A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (audio)

★★★★

"People said Ove saw the world in black and white.  But she was color.  All the color he had."

A charming story about a man called Ove after he loses his wife to cancer.  I loved Ove's unique character and his simple view on the world  I enjoyed seeing how he developed over the course of the story, especially his friendship with his neighbors and relationship with his wife.  This novel was full of heart and humor and I loved all of the quirky scenes and people that came in and out of Ove's life and we learn about his past.  I had some issues with the general premise, but it was generally an enjoyable book.

Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson

★★★ 1/2

"The readers are in love with shipwrecks and terrible disasters.  And they make it sound very tragic...but also...wonderful.  I don't know how they do it."

This novel tells the story of Anne Shirley before we meet her in the Anne of Green Gables books.  I grew up reading the first books and some others and loved the character of Anne!!  It was interesting to think about what Anne's life might have been like - as it wasn't really discussed in great detail in the original books.  It was filled with tragic circumstances, but had a lot of hope as well.  I read the first novel to my almost two-year-old daughter when she was a few months old and plan to read the other books in the series someday.

The After Party by Anton DiSclafani

★★★★

"In the end, the details weren't about beauty or status.  They never had been, for me.  They were about feeling at home in the world.  And Joan hated these details."

A wonderful story about friendship between two women and the challenges they face living very different lifestyles in the 1950s.  I really enjoyed the setting and historical aspects of the story - even though I didn't always like that characters, but they were well-written and interesting.

Sharp Object by Gillian Flynn (audio)

★★★★

"The face you give the world tells the world how to treat you."

Another quick-paced and suspenseful novel from Gillian Flynn.  Filled with interest twists and one dark story after another, this story explores shocking family relationships and flawed characters.

Three Sisters, Three Queen by Philippa Gregory

★★★★

Another entertaining historical fiction novel from Philippa Gregory - I don't think I've missed a single one of her books since I started reading them several years ago.  I'll admit, many of them have started blending together, but I still enjoy them.  This novel tells the stories of three different queens: Katherine of Aragon, Mary Tutor, Queen of France, and  Margaret Tutor.  Gregory has touched on these women in various degrees in her previous novels, but this gave a new perspective of no only their individual lives, but the connects that they had with one another.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two by J. K. Rowling

★★★★

"Those we love never truly leave us, Harry.  There are things that death cannot touch."

After growing up with Harry Potter and reading the novels more time that I'd like to admit, I had mixed feelings about a "new" Harry Potter book coming out after all these years.  While it wasn't the same as reading the original books, I did enjoy this one.  I think the aspect that I missed the most was the descriptive characters and magical world that J. K. Rowling created.  This was a screen play and a different format entirely, and I felt like some of the magic that I have grown to love from the books didn't come across.  It was really interesting to see Harry and his friends grown up and having children of their own and I loved the scenes from the original books that were revisited.  And, of course, I would love to see this brought to live on stage!!

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge (audio)

★★★★

"They said that love was terrifying and tender, wild and sweet, and none of it made any sense.  But now I knew that every mad word was true."

This was a unique combination of mythology and a retelling of the classic fairytale, Beauty and the Beast.  I have read several "retellings" over the past year or so and this one was one of the best that I have read in awhile.  It was filled with so many unique and unexpected aspects and had me hooked from the very beginning.  I loved the description of both the characters and the world that the author created.  I'm still not sure how I felt about the ending, but I very much enjoyed the book none the less.