The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thank you to Penguin Random House and BookishFirst for a copy of this book. Below is my honest opinion.

This story starts off strong as four young siblings meet a psychic who tells each of them the date of their deaths. These impressionable young people each handle the news differently. This story follows their lives and how the psychic's predictions shaped them and their relationships.

The story really begins in the 1970s as two of the siblings move across the country to San Francisco. Simon, a young gay man, finally begins to live freely. His sister Klara, always supportive of Simon, works to fulfill her dream of becoming a magician. Meanwhile, the less free-spirited Daniel and Varya struggle to understand why their younger siblings won't come home.

This book is about four people who are vastly different even though they're siblings. I liked some of the siblings better than others (Simon) but thought some of the events that happened in the lives of others (Daniel) seemed out of place. I had been anticipating this book quite a bit before starting it, and I believe I over-hyped it to myself. It was still a book to enjoy and get lost in but not one that I would read again.


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The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Anna suffers from agoraphobia. She cannot leave her house and spends much of her time peering through her windows, watching her neighbors. She has few visitors - a therapist or two will stop by - but even her husband and daughter are not with her. Anna exists in a very isolated, small world.

When new neighbors arrive Anna becomes absorbed in their lives. She watches closely and sees something horrific, something that the police don't believe, something the neighbors deny. So is it hallucinations Anna's suffering from? Is it the medication she takes? Trying to determine what is real and what isn't in this book is an adventure.

Readers shouldn't be intimidated by the 400 plus pages. This read goes quickly and is difficult to put down. Anna's agoraphobia is interesting to read about. There are lots of twists and surprises along the way. I wasn't able to predict the ending but enjoyed trying to puzzle it out.

The only thing that kept this from being a five star read was the amount of drinking done by the main character. I've seen this done in many other books recently - and then I'm left with an unreliable narrator. I need something different. It worked in this story but I just didn't want to read about an overly medicated woman again.

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The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

This story was so fascinating to me. Chris Knight walked away from his life in the early 80s as a young man. He was not seen again for over 20 years. During this time he lives alone in the remote wilderness of Maine. With no other resources he steals from a nearby quiet lake community for decades. This story roped me in.

Michael Finkel does a great job researching Knight's story. The history of many other hermits is presented to show exactly how extraordinary Knight's self-isolation really was. I thought this book was well researched and I would love to read more by this author.

The one thing that bothered me about Knight's story is hard to describe. I couldn't put this book down but I also couldn't help but think I was looking into something that the subject of the book would not want me to read. This story is an intrusion of someone who has shunned society and contact with other humans for decades. I don't know that Knight wanted his story shared with the world and so have some conflicting ideas about this book being written. It's an incredible story but it may be a story Chris Knight didn't want written in a book.

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It's All Relative: Adventures Up and Down the World’s Family Tree by A.J. Jacobs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

AJ Jacobs is always good for an entertaining read, and this latest book is no exception. If you've listened to AJ's podcast Twice Removed you'll already have an idea of what you will get in this book. (And if you haven't listened be sure to check it out. It was a short lived podcast, but kind of fun.) AJ is on a quest to show that everyone is all part of one big family.

There is a light narrative through the book in which AJ is organizing a (hopefully) record breaking family reunion. It seems like a disaster at every turn, but it's interesting to see his big plans unfold. Most of the rest of the book are a variety of genealogical stories. Who are AJ's ancestors? How does one go about researching a family tree? How exactly are we all related?

There are lots of laugh out loud moments in this book. AJ isn't afraid to share his embarrassing moments, struggles, and feuds (great and small). Lots of research has gone into this book, and it's appreciated by this reader. There are several current hot-button social issues hit upon in this book. I'm open to hearing those discussions (in moderation) but it wasn't what I was looking for in a light read about genealogy.

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Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was charmed by Lillian Boxfish. I couldn't put the book down. One of the best books I've read in a while.

Lillian begins her walk in New York at age 85 on New Year's Eve of 1984. She guides readers through the streets of New York, a city I'm not familiar with. The setting may appeal more to readers who have been to, or lived in, New York. On her walk she reflects on her life.

Lillian is sharp, witty, and brave. A memorable character. A history of New York and Lillian wrapped up in one good book.

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Sourdough by Robin Sloan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I didn't think I would like this book after reading the synopsis the first time. A lady moves to a new city, receive a sourdough starter from some mysterious brothers, and the bread she receives leads her on an unexpected, life changing adventure. I'm not a foodie and I don't enjoy magical realism too much. But all of that didn't matter. This was a book that I easily got lost in.

Before you read this book make sure you have some food nearby. I have never had so many cravings while reading a book! Lois is a character I really liked. I could relate to her. She's solitary, a little panicky, but she was a character who was pleasant to read about, a character who changed in some good ways.

The end of the book began to drag a little bit for me. This is when most of the so called magical realism kicks in. It's light but will require readers to suspend disbelief. Still, I'm looking forward to the next novel from Robin Sloan.

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When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I listened to the audio version of the sweet, young adult romance.

Dimple and Rishi are likeable characters who are both children of Indian parents. Rishi is traditional while Dimple fights hard to live her life as an American teenager. When they meet at a summer camp preceding their freshman years of college free he believes he's meeting the woman his parents have arranged for him to marry, and she has no idea about her family's plans of matrimony for her.

The story is sappy and predictable in parts but it is a nice love story with a satisfying ending. My favorite part of the story was getting to know the Indian culture a little bit better.

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