Surprising new reads from beloved authors, coming soon to a library shelf near you!
Fire & Blood, by George R.R. Martin. Sorry, Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire fans, this isn't book six, which has been "in process" for over seven years now. Instead, this is a bit of a prequel to Martin's epic series, focusing on the history of House Targaryen, 300 years prior to the series opener. (Which, if you ask fans, is approximately how long it's taking Martin to get The Winds of Winter finished. Sorry, George, but you're killing us!) So, with a bit of luck, this will help tide us over during the interminable wait. Beginning with the legendary Aegon the Conqueror who, as the presiding member of the last remaining house of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria, took up residence on Dragonstone and crafted the Iron Throne. What really happened during the Dance of Dragons? What was Westeros like when dragons ruled the skies? The real stories behind the legends are now revealed.
Robert B. Parker's Blood Feud, by Mike Lupica. When polled, fans of legendary Robert B. Parker voted overwhelmingly that they wanted to see more of his sole female protagonist, Boston PI Sunny Randall, last featured in 2007's Spare Change. Written by Edgar finalist Lupica (Too Far, etc.), Sunny's first outing in over a decade finds her at odds with her ex, Mafia bookie Richie Burke, only to have the situation made more complicated when Richie is shot in the back over an old conflict with the Irish mob. Despite warnings to avoid the situation, Sunny jumps in with both feet, determined to put to rest the ghosts from Richie's past...and her own. From what I've heard, Lupica will be writing a followup, so keep an eye out.
Showing posts with label fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fantasy. Show all posts
Thursday, October 18, 2018
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Meg's Picks: September 2018, part 2
Can I tell you? These are my favorite posts to write, when I get to share titles that I've been anticipating for months, and I finally get to share them with you!
The Tattooist of Auschwitz, by Heather Morris. Originally intended as a screeplay, this debut novel is based on the author's series of interviews with Holocaust survivor Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew who was forced to tattoo his fellow inmate in Auschwitz-Berkenau. Becoming ill and left for dead, Sokolov is saved by a fellow inmate and vows to not only learn his savior's trade, but also to pay the kindness forward, assisting others in the midst of horrific brutality. Already an international bestseller, this is slated to be one of this fall's most in-demand titles. If you were a fan of books like Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale or Martha Hall Kelly's Lilac Girls, I highly recommend placing your hold on The Tattooist of Auschwitz now.
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, by Hank Green. Brother of bestselling YA author John Green (The Fault In Our Stars, etc.), Hank Green makes his debut with an adult fiction title that defies genre description. Coming home from work late one evening, April May stumbles upon a giant transformer-like sculpture. Is it street-art? A robot? With the help of her friend Andy, April records video as she climbs around on the statue (they've named him Carl), which is apparently the first of many to appear world-wide. The next day, April wakes to find that the video has gone viral and she's instantly famous, but at what cost? There is huge buzz on this title, and I'm recommending it for fans of Andy Weir (The Martian, Artemis), Ernest Cline (Ready Player One, etc.) and Sylvain Neuvel (The Themis Files).
When the Lights Go Out, by Mary Kubica. After spending her teen years caring for her terminally ill mother, Jessie Sloane is trying to find a way forward in her life as an orphan. When she tries to apply to community college, she's informed that her social security number actually belongs to a girl who died seventeen years ago. Jessie has no one to ask--she never knew her father. She also doesn't drive, so she doesn't have a license, and she can't find her birth certificate. Insomnia compounded by stress and grief takes its toll, even as Jessie digs into the past of her mother, Eden, in an attempt to find the truth behind her own identity. Kubica has been developing a strong following with past novels (The Good Girl, Every Last Lie, etc.), and I'm expecting this latest to add to her list of fans.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz, by Heather Morris. Originally intended as a screeplay, this debut novel is based on the author's series of interviews with Holocaust survivor Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew who was forced to tattoo his fellow inmate in Auschwitz-Berkenau. Becoming ill and left for dead, Sokolov is saved by a fellow inmate and vows to not only learn his savior's trade, but also to pay the kindness forward, assisting others in the midst of horrific brutality. Already an international bestseller, this is slated to be one of this fall's most in-demand titles. If you were a fan of books like Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale or Martha Hall Kelly's Lilac Girls, I highly recommend placing your hold on The Tattooist of Auschwitz now.
