A Good Hard Look by Ann Napolitano

 

A Good Hard Look by Ann Napolitano

I saw a giveaway for this book on Instagram and thought it sounded fascinating, so I entered, eager to read the book. But when I added it to my Goodreads list, I saw it was already published and had just gotten a facelift! So I got it from the library and dove in.

This book instantly transported me back in time to Milledgeville. I loved getting a peek inside Flannery’s life, and I love how everyone's lives twisted together. This book is the epitome of literary fiction to me - getting to know everyone at a leisurely pace and letting it build until it all unwinds. It gave me Tom Perrotta vibes in a way.

I've read other Napolitano books (Dear Edward - 3* and Hello Beautiful - 4*) that I liked, so I'll definitely keep reading more by her. But I think the thing I liked most about this book was the historical fiction angle. It reminded me a lot of Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor - one of my favorite reads this year. Cantor also has other historical fiction/alternate history books that I really loved, so I'd recommend her if you like A Good Hard Look.

The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso

 

The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso

I didn't know what to expect with this book. I think I saw it as a new release in my local bookstore's newsletter so I put it on hold at the library based on the idea of a "memory library" alone. I do love time travel and parallel universes, so even though it took me a while to get to this one, I'm so glad I did.

It was really interesting, the idea of memories stored in a library, plus who would want to destroy them and why. And, since it dealt with some WWII history, it seemed especially relevant today, unfortunately. I love how everything twisted together. 

The ending was a bit too pure for me because I think there should have been a bit more disruption based on everything that came before, but it didn’t ruin it. I almost wonder if the author is leaving it open for a sequel because, with Amelia's knowledge, I don't really see how things can ever be "normal" for her, and I'm curious to see how she'd fare in the future.