Book Shorts. Reviews in a Nutshell.
FEATURED REVIEW
After Annie
by Anna Quindlen
Anna Quindlen is right at home writing about a family’s anguish after the sudden death of Annie— mother, wife, sister, friend. This is familiar territory for Quindlen whose own mother died when she was 19. Annie, although “knocked off” in the first sentence, is ever present throughout the book, through each character’s perspective on the present and the past, with the focus on their connection with Annie. The character development is strong, the writing, beautiful, and the story told through memories, flashbacks, grieving, and humor. The reader feels a lot of compassion for each of them. I was hooked on Quindlen’s writing style when I read One True Thing in 1991. She hasn’t lost her touch, rather she has honed her art of story-telling. I couldn’t put this book down until I finished it, and not to be a spoiler, it left me feeling hopeful. Highly recommended!
Review by Sandra Novick
July 17, 2025
So many books, so little time. Right, right - we’ve all heard it many times. Hummingbird's new BOOK SHORTS will present book reviews you can read in a minute and capture the essence of the story, thumbnail reviews that hopefully will entice you into your next read. I read constantly. My tastes vary, so I’ll review books that I love, not necessarily current books. Other HB contributors will review books that follow their interests, both newly published and past. All in all, we’ll review books we think are captivating, compelling, unputdownable. If you’re looking for a good book to take to the beach, make that long commute shorter, or curl up with, hopefully our reviews will help you find it. Lynda Bernard
Please feel free to comment in the “Comments” section below the byline or by clicking here and sending it to us. We will repost the review with your comments. We are trying this shortened format because we know everyone is so busy! We are only posting recommended reads. Let us know what you think. All reviews are by Hummingbird contributors.
