Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
SPOILERS BOOK CLUB DON’T READ
“’Beer is God’s reward for an honest day’s toil.’”
“’You have to fool yourself into thinking you already are the thing you want to become.’”
“You can never change back once you’ve had a child, even if that child no longer exists.”
Broken Country is about Beth, her family, and her love interests. She meets and falls in love with Grabriel but then conflict occurs. They have a falling out and then Beth meets back up with Frank, who has been in love with her since he was 13. They become a family and live on a farm that has been in Frank’s family for a long time. One day a dog comes out of nowhere and starts to kill some livestock then is subsequently shot down. The owner is none other than Gabriel. We follow the story as it flips back and forth between the early days and the present. Beth’s son died when he was younger and they are still carrying grief. There is a brother Jimmy and Gabriel’s son, Leo. Their lives intertwine again and it gets complicated. Will Gabriel and Beth rekindle their love? Will Frank and Beth survive? How will life go down on this farm? This pastoral life isn’t as perfect as it may look.
Clare Leslie Hall wrote this book and one thing I liked was the short chapters. It made progress seem quicker. I read it pretty quickly despite the fact that I didn’t really get into it. It was sort of boring. The love and passion didn’t show through the words and pages for me. Within the first few chapters, I did have a distinct feeling that I was reading something akin to Little House on the Prairie. The setting did conjure vivid images of the countryside and set the tone. I didn’t connect with any of the characters, and I don’t know if it is because of the HR effect or not. It is what it is though. Frank to me was a very good guy but was a doormat and didn’t lay down the law with his brother. Gabriel seemed like a player who never stood up to his mother. The mother was a b***h. I guess Bobby was probably the best character despite the fact he can’t listen and his death was just plain stupid. Tragic, I guess is the right word but it just didn’t come across as tragic. Jimmy was a drunk. I just didn’t like Beth. She messed everything up and I didn’t really believe her regret. She knew what she was doing was wrong but kept doing it anyways. Some words or phrases that I came across that I liked were acerbic dissident, fervency, and alacrity. “My whole life moving forward will be filled with people who never knew my son” and “seesaw of grief.” I did learn that the original phrase is another think coming instead of another thing coming. There was a twist towards the end but it seemed like a foregone conclusion. Overall, I didn’t jive with this book. This is exactly the type of book I wouldn’t read again or really recommend to anyone.
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Tag: love
Hockey Smut And How To Show Love
Game Changer by Rachel Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ok so this post will make references to the show Heated Rivalry because it is a phenomenon right now and I am obsessed. It might be quite long winded, so I apologize for that. This is a rare case where I watched the show/movie before I read the books. I didn’t get the books right away and I wanted to see what it was all about. I was not disappointed.
“What do your abs taste like?”
“’Been around straight people too much lately.’”
“’What’s wrong with the closet? It’s a wonderful place crammed full of professional athletes.’”
Game Changer is about Scott Hunter who is a captain on the hockey team New York Admirals. We also meet Kip, which is short for Christopher, who works at a smoothie shop and is openly gay. One day Scott finds himself in the shop that Kip works and orders himself the suggested blueberry smoothie. Scott comes back on his next home game day and orders it again because if he wins then he wants to keep what he did on that day as much the same as possible. They flirt and Kip eventually gets invited back to Scott’s place and they have hot relations. But Scott isn’t out. There are no out players in the NHL. Kip is Scott’s secret. How will this relationship develop? Will it be able to survive the privacy that Scott’s profession demands? Will Scott be able to step into the sunshine?
