Here are a few books I've read recently.
Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, fiction, 2024
In current-day Britain, people from the past are brought to the present day to see how well they can adapt and how well their bodies can survive the process. The story centers around Gore from 1847 and his bridge (unnamed woman), who is helping him adapt to the present-day culture. During this process, there are interesting philosophical discussions about whether all progress is really good. The first 2/3 of the book develops the relationships among the characters with some foreshadowing of the wild ride the last 1/3 of the book takes you on. The book has been described as romantic science fiction, which seems right. It's also been described as a hilarious romp, but I didn't find much humor in the book. The end is surprising, and grasping it all takes some thought. One of my friends said she read the ending three times before she understood it.The book has been getting good reviews and lots of buzz. Ward and I both read it and recommend it. (Note: I usually don't read sci-fi.) It would make an excellent book for a book club as there is much to discuss about the story.
Summer Island by Kristin Hannah, fiction, 2001
Kristin Hannah has been writing bestsellers for decades, so I thought it was time I read one. This book involves a broken mother-daughter relationship and the week they spend on Summer Island, learning that not all is as it seems and finally coming together again. There is a dying friend in the mix who reminds them that our time is not endless. The story drew me in, but I had to put it down sometimes because the strife the characters were going through was too much. The book was well-written, and I can understand Hannah's success. I will probably read more of her books.Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe, fiction, 2024
This book has an abundance of good reviews; however, I hadn't heard of it until a customer requested it. Occasionally, when someone came into the library and asked for a book, I would put it on hold for myself. This was one of those books, and I didn't remember it when it finally came in. I had no idea what it was about when I requested it. The story features Margo, who becomes pregnant by one of her professors and ends up with no money and a baby at 20. A series of setbacks end her in dire financial trouble. Out of the various options available to her, with little education and no means for childcare, she ends up in the online world of Onlyfans, a subscription online service that produces pornography, among other things. Her father, a retired pro wrestler, comes to live with her to help out. He has his own set of problems, including drug addiction.
As serious as the description sounds, the book has a lot of humor. I found it fascinating because I knew nothing about the wrestling and Onlyfans worlds. They are much more complex than I imagined, and the book gave me new insights into both of them. Ward and I each read this one and would recommend it. It would also be a good book for a book club discussion. However, be forewarned, if a discussion about penises would make you uncomfortable, this may not be the book for you. (One of Margo's Onlyfans gigs is having people send her pictures of their penis, and she would tell them what Pokemon character it looked like.)
Funny Story by Emily Henry, fiction, 2024
This is another book that a customer told me about. It is a New York Times #1 bestseller with many superlative reviews. The story revolves around Daphne and Miles, whose fiance, Peter, and girlfriend, Petra, dump them to be with each other. Having no place to live, Daphne moves in with Miles and bonds over their screwed-up love life. They learn to deal with their feelings for a predictable ending. While I found the book an enjoyable read, I don't think I would have given one of the best books of 2024 rating as some did.Next time, I will tell you about some children's books I've been reading.
Until next time...
