Excellent historical novels and a new voice in contemporary fiction are just around the corner!
The Farm, by Joanne Ramos. From a board member of The Moth, this debut novel is creating a lot of buzz! The surrogate mothers at Golden Oaks live a life of luxury. Except that they cannot leave the property. Or contact outsiders. Filipino immigrant Jane is desperate for the surrogacy fee, but she's starting to have serious worries about what she's gotten herself into.
A Bend in the Stars, by Rachel Barenbaum. This debut from Barenbaum is a must for fans of historical sagas like All the Light We Cannot See and The Women in the Castle. Set in 1914 Russia, two siblings struggle to build their lives amid the war looming on the horizon. Miri is a surgeon, but in a place and time where a female doctor is an anomaly, she's rebuffed often, even by patients--until she is summoned to care for the injured at the front lines. For brother Vanya, a scientist testing Einstein's as-yet-unpublished theory of relativity, he will risk capture in order to test his equation.
The Guest Book, by Sarah Blake. This latest from poet and novelist Blake (The Postmistress) brings readers the story of the Milton family, starting in 1935 New York when the privileged family of five is beset by tragedy. In order to help his wife, Kitty, heal, Ogden buys Crockett's Island off the coast of Maine, a place which will become the family's summer refuge over the years. In 1959, the guests invited by the now-grown Milton children will stretch family tensions to the breaking point, uncovering secrets that will resonate for generations. Blake's prose is absolutely enchanting, and I am definitely putting this one at the top of my to-read list.
Showing posts with label debuts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label debuts. Show all posts
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Meg's Picks: May 2019, part 2
I read a LOT of debut novels, and am constantly on the lookout for new titles on the horizon that strike my fancy. Here are a couple of historical fiction debuts that I've got my eye on next month, both of which may be excellent book club picks, too.
The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna, by Juliet Grames. This richly imagined debut is based on the story of the author's own grandmother. Beautiful, smart and determined, Stella Fortuna grows up in a mountain village in early 20th-century Italy. Her father suspects her of being cursed, as she won't succumb to patriarchal expectations, and word travels quickly in their small village. When the family immigrates to Connecticut just before World War II, it's not the land of opportunity they'd imagined, and Stella continues to defy expectations and accidents alike in order to protect her younger sister. It's only as forced marriages separate the two that the close-knit sisters slowly lose touch. I'm recommending this particularly for fans of Kate Atkinson (Life After Life, etc.)
The Confessions of Frannie Langton, by Sara Collins. Collins's debut is a historical murder mystery the likes of which I've yet to run across (though it does remind me a bit of Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace). After growing up in Jamaica in the early 1800s as the slave of John Langton, Frannie accompanies John to London after his plantation harvest burns. There she is gifted to John's fellow scientist, George Benham and his wife Meg. George asks Frannie to spy on Meg, but Frannie and Meg soon wind up with a very different relationship. After the Benham's turn up dead, Frannie is immediately held as a suspect, but was she actually involved?
The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna, by Juliet Grames. This richly imagined debut is based on the story of the author's own grandmother. Beautiful, smart and determined, Stella Fortuna grows up in a mountain village in early 20th-century Italy. Her father suspects her of being cursed, as she won't succumb to patriarchal expectations, and word travels quickly in their small village. When the family immigrates to Connecticut just before World War II, it's not the land of opportunity they'd imagined, and Stella continues to defy expectations and accidents alike in order to protect her younger sister. It's only as forced marriages separate the two that the close-knit sisters slowly lose touch. I'm recommending this particularly for fans of Kate Atkinson (Life After Life, etc.)
The Confessions of Frannie Langton, by Sara Collins. Collins's debut is a historical murder mystery the likes of which I've yet to run across (though it does remind me a bit of Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace). After growing up in Jamaica in the early 1800s as the slave of John Langton, Frannie accompanies John to London after his plantation harvest burns. There she is gifted to John's fellow scientist, George Benham and his wife Meg. George asks Frannie to spy on Meg, but Frannie and Meg soon wind up with a very different relationship. After the Benham's turn up dead, Frannie is immediately held as a suspect, but was she actually involved?
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Reading Ahead: May 2019, part 1
I know, I've been MIA. A dreadful combination of reader's block (even librarians get the blues) and writer's block (it's been 5 years and over 700 posts. Sometimes a woman needs a break!). In any case, I'm working on shaking off both of these hindrances and appreciate your patience in the meantime.
The titles for next month just won't wait any longer, though, so here are the brief versions of a few you might want to reserve now:
The Last Time I Saw You, by Liv Constantine. Constantine's debut, The Last Mrs. Parrish, was on bestsellers' lists and was a huge favorite of library staff and patrons alike. The author, actually two sisters who write together, returns here with a new page-turner: when her high-society mother is murdered, Dr. Kate English's perfect world begins to crumble. She leans heavily on the shoulder of an old friend to get her through the mourning, but then finds that the murderer may not be done...not by a long shot.
Keep You Close, by Karen Cleveland. Cleveland is another author whose debut, Need to Know, absolutely wowed us with plot twists galore. We're delighted she's back with a new novel of deception and betrayal--when single parent and FBI analyst Stephanie finds a gun in her teenage son's room, she is beyond unprepared. Then a colleague on the domestic terrorism squad turns her shock into a spiral of terror and conspiracy with three little words: "It's about Zachary."
The Never Game, by Jeffery Deaver. Author of the best-selling Lincoln Rhyme series kicks off a new series here featuring professional "reward seeker" Colter Shaw. Shaw, son of a survivalist and an extraordinary tracker, works with law enforcement to help find missing persons. But in this seemingly simple case of a young woman's disappearance in Silicon Valley turns into something much bigger than anyone could have guessed.
Cari Mora, by Thomas Harris. Best known for his novels featuring the diabolical Hannibal Lecter, Harris treats readers to a new thriller with another unforgettable heroine. For years, ruthless men have sought the legendary twenty-five million in cartel gold. In fact, it lies hidden beneath a mansion in Miami Beach. Cari Mora, the house's caretaker, is a woman who has escaped the war in her native country, though not unscathed. When the frontrunner in the race to find the gold comes up against Cari, he will find himself up against a skilled survivor the likes of which he hadn't ever expected...
The Night Before, by Wendy Walker. Connecticut author Wendy Walker is a library favorite! Laura has led a troubled life, from a tragedy when she was young through a number of terribly failed romances, the last of which sent her running from her Wall Street job to lick her wounds in the home of her sister Rosie, located in the Connecticut suburb where they grew up. Laura isn't content to brood for long, though, and soon goes out with a man she met on a dating site. Except she never comes home, and Rosie's starting to worry...not just about what he may have done to Laura, but what she may have done to him.
The titles for next month just won't wait any longer, though, so here are the brief versions of a few you might want to reserve now:
The Last Time I Saw You, by Liv Constantine. Constantine's debut, The Last Mrs. Parrish, was on bestsellers' lists and was a huge favorite of library staff and patrons alike. The author, actually two sisters who write together, returns here with a new page-turner: when her high-society mother is murdered, Dr. Kate English's perfect world begins to crumble. She leans heavily on the shoulder of an old friend to get her through the mourning, but then finds that the murderer may not be done...not by a long shot.
Keep You Close, by Karen Cleveland. Cleveland is another author whose debut, Need to Know, absolutely wowed us with plot twists galore. We're delighted she's back with a new novel of deception and betrayal--when single parent and FBI analyst Stephanie finds a gun in her teenage son's room, she is beyond unprepared. Then a colleague on the domestic terrorism squad turns her shock into a spiral of terror and conspiracy with three little words: "It's about Zachary."
The Never Game, by Jeffery Deaver. Author of the best-selling Lincoln Rhyme series kicks off a new series here featuring professional "reward seeker" Colter Shaw. Shaw, son of a survivalist and an extraordinary tracker, works with law enforcement to help find missing persons. But in this seemingly simple case of a young woman's disappearance in Silicon Valley turns into something much bigger than anyone could have guessed.
Cari Mora, by Thomas Harris. Best known for his novels featuring the diabolical Hannibal Lecter, Harris treats readers to a new thriller with another unforgettable heroine. For years, ruthless men have sought the legendary twenty-five million in cartel gold. In fact, it lies hidden beneath a mansion in Miami Beach. Cari Mora, the house's caretaker, is a woman who has escaped the war in her native country, though not unscathed. When the frontrunner in the race to find the gold comes up against Cari, he will find himself up against a skilled survivor the likes of which he hadn't ever expected...
The Night Before, by Wendy Walker. Connecticut author Wendy Walker is a library favorite! Laura has led a troubled life, from a tragedy when she was young through a number of terribly failed romances, the last of which sent her running from her Wall Street job to lick her wounds in the home of her sister Rosie, located in the Connecticut suburb where they grew up. Laura isn't content to brood for long, though, and soon goes out with a man she met on a dating site. Except she never comes home, and Rosie's starting to worry...not just about what he may have done to Laura, but what she may have done to him.
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Meg's Picks: April 2019, part 1
Welcome to your source of all things new fiction! Wondering what to read next month? Short on time and need help finding a book you think you'll enjoy? We're here for that! Here are a few fiction titles I'm excited about, all coming out in April.
Lost Roses, by Martha Hall Kelly. Kelly is the author of the astoundingly well-received debut novel, Lilac Girls (2016). Her sophomore novel features Eliza Ferriday, mother of her debut's Caroline Ferriday. In 1914, Eliza travels to St. Petersburg, Russia with a Romanov cousin, Sonya. But while she's there, World War I erupts. The Romanov dynasty begins to crumble. Eliza is lucky enough to escape, but remains determined to help Sonya's family and others like them. Historical fiction readers who love their novels well-researched should absolutely check this out.
Miracle Creek, by Angie Kim. Somewhere in Virginia, there's an experimental medical device called the Miracle Submarine, a pressurized oxygen chamber in which individuals take therapeutic "dives" in hopes of curing anything from autism to infertility. Then the device explodes, killing two people, and owners Young and Pak Yoo are on trial for murder. Debut novelist Kim is not only a lawyer, but her son has been treated in such a chamber, lending additional depth to the story. There's a lot of buzz about this novel, and I'm recommending it to fans of Jodi Picoult and Liane Moriarty.
Feast Your Eyes, by Myla Goldberg. If Myla Goldberg's name looks familiar to you, it should--she's the author of the 2000 bestseller Bee Season, among other novels. So this reader is particularly excited for her latest work. In 1955, photographer Lillian Preston exhibits partially nude photos of herself and her daughter Samantha, sparking outrage and praise among critics and the public in general. The photos become the center of a well-publicized obscenity case and the repercussions have a lasting impact on the relationship between mother and daughter. Told mostly by Samantha in relation to a catalog of Lillian's work, but also in comments from friends, critics, and Lillian herself, this unique novel is sure to be a mainstay for book club readers.
Lost Roses, by Martha Hall Kelly. Kelly is the author of the astoundingly well-received debut novel, Lilac Girls (2016). Her sophomore novel features Eliza Ferriday, mother of her debut's Caroline Ferriday. In 1914, Eliza travels to St. Petersburg, Russia with a Romanov cousin, Sonya. But while she's there, World War I erupts. The Romanov dynasty begins to crumble. Eliza is lucky enough to escape, but remains determined to help Sonya's family and others like them. Historical fiction readers who love their novels well-researched should absolutely check this out.
