What I've Been Reading: January 2019

January's short days and bitter cold made for excellent weather to cozy up with a good book, so I've made the most of it!

Tiny Beautiful Things: advice on love and life from Dear Sugar, by Cheryl Strayed. Recommended by a friend, this collection of essays by Wild author Strayed was a good start to the new year. This "best of" compilation from The Rumpus's Dear Sugar advice column is a heartfelt, gentle and gorgeous read. Strayed pulls no punches as she answers queries about what to do when life is hard, and how sometimes even the good things in life are difficult to trust. I highly recommend it.

Verses for the Dead, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Eighteenth in the duo's long-running and best-selling Special Agent Pendergast series finds Pendergast in his strangest set of circumstances yet: working with an assigned partner, junior agent Coldmoon. Their case takes them to Miami, where a killer is cutting out his victims' hearts and placing them, along with cryptic notes, on gravestones in local cemeteries. To make things stranger still, the gravestones all belong to women who committed suicide. Can this odd new pairing of agents get to the killer before he can strike again? It's a race against the clock, and one of the best in the series to date.

The Last Mrs. Parrish, by Liv Constantine. This was a reread for my January book club meeting. Knowing what was going to happen made it even more entertaining--it's still a gleeful story of greed and revenge. If you haven't read it yet, I'd really recommend it. You can read my original review here.

Dark Sacred Night, by Michael Connelly. The second of Connelly's novels to follow young Hollywood Detective Renee Ballard, this one also includes Harry Bosch, now retired. The two meet when Ballard stumbles over a stranger, Bosch, going through old file cabinets, working a case fifteen years cold that's gotten under his skin. Ballard can't just give this guy access to the station's files but, intrigued, she decides to join him on the hunt. I really enjoyed this pairing more than I thought I would--it made for a fast, compelling read.

Knitting, by Ann Bartlett. I stumbled over this sweet gem of a read while out working in the stacks last month. That's one of my favorite things about this job, the serendipitous book that simply makes its way home with me from time to time, completely unsolicited. Sandra is unmoored after losing her husband to cancer. But the unlikeliest person to help with this would be Martha, an eccentric professional knitter. When the two are brought together by chance, what follows is a strange, symbiotic friendship, each of them turning out to be just what the other needs. These are characters that will stay with me for a very long time.

Eliza's Home, How to Knit a Heart Back Home, Wishes & Stitches, Cora's Heart, Fiona's Flame, all by Rachael Herron. I'd read Herron's memoir, A Life in Stitches, eons ago and I really enjoyed her style. Now I'm completely hooked, reading most of her Cypress Hollow series in just a few weeks. They're lovely, fast reads, funny and heartwarming and wise. I'd recommend her to fans of Robyn Carr. Fair warning, while a few titles are available here at the library or on Overdrive, I did go out and buy copies of these for myself.

What I've Been Reading, 2018 wrap-up

By the very skin of my teeth, I finished my 100th book of 2018 on December 30th! I should note that a few of these (the first title and the last three) are all books I have in my personal collection and are not currently available in the Trumbull Library collection. Links for these go to Amazon instead of the regular Library catalog links.

Reunion at Red Paint Bay, by George Harrar. Simon Howe is a native resident of quiet Red Paint Bay, Maine, a place that advertises as "the friendliest town in Maine". He's the editor of the local paper, a stable husband and father. And then he starts to receive anonymous postcards, each increasingly menacing in tone, alluding to a pending threat not just to Simon, but to his family as well. It's a story of guilt, denial, and the secrets that haunt us, all with an unexpected twist ending. A fast read and something a bit off the beaten path, definitely more than your average psychological suspense novel. This title is also available to Trumbull residents via Overdrive.

Nine Perfect Strangers, by Liane Moriarty. Nine people gather at a remote health resort for a ten day retreat. Some are here to lose weight, or to jump start a life transition, or to deal with life's stressors. Most of the guests don't really seem to "need" a health resort, and yet, here they are at Tranquility House. The most intriguing person there, however, is the enigmatic guru who runs the place and who will test each of her guests to their limit, and possibly beyond, during the course of their stay. This was absolutely a page-turner, and if the story lines were not all of equal strength, I really didn't care. It was just what I needed it to be. Also available in Large Print and Audio. 

