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Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide. Her life story is told in the documentary film And Still I Rise, as seen on PBS’s American Masters.
Here is a book as joyous and painful, as mysterious and memorable, as childhood itself. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings captures the longing of lonely children, the brute insult of bigotry, and the wonder of words that can make the world right. Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide.
Sent by their mother to live with their devout, self-sufficient grandmother in a small Southern town, Maya and her brother, Bailey, endure the ache of abandonment and the prejudice of the local “powhitetrash.” At eight years old and back at her mother’s side in St. Louis, Maya is attacked by a man many times her age—and has to live with the consequences for a lifetime. Years later, in San Francisco, Maya learns that love for herself, the kindness of others, her own strong spirit, and the ideas of great authors (“I met and fell in love with William Shakespeare”) will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned.
Poetic and powerful, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings will touch hearts and change minds for as long as people read.
This has been on my TBR forever and it was available on audio, so I decided to finally read it.
The Quotes
“Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.”
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
“Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with shades of deeper meaning.”
“Without willing it, I had gone from being ignorant of being ignorant to being aware of being aware. And the worst part of my awareness was that I didn’t know what I was aware of. I knew I knew very little, but I was certain that the things I had yet to learn wouldn’t be taught to me at George Washington High School. ”
“Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.”
The Narrator(s)
Read by the author herself. I always love it when the author narrates, because you can hear the inflections and emphasis in the places they meant them. She also sings the verses, and they were beautiful to hear.
My Thoughts
This is one of those books that come highly recommended and that you hear referenced all the time. I’ve been meaning to read it for a long time because of hearing so much about it, but I had no idea what I was in for. I’d expected it to be deep and meaningful just from all the references about it, and having an idea of what life must have been like for a black woman in those days, but I have a long way to go for learning and understanding it.
My Feels
I don’t know how Maya Angelou managed to write about her painful and defining moments in such a beautiful and lyrical way. I have no words to describe the feelings, but there were parts I had to stop and just take time to process. This is such a powerful book.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
A masterful true crime account of the Golden State Killer—the elusive serial rapist turned murderer who terrorized California for over a decade—from Michelle McNamara, the gifted journalist who died tragically while investigating the case.
“You’ll be silent forever, and I’ll be gone in the dark.”
For more than ten years, a mysterious and violent predator committed fifty sexual assaults in Northern California before moving south, where he perpetrated ten sadistic murders. Then he disappeared, eluding capture by multiple police forces and some of the best detectives in the area.
Three decades later, Michelle McNamara, a true crime journalist who created the popular website TrueCrimeDiary.com, was determined to find the violent psychopath she called “the Golden State Killer.” Michelle pored over police reports, interviewed victims, and embedded herself in the online communities that were as obsessed with the case as she was.
At the time of the crimes, the Golden State Killer was between the ages of eighteen and thirty, Caucasian, and athletic—capable of vaulting tall fences. He always wore a mask. After choosing a victim—he favored suburban couples—he often entered their home when no one was there, studying family pictures, mastering the layout. He attacked while they slept, using a flashlight to awaken and blind them. Though they could not recognize him, his victims recalled his voice: a guttural whisper through clenched teeth, abrupt and threatening.
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark—the masterpiece McNamara was writing at the time of her sudden death—offers an atmospheric snapshot of a moment in American history and a chilling account of a criminal mastermind and the wreckage he left behind. It is also a portrait of a woman’s obsession and her unflagging pursuit of the truth. Framed by an introduction by Gillian Flynn and an afterword by her husband, Patton Oswalt, the book was completed by Michelle’s lead researcher and a close colleague. Utterly original and compelling, it is destined to become a true crime classic—and may at last unmask the Golden State Killer.
This has been on my TBR for years but I kept putting it off because my mental health hadn’t been the best for the last few years and the subject matter of this book certainly wouldn’t help. I’ve been feeling much better recently and I thought I should finally get this read.