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, by Hank Green. Brother of bestselling YA author John Green (The Fault In Our Stars, etc.), Hank Green makes his debut with an adult fiction title that defies genre description. Coming home from work late one evening, April May stumbles upon a giant transformer-like sculpture. Is it street-art? A robot? With the help of her friend Andy, April records video as she climbs around on the statue (they've named him Carl), which is apparently the first of many to appear world-wide. The next day, April wakes to find that the video has gone viral and she's instantly famous, but at what cost? There is huge buzz on this title, and I'm recommending it for fans of Andy Weir (The Martian, Artemis), Ernest Cline (Ready Player One, etc.) and Sylvain Neuvel (The Themis Files).
When the Lights Go Out, by Mary Kubica. After spending her teen years caring for her terminally ill mother, Jessie Sloane is trying to find a way forward in her life as an orphan. When she tries to apply to community college, she's informed that her social security number actually belongs to a girl who died seventeen years ago. Jessie has no one to ask--she never knew her father. She also doesn't drive, so she doesn't have a license, and she can't find her birth certificate. Insomnia compounded by stress and grief takes its toll, even as Jessie digs into the past of her mother, Eden, in an attempt to find the truth behind her own identity. Kubica has been developing a strong following with past novels (The Good Girl, Every Last Lie, etc.), and I'm expecting this latest to add to her list of fans.
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
What I've Been Reading: July 2018
I realize I say this every summer, but I love these long, light evenings, perfect for lounging with a good book. And I've been reading up a storm, in my usual array of different genres.
Calypso, by David Sedaris. Sedaris's new collection of cheerfully misanthropic essays, mostly autobiographical, was thoroughly entertaining. While slightly more maudlin and less raucously absurd than some of his previous work, his reflections on aging, middle age, and mortality are both wryly funny and thought provoking. Don't misunderstand me: I still laughed until my sides ached. But this collection is simply more reflective and thoughtful in some ways than his past work. I can never get enough. The audiobook, read by the author, is a stellar performance.
Only Human, by Sylvain Neuvel. Third in Neuvel's brilliant Themis Files series. As a child, Rose Franklin found a giant metal hand near her home in South Dakota. As an adult, she became a scientist who studied the hand and found the other pieces of the giant robot, assembling it and the team who would pilot Themis. She and her team used Themis to protect Earth from geopolitical conflict and an alien invasion. Now, returning to Earth after ten years on Themis's home planet, Rose finds her old alliances in shambles and the planet itself on the verge of collapse. Even as her oldest friends turn against one another, Rose must piece together the fragments of the Earth Defense Corps or all of her work will have been for nothing. This science fiction series reads more like psychological suspense, full of puzzles and twists--I love it.
Eleanor & Hick, by Susan Quinn. Having recently read Amy Bloom's fascinating latest novel, White Houses, about the relationship between AP reporter Lorena Hickock and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, of course I wanted to know more. Quinn's book briefly covers the vastly different childhoods of these two unlikely friends, and then moves on to their enduring relationship which spanned more than thirty years. These two fiercely compassionate women spurred each other on to right wrongs during their turbulent lifetimes, and held each other up through private hardships. Quinn's work was masterful, and I greatly enjoyed this in audiobook format.
Set This House in Order, by Matt Ruff. I revisited this old favorite, which I had read more than a decade ago. Andy Gage was born in 1965 and was murdered not long after by his stepfather. Only, it was Andy's soul which was murdered, and it shattered into over a hundred pieces, many of which became souls in their own rights. Now, together, these souls run Andy's body and struggle to coexist in his head. Andy's new coworker, Penny, is also a multiple, only not all of Penny's souls know that the others exist. It's only in helping Penny's souls to work together that the two discover a terrible secret that Andy has been hiding...from himself. Truly fascinating stuff.
Still Alice, by Lisa Genova. Genova, who writes about characters with neurological disorders (Left Neglected, Every Note Played, etc.), writes here about Harvard professor of cognitive psychology Alice Howland. She's esteemed in her field, has written a text book, is married to another Harvard professor and scientist. And then she starts to become increasingly forgetful, missing a conference where she was meant to be a speaker, losing track of her lectures during classes. When the diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's turns her world upside down, Alice must choose how to make the best use of her time while she is still herself. A fast and compelling read which made for excellent discussion in my book club. This is also available in Large Print and audiobook. It has also been made into an award-winning film starring Julianne Moore.
