I found The Season of Migration on an Oprah booklist. Judging from the cover and the title before reading anything about the book, I thought it was about a totally different subject matter than Van Gogh and his relationship with his brother. So, it was a surprising beginning. And, while I found the book interesting, it didn’t really capture me. I could have taken or left it. This being said, however, I really didn’t know much about Van Gogh and it was news to me that he and his brother had a period of estrangement. So, perhaps, if you had more knowledge about art history and Van Gogh in particular, you might enjoy this small book more than I did.

What’s not to like about Anne Tyler? She’s always been a favorite of mine and A Spool of Blue Thread was no exception. I liked the characters, the story, and the quiet and matter-of-fact way it was told. Kudos to her that she has such a rich compendium of works. It’s like settling in with an old friend every time.

I haven’t read any other Marisa de los Santos books, but thought I would give the new one, The Precious One, a try. It was predictable and a little cheesy, but a good read, nonetheless. Parts of the story weren’t fleshed out enough for my liking (the looking for the history of her dad for example), and I was irritated with the long-lost love storyline and how shallow it all was, but it was a good vacation read and one that I looked forward to each time I picked it up. Light and airy, nothing taxing. Sometimes that’s a nice change.

I didn’t know what to think about Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami. It’s spare style and mysterious storyline drew me right in, though, and, despite it’s thick size, it was a quick and engaging read. However, the ending was a complete letdown. I felt so hopeful about what was to come, yet my questions were left unanswered and I was simply unhappy about my effort and investment. Looking for a positive and wonderful next read. Any suggestions??

I was so excited to find Ruby by Cynthia Bond at the Kill Devil Hills library while we were on Spring Break. It had been on my “to read” list for a long time. I only had a few days to read it, though, so I tried to power through. It is one of the most depressing books I have read in a long time and not at all what I should have been reading on vacation. While I can see why people found this book to be unforgettable and moving, I just found it dark and distressing.

After eagerly anticipating reading The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton and waiting for a long time for it to be available from the library, I was quite disappointed by it. The story was interesting but nothing was fully fleshed out and the characters weren’t deep enough for me to really care about them or what was happening to them. Midway though, I was tempted to abandon the book because the pace became so very slow. While I pushed through, I can honestly say that I am sad I wasted the time on this one.

I was so excited when I got the library notice that The Magician’s Lie by Greer Macallister was ready to be picked up. I have read wonderful things about it from multiple sources. And, it didn’t disappoint. I loved hearing the illusionist’s story from her perspective and the interweaving of the present day storyline with the police officer. However, while it reminded me of Water for Elephants and The Night Circus, it wasn’t nearly as good as either of those. It was compelling, though, and a good whodunit. You should pick it if you are looking for something quick and engaging.

I chose Christoper Scotton’s The Secret Wisdom of the Earth based on a review on Oprah’s website about best new books to read. It was a slow starter and quite long, so, while I enjoyed it, I did think about giving up as it plodded along. I think too many of the books I have been reading of late have been such page turners, that a quieter book was hard for me to get into. About 3/4 of the way in, however, the book picked up the pace significantly and I could not put it down. It is a wonderful, multi-layered story about a boy and his grieving parents who returns to his mother’s childhood home to heal. In the healing, the boy grows up and his family makes changes and moves forward. I do think the beginning could have been condensed a bit to make way for the more engaging parts toward the end, but I appreciated the quiet the author achieved in the way he approached the story. This is definitely worth grabbing and enjoying!

Sadly, I could not wait to finish Find Me by Laura Van Den Berg. I couldn’t get into the characters and only wanted to know how it was going to end. I almost abandoned it several times, but it was so short, I figured I could finish it quickly. I cannot recommend this dystopian read.