Thank you for joining me here!   I hope you enjoy this series and I’d love to hear from you about what you are reading these days.

Book #1:

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston (Length: 413 pages).   This is a middle-grade (fourth grade and up) fantasy book that reminds me a lot of Harry Potter, but a bit more grounded in reality. I really enjoyed this book, and I’m not a huge fantasy reader. I believe I first learned about this novel while listening to the Currently Reading podcast (a fantastic listen for book lovers!) and I’m so glad I picked it up. The plot is propulsive as it centers around a young teen girl who goes to a type of summer school or training ground for those with supernatural powers, in hopes of finding her older brother who had gone missing from the same school. The character development is decent, and I’m hopeful there are sequels to this amazing book. The setting (the training school) is the star here. This is absolutely worth a read, for middle grade to adult!

Book #2:

Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton (Length: 321 pages). I freaking LOVE this book!!! This is a fantastically imaginative story about an intelligent crow living in Seattle named ST (short for Shit Turd) who, along with the rest of the animal kingdom, domestic and wild, survives a zombie apocalypse triggered by a worldwide virus. This is laugh-out-loud funny (and I rarely find things funny enough to laugh about while reading), sad, very creepy thanks to some gory and scary scenes, with a hell of a plot. This is not for everyone (and admittedly the above description had kept me from picking it up for a while) but since many people whose opinions and reviews I respect highly recommend it, I finally took the leap. I’d suggest reading the first chapter and if that doesn’t hook you, don’t keep reading. I couldn’t put it down, and I am recommending it to everyone (with an open mind) I know. Five stars for sure!

Book #3:

Lonesome Cowboy by Debbie Macomber (Length: 177 pages).   I picked this one up at a library book sale, honestly just because it was cheap and I’m sometimes in the mood for novels where I don’t have to think too hard. This one is the first novel in the author’s Heart of Texas series. It’s cute, without much depth, which is typical of these types of romance novels. There is a enough plot here to keep the reader interested (will the sister of a brother/sister duo running their inherited ranch strike out on her own, personally and professionally?). The author also teases the significance of a nearby ghost town called Bitter End, in an effort to keep you reading further in the series. Since I also have the next novel in the series (Texas Two-Step) and that novel further develops characters introduced here, I’ll likely check it out. This is a quick beach read, worth at least a library check out.

Thank you for joining me here!   I hope you enjoy this series and I’d love to hear from you about what you are reading these days.

Book #1:

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (Length: 434 pages).   I’ve been hearing about this book for a long time so I was excited to finally read it. The main character Addie sells her soul to the devil in exchange for getting to live a more exciting life than she would if she stayed in her sleepy town in France. The tradeoff is that she will never be remembered by anyone the second she leaves their sight. I will say that the character development of the titular character is excellent, as are the plot and the various settings (France and NYC). There are a few factual inconsistencies that are a bit distracting (for example, Addie says she’s never had champagne before in Chapter 20, but in Chapter 18 she mentions drinking it). I also found the writing to be a bit overwrought and overdramatic, but the novel is still a total page-turner.

Book #2:

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry (Length: 382 pages). If you enjoyed Beach Read by this author, you will love this novel as well. It’s chick lit but well-written and the characters have emotional depth. This time around the two central characters take an annual summer vacation together, regardless of whether or not they are involved with anyone else romantically. It’s very When Harry Met Sally, with flashbacks. Poppy works for a travel magazine in NYC (and writes a travel blog) while Alex is a teacher in Ohio. The travel aspect of this novel is a lot of fun as Henry does a great job with creating a sense of place. Like with Beach Read, the dialogue is the best part here as it’s snarky and witty in parts, and actually laugh out loud funny in others. I wish all romance novels were as well-written as this one, as I’d read them a lot more. It should go without saying that this is the perfect beach/vacation read.

Book #3:

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (Length: 482 pages).   If you loved The Martian, this is the book for you! I think this is even better than Weir’s first book . . . it’s got the same very witty dialogue/thoughts, and a propulsive plot, but this one goes even further creatively than The Martian, and is a total joy to read. Just as with the first, I tuned out a lot of the scientific (and mathematic!) details but it’s all still incredibly interesting. My favorite part of the novel, and when it really gets interesting, is jazz hands! (When you know, you know.) This would make an excellent Father’s Day gift as well–even non-readers will enjoy it because it’s so fun to read.

Thank you for joining me here!   I hope you enjoy this series and I’d love to hear from you about what you are reading these days.

Book #1:

No Bad Deed by Heather Chavez (Length: 325 pages).   This is a thriller set in Northern California that starts with a woman rescuing another woman she sees being chased by a scary-looking ex-convict. Complications ensue, and this is a nail-biter that’s difficult to put down. While it’s a bit graphic in terms of violence, I didn’t find the violent scenes to be gratuitous so they didn’t bother me very much. The central mystery is well-crafted even if it’s a bit formulaic (I felt like I’ve read something similar to this, but in a less well-written novel). The writing here is strong, as are the plot and the sense of place, but the character development is pretty thin–perhaps to preserve the mystery? Overall, it’s worth a read (a library check out for sure).

Book #2:

Smile: The Story of a Face by Sarah Ruhl (Length: 256 pages). This is an ARC of a memoir which comes out in October of 2021 I believe, and is written by a Broadway playwright living in NYC who suffers from long-term (over a decade) Bell’s Palsy, the onset of which occurred after she delivered twins. I was interested in this because a good friend also has the same diagnosis. This memoir traverses the past decade as she deals with this very obvious facial paralysis, first with intense frustration and depression, and eventually with grace and equanimity. The writing is excellent (as befits an award-winning playwright), but I do think the focus on Bell’s Palsy is a bit a too specific for most. I, for one, am glad I took the time to read this book as it gave me even more empathy for those who struggle with this disease, and I think I will always remember it.