The Uncoupling, by Meg Wolitzer. Wolitzer (The Interestings, The Female Persuasion) is adept at giving readers a fresh lens through which to look at different issues. When the new drama teacher at Stellar Plains High School chooses "Lysistrata" for the annual school play (the comedy by Aristophanes in which women stop having sex with men in order to stop a war), a strange effect falls over the community--the women lose interest in sex, for reasons they don't understand. Even more confused and upset are their husbands, boyfriends, and lovers. The result is that these couples must all reflect on their shared histories without sex in the picture, with a variety of outcomes. Unusual but enlightening. Also available as an audiobook.
Bring Me Back, by B.A. Paris. Finn and Layla, young and in love, are on vacation when Layla disappears. Authorities are alerted, and while Finn is the original suspect in her disappearance, he is eventually cleared. Layla never resurfaces. A decade later, Finn has started to finally move on. He's moved out of the cottage that he and Layla shared, though he cannot bring himself to sell it. He's engaged...to Layla's sister, Ellen. Then Finn get's a call from an old neighbor, a man who swears he's seen Layla near the old cottage. Long-lost items from Layla's past begin to appear out of nowhere. And then someone emails Finn...claiming to be Layla herself. An absolutely gripping novel from the author of Behind Closed Doors.
Also available in Large Print and audio.
Caged, by Ellison Cooper. This debut thriller had me on the edge of my seat, and I could not put it down. You can read my original review here.
The Supernatural Enhancements, by Edgar Cantero. Told in a series of letters, journal entries, and transcripts, Cantero's debut begins months after the last of the Wells sons jumped out of his bedroom window to his death. His heir, a long-distant cousin from across the Atlantic, arrives with his sidekick/bodyguard, Niamh, a young mute teen with a punk hairstyle. They're excited about their change of fortune, and the rumors that the mansion is haunted are just an added bonus. Until, that is, they start to dig into the house's mysterious past and find that ghosts are just the beginning. Ambitious and ultimately very rewarding. His sophomore novel, Meddling Kids, is still my favorite to date, though his new novel due out today, This Body's Not Big Enough for Both of Us, may change that--we'll see!
1Q84, by Haruki Murakami. It's 1984 in Tokyo and Aomame, following the advice of a taxi driver, begins to notice the puzzling anomalies in the world around her. She realizes that she has entered an alternate, parallel existence, one that she calls 1Q84, a world that bears a question. Meanwhile, aspiring writer Tengo takes on a ghostwriting project despite some deep misgivings. It is only as their two stories converge over the course of this single year that we learn just how deeply these two strangers are connected. Also available in audiobook.
Suicide Club, by Rachel Heng. Lea Kirino is a "Lifer". Her genetic makeup has given her the opportunity to live forever, if she does everything just right. Lea is an overachiever--she's risen steadily through the ranks as a trader for the New York exchange, where they now trade organs and upgrades instead of stocks. She has a beautiful apartment and a fiance who rivals her own genetic perfection. With the right balance of calibrated nutrition, low-impact conditioning and systematic upgrades, she just might live forever. Of course, the flip side of this is that she cannot die--death is not just taboo in this culture, but illegal. Then she finds she has a connection to the Suicide Club, a group of people who reject the societal drive for immortality. There lies the choice: live forever by the governmental regime, or go rogue and have a shorter life knowing the only family she has left. Heng's debut is catalogued as science fiction, but is more psychological, and philosophical, thriller than anything else. Totally engrossing and ultimately brilliant.
The Kiss Quotient, by Helen Hoang. Stella, at thirty, loves her work developing algorithms that predict customer purchases. For her, math is the one thing that unites everything in the world, and she revels in the logic of it. She has more money than she needs, and no social life. Definitely no boyfriend, despite her mother's repeated attempts to set Stella up with suitable bachelors--Stella's mother wants grandbabies, now. It might have something to do with Stella's seeing French kissing as akin to pilot fish cleaning a shark's teeth. She applies logic to her quandary and decides she needs lessons in relationships, from a profession. The escort she hires, Michael, agrees to go along and help her check off the boxes for the list she has compiled--he can't afford not to. And he realizes that Stella has Asperger's, which will make his approach that much more complicated. But when their partnership starts to make sense, can a real relationship follow? I have to say that this debut was one of the most surprisingly emotional novels I've read in some time. For what looks like it might be a bit of fluff, the author's deft hand with a variety of subject matters (Asperger's, cultural clashes, relationship pitfalls) and her beautifully drawn characters made this one of my favorite reads of late.
