If variety is the spice of life, then this summer's book list is quite spicy!
Lady in the Lake, by Laura Lippman. Modern psychological insights meet classic noir in Lippman's latest, set in 1960's Baltimore. Thirty-something housewife Maddie separates from her husband after an old friend reminds her of all she used to long to be, beyond marriage and motherhood. She relishes her newfound freedom, her own apartment, her affair with a city patrolman. It's only when she manages to leverage her story concerning a murdered child and her correspondence with the killer into a position with the Star that Maddie really hits her stride. If a sophisticated crime novel is your favorite brand of summer reading, this should absolutely hit your list.
The Golden Hour, by Beatriz Williams. Willams's latest is an epic foray into one of the most enigmatic couples in history, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, as seen through the eyes of a young woman who arrives in the Bahamas in 1941 determined to work her way into their inner circle. Williams is fast becoming a favorite staple for summer reading enthusiasts.
Window on the Bay, by Debbie Macomber. This standalone romance from Macomber finds college friends Jenna and Maureen now divorced empty nesters, each encouraged by their children to try dating again. Maybe it's time to dust off their passports and travel? Or maybe romance is right in their own backyard, just waiting to surprise them. A comfortable, easy read.
Surfside Sisters, by Nancy Thayer. Keely was eager to leave Nantucket behind to follow her dream of becoming a writer. Now a successful novelist with all that accompanies it, living in New York, keely's starting to reconsider what's important to her. A relationship gone sour has resulted in some serious writer's block, made worse when her editor rejects her latest novel. The slower, calmer pace of island life may be just the cure for what ails her.
I'll be picking up next week with my Meg's Picks posts--hint: there's a LOT of them for July! See you then!
Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts
Thursday, June 13, 2019
Thursday, January 3, 2019
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!
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!
Thursday, November 29, 2018
What I've Been Reading: November 2018
I've been reading non-fiction and book club books, which seem to be slowing me down a little lately. That and the early evenings that make me want to retire earlier and earlier! But I've gotten a few things finished...
The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers, by Maxwell King. I am absolutely a child of the PBS era and have a soft, nostalgic place in my heart for Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. So this, the first full-length biography of an American icon, is right up my alley. Following Fred's story from a shy, kindhearted boy through his education where he excelled at music, and told with the help of numerous interviews and archival documents, King's biography is simply perfect, thoughtful and insightful and wonderfully detailed.
How to Knit A Heart Back Home, by Rachael Herron. Herron, writer and fellow knitter, has a great knack for writing perfectly flawed characters who find each other in the most entertaining ways. Here, bookshop owner and long-time knitter Lucy has made peace with being single, choosing to live vicariously through the exploits of her socially avid best friend, Molly. Then Owen comes back to town to deal with some family issues, and Lucy goes to pieces. In high school, Lucy had been Owen's math tutor, her the nerd and him the bad boy with a tough home life. They shared one intensely memorable kiss...just before he left town. Now after close to two decades, he's back and maybe, just maybe, they might find their next steps together...
The Visitors, by Catherine Burns. Burns' debut, which was published last September, has been on my list for some time, and now I know why. This is not a comfortable read, both claustrophobic and grimly tense. Marion Zetland lives in her crumbling childhood home with her older brother John--she a timid spinster who spends her days napping with teddy bears and avoiding conflict of any kind, he a surly recluse who spends the bulk of his time in their basement, which is off limits to everyone else. Marion has spent years turning a blind eye to John's ominous deeds until one day, these heinous responsibilities fall to her and she must unravel many truths, including her own. A slow and uncomfortable start picks up a full head of steam about halfway through, and the finish is absolutely worth it. If you're looking for a novel full of dark suspense, add this to your list.
The Law of Similars, by Chris Bohjalian. Bohjalian (Midwives, The Sandcastle Girls, etc.) is a favorite of mine and I parcel his books out as stories to savor. Here, Vermont widower and attorney Leland is consumed by his job, the raising of his young daughter...and a collection of anxieties manifesting as illness. Over the counter remedies and antibiotics have failed him. It's only when he turns to homeopathy that he begins to see improvement, not least because he is instantly smitten with his homeopath, Carissa Lake. But after one of Carissa's patients falls into an allergy-induced coma, possibly because of her prescribed remedy, Leland's office begins to investigate the case. Leland is faced with a monumental ethical dilemma as love and legal obligations clash head-on. Fascinating on multiple levels, this was definitely a novel to linger over.
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, by Lisa See. My book club's November selection, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane is the story of Li-yan and her family, living in a remote village in a southern province of China where life revolves around the seasons and the farming and harvesting of tea. It is only after a stranger visits their village that Li-yan begins to venture forth, receiving an education and beginning to reject traditional beliefs. It is the birth of her daughter, born out of wedlock with a man her family considers a poor choice, that finally causes Li-yan to break away. She gives her daughter up at an orphanage in hopes of giving the girl a better life, then makes her own way in the world, choosing city over village. This is also the story of Haley, Li-yan's daughter, who is being raised by an American couple in California, and her own unique struggles with identity.
We Should All Be Feminists, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Adapted from Adichie's much-admired TEDx talk of the same name, this long essay is both personal and eloquently argued, offering a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century, one rooted in inclusion and awareness. Drawing on her own experiences and her understanding of the often-masked realities of sexual politics, this is both Adichie's own exploration of what it means to be a woman now, and also a rallying cry to the world. I loved it so much, I read it twice.
The Stranger in the Woods, by Michael Finkel. This is a reread for me, the selection for my book club's December meeting. You can read my original review here.
I have nine books left to read in 2018 in order to hit 100 books in a calendar year. Think I can do it?
The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers, by Maxwell King. I am absolutely a child of the PBS era and have a soft, nostalgic place in my heart for Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. So this, the first full-length biography of an American icon, is right up my alley. Following Fred's story from a shy, kindhearted boy through his education where he excelled at music, and told with the help of numerous interviews and archival documents, King's biography is simply perfect, thoughtful and insightful and wonderfully detailed.
How to Knit A Heart Back Home, by Rachael Herron. Herron, writer and fellow knitter, has a great knack for writing perfectly flawed characters who find each other in the most entertaining ways. Here, bookshop owner and long-time knitter Lucy has made peace with being single, choosing to live vicariously through the exploits of her socially avid best friend, Molly. Then Owen comes back to town to deal with some family issues, and Lucy goes to pieces. In high school, Lucy had been Owen's math tutor, her the nerd and him the bad boy with a tough home life. They shared one intensely memorable kiss...just before he left town. Now after close to two decades, he's back and maybe, just maybe, they might find their next steps together...
