Save What's Left

 

Save What's Left by Elizabeth Castellano is another Good Morning America’s Book Club pick and was named one of People Magazine’s Best Books of the Summer for 2023. These acknowledgements are all pretty impressive. Yet, after reading this book, I'm not sure that it lives up to all the hype.

Kathleen is stunned when her cardiologist husband, Tom, wants out of their 30-year marriage. Feeling bitter about the separation, Kathleen spontaneously purchases a water-front home in Whitbey, New York State sight unseen. As soon as she arrives at her new place, Kathleen realizes she has made a terrible mistake.

Her life now consists of a massive renovation project to the house next-door that is unlawful, noisy and leaves her own home dusty. Life goes steadily downhill from there for Kathleen.

She files many grievances with the local government about the new development, but it is no help. She has so many complaints about the construction and the town itself that I frustratingly can’t keep track of them all. Each chapter starts with a long-winded cantankerous e-mail composed by Kathleen to a local government official. The rambling correspondence doesn’t advance the barely-there plot at all. It only adds to this book’s confusion. Additionally, Kathleen is having misunderstandings with her overly opinionated neighbors about the future of the Whitbey community.

Right off the bat, I'm struck by this book’s biting humor and I like it at first. However, after a while, Kathleen’s cynicism and whining became irritating. So much so, that it was a struggle for me to finish, even though it’s a relatively short book. Instead of being about starting over after a failed marriage, Saved What's Left is a catalog of Kathleen’s gripes. While I sympathize with her situation, there is just so much grumbling that I found myself tuning it out almost altogether.

In the past, I have mentioned that I listen to audiobooks rather than reading the book due to a physical disability. In my opinion, the narrator’s performance was over-the-top, which may have negatively influenced my view of this book.

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Hello Beautiful

 

When I first heard about Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano, I thought it sounded like a book about Barbra Streisand for some odd reason. Actually, it’s a New York Times bestseller and the 100th Oprah Book Club selection. With these awesome credentials as well as endorsements from family members, I was eager to get started.

My first impression is that the narrative is very slow-paced. There isn’t much of a plot to speak of – just ordinary people living ordinary lives, experiencing ordinary problems with definitely not the best responses to these problems and the lasting effects of their poor life choices. At least, that’s what it appears to be on its surface.

As I continue reading, I can see that it’s a saga about a family, the Padavanos, their history, their dynamics and how they react in crisis situations. Almost halfway through the book emotions run high when William, who married into this family, reveals his deepest secrets to his sister-in-law, Sylvie Padavano. These are intimacies he should have shared with his wife, Julia. If William had only been honest with Julia, all three of these characters’ young lives would have been much less complicated. Likewise, Sylvie feels more herself with William than any other person.

How does William and Sylvie’s closeness effect the loving relationship between the two sisters and the rest of this tight-knit family? What will be the result of their unexpected connection? Their bond will have consequences on all the Padavanos for decades to come. This is the essence of the novel.

Hello Beautiful asks the questions how well do you know those supposedly closest to us - our family – and how or why they hurt. Are they who we want or need them to be and what happens if they are not? How well do we know anyone for that matter, even ourselves? This book is about honesty – being honest with oneself and the people around us.

Once I understood what this book was and what it wasn’t, I was better able to appreciate it. In fact, the more I read, the more invested I became in the lives of these individual family members.

To really enjoy Hello Beautiful, you have to look past its soap opera qualities to see what it’s trying to accomplish. I was able to do that for the most part. However, when I finally reach the end of this rather long book, I was happy to be through with all the drama of the Padavano Family.

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The Soulmate

 

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth was a Buzz Pick on Good Morning America back in April and the subject of my next blog post.

This story grabbed my attention from the very start. Gabe and Pippa live in a cottage on a cliff where people come to commit suicide. Gabe has been able to talk people out of taking that fatal leap until that one person, Amanda, came along who he couldn’t save. Pippa sees the interaction between Gabe and Amanda on the cliff before she falls. It seemed unusual – maybe even suspicious – but Pippa doesn’t tell the police about it.

Early in the story, Pippa describes Gabe as being “fixed”. What a curious depiction. I wonder what she means by it. Apparently, Gabe and Pippa have had some difficulties in the fairly recent past, but they are in the process of starting over when he encounters Amanda.

As part of the narrative, we hear Amanda’s voice before and after she dies. We know her thoughts, understand her feelings, learn about Amanda's life and that she didn’t come to the cliff to die. Additionally, we find out about the aftermath and the impact of her falling on her husband, Max.

