Reading Challenge - Book 16

My sixteenth book for the reading challenge actually satisfied the sixteenth category - 'book from an author you love that you haven't read yet.'

I've read several of Stewart O'Nan's books and always enjoyed them. For this, I almost picked up Emily, Alone, but then I realized that was a second book to follow Wish You Were Here. I considered stopping reading this book early on. It was well-written and exactly as I'd expect from Stewart O'Nan, but a lot of it focused on sibling relationships, which made me very sad since losing touch with my only brother. But I pressed on.

As with most of the books I've read from Stewart O'Nan, Wish You Were Here was not a remarkable book as far as its subject matter, but it was real life. We spend our time in this story with a few branches of the Maxwell family, as they close down the family cottage for the last time. There's Emily Maxwell (whose husband Henry died the previous year), Arlene (Henry's sister), and Ken and Margaret (Emily and Henry's two children). Rounding out the family are Lise (Ken's wife) with Ella and Sam (their children) and Margaret's children Sarah and Sam. Margaret's divorce is a new family development, so her now-ex (who is also the children's father) is only there on a few phone calls.

Sorry - I'm getting carried away! Obviously the book and its characters engaged me, and I did read til the end wanting to know everything that would happen with each of their story lines. I am looking forward to trying to reserve the follow-up book now as well.

Do you have a favorite author who isn't necessarily a household name, but you still search out their books? Or if you already know Stewart O'Nan, which of his books is your favorite. Mine is Prayer for the Dying. I'd recommend that as well as Wish You Were Here, but I'll warn you that my favorite is a little dark.