Found in a Bookshop by Stephanie Butland- Book Review

 

Found in a Bookshop by Stephanie Butland- Book Review

Author: Stephanie Butland

Publisher: Headline Review

https://docs.google.com/document/d/18BwzDg-FzZnkb-D8DM7n-nUQML9jZ1hlAn-rVe8fDP0/edit?tab=t.0

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XMNflTXQLyZ3pXKAEX9fdfMz17g73hbU_qvPmUvHMrs/edit?tab=t.0

Publish Date: March 30, 2023

Rating: 4/5

Summary(blurb): Dear Lost for Words: 

We are trying to stay at home... I am enclosing a cheque and I hope that you will use it to send us some books. Please choose books that we might think are wonderful. 

- Rosemary 

Loveday Carew's beloved Lost for Words bookshop, along with the rest of York, has fallen quiet. At the very time when people most need books to widen their horizons, escape from their fears, or enhance their lives, the doors are closed. Then the first letter comes. 

Rosemary and George have been married for fifty years. Now their time is running out. They have decided to set out on their last journey together, without ever leaving the bench at the bottom of their garden in Whitby. All they need is someone who shares their love of books. 

Suddenly it's clear to Loveday that she and her team can do something useful in a crisis. They can recommend books to help with the situations their customers find themselves in: fear, boredom, loneliness, the desire for laughter and escape. 

And so it begins.

**This book review may contain spoilers**

Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo- Book Review

 

Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo- Book Review

Author: Kate DiCamillo

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publish Date: 2013

Rating: 4/5

Summary(blurb): It begins, as the best superhero stories do, with a tragic accident that has unexpected consequences. The squirrel never saw the vacuum cleaner coming, but self-described cynic Flora Belle Buckman, who has read every issue of the comic book Terrible Things Can Happen to You!, is the just the right person to step in and save him. What neither can predict is that Ulysses (the squirrel) has been born anew, with powers of strength, flight, and misspelled poetry—and that Flora will be changed too, as she discovers the possibility of hope and the promise of a capacious heart.

**This book review may contain spoilers**

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah- Book Review

   

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah- Book Review

Title: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

Author: Trevor Noah

Publisher: Spiegel & Grau

Publish Date: November 15, 2016

Rating: 4.5/5

Summary(blurb): TREVOR NOAH's unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of that young man's relationship with his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother-his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life. Whether subsisting on caterpillars for dinner during hard times, being thrown from a moving car during an attempted kidnapping, or just trying to survive the life-and-death pitfalls of dating in high school, Trevor illuminates his curious world with an incisive wit and unflinching honesty. 

**This book review contains spoilers for this book. If you still want to read the review, go ahead. However, I strongly recommend you to read this book before reading my review.

 

Shadow of the Hegemon by Orson Scott Card- Book Review

Title: Shadow of the Hegemon

Author: Orson Scott Card

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publish Date: 2000

Rating: 4/5

Summary(blurb): The War is over, won by Ender Wiggin and his team of brilliant child-warriors. The enemy is destroyed, the human race is saved. Ender himself refuses to return to the planet, but his crew has gone home to their families, scattered across the globe. Battle School is no more. 

But with the external threat gone, the Earth has become a battlefield once more. The children of the Battle School are more than heroes; they are potential weapons that can bring power to the countries that control them. One by one, all of Ender's Dragon Army are kidnapped. Only Bean escapes; and he turns for help to Ender's brother Peter. 

Peter Wiggin, Ender's older brother, has already been manipulating the politics of Earth from behind the scenes. With Bean's help, he will eventually rule the world.

**This book review may contain spoilers**

 

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho- Book Review

Title: The Alchemist

Author: Paulo Coelho

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publish Date: 1988

Rating: 4/5

Summary(blurb): Combining magic, mysticism, wisdom, and wonder into an inspiring tale of self-discovery, The Alchemist has become a modern classic, selling millions of copies around the world and transforming the lives of countless readers across generations. 

 Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the mystical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. His quest will lead him to riches far different—and far more satisfying—than he ever imagined. Santiago's journey teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, recognizing opportunity and learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, most importantly, following our dreams.

**This book review may contain spoilers**

 

The Therapist by B. A. Paris- Book Review

Title: The Therapist

Author: B. A. Paris

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publish Date: January 2021

Rating: 4/5

Summary(blurb): When Alice and Leo move into a newly renovated house in The Circle, an exclusive gated community, it is everything they've dreamed of. But appearances can be deceptive... 

