December reading roundup #2

December reading is always a crazy mix of airplane reading, the last few review books of the year, and a couple of Advent/Christmas staples. (Above: the book of readings that has shaped my experience of Advent since 2001.) Here’s the last roundup of 2018:

Harry’s Trees, Jon Cohen
I grabbed this novel at the library after Anne raved about it. A slow start for me, but I fell in love with Harry Crane, a Forest Service employee who escapes to the woods after his wife dies. I loved the people he meets – Oriana, a young girl who’s lost her father; Amanda, her relentlessly practical mother; and Olive, the elderly pipe-smoking librarian who gives Oriana a book that changes everything. Magical and moving.

Darius the Great is Not Okay, Adib Khorram
Leigh and Kari both loved this book, and I really enjoyed it. Darius is an Iranian-American teen (and tea lover) who travels to Iran for the first time. His relationships with his dad and little sister were so well drawn and real, and I loved watching him make a real friend and bond with his grandparents.

Discontent and its Civilizations: Dispatches from Lahore, New York and London, Mohsin Hamid
Hamid is better known for his novels – like Exit West, which I loved – but this collection of his essays is wise and thought-provoking. I learned a lot about Pakistan from the “Politics” section, but found more to enjoy in “Art” and “Life.” Found (on sale) at the charming Papercuts JP last month.

Running Home, Katie Arnold
Arnold became a runner as a kid, almost by accident – at the urging of her photographer dad. She chronicles her journey with running (and later ultrarunning), interwoven with her dad’s illness, his death, and their complicated but deeply loving relationship. So many great lines about writing, life, family, and how we shape the stories we tell ourselves. I loved it as a runner and a writer, but I think even if you’re neither, it’s well worth reading. To review for Shelf Awareness (out March 12).

Star Crossed, Minnie Darke
Justine is a whip-smart Sagittarius with journalistic ambitions and little regard for astrology. Her childhood friend Nick is an aspiring Aquarian actor who trusts the stars for major life decisions. They reconnect – and Justine starts dabbling in astrology – in this fun Australian novel. I loved all the intertwined stories and Darke’s sharp observations about various star signs. To review for Shelf Awareness (out May 21).

Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others, Barbara Brown Taylor
Teaching Religion 101 to undergraduates in Georgia for nearly two decades, Taylor (a former Episcopal priest) found much to admire and even envy in Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism and Islam. She explores her experiences alongside her students’, and muses on what “holy envy” may have to offer those who are still deeply committed to their own faith. Thoughtful, insightful and so well done, like all Taylor’s books. To review for Shelf Awareness (out March 12).

Summer at the Garden Café, Felicity Hayes-McCoy
I loved Hayes-McCoy’s memoir about Ireland and enjoyed her first novel set there. This, the sequel, is charming and fun. It follows the lives of several people in a small village in western Ireland: librarian Hanna, her daughter Jazz, their colleagues and friends.

Winter Solstice, Rosamunde Pilcher
I received this book as a gift over a decade ago, and I still revisit it almost every December. It’s a story of five loosely connected people who end up in the north of Scotland one Christmas, and the ways they bring hope to each other. So good.

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

What are you reading as we head into 2019?

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February reading roundup #1

It has started snowing over here – not my favorite weather, but it’s good for curling up with books. Here’s what I’ve been reading lately:

Several Short Sentences About Writing, Verlyn Klinkenborg
I’ve enjoyed Klinkenborg’s columns in the New York Times, and loved this wise, thoughtful, wry, thought-provoking book on writing. I savored it over a couple of weeks. Bought at the wonderful Three Lives & Co. in NYC.

Paper and Fire (The Great Library #2), Rachel Caine
After being trained as foot soldiers for the Great Library of Alexandria, Jess Brightwell and his friends are staging a rebellion – if they survive that long. Caine’s sequel to Ink and Bone is fast-paced, bold and really well done. I can’t wait for book 3.

No Time Like the Past, Jodi Taylor
Madeleine Maxwell and her gang of time-traveling historians are back for a fifth adventure, which takes them to the Great Fire of London and Thermopylae, among other destinations. This series is so much fun – madcap, smart, hilarious and tea-soaked. This book was especially witty.

