The Vacationers, by Emma Straub

This was selected as a “beach read” by an article in REAL SIMPLE Magazine, June 2015 edition.  My definition of a beach read is something easily read and fun.  That was true in this case.   It was a quick, easy, light read.  The story plot was easy. One husband cheats on wife. One young man cheats on young girl. Another husband cheated on husband.  Each pair of characters in the story faced the same situation.  They also overcame it. 

The setting was in Mallorca, an island belonging to Spain.  It sounded beautiful and  relaxing and now I want to visit.

The Post family has family vacations every year, but this one will be tense.  Mother and father, brother and live-in girlfriend, sister and 2 close friends of mother decide to spend 14 glorious days doing nothing but swimming, eating, reading and trying to stay clear of their associated partners.    Franny and Jim Post are supposed to be celebrating their thirty-fifth wedding anniversary.  Instead they will be deciding if they can overcome Jim’s infidelity.  Sylvia is going away to college and having her own sexual turmoil.  Her brother Bobby is bringing the girlfriend that no one likes and Franny’s friend Charles will be there with his husband.  Fun fun fun.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

The basis for me reading this book was that I read somewhere a movie was being made of this book and I was intrigued by the title.  I like to read the book before seeing the movie.

I liked the story line and it’s a book that makes you want to keep reading.  I finished the last 9 chapters in the same day.

Set in 2041, the world is going through an energy crisis. Poverty and disease are running rampant.  People are living off of food vouchers and living in trailers parks where trailers are stacked vertically.

Apart from the real world, there is OASIS. An on-line virtual reality system that grants you access to another world, so to speak.  The main character Wade attends school through OASIS and basically stays connected 24-7-365.  In Oasis, you can teleport from place to place, fly spaceships and be anything you want and do anything you want with your own avatar.  There are levels granted to each avatar depending on your experience.  These levels are increased based on the quests you choose and what you gain as far as experience points and artifacts that allow you to do magical things in OASIS.   

The fun begins when the OASIS creator dies and leaves his fortune to the person who can find an "egg" that he has hidden.  This begins a cut-throat rampage to be the first person to decipher clues left behind and gain a fortune.

The story takes you through a history if video games, movies from the 80’s and gaming consoles.  It was like a blast from the past for me.  I am not a “gaming nerd”, but have played my fare share of video games and newly upgraded to “apps”.

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis

Wow!!

 

Hattie had eleven children.  Among them, Franklin, Ella, Bell and Cassie, to name a few.   I said “had” for a reason.  This story is about twelve of her family members, the twelfth being her grandchild. 

Each of her children have their own story and life to tell about.  One was stricken with tuberculosis, one had a bout with rage when his mother was spoken ill of and one had a homosexual encounter.

Hattie was passionate - when she made love to her husband August, when she showed no emotion to any of her children, and when she showed hatred towards her husband during their arguments.  She provided what she could of the basic necessities and that was that. 

I found this story to be so lifelike in all its dramatizations.  Each character was written with fierce emotion, nothing was held back.  There was death, infidelity and such emotional loss within each character. 

40 Love by Madeleine Wickham

This book was a lighter read than the authors other books.  Everything worked out at the end of the story for all the characters – somewhat.

Caroline and Patrick Chase invite three other couples over for a weekend tennis tournament.  All of the couples have secrets and they seem to climax during this particular weekend.

One couple is about to discover they owe an “unlimited” amount of debt.  Another couple is about to fall prey to a bad business deal and another couple has to deal with infidelity.  That one happened during the weekend stay! 

This was a very quick read, still enjoyable!

Tell No One by Harlan Coben

Elizabeth and Dr. David Becker have been married for seven months and then things go wrong when Elizabeth is killed.  They have known each other since they were 7 years old and knew they were right for each other.

Eight years later, David gets an email that contains information that only Elizabeth would know.  Is she alive??  So the drama begins and he is told to tell no one.

Who is hiding what information?  Could it be Elizabeth’s family or some person of notoriety who does not want some information divulged.  Her father was the one who ID’d the body at the morgue – not her husband David. He also let it be known that he felt David had something to do with his daughter’s death.

I enjoyed reading this mystery.  As always, the author uses twists and turns and most characters are connected to another in some fashion.

child of dandelions by Shenaaz Nanji

This is the story of Sabine, a young girl of fifteen who is torn between a country that does not want her and an attempt to keep her family together safely.  These are things that a fifteen year old should not have to be concerned about.  Sabine was born in Uganda and so was her father, but a mandate passed by President Amin tells them they have to leave in 90 days.  Anyone of Indian descent must go.  Her mother is Indian and the whole family has to leave or be removed to a concentration camp. 

Sabine and her friend Zenabu (Zena) are very close, but will they stay close during this situation within their country?  When Zena tells her the land must be cleaned and Sabine and her family must leave - thus begins the rift.

During this 90 day period, Sabine witnesses neighbor after neighbor leaving/disappearing or being harassed by other neighbors and/or by soldiers.  When her Uncle goes missing, she goes on a personal crusade to locate him even to the extent of paying “detectives”.  

On Day 85 Sabine decides enough is enough.  She will apply for refugee status for her family and leave Uganda and begin life anew.

There is no excuse for racism, and even more so when it happens within your own ethnic background – that’s disturbing!

A co-worker gave me this book and after reading the highlights from the back cover, I had to read it. 

The actual book is listed and up for grabs (for free) at www.paperbackswap.com . 

If, however, you don’t want to register with them – email me and I will mail it to you directly – pe0809@yahoo.com

Happy Reading!