The Visitors, by Catherine Burns. Burns' debut, which was published last September, has been on my list for some time, and now I know why. This is not a comfortable read, both claustrophobic and grimly tense. Marion Zetland lives in her crumbling childhood home with her older brother John--she a timid spinster who spends her days napping with teddy bears and avoiding conflict of any kind, he a surly recluse who spends the bulk of his time in their basement, which is off limits to everyone else. Marion has spent years turning a blind eye to John's ominous deeds until one day, these heinous responsibilities fall to her and she must unravel many truths, including her own. A slow and uncomfortable start picks up a full head of steam about halfway through, and the finish is absolutely worth it. If you're looking for a novel full of dark suspense, add this to your list.
The Law of Similars, by Chris Bohjalian. Bohjalian (Midwives, The Sandcastle Girls, etc.) is a favorite of mine and I parcel his books out as stories to savor. Here, Vermont widower and attorney Leland is consumed by his job, the raising of his young daughter...and a collection of anxieties manifesting as illness. Over the counter remedies and antibiotics have failed him. It's only when he turns to homeopathy that he begins to see improvement, not least because he is instantly smitten with his homeopath, Carissa Lake. But after one of Carissa's patients falls into an allergy-induced coma, possibly because of her prescribed remedy, Leland's office begins to investigate the case. Leland is faced with a monumental ethical dilemma as love and legal obligations clash head-on. Fascinating on multiple levels, this was definitely a novel to linger over.
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, by Lisa See. My book club's November selection, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane is the story of Li-yan and her family, living in a remote village in a southern province of China where life revolves around the seasons and the farming and harvesting of tea. It is only after a stranger visits their village that Li-yan begins to venture forth, receiving an education and beginning to reject traditional beliefs. It is the birth of her daughter, born out of wedlock with a man her family considers a poor choice, that finally causes Li-yan to break away. She gives her daughter up at an orphanage in hopes of giving the girl a better life, then makes her own way in the world, choosing city over village. This is also the story of Haley, Li-yan's daughter, who is being raised by an American couple in California, and her own unique struggles with identity.
We Should All Be Feminists, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Adapted from Adichie's much-admired TEDx talk of the same name, this long essay is both personal and eloquently argued, offering a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century, one rooted in inclusion and awareness. Drawing on her own experiences and her understanding of the often-masked realities of sexual politics, this is both Adichie's own exploration of what it means to be a woman now, and also a rallying cry to the world. I loved it so much, I read it twice.
The Stranger in the Woods, by Michael Finkel. This is a reread for me, the selection for my book club's December meeting. You can read my original review here.
I have nine books left to read in 2018 in order to hit 100 books in a calendar year. Think I can do it?
Thursday, August 16, 2018
Reading Ahead: September 2018, part 4
History, the future, mystery, romance... Next month's new releases have it all!
Time's Convert, by Deborah Harkness. Harkness, author of A Discovery of Witches (2011), etc., returns fans to Matthew de Clermont's past, when he meets young surgeon Marcus MacNeil on the battlefields of the American Revolution. Eager at the promise of a new, immortal life free of the constraints of his Puritan upbringing, Marcus accepts Matthew's offer, only to find his transition to be difficult in many ways. Fast-forward to the present and a new transition, that of his beloved, Phoebe, to join him in immortality. While the process has been modernized in many ways, the difficulty in trading one's human existence for vampirism is still as pronounced as they were centuries earlier. It is equally troubling that shadows from Marcus's past still haunt him. Historian Harkness can be counted on to tell a great, well-researched tale.
Leverage in Death, by J.D. Robb. Eve Dallas knows who sent marketing VP Paul Rogan into a Wall Street mergers meeting with a bomb strapped to his chest, blowing the place sky-high. The culprits had forced him to do it by holding Rogan's family hostage. But why would someone take that kind of trouble to blow up a meeting room when the same thing could be accomplished by wiring the whole building, or just the floor itself. It's the why that catches Dallas, and then it's the mad chase to catch those responsible and bring them to justice. The series is endlessly entertaining.
A Willing Murder, by Jude Deveraux. Romance novelist Deveraux dips a toe in the mystery genre with her latest outing. When best-selling romance novelist Sara Medlar retires, she buys the mansion she admired as a child in her hometown of Lachlan, FL. It needs some work, so she hires a friend's grandson, Jack, to stay on the property and help her with the renovations. When her niece, Kate, gets a job in the area, Sara offers her a place to stay, too. The unlikely trio make for uneasy roommates, until they find the remains of two women on the property in the aftermath of a storm. United in the pursuit of justice for the women, who had disappeared 20 years earlier, it's now up to Sara, Jack and Kate to try and get to the bottom of things, but a small town never gives up its secrets without a fight.
Why Not Tonight, by Susan Mallery. Third in Mallery's recent Happily, Inc. series, Why Not Tonight (following 2017's Second-Chance Girl). Gallery owner Natalie Kaleta will do anything for her artists. So when she goes out to check on reclusive Ronan Mitchell during a downpour, Murphy's Law means that a mudslide cuts her off from her way home, forcing her to stay with the brooding glass artist. And of course, she kind of has a crush on him already. Is this really the perfect storm for them both? Mallery fans will be delighted.
In His Father's Footsteps, by Danielle Steel. Steel has been stepping outside of her comfort zone in the last few years, and fans have responded very positively. Following this trend, Steel's latest is the tale of two World War II concentration camp survivors, the life they build together, and the son who faces struggles of his own as a first generation American, determined to succeed and forge his own path.
Time's Convert, by Deborah Harkness. Harkness, author of A Discovery of Witches (2011), etc., returns fans to Matthew de Clermont's past, when he meets young surgeon Marcus MacNeil on the battlefields of the American Revolution. Eager at the promise of a new, immortal life free of the constraints of his Puritan upbringing, Marcus accepts Matthew's offer, only to find his transition to be difficult in many ways. Fast-forward to the present and a new transition, that of his beloved, Phoebe, to join him in immortality. While the process has been modernized in many ways, the difficulty in trading one's human existence for vampirism is still as pronounced as they were centuries earlier. It is equally troubling that shadows from Marcus's past still haunt him. Historian Harkness can be counted on to tell a great, well-researched tale.
Leverage in Death, by J.D. Robb. Eve Dallas knows who sent marketing VP Paul Rogan into a Wall Street mergers meeting with a bomb strapped to his chest, blowing the place sky-high. The culprits had forced him to do it by holding Rogan's family hostage. But why would someone take that kind of trouble to blow up a meeting room when the same thing could be accomplished by wiring the whole building, or just the floor itself. It's the why that catches Dallas, and then it's the mad chase to catch those responsible and bring them to justice. The series is endlessly entertaining.
