January and February Books

It's time for my book recap for January and February - only three books.  

What I Ate in a Year by Stanley Tucci

I am a fan of Stanley's and read one his previous books, Taste, and enjoy his Italy show and Instagram posts.  He enjoys food and drink, like me.  This is sort of like a diary where he writes about different food he has prepared and enjoyed throughout the year, but also talks about his work, travel, and family.  I liked reading about these little anecdotes since I love celebrities so any mention of Harry Styles or Woody Harrelson coming for dinner is thrilling to me.  I also liked hearing about the day to day of a working actor, it is so much draining travel, but despite that, the life is still somewhat glamorous, note the dinner guests above, and the visit to Guy Richie's estate at the end of the book had me salivating. Stanley does a good job of being humble but enjoying the perks of his life. This was a fun little read for me. 

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan.

This is a Christmas book and I had put a hold on it in November with hopes of reading it by the Christmas tree, but it took awhile to come through and I read it in February instead.  I would barely call this book a novel, it felt more like a short story, like the kind you read in university.  It is Christmastime in Ireland in the 1980s. We get the story of a local man preparing for the holidays, a bit of his back story, and some current events.  It really just takes place over a couple of days, which is why it feels like a short story, and nothing really major happens.  That said, it is very well written and the Irish flavour with the way they can turn a phrase stuck out and I enjoyed reading it. It was a bit dreary, as Ireland in winter in the 1980s likely was, and I think I was glad I didn't read it at Christmastime itself.  The existential questions being asked by the main character fit better with our current world this winter. 

The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin

Emily Giffin always provides a reliable book.  I have always appreciated her storytelling.  In this book we meet four friends who met in university, all from different backgrounds. After tragedy strikes in their final year, the friends make a pact to get together whenever they need each other. Years later, that time comes and they find themselves together again.  It is one of those books that skips around between narrators, which is common now, but effective.  I loved all of the characters, and the themes discussed.  I felt like I already knew the characters and wanted more.