Miracle Creek, by Angie Kim. Somewhere in Virginia, there's an experimental medical device called the Miracle Submarine, a pressurized oxygen chamber in which individuals take therapeutic "dives" in hopes of curing anything from autism to infertility. Then the device explodes, killing two people, and owners Young and Pak Yoo are on trial for murder. Debut novelist Kim is not only a lawyer, but her son has been treated in such a chamber, lending additional depth to the story. There's a lot of buzz about this novel, and I'm recommending it to fans of Jodi Picoult and Liane Moriarty.
Feast Your Eyes, by Myla Goldberg. If Myla Goldberg's name looks familiar to you, it should--she's the author of the 2000 bestseller Bee Season, among other novels. So this reader is particularly excited for her latest work. In 1955, photographer Lillian Preston exhibits partially nude photos of herself and her daughter Samantha, sparking outrage and praise among critics and the public in general. The photos become the center of a well-publicized obscenity case and the repercussions have a lasting impact on the relationship between mother and daughter. Told mostly by Samantha in relation to a catalog of Lillian's work, but also in comments from friends, critics, and Lillian herself, this unique novel is sure to be a mainstay for book club readers.
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Meg's Picks: March 2019, part 3
It's debut day here on Meg's Picks! Love trying new things? Want to branch out from your same old rotation of authors? Want to know what your friends are going to be talking about reading? Try one (or all!) of these!
The Woman in the Dark, by Vanessa Savage. In this creepy psychological debut, Patrick and Sarah move their family from Cardiff back to Patrick's childhood home in South Wales. They're disturbed to discover that the once magnificent Victorian house has been vacant the last 15 years, after the last family who lived there was murdered, leaving only one survivor. And the man responsible for the heinous crime is fresh out of prison. Unease will grow, both for the family and the reader, from the moment they walk in the door. I'm recommending this for fans of Shari LaPena's The Couple Next Door.
If, Then, by Kate Hope Day. In the quiet town of Clearing, Oregon, four neighbors begin to see themselves in parallel realities. For dedicated surgeon Ginny, seeing a beautiful coworker in bed with her husband makes her begin to doubt the stability of her marriage. Her scientist husband Mark grows increasingly paranoid due to visions of pending devastation. Brilliant scholar and new mother Cass is just getting back to working on a project that could make her career, only to see herself newly pregnant again. And Samara, mourning the passing of her mother and marveling at her father's ability to cope effortlessly, wonders about the secrets her parents have kept from her when her visions show her mother alive and well. For readers who enjoy imaginative, speculative fiction like Chloe Benjamin's The Immortalists and family-driven suspense like Celeste Ng's Little Fire's Everywhere.
House on Fire, by Bonnie Kistler. A drunk driving accident leaves one member of a blended family dead and another charged with manslaughter in this tightly plotted debut. While this series of events alone would be enough to cripple any family, it is followed by a series of half-truths and altered versions of events that causes a divide that may never be mended. Fans of Jodi Picoult would do well to pick this up.
Save Me from Dangerous Men, by S.A. Lelchuk. Nikki Griffin isn't your typical PI. Her office is above her bookstore, and in her downtime, she tracks dangerous men, the kind who hurt the women they claim to love. Nikki's regular PI work, this time following disgruntled tech employee Karen, suspected of selling secrets, begins to fall into the category of "in danger" and Nikki is forced to blow her cover to save Karen. In the process, though, Nikki will find herself on the run, as well. For readers who can't get enough Lisbeth Salander or Jack Reacher.
The Woman in the Dark, by Vanessa Savage. In this creepy psychological debut, Patrick and Sarah move their family from Cardiff back to Patrick's childhood home in South Wales. They're disturbed to discover that the once magnificent Victorian house has been vacant the last 15 years, after the last family who lived there was murdered, leaving only one survivor. And the man responsible for the heinous crime is fresh out of prison. Unease will grow, both for the family and the reader, from the moment they walk in the door. I'm recommending this for fans of Shari LaPena's The Couple Next Door.
If, Then, by Kate Hope Day. In the quiet town of Clearing, Oregon, four neighbors begin to see themselves in parallel realities. For dedicated surgeon Ginny, seeing a beautiful coworker in bed with her husband makes her begin to doubt the stability of her marriage. Her scientist husband Mark grows increasingly paranoid due to visions of pending devastation. Brilliant scholar and new mother Cass is just getting back to working on a project that could make her career, only to see herself newly pregnant again. And Samara, mourning the passing of her mother and marveling at her father's ability to cope effortlessly, wonders about the secrets her parents have kept from her when her visions show her mother alive and well. For readers who enjoy imaginative, speculative fiction like Chloe Benjamin's The Immortalists and family-driven suspense like Celeste Ng's Little Fire's Everywhere.
House on Fire, by Bonnie Kistler. A drunk driving accident leaves one member of a blended family dead and another charged with manslaughter in this tightly plotted debut. While this series of events alone would be enough to cripple any family, it is followed by a series of half-truths and altered versions of events that causes a divide that may never be mended. Fans of Jodi Picoult would do well to pick this up.
Save Me from Dangerous Men, by S.A. Lelchuk. Nikki Griffin isn't your typical PI. Her office is above her bookstore, and in her downtime, she tracks dangerous men, the kind who hurt the women they claim to love. Nikki's regular PI work, this time following disgruntled tech employee Karen, suspected of selling secrets, begins to fall into the category of "in danger" and Nikki is forced to blow her cover to save Karen. In the process, though, Nikki will find herself on the run, as well. For readers who can't get enough Lisbeth Salander or Jack Reacher.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Meg's Picks: March 2019, part 2
Want to know what's on my list next month? Here we go!
My Lovely Wife, by Samantha Downing. The couple in Downing's taut debut thriller have found a way to keep their marriage interesting after 15 years together: getting away with murder. As their hobby gains traction, however, they find themselves keeping secrets from one another, secrets that might just get one or both of them caught. If you're looking for a new thriller to keep you on the edge of your seat, this should absolutely be on your list.
White Elephant, by Julie Langsdorf. The titular 'white elephant' is an architectural monstrosity in Willard Park, D.C., a suburban neighborhood that prides itself on its trees and its friendly community. The house in question is loathed by most of the neighbors, but all out war is declared among residents when the owner cuts down a neighbor's maple tree to make his house more enticing to prospective buyers. Dysfunction abounds as residents out each other on tattle-tale local bulletin boards and start airing dirty laundry. If you're a fan of Meg Wolitzer (The Female Persuasion, etc.) or Ann Patchett (Commonwealth, etc.), you can't miss Langsdorf's darkly humorous debut.
Me for You, by Lolly Winston. Winston returns after more than a decade away (Good Grief, etc.), bringing readers the story of Rudy, a 54 year old widower who has been recently downsized out his job in finance. Returning to his first love, the piano, Rudy finds himself a temporary gig playing at Nordstrom's, though he stays on beyond the initial temp position. There he meets Sasha, a woman contending with losses of her own. As their friendship develops, Rudy is slightly alarmed to find himself falling for Sasha, uncertain whether he is willing or ready for another relationship. Just as Rudy may be finding a way back from grief, however, he's dealt another blow he never saw coming. Winston's style is gently poignant, and I adore her work.
My Lovely Wife, by Samantha Downing. The couple in Downing's taut debut thriller have found a way to keep their marriage interesting after 15 years together: getting away with murder. As their hobby gains traction, however, they find themselves keeping secrets from one another, secrets that might just get one or both of them caught. If you're looking for a new thriller to keep you on the edge of your seat, this should absolutely be on your list.
White Elephant, by Julie Langsdorf. The titular 'white elephant' is an architectural monstrosity in Willard Park, D.C., a suburban neighborhood that prides itself on its trees and its friendly community. The house in question is loathed by most of the neighbors, but all out war is declared among residents when the owner cuts down a neighbor's maple tree to make his house more enticing to prospective buyers. Dysfunction abounds as residents out each other on tattle-tale local bulletin boards and start airing dirty laundry. If you're a fan of Meg Wolitzer (The Female Persuasion, etc.) or Ann Patchett (Commonwealth, etc.), you can't miss Langsdorf's darkly humorous debut.
Me for You, by Lolly Winston. Winston returns after more than a decade away (Good Grief, etc.), bringing readers the story of Rudy, a 54 year old widower who has been recently downsized out his job in finance. Returning to his first love, the piano, Rudy finds himself a temporary gig playing at Nordstrom's, though he stays on beyond the initial temp position. There he meets Sasha, a woman contending with losses of her own. As their friendship develops, Rudy is slightly alarmed to find himself falling for Sasha, uncertain whether he is willing or ready for another relationship. Just as Rudy may be finding a way back from grief, however, he's dealt another blow he never saw coming. Winston's style is gently poignant, and I adore her work.
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Meg's Picks: January 2019, part 1
Need some suspense in your life? Here are a few titles that have made my list next month, including a couple of spectacular debuts!
An Anonymous Girl, by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen. New psychological fiction from the authors of the 2018 best-seller The Wife Between Us. When Jessica signs up for an ethics study of women ages 18-32, she has no idea that the doctor running the study will be so dangerously controlling. As the study progresses and she shares, and overshares, with the doctor, Jessica begins to wonder whether she'll ever be able to leave the study at all... Also available in Large Print.
The Woman Inside, by E.G. Scott. Scott is the pseudonym for a pair of writers, one a publishing professional and the other a screenwriter, making their debut with a dark marital thriller that is already in development for a TV series. After nearly two decades of marriage, Rebecca and Paul are growing apart, separated by a slowly unraveling string of secrets. Like Rebecca's career-ending substance abuse problem. Or Paul's failure to mention that he's withdrawn all of their savings from the bank, or his adultery. Fans of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl will want to check this out in the new year.
The Nowhere Child, by Christian White. White's impressive debut starts with Australian teacher Kim Leamy being approached by American James Finn, who claims the 30-year-old woman is actually Sammy Went, who was abducted from Kentucky at the age of 2 back in 1990. When James admits he's actually Stuart Went, Sammy's brother, and shares all of the documentation of Sammy's disappearance, Kim is intrigued, and together they work to unearth what really happened. Don't skip ahead, the ending is worth the wait!
An Anonymous Girl, by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen. New psychological fiction from the authors of the 2018 best-seller The Wife Between Us. When Jessica signs up for an ethics study of women ages 18-32, she has no idea that the doctor running the study will be so dangerously controlling. As the study progresses and she shares, and overshares, with the doctor, Jessica begins to wonder whether she'll ever be able to leave the study at all... Also available in Large Print.
The Woman Inside, by E.G. Scott. Scott is the pseudonym for a pair of writers, one a publishing professional and the other a screenwriter, making their debut with a dark marital thriller that is already in development for a TV series. After nearly two decades of marriage, Rebecca and Paul are growing apart, separated by a slowly unraveling string of secrets. Like Rebecca's career-ending substance abuse problem. Or Paul's failure to mention that he's withdrawn all of their savings from the bank, or his adultery. Fans of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl will want to check this out in the new year.
The Nowhere Child, by Christian White. White's impressive debut starts with Australian teacher Kim Leamy being approached by American James Finn, who claims the 30-year-old woman is actually Sammy Went, who was abducted from Kentucky at the age of 2 back in 1990. When James admits he's actually Stuart Went, Sammy's brother, and shares all of the documentation of Sammy's disappearance, Kim is intrigued, and together they work to unearth what really happened. Don't skip ahead, the ending is worth the wait!
Thursday, November 29, 2018
What I've Been Reading: November 2018
I've been reading non-fiction and book club books, which seem to be slowing me down a little lately. That and the early evenings that make me want to retire earlier and earlier! But I've gotten a few things finished...
The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers, by Maxwell King. I am absolutely a child of the PBS era and have a soft, nostalgic place in my heart for Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. So this, the first full-length biography of an American icon, is right up my alley. Following Fred's story from a shy, kindhearted boy through his education where he excelled at music, and told with the help of numerous interviews and archival documents, King's biography is simply perfect, thoughtful and insightful and wonderfully detailed.
