Book Review - The Dearly Beloved: A Novel by Cara Wall

 

The Dearly Beloved: A Novel by Cara Wall is about two married couples whose lives are intertwined with each other. In 1963, in Greenwich Village, NYC, Charles and James met for the first time.  They are both hired as co-pastors for the historic Third Presbyterian Church. The pair seem to get along well but they have different personal ideas and goals about the church and their lives.

Charles was expected to follow in his father’s footsteps. His father is a respected history professor at Harvard. However, a popular professor had invited Charles to a lecture in the school’s basement, and his life’s trajectory changed. He learns about faith and realizes that he wants to have a career in ministry. His family is horrified by his decision and to make matters worse, he falls for a woman, Lily, who doesn’t believe in God.

James is the youngest son from a low-income Chicago family. He spent most of his youth angry and avoiding his alcoholic war veteran father and escaping from the rest of his family. James receives an unexpected windfall from his uncle that allows him to attend college. While in school, he comes across Nan, who he falls in love with. Nan grew up in Mississippi and is the devout and devoted daughter of a minister. James uses Nan and her faith as a guiding compass when he feels his faith wavering.

The book was an okay read. I didn’t realize it was going to be heavily focused on religion and faith. Personally, this isn’t the type of fiction I like reading. I found the book to be very boring and slow. I felt like nothing happened for long periods. The storyline was predictable, and I found myself yawning throughout the book.  At times, I felt like the pacing of the novel was off.  The beginning was slow, the middle picked up, and the ending was a rushed chaotic mess.  I also didn’t like how they referred to Will, who is autistic. The author commented on how he was a gargoyle but with “proper training and education”, he became a child. I feel like that is implying children with special needs are not seen as human. Readers who like reading about people finding or struggling to find their faith might enjoy this novel more than me.

Book Review - Two Friends, One Dog, and a Very Unusual Week by Sarah L. Thomson

 

Two Friends, One Dog, and a Very Unusual Week by Sarah L. Thomson is about two young girls, Rani and Emily, who become unlikely friends. Emily and Rani are complete opposites. Emily is a rule follower, predictable, and rarely colors outside of the lines. Rani wears mismatching and colorful shoes and follows her own flow in life.

When Rani, her silver sequined sneakers, and her dog, Otto, move into Emily’s apartment, Emily’s life turns upside down. Emily is surprised that Rani and Otto are allowed to live alone in the attic. Rani’s mother is a research scientist in Patagonia for work.  Emily is surprised when Rani constantly breaks rules and at times, doesn’t seem to understand that rules exist for a reason. With Rani, Emily feels her life is being tossed out of order.

The children’s book is a quick and easy read. It had a few fun moments, and I found it enjoyable to read about Rani and Emily’s fun shenanigans.  However, some of their encounters were a bit over the top and I found myself questioning the moral of the story. Should kids always follow the rules or should they be allowed to have fun? I am not quite sure of the morals being portrayed for young kids. Young readers will find the book a fun and cute read.

Book Review - Leaving Lucy Pear by Anna Solomon

 

Leaving Lucy Pear by Anna Solomon is about Beatrice (Bea) Haven, who leaves her daughter, Lucy Pear, under a pear tree and the woman who raised Lucy. Bea is sent to live with her uncle at Cape Ann, Massachusetts after she becomes pregnant out of wedlock. She is the unwed daughter of wealthy Jewish industrialists and a gifted pianist. Bea was headed to Radcliffe college before her pregnancy, and she yearned for a fresh start.

One night, Bea sees a group of people looting the pear trees in her uncle’s garden. She wraps her daughter and leaves her under one of the trees. Bea waits until another woman picks up the infant and takes her away.

Ten years later, Bea returns to her uncle’s farm. Prohibition is in effect, and racism is prominent. Bea feels unsettled that her dreams for the future remained unfulfilled and she feels stuck. She hopes that spending time with her sick uncle will help cure some of her unhappiness as she feels unhappy that her life is unfulfilled..   Bea hires a caretaker to help with caring for her sick uncle. She soon realizes that not only is the caretaker a rum runner but has also been raising Bea’s daughter.

The novel is a cozy read with some intimate moments. I thought it was an okay read but nothing noteworthy. Nothing  was keeping me hooked to the novel. I felt the plot was boring and the characters ordinary enough that I didn’t care what they had going on. The book had a lot of characters, and it was confusing to keep track of how they related to each other. The book was an okay read, but it wasn’t for me.

Book Review -The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

 

The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney is about four siblings fighting over their inheritance.  Every family has their share of problems. The Plumb family is no different. It is composed of four dysfunctional siblings: Melody, Beatrice, Jack, and Leo. The family gathered one cold afternoon in New York City to discuss their inheritance.

The money left to them by their deceased father was supposed to be a supplement to their other own sources of income. However, the siblings had watched as the value of their joint trust fund, nicknamed “The Nest”, soared in value with the stock market. They each have been counting on getting their inheritance money to solve their respective current financial problems.

Leo, their older and charismatic brother, was just recently released from rehab. He was ordered to attend after getting into a car accident with a nineteen-year-old waitress as his passenger.  Melody is a mother and wife living in the suburbs, who has a huge mortgage and upcoming college tuition for her twin teenage daughters. Jack is an antiques dealer, whose store is struggling to make a profit. He has secretly borrowed against the beach cottage that he shares with his husband, Walker.  Bea once had a promising career as a short story author but struggles to write her next novel. She flits aimlessly through life. The siblings hope that Leo or “The Nest” can help alleviate their issues and protect their loved ones from knowing their secret financial woes.

I thought the book was an okay read. It was hard to keep track of the different characters and how they were related. At times, the book kept rambling and was so long-winded that it was easy to lose sight of the plot. The story was predictable and didn’t have any twists. If you are looking for a cozy family drama read, then you might like this novel more than I did.

December 2024 Empties!

 

 

 I can't believe it is already the end of the year! This is literally my last empties post for 2024, oh what a year. I can't believe how quickly the year has blown by but it has been an interesting one.

I didn't really finish much stuff this month, mostly moisturizers since it's been getting a bit cold. A few things I did like but only a handful of things I would consider getting again. 

I got the Bee Naturals Oil Free Moisturizer Facial Serum. I wasn't sure if this was supposed to be a lightweight moisturizer or a serum but either way, it barely did anything. It was very disappointing and I had to top it off with something. I would apply it to my skin and it would be feel like water on it. 

I am finally finished my Marc Jacobs lip gloss. I still have a few more in reserves but kind of sadden that they don't make them anymore. They are full of glitter and feel so comfortable on lips. I had liked the entire Marc Jacobs makeup line and thought they performed well. It was kind of sucky that they casually just stopped it without letting fans know.

I bought a new Hempz Cherry Blossom body lotion. I love the scent but I wish I got more bottles and it was limited edition. I do hope they have it again next year.  I got the Skinceuticals P-TIOX peptide serum. I usually love this brand but this serum was three dollar signs expensive and I didn't even see WOW results. I was a bit disappointed on how little it did.

Is there anything you finished this year that was very memorable?