I have always wanted to be in a book club, but never have actually been in one. I think the fear of being obligated to read a book I might not be interested in has kept me from pursuing it. Or maybe it is the fact that my book reading is incredibly sporadic. I’ll go months without reading anything other than a few blogs and then suddenly crank out three books in a week. All that to say, I like the idea of a book club but maybe not the commitment. Hence, my very own blogging book club. I’ll just go ahead and read a book of my choosing when I want to and then write about it. You can then share your thoughts if so desire and we get the best of both worlds, sound good?
My latest summer reading included Where’d You Go, Bernadette: A Novel
Here’s what I LOVED about the book:
- It is set in Seattle, and we recently spent a little time out West. I always feel like I can relate so much better to a story when I feel in some small way I was a part of it or can visualize it. The author did an excellent job describing things, so even if I hadn’t just been there I think I would have still enjoyed it.
- The back and forth with letters and memos allows for several different perspectives in the story, but it never felt awkward. It gave me as the reader a chance to formulate opinions about what was happening based on hearing a little from everyone without being told what was “fact” in the story.
- The cover. I know, “don’t judge a book by its cover” but it’s just so cute. Plus, as cartoony as it is, I think it gives a good visual to the story.
- Bernadette is truly a character. She goes on these ridiculous tangents and seems like a real piece of work, yet in some strange way, she is still completely relatable. Everyone loses their way at some point or another in life and wonders how they got to this point. It can make you feel crazy, make you act out and make you feel justified in it all, even when maybe you aren’t.
- Favorite quote from the book: “People like you must create. If you don’t create…you will become a menace to society.”
What I didn’t love:
- Like most books that catch your attention, the ending never seems to be enough. I wanted more details where there seemed to be some holes in the story. I always like to have an epilogue, but that’s just personal preference. It still had some closure and was a decent ending.
- There were a couple side-plots that felt thrown in. Also, there were some side plots that probably added to the story, but the characters drove me nuts so I was annoyed to read about them. Similar to Thomas in Downton Abbey
…can’t stand the guy, but I realize he is an essential element to drive the story.
- When it ended. Cheesy, yeah, it’s true. I am secretly hoping for a sequel but not sure how the author would pull it off. I suppose there’s something to be said about writing a novel that wasn’t intended for a three-part series and four-part movie. It somehow feels a little more sincere as just one piece like this.
Concluding Thoughts:
It’s a great summer read. Quick, easy, light-hearted and fun. Yet at the same time, it’s not like you feel you wasted your time on total fluff. There is some good character development and a few good life lessons to consider. Read it and let me know what you think!
(p.s. No one told me to read this. I just wanted to. The links posted are through Amazon and if you use those links then I think I get a teenie percentage. To be honest, I picked this up at the library. If you don’t have a library card, I would strongly suggest it. That’s the biggest kind of book endorsement I could ever give: get a library card.)
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