As Alice is getting to know her neighbours, she discovers a devastating secret about her new home, and begins to feel a strong connection with the therapist who lived there before. Alice becomes obsessed with trying to piece together what happened. But no one wants to talk about it. And her neighbours are hiding something... 

The million-copy Sunday Times bestselling author B A Paris returns to her heartland of gripping psychological suspense in this powerful tale of a house that holds a shocking secret.

**This book review may contain spoilers**

The Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell & Freedom Writers- Book Review

The Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell & Freedom Writers- Book Review

Title: The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them 

Author: Erin Gruwell, Freedom Writers

Publisher: Broadway Books

Publish Date: September 1, 1999 (this 20th anniversary edition in 2019)

Rating: 3/5

Summary(blurb): In 1994, an idealistic first-year teacher in Long Beach. California, named Erin Gruwell confronted a room of "unteachable, at-risk" students. She had intercepted a note with an ugly racial caricature and angrily declared that this was precisely the sort of thing that led to the Holocaust. She was met by uncomprehending looks none of her students had heard of one of the defining moments of the twentieth century. So she rebooted her entire curriculum, using treasured books such as Anne Frank's diary as her guide to combat intolerance and misunderstanding: Her students began recording their thoughts and feelings in their own diaries, eventually dubbing themselves "the Freedom Writers." 

Consisting of powerful entries from the students' diaries and narrative text by Erin Gruwell, The Freedom Writers Diary is an unforgettable story of how hard work, courage, and determination changed the lives of a teacher and her students. In the two decades since its original publication, the book has sold more than one million copies and inspired a major motion picture. And now, with this twentieth-anniversary edition, readers are brought up to date on the lives of the Freedom Writers, as they blend indispensable takes on social issues with uplifting stories of attending college and watch their own children follow in their footsteps. The Freedom Writers Diary remains a vital read for anyone who believes in second chances.

**This book review may contain spoilers**

In the Distance by Hernan Diaz- Book Review Pt. 2 - Character Analysis

In the Distance by Hernan Diaz- Book Review Pt. 2 - Character Analysis

Title: In the Distance

Author: Hernan Diaz

Publisher: Coffee House Press

Publish Date: 2017

Rating: 4.5/5

Summary(blurb): A young Swedish boy finds himself penniless and alone in California. He travels east in search of his brother, moving on foot against the great push to the west. Driven back over and over again on his journey through vast expanses, Håkan meets naturalists, criminals, religious fanatics, Indians, and lawmen, and his exploits turn him into a legend. Díaz defies the conventions of historical fiction and genre, offering a probing look at the stereotypes that populate our past and a portrait of radical foreignness. 

**This book review contains heavy spoilers**

In this second part of the review, I focus more on the character of Håkan Söderström, and a major change brought about in him. If you haven't read part one, you can do so here. 

If you haven't read the book, you should go read it. 

If you haven't read the book but still want to read this character dive, go read this brief summary/background I give of the book. 

In the Distance by Hernan Diaz- Book Review - Book Summary & Background

In the Distance by Hernan Diaz- Book Review Pt. 2 - Summary & Background

Title: In the Distance

Author: Hernan Diaz

Publisher: Coffee House Press

Publish Date: 2017

Rating: 5/5

Summary(blurb): A young Swedish boy finds himself penniless and alone in California. He travels east in search of his brother, moving on foot against the great push to the west. Driven back over and over again on his journey through vast expanses, Håkan meets naturalists, criminals, religious fanatics, Indians, and lawmen, and his exploits turn him into a legend. Díaz defies the conventions of historical fiction and genre, offering a probing look at the stereotypes that populate our past and a portrait of radical foreignness. 

**This book review contains heavy spoilers**

This section is for those of you who want to read my Character Analysis, but haven't read the book, and also doesn't intend to do so. If you are NOT one of these people, this post is not for you. 

Here, I will provide a brief part-by-part summary of the book, and provide some background as well. 

In The Distance by Hernan Diaz- Book Review Pt. 1

In the Distance by Hernan Diaz- Book Review Pt. 1

Title: In the Distance

Author: Hernan Diaz

Publisher: Coffee House Press

Publish Date: 2017

Rating: 5/5

Summary(blurb): A young Swedish boy finds himself penniless and alone in California. He travels east in search of his brother, moving on foot against the great push to the west. Driven back over and over again on his journey through vast expanses, Håkan meets naturalists, criminals, religious fanatics, Indians, and lawmen, and his exploits turn him into a legend. Díaz defies the conventions of historical fiction and genre, offering a probing look at the stereotypes that populate our past and a portrait of radical foreignness. 

