Katie Bartlett, Author

I don’t know about you, but as the winter progresses, my interest in slogging through town on a frigid, damp, sleeting night for the sake of “going out” wanes.  Those fuzzy bunny slippers in front of the fire start to sound mighty nice.  If you’re with me on this one, check out some of these titles.  You could still spend a lovely evening with friends – just ones on paper.

Books I Like A Lot:

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. Adult Fiction. Truth be told, I read this book as part of a book group, and it spurred quite a love-hate debate. Written by a French author, its style is distinctly European and very literary (the vocabulary!). It’s not for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. Some members just couldn’t get through it; they felt nothing was happening. I’ll agree that the beginning was a slow stepping of characterization, but I loved the subtle development of plot and the indulgence with which the author laid out her phrases. That being said, I’m not sold on the ending. I think it could have gone one of two ways, and I wonder if the path it followed was the “easier way out”. Regardless, I used my imagination to fill in the alternate ending, and I was satisfied both ways.

Just Who Will You Be by Maria Shriver. Adult Fiction. This little book packs a simple, easy-to-follow, and meaningful punch. It’s a quick read with themes that resonate at any age or stage in life. Some self-help / inspiration books can be too esoteric or lack insights which foster an “ah-ha” moment for me. While this book could be criticized for its not-so-deep format, I appreciated the instantaneous, real-world applications of Maria’s reflections.

A Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Mass.  Middle Grade Fiction.  This is the third Wendy Mass book I’ve read, and it’s hands-down my favorite.  By the first page, I was hooked and couldn’t stop thinking about the book until it was finished (which took me exactly one day). Not only was the story sweet, uplifting, and incredibly endearing, but I learned something.  Wendy’s main character has a little known disability called synesthesia – meaning she sees color in sounds, numbers and letters.  It’s fascinating!  For my full review of this book, visit my Goodreads page.