The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus-Sonya Sones and one small poetry story

April is Poetry Month, and this is the perfect book to celebrate it.Written in poetry form, "The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus" is the story of Holly, a writer, behind on her deadline, with her editor hounding her to finish, dealing with her aging mother, and her daughter going off to college. Nearing 50, she is lamenting the changes going on with her eyes, and body, while thinking of ways to spend her husbands insurance money. (He is still alive, so far)

This is a book that says what we "mature" ladies are thinking, but seldom say aloud. Funny, heartbreaking, and entertaining, Sonya Sones has captured the feelings  that Holly is feeling with great accuracy.Her mother is giving the nurses fits, at her care facility, and Holly hates the doctor caring for her. Add to the mix, crazy friends, the fear that her husband is having an affair, and the stress of flying back and forth to help her mother in another state. Wry humor and serious subjects made me nod, smile and sometimes tear up. This book is like looking in a mirror, (capturing the feelings perfectly) except your reflection is better dressed.

I was afraid when I started this book that I wouldn't be able to read an entire book in this style, but after a few pages I got the rhythm going and found it to be a really fun format.

Here is a little story for Poetry Month-When I was in the first grade, I had 50 cents for my lunch money (I think it was for the whole week) and I was walking to school, when I saw my first garage sale. I had a few minutes so I stopped, and made my first book purchase, EVER! On the table was a thick book, about 600 pages, "Favorite Poems Old and New, Selected for boys and girls by Helen Ferris". The price was 50 cents. I gave the lady my money and carried the heavy volume to school, so I could read at lunch time. It was the best lunches I ever had. The poems fed my soul, so who needed a small carton of whole milk!

I still have the book, which is falling apart from use, and I still read the poems, feeling them filling me up, remembering the feelings I had the first time I read them. Sigh, contentment.

"The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus" is a fun read, one that I recommend highly.

I received this book from Maggie at Harper Paperbacks for review. Thank you!