Rachel Reid is an amazing person. This book was incredible. It was unbelievably sexy, hot, meaningful, and emotional. So right away one thing that struck me is that in the book Scott is blonde whereas in the show he is a brunette. As it went on, I kept on playing the scenes from the show as I read the same scene in the book. I would clock any differences (like book being NHL but show being MLH & Kip’s mother being in the book) and marveled at how true to the source material the show is, almost all. One thing I did miss in the book though was Maria saying “gurl” when Scott walks in. I loved that part. I like the mention of a cottage on page 29 because fans of the show will know what I am talking about. There is more hockey in this book which I loved. The first night they got together was so hot. This book does a good job of steaming up the pages and making the reader feel it. “There was an urgency in Scott’s eyes, but when he finally leaned in and kissed Kip, it was slow and deliberate. It wasn’t a conversation; it was Scott telling him something important, and making sure Kip was listening.” There were some typical romantic tropes that were brought up including when Kip was thinking he wasn’t good enough because Scott was rich and famous whereas Kip was working at a smoothie shop. It made Kip self-doubt. Reading the book and having Scott muse about his situation really got me thinking too. I don’t know who I side with or who is right, Kip or Scott? Does Scott have a responsibility to his team and support system or should he put his happiness first? One of my favorite scenes was when Scott was coming out to his three best friends on his team. I knew what was coming and I got this like anxious, excited knot in my stomach in anticipation. It was a wonderfully beautiful scene, and I had to go back to read it while I was writing this review. My eyes were wet when I finished reading it. A little later a teammate, Carter, stopped to speak with Scott and he made me cry. I need more Carter! The ending speech made me tear up as well. I did not run across any words that I felt compelled to write down. There are a lot of reviews and reaction videos online for the show and one, Empty Netters, is one I am in love with. I have watched episodes multiple times and those straight guys are amazing. On my review they mentioned a gripe they had was when Scott won the cup and he wasn’t gripping it. In the book he talks explicitly about gripping it and I was amused. So one thing I did not like was when they called the café in Barnes & Noble a Starbucks when in fact it is not. It just serves Starbucks coffee. I would know as I worked as a Café Manager there. In general, this was an excellent book and I will read it again and again in between rewatching the show again and again and watching the Empty Netters reviews again and again. This is exactly the type of book everyone should read if they like to be entertained and they like to feel stuff. Must read.
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dICEy Immigration And Realizing Love
“US citizens were getting thrown in cages indefinitely for not having their papers on them.”
“That anyone had that kind of power made me sick.”
“It wasn’t fair that people like him could get whatever they wanted by making threats. That kind of thing should have been illegal. Then again, I knew it wasn’t a coincidence that the law benefited people like them and not people like Han or Tatiana.”
The Broposal is about these two friends who are living together. Han is straight, undocumented, and has family both here and in Mexico. Kenny is bisexual but has a girlfriend. They are just trying to live life but a lot of things happen to challenge them. They were voted most likely to get married in high school and everyone still thinks that is the case. That is exactly what happens, but they are doing for a green card and not for love. Or are feelings there? They have known each other for a long time and have been best bros. Is there something more going on? Will they end up with different reasons for marrying? Will anyone or anything stand in their way?
Sonora Reyes wrote a book. It is an easy read. It is definitely a queer book but also one rooted in everything immigrant from Mexico. I did like how a lot of gay terms like shablam were used. It made me feel like an insider as I knew exactly to what it referred. I did also like how it touched on and really hit home on hard topics like immigration, racism, and being undocumented. I think the author did well to showcase the tension and fear of having to always be extra careful and look over your shoulder. With Han being undocumented, you could really understand his wariness and hesitation in a lot of situations. With that being said, I was not an overall fan of this book. I was rushing through to just get it finished as it was making me angry. Yes, I was angry about what Kenny and Han had to endure but what was worse was the teenage drama aspect of it all. I don’t know how many times Kenny said the word rebound in reference to Han. It was annoying. The internal dialogue and actions of the characters, like hugging and quickly forgiving, just made me roll my eyes and want to throw the book across the room. I didn’t think it was going to be that kind of book but I also didn’t think it would get as graphic in a few parts as it did. I was pleasantly surprised that it went there. Jackie was such an evil character, the boss was an ass, and Kenny was pathetic in my eyes. I made a note referencing his weakness twice in my notebook. I think I liked Han the best and then Leti secondly. Then, honestly, Cornelius. The little succulent they got as a “kid”. That was adorable and I loved it. I did also like the inclusion of a non-binary character. But one thing I really didn’t like was the reference to Destiny’s Child, Ciara, and Mariah Carey as oldies. That hurt. This is exactly the type of book that I am fine with reading once and forgetting about forever.
The Lyrical Life And Critiquing Love
Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“I personally like to pretend the phrase ‘deep cut’ has a totally different meaning, one that has nothing to do with anyone else’s opinion. How deep does it cut? How close to the bone? How long do you feel it?”
“Why do we listen to those voices, calling from just outside our door, that tell us to reject contentment in search of something more?”
“’Am I allowed to be a person right now?’”
Deep Cuts is about music and life. We follow Percy Marks from college to adulthood as she navigates relationships and her place in this world. She is roughly the same age as me so I relate to a lot of the events. The time periods that were referenced really hit home. Percy went to college in the early 2000s and so cultural milestones, like September 11th, evoked vivid imagery and feelings in me. It spans many years and several cities. There is also Joe, who is a musician and throughout the book, he is the yang to Percy’s yin. They revolve around each other, occasionally colliding, and greatly influencing each other’s lives. Percy is all about music, writing, and critiquing. She helps others write music and writes articles about music, but does she have what it takes to write her own songs?
This is the type of book I have always wanted to write. Each chapter is a song title and seems to be intricately woven into what is going on. The music sets the scene and tone for what is happening on the pages. I didn’t pull up the song every single time one was mentioned but I did it a lot. There is even a playlist on Spotify with a list of songs from this book (which I am not listening to as I write this). I do love music and have always wondered how it could work within the confines of a book. I think that Holly Brickley did a great job of doing this and I am jealous. This book grabbed me from the first chapter. The repartee between the characters and the time period it took place in was energizing. I was excited to see what would happen in this story and how it would evolve & resolve. It felt like an indie film and it was all about character development. It was punchy and clever. It was a kind of love story with a will they/won’t they vibe. Love of each other or of music or what they other elevates them to do. I wrote down tons of artists and songs to go back and listen to. One thing about my listening habits is that I favor style over substance. I tend not to listen to the lyrics as much as I would like to. Now after reading this, I want to listen to the highlighted songs with a new ear. I want to focus on the lyrics and give the artists their due. Holly used the phrased “sprawl of knowledge more than a well of joy” which made me think and consider. I liked how she intimated that going deep into something is joyful. There was a lot of good turn of phrases and sentences that I related to. “It was the kind of beer that tasted like rubber bands” and I could immediately conjure that taste in my mouth. “Instead of sleeping that night I revised my end of the conversation in my head over and over” which is something I could understand immensely. I had a bad habit of doing that over and over again…or the reverse where I play out potential future conversations that have yet to happen. I love it when books reference the title in a normal way as when Holly does it on page 27. I liked the comment on men. “’Boys are less afraid of being wrong’…this was why men got to run the world, even as it became slowly obvious that they were terrible at it.” I had to laugh out loud at this. I liked how the author took lyrics from songs and expanded on them including possible meanings. “The bottomless pit of misfortune hovering just on wrong step away from all of us? It’s a miracle just to be here, the song seemed to say, on this side of the blue. Don’t torture yourself trying to understand why. Know what you know. Do what you have to do.” There were songs “written” by Joe & Percy that were referenced in the book too. It was a cool tie back in. The words in this book that I ran across that I enjoyed, looked up, and said out loud were ensorcelled, melisma, and prismatically (the way this was used was perfection). I really love ensorcelled. It is just a fun word. This is exactly the type of book that I would read to get great song suggestions especially ones that I would not normally be exposed to. It is a thoughtfully written book.
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Ghostly Tea And Learning To Live A Deathly Life
Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“If we worry about the little things all the time, we run the risk of missing the bigger things.”
Under the Whispering Door is about death, life, and relationships. We are introduced to Wallace, a self-important ass of a lawyer, at the start of the story and we quickly learn what he is all about. He then dies and this is where the story really starts. We follow his journey through all his anger, grief, and acceptance while learning about this group of people (living and dead) that inhabit his life. It mostly takes place in this tea shop in the middle of the woods that seems cozy and such a perfect place to hang out. There are plenty of characters to love and also a few to have other strong feelings about. I was unsure how it was going to finish but it ended up surprising me how well it was wrapped up.
I started out very wary about this book as I was not sure the direction it would take or how it was finally going to end. In the beginning I got a sense of the idea feeling similar to A Christmas Carol which in small ways it did, yes. We do have this curmudgeonly man who endures a journey not of his choosing and is given a chance to reflect. Wallace did grate on me and I found myself losing patience with him initially. The story could have been a copy and paste but TJ Klune did a good job of setting it apart and making it his own. First off, this is a queer story and I am here for it. You aren’t sure when the story starts off because of the mention of an ex-wife but then subtle hints are dropped like having the same taste in men. There are multiple points where it was mentioned and just outright queer love is completely transparent. A sign in the shop reads “Guys, Gals, & Our Nonbinary Pals.” We definitely need more of these stories. There was also this sitcom-like quality to a lot of the scenes. There was quippy responses and slapstick like occurrences and it felt like just pure fun. I did laugh out loud at several points, especially reading a scene where a séance unfolds. There was heart and soul to this novel as well. There were sad moments that were touching. There were heartwarming and uplifting parts too. In general, I do not like stories that involve ghosts but this one was an exception. It was a beautiful story and I do recommend people read it.
