Book Review: "Leave the World Behind" by Rumaan Alam

There always seem to be books that get a tremendous amount of hype and critical buzz (and sometimes win major awards), yet when I read them I'm left scratching my head at what I might have missed. How could something appeal to so many and bypass me entirely?

Rumaan Alam's new novel, Leave the World Behind, is the latest to add to that list. It's a National Book Award nominee and it has been praised by numerous publications and critics. I have seen mixed reviews among friends of mine on Bookstagram, so I guess I'm not entirely surprised where I wound up on this book, but I'm still a bit perplexed, puzzled, and even a little frustrated at what the book was about.

Sigh.

Clay and Amanda are planning a vacation just before the end of the summer with their two teenage children, Archie and Rose. They've found a rental house on Airbnb, in a remote part of Long Island, and they look forward to getting away from their lives in New York City. The house seems perfect—it has a pool and a hot tub, and isn't too far from the beach. And when they arrive, it's even better than advertised—the house is well-appointed and the owners seem to have thought of everything.

They start to settle in and enjoy the vacation. Even though the house has wifi, they can't seem to get much of a signal on their phones, but even that doesn't stress them out that much. And then, one night, after the kids have gone to sleep, there is a knock at the door. It completely startles Amanda and Clay. Who could be knocking on the door of this house in the middle of nowhere late at night?

It turns out it's G.H. and Ruth, an elderly couple who happen to own the house they're renting. They're somewhat frantic, especially Ruth, and they bring news of a blackout that has affected New York City. They don't know what caused it, but the city was in such chaos, their first thought was escaping to their second home.

At first, Amanda and Clay are a bit put out. Are these two really who they say they are? What do they expect them to do, as they paid for an entire week? But with the wifi and phones down, no one really knows what is happening in the world. Was it just a blackout in New York City, or is it nationwide? Was this caused by terrorism, natural disaster, something extraterrestrial? Are they safe staying where they are?

The uncertainty starts to get to all of them, and they discover some comfort in togetherness. But as random incidents occur, they grow more worried. What is happening? Are they in danger?

Alam teases out the tension little by little and I had no idea what was going to happen. In the end, however, I still don't have any idea. I'm really not a big fan of ambiguous endings, and that's what I was left with. There was a point when things started to get really bizarre and I just don't know what it all meant.

There's no doubt that Alam is tremendously talented, and I know there are some who loved this book, so I'd encourage you to use your own judgment in deciding whether or not to read Leave the World Behind. It's not quite a thriller or a mystery, but there certainly are mysterious elements.

Book Review: "Confessions on the 7:45" by Lisa Unger

Lisa Unger's Confessions on the 7:45 made me feel vindicated for not engaging people in conversation on public transportation. (I don't know about you, but I'm not one of those people who makes fast friends with people they sit next to on planes or trains. I just want to get where I'm going and read as much as possible, lol.)

What a crazy read this was!

Selena's had a hard day at work. But it's not the job that's the problem—she had been suspecting that her unemployed husband has been sleeping with the nanny, and thanks to a repositioned nanny cam, she gets more evidence that she was right. Although she feels betrayed, she doesn't know what to do. The nanny is good with their kids, and she actually still loves her husband, even though she also hates him.

After missing her usual train home, she takes the next one, only to have it stall on the tracks. The woman seated next to her introduces herself as Martha and they strike up a conversation, during which Martha confesses to having an affair with her married boss. She knows it's wrong and she wishes she could stop, but she's worried what it might mean for her job. In return, Selena mentions that she suspects her husband of sleeping with the nanny. They speak for a few minutes more and then the train starts moving again.

While later she seems embarrassed that she overshared with a complete stranger, she tries to put the conversation behind her. And then a few days later, the nanny disappears. Suddenly she and her husband are pulled into an investigation, and she starts to wonder just who Martha really was. And that's not even the half of it!

Confessions on the 7:45 is definitely one of those books that works better the less you know, so that's all I'm going to say about the plot. The plot of the book is full of twists and turns; some work remarkably well and some don't, but I couldn't put this down. There were times where I was utterly mesmerized and times that I shook my head.

This is the first of Unger's books I've read and it definitely won't be the last. Even though thrillers and I don't always get along, this definitely was a wild one.

Park Row Books and NetGalley gave me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!

Book Review: "Magic Lessons" by Alice Hoffman

Magic Lessons is a well-told, moving story of love, family, and witchcraft.

Alice Hoffman returns with the prequel to The Rules of Magic and Practical Magic, and the story of the Owens family. In this book, which starts in the mid-1600s, a baby girl, Maria, is found abandoned in a snowy field in rural England. She is taken in by Hannah Owens, a kind woman who once had been jailed for being a witch.

