Read of the Town: The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry

I was going to start this by saying that Spring into Summer is the best time for book releases but when you think about it, ANY time of year is the best for book releases. In the world of books there is something for everyone and I like to use my "Read of the Town" time to share books that either I think are worth reading or have become so very popular that it's gone beyond being mentioned solely among the book bloggers world. Of course, this does not mean that I personally will purchase whatever book I showcase. Some of them I will or already own. This book is one I will definitely be buying!

The cover I love because it's eye catching in a way that isn't normally expected when it comes to books; the Font color and type! Normally a book that has some radical imagery or cool art is what will catch my eyes and draw me to it. In this books case it was the title and the letter Font used. I wonder if as much time as I assume was actually used to get the Font perfect for this book? Don't ruin it for me if the answer is 'no.'

Aside from the cover Font the other part (and probably the most important) is how it's been described along the same lines as the Harold Frye book by Rachel Joyce which I L-O-V-E-D! I actually thought of that book the second I saw the cover. So reading it straight away will happen before the Summer ends that's for sure.

My list of TBR is growing and growing, and taking time off from reading to write my own novels will slow me down, but I will not be deterred. My hope is what I do now will make it possible for me to have even MORE time to devote to reading and writing. My two greatest passions.

Synopsis:

In the spirit of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Gabrielle Zevin's enchanting novel is a love letter to the world of books-and booksellers-that changes our lives by giving us the stories that open our hearts and enlighten our minds.

On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto "No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World." A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means.

A. J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island-from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who's always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.'s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly.

And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It's a small package, but large in weight. It's that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn't take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J.; or for that determined sales rep, Amelia, to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light; or for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.'s world; or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn't see coming. As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love.