How to Knit A Heart Back Home, by Rachael Herron. Herron, writer and fellow knitter, has a great knack for writing perfectly flawed characters who find each other in the most entertaining ways. Here, bookshop owner and long-time knitter Lucy has made peace with being single, choosing to live vicariously through the exploits of her socially avid best friend, Molly. Then Owen comes back to town to deal with some family issues, and Lucy goes to pieces. In high school, Lucy had been Owen's math tutor, her the nerd and him the bad boy with a tough home life. They shared one intensely memorable kiss...just before he left town. Now after close to two decades, he's back and maybe, just maybe, they might find their next steps together...
The Visitors, by Catherine Burns. Burns' debut, which was published last September, has been on my list for some time, and now I know why. This is not a comfortable read, both claustrophobic and grimly tense. Marion Zetland lives in her crumbling childhood home with her older brother John--she a timid spinster who spends her days napping with teddy bears and avoiding conflict of any kind, he a surly recluse who spends the bulk of his time in their basement, which is off limits to everyone else. Marion has spent years turning a blind eye to John's ominous deeds until one day, these heinous responsibilities fall to her and she must unravel many truths, including her own. A slow and uncomfortable start picks up a full head of steam about halfway through, and the finish is absolutely worth it. If you're looking for a novel full of dark suspense, add this to your list.
The Law of Similars, by Chris Bohjalian. Bohjalian (Midwives, The Sandcastle Girls, etc.) is a favorite of mine and I parcel his books out as stories to savor. Here, Vermont widower and attorney Leland is consumed by his job, the raising of his young daughter...and a collection of anxieties manifesting as illness. Over the counter remedies and antibiotics have failed him. It's only when he turns to homeopathy that he begins to see improvement, not least because he is instantly smitten with his homeopath, Carissa Lake. But after one of Carissa's patients falls into an allergy-induced coma, possibly because of her prescribed remedy, Leland's office begins to investigate the case. Leland is faced with a monumental ethical dilemma as love and legal obligations clash head-on. Fascinating on multiple levels, this was definitely a novel to linger over.
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, by Lisa See. My book club's November selection, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane is the story of Li-yan and her family, living in a remote village in a southern province of China where life revolves around the seasons and the farming and harvesting of tea. It is only after a stranger visits their village that Li-yan begins to venture forth, receiving an education and beginning to reject traditional beliefs. It is the birth of her daughter, born out of wedlock with a man her family considers a poor choice, that finally causes Li-yan to break away. She gives her daughter up at an orphanage in hopes of giving the girl a better life, then makes her own way in the world, choosing city over village. This is also the story of Haley, Li-yan's daughter, who is being raised by an American couple in California, and her own unique struggles with identity.
We Should All Be Feminists, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Adapted from Adichie's much-admired TEDx talk of the same name, this long essay is both personal and eloquently argued, offering a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century, one rooted in inclusion and awareness. Drawing on her own experiences and her understanding of the often-masked realities of sexual politics, this is both Adichie's own exploration of what it means to be a woman now, and also a rallying cry to the world. I loved it so much, I read it twice.
The Stranger in the Woods, by Michael Finkel. This is a reread for me, the selection for my book club's December meeting. You can read my original review here.
I have nine books left to read in 2018 in order to hit 100 books in a calendar year. Think I can do it?
The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers, by Maxwell King. I am absolutely a child of the PBS era and have a soft, nostalgic place in my heart for Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. So this, the first full-length biography of an American icon, is right up my alley. Following Fred's story from a shy, kindhearted boy through his education where he excelled at music, and told with the help of numerous interviews and archival documents, King's biography is simply perfect, thoughtful and insightful and wonderfully detailed.
How to Knit A Heart Back Home, by Rachael Herron. Herron, writer and fellow knitter, has a great knack for writing perfectly flawed characters who find each other in the most entertaining ways. Here, bookshop owner and long-time knitter Lucy has made peace with being single, choosing to live vicariously through the exploits of her socially avid best friend, Molly. Then Owen comes back to town to deal with some family issues, and Lucy goes to pieces. In high school, Lucy had been Owen's math tutor, her the nerd and him the bad boy with a tough home life. They shared one intensely memorable kiss...just before he left town. Now after close to two decades, he's back and maybe, just maybe, they might find their next steps together...
The Visitors, by Catherine Burns. Burns' debut, which was published last September, has been on my list for some time, and now I know why. This is not a comfortable read, both claustrophobic and grimly tense. Marion Zetland lives in her crumbling childhood home with her older brother John--she a timid spinster who spends her days napping with teddy bears and avoiding conflict of any kind, he a surly recluse who spends the bulk of his time in their basement, which is off limits to everyone else. Marion has spent years turning a blind eye to John's ominous deeds until one day, these heinous responsibilities fall to her and she must unravel many truths, including her own. A slow and uncomfortable start picks up a full head of steam about halfway through, and the finish is absolutely worth it. If you're looking for a novel full of dark suspense, add this to your list.
The Law of Similars, by Chris Bohjalian. Bohjalian (Midwives, The Sandcastle Girls, etc.) is a favorite of mine and I parcel his books out as stories to savor. Here, Vermont widower and attorney Leland is consumed by his job, the raising of his young daughter...and a collection of anxieties manifesting as illness. Over the counter remedies and antibiotics have failed him. It's only when he turns to homeopathy that he begins to see improvement, not least because he is instantly smitten with his homeopath, Carissa Lake. But after one of Carissa's patients falls into an allergy-induced coma, possibly because of her prescribed remedy, Leland's office begins to investigate the case. Leland is faced with a monumental ethical dilemma as love and legal obligations clash head-on. Fascinating on multiple levels, this was definitely a novel to linger over.
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, by Lisa See. My book club's November selection, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane is the story of Li-yan and her family, living in a remote village in a southern province of China where life revolves around the seasons and the farming and harvesting of tea. It is only after a stranger visits their village that Li-yan begins to venture forth, receiving an education and beginning to reject traditional beliefs. It is the birth of her daughter, born out of wedlock with a man her family considers a poor choice, that finally causes Li-yan to break away. She gives her daughter up at an orphanage in hopes of giving the girl a better life, then makes her own way in the world, choosing city over village. This is also the story of Haley, Li-yan's daughter, who is being raised by an American couple in California, and her own unique struggles with identity.
We Should All Be Feminists, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Adapted from Adichie's much-admired TEDx talk of the same name, this long essay is both personal and eloquently argued, offering a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century, one rooted in inclusion and awareness. Drawing on her own experiences and her understanding of the often-masked realities of sexual politics, this is both Adichie's own exploration of what it means to be a woman now, and also a rallying cry to the world. I loved it so much, I read it twice.
The Stranger in the Woods, by Michael Finkel. This is a reread for me, the selection for my book club's December meeting. You can read my original review here.
I have nine books left to read in 2018 in order to hit 100 books in a calendar year. Think I can do it?
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Meg's Picks: December 2018, part 1
Looking for something unexpected? I've got two suggestions for you today--one, a debut with an unusual protagonist and the second, a series starter from a reader favorite.
Hunting Annabelle, by Wendy Heard. This unique debut thriller already has a lot of readers buzzing. Sean Suh has served three years in a psychiatric prison for murder, so now that he's out, he copes by avoiding interaction with other people and wandering a local amusement park as he suppresses his darker impulses. He's instantly smitten when he meets Annabelle, who is beautiful and kind. But when she is abducted while they're on their first date, he finds himself the prime--and only--suspect. Frustrated by the police's unwillingness to search for Annabelle and her abductor, Sean begins his own investigation and digs into Annabelle's past--which turns out to be far murkier than readers might have expected. Billed as delightfully dark and twisted, this is a sure bet for readers of Caroline Kepnes (You, etc.).
Murder at the Mill, by M.B. Shaw. This first mystery from bestseller Tilly Bagshawe writing under a pseudonym finds artist Iris Grey hiding away in a Hampshire cottage, taking a break from her strained marriage. While there, she accepts a commission to paint the portrait of crime writer Dominic Wetherby, who lives next door. It's only when a local's father is discovered dead that Iris discovers she's got a talent for investigating murder...and suspects abound. Fans of Bagshawe's and readers of amateur sleuths should all be lining up.
Hunting Annabelle, by Wendy Heard. This unique debut thriller already has a lot of readers buzzing. Sean Suh has served three years in a psychiatric prison for murder, so now that he's out, he copes by avoiding interaction with other people and wandering a local amusement park as he suppresses his darker impulses. He's instantly smitten when he meets Annabelle, who is beautiful and kind. But when she is abducted while they're on their first date, he finds himself the prime--and only--suspect. Frustrated by the police's unwillingness to search for Annabelle and her abductor, Sean begins his own investigation and digs into Annabelle's past--which turns out to be far murkier than readers might have expected. Billed as delightfully dark and twisted, this is a sure bet for readers of Caroline Kepnes (You, etc.).
Murder at the Mill, by M.B. Shaw. This first mystery from bestseller Tilly Bagshawe writing under a pseudonym finds artist Iris Grey hiding away in a Hampshire cottage, taking a break from her strained marriage. While there, she accepts a commission to paint the portrait of crime writer Dominic Wetherby, who lives next door. It's only when a local's father is discovered dead that Iris discovers she's got a talent for investigating murder...and suspects abound. Fans of Bagshawe's and readers of amateur sleuths should all be lining up.
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
What I've Been Reading: October 2018
Well, it was bound to happen. I have hit a bit of a reading lull, or at least it feels that way, somehow. There have been a few titles that I've finished within a day or two this past month, but everything else has been mostly read simultaneously, a few pages at a time--to me, that just feels less fulfilling. Anyone else?
In any case, here we go!
A Man Called Ove, by Frederik Backman. I've held off on this one, which I know so many people have read and loved, because I knew my bookclub would read it and I wanted to wait. So now we've met, and I've read it! Ove is the neighborhood curmudgeon, keeping the world at arm's length and subscribing to a merciless sense of fair play. We meet him on one of his darkest days, which is turned around by a chance annoyance--a new family moving in, and making a hash of things in the process. Ove, who has not let anyone into his life in such a long time, soon finds himself surrounded by people who need him, and it is only most reluctantly that he acknowledges his need for them, too. A fast read, and an inspiring one. I very much enjoyed it, and it made for excellent discussion with the book club members.
A Breath After Drowning, by Alice Blanchard. Child psychiatrist Kate Wolf is devastated when one of her young patients commits suicide. Still reeling, she takes on a new patient, a girl abandoned at the hospital by her mother. Her confidence shaken, Kate doubts her ability to help her new patient, only to find the girl and her family have ties to Kate's own past, forcing her to acknowledge her own personal tragedy. While the plot here is fascinating, I found the style abrupt, almost as though too much of the story had been edited out--it felt like there were holes and that I was having to infer an awful lot. Sadly, not my favorite.
Leave No Trace, by Mindy Mejia. Ten years ago, a man and his son disappeared into the acres of forest in Minnesota near the Boundary Waters, and the townsfolk have presumed them dead for years. Now, the son has reappeared, found ransacking an outdoor equipment store. Violent and uncommunicative, he's sent to the local psychiatric facility where he chooses only to communicate with speech therapist Maya. He's still unwilling to share all of his secrets: where they've been, why they disappeared, why he came back. And Maya certainly has secrets of her own, including the reason she wants to help him return to the wild and his father. Beautifully written in taut, spare prose, this is a suspense novel to be savored--I didn't want to miss the smallest detail.
