April reading roundup #1

April has come in like a lion (is that a thing?) with rain, wind, sleet and general turbulence. Plus an eclipse – no big deal. Meanwhile, here’s what I have been reading:

The Wonder of Small Things: Poems of Peace and Renewal, ed. James Crews
I’ve been slowly reading this anthology (arranged roughly by season) of brief, lovely poems about small everyday joys. Crews has now edited three of these anthologies, and they are a pleasure.

Anne of Manhattan, Brina Starler
In this thoroughly modern adaptation, Anne Shirley and Gil Blythe are former high school nemeses who are now grad students in NYC. Sparks fly, especially when they’re paired on a thesis project. Mostly smart and funny, with entertaining twists (as Anne B. said) – but too steamy for me. Found at Meet Cute in San Diego.

Relentless: My Story of the Latino Spirit That Is Transforming America, Luis A. Miranda Jr.
Luis Miranda is Lin-Manuel’s dad, yes. But he has his own story, and it’s a tremendous one. This book – part memoir, part political analysis/handbook – shares his journey from Puerto Rico to the U.S., his varied career, and his perspective on connecting with Latino voters. Sharp, thoughtful and so interesting. To review for Shelf Awareness (out May 7).

A Grave Robbery, Deanna Raybourn
Veronica Speedwell and her partner, Stoker, acquire what they think is a waxwork – until they discover it’s the body of a young woman, perfectly preserved. As they hunt for her killer (and whoever preserved her), they encounter a web of secrets and (as always) find themselves on some wild adventures. A highly entertaining entry in a fun series.

The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County, Claire Swinarski
Esther Larson has spent decades feeding the mourners for every funeral in her small Wisconsin town. When she falls prey to an Internet scammer, her friends publish a community cookbook to help out. At the same time, a celebrity chef and his ill-assorted family come to town. I loved most of this sweet Midwestern novel about baking and community – but heads up for an intense plotline about PTSD.

Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice, Elle Cosimano
These books just get zanier, but they’re so much fun that I’m here for it. Finlay and her nanny/accountant/partner in crime, Vero, head to Atlantic City to find a stolen car and Vero’s kidnapped love interest, Javi. But (of course) they end up towing along Finlay’s mother, her young kids, her ex-husband and a few interested cops, including Finlay’s boyfriend. Craziness – of multiple kinds – ensues. I laughed out loud several times. So much fun.

The Hurricane Girls, Kimberly Willis Holt
Kiki, Greer and Joya Mia were all born in 2005, the same year Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Now, as middle schoolers, they’re all struggling with different issues – body image, money troubles, grades, Greer’s guilt over a family tragedy – and sign up for a triathlon together. I loved this sweet, funny, moving middle-grade novel with plenty of heart.

Scandalous Women, Gill Paul
I’ve never read Jackie Collins or Jacqueline Susann, though I knew both of them faced big-time (sexist) criticism for writing sexy books where women triumph. Gill’s novel weaves their stories together via Nancy White, a fictional editor who ends up working with both women. Smart, entertaining and a little racy. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Aug. 13).

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

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February reading roundup #3

And just like that, it’s March. Hope you enjoyed your leap day, friends. As this month whirls in like a lion, here’s what I have been reading:

The Wedding People, Alison Espach
After her marriage implodes, adjunct professor Phoebe flees to a posh hotel in Newport, R.I., intending to die by suicide. To her surprise, the entire hotel is rented out for a wedding, and the bride, Lila, tells Phoebe she can’t ruin the wedding weekend – then proceeds to rope her into the wedding. A smart, often sad, laugh-so-you-don’t-cry novel about marriage, the pandemic, the ways people change, and the truths and lies we tell ourselves. To review for Shelf Awareness (out July 30).

