My Fall Book Reviews

The Postmistress, by Sarah Blake

I started reading this book when I was on a train to Portland and it demanded my attention from the first page until the very last. War chooses no one and either strips humanity out of us or brings it out.  The characters, who come from different backgrounds with their own stories to tell, are captivating. This is a World War II story that seamlessly transitions from Frankie Bard, who reports about the suspense and despair of London bombings and desperate refugees travelling through Europe; Emma Fitch, who faithfully waits for her husband in a coastal town in Massachusetts; and Iris James, who believes in keeping the order of her job and life to keep her mind off of the war. Each character’s story rang through me and made me see how awful it must be to suffer through war. This book is haunting, vivid, and simply beautiful.

 

To Laur, thank you for giving me this book. I loved it! :)  

 

 

The Dry Grass of August, by Anna Jean Mayhew

This book is a heart wrenching story of a young adult’s special relationship with her family’s black maid set in the 1950s. During a time of great family strife, Jubie’s mother takes all her children and their black maid, Mary, on a trip to Pensacola that will end up changing their lives forever. Along the way, civil rights and anti-integration movements are cleverly depicted and described through the eyes of a very observant child. The author beautifully portrays the special bond formed between a white child and her black nanny during an important time in American history. The Dry Grass of August will definitely leave you heartbroken, touched, and proud of how far this country has come since the mid-20^th century.   

 

 

White Jacket Required, by Jenna Weber

This is a sweet, lighthearted memoir of a young woman who has the whole world in front of her. After facing a family tragedy, Jenna manages to carry on and live her life fully. If you follow her blog, Eat, Live, Run, you will find that the book is pretty much a collective account of her early twenties. I found the writing to be a little dry and quite lacking of emotion. Although the amazing person that Jenna is does not really shine through in the book, her story is inspiring. Through her own experiences, she tells us to not be afraid to listen to our hearts and follow our dreams. Jenna also shares delicious, family friendly recipes that make this book a keeper.

 

Glaciers, by Alexis Smith

I got this book from Powell’s Bookstore in Portland. The sales clerk recommended it to me and said that the author actually used to work at Powell’s. This beautiful book is one that you cannot put down. Isabel, the quirky character whom you cannot help but love, just draws you into her sweet life. Memories of her bittersweet childhood pop up every now and then and intertwines with the present. Isabel is a single lady, lonely yet content, who finds joy in discovering vintage things that used to be someone’s greatest treasure. This book is whimsical, hippie, and incredibly charming… it gives readers a good glimpse of a woman’s heart and mind when she’s contemplating, feeling happy, or longing for someone desperately.