Lost Girls: an unsolved American mystery, by Robert Kolker. In 2010, the remains of five young women were found on the same Long Island Beach, all of them sex workers who had once used Craigslist to post their ads. Kolker investigates their individual pasts, their disappearances, the police investigation, and the nearby gated community which appears to be peopled with very private citizens, all with something to hide. The five women are all believed to have been killed by the same person, called the Long Island Serial Killer or LISK (sometimes also called the Gilgo Beach Killer or the Craigslist Ripper). I'm on a true-crime jag, and this was compellingly written. The case is currently still unsolved.
Something in the Water, by Catherine Steadman. I read this on a recommendation from a coworker, who said she couldn't put it down. I can concur, it was absolutely gripping. In a novel where you start at the end and work backward, we meet Erin while she's digging a grave for her husband. It is only as we track back her relationship with her husband, their recent wedding and their honeymoon in Bora Bora that we slowly get the picture of how she has come to this desperate situation, a young documentary film-maker, now a widow, hiding a body in the English countryside. Steadman's debut is excellent, and I look forward to her next outing.
Orphans of the Carnival, by Carol Birch. Julia Pastrana was a wonder of her time, a queen of the freakshow, touring New Orleans, New York, London, Vienna, and Moscow. Today, she would be diagnosed with hypertrichosis terminalis, but in the mid 1800s, physicians declared she was half brute, half human--as an act, she was often called the Bear Woman. Fluent in English, Spanish and French, Julia was also an accomplished musician and dancer with an excellent singing voice. Leaving the small Mexican village where she grew up in hopes of a better life with the sideshow troupe in New Orleans, Julia seeks happiness and perhaps love, which she finds with Theodore Lent. Based on a true story and framed in Birch's flavorful prose, this was a delectable read.
The Home for Unwanted Girls, by Joanna Goodman. Maggie is a young woman in Quebec in the 1950s, her mother French and her father English. Caught between two worlds, she is pushed to reject her French background, only to fall for a French boy who lives on a neighboring farm. Maggie becomes pregnant and is sent away, forced to have her baby in secrecy and give her up immediately. Elodie grows up in Quebec's impoverished orphanage system, only to have all orphanages turned into mental institutions by governmental decree--as a result, Elodie and thousands of orphans like her are declared mentally ill. Told in two parts that intertwine but never touch, the stories of Maggie and her daughter are hauntingly poignant. I'd recommend this to readers who liked Lisa Wingates's Before We Were Yours.
In any case, here we go!
A Man Called Ove, by Frederik Backman. I've held off on this one, which I know so many people have read and loved, because I knew my bookclub would read it and I wanted to wait. So now we've met, and I've read it! Ove is the neighborhood curmudgeon, keeping the world at arm's length and subscribing to a merciless sense of fair play. We meet him on one of his darkest days, which is turned around by a chance annoyance--a new family moving in, and making a hash of things in the process. Ove, who has not let anyone into his life in such a long time, soon finds himself surrounded by people who need him, and it is only most reluctantly that he acknowledges his need for them, too. A fast read, and an inspiring one. I very much enjoyed it, and it made for excellent discussion with the book club members.
A Breath After Drowning, by Alice Blanchard. Child psychiatrist Kate Wolf is devastated when one of her young patients commits suicide. Still reeling, she takes on a new patient, a girl abandoned at the hospital by her mother. Her confidence shaken, Kate doubts her ability to help her new patient, only to find the girl and her family have ties to Kate's own past, forcing her to acknowledge her own personal tragedy. While the plot here is fascinating, I found the style abrupt, almost as though too much of the story had been edited out--it felt like there were holes and that I was having to infer an awful lot. Sadly, not my favorite.
Leave No Trace, by Mindy Mejia. Ten years ago, a man and his son disappeared into the acres of forest in Minnesota near the Boundary Waters, and the townsfolk have presumed them dead for years. Now, the son has reappeared, found ransacking an outdoor equipment store. Violent and uncommunicative, he's sent to the local psychiatric facility where he chooses only to communicate with speech therapist Maya. He's still unwilling to share all of his secrets: where they've been, why they disappeared, why he came back. And Maya certainly has secrets of her own, including the reason she wants to help him return to the wild and his father. Beautifully written in taut, spare prose, this is a suspense novel to be savored--I didn't want to miss the smallest detail.
Lost Girls: an unsolved American mystery, by Robert Kolker. In 2010, the remains of five young women were found on the same Long Island Beach, all of them sex workers who had once used Craigslist to post their ads. Kolker investigates their individual pasts, their disappearances, the police investigation, and the nearby gated community which appears to be peopled with very private citizens, all with something to hide. The five women are all believed to have been killed by the same person, called the Long Island Serial Killer or LISK (sometimes also called the Gilgo Beach Killer or the Craigslist Ripper). I'm on a true-crime jag, and this was compellingly written. The case is currently still unsolved.
Something in the Water, by Catherine Steadman. I read this on a recommendation from a coworker, who said she couldn't put it down. I can concur, it was absolutely gripping. In a novel where you start at the end and work backward, we meet Erin while she's digging a grave for her husband. It is only as we track back her relationship with her husband, their recent wedding and their honeymoon in Bora Bora that we slowly get the picture of how she has come to this desperate situation, a young documentary film-maker, now a widow, hiding a body in the English countryside. Steadman's debut is excellent, and I look forward to her next outing.
Orphans of the Carnival, by Carol Birch. Julia Pastrana was a wonder of her time, a queen of the freakshow, touring New Orleans, New York, London, Vienna, and Moscow. Today, she would be diagnosed with hypertrichosis terminalis, but in the mid 1800s, physicians declared she was half brute, half human--as an act, she was often called the Bear Woman. Fluent in English, Spanish and French, Julia was also an accomplished musician and dancer with an excellent singing voice. Leaving the small Mexican village where she grew up in hopes of a better life with the sideshow troupe in New Orleans, Julia seeks happiness and perhaps love, which she finds with Theodore Lent. Based on a true story and framed in Birch's flavorful prose, this was a delectable read.
The Home for Unwanted Girls, by Joanna Goodman. Maggie is a young woman in Quebec in the 1950s, her mother French and her father English. Caught between two worlds, she is pushed to reject her French background, only to fall for a French boy who lives on a neighboring farm. Maggie becomes pregnant and is sent away, forced to have her baby in secrecy and give her up immediately. Elodie grows up in Quebec's impoverished orphanage system, only to have all orphanages turned into mental institutions by governmental decree--as a result, Elodie and thousands of orphans like her are declared mentally ill. Told in two parts that intertwine but never touch, the stories of Maggie and her daughter are hauntingly poignant. I'd recommend this to readers who liked Lisa Wingates's Before We Were Yours.
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Meg's Picks: September 2018, part 3
Sometimes it's a little overwhelming, looking so far ahead as I order new books for the library. (I'm already beginning to order titles for the beginning of 2019, to give you an idea.) But sometimes, like a heat wave at the end of August, it's nice to be able to look ahead and know that with great new September fiction will also, hopefully, come cooler temperatures!
The Forbidden Place, by Susanne Jansson. For fans of Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins, this chilling debut novel should be on your reading list. Biologist Nathalie grew up near the peat bogs in Mossmarken, Sweden--centuries ago, humans were sacrificed to the gods along the edge of the mire. Now returning after years away, Nathalie has two tasks ahead of her: research the mire, and also put to rest the trauma from her childhood. Then a man's unconscious body is found on the bog's edge, like a sacrifice of old. It's only a matter of time before secrets rise to the surface, for Nathalie, the village and the bog itself.
The Lost Letters of William Woolf, by Helen Cullen. In Cullen's intriguing debut, lost letters wind up in the Dead Letters Depot. Here, letter detectives survey missing zip codes, smudgy ink, terrible handwriting, and other postal mysteries in an effort to get these letters to their intended recipients. One detective becomes enthralled with the circumstances surrounding correspondence addressed only to "My Greatest Love". I'm recommending this to readers who liked Nina George's The Little Paris Bookshop or Sarah Blake's The Postmistress. Also, this could make for an excellent book club read!
The Boy at the Keyhole, by Stephen Giles. I love neogothic novels, things that hearken back to authors like Daphne Du Maurier and Shirley Jackson. Lately I've been obsessed with Carol Goodman's work. And I think The Boy at the Keyhole will join these ranks in short order. In the old house, this cast of two features housekeeper Ruth and young Samuel, whose father has passed away leaving the family steel business floundering. His much-adored mother has gone to America, seeking investors. At least, that is the story Ruth has told Samuel, though his mother never said goodbye and has yet to write any letters. As time wears on without word from America, Samuel begins to concoct scenarios in which the deeply unpleasant Ruth has murdered his mother, and he begins his detective work to finally uncover the truth...whatever that may be. If you like your horror subtle and full of haunting dread, this should be on your reading list this fall--perfect for a stormy autumn evening!
Leave No Trace, by Mindy Mejia. From the author of Everything You Want Me to Be (2017). Following personal tragedy that led to a bad decision and some serious repercussions, twenty-three year-old Maya Stark is a newly minted speech therapist who has straightened herself out and knows just how lucky she is to have come so far. Working for a psychiatric hospital in Minnesota, she becomes acquainted with new patient Lucas who, at nineteen, has been missing for ten years after disappearing into the woods with his father. Her first encounter results in one of Lucas's escape attempts, but as he's non-verbal and unresponsive to most people, Maya agrees to take him on as a patient. Lucas's story slowly comes out as he and Maya form a bond...and Maya's own story eventually surfaces as well. For those who love their psychological fiction with well-drawn characters, this is a natural choice.
Enjoy the holiday weekend! I'll be back next week to share what I've been reading in August.
The Forbidden Place, by Susanne Jansson. For fans of Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins, this chilling debut novel should be on your reading list. Biologist Nathalie grew up near the peat bogs in Mossmarken, Sweden--centuries ago, humans were sacrificed to the gods along the edge of the mire. Now returning after years away, Nathalie has two tasks ahead of her: research the mire, and also put to rest the trauma from her childhood. Then a man's unconscious body is found on the bog's edge, like a sacrifice of old. It's only a matter of time before secrets rise to the surface, for Nathalie, the village and the bog itself.
The Lost Letters of William Woolf, by Helen Cullen. In Cullen's intriguing debut, lost letters wind up in the Dead Letters Depot. Here, letter detectives survey missing zip codes, smudgy ink, terrible handwriting, and other postal mysteries in an effort to get these letters to their intended recipients. One detective becomes enthralled with the circumstances surrounding correspondence addressed only to "My Greatest Love". I'm recommending this to readers who liked Nina George's The Little Paris Bookshop or Sarah Blake's The Postmistress. Also, this could make for an excellent book club read!
The Boy at the Keyhole, by Stephen Giles. I love neogothic novels, things that hearken back to authors like Daphne Du Maurier and Shirley Jackson. Lately I've been obsessed with Carol Goodman's work. And I think The Boy at the Keyhole will join these ranks in short order. In the old house, this cast of two features housekeeper Ruth and young Samuel, whose father has passed away leaving the family steel business floundering. His much-adored mother has gone to America, seeking investors. At least, that is the story Ruth has told Samuel, though his mother never said goodbye and has yet to write any letters. As time wears on without word from America, Samuel begins to concoct scenarios in which the deeply unpleasant Ruth has murdered his mother, and he begins his detective work to finally uncover the truth...whatever that may be. If you like your horror subtle and full of haunting dread, this should be on your reading list this fall--perfect for a stormy autumn evening!
