BOOK REVIEW: The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
My bookclub will be discussing it and hearing the author Meg Shaffer speak about her experience writing this book! Looking forward to being enlightened by both my bookish friends and the author….
A review forthcoming!
***I reserve the right to edit this review after book discussion! ***
The wording, the beauty of the writing is lyrical and creates the wonders and awe of this earth.
I admit I was at times lost in the narrative… hoping the upcoming discussion will deepen my understanding.
I can see the torment of Abel walking between two worlds… just not as clearly as I can see the love of the natural world vs the society with all the humanity and its confusion.
4/5
The Lost Bookshop was a little historical and more magical/romance. I would have preferred more historical with a dash of magic and romance.
I was most intrigued about the bookshop in London, run by Sylvia Beech. Last summer I read a book about that time of history and loved it! I was hoping for more of that…
I couldn’t help but be intrigued regarding Opaline’s story and the parallels of the two time lines.
I listened to this and will be looking for a copy of it to fall in my lap!
3.5 rounded to 5
(Subject to change-one day!)
Better Luck Next Time is what I would classify as a historical fiction with feisty humor sprinkled throughout by one of the main characters and is she a character!
In the 1930s, ladies who are well-to-do would pull up from their homes, take up residence in the state of Nevada, in Better Luck Next Time, specifically Reno for six weeks and seek a divorce. Once this period was over they were granted their divorce and would move on with their new life. A couple opened the Flying Leap, a dude ranch that sees to the needs of their female guests. There were a couple of gentlemen who were the hands/assistants whose uniforms were “cowboy attire” for the enjoyment of the ladies who were seeking to end their marriages. Their work involved transporting the women to town for needs, outings, appointments with the local attorneys. The two cowboys, Sam and Ward, were also the waiters when meals were served. They took care of the animals and various ranching responsibilities.
Now to introduce you to a couple of the ladies:
Emily - sweet, kind, her husband cheated on her, she worried about how the divorce would impact her daughter, with whom she did not have that great of a relationship, anyway. I guess I would consider her the victim of her cheating husband, who was truly unsure if she wanted to follow through with the divorce proceedings.
Nina - opposite of Emily! Nina was a repeat client of . She was everything Emily was not: flamboyant, feisty, lived on the edge, risk-taker, rule breaker. Nina was just fun to be around. She was spunky, always had a quick comeback for the other ladies who were seeking to break the bonds of marriage.
As a good story creates tension, so here you go - these two women became roomies. The owner thought it would be a good idea to pair Nina with Emily for Nina to show Emily the ropes, help her see what life could be if she would just let loose, a little. Emily became a very good student of Nina’s!
The owner of the lodge had strict rules about the ladies and the two cowboys from forming relationship of any kind, other than their normal responsibilities of chauffeuring the guests in to town, giving the ladies horseback riding lessons, etc. Well… that rule is broken, along with several others, thanks to Nina!
The feistiness of Nina provided endless scenes of hilarity. I enjoyed her character immensely… in a fictional life, I would like to be her! She pushed almost every limit women faced during this time period.
There is still a lot to learn about this threesome’s friendship: Nina, Emily and Ward.
The Authenticity Project is a clever premise that started with a simple green journal that an elderly gentleman started an entry about a part of his life. In the journal entry, Julian wrote about his life without his wife, she had been deceased for 15 years. He found it difficult to be honest with anyone about the impact this great loss had on his life. As with therapy, when you write about/discuss your troubles they seem to become less troubling. When stresses are held in, they magnify, thus making life almost impossible to get through their day. There is a note written at the beginning of the journal explaining the process. Once each entry has been written and signed, the journal is to be placed in a public place waiting for the next author.
This journal’s purpose was to travel from writer to writer hoping each person who writes will share authentically a life challenge in hopes that this will be a way of healing. Well, this little Authenticity Project stirred the writers to divulge their innermost struggles. This Project eventually united the authors within this community that day-in and day-out, passed each other with barely a smile. Each character grew in empathy and compassion for the other participants, some became a little more involved in the stories of each other. They wanted each other to live a full life of happiness and purpose.
I listened to the audio version through Libby and thoroughly enjoyed the voices of the various characters. Their concern for each other lightened my days. I pulled for how they were planning, scheming, and organizing the various “accidental” meetings and loved being a part of their intermingled lives. This group of people grew to truly care about each other. But can the scheming become intrusive? Can it disrupt lives instead of the intended purpose of “happy ever after”?
Rating: 3.5/5
The Little Prince, a classic and helps me to fulfill my goal of reading a classic a month for this year.
I have a very sweet memory of a piece of needlework that my mom gifted me many years ago. The most remembered quote in the book:
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
This is a fantastical fable differentiating children and adults. Adults lose their childlike wonderings, questions and ramblings which tends to make them uninteresting and boring. I believe that I could read this little book and peel a layer each time revealing something that resonates each time. Being my first time to read this… I remember the discussion between an adult and The Little Prince. The Prince related the questions we might ask a child about a friend would be “What color is your friend’s hair?” and “What kind of work does your friend’s dad do?” Not the interesting type of questions, “What does your friend’s voice sound like?” or “Does he collect butterflies?” I love this! When I carry my granddaughter to and from school, friends is a topic of conversation. Next time, instead of my usual boring questions, I think I will ask, “What games does he/she like best?”
This is a sweet little read, with lots of room for rich discussion. I will reread it… maybe soon! This would also be a great little book for seminaring (similar to a book discussion but stays on track, no wondering/wandering/dreaming… hmmm… the act of seminar might go against the grain… this the theme of this book), a teaching strategy that is utilized with great works.
3.5/5
