Author: Marilynne Robinson

This is actually the first book in a series but reading the second one first really didn’t make any difference. In fact, this filled in a few of the gaps that I noticed in the second one.

John Ames, an elderly minister, has started to write down stories and thoughts for his very young son (only 8 years old) to read when he is a grown man. There are a few notable quotes but I never thought to write them down at the time I read them. It was a library book so I couldn’t mark them either.

I didn’t think I wanted to read the third in the series but it is the back story of one of the characters so I’ve ordered it from the library.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Author: Holly Kennedy

This is one of the books included in Kathryn’s 2025 birthday bag. I saw the idea on Facebook and decided to pass it along. On her birthday Kathryn received a bag of books (second hand that I’ve pre-read) each wrapped in brown paper. The idea is that once a month (on her birthdate) she can pick a book to read. Each book includes a bookmark of some sort.

This is one of the books that I didn’t pre-read. I got it because I liked the cover!

Author: Fredrik Backman

The suggestion for this book came from a Facebook group I belong to. I probably would have passed on it except that it is written by the author who wrote A Man Called Ove which I really enjoyed – both the book and the Swedish movie.

The book is a story about Ted and Louisa who meet shortly after the death of a famous pai who is Ted’s best friend/maybe lover? There is a story within a story within a story and the people telling those stories are friends of the characters in the story. I wondered all the way through whether or not there would be a happy ending, but we are reminded time and time again through the stories that it is the moments in a life that make us happy, not the ending.

Goodreads Rating: * * * *