"Outside a dog a book is man's best friend, inside a dog it is too dark to read!" -Groucho Marx========="The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." -Jane Austen========="I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book."-JK Rowling========"I spend a lot of time reading." -Bill Gates=========“Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really.” -Jacqueline Kelly=========

Thursday, January 28, 2021

Review and quotes: WRITERS AND LOVERS


Title:
Writers and Lovers by Lily King

Book Beginnings quote:

Friday56 quote: 

Summary: Casey Peabody is determined to live the artistic life, the life she has mapped out for herself. But writing a novel and making ends meet do not seem to be simpatico and she is barely getting by. Add to this the sudden, unexpected death of a beloved mother and a bad breakup after a love affair and Casey's resolve and mental health are slipping. She lives in a tiny, moldy apartment attached to a garage and walks the owners dog for a reduction in the rent (page one quote.) She waits tables for her income at a popular restaurant in Harvard Square where she seems to be in a perpetual fight with the management (page 56 quote.) Nothing is going right. Then Casey meets and falls in love with two men at the same time. Both of them are writers and understand the creative life. But now what should she do? She knows she has to choose but choices are not always easy and they certainly have consequences.

Review: Last Fall my book group was putting out feelers trying to locate some new book selections. This book peculated to the top of someone's list because the writing was so strong. Ultimately we didn't choose Writers and Lovers but I went ahead and listened to the audiobook version while working on a jigsaw puzzle, trying to ignore the ugly politics that were demanding so much of my attention and energy. In a lot of ways I felt like Casey. I wasn't living my best life because of circumstances beyond my control. Apparently I never finished writing the review of the book after completing it in October. That was another problem for me in 2020---putting all the pieces together, like those of my puzzles, wasn't easy. So here I am reviewing a book I finished three months ago, feeling a bit disjointed and scattered. 

I did end up liking the book mostly because of the strong writing. I think the 'book beginnings' quote from the first page gives you a good example. "Admire me. Admire me. Admire judge and courthouse and seven sharp." I've met people like that, heck, I've been a person like that trying to make people admire me for something I am doing. 

Here are a few others quotes that I find compelling. This one is about raw grief:

“When I was visiting her a few years ago she hugged me and said, ‘Tomorrow after you leave I will stand here at this window and remember that yesterday you were right here with me.’ And now she’s dead and I have that feeling all the time, no matter where I stand.”

And this. I love it when my husband and I share an audiobook and talk about it, the book and shared experience, even years later.

“It’s a particular kind of pleasure, of intimacy, loving a book with someone.”

Needless to say, I think you should consider reading this book, too.

Source: Audiobook checked out from the public library

Book Beginnings on Friday is hosted by Rose City ReaderShare the opening quote from current book.
Th
e Friday56 is hosted at Freda's VoiceFind a quote from page 56 to share. 

Visit these two websites to participate. Click on links to read quotes from books other people are reading. It is a great way to make blog friends and to get suggestions for new reading material.   
   

-Anne

17 comments:

  1. I have only read one Lily King book before and quite liked it and feel like I should read more.

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  2. Wow, what powerful excerpts and thoughts! Thanks for sharing...and for visiting my blog.

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  3. I love the wit! Sounds like a great read! Happy weekend!

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  4. The last line of the beginning is very powerful. Love the anaphora/repetition.

    I'm also having problems putting the pieces together lately. Take care.

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    1. I keep thinking that now that Biden is in charge I should be able to settle down and get back to business as usual but it hasn't happened yet. Soon. I hope.

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  5. Thanks for reminding me that I have an ARC of this book. I met the author at an in-person library conference last year (my last in-person event before the shutdowns) and she we had a lovely chat.

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    1. I don't usually request ARCs of books because I don't want them screaming at me if I decide to not read them.

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  6. Sounds very good.
    Thank you for sharing and for the visit.
    Have a great weekend!

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  7. Great descriptive intro. It got my attention.

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  8. This looks like an interesting book 🤔 I might have to check it out soon! 🤔 And awesome review! I hope you have a great weekend! 🥺💖💕

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    1. Thank you. I always want to write good reviews but sometimes I worry that I have delayed the writing so long that I will have lost my enthusiasm for the book and then the review will suffer.

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  9. I love those snippets. Thanks for sharing! Hope you have a great weekend! :)

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  10. I really enjoy that beginning and the way the two characters are immediately at odds! Gosh, I think we've all known our share of Adams, right? So relatable. Aww man, that quote about grief is so beautiful and hits me right in the feels! My library has the audiobook, so I think I'm going to go ahead and give this one a try!

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    1. I listened to the audiobook from the library, too. It was a problem though because the checkout expired mid-book so I had to get back in line to finish it a few weeks later.

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  11. I feel that way when my husband and I read the same book and both love it. This sounds like one I would enjoy. I'll have to give it a try. I hope you have a great week!

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