Book Review – Orphan Train

Title- Orphan Train
Author- Christina Baker Kline
Published-  2014
Genre- Historical fiction, literary fiction
Length- 320 pages
Rating- 4.5/5
Synopsis (Amazon) – Penobscot Indian Molly Ayer is close to “aging out” out of the foster care system. A community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping Molly out of juvie and worse…

As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly learns that she and Vivian aren’t as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.

Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life—answers that will ultimately free them both.

Rich in detail and epic in scope, Orphan Train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of unexpected friendship, and of the secrets we carry that keep us from finding out who we are.

Review – I really enjoyed this book!

The main character is Vivian and her story is told both in the past, and in the present, where it intertwines with Molly’s story. For quite a bit of the book I thought there wasn’t much point to Molly, Vivian’s story could be told without her, albeit in a different way. Molly does however serve a purpose towards the end of the book! The inclusion of Molly makes this come across as a YA book, which apparently it isn’t meant to be. If it wasn’t for that I would have probably given it 5/5.

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May Reading Wrap-Up

So, I didn’t read as much in May as I have in the last few months, I only managed 5 books. I think it is because I read a classic and they usually take me longer to get through than other books for some reason. There was a reasonable genre mix in May though and even a non-fiction book which is very unusual for me!

Book Review- Bodies of Light

Title- Bodies of Light
Author- Sarah Moss
Published-  2014
Genre- Historical fiction, literary fiction
Length- 309 pages
Rating- 5/5
Synopsis (Goodreads)- Bodies of Light is a deeply poignant tale of a psychologically tumultuous nineteenth century upbringing set in the atmospheric world of Pre-Raphaelitism and the early suffrage movement. Ally, is intelligent, studious and engaged in an eternal – and losing – battle to gain her mother’s approval and affection. Her mother, Elizabeth, is a religious zealot, keener on feeding the poor and saving prostitutes than on embracing the challenges of motherhood. Even when Ally wins a scholarship and is accepted as one of the first female students to read medicine in London, it still doesn’t seem good enough.

Review- I received this from my book subscription service The Willoughby Book Club as my May book.

I loved this book, really loved it, so much in fact that I have already looked up the author on Amazon and either bought or added all of her other books to my wish list.

Book Unhaul!

So, on BookTube I love a good unhaul video! Obviously this isn’t a video but I am still doing an unhaul so I thought I would post about it. Most of my books are ebooks so it is unusual for me to have many physical books I want to get rid of but I have built up a little pile.

What am I going to do with the books you ask? Well there is a used bookshop in the hospital and a patient library so I am planning to donate the books to one of them.

My reasons for getting rid of these book vary, so I will give an explanation for each as we go along.

With this book I just couldn’t get through it. It was weird but also just not that interesting. I made it about halfway through before I gave up. Unfortunately it was quite expensive.

Book Review- Etta and Otto and Russell and James

Title- Etta and Otto and Russell and James
Author- Emma Hooper
Published- 2015
Genre- Contemporary
Length- 278 pages
Rating- 4/5

I’ve gone. I’ve never seen the water, so I’ve gone there. I will try to remember to come back.

Etta’s greatest unfulfilled wish, living in the rolling farmland of Saskatchewan, is to see the sea. And so, at the age of eighty-two she gets up very early one morning, takes a rifle, some chocolate, and her best boots, and begins walking the 2,000 miles to water.

Meanwhile her husband Otto waits patiently at home, left only with his memories. Their neighbour Russell remembers too, but differently – and he still loves Etta as much as he did more than fifty years ago, before she married Otto.

Review- I received this book as my March book from my subscription service, The Willoughby Book Club.

Whenever I get my subscription book I look at the reviews before starting it. This one had quite mixed reviews, some people seem to absolutely love it, and others hate it, claiming that it is unrealistic. It is unrealistic, incredibly unrealistic, but it is still a wonderful book. 

Book Review- Unspeakable

Title- Unspeakable
Author- Dilys Rose
Published- March 9th 2017
Genre- Historical fiction/literary fiction
Length- 288 pages
Rating- 2.75/5

Synopsis (Amazon)- Based on a true case, a young man pays the ultimate price for saying what he thinks in this masterful historical novel by a writer at the height of her powers. Edinburgh in the late 17th century is the centre of religious authoritarianism, intolerance and fear. The flames of the city’s famous Enlightenment are yet to burn. Based on the true story of Thomas Aikenhead, this is the fictional account of a 20 year-old student who was the last person in Britain to be tried and executed for blasphemy.

Review- I was sent an ARC of this book from the publisher for review, so thank you to them.

This is a difficult book to rate and for such a short book it took me a long time to get through, I very nearly gave up on it multiple times. The story is ok, nothing spectacular, but ok. The language is the main issue.

Unpopular Opinions Book Tag

So, anyone that reads my blog regularly knows I like book tags so I am doing another one! I have watched a bunch of BookTube videos on the “unpopular opinions book tag” in the last few days so thought that would be a good one to do.

I got the questions from In a bookish world but you can find them all over the place.

1. A popular book or series that you didn’t like.

This is the only middle grade book I have tried to read as an adult (unless you count HP?) and I just don’t see the appeal. It was boring. I gave up on it after 20% I think.

2. A popular book or series that every one else seems to hate but you love.

I love this series, particularly this book and Grey, I know it’s trashy, but sometimes that’s fun.