November 8, 2018

Lit Tidbits: Pithy Picks


Author: Maurice White
Published: September 2016
Pithy ReviewMaurice White charts the rise of his legendary music band. Like their music filled with horns, vocals and stage presence, this band is solid in their unity. Music remained a priority in Maurice White's life and it showed with every song. After reading this memoir, it is evident why Earth, Wind & Fire remains the best concert I ever attended, continues to lift moods and inspire artists still today.

AuthorMaureen Smith
PublishedNovember 2016
Pithy Review: I waited years (no exaggeration) for this book and was quite disappointed when it released as Part One with the promise of Part Two in 2017. Well, guess what? It is damn near 2019 and no Part Two in sight. And the romance was lackluster at best when I finally made it around to reading this. So I am done with this series and this author for a good little while. Serialized novels are a gimmick and I want no parts...pun intended.  



TitleBurial Rites
Author: Hannah Kent
PublishedSeptember 2013
Pithy Review: Inspired by a true story, this novel is about the final days of a young woman accused of murder in Iceland in the 1820s. She awaits execution surrounded by a priest and farmer's family. I unfortunately DNF because of the writing style and subject. I somehow purchased two (2) copies of this book so send a message if interested and I will mail you the hardcover edition. 



AuthorJane Green
PublishedJune 2017
Pithy ReviewI cannot fathom having to watch someone intentionally die. Yet the "sunshine sisters" are set to task when their disinterested, often absent mother invites them over as a final wish. She stockpiled pills and is ready to take her last breath surrounded by jazz and her three daughters. Jealousy, illness and secrets fill the room. This novel is an example of judging a book by its cover; it is nothing like the sunny beach scene shown.


AuthorJenny Lawson
Published: April 2012
Pithy ReviewI literally LOL'ed a few times in the beginning of this book. Like shake-my-head-this-girl-is-nuts-but-funny type of laugh. But somewhere in the middle it lost its appeal. Maybe it was too many jokes bound into one book. It started to seem forced like a comedian losing touch with a live audience. But I like Jenny Lawson's tactic in trying to find humor in every situation.



TitleBad Mommy
Author: Tarryn Fisher
Published: December 2016
Pithy ReviewI would normally not read a book with such an un-relatable title. I am not a mommy and mine is certainly not bad. But it caught my attention when the author released a new cover and title. I Can Be a Better You is the type of psychological title that brings pause. Fig Coxbury buys a house on West Barrett Street. Not because it's her dream home in a nice neighborhood. But because everything she desires is right next door: the husband, the child and the life. EEK!


TitleThe Sock Wars
AuthorMaia Sepp
Published: December 2012
Pithy Review: This Top 100 Digital Bestseller sat on my NOOK long enough. Lucy is a workaholic financial planner. She is thrown out of routine when her aunt dies in a car accident. With no remaining family alive, a ticking biological clock and a milestone birthday approaching, she moves into an inherited house. As she settles into a life of sock thievery, she realizes too much time was spent fixing other people's lives and not fully living her own.


Author: Brad Meltzer
Published: March 2001
Pithy Review: I saved the best for last. On a random day, I was conversating (it's a word now...look it up!) with a colleague. Somehow books came up and we started trading recommendations. I asked him to let me borrow one of his favorite books ever. A book that held his attention and didn't drag like most books over 500 pages sometimes do. The very next day, a thick paperback was sitting on my desk with a sticky note simply saying, "Enjoy but I want my book back." After promising to return his paperback in pristine condition, I started reading. Setting: White House. Themes: murder, secrets, drugs, cut-throat antics. Characters: extremely interesting but can't trust worth a damn. Rating: every bit of 5 stars. This book caught every second of my attention. I kinda want to add it to my own collection but promises to bookhearts cannot be broken.

♠️🖤
Bookhearts, I hope you enjoyed these pithy reviews. This is what happens when the end of year is approaching and I clean my TBR list (which is down to 85 books. Go me!) Whether you like fiction, comedy, memoirs, chick lit or thriller, there are recommendations here for everyone. Happy Reading! 

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