January Reading

The end of 2019 was something I was glad to see. Twenty nineteen didn’t do us any favors. There was a lot of loss for us last year. I felt like I was able to breathe better after it was gone.

We also moved toward the end of last year or technically, we’re still moving. We’d lived in the same place for ten years. It was bittersweet.. I’d loved our old house with it’s big back yard, tall pecan trees, and inviting porch. Where we live now is very nice. You won’t hear me complain. It’s a better house, has a beautiful view of a lake beyond our backyard, and has a nice smaller yard for easier upkeep. I’ll blog more on that later.

My reading life and blog have taken a backseat to the move, holidays, illness, and just about anything else that decided to become an obstacle. I’ve been feeling really stressed and out of sorts. I opened my email the other day to find that I had credit on Audible. My heart gave a little leap. Reading. That’s what I need. I need words and their soothing simplicity.

Sometimes a book about someone with a really messed up life can remind you that yours isn’t so bad. That’s why I used my Audible credit for The Wives by Tarryn Fisher. I saw that it was being compared to works by Gillian Flynn and Liane Moriarty. Tarryn is also good friends with Colleen Hoover. That’s a bonus.

I previously read Tarryn’s book Mud Vein, and while I liked it. I didn’t like it as much as I liked The Wives.

 

At first, I wasn’t sure I would like it. Then things got real sideways real fast. The pace of the book is nice. It throws you right into the fray. While there is a build, it’s not a slow build. The main character is not like one I’ve experienced before. The book is written from her perspective and is an intense walk through her mind. I give it four stars.

I also noticed that Tarryn Fisher’s book, Marrow, was only $3.99 on Kindle. I’m not one to shy away from a deal, and I’ve read two of her books and liked them both.

I’m not yet half way through this one. So far, the book is very gritty and real. It’s set in an underbelly of a place where a girl named Margo lives. The story is from her perspective and describes her neighbors and friends. So far, I’m enjoying, but if I’ve learned anything from reading Tarryn Fisher’s books, there’s likely to be a gut wrenching twist in future pages.

Lastly, I began listening to When We Believed in Mermaids by Barbara O’Neal this morning. I’ve heard good things. Once I’m deeper into the story, I’ll update.

Now that life is getting back into it’s regular rhythm, I’m hoping to get back to my reading, writing, and sanity.

The Storyteller’s Secret

No spoilers. Read on.

I love stories. That was my favorite part of playing pretend as a child. Creating an entirely different life for myself in a different place was wonderful. I still play pretend in my mind while reading.

For most of this book, the setting is India. I was transported there as I listened to the audio book. In my mind, I was there for the Holi festival with the smells of spicy food and children’s laughter coloring the air. I felt the emotions of the characters.

The story is sad and lovely. It is emotional and left me holding my breath on several occasions. Although there is some romance, the majority of the story is about life, it’s struggles, the precious moments, and how unfair it can be.

The story begins with Jaya, a writer, who goes to India to “find herself” and explore her heritage. She finds Ravi. He was a servant to her grandmother. He tells her the story of Amisha, her grandmother. Amisha lives both upholding India’s traditions as well as pushing against them. As she goes through life and wades through all it’s seasons, she lives, loves, fails, and perseveres.

The story that Ravi tells Jaya is the best kind of story: one that has love, trial, and triumph. This story will be with me for a while.

I hope to read more by this author. Her writing is very descriptive and makes you feel what she is trying to convey. It has been some time since a story has captivated me in the way that this one did.

Some of my favorite quotes:

“My power became dependent on the height of my achievements.”

“When we reach, we always chance a fall.”

“But laws are slow to change what is in people’s hearts.”

 

 

Spoilers ahead.

 

 

 

 

I identified with the two women in this book in different ways.

Jaya stuggled with infertility. After three miscarriages, she needed to figure out who she was outside of being a mother. She went to India for her mother, to see her childhood home in hopes that it would explain her mother’s reserved nature and sometimes odd behavior. In finding out the truths of her mother’s life, I think it helped to heal Jaya. She explored destiny versus decision.

Amisha was a weaver of words. She invented a different life for herself in her imagination and spun stories to teach and entertain. She spoke to my heart and reminded me what a good character can be. She made the best of a not so great life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it.