Merry Ex-Mas, by Sheila Roberts. I was advised that I'd been a little grinchy this holiday season and should consider a holiday novel to get me in the proper spirit. While the advice might have been good, I'm not sure this particular title was the best choice for me. Three friends in picturesque Icicle Falls are dealing with some serious relationship issues. Ella, newly divorced, is still living with her ex-husband while they try and sell their house, which is super awkward. Bakery owner Cass is having to try and make her daughter's dream wedding happen, on a budget, while dealing with the holiday rush AND the presence of her ex and his trophy wife...in her house. And Charlene's ex-husband resurfaces wanting to kiss and make up after the ultimate betrayal, but does he have ulterior motives? It was okay, but not my favorite thing ever.

The Reckoning, by John Grisham. I haven't read Grisham in years and years, but the subject matter of this new novel really intrigued me. Clanton, Mississippi's favorite son Pete Banning returned from World War II a decorated hero, having survived hell during his years stationed in the Philippines. Then, not long after returning home, this family patriarch drives into town one cool autumn morning and commits an act that shocks and horrifies his family and his community. Regardless of who asks or how many times they ask him why, Pete refuses to give any explanation for his actions, resigned to taking his secret to his very grave. Tremendously fascinating. Also available in Large Print and Audio.

The Songbirds of Darling Bay Trilogy, by Rachael Herron. (The Darling Songbirds, The Songbird's Call, The Songbird Sisters) Sisters Adele, Molly and Lana Darling were once a country music sensation who poised to hit the big time when a family tragedy causes the band to break up...and their family ties to fracture. A decade later, Adele comes back to the town they'd called home as girls, feeling the need to leave Nashville behind and put down real roots. As she finds a place and a purpose, she gradually reaches out and pulls middle sister Molly back, too. Molly has ended a long stint working for a cruise line and is, essentially, without a place to go. And once she's back in Darling Bay and finding her life's work, it seems like only a matter of time before Lana makes her way home, too. In the end, the trilogy is obviously about family, but also about love and friendship, about letting go of the past and moving forward, starting over. I'm a huge fan of Herron's characters, who are very flawed and that much more endearing for it.

And that rounds out 2018! I'm going to try for another 100 in 2019, and will be tracking over on Goodreads.com. I hope you'll join me!

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?

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.

What I've Been Reading: September 2018

It's that time again!

Sweet Little Lies, by Caz Frear. D.C. Cat Kinsella is hesitant as she investigates the murder of a young Islington housewife. The woman's body was found not far from the pub run by Cat's estranged father. When the woman turns out to be a girl the Kinsellas had met on holiday years earlier, Cat finds herself torn between loyalty to her dysfunctional family and dedication to her job. Full of twists and turns, this was a riveting procedural.

The Moth Presents: All These Wonders, edited by Catherine Burns. I am hopelessly in love with The Moth podcast. For those of you who are unfamiliar, The Moth is a non-profit group based out of New York City that is dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. The group presents a wide range of themed storytelling events across the country--many of which have been recorded for the long-running podcast, which was my introduction. Celebrating their 20th anniversary (The Moth was founded in 1997), this collection of 45 stories culled from their events focuses on stories about risk, courage, and facing the unknown. I read this collection over two days, so enthralled was I in these people's stories. I very highly recommend both the book and the podcast--they are honest, wise, insightful, life-changing.

On Call in the Arctic, by Thomas J. Sims. As Sims was finishing his residency and on the cusp of beginning his career as a pediatric surgeon, he was alerted to the impending change in his life: he was going to be drafted as a M.A.S.H. surgeon and sent to Vietnam. His alternative was accepting a commission in the U.S. Public Health Service for an assignment in Anchorage, Alaska--he took it, and brought along his very pregnant wife and young daughter when the moved days later. His life changed again when he was reassigned: instead of being Chief of Pediatrics in Anchorage, he would now be serving as the sole physician in Nome, providing medical care to not only Nome's residents, but also those of thirteen surrounding Eskimo villages, with very little support and in archaic conditions. The stories he relates in this memoir are truly amazing, by turns spine-tingling, jaw-dropping, and heart-warming. I'm recommending this to readers who also liked The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel.

Leverage in Death, by J.D. Robb. When a marketing executive walks into a board meeting wearing a suicide vest and takes out friends and coworkers on the day his company was set to sign a significant merger, NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas is puzzled. She soon finds that the man's family was held hostage as collateral, forcing the man to commit this unthinkable act. But who would do such a thing? And why? The motive seems murky, only slowly clearing as the case progresses. I have to say, this was not one of my favorites in this long-running series--the pacing was off, there was a huge amount of stock market information that I personally found tedious. Your mileage may vary.