The Art of Running: Learning to Run Like a Greek, Andrea Marcolongo
Marcolongo (an Italian, and a classicist by training) delves into the origins of the marathon and the ancient Greeks’ philosophical take on running, as she prepares to run her first marathon (in Athens!). Slim, erudite, sometimes academic and often wry, the main text is interspersed with lyrical accounts of Marcolongo’s running life (mostly in Paris, where she lives). This is admittedly niche territory, even for runners, but I enjoyed it. Very smart. To review for Shelf Awareness (out April 2).

The Traitor, Ava Glass
I flew through this second novel featuring British spy Emma Makepeace, in which she goes undercover on a Russian oligarch’s yacht. Smart, pulse-pounding and tightly plotted – a solid thriller, and I really like Emma and her boss, Ripley. (I interviewed the author about Emma’s first adventure.)

My Black Country: A Journey Through Country Music’s Black Past, Present, and Future, Alice Randall
Songwriter, author and historian Randall weaves together her own story with the Black history (and present) of country music in this engaging memoir. I was fascinated, and astonished at how much I didn’t know. (I’m a lifelong country fan, but had no idea Randall co-wrote “XXX’s and OOO’s” – and that’s just the beginning.) Urgent, well-written and important. To review for Shelf Awareness (out April 9).

A Tale for the Time Being, Ruth Ozeki
A teenage Japanese girl writes a diary about her struggles (including suicidal thoughts – her own and her dad’s). A novelist on an island in the Pacific Northwest finds the diary after the 2011 tsunami. This brain-bending novel (I agree with Anne) alternates between their perspectives; it also touches on Buddhism, philosophy, love, cats, multiple realities and more. Super strange and also thought-provoking.

Mrs. Tim Gets a Job, D.E. Stevenson
I found Mrs. Tim’s third and fourth adventures last fall, and have loved rereading this book, in which she takes a job managing a Scottish house-turned-hotel. Gentle, witty, insightful and often hilarious.

Talk Bookish To Me, Kate Bromley
I loved (and reviewed) Bromley’s second and third witty, sweet rom-coms. This, her debut, features a romance novelist with writer’s block who is dismayed when her ex turns up as part of a friend’s wedding party. Sparks fly, of course, but there’s still a lot of healing to be done. I did not like the central twist here, though I loved the banter; hence, this one was so-so for me.

Loose of Earth, Kathleen Dorothy Blackburn
Raised in Lubbock by an evangelical family, Blackburn (the oldest of five children) chronicles her father’s cancer diagnosis and suffering, and explores the probable connection between his illness and the presence of PFAS chemicals. In tight, vivid prose, she renders her mother’s increasingly desperate attempts to save her husband by faith and control; probes the origins of her own doubt and faith story; and renders 1990s West Texas (my homeland) perfectly. To review for Shelf Awareness (out April 16).

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

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February reading roundup #2

February is (thank goodness, and so far) sunnier than January. Between work, yoga classes and allllll the citrus, here’s what I have been reading:

The Evolution of Annabel Craig, Lisa Grunwald
Dayton, Tennessee, 1925: Schoolteacher John Scopes agrees to go on trial as a test case for a new law prohibiting the teaching of evolution. Annabel Craig, married to a lawyer who ends up on Scopes’ defense team, watches as the case unfolds and brings excitement, drama and upheaval to her hometown. I loved Annabel: such a thoughtful narrator, wrestling with questions about faith, tradition and science, as well as her husband’s role in the case and the strain it puts on their marriage. (I was born 80 years after Annabel, but the novel’s debate felt contemporary – as did the story of what can happen when two people in a relationship change in different ways.) To review for Shelf Awareness (out April 2).

Every Day the River Changes: Four Weeks Down the Magdalena, Jordan Salama
I read, reviewed and enjoyed Salama’s second book, Stranger in the Desert. This, his debut, traces the month he spent traversing Colombia’s Magdalena River. Salama gives lots of background – political, cultural, historical – about the Magdalena’s ecosystem, the effects of Colombia’s decades of violence, the challenges faced by its communities. Dragged a bit at times but mostly very informative and interesting.

