Author: Anya Berg

The 2019 Adult Summer Reading Book Bingo Challenge has come to an end, and the last of the book reviews are in. Here’s what one participant thought about the classic (and #51 of the top 100 books from PBS’ The Great American Read) Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston:

Star Rating: 5 Stars (Loved it!)

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston is a book that everyone should read at least once. It follows the life of a biracial woman, Janie, in early 1900’s Florida as she searches for independence. The prose is wonderfully lyrical and the novel tackles topics of abuse, discrimination, and marriage with nuance and insight. It left me feeling both melancholic and hopeful, and I can easily see why this novel is considered a classic. 

Want to check out this must-read? Click on the book cover to reserve your copy!

We’re down to the final 48 hours of the 2019 Adult Summer Reading Book Bingo Challenge, but the reviews are still coming in! Here’s what summer reader Lyn has to say about bestselling memoir Becoming by Michelle Obama:

Star Rating: 5 Stars (Loved it!)

This is one of those books that everyone has been talking about and I now know why. It is a very easy read. She writes very naturally about her childhood, college, meeting Obama and her role as First Lady. It depicts her struggles as a woman as well as her strong sense of family. She is very aware of what her parents gave up and supported her for her success and has never lost sight of that. She gives insights to worlds that most of us in Palisades will never know.

Holds are just starting to lighten up on this mega-popular title, which has received many a rave review here at the library. Click on the book cover to reserve your copy!

Here’s another fantastic review by 2019 Adult Summer Reading Book Bingo Challenge participant Trine, who offers her perspective on the very popular (and Tonight Show Summer Read pick) Ask Again, Yes by local author Mary Beth Keane:

Star Rating: 3 Stars (Liked it)

I enjoyed “Ask Again, Yes” for a few reasons. I felt it related to my own experience-moving out of the city to the suburbs. Many people make this choice in our area in order to have a family and/or affordability etc. I considered it a gigantic move for us and I think the book touches on the interesting changes it brings. The city has a degree of anonymity; suburban life- not so much. Everyone seems to be up in each others business (I am remembering the book’s supermarket incident) and so on. It also touches on what is is like to live as a young adult in the city, another thing I can relate to. The freedom and the excitement of being young and feeling invincible. It also rings with familiarity by the fact that the author is probably writing about Pearl River – a town right next door! The cop side of the story give an interesting balance-they know exactly what each other’s business is as well-regardless of zip code. They have the scoop. THE event of the story happens early on and the rest of the book unfolds with its repercussions. Each character shows their true character in it’s dark wake. The only criticism have is the seemingly quick coverage of certain time periods- kids aging and everyone being suddenly older without a real sense of what went on in between to make them unchanged…until much later.

Want to read the book that everyone is talking about?! Click on the book cover to reserve your copy.