The Quotes
“I love reading true crime, but I’ve always been aware of the fact that, as a reader, I am actively choosing to be a consumer of someone else’s tragedy. So like any responsible consumer, I try to be careful in the choices I make. I read only the best: writers who are dogged, insightful, and humane.”
“He loses his power when we know his face.”
“What is the lasting damage when you believe the warm spot you were just sleeping in will be your grave?”
“I don’t care if I’m the one who captures him. I just want bracelets on his wrists and a cell door slamming behind him.”
The Narrator(s)
Gabra Zackman, with an introduction by Gillian Flynn, and an afterword by Patton Oswalt. It was very well-done.
My Thoughts
There was so much to process here. I loved how it was written and organized, and I love the biographical nature of the author writing down her thoughts about the case and including personal information and why it’s important to her. I care about the case because she cares about the case, and I think it’s important to have just as much highlight on the people who put the work into solving the case, as it is on the victims and perpetrators. There are so many crimes that go unsolved because sometimes people just don’t care enough, and perhaps it’s not always healthy for any one person to care too much, but I still respect that they do care.
I have seen some discussions online about how the author didn’t contribute to solving the case and didn’t even have the killer in her sights, and while the latter may be true, I don’t agree with the former. The fact that she kept the case active and in the spotlight (with her true crime blog), kept talking to detectives, witnesses, and victims, kept doing research and cross-checking data, kept bouncing ideas off of other people who were also still working on the case, is a huge contribution to making sure someone was taking action to find the killer, and to disregard that is ignorant and disrespectful.
My Feels
It was horrifying to read about all the terrible things the killer did, and to so many victims. It was heartbreaking to read about the victims, the fear, the powerlessness, the devastation of so many families and those left behind. It was infuriating to think of all the close calls where they could’ve caught the killer but didn’t. And it’s so sad to realize that the author didn’t live to see the killer caught and her life’s work achieved. But I am glad that I finally read this book.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
1970s Afghanistan: Twelve-year-old Amir is desperate to win the local kite-fighting tournament and his loyal friend Hassan promises to help him. But neither of the boys can foresee what would happen to Hassan that afternoon, an event that is to shatter their lives. After the Russians invade and the family is forced to flee to America, Amir realises that one day he must return to an Afghanistan under Taliban rule to find the one thing that his new world cannot grant him: redemption.
It’s the chosen Book of the Month for my in-person book club’s April read.
The Quotes
“For you, a thousand times over”
“It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime…”
“And that’s the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too.”
“There is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft. When you kill a man, you steal a life… you steal his wife’s right to a husband, rob his children of a ather. When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness… there is no act more wretched than stealing.”
The Characters
Amir is a very flawed character, but such a complex person as well, and it was very interesting to read the story from his POV. Baba, Hassan, and several other characters including the unlikable ones, are very interesting as well. I feel like the author has an incredible skill for writing complex characters and I really appreciate that.
My Thoughts
This story gave me so much food for thought and so many feelings too. The complexity of relationships, especially the familial ones, societal expectations and the need of the ego to live up to them, the hypocrisy of appearing perfect in public and behaving badly in private. I get the fear of judgment and the shame, I’ve felt it myself many times throughout my life, and I think that’s the beauty of this story. It makes you wonder what you would do if you were in the same position. Amir is flawed, and he has done horrible things, but he was also a literal child neglected by his only parent who he desperately wants to please. And even as you see him grow and become a man, there are so many other instances within this story where you wonder what you would do if you were in that position.
My Feels
There is so much heartache and bittersweetness here. I can feel the nostalgia, and the sense of “missing it but knowing that you can never go back”. I believe there’s a word for it in another language but I don’t remember it. I love how the story came a full circle and I love that my book club chose this book for April!
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Not all Great Masters of Wisdom are venerable graybeards. One is as familiar to us as that beloved teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh. From the “how” of Pooh to the Tao of Pooh is a simple, effortless, joyous step…a delicious journey to Pooh Corner illuminated by the timeless teachings of the Taoist immortals.
