Books – Page 3 – ANDI HAYS

A Man Called Ove

Posted on January 2, 2017February 1, 2017 by Andi

I recently discovered the joy of audio books. I know this sounds strange considering it’s 2017, but I am a little slow sometimes when it comes to new trends. I started listening to them while I was painting and quickly discovered that I love listening to them in the car, too. The kids are plugged into their movie so I can have some time to “read” when I don’t really have the time to read otherwise. It’s wonderful.

This was the most recent book I listened to. It’s a book my book club is reading for March, but it became available and I finished it a lot faster than I thought I would. Here’s a summary of the book.

Meet Ove. He’s a curmudgeon—the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him “the bitter neighbor from hell.” But must Ove be bitter just because he doesn’t walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?

Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove’s mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents’ association to their very foundations.

A Man Called Ove (pronounced (Oo-Va) by Fredrik Backman was such a sweet book. I was instantly drawn to this character. He reminded me so much of my grandpa and his grumpy demeanor. Ove had so many terrible things happen to him during his years and I love that some neighbors gave some new excitement to his life albeit unintentionally. I loved all the characters and the story. I loved how it was written and the story was told so beautifully jumping back and forth through time.

I highly recommend you read (or listen to) this book. It will make you laugh, scowl and possible cry while arming your heart. Happy reading friends.

Speak

Posted on June 22, 2016February 1, 2017 by Andi

We read Speak for book club a couple months ago. First, here’s what it’s about:

The first ten lies they tell you in high school.

“Speak up for yourself–we want to know what you have to say.” From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication. In Laurie Halse Anderson’s powerful novel, an utterly believable heroine with a bitterly ironic voice delivers a blow to the hypocritical world of high school. She speaks for many a disenfranchised teenager while demonstrating the importance of speaking up for oneself.

This was hard to read at times, but a powerful, and slightly oddly written book. Since it was from the perspective of a high school student, it was choppy and hard to read at times. I was able to get past the character’s prose because the book was interesting. The summary above gives a good idea about the book. It takes a long time in the book to find out what happened to her. And albeit graphic, I thought it was kind of anti-climactic for being such an integral part of her story.

You can really see how such a tragic event can dramatically change a person. That was hard to read. But she has a teacher who can tell there’s something she needs to get out.

It was a good book in hindsight, but I imagine there are better books out there that touch on this topic were you looking to read something about a similar incident. The other ladies weren’t terribly fond of the book because of the topic and graphic details at times. It was a fast read if this is something you might be interested in reading.

Happy reading, friends.

The Hypnotist’s Love Story

Posted on February 4, 2016January 29, 2017 by Andi

I finally finished reading all of the books by Liane Moriarty. This one was the last one I needed to read. Here’s a bit about this one:

Ellen O’Farrell is a professional hypnotherapist who works out of the eccentric beachfront home she inherited from her grandparents. It’s a nice life, except for her tumultuous relationship history. She’s stoic about it, but at this point, Ellen wouldn’t mind a lasting one. When she meets Patrick, she’s optimistic. He’s attractive, single, employed, and best of all, he seems to like her back. Then comes that dreaded moment: He thinks they should have a talk.

Braced for the worst, Ellen is pleasantly surprised. It turns out that Patrick’s ex-girlfriend is stalking him. Ellen thinks, Actually, that’s kind of interesting. She’s dating someone worth stalking. She’s intrigued by the woman’s motives. In fact, she’d even love to meet her.

This book took me a really long time to read. I started it months ago! And I just finished it the other day. I had been reading a little bit here and there and in between reading other books. Now that’s I’ve finished it, I don’t know what took me so long. It was a good story, albeit a little slower than her others. I think the drama in this one dragged on a bit. This one was probably my least favorite of her books, but I didn’t dislike it.

Moriarty does a great job of making very creative, yet believable stories. Maybe that’s why I find it so intriguing. I liked the premise of a hypnotist. Whether the information about her profession was all fact or not, I still found it interesting. There was something about the way the main character dealt with all the things that came up in the book that I found amusing. She thinks of herself as such a calm and collected person, and for the most part she conducts herself as such. But her internal dialog with herself about stuff that comes up is quite hilarious at times.

