How the Light Gets In

 

How the Light Gets In by Joyce Maynard

Fiction

2024

Finished on July 7, 2025

Rating: 3.5/5 (Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

From New York Times bestselling author Joyce Maynard comes the eagerly anticipated follow-up to her beloved novel Count the Ways —a complex story of three generations of a family and its remarkable, resilient, indomitable matriarch, Eleanor. 

**** Spoiler Alert - Do not read if you haven't read Count the Ways ****

Following the death of her former husband, Cam, fifty-seven-year-old Eleanor resides on the New Hampshire farm where they raised three children to care for their brain-injured son, Toby, now an adult. Toby’s older brother, Al, is married and living in Seattle with his wife; their sister, Ursula, lives in Vermont with her husband and two children. Although all appears stable, old resentments, anger, and bitterness simmer just beneath the surface. 

**** End of Spoiler ****

How the Light Gets In follows Eleanor and her family through fifteen years (2009 to 2024) as their story plays out against a uniquely American backdrop and the events that transform their world (climate change, the January 6th insurrection, school violence) and shape their lives (later-life love, parental alienation, steadfast friendship). With her trademark sensitivity and insight, Joyce Maynard paints an indelible portrait of characters both familiar and new making their way over rough, messy, and treacherous terrain to find their way to what is, for each, a place to call home.

I was really looking forward to reading How the Light Gets In, but sadly it didn't live up to my high expectations. Joyce Maynard's earlier novel, Count the Ways, made my 2023 Top Ten list and I was eager to revisit the follow-up story of Eleanor and her family. Since it had been over a year since I read the previous novel, I decided to give the final chapters in that book a quick re-read. I shouldn't have bothered. Maynard spends an excessive amount of time providing backstory details, not just in the opening chapters, but throughout the entire book. At 422 pages in length, I felt the novel could have used more editing to cut through the repetitious detail of past and present details of Eleanor's life. The first half of the story lacks tension, which made it difficult for me to immerse myself in the book. The references to historical events that I enjoyed reading about in Count the Ways were overdone here, as if Maynard had a checklist to complete, dropping incidents such as the Sandy Hook school shooting, the disappointing election in 2016, Covid and the negativity toward vaccines and Dr. Fauci, John Prine's death, as well as George Floyd's murder. I also felt the sudden mending of one relationship a bit far-fetched after so many years of estrangement. With all of these quibbles, it's a wonder I finished the book, but the second half was a little fresher with enough to keep me interested. And the musical references (Kris Kristofferson's Help Me Make It Through the Night, Warren Zevon's Keep Me In Your Heart, and John Prine's When I Get to Heaven) are always a treat when encountered in a novel. While this may be my least favorite of Joyce Maynard's, I've certainly read a lot of winners by her. Click on any of the links below to read my reviews:

The Bird Hotel (4.5/5)

Count the Ways (5/5)

After Her (4/5)

Where Love Goes (4/5)

Labor Day (4.5/5)

The Usual Rules (5/5)

Looking Back - Perfect Match

Looking Back... In an effort to transfer my book journal entries over to this blog, I'm going to attempt to post (in chronological order) an entry every Friday. I may or may not add extra commentary to what I jotted down in these journals.

Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult

Fiction

2002

Finished on May 7, 2002

Rating: 4.5/5 (Very Good!)

Publisher's Blurb:

Picoult brings to life a female prosecutor whose cherished family is shattered when she learns that her five-year-old son has been sexually abused.

What does it mean to be a good mother?

How far would you go in the name of love -- and justice?

In the course of her everyday work, career-driven assistant district attorney Nina Frost prosecutes child molesters and works determinedly to ensure that a legal system with too many loopholes keeps these criminals behind bars. But when her own five-year-old son, Nathaniel, is traumatized by a sexual assault, Nina and her husband, Caleb, a quiet and methodical stone mason, are shattered, ripped apart by an enraging sense of helplessness in the face of a futile justice system that Nina knows all too well. In a heartbeat, Nina's absolute truths and convictions are turned upside down, and she hurtles toward a plan to exact her own justice for her son -- no matter the consequence, whatever the sacrifice.

