Review: The Versions of Us

The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3 out of 5 stars - It was ok

I read this for the PopSugar 2022 Reading Challenge.

 

Book Summary:

The Versions of Us is a story about Eva and Jim… and David. The book follows three different storylines from the 1960s until 2014. It’s the question of what would happen if Eva and Jim met on a fateful day, and whether they stayed together or separated shortly after. Version One has Jim and Eva meeting, staying together, and marrying. Version Two has Eva and Jim never meeting, so Eva marries David. Version Three has Eva and Jim meeting, but she leaves him shortly after to go back with David and get married.

Review:

This book was a more complicated version of the movie Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow. I had a lot of trouble keeping track of the three different storylines. I think it might have worked better for me if they’d been in three different fonts or some other way to easily discern which storyline we were in. I eventually resorted to a three-column spreadsheet to track the three stories. By the time I hit about 70%, I no longer needed it but it was helpful in the first half. Another thing that made it complicated to follow was the large jumps in time between story snippets/chapters.


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Review: The Charmed List

The Charmed List by Julie Abe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 out of 5 stars - I'll tell you to read it, if you ask me

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for this free advance copy. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Book Summary:

The Charmed List is about Ellie Kobata and the “Anti-Wallflower List” she has created to help get herself out of her shell and out into the world before senior year. The problem is that Ellie can’t really be 100% authentic in front of most people, including her best friend Lia, because she is a member of a secret magical community.

One person who had always been a friend and confidant about the magic world was her neighbor Jack Yasuda. She’s not sure why, but Jack started snubbing and ignoring her several years ago. Now he’s more like an enemy than a friend. This is why #4 on her list is “Revenge on Jack Yasuda”. When things go terribly wrong, she’s convinced her entire summer is cursed. The punishment for the outcome of the revenge is a change to her entire summer plans. Rather than driving down the coast of California with Lia to a magical convention (that Lia knew nothing about), she’s now being forced to go with Jack instead. Throughout the road trip, things between Jack and Ellie slowly start to thaw…

Review:

This was a fun, light hearted story that makes you stop and think during several parts.

While I wasn’t a complete wallflower in high school, I regularly felt like I was a “hanger on” rather than the center of things with my friends. At this point in my life I found Ellie’s list to be amazing and brave. In high school I would have been terrified to put words to some of those, let alone actually try to follow through on them. Having the added burden of the secret of the magical world hanging on her shoulders makes Ellie’s list that much more brave, as the chance of accidental exposure is always present.

Another part of the story line that made me stop and think about relationships in my life, was the reasoning behind Jack’s change in attitude. Without giving anything away, some of the reasoning becomes more clear as Ellie and Jack spend the days preparing, driving, and working at the magical convention. You never know what another person or family may be dealing with, especially if they’re too proud or ashamed to ask for help from friends.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will be looking for other books by this author.

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Review: Wild Irish Rose

Wild Irish Rose by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 out of 5 stars - I'll tell you to read it, if you ask me

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for this advanced copy. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Book Summary:

New York, 1907: Now that she’s no longer a private detective—at least not officially—Molly Murphy Sullivan is looking forward to a time of settled tranquility with friends and family. Back in New York, where her own story began, Molly decides to accompany some friends to Ellis Island to help distribute clothing to those in need. This journey quickly stirs up memories for Molly. When you’re far from home and see people from your country, every face looks like a family member.

That evening Molly’s policeman husband, Daniel, is late returning home. He comes with a tale to tell: there was a murder on Ellis Island that day, and the main suspect is the spitting image of Molly. The circumstances are eerily similar to when Molly herself arrived on Ellis Island, and she can’t help but feel a sense of fate. Molly was meant to be there that day so that she can clear this woman’s name.

Review:

Although I have read many books by Rhys Bowen, this was the first book in the Molly Murphy series that I have read. Considering this was book #18, the authors did a very good job of making sure I didn’t have to read the other books first. Previous stories and adventures were mentioned and slightly explained, but they didn’t appear to have much impact on the current book. I was able to follow the current story and characters without any issue.

While the story took several twists and turns along the way (including a murder, jewel thief, and con-man) it kept me guessing where the final story would end. While I was quickly able to figure out who not to trust, I had no idea how it would end until it was all revealed and tied up with a nice little bow.

I do now plan to go back and read all the other books in the series, as I really liked the characters.

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Review: Lessons in Chemistry

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 out of 5 stars - I’ll tell you to read it, even if you don’t ask me.

Book Summary:

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results.

But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.

Review:

I really enjoyed reading the story of Elizabeth Zott. Even in today’s world, I can relate to those who don’t seem to understand that women can be more than housewives, secretaries, or sex objects. I loved the random sections that are from the perspective of the dog, Six Thirty, who learns right along-side Mad, Elizabeth’s daughter. It was interesting to think of a cooking show being presented from a scientific perspective, but once started I loved it. I was glad that I was reading on a Kindle though, as it allowed me to look up the scientific names while reading to understand. For instance, I knew that sodium chloride is salt, but there were others that were foreign to me. Elizabeth Zott is someone who did not fit the female stereotype of a woman in the 1960s, but she was a strong independent woman. She had no interest in marriage (but cohabitation was ok), enjoyed rowing (a sport that wasn’t common for women), and her love of science made her different from most. All this made me love her even more. I am not a rower, but I know some who are. I also know that I love competitive sports and the expansion of regular availability to women (for instance, women’s college wrestling!).

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