Mini Reviews...

I have been reading like crazy lately.  So many great books and so little time, means that I am zooming right through them just to get to the next one. Luckily, they have all been so fantastic that I'm enjoying every second I spend with them.  Here are a few of the books I've recently devoured:

A short novel about a man named Shimura, who notices that the food he buys keeps disappearing.  He sets up a camera and watches his home from work.  What does he see? A woman making tea in his house! Say what?! Yep, he finds himself watching a woman in his kitchen making herself at home.  Whoa, Nelly! Talk about a shocker!  He phones the police to bust the woman at his home, but then finds himself hoping she will escape before the police arrive.  In the end, she gets arrested.  Turns out she is homeless and has been living in his home for more than a year!  A year - can you imagine!?! Apparently, she was in the neighborhood one morning and noticed him leaving his house for work. She noted that he didn't lock his door.  So, she decides to check out his house and once inside, she finds herself eager to stay.  She sleeps in the closet in his guest room - the one room he never goes in.  Shimura is beyond shocked and feels violated.  He can't believe that she had been in his house while he was asleep, away on vacation, watching TV, etc. It just confounds him.  Suffice it to say, I was shocked. I felt badly for this woman being in such a position that she felt she needed to break into a house to find shelter.  However, I definitely understood Shimura's feelings and agreed with him that his home no longer felt like his home.  This is one book that I can't stop thinking about.  I just loved it so much. It was short, but so thought-provoking with its exploration of loneliness and homelessness.  Talk about a must-read!

Love, love, love!! Gabi, A Girl in Pieces was such a fun and entertaining read. I loved getting to know Gabi, her family and friends. High school is tough, especially senior year when you are applying to college.  Its especially tough when your mom doesn't want you to go away to school, your father is a meth addict, your brother is always getting in trouble lately, your best friend is pregnant, and your other best friend has just come out as gay - OMG!  What's a girl to do? Eat some lemon pepper chicken wings and write some kick ass poetry.  Gabi is awesome.  She's honest, brave, and keeps it real.  I love how supportive she is of her family and friends. I love how she throws herself into her poetry and finds comfort through her poems.  I love how she opens her heart to the possibility of love.  And I love how she accepts her body, even though people are always commenting on it.  Gabi is truly an unforgettable character - I would love for Quintero to write about Gabi's life in college!!  This is one book that I will definitely be re-reading in the future.

I am a HUGE fan of Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians series - it is beyond!  The way he writes about these fascinating characters and their luxe life is fun, entertaining, and unputdownable.  I just love when a new book comes out! Rich People Problems is the third book and I absolutely LOVED it. I sat down one afternoon to read it and didn't get up until I had turned the very last page later that night.  I found myself catching up with familiar characters and getting lost in their new dramas (of which there were so many to choose from).  Such a fun read! Basically, the family matriarch is dying and that means that everyone in the family is over at her house trying to make sure they  are still included in her will.  Yep, its "all about the Benjamins" when it comes to this family.  Suffice it to say, there is plenty of backstabbing, lying, and cheating when it comes to staking claim in the family's fortune and I loved reading all about it!  I love the family drama and dysfunction, the fashion, the luxury, and pretty much everything about this book.  It was such a treat to read! I'm hoping there's another book in the offing, because I would LOVE to find out what happens next to this crazy, rich family!

A quick and light read about a young woman's first trip to Florence with her cousin.  Its a diary that pretty much sums up what they did each day - eating delicious foods and visiting old churches.  Athill does write about the people they meet, the places they stay and the train rides to and fro.  It does make for an interesting read about such a beautiful and dynamic city.  I couldn't help but find myself thinking about my trip to Florence.  I went with my best friend.  We were in grad school and didn't have a lot of money, but we managed to delight in the sights, foods, museums, and experience of it all.  Gelato was our food of choice - how could it not be?!  We walked everywhere and loved taking it all in - the city, the people, and the atmosphere.  We just loved being in such a vibrant and beautiful place. I can still remember the awe I felt when I saw Michelangelo's David and Botticelli's artwork up close - it was truly a mind blowing experience.  I would love to go back and stay for a month or two - that would be bliss.  Reading Athill's book was definitely fun.  I enjoyed learning about her trip and how it made me think about my own trip - a great walk down memory lane.



And there you have it, a few of the books that I've recently had the pleasure of reading.  Not a bad bunch, right?  What about you? What have you read lately?  Anything you want to recommend - let me know.  Happy reading!!