Calypso, by David Sedaris. Sedaris's new collection of cheerfully misanthropic essays, mostly autobiographical, was thoroughly entertaining. While slightly more maudlin and less raucously absurd than some of his previous work, his reflections on aging, middle age, and mortality are both wryly funny and thought provoking. Don't misunderstand me: I still laughed until my sides ached. But this collection is simply more reflective and thoughtful in some ways than his past work. I can never get enough. The audiobook, read by the author, is a stellar performance.
Only Human, by Sylvain Neuvel. Third in Neuvel's brilliant Themis Files series. As a child, Rose Franklin found a giant metal hand near her home in South Dakota. As an adult, she became a scientist who studied the hand and found the other pieces of the giant robot, assembling it and the team who would pilot Themis. She and her team used Themis to protect Earth from geopolitical conflict and an alien invasion. Now, returning to Earth after ten years on Themis's home planet, Rose finds her old alliances in shambles and the planet itself on the verge of collapse. Even as her oldest friends turn against one another, Rose must piece together the fragments of the Earth Defense Corps or all of her work will have been for nothing. This science fiction series reads more like psychological suspense, full of puzzles and twists--I love it.
Eleanor & Hick, by Susan Quinn. Having recently read Amy Bloom's fascinating latest novel, White Houses, about the relationship between AP reporter Lorena Hickock and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, of course I wanted to know more. Quinn's book briefly covers the vastly different childhoods of these two unlikely friends, and then moves on to their enduring relationship which spanned more than thirty years. These two fiercely compassionate women spurred each other on to right wrongs during their turbulent lifetimes, and held each other up through private hardships. Quinn's work was masterful, and I greatly enjoyed this in audiobook format.
Set This House in Order, by Matt Ruff. I revisited this old favorite, which I had read more than a decade ago. Andy Gage was born in 1965 and was murdered not long after by his stepfather. Only, it was Andy's soul which was murdered, and it shattered into over a hundred pieces, many of which became souls in their own rights. Now, together, these souls run Andy's body and struggle to coexist in his head. Andy's new coworker, Penny, is also a multiple, only not all of Penny's souls know that the others exist. It's only in helping Penny's souls to work together that the two discover a terrible secret that Andy has been hiding...from himself. Truly fascinating stuff.
Still Alice, by Lisa Genova. Genova, who writes about characters with neurological disorders (Left Neglected, Every Note Played, etc.), writes here about Harvard professor of cognitive psychology Alice Howland. She's esteemed in her field, has written a text book, is married to another Harvard professor and scientist. And then she starts to become increasingly forgetful, missing a conference where she was meant to be a speaker, losing track of her lectures during classes. When the diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's turns her world upside down, Alice must choose how to make the best use of her time while she is still herself. A fast and compelling read which made for excellent discussion in my book club. This is also available in Large Print and audiobook. It has also been made into an award-winning film starring Julianne Moore.
The Uncoupling, by Meg Wolitzer. Wolitzer (The Interestings, The Female Persuasion) is adept at giving readers a fresh lens through which to look at different issues. When the new drama teacher at Stellar Plains High School chooses "Lysistrata" for the annual school play (the comedy by Aristophanes in which women stop having sex with men in order to stop a war), a strange effect falls over the community--the women lose interest in sex, for reasons they don't understand. Even more confused and upset are their husbands, boyfriends, and lovers. The result is that these couples must all reflect on their shared histories without sex in the picture, with a variety of outcomes. Unusual but enlightening. Also available as an audiobook.
