Julius Winsome  - Gerard Donovan
                               New Author

#2019AtoZChallenge - "J"

This was a strange read for me.   At first I was enjoying it but then it seems to get repetitive.

Julius is a middle-aged man living in the woods of Maine with his dog, Hobbs.  He has lived in his cabin his entire life, first with his father and then on his own.   He lives alone with his dog and over 3,000 books that line the walls of the cabin.    Then one day he hears a shot and finds his only companion, Hobbs , dead.   He becomes obsessed with who would do such a thing.

The  book is told from Julius's perspective as he tries to find the killer.  His thoughts  go back to stories his father told him about his time in WWII  and his grandfather's time in WWI.
That is pretty much it, so it becomes repetitive. 

I liked some of this descriptions.   This when he buried Hobbs....
   “The shovel worked in and out of the light beams as the dirt hit him in the stomach, on his back, fell into his ears, his eyes, as I covered him along with the things that had made him: his walks, his rest, his eating when hungry, the stars he watched sometimes, the first day I brought him home, the first time he saw snow, and every second of his friendship, what he took with him into silence and stillness ...” 

But if I hadn't need a "J" book for the challenge,  I would not have read this one,  but I am  in the minority.
 Here is Goodreads description.
From the author of Schopenhauer's Telescope comes a beautiful and haunting novel of vengeance, literature, love, isolation, and man's tenuous grasp on reason.

The Tattooed Girl by Joyce Carol Oates

"O" Author

2019 A to Z Challenge - "T"

What an odd story.  A bit sexually crude at times, a bit suspenseful, and when you thought it was going to make a turn one way it did the opposite, especially the ending.  I think the summary (see below) hyped up the book a bit "the most dangerous adventure" - adventure is a stretch.

This book has been on my shelf for years.  I've been a bit intimidated by Oates as her reputation precedes her in the literary genre.  Having majored in English, I feel compelled to read some of the heavier literary authors, but am all too often stymied by them.  This novel wasn't as obtuse as other literary giants have penned, but I can't say I became a fan of Oates.  I do have another on my shelf, "The Falls", which I am intrigued by, but I doubt I will rush to read any other prior novels by her.

Book summary (from Goodreads): Joshua Seigl, a celebrated but reclusive author, is forced for reasons of failing health to surrender his bachelor's independence.  Advertising for an assistant, he embarks upon the most dangerous adventure of his privileged life.  Alma Busch, a sensuous, physically attractive young woman with bizarre tattoos covering much of her body, stirs in Seigl a complex of emotions.  Unaware of her painful past and her troubled personality, Seigl hires her as his assistant; the naive altruism of the one and the virulent anti-Semitism of the other clash in tragedy.

The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo

Series

Well, all I can really say is that I'm glad that's over (though really it's not...the story continues - UGH).  I can't say for sure what was dragging this book down for me; the Norwegian names (don't confuse Gudeson with Gudbrand or Sindre with Signe or Sverre), the multiple plot lines of murder and hidden identities, the political story line (though I was surprised to learn about the extent of Norway's involvement in WWII) or simply Nesbo's verbosity.  Suffice it to say this was not a favorite or mine.  I do enjoy Harry and there are times the novel piqued my interest, but only to bog it down again a couple pages later.  Of course, I can't give up on this series now - 1) because I already feel guilty about giving up on my last series of choice (Chet & Bernie) and 2) a plot line in this one continues into Nemesis, so I HAVE to read it to find out what happens!!

Here's a brief synopsis (per Goodreads):  A novel of war, love and betrayal that stretches from the Russian Front (WWII) to present-day Oslo. Harry Hole begins to piece together the threads of:  threats of violence on Norway's Independence Day, the illegal importation of a rifle favored by assassins and a murder committed outside a pizza parlor frequented by neo-Nazis.

Quotes:  "It's not about being judges of life and death, but about giving a belief in justice back to ordinary people.  Sometimes it takes the death penalty to give them that belief."

"It's an historian's duty to uncover, not to judge....Many people believe that right and wrong are fixed absolutes.  That is incorrect, they change over time."

"Is he a sick man,...?  Sick is a relative concept.  We're all sick.  The question is, what degree of functionality do we have with respect to the rules society sets for desirable behavior?"

"Who is to say what is true or real, moral or immoral?  Psychologists? Courts of Law? Politicians?"

The Retreat by Mark Edwards

Guilty Pleasure

Once Upon a Book Club - 2018 Halloween Box

2019 A to Z Challenge - "R"
2019 April Motif Challenge - Crack the Case

This one started out great!  A missing/presumed dead girl, a haunted writer's retreat, murders/"accidental" deaths, multiple suspects...yet I didn't quite buy the ending. For me it just fell a bit short, a bit far-stretched, unbelievable.  Yet, the overall reviews have been mainly favorable (4.05 on Goodreads).  I would still be willing to try other books by Edwards.

       March - Geraldine Brooks
            Historical Fiction

#2019AtoZchallenge - "M"
#Colormotifchallenge - "Black"

Mr.. March is the father of Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth. Yes, the girls from "Little Women"

Told through some of his letters to Marmee and his own recollections of his time away from his family where  he serves as a chaplain in the Union Army during the 1st year of the Civil War.

Ms. Brooks tells of  tragic war scenes, horrific treatment of the slaves, and tales of how some of the Northerners were treated for helping the runaway slaves. .......All in all, a very moving story.

Southernmost by Silas House

2019 A to Z Challenge - "S"
New Author

Heart-wrenching yet heart-warming, simple yet complex, quick read yet lingers with you long after the book is closed.

In the midst of a devastating flood in a small Tennessee town, the local preacher is touched by the kindness of two gay men.  This experience changes is entire way of thinking that puts him in contrast with his church and his wife; and puts his son in the middle of a nasty custody battle.  Confronted with a biased judicial system, he takes his son and flees to Key West, the southernmost point of the U.S. to seek out his brother whom he turned against years ago when his brother came out.

A story that asks you to evaluate your beliefs.  Are you judging others under the guise of your belief system?  What do you do when your beliefs are questioned or challenged?  Are your beliefs static or do they evolve based on new connections and new experiences in your life?

Quotes:  "If there was anything he had learned so far in life it was that dogs often made better friends than folks did."

"You've gotten belief confused with judgment.  We're not to judge."

"Justin's not the problem...This world is.  Nobody can just let a person be."

"But a person can believe something so hard they lose sight of everything else."

"He has gotten to the point where he can hardly enjoy anything without morning its loss while it is happening."

                Fragile - Lisa Unger
                     Guilty Pleasure                                                             
#2019AtoZChallenge - F
#MonthlyMotif - April - Mystery

In a small town where everyone grew up together , a young girl goes missing.  Just like when everyone was younger and a young girl went missing.
  So when Charlene goes missing, the people of The Hollows remember many years ago when Sarah went missing. 
  Lies and secrets are soon to be uncovered.  A long-buried town secret could destroy many lives long after Sarah's disappearance.

Not my favorite book by Lisa Unger,  that would be "Beautiful Lies" and "A Sliver of Truth".   but a very good read. Oh,  and how well do you know the people you love? 

Enjoy,