**This book review may contain spoilers**

NOTE: I will be writing a part 2 review of this book, solely focused on the main character Håkan Söderström, because it would be too long to fit everything here. There will also be a plot summary & background for those who want to read the character analysis, but not the book itself.

The Accidental Further Adventures Of The Hundred-Year-Old Man by Jonas Jonasson- Book Review

 

The Accidental Further Adventures Of The Hundred-Year-Old Man by Jonas Jonasson- Book Review

Title: The Accidental Further Adventures Of The Hundred-Year-Old Man

Author: Jonas Jonasson

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publish Date: July 2018

Rating: 4/5

Summary(blurb): 

It all begins with that pesky lever in the hot air balloon. Allan is sitting quietly with his friend Julius, waiting for his 101st birthday party to begin, when someone manages to break the lever, and before they know it, up they go, far above the Indian Ocean... 

But what goes up must come down, and after they are rescued from the water by a North Korean ship, it's only a matter of time before the pair are entangled in a global diplomatic crisis involving a briefcase full of contraband uranium. Everyone seems quite interested in this briefcase - from President Trump and Kim Jong-un to Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel - and from then on it's just one accidental adventure after another. There's a vital government message scribbled on the back of a napkin (after numerous glasses of apple vodka), a disastrous case of swapped coffins, a far-too-close encounter with a very angry Nazi, at least one séance, and plenty of illegal asparagus ...

**This book review may contain spoilers**

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman- Book Review

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman- Book Review

Title: The Thursday Murder Club 

Author: Richard Osman

Publisher: Penguin Books

Publish Date: September 3, 2020

Rating: 4/5

Summary(blurb): In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders. But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves. Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before it's too late?

**This book review may contain spoilers**

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson- Book Review

 

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson- Book Review

Title: The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

Author: Jonas Jonasson

Publisher: Hesperus Press

Publish Date: 2009

Rating: 5/5

Summary(blurb): A reluctant centenarian much like Forrest Gump (if Gump were an explosives expert) decides it's not too late to start over . . .

After a long and eventful life, Allan Karlsson ends up in a nursing home, believing it to be his last stop. The only problem is that he's still in good health, and in one day, he turns 100. A big celebration is in the works, but Allan really isn't interested (and he'd like a bit more control over his vodka consumption). So he decides to escape. He climbs out the window in his slippers and embarks on a hilarious and entirely unexpected journey, involving, among other surprises, a suitcase stuffed with cash, some unpleasant criminals, a friendly hot-dog stand operator, and an elephant (not to mention a death by elephant). 

It would be the adventure of a lifetime for anyone else, but Allan has a larger-than-life backstory: Not only has he witnessed some of the most important events of the twentieth century, but he has actually played a key role in them. Starting out in munitions as a boy, he somehow finds himself involved in many of the key explosions of the twentieth century and travels the world, sharing meals and more with everyone from Stalin, Churchill, and Truman to Mao, Franco, and de Gaulle. Quirky and utterly unique, The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared has charmed readers across the world.....

**This book review may contain spoilers**

Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card- Book Review

Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card- Book Review

Title: Ender's Shadow 

Author: Orson Scott Card

Publisher: Starscape Books

Publish Date: 1999

Rating: 5/5

Summary(blurb): Andrew "Ender" Wiggin was not the only child in the Battle School; he was just the best of the best. Here is the story of another of those precocious generals, the one they called Bean—the one who became Ender's right hand, his strate-gist, and his friend. Bean's past was a battle just to survive on the streets of Rotterdam. He was a tiny child with a mind leagues beyond anyone else's. 

Bean's desperate struggle, and his remarkable success, brought him to the attention of the Battle School's recruiters, those people scouring the planet for leaders, tacticians, and generals to save Earth from the threat of alien invasion. Bean was sent into orbit, to the Battle School. And there he met Ender....

**This book review may contain spoilers**

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card- Book Review

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card- Book Review

Title: Ender's Game 

Author: Orson Scott Card

Publisher: Starscape Books

Publish Date: 1985

Rating: 5/5

Summary(blurb): Once again, Earth is under attack. An alien species is poised for a final assault. The survival of humanity depends on a military genius who can defeat the aliens. But who? 

Ender. Brilliant. Ruthless. Cunning. A tactical and strategic master. And a child. 