Leave No Trace, by Mindy Mejia. From the author of Everything You Want Me to Be (2017). Following personal tragedy that led to a bad decision and some serious repercussions, twenty-three year-old Maya Stark is a newly minted speech therapist who has straightened herself out and knows just how lucky she is to have come so far. Working for a psychiatric hospital in Minnesota, she becomes acquainted with new patient Lucas who, at nineteen, has been missing for ten years after disappearing into the woods with his father. Her first encounter results in one of Lucas's escape attempts, but as he's non-verbal and unresponsive to most people, Maya agrees to take him on as a patient. Lucas's story slowly comes out as he and Maya form a bond...and Maya's own story eventually surfaces as well. For those who love their psychological fiction with well-drawn characters, this is a natural choice.
Enjoy the holiday weekend! I'll be back next week to share what I've been reading in August.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Meg's Picks: September 2018, part 1
Need something new to get your reading juju going again? I have some suggestions! Great sequels, twisted debuts, heart-pounding thrillers? Sounds good to me!
Vengeful, by V.E. Schwab. I am particularly eager to get my hands on Schwab's new novel, sequel to her excellent 2013 novel Vicious, which turned superhero fiction on its head. Years ago, Victor Vale and Eli Ever were roommates, friends, and mad scientists who discovered, by experimenting on themselves, the ability to create extraordinary abilities in an ordinary human. Armed with memories of betrayal and loss, they met in an epic battle. Now, it is a former sidekick, in full control of her extraordinary powers, who threatens to bring Merit City to its knees, recruiting sidekicks of her own, and pitting Victor and Eli against one another as a means to her own ends. Schwab is a particular favorite of mine, and I highly recommend checking out the first of the Villains novels before diving into this new story.
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, by Stuart Turton. This diabolically inventive, mysterious debut may be just what you're looking for to get out of your reading rut. Evelyn Hardcastle is murdered every night at 11:00 pm. Aiden Bishop is tasked with inhabiting each of the bodies of eight different guests during the shared event in order to identify the killer and finally put an end to the bloody cycle--the life he saves may be his own. For fans of Kate Atkinson's Life After Life, this should be a no-brainer.
Cross Her Heart, by Sarah Pinborough. Pinborough's eerie 2017 novel, Behind Her Eyes, was a huge hit with readers. Now, her latest promises to be an encore performance. Single mom Lisa lives for her daughter, Ava, and her best friend, Marilyn. When a handsome new client shows interest her, Lisa begins to daydream. Maybe she's ready to trust again, to try a relationship again. But when a news story involving Lisa and Ava goes viral, Lisa's world implodes and the terrifying secrets from her past come roaring back. A long time ago, Lisa broke a promise. And now? Someone is out to make sure she pays the price.
Vengeful, by V.E. Schwab. I am particularly eager to get my hands on Schwab's new novel, sequel to her excellent 2013 novel Vicious, which turned superhero fiction on its head. Years ago, Victor Vale and Eli Ever were roommates, friends, and mad scientists who discovered, by experimenting on themselves, the ability to create extraordinary abilities in an ordinary human. Armed with memories of betrayal and loss, they met in an epic battle. Now, it is a former sidekick, in full control of her extraordinary powers, who threatens to bring Merit City to its knees, recruiting sidekicks of her own, and pitting Victor and Eli against one another as a means to her own ends. Schwab is a particular favorite of mine, and I highly recommend checking out the first of the Villains novels before diving into this new story.
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, by Stuart Turton. This diabolically inventive, mysterious debut may be just what you're looking for to get out of your reading rut. Evelyn Hardcastle is murdered every night at 11:00 pm. Aiden Bishop is tasked with inhabiting each of the bodies of eight different guests during the shared event in order to identify the killer and finally put an end to the bloody cycle--the life he saves may be his own. For fans of Kate Atkinson's Life After Life, this should be a no-brainer.
Cross Her Heart, by Sarah Pinborough. Pinborough's eerie 2017 novel, Behind Her Eyes, was a huge hit with readers. Now, her latest promises to be an encore performance. Single mom Lisa lives for her daughter, Ava, and her best friend, Marilyn. When a handsome new client shows interest her, Lisa begins to daydream. Maybe she's ready to trust again, to try a relationship again. But when a news story involving Lisa and Ava goes viral, Lisa's world implodes and the terrifying secrets from her past come roaring back. A long time ago, Lisa broke a promise. And now? Someone is out to make sure she pays the price.
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
Meg's Picks: August 2018, part 1
Want to know what I can't wait to read next month? Here are a couple that have made my short list!
The Other Woman, by Sandie Jones. This debut thriller features one of a woman's worst nightmares--the evil mother-in-law, on steroids. When Emily and Adam start dating, everything is perfect between them. But that all changes when Adam introduces Emily to the other woman in his life: his mother, Pammie. Pammie takes an instant dislike to Emily, but as Emily and Adam seem to be fated for happily ever after, Pammie is having none of it and it seems she will stop at nothing, not even violence, to put an end to the relationship. If you love a plot-twisting thriller, I highly recommend adding this to your list.
This Body's Not Big Enough for Both of Us, by Edgar Cantero. I adored Cantero's last novel, 2017's Meddling Kids, which was a genius homage to the old Scooby-Doo cartoon. So I cannot wait to read his new novel, which features twin private eyes Adrian and Zooey, who just happen to inhabit one androgynous body and go by A.Z. Kimrean. She's creative, he's highly cerebral with a photographic memory, and together they're going to need all the skills they both possess to find the person responsible for a series of murders, recuse an undercover cop, and avert a major gang war. If you like your detective stories quirky, highly entertaining, and laugh-out-loud funny, Cantero is your man.
The Other Woman, by Sandie Jones. This debut thriller features one of a woman's worst nightmares--the evil mother-in-law, on steroids. When Emily and Adam start dating, everything is perfect between them. But that all changes when Adam introduces Emily to the other woman in his life: his mother, Pammie. Pammie takes an instant dislike to Emily, but as Emily and Adam seem to be fated for happily ever after, Pammie is having none of it and it seems she will stop at nothing, not even violence, to put an end to the relationship. If you love a plot-twisting thriller, I highly recommend adding this to your list.
This Body's Not Big Enough for Both of Us, by Edgar Cantero. I adored Cantero's last novel, 2017's Meddling Kids, which was a genius homage to the old Scooby-Doo cartoon. So I cannot wait to read his new novel, which features twin private eyes Adrian and Zooey, who just happen to inhabit one androgynous body and go by A.Z. Kimrean. She's creative, he's highly cerebral with a photographic memory, and together they're going to need all the skills they both possess to find the person responsible for a series of murders, recuse an undercover cop, and avert a major gang war. If you like your detective stories quirky, highly entertaining, and laugh-out-loud funny, Cantero is your man.
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Meg's Picks: July 2018, part 3
It's that time again! School's out, summer reading is in and books are flying off the shelves here at the Trumbull Library. We have summer reading programs for adults and for kids, so stop on in to sign up! And of course we have some excellent displays full of titles perfect for a lazy summer afternoon or toting with you on vacation. Just remember, books and liquids are not friends!
Dear Mrs. Bird, by A.J. Pearce. In 1940s London, Emmeline Lake is doing her bit for the war effort by volunteering as a telephone operator for the Auxiliary Fire Services, but she dreams of being a war correspondent. When she sees a job advertisement for the London Evening Chronicle, Emmeline believes her time has come. The job, however, turns out to be as a typist for the paper's advice columnist, Henrietta Bird. Undeterred, Emmeline vows to work hard, even as the exacting Mrs. Bird requires any letters containing "unpleasantness" be immediately discarded, unanswered. Unable to resist the pleas of women desperate for help, those unwilling to evacuate their children or who find themselves discarded by their men going off to war, Emmeline begins to answer these letters in secret. A novel by turns funny and touching about the strength of ordinary people in extraordinary times, this is perfect for fans of moving novels about World War II, like Lilac Girls or The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
The Garden Party, by Grace Dane Mazur. The garden party is the rehearsal dinner where two very different families will meet for the first time. Adam Cohen, a poet from a very eccentric, scholarly family is marrying Eliza Barlow, the daughter of stuffy, proper Boston lawyers. The story takes place over the course of a day, with romance in the air and an extended cast that ensures hilarity and mishap at every turn. The event itself this lovely summer evening, of course, does not go according to plan, either. Elegant prose and deft storytelling make this an enchanting summer read.
Dear Mrs. Bird, by A.J. Pearce. In 1940s London, Emmeline Lake is doing her bit for the war effort by volunteering as a telephone operator for the Auxiliary Fire Services, but she dreams of being a war correspondent. When she sees a job advertisement for the London Evening Chronicle, Emmeline believes her time has come. The job, however, turns out to be as a typist for the paper's advice columnist, Henrietta Bird. Undeterred, Emmeline vows to work hard, even as the exacting Mrs. Bird requires any letters containing "unpleasantness" be immediately discarded, unanswered. Unable to resist the pleas of women desperate for help, those unwilling to evacuate their children or who find themselves discarded by their men going off to war, Emmeline begins to answer these letters in secret. A novel by turns funny and touching about the strength of ordinary people in extraordinary times, this is perfect for fans of moving novels about World War II, like Lilac Girls or The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
The Garden Party, by Grace Dane Mazur. The garden party is the rehearsal dinner where two very different families will meet for the first time. Adam Cohen, a poet from a very eccentric, scholarly family is marrying Eliza Barlow, the daughter of stuffy, proper Boston lawyers. The story takes place over the course of a day, with romance in the air and an extended cast that ensures hilarity and mishap at every turn. The event itself this lovely summer evening, of course, does not go according to plan, either. Elegant prose and deft storytelling make this an enchanting summer read.
Thursday, May 3, 2018
What I've Been Reading: April 2018
I'm reading up a storm over here! Want to know what's good? Read on!
Need to Know, by Karen Cleveland. CIA analyst Vivian Miller loves her job and her family. Her husband is her best friend, they know one another better than anyone. Or so she thinks. One chance click as she researches brings her personal life crashing down around her, forcing Vivian to wonder whether her whole life is really a lie. This thriller from newcomer Cleveland is fast-paced and tightly plotted, gripping and compelling. I absolutely couldn't stand to put it down. Highly recommended. Also available in Large Print and audio.
My Absolute Darling, by Gabriel Tallent. Tallent's debut novel is not a read for the faint of heart. Fourteen-year-old Turtle lives a life unimaginable to her neighbors and classmates. Her father and grandfather live off the grid, her father obsessed with the certainty that doomsday is nigh. He prepares Turtle for this eventuality, teaching her to forage, to shoot, to hunt, to survive. She does survive, but she only imagines thriving after meeting Jacob, a boy who makes her want to live a normal, safe, sustainable life. Turtle must struggle to be her own hero, to extricate herself from the twisted relationship with her father. This is a harrowing, heartbreaking story, and I cannot wait to see what Tallent writes next. Also available in audio.
George & Lizzie, by Nancy Pearl. It has been a month for me to read debut novels, it seems. Nancy Pearl is "America's librarian" and a regular NPR commentator. Her first novel is about relationships, and how we can become stuck by our decisions, by what we keep from our past and what we choose to let go. George and Lizzie are as different as they could possibly be. George is from a warm, close family, Lizzie an only child raised by two very emotionally distant psychologists. Their marriage reflects this--George is happy, Lizzie is chronically unfulfilled and full of secrets. When crisis looms, Lizzie must decide once and for all, does she move on at long last? Or does she stick with what she knows? Wryly funny, this story really grew on me, and upon reflection with a little distance, I find myself looking forward to rereading this in the future with the benefit of foresight. Also available in Large Print.
