The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett by Annie Lyons

The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett by Annie Lyons

372 pages

Published September 2020 by William Morrow

Publisher's Summary: 

It's never too late to start living.

Eudora Honeysett is done with this noisy, moronic world--all of it. She has witnessed the indignities and suffering of old age and has lived a full life. At eighty-five, she isn't going to leave things to chance. Her end will be on her terms. With one call to a clinic in Switzerland, a plan is set in motion.

Then she meets ten-year-old Rose Trewidney, a whirling, pint-sized rainbow of sparkling cheer. All Eudora wants is to be left alone to set her affairs in order. Instead, she finds herself embarking on a series of adventures with the irrepressible Rose and their affable neighbor, the recently widowed Stanley--afternoon tea, shopping sprees, trips to the beach, birthday celebrations, pizza parties.

While the trio of unlikely BFFs grow closer and anxiously await the arrival of Rose's new baby sister, Eudora is reminded of her own childhood--of losing her father during World War II and the devastating impact it had on her entire family. In reflecting on her past, Eudora realizes she must come to terms with what lies ahead.

But now that her joy for life has been rekindled, how can she possibly say goodbye?

My Thoughts: 

When I saw I'm on a roll reading about older ladies with attitude, this is my latest example (following Three Days In June, The Little Village of Book Lovers, Remarkably Bright Creatures, and The Life Impossible). My sister recommended it to me but when I first picked it up, I was afraid it was too soon after my last book about a cranky old woman. But I needed to get books back to the library so I picked it up again and soon was drawn in to Eudora's story. 

Eudora is the reason the saying "You never know what someone is going through, so be kind." She has very little patience for people any longer and even less time for them. She's getting older and slower and has no family. She's ready for life to be done and she's desperate to go out on her own terms. There's a part of me that never stopped believing she was right to feel that way, especially when she expected to be all alone at the end. 

But Rose didn't see Eudora as an old woman whose time was about over. She understood that Eudora was old, but it never occurred to her that Eudora wouldn't be around for her as long as she needed her. I felt the same way about my mom so I could certainly understand how a ten-year-old would feel that way. Rose saw in Eudora someone who could be a friend and ally. But Eudora hadn't had a friend in a very long time, nor family or love in almost as long and she certainly wasn't looking for any of those things when Rose first showed up on her door. But Annie Lyons wants readers to understand that friends can be any age and family can be the people we choose to care about. 

Eudora had been hurt a lot in her life and disappointed by so many people. It was hard for her not to expect that from her new friends and even harder to believe that those people would be there for her until the end. So she never gave up on her desire to go to Switzerland and end her life on her own terms. And I came to believe that was exactly how this book would end, that having developed those friendships and that makeshift family, Eudora could do what she wanted to do without regret. 

The night before I finished this book, it had gotten late. I had only about ten pages left to read but I had to get to sleep. So I finished this one while I had my morning coffee. Big mistake. Those of you who have been around for a long time will know that while a lot of books have really impacted me emotionally, few have made me cry. This one did. It's the kind of ending that is both sad and uplifting. And now I have to read something completely different because I want to let this one sit with me for a while. 

Life: It Goes On - May 25

Happy Sunday! Missing my usual sunny Sunday but if this grey day will also produce some more rain, it will be very much appreciated. I've never had to water my new spring plants as much as I've had to this year, so I almost danced when it rained and rained on Friday. Certainly has me thinking about getting more perennials planted. This is just the kind of day where curling up in a chair with a cup of coffee and a good book seems like a great idea. What with an extra day off of work this weekend, I might just do that. 

Last Week I: 

Listened To: I finished Eowyn Ivey's Black Woods, Blue Sky and now I'm back to Anne Tyler's Vinegar Girl. 

Watched: The finale of The Voice and LOTS of sports. A fair amount of NBA games, but mostly college sports. Our Husker women are playing in the softball Super Regional, the men are heading into the Big 10 Tournament final today, and our Creighton Bluejays won the Big East baseball tournament yesterday. 

