May reading roundup #2

May is flying by, between events at work, a wonderful weekend in Maine, and celebrating my sweet man’s birthday. Here’s what I have been reading:

The Path to Kindness: Poems of Connection and Joy, ed. James Crews
I’ve been reading this poetry anthology sloooowly for months; it offers glimmers of hope, like its predecessor (also edited by Crews). Full of poets familiar and new. Really lovely.

A Fatal Groove, Olivia Blacke
Juniper Jessup and her sisters are thrilled to be getting their record shop/cafe, Sip & Spin, off the ground. But when the mayor drops dead after sipping their coffee at the local bluebonnet festival, Juni and her sisters fall under suspicion. A fun second entry in Blacke’s Record Shop Mystery series; I like the cast of characters. To review for Shelf Awareness (out July 25).

West Side Love Story, Priscilla Oliveras
Musician and aspiring PA Mariana Capuleta doesn’t have time for love – till she kisses a handsome stranger on New Year’s Eve. He turns out to be Angelo Montero, part of a rival mariachi band. This modern-day Romeo & Juliet retelling set in San Antonio was way overwritten (so many similes!) but still a fun ride. Recommended by my friend Jess.

On Air with Zoe Washington, Janae Marks
After helping her birth father get out of prison, Zoe Washington is thrilled to be working with him at a bakery. But when Marcus reveals his dream of opening a restaurant, Zoe becomes determined to make that happen. She starts a podcast about the experiences of exonerees, launches a Kickstarter and brainstorms new desserts – all while juggling changing friend and family dynamics. I loved this sequel to Marks’ From the Desk of Zoe Washington, especially Zoe’s tenacity and the Boston references.

The Lady from Burma, Allison Montclair
A happily married (but terminally ill) woman visits The Right Sort Marriage Bureau to ensure her husband’s future happiness after her death. But when she’s found dead just days later, Iris Sparks and Gwen Bainbridge smell foul play. Meanwhile, Gwen is fighting to regain her legal status, and her court-appointed guardian may be involved in the case. This fifth mystery delves into each woman’s personal life, and the case is still well plotted; so enjoyable. To review for Shelf Awareness (out July 25).

Forever Hold Your Peace, Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke
When Olivia and Zach meet, fall in love and get engaged in Positano, their parents (all divorced) understandably have reservations. But when all four parents plus the lovebirds meet for brunch, it turns out their moms are ex-best friends, estranged for 25 years. Olivia and Zach try to get them to play nice; the moms, June and Amy, try to one-up each other in wedding-planning hijinks; and the dads (one of whom has a secret) are along for the ride. A breezy, hilarious, juicy novel about weddings and secrets and (yes) trying to move on. I winced a lot; laughed often; and breathed several huge sighs of relief. To review for Shelf Awareness (out July 11).

To Catch a Thief, Martha Brockenbrough
Amelia MacGuffin loves books, cocoa and mysteries – but she wishes she were braver. When someone steals a town treasure, Amelia (with her siblings and their new neighbors, twins Dot and Dash) steps up to solve the mystery. A delightful cozy middle-grade story; the mystery is fun, but it’s really about community and belonging and lots of hot chocolate.

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

What are you reading?

Advertisement

Read Full Post »

Poetry Friday: Sandra Cisneros

Remedy for Social Overexposure

Seek a pirul tree and sit
beneath immediately.
Remove from
ears and tongue,
words.
Fast from same.

Soak in a tub of seclusion.
Rinse face with wind.
In extreme cases, douse
oneself with sky. Then,
swab gently with clouds.

Dress in clean, pressed pajamas.
Preferably white.

Hold close to the heart,
chihuahuas. Kiss and
be kissed by same.

Consume a cool glass of night.
Read poetry that inspires poetry.
Write until temperament
returns to calm.

Place moonlight in a bowl.
Sleep beside and
dream of white flowers.

Sometimes, at the end of a long week, Cisneros’ advice strikes me as exactly right. This one came via the good folks at Knopf; you can hear Cisneros read the poem on their Tumblr page.

Read Full Post »

Poetry Friday: Danusha Laméris

Small Kindnesses

I’ve been thinking about the way, when you walk
down a crowded aisle, people pull in their legs
to let you by. Or how strangers still say “bless you”
when someone sneezes, a leftover
from the Bubonic plague. “Don’t die,” we are saying.
And sometimes, when you spill lemons
from your grocery bag, someone else will help you
pick them up. Mostly, we don’t want to harm each other.
We want to be handed our cup of coffee hot,
and to say thank you to the person handing it. To smile
at them and for them to smile back. For the waitress
to call us honey when she sets down the bowl of clam chowder,
and for the driver in the red pick-up truck to let us pass.
We have so little of each other, now. So far
from tribe and fire. Only these brief moments of exchange.
What if they are the true dwelling of the holy, these
fleeting temples we make together when we say, “Here,
have my seat,” “Go ahead—you first,” “I like your hat.”