A Willing Murder, by Jude Deveraux. Romance novelist Deveraux dips a toe in the mystery genre with her latest outing. When best-selling romance novelist Sara Medlar retires, she buys the mansion she admired as a child in her hometown of Lachlan, FL. It needs some work, so she hires a friend's grandson, Jack, to stay on the property and help her with the renovations. When her niece, Kate, gets a job in the area, Sara offers her a place to stay, too. The unlikely trio make for uneasy roommates, until they find the remains of two women on the property in the aftermath of a storm. United in the pursuit of justice for the women, who had disappeared 20 years earlier, it's now up to Sara, Jack and Kate to try and get to the bottom of things, but a small town never gives up its secrets without a fight.
Why Not Tonight, by Susan Mallery. Third in Mallery's recent Happily, Inc. series, Why Not Tonight (following 2017's Second-Chance Girl). Gallery owner Natalie Kaleta will do anything for her artists. So when she goes out to check on reclusive Ronan Mitchell during a downpour, Murphy's Law means that a mudslide cuts her off from her way home, forcing her to stay with the brooding glass artist. And of course, she kind of has a crush on him already. Is this really the perfect storm for them both? Mallery fans will be delighted.
In His Father's Footsteps, by Danielle Steel. Steel has been stepping outside of her comfort zone in the last few years, and fans have responded very positively. Following this trend, Steel's latest is the tale of two World War II concentration camp survivors, the life they build together, and the son who faces struggles of his own as a first generation American, determined to succeed and forge his own path.
Thursday, May 3, 2018
What I've Been Reading: April 2018
I'm reading up a storm over here! Want to know what's good? Read on!
Need to Know, by Karen Cleveland. CIA analyst Vivian Miller loves her job and her family. Her husband is her best friend, they know one another better than anyone. Or so she thinks. One chance click as she researches brings her personal life crashing down around her, forcing Vivian to wonder whether her whole life is really a lie. This thriller from newcomer Cleveland is fast-paced and tightly plotted, gripping and compelling. I absolutely couldn't stand to put it down. Highly recommended. Also available in Large Print and audio.
My Absolute Darling, by Gabriel Tallent. Tallent's debut novel is not a read for the faint of heart. Fourteen-year-old Turtle lives a life unimaginable to her neighbors and classmates. Her father and grandfather live off the grid, her father obsessed with the certainty that doomsday is nigh. He prepares Turtle for this eventuality, teaching her to forage, to shoot, to hunt, to survive. She does survive, but she only imagines thriving after meeting Jacob, a boy who makes her want to live a normal, safe, sustainable life. Turtle must struggle to be her own hero, to extricate herself from the twisted relationship with her father. This is a harrowing, heartbreaking story, and I cannot wait to see what Tallent writes next. Also available in audio.
George & Lizzie, by Nancy Pearl. It has been a month for me to read debut novels, it seems. Nancy Pearl is "America's librarian" and a regular NPR commentator. Her first novel is about relationships, and how we can become stuck by our decisions, by what we keep from our past and what we choose to let go. George and Lizzie are as different as they could possibly be. George is from a warm, close family, Lizzie an only child raised by two very emotionally distant psychologists. Their marriage reflects this--George is happy, Lizzie is chronically unfulfilled and full of secrets. When crisis looms, Lizzie must decide once and for all, does she move on at long last? Or does she stick with what she knows? Wryly funny, this story really grew on me, and upon reflection with a little distance, I find myself looking forward to rereading this in the future with the benefit of foresight. Also available in Large Print.
A Stash of One's Own, edited by Clara Parkes. This collection of essays by knitters, designers, writers, spinners, and shepherds, among others, focuses on the individuality and approach to the ubiquitous yarn stash. For some, more is (almost) always more. Others have developed a zen-like minimalist approach, a KonMari-esque method of keeping only that which inspires one to create. Still others only keep on hand that which is necessary to design, refusing to keep anything beyond. Knitters are each as unique as artists in any other medium, and these essays were quite eye-opening on how widely varied their approach to their stash can be.
When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi. I've been reading ahead a bit for my book club--this is our selection for our June meeting. I was hesitant to read this, the memoir of a brilliant neurosurgeon turned patient with stage IV lung cancer, because I didn't want to read something sad. And yet, I read it early so that I might have some distance when we talked about it for book club. What I did not expect was to be completely overwhelmed by the wisdom, the deep thoughtfulness, that Kalanithi conveyed as his future disappeared and he was forced to stop planning and live in a perpetual present. Words like "beautiful" and "deeply moving" are inadequate to describe this slim volume teeming with meaning. Also available in Large Print and audio.
Spoonbenders, by Daryl Gregory. Teddy Telemachus is a con man with a talent for sleight of hand and some very unsavory associates who tricks his way into a classified government experiment concerning the use of telekinesis for intelligence-gathering. It's there that he meets the woman he's going to marry, Maureen McKinnon, a genuinely powerful psychic. Their Amazing Telemachus family becomes a show-biz act, each of the children with a gift of his or her own, until a television appearance that could have made them big-time goes horribly awry, and begins to tear the family apart from the inside. Two decades later, the family is growing steadily more dysfunctional, full of love-affairs, mob debts, and inexplicable behavior. The CIA is sniffing around again. And then things start to get weird... Laugh-out-loud funny and perfectly told, this is for the dreamers and believers in all of us.
Sourdough, by Robin Sloan. From the author of the extremely awesome Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore comes a new novel about food and technology. Lois Clary is a programmer working for a San Francisco company specializing in robotics tech. She enjoys her grueling work, but her joy comes from her regular takeout from a hole-in-the-wall eatery that brings her spicy soups and sandwiches each night. When the eatery suddenly closes, the owners gift Lois with their sourdough starter, and Lois suddenly finds herself baking bread. Then selling bread and gifting it. Then finds herself invited into a new breed of farmers' market seeking to fuse food and technology. But who are these people, really? Funny and insightful, Sloan's second novel delivers. I look forward to his next!
The Family Gathering, by Robyn Carr. Third in Carr's newest series, Sullivan's Crossing, The Family Gathering finds Dakota Jones freshly a civilian after a long career with the military. He decides to head to the Crossing, where both his older brother and youngest sister have settled down with their respective significant others. He's drawn to the place and its people, but also finds himself a magnet for trouble, especially that of the female variety. He's been trying to keep his options open, and trouble is something he'd like to avoid. He and his siblings gather for a family wedding, the first time all four have been together as adults, and it's here that he starts to understand their shared history a little better, and how he'd like to direct his life in the future. A sweet and easy read, if slightly overstuffed. Also available in Large Print and audio.