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Cirque Du So Slow And Stunning Magical Visuals
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
“This is not magic. This is the way the world is, only very few people take the time to stop and note it.”
The Night Circus, at its most basic level, is about a challenge that takes place within the confines of a circus. It starts with two gentlemen who make a wager and then train their two students in this game. They are very coy about the details and we are left to take the clues that are dropped throughout the book to deduce what we think it entails. They move to the periphery but are ever present. The story then focuses on the students and the circus. The two students (one male and one female) are bound to compete. They do this using their unique abilities. Overall, the book is about the magical and the love that develops between two formal rivals. A circus is built as the arena in which the competition materializes and people get to enjoy it all over the world as it travels from city to city. We get to learn about the many people involved and how they interact and contribute to the competition. It is a fantasy novel but realistic in nature.
I have heard good things about this book and it did sound like something that was up my alley. It sounded magical, beautiful, and enchanting. When I started reading it, I could see all of it. I was excited to continue as I was intrigued and pulled in right away. The premise was promising and I was roused to continue by how Erin Morgenstern captured my attention. Now, I normally do not like books that take a second person point of view but the author did it right from the very beginning. Let me clarify, the whole book is not second-person, but there are chapters sprinkled throughout that really draw you in and make you feel like you are actually there. I could vividly picture myself walking around and experiencing what was being described. It made me think of those choose-your-own-adventure novels or a fantasy video game which I loved. The visuals that were invoked in my mind were stunning. I wish something like this really existed. There were many characters that were introduced. Each character was unique, and it was pretty easy to know who was being referenced but it did take a few scenes to get there. I really did like a lot of the characters and what they brought to the novel. Despite all those good things, it did take me a little longer than normal to get through this one. It might not have been the right book at the right time for me but I did finish and found some delight in it. It was a very slow and methodically written novel. At first, I didn’t find it boring though as it sounded ethereal and I still had expectations left in me. I didn’t mind the slowness as it was still early in the book and things were building but then excitement or a driving plot never materialized. I was forcing myself to pick it back up to read just a little more to finally finish it. I was hoping for so much more. I wanted a stronger story and I felt let down.
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A Slicing Piece Of Commentary And Heartfelt Musings On Love
Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder by Salman Rushdie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Knife relays the brutal attack on Salman Rushdie in 2022, the journey afterwards, and the history behind his experience with hatred. It recounts in detail the multiple stabbings, his road to recovery, and the love and support he received from those closest to him as well as from around the world. It is a book about love and survival. The author, Salman Rushdie himself, conveys what he was going through after the release of The Satanic Verses and how it kept going throughout the years culminating with this attack. There is a greater message about religion, violence, and freedom of speech that is presented alongside the minutiae of Salman’s life.
I have not read any of Salman Rushdie’s works before, so this was my introduction and man, can he write. I loved his turn of phrases and how he wrote in such a relatable way. He would write about normal everyday things like using the bathroom or writing or going out to dinner. Each wound/body part that was violated was talked about and each felt like its own epic tale. You would think describing all the medical stuff would be boring but it is not. It is so vivid and real. I loved his use of knife and cutting metaphors as well. He wielded them well such as when “the knife had severed me from my world” and “language, too, was a knife.” He used language in a quotidian way but made it sound beautiful and insightful like describing his eye as “an absence with an immensely powerful presence.” The book had moments of humor and levity interspersed amongst the horror of the attack. “I’m here because of a knife attack, but let’s check the prostate, sure.” The writing was raw and I got emotional at points. Relating the reactions of his family and those that loved him was heartbreaking. Shock and sadness were the ones that showed up in myself most often. References to pop culture like the Mandalorian are sprinkled throughout as well. He focuses on this one extreme event but conveys everyday living while nodding to big-picture life and humanity. Those grandiose topics are brought in seamlessly and tied closely to certain aspects of the story. For example, talking about the best and worst of humanity on display in one single situation or how freedom of speech is under attack. He brings huge topics and distills them beautifully. Salman Rushdie is a storyteller and this came through even in this nonfiction work. I cannot wait to read some of his other work.