My Original Thoughts (2002):

I couldn't put it down! Picoult's books are not great works of literature, and rarely do I find a beautiful passage to mark, yet they're great reads. Always satisfying and very entertaining. The subject matter is always original to each book. They don't blend together and are very memorable. This one was about a prosecutor who faces the horrible knowledge that her five-year-old son has been sexually abused. What occurs in the chapters to follow is astonishing, but as a parent myself, I have no idea if I wouldn't react in a similar manner. A real page-turner. Great airplane book!

My Current Thoughts:

I remember that I enjoyed this one a lot, but the details of the story are long gone. Picoult is a favorite of mine and I think there's only one of her books that I didn't care for. I still have a few more to read, too, which is nice. 

2025 2nd Quarter Favorites

 

The God in the Woods by Liz Moore (5/5)

Tin Man by Sarah Winman (4.5/5)

We Spread by Iain Reid (4.5/5)

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler (4.5/5)

A Month in Summary - June 2025

Point Hudson Marina & RV Park

Port Townsend, Washington

June 2025

It's summertime, my favorite season of the year! We don't experience the horrible heat and humidity that so many of you have during the summer months, so I'm always happy when it's warm enough to break out my shorts, t-shirts, and sandals. Spring, fall, and winter you can find me in jeans and a thermal layered under a flannel shirt, and I get so bored with my daily "uniform."

We were on the road for a couple of weeks, and I feel like I didn't get a lot of time to read, but I wound up with the same number of books read in June as I did in the two months prior. It helps that one of the books was a very quick read despite its length. We're home for the rest of the summer, so I'm hopeful that I can knock several off from my Summer Reading Challenge list.

Books Read (click on the title for my review):

Table for Two by Amor Towles (3.5/5)

Tin Man by Sarah Winman (4.5/5)

Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout (3/5)

The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave (2/5)

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (5/5)

Movies & TV Series:

Dept. Q - Great 8-episode mystery series, as long as you don't mind all the f-bombs. I really liked the chemistry between the three main characters (Morck, Akram, and Rose), and look forward to a second season.

Patience - A British–Belgian detective drama series set in Yorkshire. Patience works in the archive/records department and is autistic. Ella Maisy Purvis, who plays Patience, is also autistic. We enjoyed the show, but it lacks depth and tension, especially after watching Dept. Q. 

Visitors:

We enjoyed a great visit with Mark & Ana (my brother and sister-in-law) who came up from San Diego for a long weekend. 

Travels:

Tillamook, Oregon

Fort Stevens State Park, Oregon

Point Hudson Marina & RV Park, Washington

(Not the prettiest RV park, but check out

 the views from inside our RV below.)

Our travel buddies, Dave & Molly

Quinault River Inn & RV Park, Washington

Cape Disappointment State Park, Washington

Rod had a book talk in Port Townsend, so we took the RV up to Washington, enjoying a few of our favorite camping spots along the way. I'll share more photos from that trip in the coming weeks. 

We live in an area where fireworks are banned, and it's so nice to not hear explosions days before and days after the 4th. Such a change from our neighborhood in Nebraska! I hope you all have a safe and happy 4th of July.

The God of the Woods

 

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

Mystery

2024

Finished on June 26, 2025

Rating: 5/5 (Outstanding!)

Publisher's Blurb:

When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide.

Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.

As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances.

Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet, The God of the Woods is a story of inheritance and second chances, the tensions between a family and a community, and a history that will not let any of them go.

I loved The God of the Woods! I was immediately pulled into this captivating book from the first page, and had I been on a flight across the country, I would have ignored everyone around me, reading non-stop until the plane arrived at the gate. As it was, the first two nights I read long after midnight, and finished the book in less than four days. Normally, a book of this length (478 pages) would take me well over a week to complete. I can hardly wait to discuss it with my book group.

There are over two dozen important characters in Liz Moore's treasure of a book, and I kept a running list to keep them straight, as well as to jog my memory for my upcoming discussion. Between eight points of view, and multiple timelines (set during the 1950s, 1961-1962, 1973, and 1975), I was afraid that I'd get lost with the constant back and forth between characters and years, but the author handles these details skillfully. The chapters headings delineating the time periods were also helpful.