An Irish Hostage, Charles Todd
Bess Crawford, still at a loose end after WWI, travels to Ireland for the wedding of a fellow nurse. But she arrives to find the groom has disappeared and the bride’s family is on edge – not to mention the villagers are suspicious of English citizens. When a local artist is murdered, Bess finds a couple of unlikely allies to help her solve the case and get out alive. A wonderfully tense and atmospheric mystery, though it feels like the series itself is hanging in limbo right now.

The Getaway List, Emma Lord
After graduating high school and a fight with her mom, Riley hightails it to NYC to spend the summer with her best friend, Tom, who’s been increasingly distant lately. Both of them are struggling to figure out their next steps, and it’ll take some wacky adventures and honest conversations before they do. I usually love Lord’s sweet YA novels, and I adored the NYC moments in this one, but thought Riley was a bit spoiled and Tom a bit enigmatic. Fun, but not my fave of hers.

The Sweet Blue Distance, Sara Donati
Nurse and midwife Carrie Ballentyne relishes an adventure. But traveling from Manhattan to Santa Fe in the 1850s – by train, stagecoach, then horseback – is no joke. Once Carrie arrives in Santa Fe, there are new challenges, including a difficult employer, new languages (Spanish and various Indigenous dialects), and tense racial dynamics. I loved Donati’s Where the Light Enters and this sequel-of-sorts is fantastic: compelling, rich, layered (if long). To review for Shelf Awareness (out April 2).

The Twilight Garden, Sara Nisha Adams
I loved Adams’ debut, The Reading List. This, her sweet second novel, follows a communal garden in Stoke Newington (London) and two sets of neighbors who care for it together. I loved both timelines (in the 1980s and in 2018) and the neighbors – first Alma and Maya, then Winston and Bernice – who bond with each other and gradually open up their lives through the garden. Very sad at first, but beautiful. To review for Shelf Awareness (out April 9).

The Mystery Guest, Nita Prose
I flew through this smart sequel to Prose’s The Maid, which again features Molly Gray (a crackerjack maid, and a keen observer, though not always socially aware). We get a look into Molly’s past, and how it connects to the death of a celebrated mystery author. Funny and sharp, though a little sad.

Death in the Spotlight, Robin Stevens
Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are back from Hong Kong, and end up acting in a production of Romeo and Juliet – where, of course, there’s a murder. This was a fiendish case, as their inspector friend says, and I liked following all the threads, though several plot points were highly improbable. Still – a fun installment in a middle-grade series I adore.

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

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January reading roundup #3

January felt like it lasted forevvvvvvver. But it’s finally February (yay?), and to wrap up the longest, greyest month, here’s what I have been reading:

The Underground Library, Jennifer Ryan
Ryan’s charming fifth novel centers on London’s Bethnal Green Library, which moved its books underground (into a Tube station) during the Blitz in WWII. Deputy librarian Juliet, library assistant Katie, and German Jewish refugee Sofie all find their lives deeply changed by their work with the library. A plucky, compelling story of female friendship, grit in wartime, and (of course) the power of books – my literary catnip. To review for Shelf Awareness (out March 12).

The Translator’s Daughter, Grace Loh Prasad
Born in Taiwan, Prasad was two years old when her family was forced to immigrate to the U.S. Though they later spent time in Hong Kong and her parents eventually moved back to Taiwan, she always felt like a cultural and linguistic outsider in her homeland. Her memoir sensitively explores the gaps and challenges of living far away, operating in a different language and culture, and struggling to navigate Taiwan when she returns as an adult. So thoughtful and honest. To review for Shelf Awareness (out March 5).

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure, Lorenzo Carcaterra
There’s trouble afoot on the Italian island of Ischia: someone has it out for carabinieri (police) Captain Murino, and someone (the same someone?) is pursuing an alleged treasure hidden in the island’s network of caves. Nonna Maria, a local widow/sleuth, enlists several friends to help her solve both puzzles. A fun Italian mystery; third in a series, but it stands alone. To review for Shelf Awareness (out May 7).

