A Book of the Month Club haul & book review!

With the holiday season approaching fast, cutting back on extra spending seems like a good idea. 

Oddly enough, Book of the Month Club helps me do just that because, as the title says, you can buy only once a month! Skipping a month is an option, of course, but if you really feel the need for something new on your shelves, BOMC definitely scratches that particular itch.

My latest BOMC selections were not current new releases yet one of the authors was rather familiar to me. Adriana Trigiani’s  The Good Left Undone begins with elderly matriarch Matetilda Cabrelli Roffo deciding to share the stories of her past with granddaughter Anina.

It’s not just her own past; how Matetilda’s own mother came to leave their beloved village of Viareggio due to her personal convictions to wind up in Scotland where she falls in love with a navy captain on the cusp of WWII is an epic tale in and of itself.

How these stories affect Anina and her outlook on the past, present and future choices in her life are at the heart of this novel. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a Trigiani book but her story telling skills are gorgeous to behold. Also, I have plans for a reading project next year that includes a well known set of her works so this is the perfect opportunity to get reacquainted here:

I paired it up with Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano, which is getting a lot of bookish love these days.

The story introduces us to William, who has married into the Padavano family of four sisters, his wife Julia being the oldest one as well as his college sweetheart, and takes comfort in the strong familial bond from them that he never felt from his own parents.

Despite getting a divorce from Julia years later and falling out of touch with his young daughter Alice, he still crosses paths with Padavano women time and again. Eventually, there comes a point where reconnection is unavoidable and emotionally necessary for all concerned.

One of the main attractions that this book has for me is that the core concept is a modern take on Little Women, one of my all time favorites. This does sound a bit like “what would happen if Jo and Laurie got married “ and that such a relationship didn’t quite work out makes complete sense to me( sorry, shippers but I do believe it was right of Jo to turn him down!).

Anyway, I have heard plenty of good word about this book and willing to give it a try regardless of that literary connection, although it does sweeten the deal for me:

I am sure that most BOMC members get asked this question on occasion-“Do you actually read all of those books?”

My answer is yes, just not as soon as I would like to. With that in mind, I thought a review of one of my most  recent BOMC picks would be worth sharing.

Kate Goldbeck’s debut novel You, Again is a lively look at old school romcom energy with an updated twist. When uptight chef Josh first meets livewire comic Arianna (aka Ari), their mutual dislike is immediate as they both happen to be dating the same woman (Ari’s roommate) and have very different approaches to love and romance.

A few years and several more bad interactions later, Josh and Ari run into each other while having the worst time in their lives; Josh’s attempt to put a new spin on his late father’s iconic deli crashes and burns his culinary reputation. Meanwhile, Ari is going through a rough divorce and feeling less than thrilled about her stalemated comedy career.

With such shared misery, the two of them form a friendship that slowly yet surely promises to become more than just funny texts and movie night binges. When that threshold is crossed, the chances of resetting that relationship become a deal breaker but is that what either of them really wants or needs from each other?

Author Kate Goldbeck claims Nora Ephron‘a When Harry Met Sally as her muse for this story and the influence definitely shows yet this is not a cut and paste take on that film at all.

Goldbeck creates her own version of New York based characters and modern situations (some of which I wish were more detailed, especially the ones where Ari’s mischief making comes into play) that dazzle and delight on the page. Her quirky style and steady sense of storytelling makes this book immensely engaging and a writer to watch out for.

Also, You,Again got me to rewatch When Harry Met Sally(I’m more of a You’ve Got Mail fan and yes, I watched that one again to boot!) and yes, it does hold up pretty well there. I don’t know who the present day version of Meg Ryan is but if and when the actor’s strike is settled, I hope that she is cast in the movie adaptation of this love story:

We’re going to need more good books as the world is getting more challenging by the moment and wherever you find them, do cherish them indeed.

With the state of the world as it is right now, taking some time away from the headlines to replenish your spirits is a good idea. Hopefully at some point, we can all work together to make right what has gone wrong and most importantly, act like reasonable adults (a scare commodity these days, sad to say).

So I find a good way to avoid complete despair is to curl up with a pile of great books and perhaps a comforting TV show or two, preferably something British, although the new season I’m most waiting for is not until January. 

Perhaps by then, things might be a little bit better and a new package from Book of the Month Club will certainly be a welcome sight to be sure: