisses follows them being first time parents and (spoiler alert) they have a second child by the time Sunset Lullaby begins.   

These Christy Miller books continue to be what you always expect them to be: sweet books about Christy, her friends, and Jesus.  They warm your heart, teach you a little about God and life, and give you all the general feels.  I think these books would be especially impactful for new moms.  I think the author, Robin Jones Gunn, continued writing books so her readers could grow up with Christy and keep learning from her.  However, when you are in a different life stage (even if you are the same age as Christy) some of the lessons and life experiences don't hit as hard.  There is, of course, still lessons to glean, but I would imagine newer moms would have a much bigger connection with her in these books.  

Sometimes I found that in this trilogy Robin Jones Gunn skipped over the good parts.  There was going to be an event or a commotion and we jumped right over it to the aftermath.  It felt like a little bit of a cop-out.  I mean, Katie (finally) comes back and we barely get any Katie time.  Let's be real, she is everybody's favourite and yet we miss half of her time in California.  In fact, she is in the second book and that is the book that was the slowest with the least happening.  How is it even possible that not much happens when Katie is around?  It just seemed like a waste to me.  

As all of my Robin Jones Gunn reviews end, the books were riddled with mistakes.  Ever since she started self publishing there are so many mistakes that shouldn't be there.  I even counted this time: thirteen mistakes across all three books.  Honestly, that just isn't acceptable.  I've offered before and I'll offer again: please let me read your books before you publish them with silly mistakes!  

Rating: All together, these books average out at a 3.5/5.  Individually, the first and last got a 4/5 and the second got a 3/5 (because slow slow slow).  

Recommendation: Are you a woman?  If the answer is yes, read these books - wait, no - read all the Christy Miller books. 

Dear Evan Hansen

By: Val Emmich (with Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul)
Publisher: Poppy
Dates Read: May 23-June 2, 2020
Pages: 358
Source: Own it

Why did I read it?
It was Musical May!  Also, it was 40% off at Walmart and I like the show so I went for it.  

Evan Hansen is a socially anxious teen about to start his senior year with a broken arm.  He goes through school invisible and pining after Zoe Murphy.  An assignment from his therapist turns into a weird opportunity to no longer be invisible.  After Connor Murphy dies by suicide they find a letter on him addressed "Dear Evan Hansen" and suddenly Evan's assignment becomes Connor's last words and an opportunity for Evan to be seen on campus.  

This is the first time I have ever agreed to read anything that was written after a movie (or in this case, a musical).  Novelizations never seemed like a good idea.  Dear Evan Hansen as a story is a good story.  It gives youth an opportunity to learn about people struggling with mental illness and anxiety.  Emmich's writing was good and brought the musical to life on the page.  I wondered how the songs would make their way into the book and there are some creative ways to get song lyrics into the prose.  Overall though, there are not a lot of lyrics/songs that make it into the book.  

The novelization also added some plot and had to make some creative decisions to get perspectives from more of the characters than just Evan.  We get to follow Connor as a sort-of ghost throughout the book.  We get to go deeper into Connor than we do in the musical which is neat.  We get to understand a little more of the misunderstood Connor.  I do feel like some of the decisions they made for Connor were made due to fanfiction (or whatever you would call it) on the internet.  Not that that is terrible, but it almost feels like a lot of the extra story was curated from the fans on the internet and their hypotheses.  Overall, going deeper into some of the characters backgrounds and feelings was nice, but nothing all that wowing. 

The musical also has a very powerful message.  If you are the sort of person who does not get teary during You Will Be Found, Words Fail, or So Big So Small where is your heart?  There was nothing in the book that brought a message this powerful to the forefront.  If all you do is read the book, you might learn a little about mental health, suicide, and grief, but it is not nearly as powerful.  The book was nice, but it is missing the power and importance that is right there on the stage for the taking.  It can be so much more than "don't lie" which is the best that this book comes up with.  

I also wonder if in the addition to a ghost-like Connor it takes away a piece of the permanency of suicide.  After Connor's death, the reader gets to understand his life and the decisions he has made (like throwing a printer at his grade 3 teacher), but in reality no one would ever know.  Death is permanent and I do not want a young person to miss that.  Once you are gone, all we can know about a person is what we have seen and been told.  In the show, Connor dies a monster and is remembered by most (without the influence of Evan) as a monster.  In the book, we have the opportunity to see that Connor was in fact not a monster, but I feel as though it lessens the permanency of death.   Through this we miss the message of asking and listening to see how people are really doing.  We miss the importance of being kind to one another because we don't know their story.  We miss it because the book fills in the holes for us that in real life could never be filled.  I want young people to learn they can reach out and they will be found.  I think the writers want that too but missed the mark.  Maybe the writers have never faced the reality of suicide first-hand, but I fear it's true impact was not fully seen in the book. 


Rating: 3/5

Recommendation: If you have the privilege and opportunity of seeing the musical on stage, always choose that over the book. 

Stargirl

By: Jerri Spinelli
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Dates Read: May 1-19
Pages: 186
Source: Own it

Why did I read it?

Like all Canadian kids, I looked forward to the Scholastic catalogue coming out every month.  My mom would really only allow me to buy the $1 book of the month.  At some point this was the book.  It quickly became my favourite book and I can't tell you how many times I have read it before this.  It has probably been 10 years or so since the last reading and with the movie out on Disney+ I wanted to pick it up before screening the film.  

Leo is starting grade 10.  On the first day there is a new girl, Stargirl.  She has arrived dressed in eclectic clothing with her pet rat in the pocket of her backpack and ukulele in hand.  Right from the start, the whole school thinks she is odd.  Leo tries to ignore her, as his goal in school is usually to fly under the radar, but that does not happen for him.  They start dating and then everything starts to change for both of them.

Stargirl is a beautiful book about being yourself even when it is hard to.  It is not only Stargirl who decides to just be herself, but Leo finds himself too.  He goes against the crowd and befriends Stargirl.  It is a beautifully told story that every young person needs to read.  My copy is wearing out.  Even when Stargirl does what she can to fit in, she's not happy.  If you're weird, just be weird.  You will find your place in this world.  

The book is short and poignant and beautiful, but I would be remiss without mentioning the movie.  As a girl, I dreamed of them making this book into a movie.  In fact, I thought my friend Stefanie was perfect for the part because she was blonde and had a pet rat (I didn't know how Hollywood worked at 10).  My first thought is why does there have to be dead/absentee dads?  The parents play little role in the book because they don't need to.  Leo doesn't need to find himself because of something his dead dad did, he just needs to find himself by himself.  Also, Stargirl was not special enough.  In the book she shines but somehow the movie dulls her light.  It is not her.  I don't think the movie portrays the real meaning of Stargirl, it's just a nice movie. 


Rating: 5/5

Even as an adult I am going to give this book 5/5.  It is so important for young (and old) people to read this book.

Recommendation: Read this book.  No matter how old you are.  I think we all could use a reminder to be unconditionally kind.