Review: The End of Your Life Book Club

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A wonderful memoir about Mary Ann Schwalbe and written by her son Will. This lady had an amazing life. She cared so much about everyone and everything. She worked for refugees, was a teacher, was a great parent, and so much more.

The book details her life from the time she is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and the books that she and her son read during the treatment times.

They read together, many of the books that are my favourites as well.

The truly great thing was how she kept up her fight and kept living right up to the very end and always kept cheerful so that she didn't bring others down.

A thoroughly good read and a reminder to us all.

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Review: Runaway

Runaway by Alice Munro
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Three stories are about a woman named Juliet–in the first, she escapes from teaching at a girls’ school into a wild and irresistible love match; in the second she returns with her child to the home of her parents, whose life and marriage she finally begins to examine; and in the last, her child, caught, she mistakenly thinks, in the grip of a religious cult, vanishes into an unexplained and profound silence. In the final story, "Powers," a young woman with the ability to read the future sets off a chain of events that involves her husband-to-be and a friend in a lifelong pursuit of what such a gift really means, and who really has it."

This review was taken from the description of the book and it just says it all. It was very well written and the author certainly has insight into the intimate lives that she writes about.

A good read.



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Review: Wrapped in Rain

Wrapped in Rain by Charles Martin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Tucker Rain is a world famous photographer who has travelled the world. But when his brother runs away from the facility where he is being treated for mental illness he returns to his home town and his huge mansion where memories come back from his childhood. He was raised by Miss Ella Rain, who was hired by his father Rex. Tucker's younger brother Mathew, was nicknamed Mutt. The two boys were very badly abused by their father and the boys never knew their mother. They loved Miss Ella and she loved them.

Miss Ella died a few years before but Tucker can still hear her voice and she still guides him.

I found it hard to read about the abuse that the boys suffered at the hands of their father.

A good read.



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Review: Walking with Peety: The Dog Who Saved My Life

Walking with Peety: The Dog Who Saved My Life by Eric O'Grey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Anyone who knows me probably knows that if a book is about a dog I will give it five stars. But in this case the book really is a five star book. Its the true story of Eric O'Grey. I loved listening to the audio of this book and especially since it was narrated by the author himself.

Eric was in a terrible place with his health and his life when he accidentally saw a Bill Clinton interview on tv and he looked very good. He commented that he had been on a plant based diet and he attributed his good health from that.

Eric took that little gem of information and started looking for some answers as to what exactly that type of eating is. Up until this time Eric had been on many different diets and would lose a bit but then gain more. His eating was out of control and he was unhealthy and he had no quality of like at all. He was on many medications to control things such as diabetes.

After quite a search he managed to find a doctor who was willing to take care with him and to help him with the new type of eating. This new doctor had some other ideas about how to exercise and gave him the advice to "get a dog" to walk with.

Eric had promised himself that he would do whatever he was advised in order to help himself. So away he went and got started.

The book is also full of excellent ideas and advice on good eating habits and after finishing the book I went out and made a proper stir fry with some lovely spices since the book had my mouth watering for a lot of the time.

There is also some sad times and I shed a some tears while reading this great book.

An excellent read.




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Review: A Banquet of Consequences

A Banquet of Consequences by Elizabeth George
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Caroline Goldacre is married to a man who was a step father to her two sons and has done the best he could. When William, the youngest boy commits suicide by jumping off a cliff, some very creepy stories and scenarios start to come to light.

Caroline's boss, Clair, is found dead and more complications erupt. Even more issues when her good friend Rory is poisoned and hospitalized.

The story intermingles with the problems of Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers, who always seems to rub her bosses the wrong way but is a good detective.

There are some very interesting characters that show themselves in the story and twists and turns at every corner.

An excellent read.

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Review: The Heart's Invisible Furies

The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fabulous book. I didn't know that I would "take" to the characters in the story the way I have and now that the book is finished I feel that I have lost my best friend and I think it will take awhile for that feeling to end.

The book follows the life of Cyril Avery an illegitimate baby whose young Irish mother had been thrown out of her family when they discovered that she was expecting. The book is loosely divided into seven year segmants.

He was adopted by a couple, a banker and a woman who would later become a very famous writer. He is reminded frequently that he is not a real Avery. As a youngster he started a friendship with Julian Woodbead which leads us into the story of Cyril.

It was a long book and every word was very important. There was no dragging the ending and as was the whole book, the ending was as monumental as the beginning.

An excellent read and highly recommended.



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Review: Betrayed

Betrayed by Lisa Scottoline
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another terrific story from Lisa Scottoline. I had to reduce my rating by one star because I felt that the chase chapters were too long and dragged out.

Judy's aunt has discovered breast cancer and having an operation and her mother is caring for her. Judy's aunt has a good friend, Iris, who was found dead in her car and this starts a chain reaction of events right up to murderers and drug dealers.

Meanwhile her mother drops a bomb on her regarding things that happened when she was born. And to top it all off her relationship with her boyfriend, Frank, is not working at this point.

A great read.

https://finallytimetoread.blogspot.ca/

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