I have two more books to share today. It seems I’ve been reading a book a week, but these last two took much shorter for the first, and a bit longer for the second.
After reading Firefly Lane, I headed to the H shelf at the library to find more by Kristin Hannah. This one was on the shelf, so I picked it up. “For eighteen years, Jude Farraday has put her children’s needs above her own, and it shows — her twins, Mia and Zach, are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill moves into their small, close-knit community, no one is more welcoming than Jude. Lexi, a former foster child with a dark past, quickly becomes Mia’s best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable. Jude does everything to keep her kids on track for a good life and out of harm’s way. But senior year of high school tests them all, and on a hot summer’s night, one bad decision will change the course of all their lives. In the blink of an eye, the Farraday family will be torn apart and Lexi will lose everything. In the years that follow, each must face the consequences of that single night and find a way to forget…or the courage to forgive.” While I didn’t love this one as much as Firefly Lane, it only took me a day to read and I enjoyed the story. The various relationships in the book, from mother/daughter, mother/son, sibling, and friend to grandmother/grandchild and father/daughter are what make the book interesting. I will definitely read more of Hannah’s books.
The 2nd book I recently finished was the Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. It took me awhile to get into this book and for awhile I kept falling asleep when I tried to read it! However, I can’t say I didn’t enjoy this book. “The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.” At first I thought this book might be similar to Water for Elephants, which is also about a circus, but they are nothing alike at all. This book was historical, taking place in the late 1800s and early 1900s, but was a fantasy. The chapters were written in a non-linear fashion, bouncing around to different times, which made things more confusing. However, I was not left confused and I found the story telling style to be integral to the story itself. I’m sure there was a lot of symbolism which went over my head, but that’s ok. A variety of characters’ lives intersect, leading up to the kind of pivotal moment that I love in novels.
Even though I usually do my book reviews on Fridays, I have a few other things to post tomorrow, so I hope you enjoyed this post a day early! I will still be linking up with Book Club Friday!