Tolstoy & Co. Bookshop

Quest- “a search or pursuit made in order to find or obtain something.” 

Always on the lookout for a quest, I decided I would try to visit as many independent bookstores as possible when I started this blog. 

In early July, my husband Chuck and I made a trip to Clifton, Texas about an hour from our home. After a delicious lunch at the Corner Drug Cafe we headed down to Ladybugs to check out their merchandise. From there we crossed the street to Tolstoys & Co. Bookshop.

We had a pleasant visit with the owner who filled us in on a little local history. She recommended The Maid as a possible book I might enjoy reading. ( I might have confessed to her that I was struggling to find fiction lately that was new and different.)

Her shop was cozy, and inviting and looked like a perfect place to spend a little time out of the hot sun. 

After leaving we traveled down the road to Valley Mills Vineyard. We had been told it resembled a Tuscan winery, and it the view certainly didn’t disappoint. 

Our trip to Clifton was a fun way to celebrate my birthday, and our anniversary. I highly recommend checking out the bookstore along with the town. 

Disappointed

 

Well, I’ve read two books lately that began in such an enticing way that I thought l’d hit the fiction jackpot in choosing them. However, sadly as I continued reading them I found myself disappointed..

The first was Our Missing Hearts by Celest Ng which I thought initially could be one of my favorite books ever. As it continued I kept thinking surly there has to be more, and I desperately wanted a resolution to a very thought provoking start. 

The book did make me think, and for that I’m glad I read it. I’d be curious to know if any of you have read it, and what you thought about the author’s premise, and if you were satisfied with its conclusion?

The next book was In Five Years by Rebecca Serle.  This was a lighter read, but intriguing in its own way. However, once again it took a turn midway that in my mind was basically filler. 

So to say the least I was let down by both of them. I’m finding that if you have read hundreds, if not thousands, of books over the years you find yourself  craving something new and different. 

Couple that with an attention span, ruined by years of i pad use, and it’s difficult to find something that holds your interest all the way through. 

Have you read anything lately that you found especially intriguing?