I’ve always loved Pooh, and I’ve had this book on my TBR for ages. It’s only 3 hours on audiobook, so I thought I might as well get it read!
The Quotes
“Do you really want to be happy? You can begin by being appreciative of who you are and what you’ve got.”
“The main problem with this great obsession for saving time is very simple: you can’t save time. You can only spend it. But you can spend it wisely or foolishly.”
“There are things about ourselves that we need to get rid of; there are things we need to change. But at the same time, we do not need to be too desperate, too ruthless, too combative. Along the way to usefulness and happiness, many of those things will change themselves, and the others can be worked on as we go. The first thing we need to do is recognize and trust our own Inner Nature, and not lose sight of it.”
“The wise know their limitations; the foolish do not.”
The Narrator(s)
Simon Vance. I loved the narration and the voices he made for Pooh and the others!
My Thoughts
I don’t have much to say except, whoa, I did not expect to love this as much as I did! There’s a lot to learn from this little book. There were many things that resonated with me, and I feel like I need to read and reread this every once in a while to remind myself of all the wisdom contained within.
My Feels
I needed to hear a lot of the things said in this book. It made me feel like I am okay, just as I am, and it made me remember the wonderment and innocent happiness I had as a child. I don’t want to be naive or gullible, but I would like to have some of that innocence back.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantès is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and he becomes determined not only to escape, but also to unearth the treasure and use it to plot the destruction of the three men responsible for his incarceration. Dumas’ epic tale of suffering and retribution, inspired by a real-life case of wrongful imprisonment, was a huge popular success when it was first serialized in the 1840s.
I’ve read this book a dozen times and loved it every time. This time it’s for a readalong with my online book club and I must say, I love the book even more now from this wonderful experience!
The Quotes
“All human wisdom is contained in these two words – Wait and Hope”
“Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did in Rome. Do your worst, for I will do mine! Then the fates will know you as we know you”
“I have always had more dread of a pen, a bottle of ink, and a sheet of paper than of a sword or pistol.”
“Passion can blind even those who are ordinarily the most clear-headed.”
The Narrator(s)
John Lee. I was listening to the Blackstone Publishing audiobook. I enjoyed the narration, and it was easy to follow the flow of the story.
My Thoughts
I’ve loved this book a long time, but reading it with my online book club is a whole other experience. I loved reading along and seeing new details I didn’t notice before, and having things pointed out to me by others as well. I loved sharing my thoughts and listening to others’ thoughts and opinions. Even the opposing ones. Especially the opposing ones. We had some heated discussions and I enjoyed them all. I also have a new appreciation for certain scenes I never paid much attention to before.
My thoughts about the book itself – I’ll write an essay one day, but for now, I’ll keep it simple. I love the story and the storytelling. I love that this story doesn’t get old for me no matter how many times I’ve read it (although the first time was the most intense!). I love the characters, the journey, the way you see each and every single one of them change over time. I love the karma, the intricacies, the way things came a full circle. And the fact that it was originally serialized, and that it’s so massive, how incredible this story is and how much skill Dumas had in writing it. I love it and I love it and I love it a thousand times!
My Feels
Have I said I loved it yet?
Seriously though, all the feels! The heartache, the anguish, the pain, the cunning, the fear, the satisfaction, the everything! There was also plenty of humor to go around, if you read between the lines. I love it!
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
When an injury throws a young, battle-hungry orc off her chosen path, she may find that what we need isn’t always what we seek.
In Bookshops & Bonedust, a prequel to Legends & Lattes, author Travis Baldree takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and second-hand books.
Viv’s career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens isn’t going as planned.
Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she’s packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk—so far from the action that she worries she’ll never be able to return to it.
What’s a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?
Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn’t possibly imagine.
Still, adventure isn’t all that far away. A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.
Legends & Lattes was amazing! I fell in love with Viv and I want more of her! I would read all the books in this series if the author wrote more.