The Last Days of Café Leila, Donia Bijan
Since Noor left her homeland of Iran for the U.S. at 18, she’s missed her father and their family’s café – a neighborhood institution. After discovering her husband’s infidelity, Noor heads back to Tehran with her teenage daughter, Lily, in tow. The world they discover is both familiar and unknown to Noor, and totally new to Lily. A gorgeous novel of family, food, love and loss. (I also loved Bijan’s memoir, Maman’s Homesick Pie.) To review for Shelf Awareness (out April 18).

Lay Down Your Weary Tune, W.B. Belcher
With his love life and career both foundering, musician-cum-writer Jack Wyeth gets the chance to write the biography of his folk-music idol, Eli Page. But when Jack arrives at Eli’s rural farmhouse, he finds an enigmatic, irascible man reluctant to divulge his secrets. This one started slowly, but it’s a thoughtful, lovely novel about music, identity, family and the secrets we all keep. Found (for $6!) at the Center for Fiction in midtown Manhattan.

Never Out of Season: How Having the Food We Want When We Want It Threatens Our Food Supply and Our Future, Rob Dunn
Scientific food-growing techniques have wrought a series of transformations in our diets: we are increasingly dependent on a small number of crops grown on a massive scale. Dunn recounts the narrowing of our plates and warns of the dangers we face. Thoughtful and well-researched, though occasionally rambling. To review for Shelf Awareness (out March 14).

Another Brooklyn, Jacqueline Woodson
In a series of lyrical flashbacks, Woodson evokes the experience of “growing up girl” in 1970s Brooklyn. Her narrator, August, navigates the world alongside her brother, her father and her three best friends. Poignant and beautifully written. (Julia recommended this one at Great New Books.)

The Sun is Also a Star, Nicola Yoon
Natasha is an illegal Jamaican immigrant whose family is about to be deported. Daniel is a dreamy Korean-American teenager who wants to write poetry instead of going to Yale and becoming a doctor. They meet one day in Manhattan, and their lives will never be the same. Funny and heartwarming – the epilogue took the whole book up a notch. I also loved Yoon’s debut, Everything, Everything.

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

What are you reading?

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June reading roundup #2

I’ve been diving into allll the books this month – several of them on vacation (of which more soon). Here’s the latest roundup:

When in French: Love in a Second Language, Lauren Collins
North Carolina native Lauren Collins never expected to fall in love with a Frenchman. But when she found herself married to Olivier and living in Geneva, she decided to get serious about learning French. Her memoir muses on the difficulties of language and culture clashes, American monolingualism and the blending of two families. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Sept. 13).

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, Marjane Satrapi
Satrapi’s graphic novel tells the story of her childhood in Iran during and after the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq war. Powerful, often irreverent, sometimes funny. I reread this one for the RTFEBC (though it is definitely for older kids/teens).

The One-in-a-Million Boy, Monica Wood
This novel is the first pick for Modern Mrs. Darcy’s online Summer Reading Club. It follows the friendship between an 11-year-old boy and Miss Ona Vitkus, age 104 (he’s recording her life story on tape). Funny, poignant and sweet without being saccharine. So many wonderful lines.

The Darkness Knows, Cheryl Honigford
Vivian Witchell is an aspiring radio actress in 1930s Chicago. She’s just landed a plum new role when one of her colleagues is murdered – and Vivian is threatened. With the help of a handsome private eye, Vivian is determined to catch the killer. A fun period mystery; I loved the radio details. Vivian is spunky (if a little bullheaded) and engaging. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Aug. 2).

At the Edge of Summer, Jessica Brockmole
In the summer of 1911, orphaned Clare Ross arrives at a quiet French chateau. She forges a deep friendship with Luc, the house’s son, but they are separated by life and war. Years later, they meet again in Paris and must try to bridge the gaps of time and grief. A subtle, lovely story of art, love and human connection, beautifully told.

The Unexpected Everything, Morgan Matson
Andie Walker always has a plan. She’s all set for a summer program at Johns Hopkins when a political scandal (her dad’s a congressman) puts her back at square one. Suddenly, Andie finds herself working as a dog walker and spending hours with a very cute boy. It’s idyllic, until a series of secrets threatens to ruin everything. I love Matson’s smart, sensitive, fun YA novels, and this one is great. Especially fun for writers, as Anne said.