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The Love Of A Horse And The War Inside Us All
The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The War I Finally Won is a continuation of the story set forth in The War that Saved My Life. Ada, Susan, and Jamie have moved into a cottage. The story picks up in the middle of WWII and they end up having a girl, who is Jewish and from Germany, to live with them. It adds to topics that were established with the first book and touches on a few more such as religion and bigotry. This is a story of loss, connection, love, and reconnection. Ada had to deal with her emotions and she gets help from those that surround her, including from unexpected places. I knew what I was getting into this one, so I was a little more prepared to deal with Ada and her issues bothering me. I forced myself to understand where she was coming from and I tried not to let her irritate me too much. It was tough because she was frustrating and exhausting. I don’t have kids and I am not sure if I ever will and so her inability to understand and her attitude was foreign to me. In theory and logically I get it but, in the moment, I didn’t like her. I loved how on the second page it mentions the two different wars that were being fought in the novel. I liked the play on words. There were also plenty of good lessons and messages throughout that Kimberly Brubaker Bradley did a great job integrating. Some of them involve when you are going through a tough time, the only way to approach it is to keep going, straight through as well as to not judge someone based solely on where they came from. There were also plenty of funny moments including a German invasion reference and sad, teary moments talking about coming undone. I say overall I liked this one better than the first one because I was able to prepare myself for Ada, Jamie wasn’t as grating, and I felt there were more emotional situations. It also felt heartwarming and like a big hug at moments. It is a good duology and I can totally understand the appeal. It talks about adult things and blends it well from a kid’s perspective. I don’t think I am a huge fan of books geared towards a younger audience in general, so I take that into consideration as well.
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My Favorite Novel Ever And Being Overcome With Emotion
The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I absolutely loved this novel. I cannot think of one that I have loved as much as this one ever, so this might be my favorite novel of all time. I felt this immediate draw to pick it back up every time that I set it down. The Heart’s Invisible Furies is undeniably powerful, funny, and devastating. It is poignant, consuming, and clever. I cannot say enough good words about it. There aren’t enough good words to describe it. I would say that I am speechless but all I want to do is sing all the praises from the highest of the mountains so that everyone can hear. Even before the actual story starts it provides a chuckle but the actual story begins in Ireland in the 1940s with a woman who found herself in an unwed, pregnant situation and was forced to leave her hometown. She meets a guy on the way to Dublin and ends up living with him for a short bit until a tragic and joyous event occurs. The book actually follows her son and provides a detailed account of his life over the next 70 or so years. I have such an affinity for Cyril, the son. I saw myself so deeply in him, I felt such a connection, that it could have been me living that life. The characters were so well developed that I had no trouble identifying or remembering them. The picture was painted with such clarity and detail. I was hooked from the first sentence and it just continued from there. What a first chapter! It sunk its hooks into me quickly and deeply. I also loved how this book was structured. It is an epic tale as it traverses multiple countries and decades. You are immersed in the time and characters as if you were there. John Boyne is one of the best writers I have ever read. I don’t think I have read anything by him thus far, but I cannot wait to see what else is out there. He has this way of hinting and nodding to something but not outright saying it, that makes you feel in on a secret that only the two of you know. His use of context is superb. It is subtle but it fills you with quiet glee. He also has this unbelievable artistry to weave connections throughout, from the first chapter to the last. It is done with such grace and elegance that you don’t see it coming. It comes out of left field but it is so realistic. It is like it was inevitable. I would stop in my tracks and then I would just sigh at how right it felt. There are plenty of moments that left me gobsmacked with my mouth held agape in shock. I had to look around, even if I was alone, wondering who else was flabbergasted by what was on the page. I wanted to discuss in whispers what just occurred. Furies was also a riot. I found myself laughing out loud, so hard. I would even get myself to laugh just thinking about it when I set the book down. There is so much witty repartee. The quips, asides, and comebacks are plentiful that sometimes I could not handle it. My stomach hurt and I had tears from how clever the writing was. For example, “turning to her with all the warmth of Lizzie Borden dropping in to say goodnight to her parents.” There were also plenty of gut-wrenching and devastating moments that left me helpless and in tears as well. I had to stop reading at some points because I couldn’t see the words through my tears. They were dripping down my face. At times I couldn’t breathe because I was overcome with deep anguish. The overpouring of emotions that this novel can evoke in a person are mind-blowing. I have never had such a reaction to the written word that I felt throughout my body, ever in my life. It is the most human book. I smile and laugh, become wistful and melancholy just thinking of the novel still. My inability to convey how breathtaking and powerful this novel was, devastates me. This is my favorite novel ever.
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