The Jane Austen Society, Natalie Jenner
Jenner’s debut follows a group of English villagers (plus one London antiques expert and one Hollywood actress) who band together to establish an Austen memorial at her cottage in Chawton. Charming and compassionate, though heavier than I expected. I enjoyed it, though I loved Jenner’s Bloomsbury Girls much more.

Four Weddings and a Puppy, Lizzie Shane
I love Shane’s witty, warm rom-coms (with plenty of dogs, obviously). This one features former elite skier Kendall Walsh, now managing her dad’s resort and catching feelings when her first crush, Brody, comes back to town. Brody’s staring down some big decisions around his own elite skiing career, and the two of them – while renovating an old lodge, wrangling a golden retriever and falling in love – help each other face some tough emotions. So much heart, and so much fun.

Kilt Trip, Alexandra Kiley
Travel consultant Addie Macrae heads to Scotland to help a struggling tour company turn around. But handsome guide Logan (the owner’s son) is determined to block her at every turn. Sparks fly in more ways than one as their travel philosophies clash; Addie’s also dealing with some prolonged grief after the loss of her mom. A sweet, steamy rom-com; the last bit dragged, but I enjoyed this. To review for Shelf Awareness (out March 5).

Egyptian Made: Women, Work, and the Promise of Liberation, Leslie T. Chang
Journalist Chang goes deep into Egypt’s garment factories to interview the women working there: sewers, cutters, managers, even factory owners. She explores the complicated dynamics – mostly related to family, religion and deep-seated conservatism – that prevent many women from truly changing their economic and personal situations. A bit long, but vivid and fascinating. To review for Shelf Awareness (out March 12).

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

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October reading roundup #3

And just like that, it’s November. In the final days of October, here’s what I have been reading:

Blanche Passes Go, Barbara Neely
I picked up Blanche White’s final adventure at Mainely Murders this summer. Back home in North Carolina, Blanche is helping her best friend with a catering business, but gets drawn into a mystery – possibly involving the white man who raped her eight years ago. A twisty mystery and a powerful meditation on women’s power; lots of insight into racial and gender dynamics, plus wry humor.

The Vanderbeekers Ever After, Karina Yan Glaser
I adore this warm-hearted middle-grade series about a big biracial family in Harlem. This final book in the series is pretty sad, though – childhood cancer is central to the plot. I still loved seeing how the Vanderbeekers show up for each other and their community.

My Side of the River, Elizabeth Caramillo Gutierrez
Born in Tucson to undocumented parents, Gutierrez learned early how to simultaneously be the best and fly under the radar. When her parents were deported, she suddenly had to navigate life, school, college applications on her own. A powerful, often heartbreaking memoir of being a “first-gen”; her writing is vivid and thoughtful, and it’s a call to fix the systems so young people don’t slip through the cracks. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Feb. 13).

Murder Underground, Mavis Doriel Hay
This fun British mystery is my final (sniff) Mainely Murders find from the summer. When the wealthy Miss Pongleton is found murdered in a Tube station – strangled with her own dog-leash! – the residents of her boarding-house try to solve the case. A clever puzzle mystery with some engaging characters and an absurd (but realistic!) “literary man” who is Miss P’s nephew.

A British Girl’s Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak, Laura Taylor Namey
Reeling from her mother’s death, Flora Maxwell hops a plane to Miami, where she learns a thing or two about photography – and about being honest with herself and others. A sweet, witty YA novel with plenty of Miami sabor – a great companion to Namey’s A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow.

A Rule Against Murder, Louise Penny
I loved this fourth entry featuring Armand Gamache; Anne was right about the series hitting its stride here. Gamache and his wife stumble on a murder at a remote lodge where they celebrate their anniversary every year. Their friends Peter and Clara from Three Pines are tied up in it somehow. Such layered musings on family, identity and the stories we tell ourselves. Gamache is a fantastic main character.

