September, 2020

"Project Hail Mary" by Andy Weir         

When Ryland Grace wakes he can't remember who he is or what he is supposed to be doing. He quickly discovers two bodies nearby and realizes that he is on a space ship. Slowly, he begins to recover his memory, realizing that he is on a mission to save humanity and unravel the mystery of substance that is quickly dimming the sun.        

This book caught me from the very beginning. It was hard to put down and I found myself reading long into the night. Ryland was a fun dynamic character, and it was interesting to see the story unravel. Overall, highly recommended.

"My Remarkable Journey" by Johnson, Hylick & Moore         

Katherine Johnson shot to fame with the moving Hidden Figures. This is her story in her own words. Growing up in West Virginia she was taught to value education and sacrifice for family. A gifted student, she excelled at mathematics and found a job at NASA as a human computer. She worked on the calculations for many spaceflights and was universally trusted by the astronauts.          

Although this book was slow at times, Mrs. Johnson led a fascinating life. It was wonderful to read about her accomplishments in such an elite field. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars.

"Mary Jane" by Jessica Anya Blau         

Set in the 1970's fourteen year old Mary Jane has a typical wholesome conservative family. When she is hired as a nanny over the summer, she is exposed to an entirely different lifestyle. A psychiatrist, Dr. Cone is hosting two celebrities, who are trying to maintain a low profile. Rock n' roll, free expression, sex and drugs open Mary Jane's eyes and makes her reexamine who she is and what she wants.         

This was a fun quick read. The characters were extremely dynamic and kept the story moving. The book really needed an epilogue, or at least some sense of closure. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars.

"The Bohemians" by Jasmin Darznik         

Dorothea travels across the country to start a new life in San Francisco. Several years after the earthquake, the city is alive in a way that she has never experienced. Robbed of her savings, she meets Caroline Lee, a Chinese American who comes to her aid and quickly becomes her best friend. Together, Dorothea and Caroline create a portrait study catering to the rich and influential. When divorced and moody painter Maynard Dixon comes into her life, Dorothea quickly begins to fall for him. However, tragedy befalls Caroline, altering both Dorothea and Caroline's trajectory.

     This was a fast, fun, and entertaining read. She really made the characters and storyline come to life. I would absolutely love to read more from this author, and can't wait for her next book. Overall, highly recommended.

"The Social Graces" by Renee Rosen         

In the late 1800's, the richest women of Manhattan are members of "society." A routined, well established hierarchy of rules and behavior. At the top is Caroline Astor, a refined woman who controls who is in and who is out. New money, Alva Vanderbilt is determined to do whatever it takes to join society and become one of the elite.          

Absolutely fascinating, this book was hard to put down. I enjoyed reading both Caroline and Alva's points of view and loved how their worlds and desires overlapped. Towards the end the book skipped a lot of time, which was slightly disorienting, but worked to move the story forward. Overall, 5 out of 5 stars.

"White River Red" by Becky Marietta         

Forrestina runs away from her family to join the circus. At first she works as a ballet dancer, but quickly moves up to a tightrope walker. When she is injured, she finds work running a carnival game and falls in love with the wrong man. The story follows her life through a second marriage, running a campground near the White River in Arkansas. 50 years later, Betty, an aspiring journalist interviews Forrestina at the end of her life.          

I generally do not like books that alternate between time periods, but I thought it worked well here. Both Forrestina and Betty were interesting characters. Although Betty's storyline was very secondary, she served to flush out Forrestina's character. Overall, 5 out of 5 stars.

"The Forest of Vanishing Stars" by Kristin Harmel         

As an infant, Yona is kidnapped from her German parents by Jerusza. A mystic, Jerusza believes she has been guided to take Yona for a greater purposes. Jerusza teaches Yona how to survive in the forest, and imprints on her the need to be cautious and wary of civilization. After Jerusza's death, Yona encounters Jews fleeing from Nazi encampments. Yona teaches them to survive, and slowly finds herself trusting them.          

I did not love the mystical elements throughout the book. I did enjoy Yona's story, and her interactions with people in the forest. This was an interesting holocaust novel with a unique perspective. Overall, 3 out of 5 stars.

"Ethel Rosenberg" by Anne Sebba         

This book focuses on the life and trial of Ethel Rosenberg, convicted and sentenced to death for espionage. The book draws on prison letters she exchanged with her husband, lawyer and psychotherapist while she was imprisoned. Overall, I thought this book was very slow and plodding. Ethel's story was told in a dry and dispassionate way. Overall, 2 out of 5 stars.

"Crazy 8's: Soldiers Still" by James Karantonis

Set during the Vietnam War, Zack tells the stories of soldiers sent to the psychiatric ward of an Army hospital. A med tech, Zach and his friend Robert collect the stories and antics of a large group of men. Overall, I thought this book was ok. It felt like the author was making fun of these men, or at a minimum using them as a punch line to a badly made joke. Overall, not a book I would re-read or recommend.