Books Via Ashley

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline Synopsis Molly Ayer, a 17 year old foster child, has been through twelve families in the last nine years. After stealing a library book, she is ordered to do 50 hours of community service. She is led to Vivian Daly, a 91 year old widow who needs help sorting through boxes in her attic. Molly learns that Vivian also had a rough upbringing; an Irish immigrant, orphaned in New York City when she was 9, she was put on an "orphan train", or trains that took orphans from the crowded Eastern cities out to the Midwest where they would hopefully be adopted, but were usually used as unpaid laborers. As Molly and Vivian learn more about each other, they realize they're not so different. Review This book started out a little slow, but picked up once we started hearing Vivian's story. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It's a fascinating window into a not very well known part of American history and a story of courage and re...

The Little Paris Bookshop - Nina George Synopsis Jean Perdu owns a "literary apothecary", a floating bookstore where he prescribes books to help people with their various life ailments. The only person he can't seem to heal is himself. Twenty years after the love of his life left him, Perdu finally opens the last letter she wrote him... And discovers something that sets him off on a journey of renewal to the south of France. He is joined by a young successful author who is trying to escape his newfound fame, an Italian cook, and they meet several other people along the way. Review Reading this book was like eating a delicious chocolate torte: savoring each bite and letting the rich, satisfying taste linger before taking another. I read this book slowly, enjoying the beautiful words and exquisite sentences. Plus, SO MANY FEELS. This book really delves into love, loss, and all the stages of grief in between. These emotions are described so poignantly that yo...

1)  The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window And Disappeared  - Jonas Jonasson Centenarian Allan Karlsson has ended up in a nursing home after a very long and eventful life. But on his 100th birthday, Allan decides he still has a lot to live for and escapes out the window in his bedroom slippers. A series of zany events follows, involving a suitcase of stolen money, angry criminals, new friends, and an elephant. But this isn't Allan's only crazy adventure. The book talks about his crazy life, his fondness for explosives, and his ability to be in the right place at the right time. Not only has he seen some of the key events in the last century, but he may have been the one behind them. This book was wacky and fun to read, with lots of laugh out loud moments. The book was written originally in Swedish and translated into English, giving it a unique voice. 2)  The Unlikely Pilgramage of Harold Fry  - Rachel Joyce Harold Fry, recently retired, l...