Read: I finished The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett in tears. These little old lady books are really gripping my heart lately. Then I started Amy Griffin's The Tell. 

Made: I've been on a blue cheese hyper fixation lately so I've had a lot of salads this week. Last night it was comfort food time so I did a new take on homemade Mac and cheese. 

Enjoyed: My aunt and uncle were here and spent the night on Friday. We enjoyed dinner out with them and an evening (and morning) of conversation with them. Sadly, neither Big Guy or I thought to get any pictures. 

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This Week I’m:  

Planning: On long days at work as I try to get a bit ahead, prior to having a new employee start next week, so I don't anticipate getting much more done around here than the usual. 

Thinking About: Summer and starting to make plans for some long weekend trips. 

Feeling: It's been chilly here the past week. We've had to put the comforter back on the bed and I'm wearing cardigans almost nonstop. I'm a little salty about that - I'm ready for short-sleeves and warm sunshine on my face. 

Looking forward to: A visit from my brother and sister-in-law this week. 

Question of the week: Have you been to a farmer's market yet this year? I haven't been able to get myself out of bed in time to go yet this year but I love seeing all of the different crops that are available throughout the season. 

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry  by Gabrielle Zevin

288 pages

Published December 2014 by Algonquin Books

Publisher’s Summary: 

A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his life over—and see everything anew.   

My Thoughts: 

How long has this one been on my TBR? I’m going to guess 10 years; I can clearly remember being on Goodreads when this one became the big buzz, so I added it to my TBR, bought it for my Nook, and then forgot about it. Until a book club friend brought it up a month or so ago and then another said there had been a movie adaptation. So, I read it…and then I watched the movie.

A.J. Fikry is a man without friends, a man who owns a bookstore that is gradually failing, a man who is so deep in his grief over the loss of his wife that he has decided to drink himself to death. He is so morose that when a young publishing rep comes to pitch him the winter list, he all but throws her out of the building. 

Sometime later, a young woman comes into the store. His brief moment of kindness to her causes her to make a decision that will change A.J.’s life. The next day A.J. finds a toddler in his store when he returns from a run, with a note to “the bookseller” leaving the child to him. As cantankerous as A.J. can be, he can’t find it in himself to turn the child over to Child Protective Services and the law is, unbelievably, on his side. Maya changes A.J.’s life, as children will do. As the community rallies to help A.J. with Maya, friendships develop. And four years after he first met that publisher’s rep, A.J. finds love. All is well; this will be a happily-ever-after story. Except it’s not. It’s bittersweet.

Is it a little dramatic and sentimental at times? Yes. I didn’t care because it is also humorous and heartwarming and had just the right amount of drama and sentimentality for me. I loved these characters, and I loved the way they grew over the years and found love and friendship. In fewer than 300 pages, Zevin made me feel so many things. 

If you’ve ever read George Eliot’s Silas Marner, much of this book will feel very familiar, from a child that lands on the doorstep of a cranky man to the disappear and reappearance of a prize. Yes, that prized possession reappears – if you know about Chekov’s gun, you won’t be surprised when that happens much later in the book. I thought the story about where it was and how it reappears was wonderful. 

This is a lovely little book which I highly recommend if you’re in the mood for something lovely. 

As a side note, Zevin also wrote the screenplay for the movie so it’s one of the most faithful adaptations of a book I’ve ever watched, giving me exactly what I wanted, especially watching is so closely after finishing the book. 

And as a final side note, I just realized that this Gabrielle Zevin is the same author who wrote Young Jane Young and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. Now I really want to read those books! 

Life: It Goes On - May 18

Happy Sunday! We're back to having a sunny, if somewhat cool, Sunday. Meals on the patio are on the agenda, where we can enjoy all of the hard work we've done in the backyard. Things are looking good, even if it has meant constant watering on our part - we could really use some of that rain that so many are getting. 