I think everyone should read all of Moriarty’s books. But that’s just because I liked them. Here’s a link to her other books that I read and wrote about.

Happy reading!

The Last Anniversary

Posted on February 3, 2016January 29, 2017 by Andi

This is an older Liane Moriarty book that I finished a few months ago. I had read most of her other books and this one came available at the library. Here’s a bit about the book:

Sophie Honeywell always wondered if Thomas Gordon was the one who got away. He was the perfect boyfriend, but on the day he was going to propose, she broke his heart. A year later he married his travel agent, while Sophie has been mortifyingly single ever since. Now Thomas is back in her life because Sophie has unexpectedly inherited his aunt Connie’s house on Scribbly Gum Island—home of the famously unsolved Munro Baby mystery.

Sophie moves onto the island and begins a new life as part of an unconventional family, where it seems everyone has a secret. Grace, a beautiful young mother, is feverishly planning a shocking escape from her perfect life. Margie, a frumpy housewife, has made a pact with a stranger, while dreamy Aunt Rose wonders if maybe it’s about time she started making her own decisions.

As Sophie’s life becomes increasingly complicated, she discovers that sometimes you have to stop waiting around—and come up with your own fairy-tale ending.

I love all of her books and the way Moriarty writes. I was sucked into this fun book quite quickly. I liked the characters from the beginning and wanted to find out all the hidden secrets. I liked that some of the characters were in on it and the others weren’t. It was a fun book that really could have had a very different outcome.

I don’t know where this ranks in my love of her books. I just think you should read them all. I finally finished the last one!

Have you come across any authors you needed to read everything they wrote?

Happy reading!

Dept. of Speculation

Posted on February 2, 2016February 1, 2017 by Andi

This book was my book club’s December/January book. Another author had recommended it. It was different than anything we had read. And for good reason. It was weird. Here’s a little about the book:

In the beginning, it was easy to imagine their future. They were young and giddy, sure of themselves and of their love for each other. “Dept. of Speculation” was their code name for all the thrilling uncertainties that lay ahead. Then they got married, had a child and navigated the familiar calamities of family life—a colicky baby, a faltering relationship, stalled ambitions.

When their marriage reaches a sudden breaking point, the wife tries to retrace the steps that have led them to this place, invoking everything from Kafka to the Stoics to doomed Russian cosmonauts as she analyzes what is lost and what remains. In language that shimmers with rage and longing and wit, Offill has created a brilliantly suspenseful love story—a novel to read in one sitting, even as its piercing meditations linger long after the last page.

This was a very fast read. I read it in just over an hour. (I had put it off and read it the day of our book club meeting.) The writing style was very different from a typical novel. The sentences were choppy, the paragraphs were brief and characters were referred to by descriptions instead of names. The story itself was a bit depressing about their lives and marriage.

I’m not sure I’d really recommend it because it was hard to find and probably not worth paying lots for. I did find my copy through the library, so it was worth it for me to give it a read.

Happy reading.

This Life She’s Chosen

Posted on November 10, 2015 by Andi

A friend of mine recommended this book to me (which was written by her best friend) when I told her I was moving to Seattle. The author also lives in the Seattle area. I wasn’t able to finish it when she gave it to me because I had too much going on at the time. But we ended up reading it for book club last month and I am so glad I finally got to finish reading it.

This book is a collection of short stories. I haven’t read many short stories, so it was a little harder for me to get into it at first. Once I was able to get a hang of how short stories were written, I really enjoyed them. And thinking about the stories from the beginning after reading the whole book made those even better.

Her stories are so beautifully written and you get a feel for each of the characters. I was able to feel connected to each of the characters in a very short time with her stories. Each of the women in the book were so different and yet had an inkling of a common thread through her words. I was intrigued by how visual her words were and how in depth the stories were at only a handful of pages long.

The really exciting part for me is that we were able to get the author, Kirsten, to join us for book club so we could ask her questions and talk to her about the book. It was so fun to hear her thought process and her feelings on the characters. I love talking to authors about their books (or hearing authors talk about their books).