Bring Me Back, by B.A. Paris. Finn and Layla, young and in love, are on vacation when Layla disappears. Authorities are alerted, and while Finn is the original suspect in her disappearance, he is eventually cleared. Layla never resurfaces. A decade later, Finn has started to finally move on. He's moved out of the cottage that he and Layla shared, though he cannot bring himself to sell it. He's engaged...to Layla's sister, Ellen. Then Finn get's a call from an old neighbor, a man who swears he's seen Layla near the old cottage. Long-lost items from Layla's past begin to appear out of nowhere. And then someone emails Finn...claiming to be Layla herself. An absolutely gripping novel from the author of Behind Closed Doors.
Also available in Large Print and audio.
Caged, by Ellison Cooper. This debut thriller had me on the edge of my seat, and I could not put it down. You can read my original review here.
The Supernatural Enhancements, by Edgar Cantero. Told in a series of letters, journal entries, and transcripts, Cantero's debut begins months after the last of the Wells sons jumped out of his bedroom window to his death. His heir, a long-distant cousin from across the Atlantic, arrives with his sidekick/bodyguard, Niamh, a young mute teen with a punk hairstyle. They're excited about their change of fortune, and the rumors that the mansion is haunted are just an added bonus. Until, that is, they start to dig into the house's mysterious past and find that ghosts are just the beginning. Ambitious and ultimately very rewarding. His sophomore novel, Meddling Kids, is still my favorite to date, though his new novel due out today, This Body's Not Big Enough for Both of Us, may change that--we'll see!
1Q84, by Haruki Murakami. It's 1984 in Tokyo and Aomame, following the advice of a taxi driver, begins to notice the puzzling anomalies in the world around her. She realizes that she has entered an alternate, parallel existence, one that she calls 1Q84, a world that bears a question. Meanwhile, aspiring writer Tengo takes on a ghostwriting project despite some deep misgivings. It is only as their two stories converge over the course of this single year that we learn just how deeply these two strangers are connected. Also available in audiobook.
Suicide Club, by Rachel Heng. Lea Kirino is a "Lifer". Her genetic makeup has given her the opportunity to live forever, if she does everything just right. Lea is an overachiever--she's risen steadily through the ranks as a trader for the New York exchange, where they now trade organs and upgrades instead of stocks. She has a beautiful apartment and a fiance who rivals her own genetic perfection. With the right balance of calibrated nutrition, low-impact conditioning and systematic upgrades, she just might live forever. Of course, the flip side of this is that she cannot die--death is not just taboo in this culture, but illegal. Then she finds she has a connection to the Suicide Club, a group of people who reject the societal drive for immortality. There lies the choice: live forever by the governmental regime, or go rogue and have a shorter life knowing the only family she has left. Heng's debut is catalogued as science fiction, but is more psychological, and philosophical, thriller than anything else. Totally engrossing and ultimately brilliant.
The Kiss Quotient, by Helen Hoang. Stella, at thirty, loves her work developing algorithms that predict customer purchases. For her, math is the one thing that unites everything in the world, and she revels in the logic of it. She has more money than she needs, and no social life. Definitely no boyfriend, despite her mother's repeated attempts to set Stella up with suitable bachelors--Stella's mother wants grandbabies, now. It might have something to do with Stella's seeing French kissing as akin to pilot fish cleaning a shark's teeth. She applies logic to her quandary and decides she needs lessons in relationships, from a profession. The escort she hires, Michael, agrees to go along and help her check off the boxes for the list she has compiled--he can't afford not to. And he realizes that Stella has Asperger's, which will make his approach that much more complicated. But when their partnership starts to make sense, can a real relationship follow? I have to say that this debut was one of the most surprisingly emotional novels I've read in some time. For what looks like it might be a bit of fluff, the author's deft hand with a variety of subject matters (Asperger's, cultural clashes, relationship pitfalls) and her beautifully drawn characters made this one of my favorite reads of late.
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, December 29, 2016
What I've Been Reading: December 2016
Well, here we are at the end-of-year roundup, and as I look back at what I've read over this past year, I feel pretty accomplished. While I didn't set a formal goal this year, I have still managed to read 85 books this year, more than any other year since I started tracking back in 2011 (I didn't include all of my re-reads, either). My reading material of choice is still predominantly fiction, and I've recently read fewer thrillers and suspense novels in favor of more contemporary fiction and even cozy mysteries. A patron and I were recently talking about how our reading tastes change, depending on overall mood, personal life, weather, etc. Apparently I'm looking for easy entertainment, and I am completely okay with that--we all read for different reasons.