You may have noticed that I'm not getting book reviews posted much of late. I am reading (although not as much as I should be); just can't make myself sit down to write the reviews. I'm pondering how I make them easier/faster to create so that I'm more inclined to keep them up. Since one of the original reasons for this blog was to create a place to store my thoughts about the books I've read for my own purposes, I do want to keep that up. Just need to find a way to do that which is also enjoyable and does justice to the books I'm reading for reviews for publishers. 

Last Week I: 

Listened To: I finished Remarkably Bright Creatures and started Eowyn Ivey's Black Woods, Blue Sky. I'm struggling with that one; not because it's not good, just doesn't seem to be what I'm in the mood for right now. 

Watched: The Voice, some NBA basketball, some college softball and baseball...you know, our usual. 

Read: Still reading The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett and enjoying it a lot. Will finish it in the next day or so. Not sure what's up next - have to check what's in my pile from the library.

Made: We were the lucky recipients of some delicious salmon so grilled that one evening and cooked it in the cast iron skillet. Second night I made a delicious lemon & dill sauce that I'll be looking forward to making again. Today I'm going to be making a strawberry/rhubarb pie since we harvested rhubarb yesterday. 

Enjoyed: So many things this week! Miss H was here cleaning (I hired her to come up and do some deep cleaning) - it was nice to have her around for a bit and to have that job done without having to do it! Thursday I had my hair done and you know I always love my evening of being pampered. Then last night we had our inaugural regularly scheduled dinner with the Big Guy's siblings and their spouses. BG's brother is such a great cook and dinner was delicious. We're hosting in two months and I'm already trying to figure out a menu that will live up to last night's! 

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This Week I’m:  

Planning: While Miss H was here and working hard, I took some time off and body doubled her, getting some organizing and cleaning done in my office. Work there will continue this week; so far I've pulled out a bin of stuff to donate and gotten rid of two bags of trash. Miss H and I were in that room when she told me that if we leave them with as much stuff when we die as we have now, she will burn the house to the ground instead of sorting through things. That was a walk up call! 

Thinking About: I went much lighter with my hair color this time (wow, was that a process!) and I'm struggling with it. Wondering if it makes me look too much like a person who is trying too hard to hide the fact that she's going grey (which, of course, is true!). Do I go back to being a bit darker or keep this? 

Feeling: Frustrated. I'm still battling the back issue I've been having (although that is some better) and now a problem with my knee which will probably land me at the doctor's office this week. From there I don't know if I'm going to end up in physical therapy but having to have surgery. 

Looking forward to: A long weekend coming up. 

Question of the week: Do you get a three-day weekend? Do you have big plans for it? We will be staying home, but I'm not sure if that will mean relaxing or getting a lot accomplished. 

Life: It Goes On - May 12th

Happy Monday (if there really is such a thing as a happy Monday)! I hope all of the moms out there had a great Mother's Day. I had a lovely day - Mini-him and Miss C brought brunch, mimosas, flowers, and gifts and I got calls from Mini-me and Miss H. And then I gave myself permission to be largely lazy much of the day - a little Mother's Day gift to myself. I'm sorry to say that I'm regretting it today knowing how much needs to be done, but it was nice while I was doing it. 

Last Week I: 

Listened To: Shelby Van Pelt's Remarkably Bright Creatures, which I'm very much enjoying and will finish tomorrow. I'll miss Marcellus! Next up is, suddenly, Eowyn Ivey's Black Woods, Blue Sky, pushing Anne Tyler's Vinegar Girl back until next week. 

Watched: NBA basketball, The Voice, NCAA baseball and softball, professional volleyball. And then, just to throw in something completely different and comforting La Dolce Villa, on Netflix. 

Read: The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett, by Annie Lyons. I seem to have a thing for books about older women lately. 

Made: Lots of salads, grilled salmon, bbq chicken...it's summer cooking time already!

Enjoyed: Our first picnic of the season with friends Saturday night. 