Belittled Women, Amanda Sellet
Jo Porter has had enough – of her sister Amy’s complaints, her small Kansas town, and being forced to play Jo March in her family’s Little Women reenactment. When a hotshot journalist and her son come to town, Jo sees a possible way out. A very funny (extremely snarky) modern take on Little Women. I appreciated the lessons Jo learns, but the family bond held so much bitterness, and I thought Meg and Marmee didn’t get their due.

A Lady’s Formula for Love, Elizabeth Everett
Lady Violet Hughes is a (secretly) renowned scientist – but when someone starts saotaging her work, her stepson hires Andrew Kneland as private security. Of course, Violet and Andrew are attracted to each other, and each must wrestle with their own demons if they’re going to be happy (apart or together). I loved the premise of this smart London romance, though the pacing was a little weird. Found at Shakespeare & Co. in NYC.

A Rhythm of Prayer, ed. Sarah Bessey
I haven’t felt much like prayer for several years now – church trauma, etc., and a pandemic have made that tougher. But I (finally) picked up this lovely collection of honest prayers by female ministers and theologians, and loved it so much. Thoughtful, real, beautiful.

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

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PS: my November newsletter, For the Noticers, comes out soon. Sign up here to get on the list!

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September reading roundup #1

September has been full so far – work events, travel, (more) serious humidity, hanging with my cousin who just started college in Boston. Here’s what I have been reading:

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, Satoshi Yagisawa
Libby Page recommended this odd, sweet novel about a young Japanese woman who starts working at her uncle’s bookshop after a breakup. The story swerved a bit, but I enjoyed it – also a fun glimpse into Tokyo’s famous book district.

Manslaughter Park, Tirzah Price
When Fanny Price’s uncle (who supported her artistic ambitions) dies suddenly, Fanny finds herself trying to solve the murder before she gets either banished or killed. A fun, queer spin on Mansfield Park (which admittedly I’ve never read) and an entertaining mystery.

The Beach at Summerly, Beatriz Williams
Williams’ latest novel takes us into the tangled family dynamics and Cold War intrigues of a small New England island. I liked narrator Emilia and her tart, dry wit; the story was fascinating, though I found the ending a bit unsatisfying.

Graceland, Nancy Crochiere
For 17 years, Hope Robinson has avoided her hometown of Memphis. But when her aging soap-star mother and pink-haired daughter take off there on a road trip, Hope has no choice but to follow them, and confront her past decisions. A wacky, sweet family story; Hope was a serious wet blanket, but I liked her mother and her daughter.

Shoot the Moon, Isa Arsén
Annie Fisk has always been fascinated by numbers and space, though she’s also carrying the trauma of her father’s death (he was a scientist at Los Alamos). Arsén’s debut novel follows Annie as she pursues a physics degree and a career at NASA, falls in love, wrestles with her own memories, and chases a scientific quest. Compelling and heartbreaking; reminded me of Contact. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Oct. 10).

Family Lore, Elizabeth Acevedo
I love Acevedo’s smart YA novels. This, her first book for adults, follows a family of Dominicana women in NYC. Most of them have supernatural gifts; Flor, who can foresee death, is throwing a “living wake” for herself and it unsettles all of them. I liked the multiple perspectives and Acevedo’s writing, but found the story a bit depressing.

Paris is Not Dead: Surviving Hypergentrification in the City of Light, Cole Stangler
Like many of the world’s great cities, Paris – especially the best-known parts – is gentrifying rapidly, and becoming almost a museum of itself. Stangler digs into the past, present and future of housing law and policy (and working-class protests) in Paris, and gives a street-level view of the vibrant neighborhoods in the city’s northeastern part. Fascinating and so well written. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Oct. 17).

An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire, Manda Collins
When an actress friend of hers is kidnapped, Miss Caroline Hardcastle – society lady and armchair detective – joins forces with her former beau to solve the case. But old feelings don’t (always) die hard. A smart, witty second romance with fun characters.

