Books, Books, Books, and a Cat

This book started out strong but lost me at the halfway point.  While the novel creates an atmosphere dripping with tension and intrigue, it ultimately delivers less than it promises.   Phoenix, a gardener,  becomes dangerously entangled with her employers. The relationship between Phoenix and Geoffrey develops with a slow-burning intensity that effectively communicates both the attraction and the danger. Their affair unfolds against the backdrop of Marguerite's jealousy, creating a powder keg of emotions that explodes predictably with Marguerite's fatal fall.  This was the best part of the book in my opinion.  The story needed more about Phoenix's background.  We get glimpses here and there of what her life was like.  There are also suggestions about her grandmother and what really happened to her.  I wanted to know more because I felt like it would help me understand her better.  I ended up not liking her as her actions just seemed err...

  "Life, and Death, and Giants" weaves an extraordinary tale that will tug at your heart strings and make you fall in love with the characters.  This captivating novel follows the remarkable life of Gabriel Fisher, an Amish child born at a staggering eighteen pounds and twenty-seven inches, whose extraordinary physical abilities and connection with animals mark him as something beyond ordinary. Multiple narrators are used to tell Gabriel's story, each offering a unique perspective. Doc Kennedy, the veterinarian who delivers Gabriel, becomes an unexpected mentor and bridge between worlds. Hannah Fisher, Gabriel's grandmother, provides emotional depth through her struggles with faith and loss. Billy Walton and Trey Beathard round out the perspectives, offering insights into how Gabriel's existence affects both Amish and English communities. What I loved about this novel was the blend of  fantastical elements of Gabriel's life with genuine human emotion. I also e...