May books, part 2

Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, Elizabeth L. Cline
Cline traces the rapid rise of “fast fashion” chains, which sell billions of pieces of shoddy clothing to Americans every year. She visits factories, talks to industry insiders and takes a long, hard look at her own closet, vowing to shop less, and shop more sustainably, in the future. Made me want to examine my closet and either a) never buy clothes again, or b) do a lot more research before I plunk down any money on my next shopping trip. To review for Shelf Awareness (out June 14).

The Royal Treatment, Lindsey Leavitt
This sequel to Princess for Hire, which I read recently, was even better than the original. Desi’s work as a “sub” for princesses when they go on vacation (or want to avoid tough situations) has emboldened her to try out for – and win a starring role in – a school play. She begins to suspect her bosses at the sub agency aren’t telling her everything (she’s right), and she handles a few sticky situations rather well. Hilarious, with such a sweet ending. Book 3 comes out next month!

Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, Gustavo Arellano
As a Texan, this book made me salivate (and decry, again, the sad lack of Mexican food here in the Northeast). Arellano tells the tale of how Mexican food, from chili to tacos to salsa, has spread across the U.S. He focuses on California (where he lives), but he does chronicle the journeys of various Mexican food items and restaurant chains around the country. (Abilene, birthplace of Taco Bueno, got a mention – though he left out Rosa’s, my favorite homegrown Tex-Mex chain.) From World’s Fair expositions to canned tortillas to salsa and chili cook-offs, this book was fascinating and hunger-inducing.

Dying in the Wool, Frances Brody
Kate Shackleton, World War I widow, takes on her first paid investigation: trying to locate a friend’s father, who disappeared several years ago. The setting – Yorkshire’s woolen mills – was interesting and the mystery was fairly plausible, but somehow this book felt a bit lackluster to me. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by Maisie Dobbs and Bess Crawford; Kate was certainly less subtle and less engaging than either of them.

Summer of the Gypsy Moths, Sara Pennypacker
Stella loves the quiet routine of living with her great-aunt Louise on Cape Cod (while her mom goes off to “find herself”). Tough, snarky foster kid Angel is the only sour note. But when something happens to Louise, the two girls band together to live on their own and manage a few vacation cottages, while clinging to the hope that they’ll finally belong to a real family. The writing is quietly evocative, and I ached for both these girls to find a real home at last. Lovely.

An Irish Country Girl, Patrick Taylor
Mrs. Maureen Kincaid, housekeeper to the two doctors of Ballybucklebo, recounts a story from her childhood in County Cork to a group of wide-eyed children and becomes immersed in her own memories. Lots of Irish mythology here, and I loved learning Maureen’s story – everything from her family life to how she received the gift of second sight to how she met the man she loved. Warmhearted and evocative. (I love this series.)

The Boy Next Door, Meg Cabot
Told entirely in emails, this is a fun New York love story involving a case of mistaken identity, hilariously nosy coworkers and a 120-pound Great Dane. The protagonist, Melissa (a small-town Midwestern girl), is sweet and funny and completely believable, and while a few of the other characters are stereotypes, they’re still a lot of fun. Frothy but smart – a great intro to Cabot’s books. (For the Meg Cabot read-along over at Book Club Girl.)

The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human, Jonathan Gottschall
The human race has always thrived on story, and Gottschall sets out to explain why. His main point is that we are “wired” for story: it is integral to the way we think of ourselves, shape our societies, choose careers, relate to others, and fall in love. (He didn’t have to convince me, and I did get a little sick of him hammering the point home.) Some of his examples were fascinating, and others seemed chosen primarily for shock value. He does touch on various fields as they relate to story: neuroscience, psychology, religion, the book and film industries, even role-playing games. Interesting, if a bit heavy-handed at times.

The Thread, Victoria Hislop
A gorgeous, sweeping, richly detailed story of Greece in the 20th century, from two world wars to civil unrest to massive population relocation (Jews and Muslims), featuring two natural disasters that devastated Thessaloniki. I loved the crowded, colorful, multicultural neighborhood where main character Katerina lives; it’s peopled by wonderful characters. Lovely descriptions, and though the plot is often heartbreaking, it gave me a deep admiration for the Greek people. To review for Shelf Awareness (out July 10).

(This post contains IndieBound affiliate links. Graphic by Sarah.)