I’ve been reading a lot of books that have movie/show adaptations. Which has been kind of fun. This was a pretty average month for me. 10 books. 2,823 pages. An average of 97 pages a day. But y’all aren’t here for that. You are here for the recaps. So let’s go
Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura (345 pages). This was the Valentine’s Once Upon a Book Club special edition, so gifties on social. Archaeologist Dr Corrie Mejia has dreamt of one dig- to find the remains of her ancestor, the Aztec warrior Chimalli. When she is invited to join a dig in Mexico, it’s literally her dream come true. But the dig becomes a nightmare when Corrie realizes that her nemesis, Dr Ford Matthews, is running it. Corrie and Ford have a long history of rivalry, dating back to their graduate school days. But they also have a long history of attraction, dating back to one night in the library. And the steamy Mexican jungle might be more than either of them can handle. A little bit Lara Croft, a little bit Indiana Jones. It was fun. The gifts were a little racier than usual though. I finished in 3 days.
The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford (148 pages). I’ve seen both versions of this movie- the 1963 one and the 1993 one. Loved them both (yes, I cry every time I watch). If you don’t know the story, it might be one of the sweetest ever. Luath (a young golden retriever), Tao (a Siamese cat) and Bodger (an 11 year old Bull Terrier) journey over 200 milers through the Canadian wilderness to be reunited with their family. Their adventures and their love for each other is beautiful. Y’all- cried reading the book. Then promptly watched the 1963 version and cried again. I finished in 1 day.
Dead Poets Society by N.H. Kleinbaum (166 pages). In a weird twist, this book was based on the movie, not the other way around. I absolutely love this movie. Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary. O Captain, my Captain. If you don’t know the story, it’s about a stuffy boys prep school and their new English teacher. Mr Keating doesn’t just teach the boys about poetry- he teaches them about life! I finished in 1 day.
The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson (237 pages). This is my 6th book this year that I’ve both seen the show or movie AND now read the book. I sense a theme…. Anyway, this is the true story of the Lutz family. In December of 1975, the Lutzes bought their dream home in Amityville, NY. A house where just one year earlier Ronnie DeFeo had murdered his parents and 4 siblings in their sleep. Only 28 days later, they fled the nightmare house and never returned. If you don’t know what they experienced in the house, you’ve clearly been living under a rock! The book is a day by day account of what they experienced during those 28 days. I finished in 3 days.
The Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah (391 pages). A six year old girl and her wolf cub wander into the public park of Rain Valley, Washington. Local police chief Ellie Barton has no idea what to do with this child who can’t speak. But luckily her sister Julia Cates is a famous (and recently somewhat disgraced) child psychiatrist. So Julia returns to her hometown to find out who this little girl is. After naming her Alice, Julia (with help from the town) begins to bring her out of her shell and give her words and a voice. But when her father shows up, will all that go away? Alice is clearly a child who has been abused. Was it at her father’s hand? I really liked this book. I loved the relationship between Alice and Julia. I finished in 3 days.
The Rose that Grew from Concrete by Tupac Shakur (151 pages). My 40 book reading challenge included a book of poetry this time. When I went book shopping at Books-A-Million, I had just listened to a podcast episode about Tupac. So when I saw this, I had to grab it. I am not a big fan of poetry. But y’all, this was beautiful. Gave me a whole new view of Tupac. As a true artist, not merely a rapper. The poems were deep and thoughtful and even heartbreaking. I finished in days. (2/14)
The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic by Linsey Hall (327 pages). Charming Cove is the most magical place in England. But only the witches from there know it. Aria has been away from her hometown and her family’s potion shop for years. Why? Because she’s a magical disaster. Literally. Callan is a self made millionaire property mogul mage. And Aria hates him with every fiber of her being. When both of them show up to compete to inherit the Garden of Enchantment, it’s game on. But Callan has never felt about Aria the way she feels about him. And he realizes that it’s more important for her to inherit the Garden. But will she accept his help? And can anyone help her harness her true magic? This was such a cute rom-com. I finished in 4 days.
Too Hard to Forget by Tessa Bailey (305 pages). It’s been three years since head cheerleader Peggy Clarkson graduated from University of Cincinnati. And it’s been three years since her relationship with head football coach Elliott Brooks ended. Elliott has kept his focus on football. But has never had Peggy far from his thoughts. Peggy has been engaged four times and knows that her lingering feelings for Elliott have affected her relationships. So when alumni weekend rolls around, Peggy decides this is the year to get Elliott out of her heart and mind for good. Honestly, I love a romcom. But this one wasn’t my favorite. The story was all over the place. I finished in 3 days.
The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende (324 pages). This was different than the other Allende books I’ve read- no magical realism to be found. But still such beautiful writing and stories. Alma arrived in America as a young child, escaping the war that was engulfing Poland. Her family in San Francisco embraced her as their own. She immediately fell in love with Ichimei, the gardener’s son. But America’s fear of Japanese kept them apart. Eventually, despite her love for Ichi (which became physical after many years apart), she married her cousin Nathaniel for the stability he offered. In her old age, she moved to Lark House. Where she met Irina, a young Moldovan woman who worked there. Together with Alma’s grandson Seth, Irina begins to uncover Alma’s secrets. And share some of her own. I finished in 4 days.
Icebreaker by Hannah Grace (429 pages). Anastasia is a junior at Unoversity of California, Maple Hills, and a star on the figure skating team. Her life’s goal? Making the Olympics with her skating partner. Nathan is a senior and the captain of the university’s hockey team. And equally as focused on his sport and making it to the NHL. Until a facility mishap leaves both teams to practice on the same rink. And Stassie and Nate have a hard time denying their attraction. Imagine a racier The Cutting Edge, set at a college. “Toe pick”. I finished in 5 days.
This month’s favorite is…….The Rose that Grew from Concrete. I cannot believe I chose poetry!