Need to Know, by Karen Cleveland. CIA analyst Vivian Miller loves her job and her family. Her husband is her best friend, they know one another better than anyone. Or so she thinks. One chance click as she researches brings her personal life crashing down around her, forcing Vivian to wonder whether her whole life is really a lie. This thriller from newcomer Cleveland is fast-paced and tightly plotted, gripping and compelling. I absolutely couldn't stand to put it down. Highly recommended. Also available in Large Print and audio.
My Absolute Darling, by Gabriel Tallent. Tallent's debut novel is not a read for the faint of heart. Fourteen-year-old Turtle lives a life unimaginable to her neighbors and classmates. Her father and grandfather live off the grid, her father obsessed with the certainty that doomsday is nigh. He prepares Turtle for this eventuality, teaching her to forage, to shoot, to hunt, to survive. She does survive, but she only imagines thriving after meeting Jacob, a boy who makes her want to live a normal, safe, sustainable life. Turtle must struggle to be her own hero, to extricate herself from the twisted relationship with her father. This is a harrowing, heartbreaking story, and I cannot wait to see what Tallent writes next. Also available in audio.
George & Lizzie, by Nancy Pearl. It has been a month for me to read debut novels, it seems. Nancy Pearl is "America's librarian" and a regular NPR commentator. Her first novel is about relationships, and how we can become stuck by our decisions, by what we keep from our past and what we choose to let go. George and Lizzie are as different as they could possibly be. George is from a warm, close family, Lizzie an only child raised by two very emotionally distant psychologists. Their marriage reflects this--George is happy, Lizzie is chronically unfulfilled and full of secrets. When crisis looms, Lizzie must decide once and for all, does she move on at long last? Or does she stick with what she knows? Wryly funny, this story really grew on me, and upon reflection with a little distance, I find myself looking forward to rereading this in the future with the benefit of foresight. Also available in Large Print.
A Stash of One's Own, edited by Clara Parkes. This collection of essays by knitters, designers, writers, spinners, and shepherds, among others, focuses on the individuality and approach to the ubiquitous yarn stash. For some, more is (almost) always more. Others have developed a zen-like minimalist approach, a KonMari-esque method of keeping only that which inspires one to create. Still others only keep on hand that which is necessary to design, refusing to keep anything beyond. Knitters are each as unique as artists in any other medium, and these essays were quite eye-opening on how widely varied their approach to their stash can be.
When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi. I've been reading ahead a bit for my book club--this is our selection for our June meeting. I was hesitant to read this, the memoir of a brilliant neurosurgeon turned patient with stage IV lung cancer, because I didn't want to read something sad. And yet, I read it early so that I might have some distance when we talked about it for book club. What I did not expect was to be completely overwhelmed by the wisdom, the deep thoughtfulness, that Kalanithi conveyed as his future disappeared and he was forced to stop planning and live in a perpetual present. Words like "beautiful" and "deeply moving" are inadequate to describe this slim volume teeming with meaning. Also available in Large Print and audio.
Spoonbenders, by Daryl Gregory. Teddy Telemachus is a con man with a talent for sleight of hand and some very unsavory associates who tricks his way into a classified government experiment concerning the use of telekinesis for intelligence-gathering. It's there that he meets the woman he's going to marry, Maureen McKinnon, a genuinely powerful psychic. Their Amazing Telemachus family becomes a show-biz act, each of the children with a gift of his or her own, until a television appearance that could have made them big-time goes horribly awry, and begins to tear the family apart from the inside. Two decades later, the family is growing steadily more dysfunctional, full of love-affairs, mob debts, and inexplicable behavior. The CIA is sniffing around again. And then things start to get weird... Laugh-out-loud funny and perfectly told, this is for the dreamers and believers in all of us.
Sourdough, by Robin Sloan. From the author of the extremely awesome Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore comes a new novel about food and technology. Lois Clary is a programmer working for a San Francisco company specializing in robotics tech. She enjoys her grueling work, but her joy comes from her regular takeout from a hole-in-the-wall eatery that brings her spicy soups and sandwiches each night. When the eatery suddenly closes, the owners gift Lois with their sourdough starter, and Lois suddenly finds herself baking bread. Then selling bread and gifting it. Then finds herself invited into a new breed of farmers' market seeking to fuse food and technology. But who are these people, really? Funny and insightful, Sloan's second novel delivers. I look forward to his next!
The Family Gathering, by Robyn Carr. Third in Carr's newest series, Sullivan's Crossing, The Family Gathering finds Dakota Jones freshly a civilian after a long career with the military. He decides to head to the Crossing, where both his older brother and youngest sister have settled down with their respective significant others. He's drawn to the place and its people, but also finds himself a magnet for trouble, especially that of the female variety. He's been trying to keep his options open, and trouble is something he'd like to avoid. He and his siblings gather for a family wedding, the first time all four have been together as adults, and it's here that he starts to understand their shared history a little better, and how he'd like to direct his life in the future. A sweet and easy read, if slightly overstuffed. Also available in Large Print and audio.
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Reading Ahead: October 2017, part 4
Tales of secrets unveiled, challenges won and obstacles overcome are on every reader's list next month!
Merry and Bright, by Debbie Macomber. In this holiday novel of first impressions and second chances, bestseller Macomber introduces readers to Merry Knight, who spends her days taking care of her family and trying to evade her stressed-out boss at the consulting firm where she's temping. Her social life is the last thing on her mind, but when her mother and brother sign her up for an online dating profile (minus photo) and matches begin to roll in, Merry reluctantly agrees to see what happens. She begins chatting with a charming stranger, their exchanges becoming the brightest part of her day. When it comes to meeting him face to face, will it be a total disaster? Also available in Large Print.
Fairytale, by Danielle Steel. In this modern retelling of the Cinderella story, Steel pits a happy family against tragedy, with Camille, heiress to a Napa Valley vineyard and estate, caught in the middle. Will she succeed against nefarious plots against her inheritance and her very life? Will her knight in shining armor ride to her rescue? Will her fairy godmother save her? Or is it up to Camille to save herself. Steel's legion of fans won't want to miss out. Also available in Large Print.
Lilac Lane, by Sherryl Woods. Kiera Malone struggled alone for years to raise her three children, and when she finally opened herself to the possibility of a relationship again, tragedy strikes and leaves her overwhelmed by her loss. She is persuaded by her father and her daughter to visit them in Chesapeake Shores. With the promise of family ties and a job at her son-in-law's Irish pub, Keira agrees. What she definitely did not count on is finding herself working in the pub alongside the surliest chef she's ever known, and what's more, he's also her neighbor. The town's matchmakers claim where there's heat, there's fire, but can these two wounded souls get past their conflict?
