One of my New Years’ resolutions was to read more books. I always find magazines are a super easy read with kids, because a one-page article here and there is about all they’ll let me finish. As soon as they see me reading a book, it’s like a sure-fire signal to ask me a million questions, and I find myself reading the same paragraph over and over again, and getting nowhere. My sister gave me a Kindle for Christmas, and that just might have been as life-changing as my BlackBerry. I keep the Kindle tucked into my work bag, so it’s always with me, and it makes it easy to get a few pages in here and there while on the go. One day, when the kids are older, I’ll be able to read books again at home. Like when they’re awake. And not have to wait until the house sleeps to break out a book.
I don’t think three books a month is too lofty a goal. I managed to do it for January, and am just finishing up my second one for February, so I’m feeling pretty good about myself. Luckily, the kind folks at BlogHer and Penguin occasionally send me a book to read and review too, and when it’s an assignment, there’s no way of skirting my own personal goal. This month, they sent me The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. Three sisters of the Andreas family, who continually get lost in books of their own, all return to their homestead to deal with their mother’s failing health. Each of the sisters are named after Shakespearean heroines, and though they don’t communicate well with each other and all came home for their own personal reasons, they are united in their desire to care for their mother.
The way the story was told reminded me a little of the narratives that Laura Ingalls would do on Little House on the Prairie, a favorite show from my childhood. But because the voice of the book was all three sisters speaking as a collective unit, it didn’t flow as easily as Half-Pint would have told a story. Although each of the sisters had vastly different personalities, it was easy to find little pieces in each of them that to identify with.
It was a good book to escape with, and it’s a bonus if you happen to be a Shakespeare fan, because you’ll find little references and quotes sprinkled throughout. If you’ve been to the movies with me, you know how I hate loose ends. This book ended with all the loose ends neatly tied in a bow. If your kids let you read books, or you need something new on your Kindle, this title hit the New York Times bestseller list last year. All those people can’t be wrong, right?
If you read the book already or interested in learning more about it, feel free to jump into the discussion going on over at BlogHer.
Disclosure: I am being compensated for my participation in the BlogHer Book Club but all opinions expressed are my own.
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I hate loose ends also. There are enough of them in real life that I don’t need them in my fiction, whether it be movies or books. Great review!
Between your review and Sarah’s I’m adding this one to my book list! I’m loving my kindle and it’s making getting some reading in every day so much easier!
I received an ipad as a gift at Christmas, which I didn’t ask for, but am enjoying nonetheless! Because the first movie will be out soon, and because my son has enjoyed them so much, I read the Hunger Games series. I am not really a lover of “futuristic” books or movies, so it took a few chapters for me to really get into it. I ended up loving the books by the time I finished the last one. Now I’m ready to see the movie, which I’m quite sure won’t hold a candle to the book (they never do). I convinced my 12-yr.-old of that fact when he finally sat down a couple of years ago and read the first Harry Potter book. I just love having a child who enjoys reading as much as I do! Although, I do miss when he was little and I read his books to him. Those years went by much too fast!
So true what you said about not being able to read with little ones in the house! I decided to make a definite attempt at reading a lot more this year, and after reading your review and listening to the one on The Book Report, which is a great review show you can listen to online if you don’t live in the broadcast area, try it here – http://www.bookreportradio.com/, I decided to start of with weird sisters, its sounds great.