Hannah recognizes that Maria has a gift, and teaches her “the Nameless Art.” But as Maria grows under Hannah’s tutelage and watches her work with the women who come to her secretly for help, Maria learns that most of their problems have something to do with love, and she vows never to fall in love herself.

But even witches are powerless in the face of love, and it’s not long before she follows the man who betrayed her to Salem, Massachusetts. And while she tries to keep a low profile and help women like her adoptive mother did, ultimately she runs afoul of the fear and jealousy that ruled Salem in those horrible days.

"But even a witch can possess a woman's flaws, and a woman's desires. Maria thought she knew what was to com, but she was wrong. Anyone can fall in love, despite vows to the contrary. Any woman can make a mistake, especially when she is young, and sees the wrong man through a haze so that he appears to be something he's not."

This is a story of two generations of women, both who bore the scars of love gone wrong, yet in different manifestations. It’s a story about fighting your fears and letting yourself believe in the power of love even when you’ve seen it be destructive. But it’s also a powerful story about the fierce love of a mother.

I really love the way Hoffman writes and I have loved the earlier books in this series. While I enjoyed the emotions and the pain and the beauty of this story, because the book took place at such an historic time, there was a lot more background detail shared here, which I felt bogged things down a bit. But I’m not a fan of historical fiction so others might not be bothered by this.

You certainly could read this one first if you’ve not read the other books, but do yourself a favor—read those, too. Like so many of Hoffman's books, they’re just gorgeous and they’ll grab your heart.

Book Review: "In a Holidaze" by Christina Lauren

Christina Lauren's newest book, In a Holidaze, is like someone said, "Let's take the movie Groundhog Day, but make it Christmasy."

Every year, old friends and their families gather at a cabin in Utah over Christmas. It’s a tradition that has endured for a number of years, through divorces and childbirths, and now some of the children are actual adults. But the tradition is coming to an end after this year, and while the friends promise to recreate it somewhere else, everyone knows things will be different.

No one is sadder than Maelyn. She’s having a tough time right now—she hates her job, she’s moved back in with her parents, and the night before they leave Utah she makes a colossal error in judgment. And gets caught by the one person she was trying to hide it from. As her family drives away from the cabin, she thinks, “Please, show me what will make me happy.”

The next thing she knows, there’s the sound of screeching tires, breaking glass, and...she wakes up on the plane to Utah days earlier. She can’t figure out why she’s suddenly forced to keep repeating her time in Utah until she realizes she has to fight for the things—and the person—that make her happy.

This was definitely a cute book with a fun concept that has become more common in fiction lately. I love the fun sense of romance that Christina Lauren brings to their books, as well as the emotions that occur when the path to romance doesn’t go smoothly. (And does it ever?)

I thought In a Holidaze was a quick, enjoyable read. Having read a number of books where characters find themselves in different lives this year, I’m a little weary of the time it takes for them to get accustomed to where they are—the shock, the reacclimation, etc.—and that happened here, too.

In the end, though, I still felt all warm and fuzzy and got choked up, so that’s all I need from a rom-com! If you've never read a Christina Lauren book, they have so many great ones to choose from. My favorites include Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating, Love and Other Words, My Favorite Half-Night Stand, and Autoboyography.

Book Review: "Furia" by Yamile Saied Méndez

Yamile Saied Méndez’s new YA novel, Furia, is a powerful, poignant story about standing up for yourself and going for your dreams, no matter what others say.

Camila dreams of being a fútbol star but she lives in the shadow of her less-talented brother, who plays for a local team. When she plays, her teammates call her La Furia (The Fury), as she weaves her way back and forth across the field, scoring goals and bewildering their opponents.

When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, she hopes that this may be the chance to realize her dreams. But she knows her abusive father and her overprotective mother will never let a girl play fútbol.

Meanwhile, the boy she has always been in love with, Diego, has returned to town. He’s now an international fútbol star, which causes Camila’s father a great deal of jealousy and anger, since he wants those dreams for his son rather than Diego. Diego wants another chance with Camila, and wants to take her out of this abusive life so she can accompany him around the world.

But as much as she may love Diego, is that the life she wants? Or does she want the chance to see La Furia go as far as she can, maybe realize her dreams? Whatever path she chooses will require revealing her secrets, and she’ll need the courage and strength to fight for herself and prove that girls deserve every right that boys do.

This is a moving story, and I loved Camila’s character so much. You get to watch her come into her own and deal with the obstacles thrown in her way by her family and friends. She's a tremendously positive role model for young women.

