pickSet in Spain during the Inquisition, this is a story about a scullery maid with some small magical abilities. In a desperate effort to improve her life, she allows herself to be swept up in the politics of ambitious men and women who attempt to improve their social positions by exploiting her. She finds unexpected friends, a dark and tortured soul to fall in love with (who can‘t resist that?), and discovers the depths of her magic. Fun read.
pick12-19-24: My 47th book of 2024! What can I say about Matt Haig…he seems like a genuinely decent human being and his latest shows that. Grace Winters is left a bungalow in Ibiza by an old colleague she hadn‘t spoken to since the 70s. Confused and alone in London she decides to brave the scariness of leaving for parts unknown and arrives to find a quirky cast of characters waiting for her. Including some underwater sea grass. She finds her way. 💖
“Is the mouth of a shark an opportunity?”
“For the shark it is.”
pickSofia is her mother‘s caretaker, a thankless job. Her mother says she can‘t feel her feet. They decide to go a clinic in Spain to determine what the medical issue is for her affliction. What follows is time spent following Sofia as she experiences the burgeoning awareness of sensuality, a meeting with an estranged father, and the suggestions of the clinic doctor as he explores how willpower and powerlessness impact us. An impactful read.
so-soI listened 2 this 4 book club. I wouldntve read it on my own, as I‘m not a fan of magical realism. It was listenable but I‘ll admit I wasn‘t fully engaged w/ it the whole time. It was just odd. I know the environment is an important issue but I feel there were other ways 2 tell that story. Grace was a likable character so I kept listening 4 her; it was nice to go on the journey w/ her. I‘m not sure I understood everything but was able 2 follow it
Dr. Gomez explaining to Sophia why the pharmaceutical rep wants to meet with her mother.
pickThis was a pretty good read. I enjoyed the setting and the characters, but I did feel like it was a bit slow in parts and the action just wasn‘t there. It took awhile to get moving and I was hoping for more to keep me interested. Overall, I really enjoyed the story and would read more by this author.
pick#BookedInTime
I don‘t care about the controversy surrounding this novel. Was a page or two plagiarized? Writers get inspiration from many sources including real people. Putting those pages aside (which the author literally did, and rewrote them) this novel is beautiful and it deserves all the stars. ⭐️
pickThis guy's books are always funny and his characters are sort of a mess. Like real people. I mostly admire the translator tbh.
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
Last 50 or so pages of this plus discussion question prep for book club tomorrow = my Friday night #FirstSaturdayReaders
