Death of the Author

 Fiction by Nnedi Okorafor

https://www.audible.com

Zelu is a Nigerian-American woman who has been partly paralyzed since age 12. She is the second born of a large and loud family, and a child of parents from two different African tribes: Ibo and Yoruba. All of these things make up part of who she is, but none of them define her as much as this: Zelu is an author.

This book is about both Zelu and her writing, combining elements of her novel, scenes from her life, and interviews of her family and close friends about her. It has wonderful and believable characters, and I would give it a very high rating… except for the ending. 

Without resorting to spoilers, I can’t tell you the ending of course. Let me just say it was ambiguous and anti climactic. So this book is well written, and the narration on the audiobook is stellar, but it’s been demoted down to one thumb. 

ONE THUMB UP

The Windy City Saga, Books 2 & 3

Shadows of the White City and Drawn by the Current
Fiction by Jocelyn Green

https://www.barnesandnoble.com  https://www.barnesandnoble.com

I read the first book in this trilogy (Veiled in Smoke) a while ago, and these books continue the story. All three books were good!

The first book was set during the Great Chicago Fire, and I liked how the author skipped ahead in time for the next two books to other significant events in Chicago’s history. The second book was during the World’s Fair and the third involved the Eastland tragedy, which l had never heard of. It was all interesting. 

ONE AND A HALF THUMBS UP

The Secret to Southern Charm

 Fiction by Kristy Woodson Harvey

https://www.barnesandnoble.com

The story in this book seems to have nothing really to do with the title; it’s about a mother, grandmother, and three grown daughters in a coastal Georgia town and the challenges they face. It also is apparently book number two in a series, although nothing in the cover identifies it as such. 

It was an okay story but not great. 

Where We Belong

Fiction by Catherine Ryan Hyde 

https://www.audible.com

Fourteen year old Angie and her family are about one step away from homelessness. It’s just Angie and her mom and her little sister Sophie; since Angie’s dad died they have been struggling. After getting evicted from their home, they have worn out their welcome at every friend and relative in town. Sophie is a non verbal (but also VERY non quiet!) autistic child of six, and her disability makes trouble for them everywhere they go. 

Everyone is strongly suggesting institutionalizing Sophie, but Angie can’t bear that option. Can Angie and her family figure out how to live and stay together? Then an unlikely possibility presents itself, and strangely enough it begins with a dog.

This was a lovely character story, and the audio narration was wonderful as well. 

I also read recently by this author: Falling Apart and Other Gifts from the Universe

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

Nonfiction by Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman

https://www.audible.com

This hyperbolically named book by the married actor/comedians is pretty funny, but not hysterically so. 

It was a bit too long and repetitive; if you like these people already you'll probably like it. If you don't know who they are you will be bored. 

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook

 Fiction by Ellen Marie Wiseman

https://www.audible.com

I could not finish listening to this book because it was about a girl imprisoned in a mental institution and I can't handle that subject emotionally. (I should have realized it from the description, I know. Sometimes I don't read the descriptions.)

I'm logging it in as Did Not Finish because I like this author and have read other books by her; I don't want to find myself in the middle of this one ever again.

I also read by this author (and finished!!): The Orphan Collector

Falling Apart and Other Gifts from the Universe

Fiction by Catherine Ryan Hyde

https://www.amazon.com

Addie is sixty-something year old working a night shift security guard job and attending five AA meetings a week. But even though she’s eight years sober, she’s really never dealt with what was underneath her addiction. 

Her new sponsor assigns her to redo her moral inventory, and she starts to really uncover some things. But then she kind of falls apart. Fortunately, although she is a chronic loner, Addie has a couple of good friends to help her through.

This was a really good character story. 

I also read recently by this author: Walter's Purple Heart