The book continues by telling Gabe and Pippa’s relationship history. Gabe seems absolutely too good to be true. I’ve read too many mysteries not too wonder what Gabe’s real deal is. It is discovered that Gabe has a much darker side to him as well. Pippa, too, has had her challenges and missteps along the way. I am intrigued.

Less than halfway through the book, I get an inkling about a connection between Gabe and Amanda. I'm eager to keep reading to see if I'm right. My suspicions are quickly dashed, or are they? The more I read, the more I believe my first inclination was correct. This is why I love mysteries so much; they keep you thinking and wondering.

Nope. My instincts were wrong. I can see now that all the clues are there. While not a perfect novel – very few books are – The Soulmate kept me guessing until the very end, which is what a psychological thriller should do.

I'm thinking about reading Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano for my next blog post. It was a New York Times bestseller and the 100th Oprah Book Club selection. Not to mention, it comes highly recommended by some of my family members. If you have read this book, let me know what you thought about it.

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Rough Sleepers

 

I first heard about Rough Sleepers by Tracy Kidder on NBC’s Nightly News. It seemed like it would be a great book for this blog. So, I was excited to get started.

In Rough Sleepers, we meet Dr. James O’Connell (Dr. Jim). Educated at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Jim helped establish the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program, a.k.a. The Program, which serves the medical needs of Boston’s homeless population. The patients who are treated by The Program are known as Rough Sleepers. Additionally, The Program dispenses other essentials like food, clothing and genuine kindness to this community.

It was enlightening to read how Dr. Jim and his team care for the Rough Sleepers, the unique challenges they face and how they overcome them. Some of the stories told in this book are both shocking and heartbreakingly sad. The team members are more than medical professionals to the Rough Sleepers. In many instances, they are friends who advocate for them well beyond the medical realm. Reading about Dr. Jim’s compassion and non-judgmental affection toward the patients is gratifying. Many of them return the fondness for their unconventional doctor.

Politics, statistics, system designs, policy explanations and The Program’s administrative activities are discussed at length, and are far less engaging to read about than the human side of this organization. Maybe, it’s the beautiful springtime weather we’re enjoying where I live, but I found my mind wandering while reading about these subjects.

Yet, from this book, I gained a better understanding of who people living on the streets are, how they became homeless and the problems they – and those who serve them - face on a regular basis. They are individuals who are complicated, surprising and moving all at the same time.  For this reason, I'm glad I chose to read about Dr. Jim and the Rough Sleepers.

For my next blog post, I’d like to read a mystery or psychological thriller. I hear good things about The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth. I'm also feeling nostalgic for a Judy Blume novel since Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret has been made into a movie. Any suggestions are gladly accepted and appreciated.

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The Ones We Keep

 

Olivia Somerville seems to have a perfect life along with her husband, Harry and their three young sons. That is, until they were all vacationing in Vermont when tragedy strikes. This is how The Ones We Keep by Bobbie Jean Huff starts. Olivia reaction to the disaster is unbelievable – very uncharacteristic for the person the reader may assume Olivia is. I can't help but wonder what's really going on here. I'm curious. I search carefully for clues in the narrative. So, I want to keep reading.

What I find is a very sad saga about what happens to a family after shattering losses. It’s also about what happens when a person can't face the realities of their own life. 

To tell this story, the author uses simple language that’s full of descriptive details, particularly at the end – a dragged out ending that is extremely incomplete. However, she writes thoughtfully about the complexities of humanity in regard to self-blame, grief, mental health, abandonment and forgiveness. The Ones We Keep would be a suitable book club selection because it would engender meaningful conversations on these topics. Even though it’s not a happy tale with a less-than-perfect conclusion, that shouldn’t discourage anyone from delving into this novel. The characters, their actions and attitudes give the reader a lot to ponder, which is what a good book should do.

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The World's Strongest Librarian

 

The World's Strongest Librarian: A Memoir of Tourette's, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family is basically a collection of stories that make up Josh Hanagarde’s personal life as well as his experiences working as a librarian. Thankfully, these narrations are told with a sharp wit and plenty of insight. We learn quickly that Josh is a life-long bibliophile, which may explain why his memoir is so well written.

Much of this book is devoted to Josh having Tourette's syndrome and its impact on him physically, mentally and emotionally. Josh describes Tourette’s generally as a condition where the person moves and/or vocalizes involuntarily. These sudden occurrences are called tics. Edifyingly, Josh discusses what having Tourette’s feels like. He compares it to the urge to sneeze. The person has to let the tic out to feel any relief from the urge. I gained a better understanding of this condition by reading this memoir.

