What I Read Wednesday

Last Wednesday came and went without me noticing because I was getting ready to run a marathon and lost my mind. (Was that subtle? I ran a marathon Sunday. Applaud me.)

Last Bus to Wisdom: A Novel
After Donal's grandma has to have surgery, Donal is shipped off to live with his aunt and uncle in Wisconsin. After arriving, Donal realizes it's not the vacation he thought it might be. His Great-aunt Kate is bossy. Opinionated. Uncaring. However, his great-uncle Herman proves to be worth the trip. A war hero, the calm to Aunt Kate's angry, Herman makes Donal's summer worth saving--especially when Aunt Kate throws Donal out and he ends up on a bus with Herman, riding across the country, hoping to find a better future. There were parts of this story that were a little too perfect, but I loved Donal and Herman and their interactions.

The Admissions: A Novel
I loved this book. It opens with Nora, a mother of three, receiving an ominous phone call that she needs to get to the Golden Gate bridge as soon as possible. Then the novel flashes back to events that lead up to Nora's phone call. Oldest daughter Angela is stretched to the max, desperately trying to get into Harvard to follow her dad's footsteps. Middle daughter Cecily is struggling with Irish dance, which she once loved. And youngest daughter Maya can't read at age eight and oh, Nora blames herself for this. Then there's Gabe, struggling with an intern at work who is threatening to reveal his darkest secret. This is a book that effectively switched perspectives and rolled out an enjoyable, somewhat suspenseful story... one that any of us could probably relate to in some aspect.

The Admissions: A Novel
The last book in the Miss Peregrine trilogy. I loved it! You get more insight into Jacob's history, as well as to that of the peculiar history. I would definitely recommend picking up this trilogy if you haven't.

The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood [Amazon was being a hater so pretend there is a link here]
Stan and Charmaine are trying to survive anyway they can. Living in their car, living off of Charmaine's frugal waitressing tips, skipping meals. When an offer to live in the town of Consilience floats toward them, Charmaine begs Stan to make the move, dreaming of her own house and clean bath towels again. The way Consilience works, however, is that you only live in the house six months out of the year (alternating). The rest of the time, you spend in prison. As all good things always turn in dystopian novels, Stan soon discovers there is more to Consilience than meets the eye and is, without Charmaine's knowledge, pulled in to help bring about a change. What I loved about this novel is that it wasn't an immediate good ending. I was left wondering what difference Charmaine and Stan really made and what, if anything, they really learned.

What are you reading?