June reading roundup #1

We are nearly halfway through June, and it’s finally (sometimes) sit-outside-and-read weather. Here’s what I have been reading:

Fencing with the King, Diana Abu-Jaber
To celebrate the King of Jordan’s 60th birthday, Gabriel Hamdan (once the King’s favorite fencing partner) and his daughter, Amani, travel back to their home country. Reeling from her divorce, Amani becomes intent on uncovering the story of her mysterious grandmother, a Palestinian refugee. Meanwhile, her smooth-talking powerful uncle is keeping other secrets. Abu-Jaber’s writing is lush and thoughtful; I was totally swept up by Amani’s story. Recommended by Anne.

The Unsinkable Greta James, Jennifer E. Smith
I love Smith’s sweet, thoughtful YA novels. This, her adult debut, follows Greta James, an indie musician who’s struggling after the death of her mother. Greta goes on an Alaskan cruise with her dad and some family friends. She meets a guy, yes, but it’s more about her internal journey as a musician and a daughter. I liked it; didn’t love it, but it kept me reading.

The Cartographers, Peng Shepherd
Seven years ago, Nell Young lost her job, her professional reputation and her relationship with her father after an argument over a cheap gas station map. When her father is found dead in his office at the New York Public Library, Nell follows the clues – including that map – to a mysterious group of mapmakers and some long-held family secrets. I loved this twisty, literary mystery with so much depth and heart. A truly fantastic ride.

The Farm on the Roof: What Brooklyn Grange Taught Us About Entrepreneurship, Community, and Growing a Sustainable Business, Anastasia Cole Plakias
Plakias is a cofounder of Brooklyn Grange, a pioneering urban rooftop farm in NYC. This book tells the story of the farm’s founding, from a (mostly) business perspective. Super interesting to see all the facets of starting – and sustaining – a green rooftop farm. Found at the wonderful Portsmouth Book & Bar.

Room and Board, Miriam Parker
After her PR business implodes, Gillian Brodie finds herself working as a dorm mother at the California boarding school she attended as a teenager on scholarship. Parker’s second novel follows Gillian as she confronts old wounds and deals with new scandals (and extremely privileged students). I liked the premise, but this one fell flat for me. Out Aug. 16.

A Dish to Die For, Lucy Burdette
Food critic Hayley Snow is out for a relaxing lunch with a friend when her dog finds a body in the sand. The deceased, a local real estate developer, had plenty of enemies, and soon Hayley (of course) gets drawn into investigating the case. I love this series, and this was a really fun entry, exploring marriage and family and vintage recipes. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Aug. 9).

The Codebreaker’s Secret, Sara Ackerman
After losing her beloved brother Walt at Pearl Harbor, codebreaker Isabel Cooper is thrilled to accept an assignment in Hawaii to help defeat the Japanese. Two decades later, a young reporter on assignment at a swank Hawaiian hotel uncovers some old secrets that may have a connection to Isabel. Enigmatic flyboy turned photographer Matteo Russi may prove to hold the key. A fast-paced, lushly described historical adventure with engaging characters. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Aug. 2).

Where the Rhythm Takes You, Sarah Dass
Reyna’s whole life has been devoted to her family’s hotel in Tobago, especially since her mother died. But when her first love, Aiden, returns to the island for a vacation with the members of his band, she’s forced to confront not only her heartache over their breakup, but the other ways she’s struggling to move forward. A wonderful YA novel with so much emotion and a great setting; made me want to listen to soca music. Reyna’s anger and grief felt so authentic. Recommended by Anne.

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my local faves Trident and Brookline Booksmith. Shop indie!

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August reading roundup #2

August was a whirlwind, and I capped it off with a quick solo trip to NYC. Between working, running and settling into my new place, here’s what I have been reading:

City of Girls, Elizabeth Gilbert
Vassar dropout Vivian Morris moves to Manhattan to live with her eccentric Aunt Peg, who runs a down-at-heel theatre company. Amid the glitz and heartbreak of the city, Vivian and her compatriots find, lose and reinvent themselves many times over. This novel is a champagne cocktail with some unexpected depth (and occasional bite). I loved Vivian (much more once she gained a little self-awareness) and the theatre crew, especially Peg and Olive, her stalwart secretary-general. So much fun.