Arsenic for Tea, Robin Stevens
Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells are at Daisy’s home, Fallingford, for the school holidays. When an unlikable houseguest is poisoned at afternoon tea, the girls take on the case. A really fun second mystery featuring these characters – so very English. (I have the UK edition; link is to the U.S. edition, called Poison is Not Polite.)

The Invitation, Lucy Foley
A glamorous party in Rome. A chance encounter. English journalist Hal never expects to see the mysterious Stella again. But a year later, they meet on a yacht, both of them loosely tied to a movie cast sailing to Cannes for the premiere of a new film. A gorgeous, bittersweet novel of loss and redemption, alternating between the Spanish Civil War and 1950s Italy. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Aug. 2).

Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery, Jenny Colgan
Polly Waterford has a lovely little bakery, a doting boyfriend, a pet puffin and a quirky home in an old lighthouse. But when her landlady dies and her boyfriend has to go back to the U.S. for work, her carefully constructed life begins to unravel. A sweet (though often really sad) novel about baking, second chances and fighting to hold onto the good.

The Nest, Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney
The Plumb siblings are arguing about money again. Years ago, their father set up a modest trust fund (“The Nest”), and they were all counting on it until Leo, the eldest, got himself into trouble and their mother used The Nest to bail him out. Now, they all may have to reimagine their financial futures and rethink their relationships to one another. A smart, satirical but warmhearted novel of family and finances. (The second pick for the MMD Summer Reading Club.)

Lois Lane: Double Down, Gwenda Bond
Lois Lane, girl reporter, finally has friends and a place to belong: the Scoop, teen arm of the Daily Planet. Her second adventure involves following her nose to a big story involving the mayor’s office, her best friend’s sister and some seriously weird mind control. Lois is snarky but compassionate (think Veronica Mars) and her supporting cast is great. So fun.

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

What are you reading?

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Explore Iran with the RTFEBC

I’m participating this year in the the Reading Together Family Exploration Book Club over on Facebook, co-hosted by Jessica and Sheila. Together, we are reading a variety of children’s and young adult lit focused on a handful of themes and/or countries: Korea, the Arctic, Australia and others.

I’m the co-host for the months of May and June, and our theme is Iran.

Each theme includes a picture book, a middle-grade novel and a young adult novel. Our picks for Iran are Forty Fortunes by Aaron Shepard, Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher, and Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, respectively. The idea is to read these books with your kids and talk to them about countries and cultures they might not otherwise encounter – but anyone is welcome to participate, whether or not you’re a parent (I’m not).

Feel free to join the Facebook group and participate in our discussions, or just pick up the books and read along with us. We’re discussing Forty Fortunes and Shadow Spinner this month, and we’ll discuss Persepolis in June. I’m a little late in getting this post up, but it’s not too late to join us!

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April reading roundup #2

I posted this photo on Instagram recently after all six of my two-week (!) library holds came in at once. (I may have a slight problem.)

Here’s a roundup of some of those books, and others:

Stir: My Broken Brain and the Meals That Brought Me Home, Jessica Fechtor
After having a brain aneurysm at age 28, Fechtor found solace and recovery in the kitchen: eating the meals she loved, cooking them when she was well enough, and later writing about them. A gorgeously written, insightful memoir of how food connects us to ourselves and those we love. I loved it, and now I want to make every recipe. (Bonus: Fechtor used to live in Cambridge, and she evokes Harvard Square perfectly.) I also got to meet Fechtor and hear her read at Brookline Booksmith – a delight. (Recommended by Leigh.)

The Key to Extraordinary, Natalie Lloyd
Emma Pearl Casey comes from a long line of extraordinary women. But as she grieves her mother’s death and watches her Granny Blue struggle to keep the family cafe afloat, she wonders how to fulfill her own destiny. A sweet, whimsical, brave middle-grade novel about family, courage and stepping into your true self. (I also loved Lloyd’s debut, A Snicker of Magic.)

When My Name Was Keoko, Linda Sue Park
This was the April pick for the Reading Together Family Exploration Book Club. Through the eyes of two young narrators (Sun-hee and her brother, Tae-yul), Park vividly describes life in Japanese-occupied Korea during World War II. (The title refers to Koreans being forced to adopt Japanese names.) Fascinating and heartbreaking, and the first book I’ve read about this particular facet of WWII.