Today Will Be Different, by Maria Semple. This morning, Eleanor will take small actions to get her life in order. She will follow through. She will be a responsible adult, a good wife, an attentive mother, a patient friend. This ordinary, responsible day begins a slow-but-sure nosedive after her son finagles his way out of school for the day and then she finds that her husband, Joe, has told his office (but not her) that he's on vacation for the week. Eleanor abandons all of her best intentions in favor of unraveling the mysteries before her, because how is a person supposed to be a responsible adult when everything you counted on being true may not be? This second novel by Semple, author of the best-selling Where'd You Go, Bernadette?, was everything I needed it to be: introspective, funny, irreverent, and deeply relatable.

The Stranger Beside Me, by Ann Rule. Ann Rule, former policewoman, crime journalist, was volunteering at a crisis call center in Seattle as a series of murders occurred in the area. Then the crimes stopped as quickly as they started. Several years later, a man in Florida was arrested after a horrific multiple murder in a sorority house. The man was Ted Bundy, and man who was eventually linked to more than thirty murders across the country, and a man who had once been a fellow volunteer in the same crisis center as Ann Rule. This is her story, both of the crimes and of the man who committed them. I'm a true crime buff, and this really is the ultimate true crime story.

What I've Been Reading: August 2018

It has been a busy reading month for me! I'm glad I use Goodreads.com to track what I read, though, because when it comes time to write up one of these posts, my memory is NOT what it used to be!

The Wife, by Meg Wolitzer. World-famous novelist Joe Castleman and his wife, Joan, have kept a secret from the world for decades. The novel opens as the couple travels to Helsinki for Joe to receive a prestigious award. Joan, who has spent their entire relationship stifling her own career to fan the flames of Joe's writing, and his ego, has finally had enough. A story of the choices we make and the repercussions far down the road, this was a compelling and captivating read. I love readers who can surprise me, and Wolitzer had surprises aplenty in store for me here. Very highly recommended.

How to Keep a Secret, by Sarah Morgan. Three generations of women brought together by crisis finally have to deal with the secrets they've kept from one another. Matriarch Nancy has been holding onto the family home despite dire financial straits, and that's just the beginning of what she hasn't told either of her daughters. Lauren's perfect life turns out to be more facade than fact, and when she must head back to her roots for both herself and her daughter Mack, the stark reality of their plight hits home. Lauren's sister Jenna keeps a trademark smile plastered on her face, but look a little deeper and she's hiding something from those she loves most. A fast, intriguing read--I very much enjoyed it.

The Bookshop of Yesterdays, by Amy Meyerson. Miranda Brooks spent her childhood exploring the stacks of her Uncle Billy's bookstore, following clues in his ubiquitous scavenger hunts through the shelves and volumes. Until she's twelve, and mysterious falling out between her mother and Billy causes her uncle to disappear from her life. She doesn't hear from him again until sixteen years later, when he dies and leaves one final scavenger hunt for Miranda to follow. The journey toward solving his final puzzle leads Miranda to speak to people from Billy's past, and in the process, uncover the secret that tore her family apart years ago. Part mystery, part bibliophile's delight, this was excellent.

The Sun Does Shine, by Anthony Ray Hinton. In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. Hinton knew this was a case of mistaken identity and had an alibi, but a combination of a lack of funds to pay for his defense and a different system of justice for a poor black man in rural Alabama lost Hinton everything--he received a death sentence. Full of despair and refusing to speak for his first three years of incarceration, Hinton eventually came to the decision to not only live on Death Row, but thrive. A story of a man who fought for his life and for his freedom, fiercely believing that the truth would ultimately set him free, which did indeed happen in 2015, with the help of civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson. Intense and deeply thought-provoking.

Whistle in the Dark, by Emma Healey. While on holiday together, Jen's teenage daughter Lana goes missing. When she's finally found four days later, she's bruised, bloodied, exhausted, and all but mute. She cannot, or will not, tell her parents, doctors, or police where she was or what happened while she was missing. In the weeks that follow, Jen becomes increasingly worried about her daughter, the child who has always been plagued by dark demons. Without telling her daughter, or the rest of her family, where she is going, Jen sets out to retrace Lana's steps during her disappearance, with a result she hadn't imagined.

