Klara and the Sun

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

“Until recently, I didn’t think that humans could choose loneliness. That there were sometimes forces more powerful than the wish to avoid loneliness.”
― Kazuo Ishiguro

This was a sweet story. Too sweet. Also underwhelming, childish, and lacking in originality. Such a great premise, and it totally misses the mark. Many themes are introduced and superficially explored. There is no deep-dive or fleshing out of human nature. It’s actually quite insulting. Seriously, was this book for adults? There are no great insights, ideas, or revelations. I waited for brilliance. I read reviews that said this novel meandered dangerously to the dark side. Ha. I tried to see the beauty in its simplicity. All I got was annoyed. But all was not lost, two stars for Klara’s kindness, sweet nature, and humanity (see the joke here). Just too twee for my tastes.

Local Woman Missing

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Folks, this is a good one. Just a “wicked good” crazy thriller. Parts of it had me in tears. And I did not see that ending coming. The audiobook was decent. If you like this genre, go for it!

Beach Read

Beach Read by Emily Henry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“And that was the moment I realized: when the world felt dark and scary, love could whisk you off to go dancing; laughter could take some of the pain away; beauty could punch holes in your fear. I decided then that my life would be full of all three.” – Emily Henry

Perfect book for this time of year. Light, steamy, fun, and all of that other good stuff, yet extremely heartfelt as well. I was particularly moved by January’s search to accept, understand, and forgive her father after his death. This is a MUST READ if you’re looking for a break from the heavy stuff. Five stars.