eyreibreathe's reviews
369 reviews

I knew going in that The Light Between Oceans would be a hard read for me.  Seeing as I've had a stillbirth in the past, it's an especially emotional subject for me, but I felt ready to read it, and I'm oh so glad I did.  There's no denying that this book gutted me, but the writing was just exquisite. I have the biggest weakness for books that fully transport you to another place, a book in which the setting feels like a character in and of itself. That couldn't be more true here.  Lyrical, atmospherical, and utterly moving, this book had it all.  For all of my book club friends here, this would make a fabulous book to read and discuss...I feel like it offers so much to ponder and to hash out among friends. Even now, a week after finishing it, I'm still sitting with this one. 
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I just finished my annual reading of this wonderful work. I discovered Our Town when I played a role in it my sophomore year of high school, and my love for it was immediate. Not only is it my favorite play I've ever been in, it's my favorite play ever....one of my favorite pieces of literature ever actually. I love it more each time I read it. And it never fails - each year, I think I won't cry, and each year I weep like a baby. So beautiful and moving...

I don't know about you, but I imagine you can relate when I say there's nothing quite as magical as being transported to another time and place through the pages of a book.  I have found this especially true this year.  I was so thankful to receive an ARC of one such transporting read, The Paris Library, set to be released on February 2nd.
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Well, I did it, friends.  I really wanted to save One by One for winter, but I knew that wasn't going to happen. And guess what?  It didn't.

I will admit that I didn't connect with Benediction in quite the same way I did with the first two of the series, but I think I can safely say I'll never regret picking up a Kent Haruf book.  His writing is stark and no-fuss. And yet this plainspoken style seems to accentuate the depth in his stories.  His books pull you into those little ordinary miracles of everyday people living everyday lives - profound in their simplicity and quiet depth.  Benediction was beautiful in this way.  It felt sad and moving and subtle as we follow "Dad" Lewis who is living out his last days after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis. Emotional reads like this are always the most intimidating to me, but I'm so glad I read it.  It was a reminder that all those little moments that make up a life will someday be the "big picture" and that we will look back on these seemingly inconsequential moments in the future and see just how very important they actually were. Isn't that a beautiful reminder?  Thank you, Kent Haruf, for another quietly poignant read.⁣
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My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⁣
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Anxious People was my 5th Fredrik Backman read, and oh my goodness...he never lets me down!  One of the things that makes Backman probably my favorite contemporary author is his knack for combining whimsy and quirk with poignancy and depth.  This book had me laughing out loud one moment and grabbing my box of tissues the next. I always say that he has such a keen understanding of humanity, and this book really showcases that.  It delves into some very important topics concerning mental health, and it managed to do so with grace, decorum, and loads of humor.  When I finished this book, it struck me how much closer I felt to the world around me - to people I've never even met, in fact. Within these pages was a powerful and timely reminder that we are each fighting our own unseen battles.  The message of this book and the feelings it evoked will stay with me for a long time.  I love it when I finish a novel and feel like I'm a better human for having read it, and this was one such read.  ⁣
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My rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⁣
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