Welcome to Broken Wheel, a whisper of a town, almost beyond repair. But to a girl named Sara, who lives practically on the other side of the world (ok, maybe just across the Atlantic), Broken Wheel is her adventure of a lifetime!
Amy lives in Broken Wheel, Iowa, a sleepy little rural town that has seen better days. Sara lives in Sweden, would rather read a book than participate in life and works in a bookstore, or did, until the bookstore closed. But because of Amy and Sara's shared love of books and reading, they become pen pals, and eventually Amy invites Sara for a visit...So, Sara crosses the Atlantic, thousands of miles away from home, and arrives in Iowa, waiting for Amy to pick her up from the next town over... and waits... and waits... only to find out that Amy checked out of Broken Wheel...permanently! And not only did Sara miss Amy, but she missed her funeral as well! Oh, what's a girl to do?! Not to worry, the town takes Sara in, kind of adopts her and so begins, The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald.
Quirky characters, a bit of romance, and a good story make this a fun read! After a while, it just feels like you're a part of the story too! Katarina Bivald is a wonderful writer, and gives life to her characters and Broken Wheel. For all of us book lovers, Broken Wheel is a great place to visit, especially since Sara decides to pay back the kindness of the town, by sharing her love of reading by opening a bookstore, where there's "something for everyone"!
I really enjoyed the premise of "the town" adopting Sara. It really showcased what small town America is all about. And the bookstore was wonderful because as a reader it was fun to see what books Sara would recommend to people, and how some of the choices were a bit "controversial". But I think my favorite parts of the book were the letters between Amy and Sara. They really gave me insight into the characters and the town. And, the letters were sprinkled throughout the book to add a bit of background depending on what was going on in the story.
If you enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and/or 84, Charing Cross Road, you will definitely enjoy The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend, which has the same kind of charm and is partly written in that wonderful epistolary style. Charming, heartwarming and a book lovers kind of read. Put this on your TBR list now! I thoroughly enjoyed it! 4 stars from me. And not only will you enjoy it, but this has all the qualities of a great book club selection! It's the January Indie Next Pick! AND, this coming Tuesday, January 19th, The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend will be released! I want to thank the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark, for the eGalley for my reading pleasure and in exchange for my honest review!
Chick with Books is hosting the official blog tour today! And I've got a link from Sourcebooks Landmark for a giveaway they are running! They are giving away copies of this book to 3 lucky winners! Here is The Link. They will be contacting the winners directly. Good luck!
4 comments:
I just read a review of this book at INDIE PICKS, and now see your review here. I will definitely look for it when it is published.
My Sunday Salon
Yes, Anne, I enjoyed it. I think depending on the right marketing, it could become a big hit with book clubs.
Another bookstore kind of book -- I usually find those hard to resist. thanks for the review.
Definitely a fun read, Susan!
Post a Comment