In any case, here's what I've been reading lately.
Blueberry Muffin Murder & Lemon Meringue Pie Murder, by Joanne Fluke. Books 3 and 4 in Fluke's bestselling Hannah Swensen cozy mystery series. Blueberry Muffin Murder finds Hannah caught up in the whirlwind of Lake Eden's Winter Carnival, with cooking and lifestyle maven Connie Mac rolling into town and taking over everything: the Carnival cake, local shops, even Hannah's own shop kitchen! Then Ms. Mac turns up dead and it seems everyone had a motive, so it's up to Hannah to pitch in and clear her own name as well as those of her friends. In the fourth series installment, Hannah's comfortable life is upended when her beau, town dentist Norman Rhodes, announces that he's bought a house. Friends and family assume that they're engaged...only Norman hasn't popped any questions, and the house purchase is a total surprise to Hannah. Then a body is discovered on the property, and Hannah's back in the thick of another small town murder investigation. These are light and breezy reads, nothing taxing, just what the season seems to require.
Knit One, Kill Two & Needled to Death, by Maggie Sefton. I read these both via the Trumbull Library's access to Overdrive. These are the first and second books in Sefton's Knitting Mysteries, featuring corporate accountant and amateur sleuth Kelly Flynn. In the first, Kelly returns to Colorado in the wake of her beloved aunt's murder, only to find herself caught up in not only the whodunnit of the murder, but also land disputes and a deep secret her aunt had kept hidden for decades. In the second, Kelly, who has chosen to remain in Colorado, agrees to chaperone a group of knitters on an outing to see a local working alpaca farm. Upon arriving at their destination, however, the group finds their hostess dead under mysterious circumstances. Of course Kelly can't help but get involved in solving the case. Again, cozy mysteries make for great, quick reads this time of year.
Between Breaths, by Elizabeth Vargas. This memoir of anxiety and addiction from the famous television news journalist (best known for her work on 20/20, World News Tonight, and ABC news specials) chronicles Vargas's struggle with panic and anxiety attacks from an early age, as well as her later struggles with alcoholism and the strains these secrets placed on her personal life and career. Deeply moving and insightful.
Mrs. Robinson's Disgrace: the private diary of a Victorian lady, by Kate Summerscale. More non-fiction? In my reading list? I know! Headstrong, high-spirited, and already widowed, Isabella Walker became Mrs. Henry Robinson at age 31 in 1844. Her new husband moved them, by then with two sons, to Edinburgh's elegant society in 1850. But Henry traveled often and was cold and remote when home, leaving Isabella to her fantasies. Isabella chose to record her innermost thoughts and feelings, her frustrations and her infatuations (including that with a married Dr. Edward Lane) in her diary over the course of the years that followed. But when Henry found her journals, aghast at his wife's perceived infidelity, he petitioned for divorce on the grounds of infidelity. The trial became a cause celebre and the diary was read aloud in court, much of it reprinted in the daily papers. Isabella's plight, that of a frustrated wife trapped in a rigid society, reverberates even today. I found it a fascinating read.
The Hero of Ages, by Brandon Sanderson. Book three in Sanderson's bestselling and immensely popular Mistborn series (following The Final Empire and The Well of Ascension) follows new Emperor Elend Venture and his wife, the assassin Vin, as they struggle in the wake of being tricked into releasing Ruin while trying to close the Well of Ascension. They must now battle Ruin's Inquisitors, the encroaching lethal mists called the Deepness, and the increasingly heavy falls of black ash that threaten to suffocate their very existence. Sanderson is an absolute master of his craft--I had worried that having taken more than six months off between books in the series that I would be lost, but he is so skillful a writer that I felt caught up almost immediately without feeling buried by a heavy-handed recap.
Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell. I've had Rainbow Rowell's work recommended to me repeatedly for the last several years, and now that I've capitulated, I wonder what in the heck took me so long! Simon Snow is officially the worst Chosen One ever. He can't control his magic, meaning that half the time he can't get his wand to work and the other half? Fire everywhere. His girlfriend broke up with him, his mentor is avoiding him, his alleged vampire of a roommate, Baz, never even showed up at the beginning of this, their final year at the Watford School of Magicks. Oh, and there happens to be a magic-eating monster running around, and it happens to be wearing Simon's face. Chatty, hilariously funny, and chock-full of monsters--if you think this sounds like Harry Potter, you're a little bit right and mostly mistaken in the best possible ways.