A Stash of One's Own, edited by Clara Parkes. This collection of essays by knitters, designers, writers, spinners, and shepherds, among others, focuses on the individuality and approach to the ubiquitous yarn stash. For some, more is (almost) always more. Others have developed a zen-like minimalist approach, a KonMari-esque method of keeping only that which inspires one to create. Still others only keep on hand that which is necessary to design, refusing to keep anything beyond. Knitters are each as unique as artists in any other medium, and these essays were quite eye-opening on how widely varied their approach to their stash can be.
When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi. I've been reading ahead a bit for my book club--this is our selection for our June meeting. I was hesitant to read this, the memoir of a brilliant neurosurgeon turned patient with stage IV lung cancer, because I didn't want to read something sad. And yet, I read it early so that I might have some distance when we talked about it for book club. What I did not expect was to be completely overwhelmed by the wisdom, the deep thoughtfulness, that Kalanithi conveyed as his future disappeared and he was forced to stop planning and live in a perpetual present. Words like "beautiful" and "deeply moving" are inadequate to describe this slim volume teeming with meaning. Also available in Large Print and audio.
Spoonbenders, by Daryl Gregory. Teddy Telemachus is a con man with a talent for sleight of hand and some very unsavory associates who tricks his way into a classified government experiment concerning the use of telekinesis for intelligence-gathering. It's there that he meets the woman he's going to marry, Maureen McKinnon, a genuinely powerful psychic. Their Amazing Telemachus family becomes a show-biz act, each of the children with a gift of his or her own, until a television appearance that could have made them big-time goes horribly awry, and begins to tear the family apart from the inside. Two decades later, the family is growing steadily more dysfunctional, full of love-affairs, mob debts, and inexplicable behavior. The CIA is sniffing around again. And then things start to get weird... Laugh-out-loud funny and perfectly told, this is for the dreamers and believers in all of us.
Sourdough, by Robin Sloan. From the author of the extremely awesome Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore comes a new novel about food and technology. Lois Clary is a programmer working for a San Francisco company specializing in robotics tech. She enjoys her grueling work, but her joy comes from her regular takeout from a hole-in-the-wall eatery that brings her spicy soups and sandwiches each night. When the eatery suddenly closes, the owners gift Lois with their sourdough starter, and Lois suddenly finds herself baking bread. Then selling bread and gifting it. Then finds herself invited into a new breed of farmers' market seeking to fuse food and technology. But who are these people, really? Funny and insightful, Sloan's second novel delivers. I look forward to his next!
The Family Gathering, by Robyn Carr. Third in Carr's newest series, Sullivan's Crossing, The Family Gathering finds Dakota Jones freshly a civilian after a long career with the military. He decides to head to the Crossing, where both his older brother and youngest sister have settled down with their respective significant others. He's drawn to the place and its people, but also finds himself a magnet for trouble, especially that of the female variety. He's been trying to keep his options open, and trouble is something he'd like to avoid. He and his siblings gather for a family wedding, the first time all four have been together as adults, and it's here that he starts to understand their shared history a little better, and how he'd like to direct his life in the future. A sweet and easy read, if slightly overstuffed. Also available in Large Print and audio.
Need to Know, by Karen Cleveland. CIA analyst Vivian Miller loves her job and her family. Her husband is her best friend, they know one another better than anyone. Or so she thinks. One chance click as she researches brings her personal life crashing down around her, forcing Vivian to wonder whether her whole life is really a lie. This thriller from newcomer Cleveland is fast-paced and tightly plotted, gripping and compelling. I absolutely couldn't stand to put it down. Highly recommended. Also available in Large Print and audio.
My Absolute Darling, by Gabriel Tallent. Tallent's debut novel is not a read for the faint of heart. Fourteen-year-old Turtle lives a life unimaginable to her neighbors and classmates. Her father and grandfather live off the grid, her father obsessed with the certainty that doomsday is nigh. He prepares Turtle for this eventuality, teaching her to forage, to shoot, to hunt, to survive. She does survive, but she only imagines thriving after meeting Jacob, a boy who makes her want to live a normal, safe, sustainable life. Turtle must struggle to be her own hero, to extricate herself from the twisted relationship with her father. This is a harrowing, heartbreaking story, and I cannot wait to see what Tallent writes next. Also available in audio.
George & Lizzie, by Nancy Pearl. It has been a month for me to read debut novels, it seems. Nancy Pearl is "America's librarian" and a regular NPR commentator. Her first novel is about relationships, and how we can become stuck by our decisions, by what we keep from our past and what we choose to let go. George and Lizzie are as different as they could possibly be. George is from a warm, close family, Lizzie an only child raised by two very emotionally distant psychologists. Their marriage reflects this--George is happy, Lizzie is chronically unfulfilled and full of secrets. When crisis looms, Lizzie must decide once and for all, does she move on at long last? Or does she stick with what she knows? Wryly funny, this story really grew on me, and upon reflection with a little distance, I find myself looking forward to rereading this in the future with the benefit of foresight. Also available in Large Print.
A Stash of One's Own, edited by Clara Parkes. This collection of essays by knitters, designers, writers, spinners, and shepherds, among others, focuses on the individuality and approach to the ubiquitous yarn stash. For some, more is (almost) always more. Others have developed a zen-like minimalist approach, a KonMari-esque method of keeping only that which inspires one to create. Still others only keep on hand that which is necessary to design, refusing to keep anything beyond. Knitters are each as unique as artists in any other medium, and these essays were quite eye-opening on how widely varied their approach to their stash can be.
When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi. I've been reading ahead a bit for my book club--this is our selection for our June meeting. I was hesitant to read this, the memoir of a brilliant neurosurgeon turned patient with stage IV lung cancer, because I didn't want to read something sad. And yet, I read it early so that I might have some distance when we talked about it for book club. What I did not expect was to be completely overwhelmed by the wisdom, the deep thoughtfulness, that Kalanithi conveyed as his future disappeared and he was forced to stop planning and live in a perpetual present. Words like "beautiful" and "deeply moving" are inadequate to describe this slim volume teeming with meaning. Also available in Large Print and audio.
Spoonbenders, by Daryl Gregory. Teddy Telemachus is a con man with a talent for sleight of hand and some very unsavory associates who tricks his way into a classified government experiment concerning the use of telekinesis for intelligence-gathering. It's there that he meets the woman he's going to marry, Maureen McKinnon, a genuinely powerful psychic. Their Amazing Telemachus family becomes a show-biz act, each of the children with a gift of his or her own, until a television appearance that could have made them big-time goes horribly awry, and begins to tear the family apart from the inside. Two decades later, the family is growing steadily more dysfunctional, full of love-affairs, mob debts, and inexplicable behavior. The CIA is sniffing around again. And then things start to get weird... Laugh-out-loud funny and perfectly told, this is for the dreamers and believers in all of us.
Sourdough, by Robin Sloan. From the author of the extremely awesome Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore comes a new novel about food and technology. Lois Clary is a programmer working for a San Francisco company specializing in robotics tech. She enjoys her grueling work, but her joy comes from her regular takeout from a hole-in-the-wall eatery that brings her spicy soups and sandwiches each night. When the eatery suddenly closes, the owners gift Lois with their sourdough starter, and Lois suddenly finds herself baking bread. Then selling bread and gifting it. Then finds herself invited into a new breed of farmers' market seeking to fuse food and technology. But who are these people, really? Funny and insightful, Sloan's second novel delivers. I look forward to his next!
The Family Gathering, by Robyn Carr. Third in Carr's newest series, Sullivan's Crossing, The Family Gathering finds Dakota Jones freshly a civilian after a long career with the military. He decides to head to the Crossing, where both his older brother and youngest sister have settled down with their respective significant others. He's drawn to the place and its people, but also finds himself a magnet for trouble, especially that of the female variety. He's been trying to keep his options open, and trouble is something he'd like to avoid. He and his siblings gather for a family wedding, the first time all four have been together as adults, and it's here that he starts to understand their shared history a little better, and how he'd like to direct his life in the future. A sweet and easy read, if slightly overstuffed. Also available in Large Print and audio.
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Meg's Picks: May 2018, part 3
Want to to know what I think will be the "hot" summer reads this year? These two titles due out in just a few weeks absolutely fit the bill! If you'd like to read ahead of the curve, check out one of these!
The High Season, by Judy Blundell. This novel of subtle class warfare on the Long Island Shore is the perfect summer read. Whatever else is going on in Ruth's life, she has "the" house, a beach house in a small, quiet village on the shore. But this year, to afford to keep the house, she's going to have to rent it out, much to the disappointment of her teenage daughter, Jem. Even as they make way for the renters, their town is inundated with the Hampton set and change is coming for everyone, ready or not. Also available in Large Print.
The Perfect Mother, by Aimee Molloy. Already optioned for a film to star Scandal's Kerry Washington, this debut psychological thriller finds the May Mothers, a parenting group, getting together for an adults-only Fourth of July in a Brooklyn bar. But during this particular outing, something goes terribly wrong: one of the babies goes missing from his crib. Single-mom Winnie had been reluctant to leave six-week-old Midas with her fellow May Mother's nanny. Now as the group and the NYPD work to find the missing baby, secrets will out, marriages are tested, and friendships will never be the same. If your brand of summer book keeps you on the edge of your seat, this is a sure thing.
The High Season, by Judy Blundell. This novel of subtle class warfare on the Long Island Shore is the perfect summer read. Whatever else is going on in Ruth's life, she has "the" house, a beach house in a small, quiet village on the shore. But this year, to afford to keep the house, she's going to have to rent it out, much to the disappointment of her teenage daughter, Jem. Even as they make way for the renters, their town is inundated with the Hampton set and change is coming for everyone, ready or not. Also available in Large Print.
The Perfect Mother, by Aimee Molloy. Already optioned for a film to star Scandal's Kerry Washington, this debut psychological thriller finds the May Mothers, a parenting group, getting together for an adults-only Fourth of July in a Brooklyn bar. But during this particular outing, something goes terribly wrong: one of the babies goes missing from his crib. Single-mom Winnie had been reluctant to leave six-week-old Midas with her fellow May Mother's nanny. Now as the group and the NYPD work to find the missing baby, secrets will out, marriages are tested, and friendships will never be the same. If your brand of summer book keeps you on the edge of your seat, this is a sure thing.
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
What I've Been Reading: March 2018
With all of the rather unpleasant weather March brought us, I've had a few extra opportunities to cozy up with a good book. And, because I am who I am, I've been reading a little bit of everything! Non-fiction, thrillers, historical fiction, contemporary fiction in several flavors... Curious? Read on!
The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures, by Aaron Mahnke. I've been a fan of Mahnke's incredibly addictive podcast, Lore, for quite some time and as he's branching out into books and television (season one of Lore, the show, is available through Amazon Prime), I've been following right along. Monstrous Creatures, the first of two collections of essays based on his podcast (the second, Wicked Mortals, is due out in May), is hugely entertaining, provided you're into the historical events surrounding bizarre myths and legends. From the Jersey Devil to gremlins and many stories in between, Mahnke recounts documented accounts and popular stories in an entertaining narrative that makes one wonder about how the stories we tell reflect on us as humans. Excellent stuff. Trumbull patrons can download this title for free via Overdrive.
Look for Me, by Lisa Gardner. Eleventh in Gardner's Detective D.D. Warren series, following 2016's Find Her, also featuring recurring character Flora Dane, also seen in Find Her. Warren is called on a fresh homicide case, a family murdered, the eldest daughter missing. Is the missing girl the murderer? Or is she the next target? Abduction survivor turned avenger Flora Dane turns up in short order, having spoken with the now-missing girl in the last few weeks. Dane turns official confidential informant as she and D.D race against the clock to find a girl who doesn't want to be found. Fast-paced suspense and an excellent plotline made this a two-night read. Gardner is consistently a favorite. Also available in Large Print and audio.