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This Week I’m:  

Planning: Miss H arrives in a little bit. She's started a cleaning service and I've been wanting to hire someone to come in and deep clean my bathrooms; figured I'd rather pay someone I trust. I'm taking some time off to body double her...for my sake, not hers; if she's working hard, I'll have the push I need to get something done around here as well (gotta make up for that lazy Sunday!). Hoping that start keeps me motivated for the rest of the week. 

Thinking About: Politics. I try to avoid the news but then I also want to be informed. It's exhausting. 

Feeling: Been battling my depression more lately. Which is strange for me this time of year. So I'm trying to spend more time playing in the dirt, eating on the patio, walking in the grass. Such good therapy!

Looking forward to: Saturday we begin a new Shep family tradition - the three siblings will take turns hosting dinners at regular intervals (not sure how often yet) so we don't all find ourselves only getting together a couple of times a year. 

Question of the week: I got a candle yesterday that's lavender/bergamot, two of my favorite scents combined. Are you a person who loves scented candles, oils, lotions like I do? If so, what are some of your favorite scents? 

The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel

The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel

Read by Michael Crouch, Gail Shalan and Helen Lloyd

10 hours, 10 minutes

Published September 2024 by Penguin Publishing Group

Publisher's Summary: 

Alfred Smettle is not your average Hitchcock fan. He is the founder, owner, and manager of The Hitchcock Hotel, a sprawling Victorian house in the White Mountains dedicated to the Master of Suspense. There, Alfred offers his guests round-the-clock film screenings, movie props and memorabilia in every room, plus an aviary with fifty crows.

To celebrate the hotel's first anniversary, he invites his former best friends from his college Film Club for a reunion. He hasn't spoken to any of them in sixteen years, not after what happened.

But who better than them to appreciate Alfred's creation? And to help him finish it.

After all, no Hitchcock set is complete without a body.

My Thoughts: 

I'll be honest - it's been a while since I finished this one and my feelings about it are a little faded so this will be short and bullet points. 

• I loved the use of multiple narrators and all three did an excellent job. 
• I'm a fan of Hitchcock's work so this one was fun with all of the talk about and references to his movies. I had no idea how many movies he'd made. 
• I did struggle trying to figure out why any of the "friends" were friends with Alfred to begin with. He was always creepy. Think Norman Bates creepy. 
• There's a maid named Danny, which took me straight to Rebecca, the movie adaptation of which was directed by Hitchcock. 
• This one was a little slow building up but once it hit its stride, Wrobel had a lot of surprises for me. Maybe they won't come as surprises for you - you know how rarely I figure out who done it. 
• That's right, I said surprises. Who dies is just one of them. What happened to break up the friend group is another. And then there's of course, who done it and why. 
• This was my first book by Wrobel. While it was slow to get going, it was worth it and I'll probably pick up another of her books. 

Life: It Goes On - May 4

Happy Sunday and May the Fourth Be With You! 

I saw the original Star Wars movie shortly after it was released in 1977 with my boyfriend. We waited in a packed theater lobby for an hour (his idea, not mine - maybe that was the origin of my hatred of big crowds!). I'm no Stars Wars nerd but we managed to create two of them when we introduced our two eldest to the original trilogy when they were in grade school. Each of them got, as their first tattoo, a Star Wars symbol. When my Mini-him was in 2nd grade, he and a couple of friends played Star Wars at recess and he was Han Solo. May 4th always makes me think of my kids! 

Last Week I: 

Listened To: I finished Samantha Irby's We Are Not Meeting In Real Life and started Shelby Van Pelt's Remarkably Bright Creatures. When we saw Van Pelt recently I bought a copy of the book and had it autographed. But when she said that Marin Ireland and Micheal Urie read the audiobook, I knew I wanted to listen to the book and requested it from the library - loving it so far! 

Watched: The Storied Life Of A.J. Fikry - it's a lovely little movie that gave me all the feels. And made me want to re-read Silas Marner, by George Eliot, on which it is very loosely (think Clueless to Emma loosely) based. 