The Stolen Marriage, by Diane Chamberlain. Tess Demello is riddled with guilt and cannot live the lie that is her life. It's 1944, she's pregnant and alone after ending the relationship with the love of her life and leaving her budding career as a nurse. Instead, she marries the baby's father, a secretive man who stays out all night, and Tess finds herself in a strange and loveless marriage. What's worse, they've moved to Henry's hometown, where he is much beloved by Tess is a stranger, treated as an outcast. Everyone seems to know something about her husband that Tess does not, and when a girl from town dies, suspicion falls on Tess. It is only when tragedy strikes their town that Tess finds her place in the community, but it may finally unveil Henry's secret life and shatter both their lives in the process. Readers looking for a captivating page-turner, look no further.
Also available in Large Print.
Merry and Bright, by Debbie Macomber. In this holiday novel of first impressions and second chances, bestseller Macomber introduces readers to Merry Knight, who spends her days taking care of her family and trying to evade her stressed-out boss at the consulting firm where she's temping. Her social life is the last thing on her mind, but when her mother and brother sign her up for an online dating profile (minus photo) and matches begin to roll in, Merry reluctantly agrees to see what happens. She begins chatting with a charming stranger, their exchanges becoming the brightest part of her day. When it comes to meeting him face to face, will it be a total disaster? Also available in Large Print.
Fairytale, by Danielle Steel. In this modern retelling of the Cinderella story, Steel pits a happy family against tragedy, with Camille, heiress to a Napa Valley vineyard and estate, caught in the middle. Will she succeed against nefarious plots against her inheritance and her very life? Will her knight in shining armor ride to her rescue? Will her fairy godmother save her? Or is it up to Camille to save herself. Steel's legion of fans won't want to miss out. Also available in Large Print.
Lilac Lane, by Sherryl Woods. Kiera Malone struggled alone for years to raise her three children, and when she finally opened herself to the possibility of a relationship again, tragedy strikes and leaves her overwhelmed by her loss. She is persuaded by her father and her daughter to visit them in Chesapeake Shores. With the promise of family ties and a job at her son-in-law's Irish pub, Keira agrees. What she definitely did not count on is finding herself working in the pub alongside the surliest chef she's ever known, and what's more, he's also her neighbor. The town's matchmakers claim where there's heat, there's fire, but can these two wounded souls get past their conflict?
The Stolen Marriage, by Diane Chamberlain. Tess Demello is riddled with guilt and cannot live the lie that is her life. It's 1944, she's pregnant and alone after ending the relationship with the love of her life and leaving her budding career as a nurse. Instead, she marries the baby's father, a secretive man who stays out all night, and Tess finds herself in a strange and loveless marriage. What's worse, they've moved to Henry's hometown, where he is much beloved by Tess is a stranger, treated as an outcast. Everyone seems to know something about her husband that Tess does not, and when a girl from town dies, suspicion falls on Tess. It is only when tragedy strikes their town that Tess finds her place in the community, but it may finally unveil Henry's secret life and shatter both their lives in the process. Readers looking for a captivating page-turner, look no further.
Also available in Large Print.
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Meg's Picks: August 2017, part 2
I can't believe it's going to be August next week! Where is this summer going? Good thing there's plenty of summer reading yet to be had, so readers can soak up as much summer fiction as possible. Here's what's made my list for August!
The Misfortune of Marion Palm, by Emily Culliton. This debut has been getting lots of great reviews already. Marion has always lived on the cusp of poverty, and along the way, she's developed a talent for sticky fingers and doctoring numbers in order to make ends meet. When she meets and marries a rich, successful poet, she thinks those hard days are behind her, only to find he's not as wealthy as she thought and that her talents will be called for once again. Readers meet her on the day she leaves her family with $40,000 in a backpack that she's embezzled from her daughter's private school. Wickedly clever, this is a debut I expect will be in high demand.
How To Find Love in a Bookshop, by Veronica Henry. Emilia's final promise to her father upon his deathbed is that she'll take over his small-town bookstore, and after his death, she seeks to fill his role at Nightingale Books. What she hasn't realized is that her father was a beloved fixture of their small English town, and she has very large shoes to fill. This is sure to charm Anglophiles and bibliophiles alike--I'm recommending this for fans of Jenny Colgan and Nina George in particular.
Afterlife, by Marcus Sakey. Already slated to be turned into a movie produced by Ron Howard, this otherworldly thriller follows two FBI agents as they explore the "echo", a postmortem plane, in a manhunt that defies death, even as a subterranean battle between gods and monsters rages. Part fable, part gruesome thriller, I'd recommend this to fans of The Walking Dead as well as Sakey's earlier work.
Girl in Snow, by Danya Kukafka. For fans of tautly-plotted thrillers comes a new voice. The life and death of 15-year-old Lucinda Hayes is examined by three residents of Broomsville, CO. Suspicion immediately falls on Cameron, disturbed son of a disgraced cop who abandoned his family, who loved Lucinda from afar. Then there's Jade, who took Lucinda's babysitting job and her best friend. And Russ, Cameron's dad's former partner, who promised that he'd look out for Cameron, but what if Cameron's guilty? If your beach read of choice is page-turning suspense, add this to your beach bag.
Are You Sleeping, by Kathleen Barber. Billed as Ruth Ware's In a Dark, Dark Wood meets Serial. When mega-hit true-crime podcast hosted by a journalist drags an old murder case back into the light, it is with the claim that the man convicted for the crime is actually innocent. But one of the victim's surviving family members, daughter Josie, has worked hard to escape from the fallout that followed her father's murder and has established a quiet life for herself. This is completely upended as more new episodes of the podcast are released, each creating bigger waves for Josie and her estranged family members. An intense plot and character study should make for a gripping read.
A Stranger in the House, by Shari Lapena. Lapena won a following with her first thriller, 2016's The Couple Next Door, and her second outing will win her more. A woman awakes after an accident where a dead body was found, but has no memory of the incident, nor what caused her to be there at the time. The police and her own husband are suspicious. Now she must piece together the events of that night, her best friend the only one who seems to believe her, and discover what happened, and what it may mean for her future.
Also available in Large Print.
The Misfortune of Marion Palm, by Emily Culliton. This debut has been getting lots of great reviews already. Marion has always lived on the cusp of poverty, and along the way, she's developed a talent for sticky fingers and doctoring numbers in order to make ends meet. When she meets and marries a rich, successful poet, she thinks those hard days are behind her, only to find he's not as wealthy as she thought and that her talents will be called for once again. Readers meet her on the day she leaves her family with $40,000 in a backpack that she's embezzled from her daughter's private school. Wickedly clever, this is a debut I expect will be in high demand.
How To Find Love in a Bookshop, by Veronica Henry. Emilia's final promise to her father upon his deathbed is that she'll take over his small-town bookstore, and after his death, she seeks to fill his role at Nightingale Books. What she hasn't realized is that her father was a beloved fixture of their small English town, and she has very large shoes to fill. This is sure to charm Anglophiles and bibliophiles alike--I'm recommending this for fans of Jenny Colgan and Nina George in particular.
