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.

Book Bracket - Halfway Point

I thought it would be fun to make a book bracket this year, because apparently tracking every book I read isn't enough. I've been picking my favorite book read each month to fill out the first half, and here's how it looks:

Here are reviews for the books featured:

A New Day by Sue Mell

Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor

The Dollhouse Academy by Margarita Montimore

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

Magic Can’t Save Us: 18 Tales of Likely Failure by Josh Denslow

Skellig by David Almond

I have no clue who they'll go up against by the end of the year, but it's fun to see. Any predictions? Are you doing your own book bracket?

Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor

Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor

This book might now be one of my all-time favorites. WOW. I love anything Gatsby, and I’m always intrigued by retellings, whether it’s something inspired by a book or from a different point of view. 

Cantor reimagines The Great Gatsby from the women’s points of view: Daisy, Jordan, and Catherine, Myrtle Wilson’s sister. There’s also a detective thrown into the mix, a new addition since the book focuses on trying to solve Jay Gatsby’s murder. 

It stands alone (I would compare it to Big Little Lies and books along those lines, honestly), but it’s fun to see the little mentions of things that were in Fitzgerald’s original - whether they’re used as-is or seen through a different lens considering the POV of this book. 

There was also a nod to Harold Bloom that made me smile. I can’t recommend this one enough.

I do have one nitpicky remark that I'll hide under a spoiler tag...