en-US Fri, 18 Sep 2026 11:25:53 -0700 60 144 41 https://www.goodreads.com/images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Review8712766439 Fri, 18 Sep 2026 11:25:53 -0700 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8712766439 Heather gave 4 stars to The Land and Its People (Hardcover) by David Sedaris
Another entertaining book of eccentric essays from Sedaris that made me laugh out loud often. He's such a strange, crude, and beautiful curmudgeon. Also, I'll never pronounce leprechaun the same. ]]> Review8670396629 Tue, 15 Sep 2026 16:38:34 -0700 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8670396629 Heather gave 4 stars to The Things We Never Say (Hardcover) by Elizabeth Strout
I admire Elizabeth Strout's ability to take uneventful plots and craft them into beautiful explorations of the human condition. Her latest protagonist is an endearing high school teacher who is struggling through life. This is a good read for those who feel like their spirit has been damaged from the current political climate - or for those who are frustrated by the lack of empathy and authenticity they encounter in their lives. It's often bleak, but it has so many relatable sentiments. It was not an exciting book, but I had the strange desire to read it again as soon as I finished. Another reviewer wrote that it's "a requiem for our dying world and a love song for those that we still love despite their complexities." ]]> Review8641332212 Wed, 09 Sep 2026 07:53:22 -0700 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8641332212 Heather gave 4 stars to Bel Canto (Paperback) by Ann Patchett
A lavish birthday party turns into a political hostage event. The standoff turns into months of captivity with a very international crowd, entertained by the singing of a beloved opera performer. It turns into a beautiful story of unlikely relationships and the appreciation of music that transcends language. I continue to love Patchett's writing style and character development. I enjoyed the first 95% and hated the last 5% of the book, haha. ]]> Review7974648311 Sun, 30 Aug 2026 09:50:04 -0700 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7974648311 Heather gave 3 stars to The Bone Clocks (Hardcover) by David Mitchell
Did not love. The supernatural component of this story was compelling, but it appeared so infrequently throughout this enormous book. Like Cloud Atlas, the story bounces between the past and present of a multitude of characters. I felt like the author told us too much about their lives that had nothing to do with the core story. I also felt like there was no explained motive regarding the involvement of Holly or her granddaughter... which made the ending dissatisfyingggg for meeee. ]]> Review8538117541 Sat, 08 Aug 2026 17:10:13 -0700 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8538117541 Heather gave 4 stars to Solito (Hardcover) by Javier Zamora
A memoir about the daunting journey that a resilient 9-year-old takes from El Salvador to migrate to the United States to be with his parents. I kept think about The Out Crowd episode of This American Life that won a Pulitzer Prize on this topic in 2020. This was a very emotional read about the extraordinary lengths families will go to for the promise of a better life. Chinga la migra. 😭 ]]> Review8148972682 Sat, 01 Aug 2026 12:01:34 -0700 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8148972682 Heather gave 5 stars to The Calamity Club (Hardcover) by Kathryn Stockett
bookshelves: favorites
This was a dramatic historical fiction novel about the desperate things folks did to get by during the Great Depression in the deep south. It's also about the grit and determination of strong resilient women! The two main characters are outspoken and extremely lovable, and I enjoyed their alternating narratives. The dialogue is both funny and heartfelt. I will say that the plot of the last third of the book is a bit outrageous / far-fetched, but I remained hooked. I wished there was one more chapter to wrap everything up with a bow. ]]> Review8146359211 Fri, 24 Jul 2026 12:46:45 -0700 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8146359211 Heather gave 5 stars to Lightbreakers (Hardcover) by Aja Gabel
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This was a beautifully written book about love, loss, science & art! There's a sci-fi element with fringe quantum physics experiments that allow the characters to visit memories from their past... and perhaps change them. Some reviewers thought the plot was anti-climactic, but I thought the book was more about the character growth and learning to look at life with new perspectives. This author has a visceral way of writing about nuanced heavy emotions that had me very immersed.

4.5 - there were a few loose ends that bothered me. I really loved the character arcs, their differing philosophies on life, and the depth of the writing. ]]> Review8250247357 Fri, 17 Jul 2026 16:28:09 -0700 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8250247357 Heather gave 4 stars to Kin (Hardcover) by Tayari Jones
A tragic book about the human desire for love, understanding, and acceptance. The book follows the paths of two lifelong friends, their grief from growing up without mothers, and the negative impacts of living in deep south during the Jim Crow era. Beautifully written, fully heartbreaking. ]]> Review7704765720 Fri, 17 Jul 2026 16:12:39 -0700 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7704765720 Heather gave 2 stars to These Precious Days: Essays (Hardcover) by Ann Patchett
These personal essays were not my favorite. I did like learning how much of her life inspired the novel, Whistler. I'm still a member of the Ann Patchett fan club, but I could have skipped this one. ]]> Review8635936373 Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:14:16 -0700 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8635936373 Heather gave 2 stars to Heartburn (Paperback) by Nora Ephron
I recently watched an interview where many authors thought Nora Ephron's writing was so funny and enjoyable, so I gave this a try. She wrote some of the beloved 90s rom-com movies like Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, etc. This was okaaay. It's a cynical comedic monologue with dated views on marriage, gender roles, class, etc. It's anti-feminist and it's all about infidelity - blehhh. ]]>