Read: Also The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, which I had planned to finish before watching the movie, but...oh well. I am really enjoying Gabrielle Ziven's writing. 

Made: It's been a very lazy week in the kitchen. Last night I made the version of goulash I learned about from a college roommate and today I'm making refried beans. 

Enjoyed: Two trips to nurseries this week, an afternoon yesterday spent getting those plants into pots, and an evening around the fire pit last night with friends, enjoying the work of the afternoon. 

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This Week I’m:  

Planning: Today will be about finishing up the planting, cleaning up a bed and planting seeds, and getting the outdoor decor out. Also, I've got a project I need to finish up that's spread out on the dining room table (more on that later) and a photo organization project that needs attention. 

Thinking About: The Big Guy went to the Berkshire Hathaway meeting extravaganza yesterday and came home with squishmallows of Warren Buffet and Charlie Munger. Add those to the other toys he's collected over the years and I'm left wondering two things if I'm not actually married to a little boy at heart. Where in the world does he plan to keep Warren and Charlie?!

Feeling: Happy! I got to play in the dirt for hours yesterday and almost nothing makes me happier than getting my hands deep into dirt and then seeing all of that lovely color throughout my yard. 

Looking forward to: Mini-him and BG are headed to the theater this afternoon to see Monty Python and the Holy Grail and then Mini-him and Miss C will join us for dinner on the patio. I love being able to entertain on the patio!

Question of the week: What's are your favorite perennial and annual plants? 

We Are Never Meeting In Real Life by Samantha Irby

We Are Never Meeting In Real Life by Samantha Kirby

Read by Samantha Irby

9 hours, 17 minutes

Published May 2017 by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

 

Publisher's Summary: 

Whether Samantha Irby is talking about how her difficult childhood has led to a problem in making “adult” budgets; explaining why she should be the new Bachelorette (she's "35-ish, but could easily pass for 60-something"); detailing a disastrous pilgrimage-slash-romantic-vacation to Nashville to scatter her estranged father's ashes; sharing awkward sexual encounters; or dispensing advice on how to navigate friendships with former drinking buddies who are now suburban moms (hang in there for the Costco loot!); she's as deft at poking fun at the ghosts of her past self as she is at capturing powerful emotional truths.

My Thoughts: 

We Are Never Meeting In Real Life was one of the New York Times Critics Book of the Year in 2022. As a general rule, that would make a book one that would be easily recommendable. This one? This one is definitely not for everyone and you should know that about it before you pick it up. 

Because you will not want this book playing in the background while you're ordering coffee just as it comes to a part where Irby is talking very graphically about sex. And there's a very good chance that will happen to you even if you only stop for coffee a couple of times while you're listening to this one. If you're someone who's already familiar with Irby, this probably won't come as a surprise; but it did come as a surprise to me. I like to think that I'm not a prude; but sometimes when I'm taken aback by sexual encounters in books, I think I just might be. Those parts made me uncomfortable and made me wonder if I wanted to keep listening to this book. 

But if you can get by that (or if you're then kind of person who this kind of thing doesn't bother at all), there's a lot to like about this one. Irby is funny; self aware and unafraid to make fun of herself; and very open about her difficult life growing up, her abusive father, how very bad she is when it comes to relationships. 

That cat on the cover of the book? Irby got stuck with a kitten who came with a boatload of medical issues and a very bad attitude, who she named "Helen Keller." In Irby's version of the relationship, you would think there wasn't one redeeming thing about Helen and that she lived to make Irby's life miserable. But you would probably also get the impression by the amount of the book that's devoted to Helen, that Irby grew pretty attached to that sickly, cranky girl, especially when you read the piece about Helen's final trip to the vet. As a cat mom (yes, I said "mom"), that part got to me! 

Will I read more of Irby's work? I'm not sure. But if I do, I'll know what I'm likely to encounter and that there will be plenty of humor and emotional openness to offset the tough-for-me stuff.