The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry

This book has a quirky charm which is why I chose it.  A.J is an owner of a bookstore on Alice Island a fictional town located somewhere in New England.  He opened the store with his wife, Nic, but tragedy struck when Nic was killed in a car accident. Since then, A.J. has drifted through life in a haze, weighed down by grief.

One day a child is left in his bookstore.  From the beginning there is a unique bond between them.  She literally transforms his life in so many ways.  It is almost like she awakens a side of him that he did not know existed.  But the story is not as straight forward as it seems.  Twists that I did not see and the authors character development made for a compelling read. 

E-readers also become a point in the book triggered by a rare visit by A.J's Mom at Christmas who brought each of his family members an e-reader.  A.J. becomes enraged and it is easy to identify with his frustration.  As digital reading becomes more popular, bookstores face an uncertain future. His business definitely is impacted by the device. 

I always thought I would be one of those people who would never give up reading a physical book, but I succumbed to the ease of the e-reader.  It is so incredibly convenient to carry the e-reader, perfect for moments when I need to occupy my time, especially during my recent travels to Europe.  As an avid reader, having dozens of books at my fingertips and the ability to download a new one instantly is hard to resist.

Unfortunately, this is so true.  Gone are the days when bookstores were everywhere each with their own personalities.  I love going to new places and seeking out local bookstores.  One of my favorites was a bookstore is in Duck, NC called Duck's cottage.  Although they are booksellers, they also sell great coffee and mugs. I would stop by in the mornings the week I was there for some java, and I don't mean the software. I picked up a mug and several books including one mystery written by a local author.  I haven't been to the outer banks for a while.  I hope the store has survived.

I really enjoyed the book. The book was published a while ago and I am sure many of you have already read it but if you haven't consider picking it up. 

Netflix recently adapted it into a movie, and while I haven’t watched it yet, it’s definitely on my list. Still, I sometimes hesitate to watch film versions of books I love I don’t want to be disappointed.

Please share your thoughts on the book itself and the book vs the movie.