The Other Mother, by Carol Goodman. In the months following the birth of little Chloe, her mother Daphne has suffered from dark moods and intrusive thoughts. It seems natural for her to bond immediately with another mother, Laurel, from their new moms group. After all, Laurel also has a daughter named Chloe. And Daphne and Laurel even look a little bit alike. Outwardly, Laurel is sarcastic and confident, but it turns out that she's also suffering from postpartum symptoms. But becoming friends with Laurel will come at a shocking price, and everyone's secrets will out. Don't blink while you read this--it is packed full of so many twists!

The Lost For Words Bookshop, by Stephanie Butland. Loveday Cardew prefers books to most people. While she has tattooed her favorite opening lines on her skin, there are so many things she refuses to share with others. And then the secondhand bookstore where she works, her second home, begins to funnel things to her she'd never thought to see: a poet, a lover, and three donations of books which may expose her secret past once and for all. I am a sucker for fiction written with bibliophiles in mind, and this has to be one of my favorites to date. Fans of books like The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry or Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore should check this one out.

Pieces of Her, by Karin Slaughter. Andrea isn't sure of a lot of things. Like what she wants to do with her life. But she is certain she knows her mother, Laura. At least, she thinks she does until violence erupts in the mall while she's out to lunch with her mom and her mother turns out to be someone very different from the mild-mannered speech therapist Andrea has always known. And as Laura's past as someone other than Laura resurfaces, Andrea must flee, both to stay safe, but also to uncover Laura's past and make sense of the sudden shift in her reality. Meticulously plotted and fast-paced, this was a great stand-alone title from Slaughter.

A Noise Downstairs, by Linwood Barclay. When an ordinary evening drive nearly kills college professor Paul Davis, it's devastating. Months later, he's still struggling with recovery. There's the depression, the PTSD, the occasional memory lapses. In an attempt to cheer him, his wife Charlotte brings home a present: an antique typewriter. This present, however, seems possessed, haunting Paul with phantom typing noises only he can here. Is it communicating a message meant for him? Is he cracking up completely? Or is there something eminently more sinister at work here? Full of plot twists and red herrings aplenty, I have to say I think that this is one of Barclay's best in recent years. Highly recommended.

Not a Poster Child, by Francine Falk-Allen. You're not dreaming. I really did read two memoirs in one month. Weird, right? While polio is back in the news due to the anti-vaccination movement after over a half-century fading into near-obscurity in this country, it has never been forgotten by those who still experience its effects. Francine Falk-Allen was only three when she contracted polio and temporarily lost the ability to stand or walk. Here she recounts her experiences with hospitals, treatments, braces, and her determination to be a "normie". And later, as an adult, how she found balance and fulfillment in multiple ways. An eye-opening account of living with a physical disability, both funny and thoughtful.

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.

What I've Been Reading: June 2018

Sometimes I'm lucky enough to get a really good run of fast, compelling reads that I whip through each of them in just a few days. It's rare that I get an entire month full of just such books, but when it does? Well, then I get what follows.

A Summer in Sonoma, by Robyn Carr. Originally published in 2010 and re-released this summer, this tale of four friends who help each other through crises is classic Carr. Cassie has terrible taste in men, until she becomes friends with a guy who helped he when she was in trouble. Too bad he's completely unsuitable... Beth, a doctor whose body is betraying her for a second time, is trying to go it alone. Good friends don't let that sort of thing happen, though. Marty's husband is taking her for granted, and Marty has reached her breaking point. And Julie, married and a mother just out of high school, is struggling to keep her family together. Friends are always there to help one another through...at least when Robyn Carr is writing, anyway. Excellent easy beach reading.

Close Enough to Touch, by Colleen Oakley. After ten years in solitude, tragedy finally forces Jubilee Jenkins out her front door and into the world. She's not an ordinary librarian. She's a woman with an extremely rare allergy--the touch of another human could kill her. Eric Keegan has troubles of his own. He's left behind his ex-wife and daughter while he takes a temporary work assignment hours away, but he's trying to raise his adopted son, the child of his deceased best friend. Endearing and heartfelt, this tale of two people who want what's just out of reach is a compelling read. Highly recommended, especially for fans of JoJo Moyes and Liane Moriarty.

