Andrew:

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson. A digital library loan.

My Rating: *****

Even if, like me, you are kind of sick of stories about multiverses, don’t skip this amazing novel if you are a sci-fi fan. A scientist discovers a method to jump to other dimensions that are similar to our own BUT you can only do so if the version of you there is already dead. If you make a mistake and jump to a place you exist you die a painful death. This simple rule sets up a framework which delves into societal questions in interesting and unique ways. As an employer looking for multiverse travelers who can go to many of the hundreds of possible worlds you have to find people who are most likely dead in those other places – who would the most likely candidates be?

That type of question combined with intriguing characters, unexpected plot twists, and a fast paced narrative make this a must read.

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel. A digital library loan.

My Rating: ***

A short novel about time travel. Unlike A Space Between Worlds this story is brooding and contemplative in a style that I found wearisome. Every time I pick up a book by Mandel I think “this sounds great, the plot is my jam” and then I get about fifty pages in and remember that something about her narrative style is like eating an undercooked onion chutney (not my favorite) and I’d really rather not continue.

Find yourself a copy of the amazing Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman if you want a heavy dose of theoretical quandaries in a small package.

First Person Singular: Stories by Haruki Murakami. A digital purchase. 

My Rating: ****

Murakami is my favorite author, I can say that easily and without reservation. I paced my reading of this short story collection over almost the whole past year. It wasn’t my favorite collection of his but if you are a fan I’d recommend it.

I think it was held back by my own desires – I couldn’t help but think that most of the stories would have fit as side bits inside a larger novel – which is an unfair expectation. Continuing with this self examination, maybe this is why I don’t dive into short story collections more often because when I love one of them I just want more of that. It isn’t that I can’t appreciate a good short story, or that I don’t understand why an author would prefer that style sometimes, I think I am just selfish in this regard.

Michelle: 

The Reckoning by John Grisham. A lovely hard cover book gifted to me by my husband. 

My Rating: ***

I had a growing stack of unread Grishams in Medford pre-move. They got thrown into a box with other books and miscellaneous belongings from our library. When our shipment arrived in Portugal we opened up our boxes, pulled out what we wanted to use in the near future and repacked and improved the inventories for things that were getting stowed away until our next move. I couldn’t remember if I had already read The Reckoning so I kept it in the “read soonish” section in our kitchen in Olhão.

When I started reading it, I experienced foggy, blurry, generic memories, kind of like an exciting night out after a few too many drinks and some subsequent bad decisions. Had I already ready this and forgotten it, or was it just a little familiar because I had previously perused the jacket cover? Maybe I was intoxicated and dancing on tables when I read it last time? Whatever the case may be, it was not the most memorable Grisham novel I have ever read. The 400+ page novel amounted to a reveal of 1 page and I felt irritated that I was drug through hundreds of pages of narrative to get there.

This book is broken down into three sections: The Crime, The War Hero’s Past, and The Mystery Revealed (my titles, not Grisham’s). Getting through the war time section was painful and sluggish. I am sure a history buff would love it, but it just wasn’t quite what I was looking for in a crime thriller and I think an attorney would argue that it didn’t really pertain to the actual crime committed. I finally made it through and I won’t make the mistake of forgetting that I already read this again. Cheers to hoping that the next Grisham I read is better than this one.

Both: We had so much fun discussing Ishiguro novels that we read two more books together.

A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle. A digital library loan.

Andrew: My Rating: *****

This was a lovely journey, Mayle’s writing is wistful and evocative. When he described the cold winds of provincial France I found myself shivering. I would love to be able to write about experiences with a small portion of the charm expressed on every page of this book. A delightful read I would recommend to almost anyone!

Michelle: My Rating: *****

We are newbie baby expats who know a little bit about living in a new country. We still have a lot to learn and are fortunate to have time to marinate in the ups and downs of being students of the world. Peter Mayle’s book is eloquent and entertaining and would appeal even if you just want to live vicariously through someone else. I felt brainwashed by rural France and by the end of the book almost had myself convinced that we had moved to the wrong country. I wanted to be the author, even through the terrible bits because he makes it all sound so damn good. The book is a series of short stories studded with delightful descriptions of gastronomic pleasures and intriguing, quirky characters. I can see the future and more books by Mayle are definitely in it.

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix. A digital library loan.

Michelle: My Rating: *****

I love all kinds of horror films. I watch so, so many and Andrew endures through all but the goriest of them. I vividly remember my Dad’s cautionary warning of “I don’t know Chelle, this one is pretty scary” while watching Hellraiser together in the 80’s. Clive Barker did not disappoint and Dad was right, Pinhead is a character that is forever seared into my brain. This book was perfect for me and Andrew knew I would love it when he checked it out as a library loan. I read over half of it the first day. I weaned myself off of it like a drug the next day and vowed only to read a few chapters before bed. I didn’t sleep and kept reading until 7 am. I finished it after a four hour “nap” that didn’t quite make up for a night of missed sleep. If you are a 1980’s horror film super freak like me and are considering reading this book, I have my own cautionary warning: make sure you don’t have anything crucial scheduled for a day or two when you start this book.

Andrew: My Rating: ****

I knew Michelle was going to love this as soon as I was one page in. I totally understand M’s 5* rating – mine would have been higher if I was as much of a superfan. Unfortunately I know I was missing many of the references which made a large bit in the middle a bit of a slog for me. Even with that caveat, if you enjoy horror flicks and fast paced books I guarantee you’ll have some fun zooming through this killer novel.