Afterlife, by Marcus Sakey. Already slated to be turned into a movie produced by Ron Howard, this otherworldly thriller follows two FBI agents as they explore the "echo", a postmortem plane, in a manhunt that defies death, even as a subterranean battle between gods and monsters rages. Part fable, part gruesome thriller, I'd recommend this to fans of The Walking Dead as well as Sakey's earlier work.
Girl in Snow, by Danya Kukafka. For fans of tautly-plotted thrillers comes a new voice. The life and death of 15-year-old Lucinda Hayes is examined by three residents of Broomsville, CO. Suspicion immediately falls on Cameron, disturbed son of a disgraced cop who abandoned his family, who loved Lucinda from afar. Then there's Jade, who took Lucinda's babysitting job and her best friend. And Russ, Cameron's dad's former partner, who promised that he'd look out for Cameron, but what if Cameron's guilty? If your beach read of choice is page-turning suspense, add this to your beach bag.
Are You Sleeping, by Kathleen Barber. Billed as Ruth Ware's In a Dark, Dark Wood meets Serial. When mega-hit true-crime podcast hosted by a journalist drags an old murder case back into the light, it is with the claim that the man convicted for the crime is actually innocent. But one of the victim's surviving family members, daughter Josie, has worked hard to escape from the fallout that followed her father's murder and has established a quiet life for herself. This is completely upended as more new episodes of the podcast are released, each creating bigger waves for Josie and her estranged family members. An intense plot and character study should make for a gripping read.
A Stranger in the House, by Shari Lapena. Lapena won a following with her first thriller, 2016's The Couple Next Door, and her second outing will win her more. A woman awakes after an accident where a dead body was found, but has no memory of the incident, nor what caused her to be there at the time. The police and her own husband are suspicious. Now she must piece together the events of that night, her best friend the only one who seems to believe her, and discover what happened, and what it may mean for her future.
Also available in Large Print.
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Reading Ahead: August 2017, part 3
We have three of a kind in today's post! If you're a sucker for an easy read in the summer, here are three to choose from next month.
Any Dream Will Do, by Debbie Macomber. Two people, each at a crossroads, strike up a friendship that each desperately needs. For Shay, a family situation has left her looking for a place to stay and an opportunity to start over. For Pastor Drew, the loss of his wife has eclipsed all but his love for his children, leaving his flock mostly untended. Shay finds a champion and Drew rediscovers his purpose, but when Shay's past rears its ugly head, everything each is building may be destroyed. Also available in Large Print.
You Say It First, by Susan Mallery. Pallas Saunders is trying to turn her business, Weddings In A Box, into something solvent. She hires sculptor turned carpenter Nick to help at the venue. But when a bride begs for something different, Nick and Pallas decide to revamp the business. In the process, love seems inevitable for the duo. Need a sweet love story? This is a sure thing. Also available in Large Print.
Map of the Heart, by Susan Wiggs. In a tale that moves between present-day Delaware and the battlefields of WWII France, Wiggs's latest uncovers one family's secret past and what that means for the next generations. For Camille Palmer, personal tragedy has led her to hide away with her teenage daughter in a sleepy coastal town. When a package mysteriously appears at their door, Camille, as well as her daughter and father, embark upon a trip to her father's hometown in France, uncovering family roots Camille didn't know about, as well as a way forward toward peace. Also available in Large Print.
Any Dream Will Do, by Debbie Macomber. Two people, each at a crossroads, strike up a friendship that each desperately needs. For Shay, a family situation has left her looking for a place to stay and an opportunity to start over. For Pastor Drew, the loss of his wife has eclipsed all but his love for his children, leaving his flock mostly untended. Shay finds a champion and Drew rediscovers his purpose, but when Shay's past rears its ugly head, everything each is building may be destroyed. Also available in Large Print.
You Say It First, by Susan Mallery. Pallas Saunders is trying to turn her business, Weddings In A Box, into something solvent. She hires sculptor turned carpenter Nick to help at the venue. But when a bride begs for something different, Nick and Pallas decide to revamp the business. In the process, love seems inevitable for the duo. Need a sweet love story? This is a sure thing. Also available in Large Print.
Map of the Heart, by Susan Wiggs. In a tale that moves between present-day Delaware and the battlefields of WWII France, Wiggs's latest uncovers one family's secret past and what that means for the next generations. For Camille Palmer, personal tragedy has led her to hide away with her teenage daughter in a sleepy coastal town. When a package mysteriously appears at their door, Camille, as well as her daughter and father, embark upon a trip to her father's hometown in France, uncovering family roots Camille didn't know about, as well as a way forward toward peace. Also available in Large Print.
Friday, July 7, 2017
What I've Been Reading: June 2017
I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday weekend--I know I did! I am back, reasonably rested, and ready to share what I've been reading! I'll be back in full swing next week with some August fiction to look forward to. In the meantime, here's what's been good around here.
Right Behind You, by Lisa Gardner. Gardner is one of my favorites when it comes to thrillers--she is reliably entertaining, her characters relate-able, her plotting tight and fast. If you want a page-turner to keep you guessing, this is one I recommend highly. At thirteen, Sharlah Nash has had a tough life. She witnessed the death of her parents at the hands of her older brother, Telly, who was nine at the time. She bounced around the foster system for a number of years before landing with FBI profiler Pierce Quincy and his partner, Rainie Conner. This is, finally, the best possible place for her, and Sharlah is just starting to settle in when her estranged brother pops back up on the radar--evidence suggests that he's on a killing spree and his ultimate target may be Sharlah... One of the best thrillers I've read in recent memory.
Brooklyn, by Colm Toibin. This is my book club's selection for our July meeting. I have to admit--this was a hard one for me to get into. I switched to the audiobook after a few chapters and had better luck. Eilis Lacey is unable to find a good job in Ireland in the years following World War II. When an Irish priest from Brooklyn offers to sponsor her to live and work in America, Eilis ultimately decides to go, though it means leaving behind her mother and older sister. She works through her homesickness, working in a department store during the day and attending night classes, until tragic news from home brings her to have to make a final choice between returning to her past in Ireland or forging ahead with her plans in America. A short novel in which Eilis is less of a main character than a lense through which the reader experiences life in 1950s Brooklyn. I know this is a favorite of many, but I'm unfortunately not among them.