The Female Persuasion, by Meg Wolitzer. Wolitzer (The Uncoupling, The Interestings, etc.) is a favorite of mine, so when I got my copy of her latest novel, I couldn't stop myself from reading it in the span of two days. Greer Kadetsky is a shy college freshman trying to make the best of an unfortunate situation when she meets feminist icon Faith Frank after a presentation at her university. This chance encounter draws Greer into a life she'd never dared imagine for herself, and further from her high school boyfriend, Cory, whose own life has derailed due to family tragedy. With overarching themes of honesty, loyalty, and admiration, this was a powerful, character-driven story. Excellent. Also available in Large Print and Audio.

White Houses, by Amy Bloom. Bloom (Lucky Us, Away, etc.) is one of my favorite writers--her style is spare, the books seeming deceptively short, but each word is so artfully chosen that a reader is immersed with just a few short phrases. Here, she explores the openly secret relationship between prominent female reporter Lorena "Hick" Hickock and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt. After taking a job with the administration and moving into the White House, Hick is not only close to Eleanor, but she also develops an admiring understanding with Franklin, whose own lovers are also an open secret. Fascinating, beautiful, and told with a deft hand. Also available in Large Print and Audio.

The Favorite Sister, by Jessica Knoll. Knoll's 2016 debut, Luckiest Girl Alive, was a staff favorite here at the library, so we've been eager to see how her sophomore effort holds up. The good news? It's just as scathing and savagely funny as her first. The cast and crew of reality TV show Goal Diggers are gearing up for a fifth season, and while some of their onscreen alliances are scripted, they're even more cut-throat in their personal lives. Every one of them has secrets, and some are worth dying...or killing...to keep. Fan favorite Brett is perfectly at ease on camera, but her personal life is a disaster that's getting worse on the daily. Her sister and business partner Kelly, a single mom, is hopeful she'll get cast in the new season and finally move out of her sister's shadow. Stephanie, the veteran, had a bestselling debut novel, but her second and third have been lackluster, and she's desperate for her memoir to hit big to reestablish her relevance and her brand. But is that going to be her downfall? Bold, wry, and witty, this is a tale that highlights just what it takes, and what it can cost, to be successful. Also available in Audio. 

The Mars Room, by Rachel Kushner. Kushner's gritty latest finds Romy Hall in 2003, serving two consecutive life sentences in Stanville Women's Correctional Facility deep in California's Central Valley. She's been severed from the outside world, from the San Francisco of her youth and from her young son, Jackson. Inside, there is a new world to learn and navigate, that of hustling to survive, the absurdities of institutional living, and casual violence. While not for the faint of heart, this is a novel full of brilliantly diverse stories interwoven into a mesmerizing tale. Also available in Audio. 

I'll Be Gone in the Dark, by Michelle McNamara. The Golden State Killer was an elusive rapist turned murderer who terrorized California in the late 1970s and early 1980s before, it seems, going dormant, leaving over fifty unsolved cases and ten dead in his wake. Thirty years later, true crime journalist Michelle McNamara, creator of TrueCrimeDiary.com, pored over police reports and interviewed victims and neighbors, determined to identify the unknown perpetrator. This is her work, culled in parts from her notes, unfinished at the time of her untimely death. Note: this helped reignite interest in these cases, and the GSK was caught in April 2018. Compulsively readable and fascinating. Also available in Large Print and Audio. 

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeyman. Eleanor Oliphant has a flat and a job. She struggles with appropriate social interactions and her weeks are governed by a schedule that includes weekly phone calls with her mother and weekends dulled by vodka. It's only when she meets new coworker Raymond, and they together help Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the sidewalk, that Eleanor's careful routines begin to change. It's only as each of these lonely souls open up to one another that Eleanor finally begins to work out that she's only been existing, and that connecting with others is part of really living. Funny and thoughtful and absolutely perfect--I highly recommend it, and the audiobook is particularly exceptional. Oh, and this has been optioned for film with Reese Witherspoon attached to produce, so expect Eleanor Oliphant to be a household name in the future. Also available in Large Print and Audio. 

How to Walk Away, by Katherine Center. For those who love heartfelt novels about overcoming obstacles, like Me Before You, Center's new novel is an absolute must-read. I can't tell you the last time I so much wanted to see a character come out on top after adversity. Margaret Jacobsen is on the cusp of all of her happily-ever-afters. She's got her dream job lined up. She's getting engaged. Then in an instant, Margaret must learn to start over. Nothing can ever be the same, but as the old falls away, new relationships are built. Old hurts can be healed, but some things must be let go before we can move on. I loved this book and these characters and I recommend it very, very highly.

