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Did I mention this book here?  Here is my Goodreads review:

Ahhh. This book challenged me. The four star rating is for quality. I can't say I "really" liked it.

The structure, I thought was generic/uninteresting. (Alternating chapters of past/present.) However, in the end, I could see how it was almost necessary (even if awkward) not only as a device, but as a metaphor for how memory can layer in gentle folds or jarring bumps.

The characters...I really liked how well drawn the "minor" characters were. The mom, and particularly, the sisters. It was a feat to have the girls bloom before our eyes to such life.

The novel freaked me out within the first pages. I gave it a couple of days. By the end, I was riddled with anxiety. It almost didn't matter what happened. It was so harrowing...just wanting to get to the end and be done with it overrode any "pure" interest in the whodunit.

(Full disclosure: the reading of this book did coincide with some personal, unrelated, real life anxiety.)

So, did the book do its job? Yes. And it did it well. In some ways the writing seemed unrecognizable from the first book. All in good ways.

But, I did not enjoy it. Unlike my experience of her first novel, I found it very difficult to access "humanity"...the beauty found in quiet moments (or even chaotic ones) of even the most wrenching narratives. The restlessness found amongst these pages was relentless. Such hollows everywhere. 

We have enjoyed what I imagine were the last of the season's peaches.  The apples have begun.  This beauty was a Gala.  This afternoon I fell in love with a Macintosh (a variety I rarely favor).

We are easing into a schoolish schedule.  The energy has been chaotic.  Such shifting: weather, light, availability of friends who go to school, Cap's academic schedule, table activities...  I keep pausing when I remember to...orient myself towards true north...and resume the rush.  Rinse and repeat.

Gem's jellybeans.  Cap bought him two pounds of Jelly Belly jellybeans at an "Ye Olde" type of tourist trap candy shop in Williamsburg which turned out to be a pretty cool place.  I was stunned and delighted that night, after our celebratory family meal at Fat Canary, because Cap hates to shop.  He jovially traipsed into the candy store with Ellie, Sag and Gem and got them all sorts of sugared up.

I don't know if it's the change of season, but Gem has been going to town on his candy corn and watermelon jelly beans the past few days.

We hung out with the girls over the weekend.  It was a lot of fun.  My mom joined us and led us in a roll-your-own sushi dinner.  This one cried for a few seconds when her parents left (to celebrate their anniversary), but then stood her own as part of the dynamic extended family gaggle (including Baxter, can you spot him?)

This was the scene when we dropped my mom off after our babysitting venture.  Finally, finally, the heat and humidity were breaking.  Lovely, lovely cooling rain.

Cap waiting at Home Depot.  I needed a board to support my heels in renewing my squatting practice.  (Squatting is really good for you.)

My food choices are shifting, too.  Less gluten, less grains, less dairy, much less sugar.  It's been slow going what with the chaos.  Last night, Cap and I got Chinese food.  This is what I saw when I paused and looked up...sitting in the car while Cap ran into the restaurant.  It had been go, go, go till 7:30pm.

Money-spending is shifting, too.  Less take-out, weekly meal planning and budget grocery shopping two weeks strong.

I've liked this flower for ages.  But, never knew its English name, just whatever my mom called it in Japanese (which I never remembered...hence, it was always known as, "oh it's the flower I like").  I very recently learned that it is a Rose of Sharon.  Loved this stand of them I came across today while visiting with Leo and Danielle.

We finally made it back to Pokemon after a six-month plus hiatus.  We ran into some old friends which was unexpected and really nice.  It is such a great, mellow crowd.  Makes me so happy for the kids that they have access to such a warm community.

Off to watch the season premiere of Sons of Anarchy.

Peace and love.