The Quotes
“I don’t know if I can explain it, but watching you read what I give you, putting a book in your hands and seeing what happens to you once you put it back down… I can’t make you understand how that gives me something I didn’t know I had to have.”
“Never trust a writer who doesn’t have too many books to read. Or a reader, for that matter,” said Zelia.”
“Every book is a little mirror, and sometimes you look into it and see someone else looking back.”
“Well,” breathed Fern, surveying the interior with both brows raised. “Fuck me.” Satchel drew back from her in alarm, and his eyes seemed to widen as the flames within them burned brighter. Viv leaned down near his skull and whispered, “It’s just a figure of speech, not a request.”
The Characters
We’ve already met Viv, and in this book we meet Fern, Maylee, Gallina, and Satchel. Also Potroast. I love all of them, Fern especially. She really came to life for me. I love Satchel too, and Maylee. You know what, I love them all!
My Thoughts
The difference between this book and Legends & Lattes is that you know Viv is only here temporarily, and she’s going to leave all the friends she met here behind. The interesting thing is that it doesn’t even matter because sometimes it’s not about how much time you spend with a person, but the quality of the time you spend with them. I thought it was beautiful how all of them felt that it was worth getting to know each other even when they knew it would only be for a while.
I also love the slice of life we see with Fern’s bookshop and the running of it. I thought I loved it when we saw Viv setting up her cafe in Legends & Lattes, but I really love seeing how Viv helped Fern revamp the bookshop. All that talk about books, and the reading experience, and getting excited about book events… I wish I could’ve been there!
My Feels
There are many books I love but I would never want to live in their world. This series is one that I really love and wouldn’t mind living in. I would love to be friends with Viv, Fern, Tandri from the first book, and pretty much everyone Viv calls friend. It’s just amazing how Baldree has written these characters, how Viv seems so real and tangible, the way she brings people together and make everyone she meets, everywhere she goes, better than before. I love her!
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
The #1 New York Times bestselling poet returns with his most inspiring collection yet. In this third and final installment of his poetic trilogy, Yung Pueblo expands upon favorite themes while guiding readers further, toward a life lived authentically, intuitively, and in harmony with others.
In these rapidly changing times, it is more important than ever to know ourselves well and fully, even and especially in the face of turmoil. The Way Forward encourages readers to connect more deeply to their intuition, using it to remain focused and grounded amidst a world in constant flux.
In his latest collection of poetry and short prose, Yung Pueblo offers clear strategies for managing the unknown, inhabiting your personal power, and bringing your truest, healthiest self to relationships. Progressing naturally from both Inward and Clarity & Connection , The Way Forward is exactly that—an inspired beginning.
I came across this book while browsing in the bookshop, and immediately fell in love with the poems. I’ve never read anything by this author before, but the words just resonated with me and I knew I had to read more!
The Quotes
“if existing takes every ounce of your energy, then that alone is heroic work”
“i got lost while trying to survive”
“It is only heavy because you are deciding over and over again to carry it”
“Some people will not get you, but what matters is that you get you.”
My Thoughts
I didn’t know that this is part of a series by the author. I flipped through a couple of pages when I saw it at the bookshop and I was pulled in immediately. There are many that give food for thought, and I took a long time reading this book because I had to ruminate over many of the verses. I wanted to copy some of them into my journal, the ones that resonate most, but there were too many and at that rate I’d be copying the whole book into my journal. I decided to just buy a copy for myself, and I know I’ll come back to it often. I’m definitely going to look in to the other books in the series too.
My Feels
I love this book. It reads easily, just words on paper, but it’s everything I’ve felt and was never able to articulate. It’s also all the encouragement and inspiration I needed but didn’t know how to ask for. I feel like this book spoke to the deepest, darkest parts of me and told me it was okay to be not okay. I felt seen.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
In a novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, National Book Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives.
Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people…
In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash.
Separated by distance—and Papi’s secrets—the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered.
And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other.
