Turn The Page ... Tuesday

Beautiful Ruins

From Amazon: "From the moment it opens—on a rocky patch of Italian coastline, circa 1962, when a daydreaming young innkeeper looks out over the water and spies a mysterious woman approaching him on a boat—Jess Walter's Beautiful Ruins is a dazzling, yet deeply human, roller coaster of a novel. From the lavish set of Cleopatra to the shabby revelry of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, to the back lots of contemporary Hollywood, Beautiful Ruins is gloriously inventive and constantly surprising—a story of flawed yet fascinating people navigating the rocky shores of their lives while clinging to their improbable dreams."

Yo! Adrienne says: I really enjoyed how this book carried you along modern day Hollywood (and all it's disfunction) to the 60's (and all it's disfunction ... some things never change). One thing that was constant, the longing to be seen. To be someone that people recognize, admire and don't forget. Wanting to make your mark on the world. I also got a kick out of one of the main characters attempt at looking young despite being an elderly gentleman. Think couple in bathtubs commercial and lots of plastic surgery. One often wonders if he's smiling or grimacing ... it's hard to tell - ha! This was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.

Pluto: A Wonder Story

From Amazon: "Almost 2 million people have read the New York Times bestseller Wonder and fallen in love with Auggie Pullman. Last year readers were given a special look at another side of his story with The Julian Chapter, and now they'll get a peek at Auggie's life before Beecher Prep, with an exclusive new short story told entirely from the point of view of Christopher, Auggie's oldest friend.

Christopher was Auggie's best friend from the time they were babies until his family moved away; he was there through all of Auggie's surgeries and heartbreaks, through bad times and good—like Star Wars marathons and dreams of traveling to Pluto together.  Alternating between childhood flashbacks and the present day, an especially bad day for Christopher, Pluto is the story of two boys grown apart learning that good friendships are worth a little extra effort."


Yo! Adrienne says: The last of my Wonder books. I think I have said this before, I wish I could have read all the of the short stories after having read Wonder. They are so well written and really explore the emotions/reactions we have to people who are different than us. Again, our desire to be seen is such a craving for us, isn't it? If you haven't read Wonder, do so and then top it off with all of the vignettes. Great reads.

I Regret Everything

From Amazon: "A modern love story, I Regret Everything confronts the oceanic uncertainty of what it means to be alive, and in love. Jeremy Best, a Manhattan-based trusts and estates lawyer, leads a second life as published poet Jinx Bell.  To his boss’s daughter, Spaulding Simonson, at 33 years old, Jeremy is already halfway to dead.  When Spaulding, an aspiring 19-year-old writer, discovers Mr. Best’s alter poetic ego, the two become bound by a devotion to poetry, and an awareness that time in this world is limited.  Their budding relationship strikes at the universality of love and loss, as Jeremy and Spaulding confront their vulnerabilities, revealing themselves to one another and the world for the very first time.

A skilled satirist with a talent for biting humor, Greenland creates fully realized characters that quickly reveal themselves as complex renderings of the human condition – at its very best, and utter worst. I Regret Everything explores happiness and heartache with a healthy dose of skepticism, and an understanding that the reality of love encompasses life, death, iambic pentameter, regret, trusts and estates."

Yo! Adrienne says: Well. Somehow I was drawn to this book, bought it and proceeded to shelve it. When I went to pull it down I had no recollection of who, what, or why ... and I certainly wondered why. How could  I have been remotely interested in a book that has a 30+ man involved with a 19 year old! Had I lost my mind (this kind of story line usually turns me off). I decided that since I had actually purchased this book (I  hardly ever buy books anymore) it must have been recommened by someone who's opinion I respect. So, I began. Well. Wow. I loved how this love story evolves and quite honesty, isn't wrapped up nicely with a bow on top. You will just have to read it to see what I mean. It's definitely worth it.

Start Here

From Amazon: "Are you wondering what saying yes to following Jesus really means? Do you want to know more about Christianity but you’re not sure what, or how, to ask? Are you just beginning in a new faith in Jesus Christ?

Then Start Here.

Written by two authors who also know what it’s like to seek God, Start Here answers questions such as:

If God is real, now what?

What is the relationship between God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit?

What does the church have to do with my life and my faith?

Why did Jesus have to die?

Isn’t grace too good to be true?

Can I accept that Jesus is the way to God?

Following Jesus isn’t about rules—it’s all about relationship. So start here to find practical help and encouraging stories about what authentic Christianity looks like. Welcome to the journey of a lifetime."

Yo! Adrienne says: I actually received this book for free from the author (I won a give away along with many others). My opinion is my own. I love this book. I have given it away to so many people. Those who are finding their way/questioning Christianity and to those who have been believers for some time. It's a beautifully written book sharing the stories of many who struggled to find peace but finally did in Jesus. I highly recommend.