Tiny Imperfections

At one point during college I entertained the idea of a career in private school admissions. After reading this book I am kind of glad I did not go that route! Tiny Imperfections by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans, although fiction, is based in the authors’ personal experiences. Josie is an admissions director at a high end west coast private school, deep into admissions season, and also deep into college decisions with her daughter. The story covers a lot of important and interesting topics about parenting, work and supervisor relationships, race, and romance.

There were times I really liked Josie and times I really disliked her. In her work role I liked her sense of self and not being willing to be taken advantage of, which was difficult, especially from her supervisor. But she complained of being treated poorly at work then turned around and did the same thing with her daughter. Many would argue that a parenting relationship is very different from a employee/supervisor relationship, but I think the same lessons can be taken from both. Granted I’m not a parent so I won’t try to act like I know how I would react to my daughter’s college and career desires differing from what I want for her. But those were the moments I didn’t agree as much with Josie.

Anyway, the book was great. It was mostly predictable but it still had a few surprises – enough to keep the intrigue alive. Check it out!

Dear Edward

This book was different than the books I usually read and I really enjoyed it. Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano follows the life of a boy during and after the plane he is on with his family crashes and he is the only survivor. As you can imagine, life after that kind of trauma is not easy. He goes to live with his aunt and they must also navigate guiding a teenager who has lost everything.

I really enjoyed how the story focuses on Edward, but also tells the stories of other passengers on the plane. Edward learns about the other passengers and even learns new things about his own parents and brother. Granted, this does take many, many years and an interesting journey to get there. This book tells a sad but encouraging story about a boy who grows up fast and learns to navigate a new world. Definitely check it out and let me know what you think!

The Guest Book

This ended up being a powerful book, though the start was a little slow. The Guest Book by Sarah Blake follows the Milton family through multiple generations and decades. It jumps back and forth so it takes a little while to get familiar with the names and relationships. The first quarter of the book was more set up and introductions and a little slower, but once it got to the meat of the storyline I was hooked.

Ultimately, the cousins in present day have to decide what to do with the family island (yes, an island) that has meaning and memories different to each of them. You come to learn the history of the family during WWII and forward, and addresses issues of racism, discrimination, and power and how those looked in New York. Different from the south, for sure, but still obvious. I definitely recommend it and urge you to not put it down if it’s a little slow at first. Enjoy!