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

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August reading roundup #3

Suddenly, it’s September – though the heat is lingering, both here and in Texas (where I was last week). As we wrap up the summer, here’s what I have been reading:

A Traitor in Whitehall, Julia Kelly
I love Kelly’s rich historical novels. This, her first mystery, follows typist Evelyne Redfern as she takes a job in the Cabinet War Rooms and stumbles on a body. She joins forces with a semi-undercover special agent to investigate, which means quizzing her colleagues. A fun twisty mystery with a great WWII setting. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Oct. 3).

Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop, Alba Donati
This charming memoir-in-journal-entries follows the narrator’s experience opening a bookshop in tiny Lucignana, Italy, just before/during the pandemic. Sweet, wry and funny; lots of local history and great book recs. I picked it up on a whim and loved it so much.

Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge, Spencer Quinn
Loretta Plansky, retiree and tennis whiz, is stunned when a call from her grandson Will turns out to be a scam – and she loses nearly all her money. So she hops a plane to Eastern Europe to track down the scammers. A fun (though slow to start), spunky mystery from the author of the Chet and Bernie series, which I love.

The Air Raid Book Club, Annie Lyons
I loved this sweet novel about Gertie Bingham, a widowed bookseller who’s thinking of retiring when she’s asked to take in a teenage German Jewish refugee. Together, Gertie and Hedy (her new charge) weather the London Blitz, start a book club during air raids, make friends in their community and form a deep bond.

Summer Stage, Meg Mitchell Moore
I love Moore’s juicy family dramas – this one returns to Block Island, where an aging actor, his sister and his niece (who’s reeling from a TikTok scandal) all get involved in a summer production of Much Ado About Nothing. Everyone has to examine lots of complicated feelings; also some nice parallels between the show’s plot and the real-life drama. So good. (I loved seeing Meg at a recent book event in Beverly, MA.)

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

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Mystery Monday: Lily Adler

Last week, I spent a couple of hot, humid nights sprawled out on my love seat, sipping lemonade – but also far away in snowy Regency England. I was immersed in Katharine Schellman’s fourth Lily Adler mystery, Murder at Midnight (coming in September), and realized I hadn’t yet told you about this fun series.

Lily is a wealthy young widow, struggling to figure out her path forward after her husband Freddy’s death. When she (literally) stumbles across a dead body at a party, she begins a career as an amateur sleuth – often with the help of her friend Ofelia, a young heiress from the West Indies, and Captain Jack Hartley, an Anglo-Indian naval officer who’s also a longtime friend. Their adventures mostly center in London, but also take them to various country estates, chasing nonexistent ghosts (Death at the Manor) or trying to solve a case of blackmail, murder and theft (Murder at Midnight).

Lily’s impatience with the strictures placed on women feels very modern, but the period details are spot-on, and I’ve enjoyed the situations in which she finds herself. Her bond with Jack stems from his long friendship with her dead husband, but they also esteem and like one another, and there’s a hint of something more. Lily, however, cherishes the independence she never asked for (I can relate), and is enjoying her new occupation of unraveling mysteries. I appreciate the diversity of characters and the social commentary on the times (though it occasionally feels a bit forced), and the mysteries are always well-plotted. It’s no secret I love a mystery featuring a brave, headstrong (often brunette) female sleuth, and I’ll happily keep following Lily’s adventures.

Have you read this series? What did you think?

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July reading roundup #1

July has been intense so far – weather-wise, work-wise, otherwise. Amid serious humidity, Walk for Music and other things, here’s what I have been reading:

Back to the Garden, Laurie R. King
I love King’s Mary Russell series, but this is the first of her stand-alones I’ve read. Inspector Raquel Laing is tracking a serial killer and his victims; the case becomes entwined with human remains found on a grand estate-turned-commune. A fascinating glimpse of commune life, and a solid mystery. Found in a Little Free Library on Cape Cod.

Wildoak, C.C. Harrington
When Maggie Stephens is sent to Cornwall to stay with the grandfather she hardly knows, she finds – improbably – an abandoned snow leopard cub in the woods. A gorgeous, human, bittersweet middle-grade novel about learning to speak your truth (Maggie has a stutter) and the connections between humans and the natural world. Found at the adorable Saltwater Bookstore.

