Let me start off by saying I really enjoyed The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave. My last few books have been duds so I was nervous about continuing my “losing streak”, but this one hit the spot. On its face, the story is tried-and-true: girl meets boy, boy has secrets, girl seeks truth and surprises abound; but Dave infuses freshness into it by going in an unexpected … [Read more...]
Invisible Influence, or How Society Tells You What to Do, by Jonah Berger
What if, in striving for individuality, we emulated those around us? What if our decisions aren't actually ours? What if science backed this up? It turns out, science does back this up and we may not be as unique as we think, which is what Jonah Berger argues in Invisible Influence. Using science, studies, surveys, and anecdotes, Berger shows us how our neighbors, … [Read more...]
What Was Mine by Helen Klein Ross
You know how sometimes you read a book that everyone is raving about but it doesn't click for you? That's how What Was Mine by Helen Klein Ross was for me. It started out promising and I devoured the first half of the book but by the end I was left feeling a bit deflated. In hindsight, this is partly because the synopsis gives away pretty much the entire book and … [Read more...]
‘Did You Ever Have a Family’ – An Emotional Story of Grief
When I first picked up Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg, I didn't know much about its content. I knew that it had overwhelmingly positive reviews and, based on the title, that it was an emotionally heavy read, but that was about it. It turns out that my assumption was true and it's easy to see why this book is so popular - it's well-written, fairly short, and packs … [Read more...]
‘Avenue of Mysteries’ Is Classic Irving
As a diehard John Irving fan, I was thrilled when his latest book showed up on my doorstep courtesy of Simon & Schuster. I'm convinced that there is nothing the man will write that I won't love and Avenue of Mysteries was no different. Although it wasn't my favorite book of his so far, I enjoyed it immensely and am pleased that he can remain a top contender for my … [Read more...]