Comments on: 2021 Underrated Gems

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 22:46:04 +0000

In reply to Adrienne. That sounds so good! We went to a place like that in Canada when we were really little. More rustic- cabins etc. But it was so much fun.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 22:44:51 +0000

In reply to Susan. I could see it being tough on audio, but let me know what you think if you try the print. I need to read Maud Dixon- adding to TBR now.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 22:43:45 +0000

In reply to Kristin.

I had Braiding from the library but it was a 2 week checkout and I couldn’t get to it in time. I’ve heard it’s marvelous.

I tried Homegoing but gave up. I feel as if I need to give it another go. Concentration is a real issue these days.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 22:42:15 +0000

In reply to Susan M.. Thank you so much! I completely agree- the UK and Canadian covers are often better than the U.S. I wonder why?

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 22:41:03 +0000

In reply to Linda S.. I thought Fresh Water was interesting as well. I haven't heard of the Seligman novel but just looked it up on Goodreads and am adding it to my TBR. Thank you!

By: Adrienne

Adrienne — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 17:08:15 +0000

What a good list! Songbirds is on my TBR for next year.

I really enjoyed Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland. The story revolves around two multi-generation families who have a reunion to decide the plight of The Golden Hotel in the Catskills Mountains. The hotel is like the one featured in Dirty Dancing, but has lost its popularity through the years. They need to decide whether to spend money for renovations or sell. Lots of humor and family drama in this one. It really was a great summer read. I don’t know why it didn’t get more attention.

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 23:19:34 +0000

I have not read these though I started Fight Night on audio … and put it down. I think I’d like to re-try it in print. I’m still interested to read the Startup Wife. I guess I thought Who is Maud Dixon … was good crazy fun this year … and a Canadian novel called Petra should have had more readers …. as well as A Calling for Charlie Barnes ….

By: Kristin

Kristin — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 17:49:56 +0000

Essentially all of my 5* books this year are definitely on everyone’s radar, apparently for good reason:
Braiding Sweetgrass
Girl, Woman, Other
The One Hundred Years of Leni and Margot
Homegoing
The Nickel Boys
Zikora

Some older ones that I read this year are also 5*:
The Year of Magical Thinking
Watership Down
Being Mortal

By: Susan M.

Susan M. — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 12:55:51 +0000

Hi Catherine! What informative and beautifully written reviews. Some of these books weren’t on my TBR, until now. You’ve especially made me reconsider Fight Night, and I agree about the US cover; the UK/Canadian cover is much more enticing and palatable.

By: Linda S.

Linda S. — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 12:06:35 +0000

Here are a few books that I read this year that I think deserve more attention and are all solid 4 star books for me: “Fresh Water for Flowers” by Valerie Perrin, “The Night Always Comes” by Willy Vlautin, “Moringside Heights” by Joshua Henkin, and “At the Edge of the Haight” by Katherine Seligman.