Happy Friday! We made it to the weekend! What does everyone have planned? We're heading out backpacking tomorrow and I can't wait. I have 15 miles on the schedule this morning (so I'll have an easy 6 to do tomorrow before we head out hiking) and have been looking forward to Saturday since last Sunday ; ) Ha. ANYWAYS. I finally finished another book last weekend!

I really loved both of Fredrik Backman's other books that I read (A Man Called Ove & Beartown), so I was pretty excited to start this one. Unfortunately, I may have been too hyped up for this book because it didn't quiet live up to my expectations. I breezed through A Man Called Ove (after the first 30 pages or so that were slower) and really got into Beartown after the first 100 pages, but this book never really 'hooked' me in until the last 30 pages or so. 

I think the storyline (it's centered around an (almost) 8 year old girl, Elsa, and her relationship with her Grandmother) is a really cute idea and it does make some really great connections between their relationship and Elsa's relationship with others, but the book never hit a 'high point' for me. I have also heard that Britt-Marie is a character in both this story and in Backman's other book, Britt-Marie Was Here, so maybe I should have started with that book? 

I felt a bit lost in sections and would definitely agree that Backman's writing is similar to Roald Dahl (as some critics mention)- quirky and funny and sometimes a bit sad. I was laughing in some sections and could relate to Elsa in some regards. The story does also center around a fairy-tale that is a secret between Elsa and her granny, which I thought was cute, but also sometimes had me a bit bored and lost. 

Cute book and Backman is an excellent writer, but it wasn't my favorite read from him. Already diving in to my next historical fiction book! 

What are you reading right now? 

Last favorite book you read?

One thing you're most looking forward to this weekend?