After starting and rejecting both The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild and The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult, I picked up Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me by Mindy Kaling  on the recommendation and loan of a friend at work. I enjoyed it (much more than Bossypants), and it was a very quick read, but I didn’t think it was hilarious. Perhaps this type of book just isn’t for me…

Ghost Boy is the memoir of Martin Pistorius, who mysteriously became a quadriplegic after a brief illness. “In January of 1988, Marsin Pistorius came home from school complaining of a sore throat. He never went back. Within a year, Martin had degenerated into a mute quadriplegic.” This was a completely engrossing book that I couldn’t put down. The description of his falling in love and marrying his wife came and went too quickly, but it was a fascinating read overall.

As I have said before (in this post) Kate Morton’s work is a guilty pleasure. Her stories are almost always ones where you become quickly and easily lost. Her newest, The Lake House, was no exception. I enjoyed the premise – deserted country home, stumbled upon by a woman fleeing her errors in London – lots of mysteries to solve. While it was predictable, and way too long, it was a good read.

I haven’t read any Isabel Allende in a long time (she was a favorite of mine in college and in young adulthood). A colleague recommended The Japanese Lover, and, upon learning it was written by Allende, I hopped to it, hoping I would like it. What a great story. It was written in Allende’s signature matter-of-fact style and kept you on your toes, waiting to know more about all the characters. What a pleasure.

I adored Life of Pi, and was excited to see that Yann Martel had a new book. The High Mountains of Portugal is made up of three intertwining stories. First is the story of a museum archivist, who finds a journal and goes up into the mountains to discover something about what he reads in the journal. Second is the story of a pathologist who has to do a very unusual autopsy. Third is the story of a Canadian politician who befriends an ape. While the second story was my least favorite, most odd, and required skimming, overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and had a unique tone. It won’t be for everyone, but if you are a fan of Martel’s, I think you will like it.

Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller was recommended and loaned to me by a friend (thanks, Julia!). I fell into the story immediately. Alexandra was born in England, but grew up with her family in Africa. The memoir traces Alexandra’s life in Africa with her family before she moved to America with her husband. This was a quick read and while I liked it, it felt a little flat to me and I didn’t love it as much as some memoirs.

I received The Wrong Man as a freebie and wanted something quick and easy to follow A Man Called Ove, because there was no way anything would compare. The basic storyline: Kit travels to Florida on business and falls for a man who turns out to be someone different from what he seemed. She becomes entangled in a dangerous crazy web. This was not a particularly well-written book and I am a little embarrassed that I read it (not my usual cup of tea), but it only took about 3 hours to blow through and it had a creative premise, which made it somewhat enjoyable.

STOP EVERYTHING AND READ THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY!! A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Bachman was a true delight from start to finish. I kept reading and hearing good things about it and I even purchased a copy (which most people know I rarely do, preferring to pick books up at the library). It was absolutely worth it and I am glad to have it in my now limited collection (thanks, Marie Kondo).

I looked through a list of the top 100 books everyone should read and found some that I thought I should add to my own “to be read” list. Outlander, by Diane Gabaldon was one of them. Little did I know that the book was 850 pages. When it came quickly from the library since it’s so old, I jumped at the chance to read it on my Kindle. And, I have been slogging through it ever since. Now, it’s an enjoyable read and a good story, for sure, but it’s way too long. I don’t think I’ll read any of the sequels just because I won’t be able to read anything else. However, I do recommend this one. It got me through being stuck in the snow, and that’s good for something. The characters are both interesting and believable, and it’s an excellent period drama, keeping you on the edge of your seat. I’m going to give the mini-series a try too since I have heard good things about that.

As I have said before, I love memoirs. Let the Tornado Come by Rita Zoey Chin was written up frequently last year and I thought I would give it a try. While it was painful in parts, it was a fascinating read and a rollercoaster of a ride between past and present in alternating chapters. I recommend you pick this one up, particularly if you enjoy a good memoir.