My October ’22 Reading Wrap Up

_{Winter 1945. WWII. Four refugees. Four stories.}

_{Each one born of a different homeland; each one hunted, and haunted, by tragedy, lies, war. As thousands desperately flock to the coast in the midst of a Soviet advance, four paths converge, vying for passage aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, a ship that promises safety and freedom. But not all promises can be kept . . .}

MY REVIEW

In last month’s reading wrap up I shared “Between Shades of Gray” by this author (which I LOVED), so I was excited to give Ruta Sepetys another spot in my To Be Read for October. And wow wow wow. I loved this one just as much (if not a little more!) and now I want to read all of her books.

This book was such an easy read, yet still so real, so raw, and so heart wrenching. I get so invested in Ruta’s characters and feel so submerged into their world as I read about them. Her chapters always leave me wanting more (in the best way) and eager to get back to the story whenever I have to put it down. I do recommend you read Between Shades of Gray first, but that’s all I can say–just trust me hehe. (This one does contain some language, not a lot but some, and does have some very brief “mature” elements–nothing is overly descriptive, distasteful, or terribly vulgar. )

_{Wyoming, 1876. For as long as they have lived on the frontier, the Bemis and Webber families have relied on each other for survival. But when Ernest Bemis finds his wife, Cora, in a compromising situation with their neighbor, he doesn’t think of survival. In one impulsive moment, a man is dead, Ernest is off to prison, and the women left behind are divided by rage and remorse. Losing her husband to Cora’s indiscretion is another hardship for stoic Nettie Mae. But as a brutal Wyoming winter bears down, Cora and Nettie Mae have no choice but to come together as one family―to share the duties of working the land and raising their children. There’s Nettie Mae’s son, Clyde―no longer a boy, but not yet a man―who must navigate the road to adulthood without a father to guide him, and Cora’s daughter, Beulah, who is as wild and untamable as her prairie home. Bound by the uncommon threads in their lives and the challenges that lie ahead, Cora and Nettie Mae begin to forge an unexpected sisterhood. But when a love blossoms between Clyde and Beulah, bonds are once again tested, and these two resilient women must finally decide whether they can learn to trust each other―or else risk losing everything they hold dear.}

MY REVIEW

This book was “eh” The concept of the story was initially interesting but most of the time I found myself bored. A lot of it I felt was too descriptive, repetitive, and drug out. The characters were written well enough, but I wouldn’t say I was particularly fond any of them.

I found the book was just a bit strange at times, particularly surrounding death. There were some weird instances/violent deaths of animals that just felt kind of tacky. It was interesting that it was based on a true story but overall I didn’t really enjoy it. (I honestly can’t remember about the language content, it does contain some “mature” content in reference to the affair that started it all–but nothing terribly graphic/prolonged)

_{The truth about Neverland is far more dangerous than a fairy tale. Claire Kenton believes the world is too dark for magic to be real—since her twin brother was stolen away as a child. Now Claire’s desperate search points to London… and a boy who shouldn’t exist. Peter Pan is having a beastly time getting back to Neverland. Grounded in London and hunted by his own Lost Boys, Peter searches for the last hope of restoring his crumbling island: a lass with magic in her veins. The girl who fears her own destiny is on a collision course with the boy who never wanted to grow up. The truth behind this fairy tale is about to unravel everything Claire thought she knew about Peter Pan—and herself.}

MY REVIEW

First off, I think the cover is gorgeous–irrelevant to the rest of my review but I just had to say it anyway. I’m not sure that I’ve read a fairy tale retelling before Dust, but I actually really enjoyed it! The writing style did feel a bit juvenile at times, however the ease of reading it is kinda what made it fun. I mostly point that out to say that it wasn’t crazy dark or deep.

The main character Claire is supposed to be 20 but often gave 16 vibes haha. I kind of kept forgetting how old she actually was because it felt to me that I was following a teenager. It didn’t make me dislike the story as a whole though, she just didn’t feel her supposed age.

I read this one pretty quickly because I wanted to see what happened next. There is a sequel and I will definitely be reading that soon. If the plot sounds interesting to you, I’d recommend it! (No language or sexual content)

_{In 1975, three thousand children were airlifted out of Saigon to be adopted into Western homes. When Mindy, one of those children, announces her plans to return to Vietnam to find her birth mother, her loving adopted family is suddenly thrown back to the events surrounding her unconventional arrival in their lives.}

_{Though her father supports Mindy’s desire to meet her family of origin, he struggles privately with an unsettling fear that he’ll lose the daughter he’s poured his heart into. Mindy’s mother undergoes the emotional rollercoaster inherent in the adoption of a child from a war-torn country, discovering the joy hidden amid the difficulties. And Mindy’s sister helps her sort through relics that whisper of the effect the trauma of war has had on their family–but also speak of the beauty of overcoming.}

_{Told through three strong voices in three compelling timelines, The Nature of Small Birds is a hopeful story that explores the meaning of family far beyond genetic code.}

MY REVIEW

I don’t even know where to start–in the best way possible. This was the sweetest read. It was so nostalgic, so heartwarming.

It’s written from the perspective of three people from the family–The dad–Bruce in 2013, The mom–Linda in 1975, and the eldest sister–Sonny in 1988. I thought the different timelines and perspectives might be confusing but they weren’t at all. In fact it’s what made me love the book all the more. I really enjoyed reading the bits about the 70’s/80’s, the songs in them, the lingo. But also seeing where each person was in life at the time. Truly I connected to each character in one way or another–Bruce as the sentimentalist that he is. Linda as a young mama–ughh it just was so good.

This one is a great “in-between” book if you’ve just finished a deeper read and need a palette cleanse or just as a good cozy read at given time. (No language or sexual content)