As I read, I was reminded of Chris Whitaker's exceptional novel, All the Colors of the Dark. Both authors kept me guessing until the very end, and their use of short chapters propelled their stories in such a manner that I didn't want to stop reading. I was somewhat concerned that Moore's denouement would feel rushed or convoluted, but her conclusion was clear and satisfying. Bravo!

I'm looking forward to reading from Liz Moore's backlist, most especially Long Bright River, about which I've heard great things.  The God of the Woods is a superb page-turner. Highly recommend!

The Night We Lost Him

 

The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave

Mystery

Narrated by Julia Whelan

2024

Finished on June 24, 2025

Rating: 2/5 (OK)

Publisher's Blurb:

Nora Noone’s father, Liam, was many things to many people. To the public he was a self-made hotel magnate, whose luxury boutique hotels were among the most coveted destinations in the world. To his three ex-wives, he was a loving yet distant family man who managed to keep his finances—and his families—separate. But to Nora, her father was always a mystery—especially after his suspicious death at his cliffside home.

Though the authorities rule Liam's death accidental, Nora and her estranged brother, Sam, believe otherwise. As they form an uneasy alliance to unpack the mystery, they start putting together the pieces of their father’s past and uncover a family secret that changes everything.

With Laura Dave’s “signature blend of pulse-pounding suspense” (PEOPLE) and “trademark emotional heft” (The New York Post), The Night We Lost Him is a “propulsive” (Oprah Daily) must-read, with a heartbreaking final twist you’ll never see coming.

Meh. I haven't read anything by Laura Dave, but decided to give her new book a try when offered an early release copy by Libro.fm. The mystery wasn't exactly compelling or propulsive, but Julia Whelan's narration kept me entertained. As others have said, the plot is flat with boring characters. I have a print edition of The Last Thing He Told Me, but I'm not inspired to give it a read anytime soon.

I received a complimentary copy from Libro.fm. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Anything Is Possible

 

Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout

Amgash #2

Fiction

2017

Finished on June 22, 2025

Rating: 3/5 (Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

Recalling Olive Kitteridge in its richness, structure, and complexity, Anything Is Possible explores the whole range of human emotion through the intimate dramas of people struggling to understand themselves and others.

Here are two sisters: One trades self-respect for a wealthy husband while the other finds in the pages of a book a kindred spirit who changes her life. The janitor at the local school has his faith tested in an encounter with an isolated man he has come to help; a grown daughter longs for mother love even as she comes to accept her mother's happiness in a foreign country; and the adult Lucy Barton (the heroine of My Name Is Lucy Barton, the author's celebrated New York Times bestseller) returns to visit her siblings after seventeen years of absence.

This is the second collection of short stories I've read this month, and I'm not a big fan of the genre, so I'm not surprised that I didn't love Anything Is Possible. The stories are more interconnected than those of Table for Two (Amor Towles), and some of the characters are familiar from my reading of My Name Is Lucy Barton, but the book is not one of my favorites by Elizabeth Strout. I struggled to keep track of the characters' relationships with one another as they overlap from chapter to chapter. Plus, the central theme to Strout's stories is shame and regret, and many involve mothers who leave their families. Thus, the overall tone is bleak and gloomy. The writing, however, is marvelous, so I was never tempted to stop reading. Anything Is Possible is best read right after My Name Is Lucy Barton, perhaps with a pen & pad in hand.

Tin Man

 

Tin Man by Sarah Winman

Fiction

2017

Finished on June 10, 2025

Rating: 4.5/5 (Very Good!)

Publisher's Blurb:

This is almost a love story. But it's not as simple as that.

Ellis and Michael are twelve-year-old boys when they first become friends, and for a long time it is just the two of them, cycling the streets of Oxford, teaching themselves how to swim, discovering poetry, and dodging the fists of overbearing fathers. And then one day this closest of friendships grows into something more.

Many years later, Ellis is married to Annie, and Michael is nowhere in sight. Which leads to the question: What happened in the years between?

By the internationally bestselling author Sarah Winman, Tin Man is an unforgettable and heartbreaking novel celebrating love in all its forms, and all the little moments and small kindnesses that make up a life.

