Lisa Genova – Love Anthony

Love Anthony by Lisa Genova is not a first novel, but she’s a new author for me. The story is about two women living on Nantucket who have no connection until late in the book. One is the mother of three daughters in the process of divorcing her husband and the other is a woman hiding out on the island after losing her autistic son who consumed her life for his eight short years. I won’t get into the plot or the story or I might ruin it for you. The book was fascinating. The author pulls you in and doesn’t let you go.

I plucked the book off the library shelf because I liked the cover or maybe because it takes place on Nantucket. I love the ocean and the Massachusetts islands. I’ve spent some time on Martha’s Vineyard and taken a few trips to Nantucket. The book was a surprise because I didn’t read the reviews on the back or the synopsis on the inside flap. I might not have picked it up. I’m not sure this book has a genre. If does it’s probably women’s fiction or it might fall into the literary category. I read very few of either. They are usually too sad for me, or in the case of women’s fiction, I find the main characters to be too victimized or too wrapped up in their own problems (although by the end of the book they usually get better). In this case, both women were believable and intriguing. I loved this story.

Lori Flying Fish – A is for Aruba

Art in a book

The author/artist produced a beautiful ABC book about Aruba. You can see the time and effort applied to this book.  Every page is a hand-painted water color. Having visited Aruba, I feel at home with this book. This would be a great tool to capture children’s imaginations about a different place.

I wouldn’t normally read or review a children’s book, but I helped the author format and publish this book.

Susan Rogers Cooper – Gone in a Flash

Gone in a Flash by Susan Rogers Cooper. I don’t usually comment on books I don’t like but I picked up a book that was supposed to be funny and a mystery. A good combination – I like both. But I felt like I was reading a bad TV sitcom that needed a laugh track. Everyone was insulting everyone else, yelling a screaming, running around doing stupid things. The bad guys were like “Dumb and Dumber.” I read a few chapters and didn’t finish it. It went back to the library. I don’t like most TV sitcoms either. So it could be something you would enjoy if you’re a fan of that sort of humor.