All Wound Up, by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. Sometimes, as a knitter, I seek some inspiration for getting back into creating. When I feel the need, reading about other knitters, what they make and why they knit, is incredibly inspiring and gives me that spark of ambition back. This collection of essays by blogger Pearl-McPhee (you can read her blog here) , and the following one by Rachael Herron, were both just what I needed to get me back into motion. I downloaded this title, and the next, from Overdrive.
A Life in Stitches, by Rachael Herron. Herron is a novelist by day, an emergency dispatcher by night, and a knitter always. She's also founder of the hugely popular blog Yarnagogo, where she talks about all things writerly and crafterly in her life. This collection of essays was vastly entertaining to me as a reader, a librarian, a knitter and a person who just likes to learn new things.
Mrs. Fletcher, by Tom Perrotta. From the bestselling author of The Leftovers, this new novel is a study, both thoughtful and hilarious, of sex, love and identity in the technological age in which we live. Eve Fletcher is on the cusp of something new. Divorced, her only child leaving for his freshman year at college, Eve works full time as a senior center coordinator and wants more to fill her long evenings alone. She takes a course in gender studies at the local community college, and what she learns there begins to spill into her life and her relationships as she explores possibilities she'd never imagined. At the same time, her son Brendan, jock and aspiring frat-boy, discovers that college isn't the 24/7 party he'd been anticipating. As a matter of fact, he's in the minority, finding himself quickly outcast for his shallow and chauvinistic behavior. Both Eve and Brendan find themselves in morally sticky situations neither is adequately prepared to maneuver. Surprising and deeply entertaining, just not for the faint-of-heart. Also available in Large Print and audio.
City of Endless Night, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Latest in this writing duo's Special Agent Pendergast series. I'm finally caught up with this series! And it just keeps getting better. Here, following the grim events that closed The Obsidian Chamber, Pendergast is assigned to a developing NYPD homicide case being headed by none other than his long-time friend Lieutenant D'Agosta. The case is, initially, that of the wild daughter of a tech mogul, found murdered and beheaded three days after she was reported missing. What is thought as an isolated event quickly becomes the first in a series of grisly murders, but who is the fiend behind this string of murders? And how is he choosing his victims? An excellent, twisted entry in this series, which is a favorite of mine. Also available in Large Print and audio.
The Summer Before the War, by Helen Simonson. My book club's pick for our April meeting, by the author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. In East Sussex, 1914, it is the summer before the beginning of World War I. But the people of East Sussex don't know this. What they know is that Beatrice Nash has been appointed to take over for the local school's Latin master, and this causes more than a small stir. For Agatha, her carefully built reputation is on the line after championing Miss Nash for the position. For Beatrice, she has never been so alone, forced to be practical and self-reliant after the death of her beloved father left her penniless. Can she find peace and purpose in the little town of Rye, even as the nation trembles on the edge of war? Gorgeous and riveting, the novel should provoke some excellent discussion. Also available in Large Print and audio.
Four Friends, by Robyn Carr. Gerri, Andy and Sonja have been friends and neighbors for years, helping one another through hard times and enjoying the good times together. Newcomer BJ is a bit of an outsider, standoffish and aloof, until one of the women is in crisis and BJ comes to the rescue. What begins is a broader, deeper friendship among the four as they support one another through some of the most challenging times of their lives. Robyn Carr writes great, likeable characters pulled together in enviable communities with relatable stories. Excellent easy reading. Also available in Large Print.
The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures, by Aaron Mahnke. I've been a fan of Mahnke's incredibly addictive podcast, Lore, for quite some time and as he's branching out into books and television (season one of Lore, the show, is available through Amazon Prime), I've been following right along. Monstrous Creatures, the first of two collections of essays based on his podcast (the second, Wicked Mortals, is due out in May), is hugely entertaining, provided you're into the historical events surrounding bizarre myths and legends. From the Jersey Devil to gremlins and many stories in between, Mahnke recounts documented accounts and popular stories in an entertaining narrative that makes one wonder about how the stories we tell reflect on us as humans. Excellent stuff. Trumbull patrons can download this title for free via Overdrive.
Look for Me, by Lisa Gardner. Eleventh in Gardner's Detective D.D. Warren series, following 2016's Find Her, also featuring recurring character Flora Dane, also seen in Find Her. Warren is called on a fresh homicide case, a family murdered, the eldest daughter missing. Is the missing girl the murderer? Or is she the next target? Abduction survivor turned avenger Flora Dane turns up in short order, having spoken with the now-missing girl in the last few weeks. Dane turns official confidential informant as she and D.D race against the clock to find a girl who doesn't want to be found. Fast-paced suspense and an excellent plotline made this a two-night read. Gardner is consistently a favorite. Also available in Large Print and audio.
All Wound Up, by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. Sometimes, as a knitter, I seek some inspiration for getting back into creating. When I feel the need, reading about other knitters, what they make and why they knit, is incredibly inspiring and gives me that spark of ambition back. This collection of essays by blogger Pearl-McPhee (you can read her blog here) , and the following one by Rachael Herron, were both just what I needed to get me back into motion. I downloaded this title, and the next, from Overdrive.
A Life in Stitches, by Rachael Herron. Herron is a novelist by day, an emergency dispatcher by night, and a knitter always. She's also founder of the hugely popular blog Yarnagogo, where she talks about all things writerly and crafterly in her life. This collection of essays was vastly entertaining to me as a reader, a librarian, a knitter and a person who just likes to learn new things.
Mrs. Fletcher, by Tom Perrotta. From the bestselling author of The Leftovers, this new novel is a study, both thoughtful and hilarious, of sex, love and identity in the technological age in which we live. Eve Fletcher is on the cusp of something new. Divorced, her only child leaving for his freshman year at college, Eve works full time as a senior center coordinator and wants more to fill her long evenings alone. She takes a course in gender studies at the local community college, and what she learns there begins to spill into her life and her relationships as she explores possibilities she'd never imagined. At the same time, her son Brendan, jock and aspiring frat-boy, discovers that college isn't the 24/7 party he'd been anticipating. As a matter of fact, he's in the minority, finding himself quickly outcast for his shallow and chauvinistic behavior. Both Eve and Brendan find themselves in morally sticky situations neither is adequately prepared to maneuver. Surprising and deeply entertaining, just not for the faint-of-heart. Also available in Large Print and audio.
City of Endless Night, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Latest in this writing duo's Special Agent Pendergast series. I'm finally caught up with this series! And it just keeps getting better. Here, following the grim events that closed The Obsidian Chamber, Pendergast is assigned to a developing NYPD homicide case being headed by none other than his long-time friend Lieutenant D'Agosta. The case is, initially, that of the wild daughter of a tech mogul, found murdered and beheaded three days after she was reported missing. What is thought as an isolated event quickly becomes the first in a series of grisly murders, but who is the fiend behind this string of murders? And how is he choosing his victims? An excellent, twisted entry in this series, which is a favorite of mine. Also available in Large Print and audio.
The Summer Before the War, by Helen Simonson. My book club's pick for our April meeting, by the author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. In East Sussex, 1914, it is the summer before the beginning of World War I. But the people of East Sussex don't know this. What they know is that Beatrice Nash has been appointed to take over for the local school's Latin master, and this causes more than a small stir. For Agatha, her carefully built reputation is on the line after championing Miss Nash for the position. For Beatrice, she has never been so alone, forced to be practical and self-reliant after the death of her beloved father left her penniless. Can she find peace and purpose in the little town of Rye, even as the nation trembles on the edge of war? Gorgeous and riveting, the novel should provoke some excellent discussion. Also available in Large Print and audio.
Four Friends, by Robyn Carr. Gerri, Andy and Sonja have been friends and neighbors for years, helping one another through hard times and enjoying the good times together. Newcomer BJ is a bit of an outsider, standoffish and aloof, until one of the women is in crisis and BJ comes to the rescue. What begins is a broader, deeper friendship among the four as they support one another through some of the most challenging times of their lives. Robyn Carr writes great, likeable characters pulled together in enviable communities with relatable stories. Excellent easy reading. Also available in Large Print.
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
What I've Been Reading: February 2018
There are too many things I want to share in this post to spend much time on preamble. Read on!
The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins. I originally read back in January of 2015 (you can see my original review here), but definitely needed a refresher before discussing it at my February book club meeting. It is a twisty thriller with a back-and-forth timeline which made the first read a little more challenging. If anything, I liked it better the second time around. The story of a woman who admits from the beginning that she's anything but a reliable narrator, and what she really saw, if anything, during a drunken blackout the night a former neighbor disappeared is still as compelling, but easier to follow with the foundation I had. And it made for excellent discussion, something that thrillers are not necessarily known for.
The Dry, by Jane Harper. Twenty years ago, tragedy hit a small town when a young woman disappeared. Aaron and his best friend Luke were one another's alibis, but Aaron never knew who was lying to protect whom. Now, Luke and his family are dead, prompting Aaron's first return to his hometown in decades. More than one person knows that the boys lied about where they were so many years ago. Aaron, now a big-city investigator, is reluctantly drawn into the investigation, but finds that some things, including the past, just won't stay buried. Dark and deeply suspenseful. I'm looking forward to the second in the series, Force of Nature, which was released earlier this month.
The Immortalists, by Chloe Benjamin. I mentioned recently that this was at the top of my to-read list, and I wasn't kidding! I had a few days off this month and, in addition to watching a ton of Olympics coverage, I read this. In a day. Once I was into it I couldn't bear to put it down for any reason. In the summer of 1969, a fortune-teller of sorts has come to New York. She does not advertise, but word of her presence is passed from person to person until one of the Gold children hears of it and decides that the four Gold siblings will go together to see the woman and find out the ultimate future: the date of his or her death. What each of the four go on to do with their information varies widely. Does fate make for belief or does belief pave the way for fate? What responsibility comes with knowing how long, or short, your life will be? Fascinating and haunting, this is a story that will stick with me for years to come.
Year One, by Nora Roberts. This opener to Roberts's new metaphysical contemporary series starts off with a very plausible scenario: What would the world look like in the wake of a super-flu outbreak big enough to wipe out a third of the world's human population? What would happen to society? And then, for flare, adds a dash of metaphysicality--what if, in the wake of this Doom, magick returns to humans, for good or ill? How does one use a gift received in the face of tragedy? This is just what the different survivors in Year One have to figure out. It's a quirky bit of fantasy amid modern chaos, but very entertaining.
The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath. Having read this last while in college, I did not appreciate at the time just how slyly funny Plath's lone novel was. Dark, yes, but also fascinating and witty. Esther Greenwood is brilliant, charming, talented and beautiful. She is also, slowly, starting to mentally break down, not for the first time, but perhaps for the last. When The Bell Jar came up in conversation not long ago, I realized I needed to reread it, and two decades has altered my perspective considerably, giving me a new appreciation for this modern American classic.
The Great Alone, by Kristin Hannah. Hannah's The Nightingale was a departure from her former stories of domestic fiction. The Great Alone is different yet again. Leni doesn't really remember her dad before he went to Vietnam. What she does know is that he hasn't been the "same" since coming home after spending years in a POW camp. At thirteen, permanence would be welcome, but she and her parents move a lot, and she rarely gets to finish a school year in the same place she starts one. When her father is left a cabin and a piece of land in Alaska by an old army buddy who has died, this is, again, going to be a new beginning for the family, a fresh start. The winters are long and dark, though, and are not good for a man with PTSD. Leni and her parents are pushed to the breaking point in this unforgiving land, but who will break first? Among the most compelling reads I've experienced recently, I also read this in a single day--I just couldn't bear to look away before finding out what happened to Leni and her family. Excellent.