The Travelers, Chris Pavone
Will Rhodes is a travel writer for an international magazine – until he gets recruited by a woman who claims she’s CIA. Then Will starts to suspect that nothing in his life is what it seems – including his work and his marriage. Pavone writes such smart thrillers with sharp social commentary. Some great twists in this one, though it also struck me as deeply cynical.

Connect the Stars, Marisa de los Santos & David Teague
Aaron remembers everything he hears and reads, but sometimes spouts facts at the wrong moment. Audrey can always tell when someone is lying, and has decided it’s not worth having friends. But when they end up at the same wilderness camp in West Texas, they both learn a few things about truth and friendship. A beautifully written middle-grade novel with very real characters (though the plot dragged a bit). Reminded me of my time at Camp Blue Haven, a decade ago.

Words Under the Words: Selected Poems, Naomi Shihab Nye
I’d come across Nye’s poems (like “Gate A-4“) occasionally, and wanted to read more. (Plus I always make an effort to read poetry in April.) She writes in lovely, simple language about loss and love and everyday things. Some favorites: “Song,” “Daily,” “What People Do,” “Burning the Old Year.”

The Light of Paris, Eleanor Brown
1999: Madeleine feels trapped in her loveless marriage. 1924: Madeleine’s grandmother, Margie, feels trapped by the rigid mores of her social class. Margie escapes to Paris and gradually comes out of her shell; Madeleine discovers Margie’s story through her journals and letters. A lovely dual-narrative story about learning to shake off other people’s expectations and change the stories we tell ourselves. (I adored Brown’s debut, The Weird Sisters.)

Tuesdays at the Castle, Jessica Day George
Anne mentioned this middle-grade novel on her blog recently. Princess Celie and her siblings live in Castle Glower, which (sort of like Hogwarts) adds new rooms and staircases at whim, usually on Tuesdays. When their parents go missing and are presumed dead, the siblings (and the Castle) must work to prevent their kingdom from being seized. Really fun. First in a series.

Elizabeth and Her German Garden, Elizabeth von Arnim
After loving The Enchanted April, I picked up von Arnim’s autobiographical novel of life at her German country estate, and rhapsodies about its garden. The descriptions of flowers and trees are gorgeous, but von Arnim’s marriage (to “the Man of Wrath”) made me so sad, as Jaclyn noted.

Shadow Spinner, Susan Fletcher
I’m getting a jump on the May pick for the RTFEBC. This is a spin on the tale of Scheherazade, narrated by a crippled servant girl who helps the young queen find new stories to tell the Sultan. Beautifully written, with engaging characters, though I saw some of the twists coming a mile away.

A Bed of Scorpions, Judith Flanders
Book editor Samantha Clair is drawn into another mystery when her old friend’s business partner dies unexpectedly. A witty mystery set in London’s art world. I like Sam and her supporting cast (her mother, neighbor, Scotland Yard detective boyfriend), though the plot got confusing at times.

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

What are you reading?

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October reading roundup #3

(View of Three Lives & Co. in SoHo, NYC)

After the War is Over, Jennifer Robson
As Britain recovers from World War I, nurse Charlotte Brown returns to her relief work in Liverpool. But she’s haunted by thoughts of the man she loves, an aristocrat devastated by his own war experiences. A sweeping, gorgeous novel of class tensions, love and the effects of war. I loved it. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Jan. 6).

Her Brilliant Career: Ten Extraordinary Women of the Fifties, Rachel Cooke
The stereotype of the 1950s housewife is familiar – and rarely accurate. Cooke profiles ten women whose professional and personal lives upended social mores in postwar Britain. Breezy but well researched (if occasionally too gossipy) and entertaining. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Dec. 2).

Sidney Chambers and the Perils of the Night, James Runcie
The titular priest-cum-detective continues his investigations in 1950s Cambridge, while debating whether and whom to marry. Some intriguing cases offset by some truly dull ones, and I got tired of Sidney’s waffling. I still like the characters, though, and will probably read book 3.

Death with All the Trimmings, Lucy Burdette
I forgot how much I enjoy a cozy mystery once in a while. This one stars Key West food critic Hayley Snow, who has a nose for mysteries and finds herself investigating an arson/murder case. Fun, festive and full of wacky characters. (The author sent me an ARC for review; it’s out Dec. 2.)

