Here's a super quick review of the books I have recently finished!
American Housewives
by Helen Ellis
Meet the women of American Housewife:
they wear lipstick, pearls, and sunscreen, even when it's cloudy. A sharp, funny, delightfully unhinged collection of stories set in the dark world of domesticity, American Housewife features murderous ladies who lunch, celebrity treasure hunters, and the best bra fitter south of the Mason Dixon line.
I think it was the first story that I absolutely loved...two neighbors who share a common hallway in a condo type house and the extent each will go to create the perfect area for people coming into their shared area! I also loved "The Bra Fitter." To be honest, some of the stories I did not understand at all. (eek) I give this book 3 stars.
The Ex
by Alafair Burke
Widower
Jack Harris has resisted the dating scene ever since the shooting of
his wife Molly by a fifteen-year-old boy three years ago. An early
morning run along the Hudson River changes that when he spots a woman in
last night’s party dress, barefoot, enjoying a champagne picnic alone,
reading his favorite novel. Everything about her reminds him of what he
used to have with Molly. Eager to help Jack find love again, his best
friend posts a message on a popular website after he mentions the
encounter. Days later, that same beautiful stranger responds and invites
Jack to meet her in person at the waterfront. That’s when Jack’s world
falls apart.
Olivia Randall is one of New York City’s best
criminal defense lawyers. When she hears that her former fiancé, Jack
Harris, has been arrested for a triple homicide—and that one of the
victims was connected to his wife’s murder—there is no doubt in her mind
as to his innocence. The only question is who would go to such great
lengths to frame him—and why?
For Olivia, representing Jack is a
way to make up for past regrets, to absolve herself of guilt from a
tragic decision, a secret she has held for twenty years. But as the
evidence against him mounts, she is forced to confront her doubts. The
man she knew could not have done this. But what if she never really knew
him?
This is a good mystery, but after reading Alex, I think I might be damaged for mysteries for a bit. I actually had somewhat of an idea of who did it by the second chapter. It has a good twist, but you can somewhat see it coming. I give this book 2 1/2 stars.
Britt-Marie Was Here
by Fredrick Backman
From the bestselling author of A Man Called Ove,
a heartwarming and hilarious story of a reluctant outsider who
transforms a tiny village and a woman who finds love and second chances
in the unlikeliest of places.
Britt-Marie can’t stand mess. She
eats dinner at precisely the right time and starts her day at six in the
morning because only lunatics wake up later than that. And she is not
passive-aggressive. Not in the least. It's just that sometimes people
interpret her helpful suggestions as criticisms, which is certainly not
her intention.
But at sixty-three, Britt-Marie has had enough.
She finally walks out on her loveless forty-year marriage and finds a
job in the only place she can: Borg, a small, derelict town devastated
by the financial crisis. For the fastidious Britt-Marie, this new world
of noisy children, muddy floors, and a roommate who is a rat
(literally), is a hard adjustment.
As for the citizens of Borg,
with everything that they know crumbling around them, the only thing
that they have left to hold onto is something Britt-Marie absolutely
loathes: their love of soccer. When the village’s youth team becomes
desperate for a coach, they set their sights on her. She’s the least
likely candidate, but their need is obvious and there is no one else to
do it.
Thus begins a beautiful and unlikely partnership. In her
new role as reluctant mentor to these lost young boys and girls,
Britt-Marie soon finds herself becoming increasingly vital to the
community. And even more surprisingly, she is the object of romantic
desire for a friendly and handsome local policeman named Sven. In this
world of oddballs and misfits, can Britt-Marie finally find a place
where she belongs?
Zany and full-of-heart, Britt-Marie Was Here
is a novel about love and second chances, and about the unexpected
friendships we make that teach us who we really are and the things we
are capable of doing.
I so loved A Man Called Ove, that I had pretty high expectations for this book. It was good and I really enjoyed Britt Marie, who made me laugh out loud. There are some parts that are predictable, but the story is sweet. I give this book 3 stars.