Woman No. 17, by Edan Lepucki. Writer Lady Daniels is taking a break from her marriage, but then finds herself confronted with the dilemma of coping with her two children, particularly her toddler, while trying to write under a deadline. She hires magnetic young artist S, who will live in the guesthouse out back, care for two-year-old Devin, and keep an eye on Lady's older teenage son, Seth. S is immediately indispensable, bonding with Devin and becoming a confidant to Lady. But the line between employee and something more blur quickly between S and the Daniels family as it seems everyone is keeping dark secrets which could spell destruction for everyone involved. Fraught with tension, this kept me guessing to the very end. For those who liked novels like You by Caroline Kepnes or Jessica Knoll's The Luckiest Girl Alive, consider adding this to your reading list.
Any Day Now, by Robyn Carr. Summer wouldn't be summer without some beachy reads. Here, in the second of Carr's new Sullivan's Crossing series (following 2016's opener, What We Find), Sierra Jones aims to leave her troubled past behind her as she stops for a visit with older brother Cal and his fiancee Maggie at Sullivan's Crossing, the campground at the crossing of the Continental Divide and Colorado trails. Sierra's future is not clear, however, and so she does not intend to put down roots here. She finds work, but never expected to find love, or a place to belong. Sweet, gentle, relaxing, easy reading. Just what a summer read ought to be.
Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery, by Jenny Colgan. The followup to Colgan's delightful Little Beach Street Bakery (2015) revisits Polly Waterford and her life on the tiny island off the southern coast of England. She's running a thriving bakery, she's got a home, a boyfriend, a pet puffin, and a community she loves. All of this slowly starts to crumble, however, when her landlady passes and the new property manager sacks her. Her boyfriend goes back to America to help with a family crisis. Polly, however, is nothing if not resourceful--she meets calamity head-on and finds a way through. Heartwarming, laugh-out-loud funny, this is classic Colgan. If you're looking for a new author to add to favorites like Elin Hilderbrand and Jane Green, I recommend Jenny Colgan.
Hunger: a memoir of (my) body, by Roxanne Gay. Gay is the best-selling author of Bad Feminist and Difficult Women. Here, she presents a searingly honest look at self-care, hunger, body image, and trauma as she has experienced them. She uses her own struggles to shed light on the shared cultural anxieties surrounding health, pleasure, appearance, and consumption. Eloquent and enlightening.
Come Sundown, by Nora Roberts. Latest by best-seller Roberts. Bodine Longbow is a businesswoman with strong family ties--she runs a sprawling resort on her family's Montana ranch, and three generations of Bodines and Longbows work alongside her. She is meticulous, vetting new hires herself, and that includes Cal Skinner, who has returned to his hometown after years in Hollywood. The crush Bo had on him years ago? That's not even on her radar...until it is. But life at the bustling resort gets an added dose of frenzy when old grudges rear their ugly heads, and a dark family secret comes home to roost. While the cast of thousands could have been pared back a little for this reader's taste, the book stands as a solid page-turner. As always, I like Roberts's characters, and they make reading a pleasure.
Right Behind You, by Lisa Gardner. Gardner is one of my favorites when it comes to thrillers--she is reliably entertaining, her characters relate-able, her plotting tight and fast. If you want a page-turner to keep you guessing, this is one I recommend highly. At thirteen, Sharlah Nash has had a tough life. She witnessed the death of her parents at the hands of her older brother, Telly, who was nine at the time. She bounced around the foster system for a number of years before landing with FBI profiler Pierce Quincy and his partner, Rainie Conner. This is, finally, the best possible place for her, and Sharlah is just starting to settle in when her estranged brother pops back up on the radar--evidence suggests that he's on a killing spree and his ultimate target may be Sharlah... One of the best thrillers I've read in recent memory.
Brooklyn, by Colm Toibin. This is my book club's selection for our July meeting. I have to admit--this was a hard one for me to get into. I switched to the audiobook after a few chapters and had better luck. Eilis Lacey is unable to find a good job in Ireland in the years following World War II. When an Irish priest from Brooklyn offers to sponsor her to live and work in America, Eilis ultimately decides to go, though it means leaving behind her mother and older sister. She works through her homesickness, working in a department store during the day and attending night classes, until tragic news from home brings her to have to make a final choice between returning to her past in Ireland or forging ahead with her plans in America. A short novel in which Eilis is less of a main character than a lense through which the reader experiences life in 1950s Brooklyn. I know this is a favorite of many, but I'm unfortunately not among them.
Woman No. 17, by Edan Lepucki. Writer Lady Daniels is taking a break from her marriage, but then finds herself confronted with the dilemma of coping with her two children, particularly her toddler, while trying to write under a deadline. She hires magnetic young artist S, who will live in the guesthouse out back, care for two-year-old Devin, and keep an eye on Lady's older teenage son, Seth. S is immediately indispensable, bonding with Devin and becoming a confidant to Lady. But the line between employee and something more blur quickly between S and the Daniels family as it seems everyone is keeping dark secrets which could spell destruction for everyone involved. Fraught with tension, this kept me guessing to the very end. For those who liked novels like You by Caroline Kepnes or Jessica Knoll's The Luckiest Girl Alive, consider adding this to your reading list.
Any Day Now, by Robyn Carr. Summer wouldn't be summer without some beachy reads. Here, in the second of Carr's new Sullivan's Crossing series (following 2016's opener, What We Find), Sierra Jones aims to leave her troubled past behind her as she stops for a visit with older brother Cal and his fiancee Maggie at Sullivan's Crossing, the campground at the crossing of the Continental Divide and Colorado trails. Sierra's future is not clear, however, and so she does not intend to put down roots here. She finds work, but never expected to find love, or a place to belong. Sweet, gentle, relaxing, easy reading. Just what a summer read ought to be.
Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery, by Jenny Colgan. The followup to Colgan's delightful Little Beach Street Bakery (2015) revisits Polly Waterford and her life on the tiny island off the southern coast of England. She's running a thriving bakery, she's got a home, a boyfriend, a pet puffin, and a community she loves. All of this slowly starts to crumble, however, when her landlady passes and the new property manager sacks her. Her boyfriend goes back to America to help with a family crisis. Polly, however, is nothing if not resourceful--she meets calamity head-on and finds a way through. Heartwarming, laugh-out-loud funny, this is classic Colgan. If you're looking for a new author to add to favorites like Elin Hilderbrand and Jane Green, I recommend Jenny Colgan.
Hunger: a memoir of (my) body, by Roxanne Gay. Gay is the best-selling author of Bad Feminist and Difficult Women. Here, she presents a searingly honest look at self-care, hunger, body image, and trauma as she has experienced them. She uses her own struggles to shed light on the shared cultural anxieties surrounding health, pleasure, appearance, and consumption. Eloquent and enlightening.