There is some physical and verbal abuse in here, and the story also takes place against a backdrop of young girls getting abducted and murdered in Argentina, but ultimately the book isn’t a downer.

If you like strong female characters, check out Furia!

Book Review: "28 Summers" by Elin Hilderbrand

Oh, okay. So that's what all of the hype is about.

I just read 28 Summers, my first book by the amazingly popular Elin Hilderbrand, and almost immediately fell in love with it. I'm ready to read all of her books now!

Mallory Blessing is about to die from cancer, so she asks her son Link to call the number written on a piece of paper in her desk drawer. He can't believe who answers: Jake McCloud, who may very well become America's first First Gentleman, as his wife, Senator Ursula de Gournsey, is running for president. Link has no idea how Jake and his mother know each other, but Jake asks Link to tell Mallory to hang on, because he's on his way.

The story flashes back to the summer of 1993. Mallory has just inherited her aunt's cottage on Nantucket, so she agrees to host her brother's bachelor party over Labor Day weekend. She's excited that one of his best friends from college, Jake McCloud, is coming, because while she's never met him, she has a serious crush on him from some of the phone conversations they've had. When he arrives, their connection is immediate and the chemistry between them is intense. But he lives in Washington, DC, and has been dating his girlfriend on and off again since they were teenagers. How could anything ever work between them for real?

They make a pact that they'll get together every Labor Day weekend, regardless of their relationship status or whatever is going on in their lives. They don't keep in touch otherwise but they're always in each other's thoughts. Can the rest of their lives move on regardless of this arrangement? What does that mean for the presence of others, the possibility of other relationships, or future plans?

28 Summers was inspired by the classic movie Same Time, Next Year, and it's a powerful testament to love, friendship, family, parenthood, and the magic of romance. I wanted to shake the characters sometimes, but I just loved this story so much. It made me laugh, it made me hungry (they're always eating, it seemed), it made me long to visit Nantucket, and, of course, it made me cry.

I love the way Hilderbrand writes. Her storytelling is just so engaging, so warmhearted, and I found myself rooting for these characters. This book was exactly what I needed, and I read it in just a few hours. Can't wait to pick up another of her books!

Book Review: "Lake Life" by David James Poissant

I don't know what it is, but while I often grow weary of certain genres and need to take a break every now and again, for some reason I can't seem to get my fill of stories of family dysfunction and dynamics. The drama, the recriminations, the despair, the revisiting old wounds and long-hidden secrets, even the hopefulness that emerges—all of this appeals to me. (I guess this is why I've always loved soap operas!)

This explains why I was so excited to read David James Poissant's new novel, Lake Life. (I absolutely loved his debut story collection, The Heaven of Animals, when I read it in 2014.)

"How fiercely we defend those we love, even to the annihilation of ourselves."

For years, every summer the Starling family spends some time at their lake house in North Carolina. They come from different places: parents Richard and Lisa travel from Ithaca, NY, where both have worked at Cornell University; older son Michael and his wife Diane, an elementary school teacher, travel from Texas; and younger son Thad and his famous artist boyfriend Jake come from New York City. None are quite in the right mindset for this vacation, but no one wants to abandon the tradition.

But this year will be the last year. Richard and Lisa plan to sell the house, which is falling apart, and move to Florida once Lisa's retirement is final. (Richard retired last year.) This comes as a shock to Michael and Thad, neither of whom can believe their parents would sell the house without telling them. Is there something else they're hiding?

While Richard and Lisa pictured this last summer being the beautiful farewell to all of their memories, that couldn't be further from reality. The first day they're all together, they witness an incident that rocks them, one which puts a pall over the whole vacation and reignites a hurt for two of them. Not only that, but each couple is struggling, both as a unit and individually, and as so often is the case, they are struggling silently, rather than confronting the issue head-on.

In a matter of a few days, the Starlings will deal with infidelity, unwanted pregnancy, addiction, alcoholism, financial woes, trust issues, and the discovery of a secret the parents have kept from their sons since they were children. Will these crises, these challenges tear at the already-fraying bonds between them or will it help bring them closer together?

This is a familiar story, but Poissant is such a skilled storyteller that even as the plot unfolds as I expected in some cases, it's still a story I couldn't tear myself away from. These characters aren't always sympathetic but their flaws make them even more human and relatable—heck, there's even the dinner table argument about the 2016 election more than a few families have had.

Lake Life is thought-provoking and poignant, and it may even make you feel better about your own family. But if you're also a fan of a little familial melodrama, this is a book you might enjoy.