The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins. I originally read back in January of 2015 (you can see my original review here), but definitely needed a refresher before discussing it at my February book club meeting. It is a twisty thriller with a back-and-forth timeline which made the first read a little more challenging. If anything, I liked it better the second time around. The story of a woman who admits from the beginning that she's anything but a reliable narrator, and what she really saw, if anything, during a drunken blackout the night a former neighbor disappeared is still as compelling, but easier to follow with the foundation I had. And it made for excellent discussion, something that thrillers are not necessarily known for.
The Dry, by Jane Harper. Twenty years ago, tragedy hit a small town when a young woman disappeared. Aaron and his best friend Luke were one another's alibis, but Aaron never knew who was lying to protect whom. Now, Luke and his family are dead, prompting Aaron's first return to his hometown in decades. More than one person knows that the boys lied about where they were so many years ago. Aaron, now a big-city investigator, is reluctantly drawn into the investigation, but finds that some things, including the past, just won't stay buried. Dark and deeply suspenseful. I'm looking forward to the second in the series, Force of Nature, which was released earlier this month.
The Immortalists, by Chloe Benjamin. I mentioned recently that this was at the top of my to-read list, and I wasn't kidding! I had a few days off this month and, in addition to watching a ton of Olympics coverage, I read this. In a day. Once I was into it I couldn't bear to put it down for any reason. In the summer of 1969, a fortune-teller of sorts has come to New York. She does not advertise, but word of her presence is passed from person to person until one of the Gold children hears of it and decides that the four Gold siblings will go together to see the woman and find out the ultimate future: the date of his or her death. What each of the four go on to do with their information varies widely. Does fate make for belief or does belief pave the way for fate? What responsibility comes with knowing how long, or short, your life will be? Fascinating and haunting, this is a story that will stick with me for years to come.
Year One, by Nora Roberts. This opener to Roberts's new metaphysical contemporary series starts off with a very plausible scenario: What would the world look like in the wake of a super-flu outbreak big enough to wipe out a third of the world's human population? What would happen to society? And then, for flare, adds a dash of metaphysicality--what if, in the wake of this Doom, magick returns to humans, for good or ill? How does one use a gift received in the face of tragedy? This is just what the different survivors in Year One have to figure out. It's a quirky bit of fantasy amid modern chaos, but very entertaining.
The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath. Having read this last while in college, I did not appreciate at the time just how slyly funny Plath's lone novel was. Dark, yes, but also fascinating and witty. Esther Greenwood is brilliant, charming, talented and beautiful. She is also, slowly, starting to mentally break down, not for the first time, but perhaps for the last. When The Bell Jar came up in conversation not long ago, I realized I needed to reread it, and two decades has altered my perspective considerably, giving me a new appreciation for this modern American classic.
The Great Alone, by Kristin Hannah. Hannah's The Nightingale was a departure from her former stories of domestic fiction. The Great Alone is different yet again. Leni doesn't really remember her dad before he went to Vietnam. What she does know is that he hasn't been the "same" since coming home after spending years in a POW camp. At thirteen, permanence would be welcome, but she and her parents move a lot, and she rarely gets to finish a school year in the same place she starts one. When her father is left a cabin and a piece of land in Alaska by an old army buddy who has died, this is, again, going to be a new beginning for the family, a fresh start. The winters are long and dark, though, and are not good for a man with PTSD. Leni and her parents are pushed to the breaking point in this unforgiving land, but who will break first? Among the most compelling reads I've experienced recently, I also read this in a single day--I just couldn't bear to look away before finding out what happened to Leni and her family. Excellent.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Meg's Picks: March 2018, part 2
I have a tendency to save the very best for last, and I think that's what happened this month. All three of these are on my to-read list (my list is very long, you may have noticed...). A twisted psychological suspense novel, a historical novel set in Tuscany and full of secrets, and finally a second historical novel, this time set amid the early days of World War II in France. Please do read on!
Sometimes I Lie, by Alice Feeney. This debut from BBC News veteran Feeney is a serpentine tale of madness, betrayal and murder. Amber Reynolds wakes up in a hospital, but she cannot move or speak. What she can do, however, is hear everything around her, even if no one realizes it. She doesn't remember what happened to put her in her coma, but she thinks her husband has something to do with it. The story alternates between her paralyzed present, the events a week before her accident, and her childhood diaries. The question that drives the story is: if you really believe something is true, is it still a lie? If you're looking for a new psychological suspense novel, this is one to try.
The Italian Party, by Christina Lynch. Part spy novel, part comedy of manners, part love letter to Italy, this debut novel set in sultry 1950s Siena finds an American couple in love with their new home, each of them buried in their own secrets. For CIA operative Michael, he's working a cover story that he's in Italy to sell Fords. In reality, his mission is to make sure the Communist mayor is defeated. It is the Cold War, after all. His wife, Scottie, doesn't have a clue about Michael's real job, she's just trying to be the best housewife she can be. Even if she is carrying a baby that isn't her husband's. When Scottie's teenage Italian tutor goes missing, chaos, as they say, ensues. A detailed, tongue-in-cheek look at what is often imagined to be an era of innocence.
The Room on Rue Amelie, by Kristin Harmel. When three very different people come together in the face of war, they must summon courage, not just to defy their enemies, but to trust each other in order to survive. Ruby came to France in 1939 as a newlywed with French husband Marcel. As the Nazi's invade, however, Ruby's marriage begins to disintegrate. Charlotte is only eleven when the Nazi's take Paris and cannot imagine things getting worse after the Jewish restrictions are enforced. Then the mass deportations begin. Thomas joins the British Royal Air Force to defend his country, but when he loses his mother during the Blitz, he wonders if he's making any difference at all. Fans of books like Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale and Martha Hall Kelly's Lilac Girls will want to make sure to check out Harmel's latest.
Sometimes I Lie, by Alice Feeney. This debut from BBC News veteran Feeney is a serpentine tale of madness, betrayal and murder. Amber Reynolds wakes up in a hospital, but she cannot move or speak. What she can do, however, is hear everything around her, even if no one realizes it. She doesn't remember what happened to put her in her coma, but she thinks her husband has something to do with it. The story alternates between her paralyzed present, the events a week before her accident, and her childhood diaries. The question that drives the story is: if you really believe something is true, is it still a lie? If you're looking for a new psychological suspense novel, this is one to try.
The Italian Party, by Christina Lynch. Part spy novel, part comedy of manners, part love letter to Italy, this debut novel set in sultry 1950s Siena finds an American couple in love with their new home, each of them buried in their own secrets. For CIA operative Michael, he's working a cover story that he's in Italy to sell Fords. In reality, his mission is to make sure the Communist mayor is defeated. It is the Cold War, after all. His wife, Scottie, doesn't have a clue about Michael's real job, she's just trying to be the best housewife she can be. Even if she is carrying a baby that isn't her husband's. When Scottie's teenage Italian tutor goes missing, chaos, as they say, ensues. A detailed, tongue-in-cheek look at what is often imagined to be an era of innocence.
The Room on Rue Amelie, by Kristin Harmel. When three very different people come together in the face of war, they must summon courage, not just to defy their enemies, but to trust each other in order to survive. Ruby came to France in 1939 as a newlywed with French husband Marcel. As the Nazi's invade, however, Ruby's marriage begins to disintegrate. Charlotte is only eleven when the Nazi's take Paris and cannot imagine things getting worse after the Jewish restrictions are enforced. Then the mass deportations begin. Thomas joins the British Royal Air Force to defend his country, but when he loses his mother during the Blitz, he wonders if he's making any difference at all. Fans of books like Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale and Martha Hall Kelly's Lilac Girls will want to make sure to check out Harmel's latest.
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Meg's Picks: March 2018, part 1
A trio of thrillers of note are arriving next month. What's so note-worthy? Read on to find out!
The Other Mother, by Carol Goodman. As I've just finished Goodman's last book (and absolutely loved it, by the way), I can't help but be excited about her next! Daphne and infant daughter Chloe are starting over the hard way. Daphne's on the run from an emotionally abusive husband, and she's hiding out in the Catskills, working under an assumed name. She's trying to do everything right, but struggling...until she meets Laurel, and they become fast friends. Laurel also has a daughter named Chloe, and the women's fast friendship leads to telling secrets that maybe should have been left hidden. What price would Daphne be willing to pay for her friendship with Laurel? Goodman is a magnificent storyteller, and this is at the very top of my to-read list this spring.
Let Me Lie, by Clare Mackintosh. From the best-selling author of I Let You Go and I See You. Anna has never been able to reconcile the suicides, seven months apart, of her parents. She then receives a card that simply reads "Suicide? Think again." This card (clue? cruel joke?) catches the interest of retired detective turned civilian desk clerk in the local police station. When the two begin an unofficial investigation, Anna begins to receive death threats, and she must decide whether the truth or her remaining family's safety is more important. Mackintosh is creating quite a fanbase with her gripping, satisfying thrillers.
Tangerine, by Christine Mangan. If there's a book to film adaptation that I think is going to be a splash in the near future, it's this debut from Mangan. (George Clooney's Smokehouse Pictures have already bought the film rights, and Scarlett Johansson is set to star.) Alice hasn't spoken to her former Bennington roommate Lucy since a terrible accident nearly a year ago, so she's almost relieved when Lucy turns up in sun-scorched 1950's Tangier, eager to make up and move on. But soon Alice is starting to feel stifled and controlled by Lucy...again. And then Alice's husband disappears... Advance praise makes favorable comparisons to Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley, Alfred Hitchcock, Gillian Flynn and Donna Tartt. Place your holds now--don't say I didn't warn you!
The Other Mother, by Carol Goodman. As I've just finished Goodman's last book (and absolutely loved it, by the way), I can't help but be excited about her next! Daphne and infant daughter Chloe are starting over the hard way. Daphne's on the run from an emotionally abusive husband, and she's hiding out in the Catskills, working under an assumed name. She's trying to do everything right, but struggling...until she meets Laurel, and they become fast friends. Laurel also has a daughter named Chloe, and the women's fast friendship leads to telling secrets that maybe should have been left hidden. What price would Daphne be willing to pay for her friendship with Laurel? Goodman is a magnificent storyteller, and this is at the very top of my to-read list this spring.
Let Me Lie, by Clare Mackintosh. From the best-selling author of I Let You Go and I See You. Anna has never been able to reconcile the suicides, seven months apart, of her parents. She then receives a card that simply reads "Suicide? Think again." This card (clue? cruel joke?) catches the interest of retired detective turned civilian desk clerk in the local police station. When the two begin an unofficial investigation, Anna begins to receive death threats, and she must decide whether the truth or her remaining family's safety is more important. Mackintosh is creating quite a fanbase with her gripping, satisfying thrillers.
Tangerine, by Christine Mangan. If there's a book to film adaptation that I think is going to be a splash in the near future, it's this debut from Mangan. (George Clooney's Smokehouse Pictures have already bought the film rights, and Scarlett Johansson is set to star.) Alice hasn't spoken to her former Bennington roommate Lucy since a terrible accident nearly a year ago, so she's almost relieved when Lucy turns up in sun-scorched 1950's Tangier, eager to make up and move on. But soon Alice is starting to feel stifled and controlled by Lucy...again. And then Alice's husband disappears... Advance praise makes favorable comparisons to Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley, Alfred Hitchcock, Gillian Flynn and Donna Tartt. Place your holds now--don't say I didn't warn you!
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