This was nominated for my book club’s April BOTM but it didn’t win. I was still fascinated though, and since it was available as an audiobook from my library, I decided to read it anyway.
The Quotes
“But one thing I learned from the Saints, when the crossroads are open to you, you must decide a path. I will not stand still while the world makes my choices.”
“The body is a funny piece of meat. How it inflates and deflates in order to keep you alive. But how simple words can fill you up or pierce the air out of you.”
“The patron saint of the ocean is known for containing many parts of herself: she is a nurturer, but she is also a ferocious defender. & so I remember that to walk this world you must be kind but also fierce.”
“Dreams are like the pieces of fluff that get caught in your hair; they stand out for a moment, but eventually you wash them away, or long fingers reach in & pluck them out & you appear as what everyone expects.”
The Narrator(s)
Elizabeth Acevedo and Melania Luisa Marte. They were perfect. I have no complaints.
My Thoughts
I have never read anything by Elizabeth Acevedo, and I had no idea this story was told in verse. I was listening to it on audio so I couldn’t see the format, but there was something about the way it was read by the two narrators that made me think it could be in verse, and it was, and I loved it.
I made the mistake of listening to this when my husband was on a plane. Let me tell you the anxiety I felt. But after the initial plane crash, a lot of the story focused more on the two main characters; Camino and Yahaira, and we got so immersed in their lives that I was able to distract myself and enjoy the story for what it was. However, it’s painful to think about the inspiration behind this story, and I’ll be honest and say that right now, I don’t want to think about it too much because I’m still feeling a little anxious.
My Feels
I loved it. I love seeing into the lives of Camino and Yahaira. I love seeing them reconcile what they know about their father to what they are finding out about him, and about themselves. It was such a powerful story told with such powerful words.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars. I am so glad it was nominated for the book club’s BOTM and that it was brought to my attention.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
The Sparrow, an astonishing literary debut, takes you on a journey to a distant planet and to the center of the human soul. It is the story of a charismatic Jesuit priest and linguist, Emilio Sandoz, who leads a twenty-first-century scientific mission to a newly discovered extraterrestrial culture. Sandoz and his companions are prepared to endure isolation, hardship and death, but nothing can prepare them for the civilization they encounter, or for the tragic misunderstanding that brings the mission to a catastrophic end. Once considered a living saint, Sandoz returns alone to Earth physically and spiritually maimed, the mission’s sole survivor–only to be accused of heinous crimes and blamed for the mission’s failure.
In clean, effortless prose and with captivating flashes of wit, Russell creates memorable characters who navigate a world of exciting ideas and disturbing moral issues without ever losing their humanity or humor. Both heartbreaking and triumphant, and rich in literary pleasures great and small, The Sparrow is a powerful and haunting book. It is a magical novel, as literate as The Name of the Rose, as farsighted as The Handmaid’s Tale and as readable as The Thorn Birds.
It was the book chosen for my in-person book club for March. I don’t think I would have chosen to read it otherwise. At least not any time soon, but I’m glad it was chosen and I’m glad I read it, it gave me a lot of food for thought.
The Quotes
“I do what I do without hope of reward or fear of punishment. I do not require Heaven or Hell to bribe or scare me into acting decently.”
“…I begin with songs. They provide a sort of skeleton grammar for me to flesh out. Songs of longing for future tense, songs of regret for past tense, and songs of love for present tense.”
“I believe in God the way I believe in quarks. People whose business it is to know about quantum physics or religion tell me they have good reason to believe that quarks and God exist. And they tell me that if I wanted to devote my life to learning what they’ve learned, I’d find quarks and God just like they did.”
“See that’s where it falls apart for me!” Anne cried. “What sticks in my throat is that God gets the credit but never the blame. I just can’t swallow that kind of theological candy. Either God’s in charge or he’s not…”
My Thoughts
This was brilliantly written book, and so far ahead of its time. I had to remind myself constantly that it was written in 1996, because the story is set in 2019 to 2060, and a lot of the topics talked about seemed so relevant today. I love the deep dive into faith and belief, what it means to be human, and finding purpose and meaning in the things you do.
