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chrissie_whitley's reviews
1549 reviews
Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt
4.0
This book. Gah.
There is such an air of both solemnity and melancholy to this book. By the end it is utterly heart-wrenching. The story is told in a simple and forthright manner, and yet there is a certain level of subtle sophistication to the narrative. The draw into the story is easy, but gentle. This is a quiet gem of a book.
Christmas is the season for miracles, you know. Sometimes they come big and loud, I guess—but I've never seen one of those. I think probably most miracles are a lot smaller, and sort of still, and so quiet, you could miss them.
There is such an air of both solemnity and melancholy to this book. By the end it is utterly heart-wrenching. The story is told in a simple and forthright manner, and yet there is a certain level of subtle sophistication to the narrative. The draw into the story is easy, but gentle. This is a quiet gem of a book.
The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
4.0
The tricky thing for me upon beginning a [a:Liane Moriarty|322069|Liane Moriarty|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1459827224p2/322069.jpg] book, seems to be getting over the fact that this is clearly marketed as chick-lit. I mean, yes, the characters are "chicks" but nothing about this is silly or fluffy, which I (perhaps unfairly) associate with chick-lit.
I could not put down this book.
The thing is—Moriarty creates these entirely real human beings. Even the ones with whom I have very little in common I can completely understand, if not directly relate. As with [b:Big Little Lies|19486412|Big Little Lies|Liane Moriarty|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1399582436s/19486412.jpg|27570886] (the only other book of hers I have yet read), the plot revolves around the point of intersection with the lives of the three narrators who are, at the opening of the novel, seemingly unrelated.
Moriarty's deft ability for incredible characterization, her startlingly hilarious wit, and her fantastic pacing she sets for her stories make her books a must-read for me now. Reading a book of hers is like the beginning of a roller coaster ride. You haven't gotten a good look at the first direction (straight down, banking curve, or a leveling out) after the initial climb, but you know something is coming and the build-up is thrilling in itself. The rest of the ride finishes in a whirl of interconnected moments as our three narrators are forced to make decisions in directing their lives from here on out.
I could not put down this book.
The thing is—Moriarty creates these entirely real human beings. Even the ones with whom I have very little in common I can completely understand, if not directly relate. As with [b:Big Little Lies|19486412|Big Little Lies|Liane Moriarty|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1399582436s/19486412.jpg|27570886] (the only other book of hers I have yet read), the plot revolves around the point of intersection with the lives of the three narrators who are, at the opening of the novel, seemingly unrelated.
Moriarty's deft ability for incredible characterization, her startlingly hilarious wit, and her fantastic pacing she sets for her stories make her books a must-read for me now. Reading a book of hers is like the beginning of a roller coaster ride. You haven't gotten a good look at the first direction (straight down, banking curve, or a leveling out) after the initial climb, but you know something is coming and the build-up is thrilling in itself. The rest of the ride finishes in a whirl of interconnected moments as our three narrators are forced to make decisions in directing their lives from here on out.