Goodreads Blurb

A charming, deeply moving novel about second chances, unlikely friendships, and the life-changing power of sharing stories.

Our Reasons meet us in the morning and whisper to us at night. Mine is an innocent, unsuspecting, eternally sixty-one-year-old woman named Lorraine Daigle…

Violet Powell, a twenty-two-year-old from rural Abbott Falls, Maine, is being released from prison after serving twenty-two months for a drunk-driving crash that killed a local kindergarten teacher. Harriet Larson, a retired English teacher who runs the prison book club, is facing the unsettling prospect of an empty nest. Frank Daigle, a retired machinist, hasn’t yet come to grips with the complications of his marriage to the woman Violet killed.

When the three encounter each other one morning in a bookstore in Portland—Violet to buy the novel she was reading in the prison book club before her release, Harriet to choose the next title for the women who remain, and Frank to dispatch his duties as the store handyman—their lives begin to intersect in transformative ways.

How to Read a Book  is an unsparingly honest and profoundly hopeful story about letting go of guilt, seizing second chances, and the power of books to change our lives. With the heart, wit, grace, and depth of understanding that has characterized her work, Monica Wood illuminates the decisions that define a life and the kindnesses that make life worth living.

My Review: Rated 5 out if 5 stars

This story was a rollercoaster of emotions that made my heart slightly bigger. It evoked so many emotions and showcased the power of forgiveness and second chances. The characters in this book will tug at your heartstrings. Their will to survive and help others is heartwarming. When you think your life is at its end, freedom or romance emerges. I connected with the story and the characters on so many levels.

Violet is a young woman who went to jail after causing the death of a teacher because she chose the wrong guy and made a terrible decision. She did her time in prison with no one to blame for her actions but herself. She is a strong-willed young lady who treats everyone with the utmost respect. The book club in jail brought her and the other inmates closer together and gave them joy in dissecting each story and understanding what the author told them through each poem and story. Seeing Violet free at last was joyous and heartbreaking. Anyone out of jail goes through many rejections for work and living arrangements. They are perceived as social outcasts capable of causing trouble at any moment. I connected with Violet with her love of animals and books. I was happy with how her life turned out in the end.

Harriet is the mother we all seek—a woman with so much love and care. To me, she was the character that brought this whole story together. She became a teacher at an older age and was the book club lady for the ladies in jail. It takes a lot of courage for someone to feel comfortable and want to help people learn while they are locked away. She enjoyed her time with the ladies getting lost in a book. She has many flaws and a hidden secret but has the biggest heart. She helped Violet connect back to society. She was the mother hen in this story.

Frank was the dad everyone wished they had; he reminded me of my dad. I was so happy that Frank was a die-maker, just like my dad. It’s a job you rarely hear anyone talk about, but an especially important one. Frank is also great at doing repairs, just like my dad. I felt so bad for Frank with how his marriage was going and the tragic death of his wife. He felt guilty about what transpired after his wife’s death and with his first encounter with Violet. It touched my heart that he went out of his way to create something the best way he knew how: metal. His apology was heartwarming. Few people have it in their hearts to apologize to someone who caused a family member to lose their life. I felt a sense of empathy for Frank, especially about the heartbreak he had endured.

I feel a personal connection to this story because of the parrots mentioned in it. The only pets I could own were birds or hamsters. My beautiful Quaker parrot, Beba, died last July after 15 years with us. I love how amazing birds are and the funny personalities they each have. The birds were a perfect addition to the story.

I highly recommend this book. You will fall in love with the characters—the birds and the cats—and a piece of them will remain after you finish the last page.

Author Biography

Monica Wood is the author of four works of fiction, most recently The One-in-a-Million-Boy, which won a 2017 Nautilus Award (Gold) and the 2017 fiction prize from the New England Society in the City of New York. She also is the author of Any Bitter Thing which spent 21 weeks on the American Booksellers Association extended bestseller list and was named a Book Sense Top Ten pick. Her other fiction includes Ernie’s Ark and My Only Story, a finalist for the Kate Chopin Award.

Monica is also the author of When We Were the Kennedys, a memoir of her growing up in Mexico, Maine. The book won the Maine Literary Award for Memoir in 2013, and the Sarton Women’s Literary Awards for Memoir in 2012.