To all people in the United States, happy week of Thanksgiving. Even though 2020, has not been the year any of us expected, there is still a lot to be thankful for. I have a wonderful husband and family who are all extremely supportive. I am lucky enough to be in a job that I love and have been able to maintain success with my customers during this tough economy. I am also thankful that with even all these hardships we have, I have directed my personal time not only to reading but to add new hobbies, which are keeping me very busy. I hope everyone this year got some great reading in, and you were hopefully able to find some positives in this unexpected year.
With all that said, my reading has slowed down just a bit, but I wanted to share with you the books I read last week. I am using this slow time in publishing to catch up on some books on my shelf.
A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom by John Boyne -I am huge Boyne fan. He writes large novels that you can immerse yourself in for days on end. This book was very different, but did not disappoint. Centered around one man, who finds different versions of himself through time. Boyne brings us to many major dates in history and you will recognize many of the supporting characters that our protagonist gets to spend time. As usual, this was a beautifully written novel and I was totally sad to say goodbye when it ended. If you are on the fence on reading this one, give it a shot, I don’t think you will be disappointed.
The Truants by Kate Weinberg – This book is an Agatha Christie novel crossed with A Secret History. Jess Walker is a first year student in college where she studies under Lorna, who is just one of those professors who you know leaves a lasting impression. Jess also meets her core group of friends early on. You quickly realize some things are off and I really enjoyed watching this book slowly unravel. I would categorize this as a literary mystery, as it’s a very slow revealing. This is a solid debut novel.
The Prettiest Star by Carter Sickels – I was absolutely blown away by this book. Taking place in 1986 in a rural town in Ohio, Brian who left home after he came out to his family wants to come home to die after being diagnosed with AIDS. There a lot of stories that take on this topic and many of them are excellent, however this one is just so different. Sickels takes on one single family dealing with this devastating news. On top of that, Sickels really brings out the prejudices of this small town, where being Gay is not acceptable. This is a tear jerker, so have your tissues handy, but the story is just so worth reading.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who celebrates. May you get to eat lots of food and read lots of books.
Obsessed Bookaholic 