Come Sundown, by Nora Roberts. Latest by best-seller Roberts. Bodine Longbow is a businesswoman with strong family ties--she runs a sprawling resort on her family's Montana ranch, and three generations of Bodines and Longbows work alongside her. She is meticulous, vetting new hires herself, and that includes Cal Skinner, who has returned to his hometown after years in Hollywood. The crush Bo had on him years ago? That's not even on her radar...until it is. But life at the bustling resort gets an added dose of frenzy when old grudges rear their ugly heads, and a dark family secret comes home to roost. While the cast of thousands could have been pared back a little for this reader's taste, the book stands as a solid page-turner. As always, I like Roberts's characters, and they make reading a pleasure.
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Reading Ahead: July 2017, part 3
While I love thrillers as much as anyone (I'm currently reading two simultaneously, which is easier than it sounds.), but sometimes, summer calls for easy reading. Something that makes you keep turning the pages, that holds your interest, but doesn't demand that you keep track of a cast of thousands or diagram out details to keep the plot straight. If entertaining and undemanding sounds like your kind of summer read, here are a couple to consider.
Cocoa Beach, by Beatriz Williams. Williams's (A Hundred Summers, 2013, etc.) latest is actually due out at the end of June, a recent change, but I thought I'd add it in here anyway. Burdened by a dark family secret, Virginia Fortescue flees her oppressive home in New York City for the battlefields of World War I France. While an ambulance driver for the Red Cross, she meets a charismatic British army surgeon whose persistent charm opens her heart to the possibility of love. As the war rages, Virginia falls into a passionate affair with the dashing Captain Simon Fitzwilliam, only to discover that his past has its own dark secrets—secrets that will damage their eventual marriage and propel her back across the Atlantic to the sister and father she left behind. Part mystery, part romance, all delicious summer reading.
The Nearness of You, by Dorothy Garlock. For sheltered librarian Lily Denton, the bustle of New York City is an adventure she dreams about. But in the wake of her mother's passing, her father keeps Lily close to home, so she works and she dreams. Until the 1952 Fall Festival begins and the tourists flock to her town, among them professional photographer Boone Tatum. He's got a gift for trouble, but his life on the go seems to slow when he sees Lily Denton. Danger has also come to town, though, and the joy Lily and Boone have found together is in peril unless Lily can stand her ground and fight. A love story with heart. Also available in Large Print.
Cocoa Beach, by Beatriz Williams. Williams's (A Hundred Summers, 2013, etc.) latest is actually due out at the end of June, a recent change, but I thought I'd add it in here anyway. Burdened by a dark family secret, Virginia Fortescue flees her oppressive home in New York City for the battlefields of World War I France. While an ambulance driver for the Red Cross, she meets a charismatic British army surgeon whose persistent charm opens her heart to the possibility of love. As the war rages, Virginia falls into a passionate affair with the dashing Captain Simon Fitzwilliam, only to discover that his past has its own dark secrets—secrets that will damage their eventual marriage and propel her back across the Atlantic to the sister and father she left behind. Part mystery, part romance, all delicious summer reading.
The Nearness of You, by Dorothy Garlock. For sheltered librarian Lily Denton, the bustle of New York City is an adventure she dreams about. But in the wake of her mother's passing, her father keeps Lily close to home, so she works and she dreams. Until the 1952 Fall Festival begins and the tourists flock to her town, among them professional photographer Boone Tatum. He's got a gift for trouble, but his life on the go seems to slow when he sees Lily Denton. Danger has also come to town, though, and the joy Lily and Boone have found together is in peril unless Lily can stand her ground and fight. A love story with heart. Also available in Large Print.
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Reading Ahead: June 2017, part 4
Feeling the need to plan your summer reading? Next month's titles will get your summer off to a great start!
The Identicals, by Elin Hilderbrand. Identical twin sisters couldn't be more different. Harper Frost is laid-back, easygoing. She doesn't care what anyone
thinks of her. She likes a beer and a shot and wouldn't be caught dead
wearing anything fashionable. She's inherited her father's rundown house
on Martha's Vineyard, but she can't hold down a job, and her latest
romantic disaster has the entire island talking.
Tabitha Frost is dignified, refined. She prefers a fine wine and has inherited the impeccable taste of her mother, the iconic fashion designer Eleanor Roxie-Frost. She's also inherited her mother's questionable parenting skills--Tabitha's teenage daughter, Ainsley, is in full rebellion mode--and a flailing fashion boutique on Nantucket in desperate need of a cash infusion.
After more than a decade apart, Harper and Tabitha switch islands--and lives--to save what's left of their splintered family. But the twins quickly discover that the secrets, lies, and gossip they thought they'd outrun can travel between islands just as easily as they can. Hilderbrand is the queen of the summer novel--fans are already lining up for this new title. Also available in Large Print.
Tabitha Frost is dignified, refined. She prefers a fine wine and has inherited the impeccable taste of her mother, the iconic fashion designer Eleanor Roxie-Frost. She's also inherited her mother's questionable parenting skills--Tabitha's teenage daughter, Ainsley, is in full rebellion mode--and a flailing fashion boutique on Nantucket in desperate need of a cash infusion.
After more than a decade apart, Harper and Tabitha switch islands--and lives--to save what's left of their splintered family. But the twins quickly discover that the secrets, lies, and gossip they thought they'd outrun can travel between islands just as easily as they can. Hilderbrand is the queen of the summer novel--fans are already lining up for this new title. Also available in Large Print.
The Sunshine Sisters, by Jane Green. In this emotional, warm novel from fan-favorite Green, three sisters who left home (and their narcissistic, disinterested celebrity mother) years ago must now return when their mother learns of her fatal illness and asks her daughters to fulfill her final wishes. This would also make a great book club selection in months to come.
The Duchess, by Danielle Steel. Steel explores new territory in a novel that takes place in nineteenth-century England. Angélique Latham has grown up at magnificent Belgrave Castle under the
loving tutelage of her father, the Duke of Westerfield, after the death
of her aristocratic French mother. At eighteen she is her father’s
closest, most trusted child, schooled in managing their grand estate.
But when he dies, her half-brothers brutally turn her out, denying her
very existence. Angélique has a keen mind, remarkable beauty, and an
envelope of money her father pressed upon her. To survive, she will need
all her resources—and one bold stroke of fortune. Also available in Large Print.
Beach House For Rent, by Mary Alice Monroe. When Cara Rutledge rents out her quaint beach house on Isle of Palms to
Heather Wyatt for the entire summer, it’s a win-win by any standard:
Cara’s generating income necessary to keep husband Brett’s ecotourism
boat business afloat, and anxiety-prone Heather, an young artist who’s
been given a commission to paint birds on postage stamps, has a quiet
space in which to work and tend to her pet canaries uninterrupted. It isn’t long, however, before both women’s idyllic summers are altered irrevocably, resulting in the unlikeliest of rooming situations, two strangers ultimately becoming friends. Feel-good reading for the summer.
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