Book #3:

Good Company by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney (Length: 314 pages).   The familial saga was written by the author of The Nest (which I’ve reviewed here previously). This novel is based on the world of theater in NYC as well as in television in Los Angeles and is based on two different couples, along with the daughter of one of the couples. The novel opens with one of the women finding a wedding ring her husband claimed he had lost almost two decades earlier, and the rest of the book attempts to answer the question why. This is very character-driven, and is told mostly in flashbacks. Since there is not much plot, this won’t be for everyone, but if you enjoy excellent writing and in-depth character development along with entangled family dramas (as I do), this is for you!

Book #4:

We Came, We Saw, We Left by Charles Wheelan (Length: 290 pages).   I LOVED this book! This is a family memoir/travelogue written by a Dartmouth professor about the nine months he and his family (three teenagers and his wife) all traveled to six continents in the span of nine months. He includes all of the nitty-gritty details of the planning, their daily budget, and how they decided where to visit. His writing style is very entertaining–witty, charming, and very real. He writes with honesty about his teenagers’ behavior and is also very self-deprecating. I loved reading about all of the places around the globe I’ll likely never get to visit–especially in South America. I never wanted the book (or their travels) to end. Definitely worth a read, and after you are finished, check out his family blog on Blogspot for more photos (he includes a handful in the book).

Thank you for joining me here!   I hope you enjoy this series and I’d love to hear from you about what you are reading these days.

Book #1:

Did I Say That Out Loud? by Kristin van Ogtrop (Length: 192 pages).   This book of essays on middle age is written by the former editor of Real Simple magazine, one of my favorite magazines ever. Each essay has something oddly relevant to my life as a middle-aged (but in my mind I’m 29!) woman. They are all witty, profound and interesting enough to read the entire book in one sitting. This is a must read for any woman born in the 1960s or 1970s!

Book #2:

28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand (Length: 433 pages). I find Hilderbrand’s novels to be consistently enjoyable–they’re not high-brow literature by any means, but she’s a decent writer and I never fail to finish a novel she’s written, so there’s that. This one is set in Nantucket, per usual, but the set up is a bit different in that two lovers meet once a summer during Labor Day weekend, for 28 years. (A la the Same Time, Next Year movie.) I found the writing to be stronger than her usual novels, with excellent character development. (The plot and setting take a back seat, predictably so). There is a tear-jerker of an ending, however, so be forewarned.

Book #3:

What Comes After by Joanne Tompkins (Length: 429 pages).   This novel was written by a judge and a former family law mediator about the aftermath of a teen homicide/suicide in a community in the Pacific Northwest. I listened to an interview of the author on a book podcast and she explained that she lived in a Quaker community for a month in order to understand that religion and culture, and I found the Quaker characters in this book to be the most interesting. This quote from the novel about Quakers really struck me: “. . . those who believed that loving presence and listening hearts saved far more souls than the millions of words written by man in God’s name”. The writing is fantastic here, as are both the plot and the depth of the character development. (The dog Rufus is one of my favorite characters in the book–apparently he’s modeled after her family dog). This novel is also quite the page turner as a few mysteries are revealed. This is absolutely a must read, and would make a fantastic book club choice!

Thank you for joining me here!   I hope you enjoy this series and I’d love to hear from you about what you are reading these days.

Book #1:

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez (Length: 385 pages).   This author comes highly recommended for writing well-written “chick lit” books. I picked up this first book in a three-book series to check her out. I enjoyed the snappy dialogue as well as the character development, but I will say that this particular book is an example of why I’m not a particularly huge fan of this genre. There are problems the protagonist has with her romantic partner that literally could be solved with a five-minute conversation to clear things up. Instead, we are drawn through the mud with the pair of them, all the while we are yelling, JUST TELL HIM! (The female protagonist thinks she’s infertile and the male protagonist wants children, so she’s too afraid to tell him this is why she can’t be with him.) This is annoying as heck to me but I guess this is the way the author is creating the central conflict here. Perhaps I’ve had too much life and relationship experience for this book? If you are into a fun, breezy read, this is a good one to check out, but if you’re also easily annoyed like me . . . consider yourself forewarned.

Book #2:

Gratitude by Oliver Sacks (Length: 63 pages). I picked up this very slim volume of four essays on gratitude after reading about someone who keeps this on their nightstand to read whenever they are in need of a reminder to be grateful they are alive. These four essays by this hugely prolific author (and doctor–the neurologist at the center of Awakenings) were written by Saks in the two years before his death from liver cancer. The essays contain his thoughts on dying, old age, etc and are absolutely worth reading. They aren’t maudlin in the slightest, and indeed, are reminders to us to be grateful for every sunrise, every sunset and every day.

Book #3:

The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez (Length: 401 pages).   This is the sequel to The Friend Zone reviewed above. I enjoyed this book much more than the first. It features Sloan, the BFF of the protagonist Kristen in the initial book, and she’s definitely not as angsty as Kristen which helps. The dialogue in this book is snappy and fun, just as in the first book, but the romantic relationship at the center is much more natural (even though the boy is a huge rock star). In an ironic twist, Kristen tells Sloan to just talk to her boyfriend to resolve their big issue. Duh! This is a fun beach read, and the writing and character development are sufficiently well-done that I’ll likely read the third book in this series sometime.