Late Migrations: A Natural History of Loss, Margaret Renkl
I read and adored Renkl’s upcoming The Comfort of Crows, so was drawn to this book – a gorgeous collection of essays on her family, the natural world, her childhood in Alabama and her growth as a writer and a person. Poignant and thoughtful; so many beautiful lines.

To Track a Traitor, Iona Whishaw
Lane Winslow heads to Scotland after learning her grandfather is ill, and then that her enigmatic sister, Diana, has disappeared. Inspector Darling is dispatched to London to wrap up a decades-old murder case, which may relate to a new missing persons case back in Nelson. I adore this series and this 10th entry was well plotted, with lots of emotional depth.

Someone Else’s Shoes, Jojo Moyes
Sam and Nisha don’t know each other – but their paths cross when Sam accidentally picks up Nisha’s bag at a London gym. The designer red heels within, and their implications for both women, lead to a twisty, engaging story that celebrates unlikely female friendship and finding your own power. I especially loved Nisha’s friend Jasmine.

Up Home: One Girl’s Journey, Ruth J. Simmons
Simmons, former president of Smith, Brown and Prairie View A&M, chronicles her childhood in rural Texas and Houston, and her efforts to rise above her family’s circumstances. She’s a thoughtful writer and I especially loved her renderings of her teachers and mentors. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Sept. 5).

The Secret Bridesmaid, Katy Birchall
Sophie Breeze is a professional bridesmaid – hired to help anxious brides plan and enjoy their big days. When she lands a big society wedding with a bride who hates her, Sophie must use all her creativity to win over the bride and make the wedding a success. A funny, witty, British comedy; there’s a romance plot, but the major relationships are all between women. (I loved Sophie’s cousin/BFF, Cara.)

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

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June reading roundup #3

June is flying by – heat, humidity, long bike rides, lots of Walk for Music prep and the first daylilies. Meanwhile, here’s what I have been reading:

Pride and Premeditation, Tirzah Price
Lizzie Bennet longs to join her father in his law practice, but he tells her she must solve a case – using logic – first. When Charles Bingley is implicated in the death of his brother-in-law, Lizzie jumps into the case, only to clash with a Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. I loved this murder-mystery take on Pride & Prejudice; Price adds a few wonderful twists. But Collins is still a bore, Wickham is still a rake, and no one has any sympathy for Mrs. Bennet’s poor nerves. A delight.

Sense and Second-Degree Murder, Tirzah Price
When Elinor Dashwood finds her father dead in his study, at first she thinks it’s a heart attack – but she and her sisters quickly suspect foul play. A super fun murder-mystery version of Sense & Sensibility. I especially loved budding novelist Margaret, and Colonel Brandon as a medical student.

March: Book Three, John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell
This third powerful volume in Lewis’ trilogy taught me so much: about Freedom Summer, the internal politics of the Civil Rights Movement, white resistance to Black people voting, and (of course) Bloody Sunday. Moving, heartrending and inspiring. Highly recommended.

The Bookbinder, Pip Williams
Oxford, 1914: Peggy Jones longs to study the books she binds, working as a “bindery girl” alongside her twin sister, Maude, at Oxford University Press. When war comes to Europe, and Belgian refugees flood into Oxford, Maude and Peggy’s world is upended. Peggy finds new opportunities for learning and love, but hesitates to grasp either as the world changes. A thoughtful, incisive, rich sequel-of-sorts to The Dictionary of Lost Words; I loved it, especially the Oxford references, and the women who kept the Press running. To review for Shelf Awareness (out July 25).

The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year, Margaret Renkl
From her home in Nashville, Renkl observes the changing seasons: birds, flowers, trees, climate change and the intricate details of the natural world. Lavishly illustrated with her brother’s mixed-media collages, this is a beautiful, piercing, sometimes melancholy week-by-week chronicle of the seasons. So gorgeous. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Oct. 24).

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

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