Josh’s family, the Hanagarnes, are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as The Mormon Church. Josh writes about Church doctrine and how it influenced his family. I enjoyed these parts of the book because I love learning about the teachings and practices of world religions.  Interesting enough, he credits the Church for his happy, supportive family life. Saying something positive about church or organized religion is something you don’t always hear in today’s culture. Yet, Josh admits that he is skeptical about Mormonism and struggles with his faith and prayer life.

During a particularly depressing period, Josh’s father introduced him to bodybuilding. Josh would soon realize that lifting weights made him oblivious to his tics and made him feel more in control of his life. Eventually, Josh learned that the harder he trained, the easier life was for him. That included his Tourette’s symptoms too. So, he immersed himself in this form of exercise using primarily kettlebells. In fact, one of my favorite parts of the book is Josh’s story about the time he spent with a militant weight trainer.

What I really like about The World's Strongest Librarian – other than its wonderful humor - is that it doesn’t leave you feeling too sad for too long. Sure, Josh has had his share of difficult times, but he always seems to receive clarity when he needs it. To sum it up, it’s just an interesting memoir about an interesting life that was delightful to read. I wholehearted thank the person who recommended it. It was exactly the type of book I was in the mood to read. 

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The Wish Collector

 

Maria's Book Banter is off and running in the new year and it’s wonderful to be back! I stumbled on the title The Wish Collector by Mia Sheridan while taking a break from this blog. Its description compared it to Phantom of the Opera; one of my favorites. So, I was eager to get started. As I discovered, this book has many flavors to it, making this review a bit formidable to write.

Professional dancer, Clara just moved to New Orleans to perform with the city’s ballet company. She's having a difficult time adjusting to her new surroundings when she hears the heartbreaking story of the Windisle Plantation and its Weeping Wall. Where legend has it, if a written wish is slipped through a crack in the wall, it will be granted.

Clara becomes obsessed with this haunting tale and eventually pays the Weeping Wall a visit. As she places her wish through a crack, Clara detects movement behind the wall. After investigating further, she could tell that there is someone back there and asks who it is. A male voice answers saying that his name is Jonah.

After some friendly conversation between Clara and Jonah, she learns that he lives at Windisle. Then she realizes that he had the paper that she wrote her wish on and that he probably collects all the wishes that come through that wall. That’s when Clara nicknamed Jonah the Wish Collector. They eventually make a “date” for her to come back so he could tell her about the history of the plantation. This story has gotten off to a good start. I'm happy to be on this journey with Clara and Jonah to see where it takes them.

From there, the narrative takes us back in time to 1860 to Windisle Manor, where we meet Angelina and John. Angelina is the daughter of a slave and slave owner, and John is a soldier. Their love story is the basis of the lore of Windisle Plantation, where supposedly the spirits of Angelina and John are trapped because of a curse. This romantically tragic storyline is revisited throughout the book.

Back to present day, Jonah is a broken man with a mysterious past that left him scarred physically and emotionally. He has been living as a recluse at Windisle for some time. It surprised him that he agreed to meet with Clara again. Was it out of pour loneliness? Yet, there was something about her that intrigued him. Particularly, the wish she wished for; it was something he had never seen. Her wish was to help free Angelina’s spirit by breaking the curse.

Clara would come back to the Weeping Wall time and time again. Jonah recognized sadness in Clara, but he could tell she is a pretty girl with a sweetness to her. He also saw a certain strength about her too. Talking to Clara makes him smile - something seemingly he hasn’t done in a while. 

On her end, Clara opens up to him about her life’s struggles, bringing her peace and making her a better dancer. Was he a Wish Granter as well as a Wish Collector?

From my perspective as a reader, It’s kind of nice to see these two individuals who have such a need for personal connection come together.

Finally, Jonah makes a shocking, regret-filled confession about his life. His startling admission could put him in a completely different light in Clara’s eyes. Clara has really grown to care for him and value their friendship. How would this revelation affect their unusual relationship?

If you have read this blog in the past, you know I'm not a huge fan of romance novels. The Wish Collector definitely has those amorous aspects as well as an overly dramatic ending. However, it is so much more than a simple love story. There are complex characters living complicated lives who have to make difficult choices. It’s also a beautifully written story of hope, forgiveness, generosity and taking risks too.

I will also add that I wasn’t crazy about the part where Clara is trying to break the curse. It wasn’t totally clear to me what her motivation was. Nevertheless, I can overlook this novel’s flaws somewhat because Clara and Jonah’s arc is just so lovely. I wanted to keep reading to see what happens. Would they have a happy ending that I wish for them? If you read The Wish Collector, I think you would feel the same.

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