Kirsten wrote this book a number of years ago and wrote a second one (Swimming with Strangers) as well. She talked about a third book in the works as well! I am planning to read her second book and would love to read her third book one day, too. Kirsten, if you need more people to read advance copies…I’d love to be considered. Smile

If you love short stories, I recommend you read this. If you haven’t read many (or any) short stories, I recommend you read this. I think reading a variety of writing helps me be a better reader and also not become so stuck in one genre. This book is a little hard to get copies of (you won’t find it at your local library) because it was written a number of years ago. But if you want to read it, I would be happy to loan you my copy.

Happy reading, friends.

Exit Strategy

Posted on October 3, 2015October 3, 2015 by Andi

Our September Book Club book was Exit Strategy by Kelley Armstrong. If I haven’t mentioned it, the way we are picking books this year is from a long list of random book topics, subjects and general fun book stuff. I randomly pick three from the list below each month and we try to fill 1-3 of the topics to pick a book (this month it was 1, 2, and 10). This book happened to fill 2 of them. A friend in book club found this list online somewhere and it has been a really fun way to find a variety of books we may not have found otherwise. This list was a little more fun than just picking a book from a certain genre, too.

1. A book with more than 500 pages
2. A classic romance
3. A book that became a movie
4. A book published this year
5. A book with a number in the title
6. A book written by someone under 30
7. A book with paranormal characters
8. A funny book
9. A book recommended by an author
10. A romantic mystery/suspense/thriller
11. A book with a one word title
12. A book of short stories
13. A book set in a different country
14. A nonfiction book
15. A popular author’s first book
16. A book from an author you love but haven’t read yet
17. A book a friend recommended
18. A NY Times bestseller
19. A re-adaptation of a popular story
20. A freebie you’ve downloaded
21. A book that hits close to home
22. A book you can finish in a day
23. A book with antonyms in the title
24. A book set somewhere you’ve always wanted to go
25. A book that came out the year you graduated college
26. A book with bad reviews
27. A trilogy
28. A book about childhood friends
29. A book with a love triangle
30. A dystopian book
31. A book set in high school
32. A book with a color in the title
33. A book that made you cry
34. A book with magic
35. A book by a male author
36. A book by an author you’ve never heard of
37. A book you own but have never read
38. A book that takes place in your hometown
39. A book published during a year that is significant to you
40. A book set during winter

Here is a little about the book:

From the author of the acclaimed Women of the Otherworld series comes an exciting new heroine whose most secret identity is both lucrative…and lethal.

Regulars at Nadia’s nature lodge don’t ask what she does in the off-season. And that’s a good thing. If she told them, she’d have to kill them. She’s a hit woman for a Mafia family. Tough and self-sufficient, Nadia doesn’t owe anyone any explanations. But that doesn’t mean she always works alone. One of her contacts has recruited her in the hunt for a ruthlessly efficient serial killer cutting a swath of terror across the country. The assassin is far too skilled to be an amateur—and the precision of the killings is bringing the Feds much too close to the hit man community for comfort.

To put an end to the murders, Nadia will have to turn herself from predator to prey as she employs every trick she knows to find the killer. Before the killer finds her…

When I first found this book, I read some reviews and found that it was considered a romantic thriller. After reading the book, I don’t think that was the case at all. There were a couple possible love interests, but aside from a pretty innocent kissing (and slight groping scene) there wasn’t a lot of romance. Maybe some romantic tension, but that may come out in the following books (this was book 1 of 3).

I was weary that I wouldn’t be able to finish the book in time (since I started reading midway into the month) because it was over 500 pages on my Kindle. I also don’t consider myself a very fast reader. But I think because there was a lot of dialogue I was able to read it quite quickly. I was actually surprised it only took me a few days to get through. I also didn’t want to put it down. I was intrigued by the author writing some chapters from the perspective of the victims. Very chilling and fascinating.

It was a pretty exciting book since I haven’t read much about hit-men (or hit-women) before. Although I think there were a few parts of the story that were lengthy and a bit dull, the overall story was quite entertaining. I am not sure I will be rushing out to read the next books in the series, but this one was a pleasant surprise.