Shelter in Place, by Nora Roberts. In the span of eight minutes, the normal evening at the Down East Mall in Portland, Maine is shattered. That's how long it takes from the first shot fired to the last of three rampaging teen shooters to be taken down. The survivors, in their grief and shock, do their best to cope in the aftermath. For the young waiter on break, it is the impetus to enroll in the police academy. For the first person to call 9-1-1, it becomes a wellspring of creative inspiration as she uses art to work through her grief. But for one individual, the evening was unfinished. For the mastermind behind the three shooters, the survivors are simply new targets. And those who remain must work to stop it before they're in the cross-hairs. A little different for Roberts, but excellent reading. Also available in Large Print and Audio. 

The Outsider, by Stephen King. King, who has shifted in recent outings to more suspense with a supernatural twist (what I'm saying here is, if you think his work is too scary for you, try the new stuff), brings readers a new fight between good and evil. When a crime is committed in a small community, people are shocked and appalled. When the apparent perpetrator turns out to be well-loved teacher and Little League coach Terry Maitland, there is outrage and fury. Before his day in court can happen, however, Maitland is killed--but the investigation has only just begun. Because there's no way Maitland could have done it, not only because it was so uncharacteristic, but because he was in a different part of the state, on television, with witnesses, at the time the crime was committed. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Don't let the page-length put you off, because this is a fast, gripping read. Just a helpful hint from your friendly librarian, though--if you haven't read King's recent Bill Hodges trilogy (Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, End of Watch), you might want to read that first, as one of the key characters in said trilogy makes an important appearance in The Outsider. 

Waking Gods, by Sylvain Neuvel. Second in Neuvel's spellbindingly unique Themis Files, following his debut, Sleeping Giants (2016). As a girl, Rose Franklin accidentally discovered a giant metal hand buried in the earth. As an adult, she has devoted her life to the study of the hand, and of the other pieces that fit together with it. Why was this giant robot disassembled, the pieces scattered across the planet? With every answer comes more questions. The situation grows dire when a second robot appears on Earth, only to attack. Then, more robots, each appearing in highly populated areas. If their intent is malicious, can they be stopped? No sophomore slump here, this is both action-packed suspense and thought-provoking philosophy wrapped up in an incredibly fast read. I'd recommend this for fans of Andy Weir's The Martian or Ernest Cline's Ready Player One.

Have a safe and happy 4th!

What I've Been Reading: May 2018

I'm sort of shocked, looking back at this past month, at just how many books I managed to read! It's a mix, historical fiction, memoir, suspense, contemporary fiction. I typically read whatever strikes my fancy at any given moment, so it can vary wildly! There are so many this month, I'm shortening my reviews just a bit. Without any further ado...

Mrs., by Caitlyn Macy. Three women who don't quite fit the mold are thrown together by social happenstance--all three have children who attend the same elite NYC grammar school. Philippa is a woman with a shadowy past, Gwen is often mistaken for the family nanny, and Minnie is a newcomer, determined to find a way into the elite social circles. But when scandal strikes, nothing will ever be the same...for any of them. If you love a good, gossipy summer read, add this to your list.

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. While I'd read Jane Eyre in college, I decided to reread it for my May book club meeting. I'd forgotten how sad Jane's story was, orphaned young and ill-treated by her distant relatives before being sent away to a school where she'd make the best friends of her life. And later, the mysterious Mr. Rochester enters the scene, both enthralling and ominous. We got some excellent discussion from this classic!

Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee. A 2017 National Award Finalist, Pachinko follows the story of one Korean family from the early 1900s, from the poor daughter of a lame fisherman who falls for a wealthy stranger, and after finding that she is pregnant and he is already married, marries a sickly but kind pastor and emigrates with him to Japan. Their family struggles on, through war and lean times, into the 1980s, and new opportunities. Excellent, moving and very entertaining.

Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris. I love David Sedaris; his essays and stories make me laugh like no other. Tales here include his move to Paris and his valiant efforts to learn French, his experiences as a performance artist, and his disastrous year as a writing professor. I laughed til I cried.