Celine, Peter Heller
Private eye Celine Watkins is handed an intriguing cold case: that of a National Geographic photographer who disappeared in a national park years ago. She and her husband, Pete, take off in her son’s camper van to figure out what became of Paul Lamont. Witty and well plotted, with wonderful characters; I’d read a whole series about Celine. Recommended by Anne and Jaclyn.

Good Husbandry: Growing Food, Love and Family on Essex Farm, Kristin Kimball
I loved Kimball’s first memoir, The Dirty Life, about how she met and started a farm with her husband, Mark (entirely contrary to her former life plan). This, her second, digs deeper (ha) into their years of working the farm and making it sustainable in various ways (physical, financial, etc.). I love her warm honesty, her crisp, vivid prose, and the way she weaves together the day-to-day of farm life with the big questions of love, work, parenting and identity. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Oct. 15).

Waiting for Tom Hanks, Kerry Winfrey
Aspiring screenwriter Annie Cassidy is waiting: for her hair to calm down, for her life to improve, for her perfect rom-com hero (a la ’90s Tom Hanks) to materialize. But when she gets an assistant job on a movie set, the guy she meets isn’t quite what she expected (and neither is anyone else). Sweet, fast and funny; perfect weekend reading. Recommended by Anne.

Why Can’t I Be You, Allie Larkin
Jenny Shaw gets dumped on her way to a business conference – then gets mistaken for a stranger in the hotel lobby of said conference. Before she knows it, she’s swept up in pretending to be Jessie Morgan, attending her high school reunion and finding real connection with Jessie’s friends. But of course, the illusion can’t last. This one was equal parts fun and cringe-y for me, though I loved the supporting cast.

Mudlark: In Search of London’s Past Along the River Thames, Lara Meiklem
The River Thames has long been a repository for lost things, accidentally or on purpose. Meiklem is a veteran “mudlark”–a scavenger who’s fascinated by the river’s trash and treasure. Her book charts her own journeys on the Thames foreshore, the objects she finds and their histories, and so much fascinating backstory about the river, the city and its people. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Nov. 5).

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my favorite local bookstore, Brookline Booksmith.

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March reading roundup #1

I’ve had a couple of real duds lately: books I got pretty far into and then decided to jettison. But here’s the good stuff:

A Dog Called Jack, Ivy Pembroke
I love a sweet, witty chick-lit story once in a while – even better if it’s British. I grabbed this one at the library and happily curled up with it on a snowy weekend. It’s the story of Jack, a dog left behind by his previous owners who wins the hearts of a whole street in London. So lovely and fun.

Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me and You, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jonny Sun
It’s no secret I’m a Lin-Manuel fangirl (I even got to meet him last year). My husband gave me this warm, witty book of his good-morning and good-night tweets, illustrated. I’ve been flipping through it at night and – no surprise – it is so fun and encouraging.

The Weight of a Piano, Chris Cander
It took me a while to get into this novel – about two women, one in modern-day California and the other in 1960s Soviet Russia, who are linked by the Blüthner piano they both love. Despite the slow start, it’s a compelling story and the writing is really good. Especially enjoyable if you’re a musician.

The Farmer’s Son: Calving Season on a Family Farm, John Connell
Returning to his family’s farm in Ireland, John Connell wasn’t sure he wanted to stay. But helping his father (with whom he often clashes) through a calving and lambing season helped change his perspective. Beautifully written; a bit like a modern-day, more sober-eyed James Herriot. To review for Shelf Awareness (out May 7).

On Being 40(ish), edited by Lindsey Mead
Lindsey is a lovely Internet-to-real-life friend of mine, and I’m so proud of her work in editing this collection of smart, funny, honest essays. They address the experience of turning 40, navigating the next decade or so, and looking back on the experiences that led to 40. I’m 35, so I’m a little younger than the contributors, but I found much to ponder and relate to here. My favorite essay was Veronica Chambers’ “A Game of Two Halves.”

Correspondents, Tim Murphy
Since high school, Rita Khoury, the daughter of a large Lebanese-Irish Boston family, has longed to be a journalist. In the wake of 9/11, she’s sent to Beirut and then Baghdad to cover the U.S. occupation and its effects on ordinary Iraqis. She becomes close to her interpreter, Nabil, and a handful of other colleagues. Murphy tells their story with warmth and compassion. Vivid, compelling and so deeply human – highly recommended. To review for Shelf Awareness (out May 14).

Most links (not affiliate links) are to my favorite local bookstore, Brookline Booksmith.

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