Recruited for military training by the world government, Ender's childhood ends the moment he enters his new home: Battle School. Among the elite recruits Ender proves himself to be a genius among geniuses. He excels in simulated war games. But is the pressure and loneliness taking its toll on Ender? Simulations are one thing. How will Ender perform in real combat conditions? After all, Battle School is just a game. Isn't it?

**This book review may contain spoilers**

Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata- Book Review

Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata- Book Review

Title: Kira-Kira 

Author: Cynthia Kadohata

Publisher: Atheneum

Publish Date: February 1, 2004

Rating: 5/5

Summary(blurb): kira-kira (kee ra kee ra): glittering; shining 

Glittering. That's how Katie Takeshima's sister, Lynn, makes everything seem. The sky is kira-kira because is color is deep but see-through at the same time. The sea is kira-kira for the same reason. And so are people's eyes. When Katie and her family move from a Japanese community in lowa to the Deep South of Georgia, it's Lynn who explains to her why people stop on the street to stare. And it's Lynn who, with her special way of viewing the world, teaches Katie to look beyond tomorrow. But when Lynn becomes desperately ill, and the whole family begins to fall apart, it is up to Katie to find a way to remind them all that there is always something glittering--kira-kira—in the future.

**This book review may contain spoilers**

Come Again by Robert Webb- Book Review

Come Again by Robert Webb- Book Review

Title: Come Again 

Author: Robert Webb

Publisher: Canongate Books

Publish Date: 2020

Rating: 3.5/5

Summary(blurb): Kate's husband, Luke --the man she loved from the moment she met him twenty-eight years ago-- died suddenly. Since then, she has pushed away her friends and lost her job, and her whole world seems to be falling apart. One day Kate wakes up in the wrong place and in the wrong body. She is eighteen again but remembers everything: This is her college room in 1992. This is the first day of orientation. And this is the day she meets Luke. Now Kate knows how Luke died, and she knows that he's already ill. But this Luke is not the man she lost: he's still a boy —the annoying nineteen-year-old English student she first encountered. If they can fall in love again despite everything, Kate might just be able to save him-but can she fall in love again?

**This book review may contain spoilers**

Something to Live For by Richard Roper- Book Review

Something to Live For by Richard Roper- Book Review

Title: Something to Live For (previously How Not To Die Alone)

Author: Richard Roper

Publisher: Orion Books

Publish Date: 2019

Rating: 4/5

Summary(blurb): Meet Andrew. Everybody likes Andrew. But they don’t really know him. They know what he’s told them – that he’s happily married with two kids. Living the kind of life that’s either so boring it’s true, or so perfect it’s a lie...

Enter Peggy. Peggy arrives in Andrew’s life in a burst of kindness and possibility. For the first time in ages, Andrew feels alive again. So now that he has everything to lose, can he risk it all and tell Peggy the truth? A big-hearted story about love, loneliness, and the importance of taking a chance when we feel we have the most to lose..

**This book review may contain spoilers**

Starter for Ten by David Nicholls- Book Review

Starter for Ten by David Nicholls- Book Review

Title: Starter for Ten (also A Question of Attraction)

Author: David Nicholls

Publisher: Villard Books

Publish Date: 2003

Rating: 3.5/5

Summary(blurb): The year is 1985. Brian Jackson, a working-class kid on full scholarship, has started his first term at university. He has a dark secret--a long-held, burning ambition (stoked by his late father) to appear on the wildly popular TV quiz show University Challenge--and now, finally, it seems the dream is about to become reality. He's made the school team, and they've completed the qualifying rounds and are limbering up for their first televised match. (And, what's more, he's fallen head over heels for one of his teammates, the beautiful, brainy, and intimidatingly posh Alice Harbinson.) Life seems perfect and triumph inevitable--but as his world opens up, Brian learns that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. 

**This book review may contain spoilers**

Anthem by Ayn Rand- Book Review

Anthem by Ayn Rand- Book Review

Title: Anthem

Author: Ayn Rand

Publisher: Signet

Publish Date: 1938

Rating: 3.5/5

Summary(blurb): They existed only to serve the state. They were conceived in controlled Palaces of Mating. They died in the Home of the Useless. From cradle to grave, the crowd was one—the great WE. In all that was left of humanity there was only one man who dared to think, seek, and love. He lived in the dark ages of the future. In a loveless world, he dared to love the woman of his choice. In an age that had lost all trace of science and civilization, he had the courage to seek and find knowledge. But these were not the crimes for which he would be hunted. He was marked for death because he had committed the unpardonable sin: He had stood forth from the mindless human herd. He was a man alone. He had rediscovered the lost and holy word—I.

**This book review may contain spoilers**