Amelia Bedelia, by Peggy Parish
26/60 | Started 04.25.24 • Finished 04.29.24 | 5 stars
Carolyn liked it because it was funny. So funny because Amelia Bedelia thought that the things she was told to do meant one thing when it meant something else. Like “dress the chicken” meant get it ready for cooking, not put clothes on it. And like “change the towels” meant put new towels out not make the towels into something else.
The Women, by Kristin Hannah
24/60 | Started 04.06.24 • Finished 04.18.24 | 4 stars
Once again, I find myself way behind on book reviews thanks to some laziness on my part but also some popularity of the book, resulting in an inability to get a photo. I had to resort to this shot from the bookstore.
Kristin Hannah's The Women is, to be somewhat cliche, a powerful book. It's set during and in the Vietnam War. It follows Frankie McGrath, a young nurse who enlists to serve as part of the nursing corps. Little does she know what she's in for. Hannah paints a gripping though graphic picture of a time not often (ever?) covered in historical fiction.
We also learn of Frankie's post-war experience, when resources were limited and the cultural environment was rather hostile. Frankie finds love, but endures great loss. It is an emotional and at times heart-breaking story. While not my favorite of Hannah's novels, it is still quite good. I felt like she spent too much time describing the dress and appearance of the characters. I would recommend it to most people, with the caveat that it is quite graphic in some places.