The Lonely War: One Woman’s Account of the Struggle for Modern Iran, Nazila Fathi
Fathi, a longtime correspondent for the New York Times, tells the story of post-1979 Iran through the lens of her own experience as a young woman and later as a journalist. A fascinating peek behind the curtain of the Islamic Revolution and its effects on ordinary Iranians. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Dec. 9).

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

Clearly I’ve been hammering away at the review books recently! What are you reading?

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March reading roundup #3

Together Tea, Marjan Kamali
Darya, an Iranian immigrant to the U.S., loves mathematics so much that she makes spreadsheets and graphs for each of her daughter’s potential suitors. But Mina – 25, single, unhappy in business school and longing to become an artist – wants her mother to stop the matchmaking. When the two women travel back to Iran for the first time in 15 years, they gain a new perspective on their homeland, their adopted country, and each other. Light, funny and also moving – a wonderful mother-daughter story. To review for Shelf Awareness (out May 21).

The Light Between Oceans, M.L. Stedman
An evocative, heartbreaking story of Tom, a WWI vet who becomes a lighthouse keeper, and takes his new bride Isabel to a posting off the western coast of Australia. After they lose their third baby, a boat washes up on shore with a dead man and a live baby girl in it. They bury the man and begin raising the child as their own. But Tom’s conscience plagues him: what about the baby’s mother? After four years, he makes a fateful decision. Beautifully written, but deeply sad.

Al Capone Does My Shirts, Gennifer Choldenko
It’s 1935 and Moose Flanagan, age 12, has just moved with his family to Alcatraz, where his father works as a prison guard. As if that weren’t enough, Moose has to adjust to a new school, watch out for his severely autistic sister Natalie, and steer clear of Piper, the warden’s bold, troublemaking daughter. I loved Moose’s honest (sometimes snarky) voice, and his deep affection for Natalie (though he gets frustrated with her at times, like any brother). A fascinating sliver of history in a highly unusual setting. I’ll be reading the sequel.

Espresso Tales, Alexander McCall Smith
The sequel to 44 Scotland Street, which I also enjoyed, takes us back to that building in Edinburgh and its quirky tenants. Pat is taking charge of her life; her widowed neighbor Domenica tries matchmaking with mixed results; and six-year-old Bertie and his father, Stuart, band together to stand up to Bertie’s overbearing mother, Irene. Meandering and whimsical; gently philosophical at times, gently absurdist at others. Fun.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, John Boyne
Bruno, age nine, is not happy about his family’s sudden move from Berlin to a house in the middle of nowhere, next to a camp he knows only as “Out-With.” He’s bored at first, but goes exploring and meets the titular boy, Shmuel, who lives on the other side of a long wire fence. Bruno and Shmuel become friends, though Bruno has no idea what life is like on Shmuel’s side of the fence. A moving story, though I found Bruno overly naive at times.

Kissed a Sad Goodbye, Deborah Crombie
The sixth mystery featuring detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James finds them investigating a murder on London’s Isle of Dogs. Duncan is also trying to navigate his new relationship with Kit, the 11-year-old son he only recently met. Lots of personal issues; also some fascinating London history, with flashbacks to World War II, and a peek into the tea industry (the victim’s family owns a tea company).

Jane of Lantern Hill, L.M. Montgomery
I love Jane Stuart – dreamy and thoughtful, yet spunky and capable. And I love the story of how she goes to spend a summer on Prince Edward Island with the father she’s never met – and it changes her whole world. Beautiful descriptions, colorful supporting characters, and a wonderful portrait of both inner and outer renewal. The perfect book for these weeks between winter and spring.

A Short Bright Flash: Augustin Fresnel and the Birth of the Modern Lighthouse, Theresa Levitt
Augustin Fresnel, French physicist and engineer, shocked the scientific community with his experiments on light and its wavelike behavior. He then invented a lighthouse lens that produced beams far brighter than the reflector system then in place. Levitt traces the development of his work, its adoption by the French and English (and eventually the Americans), and the prominence of lighthouses in several wars. Overly detailed at times, but interesting. To review for Shelf Awareness (out June 3).

This post contains IndieBound affiliate links.

What are you reading?

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