Happy reading, friends.

Big Little Lies

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Andi

I think this was my favorite Liane Moriarty book I have read thus far. “Big Little Lies” was so fun to read. First, here’s what the book is about:

Sometimes it’s the little lies that turn out to be the most lethal.

A murder…A tragic accident…Or just parents behaving badly? What’s indisputable is that someone is dead.

Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny, biting, and passionate; she remembers everything and forgives no one. Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare but she is paying a price for the illusion of perfection. New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for a nanny. She comes with a mysterious past and a sadness beyond her years. These three women are at different crossroads, but they will all wind up in the same shocking place.

Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.

There was something that was so realistic about this book and I felt like I could run into any of these people. Some moms stayed home, some worked from home, all were trying to find their way with their children in school. My oldest is only in preschool, but I can imagine all the school strife and drama that goes on with moms (probably dads, too, but mostly moms).

The bullying was so sad and such a real topic that kids (and adults) face. And the characters were all hiding (or not sharing) various aspects of their lives that were just eating away at them. It was so real, sad and touching. This book made me think about what people might be hiding or if they are just putting on a façade as a cover for something.

This one hit the closest to home for me and I flew through this book. I think if you read one of her books, this would be my pick (then “Three Wishes” and then a tie with “The Husband’s Secret” and “What Alice Forgot”).

Happy reading.

The Husband’s Secret

Posted on September 11, 2015 by Andi

Here is another of my recently read books by Liane Moriarty. “The Husband’s Secret” was SO good! I loved this book through and through. Here’s a little about the book:

My darling Cecilia, if you’re reading this, then I’ve died. . .

Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive. . . .

Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all—she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia—or each other—but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. I loved the characters and their personalities and I loved how they were all tied together by the end. I don’t think that I can say very much about this book without giving too much away. So my advice….go read it! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

I just can’t say enough good things about Moriarty’s books and the way she writes. She has a way of entangling all the characters in a magical way. The last few chapters of the book always bring everything together so quickly. Yet somehow, the rest of the story never dragged or was boring. but the endings…wow!

I have one more of her books to write about that I finished (unsurprising spoiler…I loved that one, too) and I have started another one. They keep coming available at the library and I can’t help myself! Smile

Happy reading!

Every Time I Think Of You

Posted on September 4, 2015September 4, 2015 by Andi

I've read all of Tracey Garvis Graves' books, and this book was one of the most recent ones I read. This was a very different story than other ones she has written. But it was just as wonderfully written and as fun to read as the others. Here's a bit about the book:

Thirty-year-old Daisy DiStefano has two people she holds dear: the grandmother who raised her, and her three-year-old son, Elliott. But when Daisy’s grandmother is killed in a seemingly random act of violence, Daisy must take steps to protect herself and her child.

Despite a thriving career in San Francisco, thirty-six-year-old Brooks McClain has returned home to spend what little time his mother has left before she succumbs to the deadly disease that is ravaging her. The seasoned investigative reporter has taken a position with the local newspaper and been on the job less than twenty-four hours when he’s summoned to cover the death of Pauline Thorpe.

Brooks is all business, but the more time he spends with Daisy DiStefano, the more invested he becomes; there’s something about a single mother, a defenseless child, and an unsolved crime that has stirred Brooks’s protective instincts like nothing ever has before.

And when the unthinkable happens, Brooks will do whatever it takes to clear the name of the woman he’s fallen for and the child he’ll protect at any cost.

Romantic and suspenseful, Every Time I Think of You shows how far two people will go to fight for the ones they love, and the life they’ve always imagined.

This was a touching story and heart wrenching right from the start. The main characters were just perfectly written and the whole story was made so much more compelling to read with a young child thrown into the mix. Possibly because I have three young kids, but also because the story was so well written. There were twists and turns, but her books always have a happy ending. I love that about her books!

You should definitely add this one to your reading list. And yes, I have loved a bunch of books lately, but I have intentionally been reading books I thought I would like by authors I love.

I don't think it's a bad thing to enjoy the books you are choosing to read in your spare time.