There were a lot of philosophical arguments that came into mind; the ethics of colonization, making contact with alien species, the food we eat and how we raise them, cultural practices that are different than ours, indoctrinated gender roles, our views on sex work, and so much more. My book club had a lot to discuss, and it was really interesting to see the different perspectives.
My Feels
We know from the beginning that Emilio is the sole survivor, so it’s not a spoiler, but then we start getting to know the other characters; we start to like them, to root for them, to fall in love with them, all the while knowing that they never make it back alive. There’s a pall of doom hanging over everything that happens, and even when you celebrate the triumphs, you know it’s going to end badly. And yet, it’s such a beautiful story and a beautiful journey. I have so many complex feelings about this book. It’s been a couple of weeks and I’m still processing. I think this story will stay with me for a while.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars. It’s incredibly beautiful and haunting.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
It’s Time Travel Thursday! Hosted by Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog, this is where you get to take a look back at what you were reading this time last year (or the year before or the year before that…) and get to relive those bookish memories!
This time last year I was reading:
Sooley by John Grisham
New York Times bestselling author John Grisham takes you to a different kind of court in his first basketball novel. Samuel “Sooley” Sooleymon is a raw, young talent with big hoop dreams…and even bigger challenges off the court.
In the summer of his seventeenth year, Samuel Sooleymon gets the chance of a lifetime: a trip to the United States with his South Sudanese teammates to play in a showcase basketball tournament. He has never been away from home, nor has he ever been on an airplane. The opportunity to be scouted by dozens of college coaches is a dream come true.
Samuel is an amazing athlete, with speed, quickness, and an astonishing vertical leap. The rest of his game, though, needs work, and the American coaches are less than impressed.
During the tournament, Samuel receives devastating news from home: A civil war is raging across South Sudan, and rebel troops have ransacked his village. His father is dead, his sister is missing, and his mother and two younger brothers are in a refugee camp.
Samuel desperately wants to go home, but it’s just not possible. Partly out of sympathy, the coach of North Carolina Central offers him a scholarship. Samuel moves to Durham, enrolls in classes, joins the team, and prepares to sit out his freshman season. There is plenty of more mature talent and he isn’t immediately needed.
But Samuel has something no other player has: a fierce determination to succeed so he can bring his family to America. He works tirelessly on his game, shooting baskets every morning at dawn by himself in the gym, and soon he’s dominating everyone in practice. With the Central team losing and suffering injury after injury, Sooley, as he is nicknamed, is called off the bench. And the legend begins.
But how far can Sooley take his team? And will success allow him to save his family?
Gripping and moving, Sooley showcases John Grisham’s unparalleled storytelling powers in a whole new light. This is Grisham at the top of his game.
My thoughts: I’m a huge fan of Grisham’s legal thrillers, not really a big sports fan but I am a fan of sports stories. I came across this book while browsing for audiobooks from my library. I wasn’t initially interested in reading it because I was in a thriller mood, not a sports story mood, but saw all the great reviews here and was intrigued.
I’m both glad and sad that I read it. I’m glad because it’s a really great story. I love the characters, and it was such a privilege to go on this journey with Sooley and see him grow (both literally and figuratively). He’s one of the most compelling characters I’ve ever read about. There were so many ups and downs, and not just ordinary ups and downs, but extreme ones! He went through both the worst things and the best things that could happen to anyone. And through it all, he was still just an ordinary person who happened to have extraordinary skills and determination. I really felt for him and all the people who loved him.
A lot of the book is really sad too, but they are part of what makes this book great. They are really sticking to me and my heart is still breaking. A tiny part of me wishes that I didn’t pick up this book because I didn’t need this heartbreak, but a bigger part of me is glad I did.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Have you read this book? What did you think of it? What were you reading this time last year?
