Books Read in April

One Plus One by JoJo Moyes
The story: Jess is a single mom raising a brilliant, quirky daughter as well as her ex-husband's teenage son. She works hard as a housecleaner/bartender and barely has enough money to feed the kids, much less send her daughter to the exclusive private school that has offered her a nearly full scholarship for her math skills. And then she crosses paths with Ed, a multimillionaire who is about to lose everything. The four of them accidentally embark on a journey to get to the Math Olympiad and end up becoming a family.
Me: This was a fun book. It's a beach read. Nothing terribly amazing, just fun and happy for the most part. Great for summer!

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.
The story: French sisters Vianne and Isabelle, daughters raised by an emotionally cold father, have approached life completely differently. Vianne is careful, comfortable in her marriage, but fearful; Isabelle, 10 years younger, is impetuous, rebellious, and reckless. When the Nazis invade France, they must both make impossible choices. Vianne's husband is drafted, and she and her young daughter must survive without food or money—and with a German captain living with them. Isabelle joins the Resistance and risks her life daily to save others.
Me: I loved this epic tale of survival during World War II. Isabelle gets more attention; her choices are flashier and more dramatic. But Vianne is the character I can identify with more: the one who does anything she can to provide for her family, the one who doesn't know how strong she is until she is forced to protect those she loves— the one who sometimes makes bad decisions because she doesn't understand how cruel people can be. I am fascinated with WWII stories, largely because there are so many aspects of the war to explore: soldiers on all sides, families and individuals in all kinds of circumstances, the home front, the Holocaust, the Japanese-American experience, the unsung heroes, post-war, etc. And while I've read similar stories, The Nightingale takes a fresh look at how two small people can make a huge difference in a war that encompassed the whole world. Highly recommended.

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks.
The story: The Zombie Wars are over—what really happened? This is the history of the Zombie Wars as told by various key players as well as regular people—all survivors of the unthinkable. Around the world, various governments, families, and individuals handled the zombie attacks in different ways. These are their stories of survival, pieced together in interview form.
Me: Meh. I found the interview style of the book to be tedious and confusing. I found myself constantly turning back a page or two, wondering whose POV I was currently reading. I should say that I love zombie movies and shows; I just didn't enjoy the style of this book. I would have loved reading a regular novel chronicling the events, but this left me mostly just feeling meh. 


To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
Multiple re-read of my favorite novel. With only one exception, this gets the "book of the year" award from my literature class.
Other posts here on TKAM:
• My Favorite Ever.
• Happy 50th to TKAM



Our Town by Thornton Wilder.
Re-read of a wonderful play. My high school students absolutely loved this play! Although it's a portrayal of small-town life in the early 1900s, my kids found it to be both universal and contemporary. Highly recommended reading, even if you've seen the play.