I finished this beautiful novel a couple of weeks ago, but we've been traveling, and I am just sitting down to compose my review. 

Sarah Winman writes the most gorgeous prose, and while the storyline is a little confusing, I loved Tin Man. It's a tender story about friendship, love, heartache and grief. Much like her most recent work (Still Life), Winman's characters are memorable and well-drawn. This moving novel avoids cliche, and will enchant fans of John Boyne, particularly those who read and enjoyed The Hearts Invisible Furies. Sarah Winman has become a favorite author, and I intend to read more of her books. 

"Plan to read it twice: first for the story, then to savor the beauty of the poetic symbolism threaded throughout the sparsely crafted prose." - Shelf Awareness

Highly recommend.

Umatilla Marina & RV Park

Disclaimer: I am getting back to posting about our 2023 trip to Canada. Many of these photos were shared on Instagram & Facebook, so they may look familiar to you. Sorry for any confusion!

Canada Road Trip (Summer 2023)

July 5, 2023

Fernie, British Columbia to Umatilla, Oregon

Daily Mileage: 214

Umatilla Marina & RV Park

Site: 2

Duration: 1 night

Cost: $40

Weather: Sunny and hot (95!)

Cell Coverage: 4 bars Verizon & TMobile

Meh. It was a long, boring (and windy!) drive from Athol, Idaho to this spot along the Columbia River. The RV "park" served its purpose for an overnight, but it's not a destination spot. There was some road noise, but it wasn't terrible. There are plenty of trees and grass, and our site looked out over the marina and river. Pretty sunset.

Ravenwood RV Resort

Disclaimer: I am getting back to posting about our 2023 trip to Canada. Many of these photos were shared on Instagram & Facebook, so they may look familiar to you. Sorry for any confusion!

Canada Road Trip (Summer 2023)

July 4, 2023

Fernie, British Columbia to Athol, Idaho

Daily Mileage: 205

Ravenwood RV Resort

Site: 100

Duration: 1 night

Cost: $64.80

Weather: Sunny and hot (82)

I didn't take any photos of this RV park, so I'm including a few from their website. It's a nice park right off of Highway 95, 30 minutes north of Coeur d'Alene. It was the Fourth of July and every site was occupied with lots of families enjoying the day.

We didn't have any trouble crossing the border at Eastport. Had a delicious lunch at Farmhouse Kitchen in Ponderay, Idaho.

Photo Credit: Ravenwood RV Resort 

Photo Credit: Ravenwood RV Resort 

Photo Credit: Ravenwood RV Resort 

Only one day back in the United States and we were already missing Canada. 

Fernie RV Resort - Mountains

Disclaimer: I am getting back to posting about our 2023 trip to Canada. Many of these photos were shared on Instagram & Facebook, so they may look familiar to you. Sorry for any confusion!

Canada Road Trip (Summer 2023)

June 30-July 3, 2023

Radium Hot Springs to Fernie, British Columbia

Daily Mileage: 142

Fernie RV Resort

Site: F6

Duration: 4 nights

Cost: $123! Canadian/night (forgot to convert; plus holiday rates)

Weather: Sunny and hot (80s) and windy

Cell Coverage: 1-2 bars Verizon & 1 bar TMobile

The mountains are calling, and I must go. ~John Muir

Fernie RV Resort - Duck Pond & Trails

Disclaimer: I am getting back to posting about our 2023 trip to Canada. Many of these photos were shared on Instagram & Facebook, so they may look familiar to you. Sorry for any confusion!

Canada Road Trip (Summer 2023)

June 30-July 3, 2023

Radium Hot Springs to Fernie, British Columbia

Daily Mileage: 142

Fernie RV Resort

Site: F6

Duration: 4 nights

Cost: $123! Canadian/night (forgot to convert; plus holiday rates)

Weather: Sunny and hot (80s) and windy

Cell Coverage: 1-2 bars Verizon & 1 bar TMobile

One of the things I liked so much about the Fernie RV Resort was the path/bike trail that campers could take into town. Townie bikes are available at no cost to guests of the campground.