And that's it for me for 2016. I'll see you in the new year for new books and new recommendations. From all of us here at The Trumbull Library, Happy New Year and Happy Reading.
In any case, here's what I've been reading lately.
Blueberry Muffin Murder & Lemon Meringue Pie Murder, by Joanne Fluke. Books 3 and 4 in Fluke's bestselling Hannah Swensen cozy mystery series. Blueberry Muffin Murder finds Hannah caught up in the whirlwind of Lake Eden's Winter Carnival, with cooking and lifestyle maven Connie Mac rolling into town and taking over everything: the Carnival cake, local shops, even Hannah's own shop kitchen! Then Ms. Mac turns up dead and it seems everyone had a motive, so it's up to Hannah to pitch in and clear her own name as well as those of her friends. In the fourth series installment, Hannah's comfortable life is upended when her beau, town dentist Norman Rhodes, announces that he's bought a house. Friends and family assume that they're engaged...only Norman hasn't popped any questions, and the house purchase is a total surprise to Hannah. Then a body is discovered on the property, and Hannah's back in the thick of another small town murder investigation. These are light and breezy reads, nothing taxing, just what the season seems to require.
Knit One, Kill Two & Needled to Death, by Maggie Sefton. I read these both via the Trumbull Library's access to Overdrive. These are the first and second books in Sefton's Knitting Mysteries, featuring corporate accountant and amateur sleuth Kelly Flynn. In the first, Kelly returns to Colorado in the wake of her beloved aunt's murder, only to find herself caught up in not only the whodunnit of the murder, but also land disputes and a deep secret her aunt had kept hidden for decades. In the second, Kelly, who has chosen to remain in Colorado, agrees to chaperone a group of knitters on an outing to see a local working alpaca farm. Upon arriving at their destination, however, the group finds their hostess dead under mysterious circumstances. Of course Kelly can't help but get involved in solving the case. Again, cozy mysteries make for great, quick reads this time of year.
Between Breaths, by Elizabeth Vargas. This memoir of anxiety and addiction from the famous television news journalist (best known for her work on 20/20, World News Tonight, and ABC news specials) chronicles Vargas's struggle with panic and anxiety attacks from an early age, as well as her later struggles with alcoholism and the strains these secrets placed on her personal life and career. Deeply moving and insightful.
Mrs. Robinson's Disgrace: the private diary of a Victorian lady, by Kate Summerscale. More non-fiction? In my reading list? I know! Headstrong, high-spirited, and already widowed, Isabella Walker became Mrs. Henry Robinson at age 31 in 1844. Her new husband moved them, by then with two sons, to Edinburgh's elegant society in 1850. But Henry traveled often and was cold and remote when home, leaving Isabella to her fantasies. Isabella chose to record her innermost thoughts and feelings, her frustrations and her infatuations (including that with a married Dr. Edward Lane) in her diary over the course of the years that followed. But when Henry found her journals, aghast at his wife's perceived infidelity, he petitioned for divorce on the grounds of infidelity. The trial became a cause celebre and the diary was read aloud in court, much of it reprinted in the daily papers. Isabella's plight, that of a frustrated wife trapped in a rigid society, reverberates even today. I found it a fascinating read.
The Hero of Ages, by Brandon Sanderson. Book three in Sanderson's bestselling and immensely popular Mistborn series (following The Final Empire and The Well of Ascension) follows new Emperor Elend Venture and his wife, the assassin Vin, as they struggle in the wake of being tricked into releasing Ruin while trying to close the Well of Ascension. They must now battle Ruin's Inquisitors, the encroaching lethal mists called the Deepness, and the increasingly heavy falls of black ash that threaten to suffocate their very existence. Sanderson is an absolute master of his craft--I had worried that having taken more than six months off between books in the series that I would be lost, but he is so skillful a writer that I felt caught up almost immediately without feeling buried by a heavy-handed recap.
Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell. I've had Rainbow Rowell's work recommended to me repeatedly for the last several years, and now that I've capitulated, I wonder what in the heck took me so long! Simon Snow is officially the worst Chosen One ever. He can't control his magic, meaning that half the time he can't get his wand to work and the other half? Fire everywhere. His girlfriend broke up with him, his mentor is avoiding him, his alleged vampire of a roommate, Baz, never even showed up at the beginning of this, their final year at the Watford School of Magicks. Oh, and there happens to be a magic-eating monster running around, and it happens to be wearing Simon's face. Chatty, hilariously funny, and chock-full of monsters--if you think this sounds like Harry Potter, you're a little bit right and mostly mistaken in the best possible ways.
And that's it for me for 2016. I'll see you in the new year for new books and new recommendations. From all of us here at The Trumbull Library, Happy New Year and Happy Reading.
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Reading Ahead: December 2016, part 2
Already feeling the need for a holiday escape? I am! Here are a couple of titles to consider escaping with.
Expecting To Die, by Lisa Jackson. Some places earn their bad reputation through tall tales or chance.
Grizzly Falls is different. Here, killers aren’t just the stuff of
legends and campfire lore. Someone is in the nighttime shadows,
watching the local teens play around in the moonlit woods. Waiting for
the right moment, the right victim. Detective Regan Pescoli, distracted by family matters, is not on her A-game to outwit a serial killer, but that's just what she and her partner, Selena Alvarez, must do. But dissecting fact from fiction is easier said than done, even as the death toll steadily rises. Sometime a great thriller is just what you need to lose yourself for a few hours--this might be just what you need!
Island of Glass, by Nora Roberts. This final installment of The Guardians trilogy (following Stars of Fortune and Bay of Sighs) finds the six Guardians hunting the Star of Ice in Ireland, where Doyle must face his tragic past. Three centuries ago, he closed off his heart,
yet his warrior spirit is still drawn to the wild. And there’s no one
more familiar with the wild than Riley—and the wolf within her... Roberts mixes love, legend and fantasy in this latest series, and fans are devouring them!
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Reading Ahead: June 2016, part 4
Beach reads come in many flavors, like funny, romantic, or magical (just to name a few). Intrigued? Read on!
By The Numbers, by Jen Lancaster. I've made no secret of my love for Lancaster's work, both memoir and fiction, so it should be no surprise that this new novel has a spot on my list for summer reads this year. Actuary Penny Sinclair has a head for business, and she always makes
rational decisions. Knowing that 60% of spouses cheat and 50% of
marriages end in divorce, she wasn’t too surprised when her husband had
an affair. She just made sure she got everything in the
divorce, including their lovely old Victorian house. And as soon as her
younger daughter has her hipster-fabulous wedding in the backyard, she’s
trading it in for a condo in downtown Chicago... Well within
the average market time in her area, Penny gets an offer on the house.
But then life happens. Her children, her parents and her ex come flying
back to the nest, all in need of Penny’s emotional—and
financial—support. Spread thin, Penny becomes the poster child for the
“sandwich generation,” when all she really wanted to do was make
managing director, buy a white couch, and maybe go on a Match.com
date... Guaranteed to be funny and touching.
First Comes Love, by Emily Giffin. Growing up, Josie and Meredith Garland shared a loving, if sometimes
contentious, relationship. Josie was impulsive, spirited, and outgoing,
Meredith hardworking, thoughtful, and reserved. When tragedy strikes,
their delicate bond splinters. Fifteen years later, with the anniversary of their tragedy looming, each sister finds herself dissatisfied with her life, longing for something more. Painful secrets from their shared past resurface, Josie and Meredith must not only confront the issues that divide them
but also come to terms with their own choices. In their journey toward
understanding and forgiveness, both sisters discover that they need each
other more than they knew—and that in the search for true happiness,
love always comes first.
Bay of Sighs, by Nora Roberts. Second in Roberts's fanciful Guardians trilogy (after Stars of Fortune, 2015), Bay of Sighs follows the story of the three stars, of fire, ice and water, created by the moon goddesses to celebrate the rise of a new queen. When the stars fell, however, the fate of all worlds was put in danger, and the chosen six must put the pieces back together. Here, after the six guardians have retrieved the fire star, they are brought to Capri to seek the water star. Mermaid Annika is from the sea, and even as she leads the search to reclaim the star before their enemy can, she also may find love with fellow guardian Sawyer King.
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