Beartown by Fredrik Backman, 432 pages

Swedish author Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite authors.  He tends to write sweet tales about eccentric characters who find love and validation through friends.  That is not this book.

Beartown is a dying town deep in a forest and they have one point of pride - the hockey club and its various teams.  Something bad happens to someone and the aftermath threatens to destroy the club and the town.

Yowza, this was brutal and powerful.  Racism, rape, bullying and peer pressure are all explored.  I loved this in a whole different way from my normal awe of Fredrik Backman.   There is now a follow-up to this book, "Us Against You."  Ohh, can't wait!

Beartown by Fredrik Backman (translated by Neil Smith), 432 pages

Swedish author Fredrik Backman is one of my favorite authors.  He tends to write sweet tales about eccentric characters who find love and validation through friends.  That is not this book.

Beartown is a dying town deep in a forest and they have one point of pride - the hockey club and its various teams.  Something bad happens to someone and the aftermath threatens to destroy the club and the town.

Yowza, this was brutal and powerful.  Racism, rape, bullying and peer pressure are all explored.  I loved this in a whole different way from my normal awe of Fredrik Backman.  We have this in print, ebook and on audio at the library, and if I have my way we'll have it as a book club selection soon too.

Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman, 324 pages

Britt-Marie first turned up in another Fredrik Backman book "My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry."  She was the fussy neighbor who never had anything nice to say and was not very likeable.

Fredrik Backman specializes in writing about curmudgeonly people with a heart of gold.  These folks might not have family that consists of relatives, but by the end of the book, they have family that consists of people who love and appreciate them. 

Britt-Marie had to leave home to find her place and that family, but she does so with satisfying results.  Verdict: heartwarming, sweet and uplifting; another winner from Swedish author Fredrik Backman. 

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald, 394 pages

Sara travels from Sweden to Broken Wheel, Iowa to visit her friend Amy who shares a love of books.  Only Amy isn't around and the town of Broken Wheel is broken down and dying and grieving.

Sara, who has had few friends and experiences in life, ends up being the glue Broken Wheel needs.  Except her tourist visa is only good for 3 months.  So the townspeople do what any of us would do, start conspiring to figure out a way to keep her there.

Eccentric characters, lots of good will and a book about books.  This little charmer charmed me. 

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, 337 pages

First of all, for anyone who reads this book, Ove is pronounced "oo-vah."  I had the pleasure of listening to this delightful book that was originally published in Sweden.

Ove is 59, recently widowed and even more recently "retired" against his will from his job.  Ove's pretty much done with life and all of the yahoos who annoy him.

As he's planning his exit, new neighbors scrape his house with their trailer and he unwillingly becomes involved in their life.  I laughed, I cried and I enjoyed every minute of Ove's curmudgeonly story.  If I gave stars, this one would get 5 out of 5.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman 473 pages

I am sure if you look up "Ove" in a Swedish dictionary it would say "curmudgeon, set in his ways, high standards for himself and everyone else hiding a huge heart".  Throughout this entire book, Ove is trying to die.  You see, his lovely wife of many years, the only one who ever understood him, has died and Ove wants nothing more than to be with her.  However, life constantly interferes with Ove's plans.  First the young couple and 2 young daughters move in next door.  They don't know how to back in a trailer, fix a stuck window and the pregnant mother constantly needs Ove's assistance!  Then, the stray cat adopts him, his nemesis Rune needs his help and on and on.  This was a cute, heartwarming tale.