Educated: A Memoir, by Tara Westover. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was seventeen before setting foot in a classroom. She'd never been to see a doctor or a nurse; her father was deeply mistrustful of the medical establishment. It was years before she had an actual birth certificate, and no one in her family is sure, still, what her exact birthday is--the government was not to be trusted. And yet, after one of her older brothers goes off to college, Tara decides to try a different kind of life, one that ultimately leads to Harvard and Oxford. Completely fascinating--I could not put this down.

Never Too Late, by Robyn Carr. I borrowed this from Overdrive, as the library's print copy is being replaced. Clare Wilson is starting over. She's ending her marriage to a serial cheater, finding work that she enjoys, reconnecting with her family. But it takes a brush with death to make her take stock of what's most important. Carr is reliable for fast, easy, character-driven stories.

End of Watch, by Stephen King. Retired police detective Bill Hodges is in failing health, something his friends and his PI partner Holly have been suspecting for months. The thing that keeps him going, though, is a new series of supposed suicides that are just too strange and coincidental to sit right with him. It was the original MO of the murderous Mr. Mercedes, Brady Hartfield, who now sits in what appears to be a vegetative state in the brain injury ward of the local hospital. But, Bill wonders, what if Brady is much more alert and aware than he lets on? With the time on his clock running down, Bill sets out to prove his theory right, and stop Brady once and for all. I needed to read this before I went on to King's new book, The Outsider, and I'm really glad I did.

Before We Were Yours, by Lisa Wingate. In the theme of Christina Baker Kline's The Orphan Train, Wingate's bestseller flips back and forth between past and present. In the past, it is 1939 and Rill Foss's parents have gone into town to the hospital for her mother to have a baby. And then she and her siblings find themselves wards in an orphan's home, slowly being sold off to wealthy families. In the present, Avery Stafford comes from a wealthy, influential family, though she's worried for her grandmother's failing memory. When she stumbles across a long-kept family secret, past meets present in a hurry. Slightly uneven, as the past story was more compelling, but still very readable and made even more enthralling as the events were based on a real "baby broker".

The Alienist, by Caleb Carr. While this has been on my reading bucket list for some time, it took the recent miniseries to get me to finally dig in. In 1896 New York City, criminal profiling is in its infancy. A reporter and a psychologist (an "alienist") team up for an unprecedented endeavor--creating a psychological profile of a serial killer in order to predict his next moves...and stop him. With a fast-paced plot and exquisite historical detail, this is a suspense novel like no other.

Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng. Three families. One, a childless couple waiting impatiently to adopt. Another, large and wealthy, well-established. And a third, a mother and daughter who move often and are only in town perhaps for a year while the mother, an artist, works on a new series of photographs. What none of them expect this year is that all three families will become hopelessly entwined and forever changed, that some will come out stronger, more sure, and others will find their trajectories altered irrevocably. I read this in a sitting, I just couldn't put it down.

Summer Hours at the Robbers Library, by Sue Halpern. I am so in love with this book, I cannot begin to tell you. Kit has run from her past, and hides in plain sight as a librarian in the failing mill town of Riverton, New Hampshire. She lives a small, solitary life and prefers it that way. The last thing she wants is to spend a summer shadowed by fifteen-year-old Sunny, who has been sentenced to a summer of community service at the library for trying to steal, of all things, a dictionary from a book store. Sunny, however, becomes the crack in the foundation of Kit's carefully constructed walls, and the summer is one of growth and change and challenges for both of them, each extricating herself from a past beyond her control. I never expected to love this book the way I do.

The Whispering Room, by Dean Koontz. Second in Koontz's new series featuring rogue FBI agent Jane Hawk follows Jane as she pursues the shadowy cabal of powerful, influential players who are at the helm of a mind-control conspiracy of terrifying proportions. They never banked on a woman driven by love and fear, a woman willing to go rogue to take them down.

Commonwealth, by Ann Patchett. One chance encounter, one uninvited guest at a family gathering, and the fates of two families are changed for generations. The Keating and the Cousins families would never have known one another until there are two divorces, a marriage, and suddenly all of the kids are spending summers in West Virginia together, and half of them are in California the rest of the year. Their bonds, lasting into adulthood, stem from a shared disillusionment of their parents and a strange sort of kinship in the wake of one tragic summer. While initially I had a little trouble with the timeline, once I figured it out, I was hooked. I adore Patchett's writing.

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.