I came across this poem in the anthology How to Love the World last year, and still think of it often. I found out recently that Laméris collaborated with a number of young people on a poem celebrating more everyday kindnesses (NYTimes gift link). The whole thing is worth reading, but one line made me catch my breath: “what kindness can do to help this ruined world.”

Happy Friday, friends. May you seek, give and receive kindness where you need it today.

April is National Poetry Month, and I’ve been sharing poetry on Fridays here, as I do each year.

Read Full Post »

Poetry Friday: Camille T. Dungy

from What to Eat, What to Drink, What to Leave for Poison

I.   

Only now, in spring, can the place be named: 
tulip poplar, daffodil, crab apple,   
dogwood, budding pink-green, white-green, yellow   
on my knowing.   All winter I was lost.   
Fall, I found myself here, with no texture   
my fingers know.   Then, worse, the white longing   
that downed us deep three months.   No flower heat.   
That was winter.   But now, in spring, the buds   
flock our trees.   Ten million exquisite buds,   
tiny and loud, flaring their petalled wings,   
bellowing from ashen branches vibrant   
keys, the chords of spring’s triumph: fisted heart,   
dogwood; grail, poplar; wine spray, crab apple.   
The song is drink, is color.   Come.   Now.   Taste.

I recently read Dungy’s wonderful memoir, Soil (coming in May), which explores her experience of tending and diversifying her Colorado garden. I’m less familiar with her poetry, but loved this one – you can read the full poem at the Poetry Foundation website.

April is National Poetry Month, and I am sharing poetry – with an emphasis on women – on Fridays this month, as I do every year. 

Read Full Post »

April reading roundup #2

This month, I’ve been to Nashville and back again, to visit my beloved college roommate and her family. (We went to Parnassus Books, above – of course.) Here’s what I have been reading:

Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy: A Modern Graphic Retelling of Little Women, Rey Terciero and Bre Indigo
I loved this modern-day adaptation of Little Women, in which the March sisters are a blended, biracial family living in NYC. All the girls (and Marmee, and Laurie) were spot-on, and I loved the updates to the familiar narrative as well as the deep sisterly bonds. My guy found this at Phoenix Books in VT; so good.

Ciao for Now, Kate Bromley
When Violetta Luciano lands a coveted fashion internship in Rome, she’s determined to learn all she can and win the competition for a job. But her hostess/professor’s grumpy son (and her own lack of self-confidence) threaten to jeopardize her plans. I raced through this fun rom-com on a flight; I loved the dreamy setting, Violet’s friend Marco, and the connections she makes at the fashion house. (I did roll my eyes at her thinking she was washed up at age 29.) Super fun; made me hanker for a trip to Italy. To review for Shelf Awareness (out June 6).

The Spectacular, Fiona Davis
I love Davis’ rich, compelling historical fiction, usually set in iconic NYC buildings. This one follows the journey of Marion Brooks, who auditions to be a Rockette in 1956, much to her widowed father’s chagrin. Davis explores Marion’s fight for independence and her complex relationship with her sister alongside the grimmer story of a pipe bomber targeting public places in NYC. Great storytelling and I loved Marion’s character. To review for Shelf Awareness (out June 13).

An Impossible Impostor, Deanna Raybourn
Veronica Speedwell and her partner, Stoker, travel to a grim manor house (another one!) to work on a case of potential identity theft – which brings up some ghosts (not all of them dead) from Veronica’s past. I love this series, and this case was an explosive one – curious to see where it goes next.

It’s Kind of a Cheesy Love Story, Lauren Morrill
Beck Brix has spent her life (so far) being famous for being born in the bathroom of a local pizzeria. It gets even more embarrassing when she has to start working there at age 16. But in spite of herself, Beck comes to love her geeky coworkers – and maybe the delivery guy is cute? When disaster strikes, she not only steps up to save the pizzeria, but figures out some important things about herself. A sweet YA story that (of course) made me crave pizza.

Yours Cheerfully, A.J. Pearce
Emmeline Lake and her best friend Bunty are still Doing Their Bit to help the war effort, but Emmy gets inspired when the government calls on magazines to recruit female war workers. A series of articles on women working in munitions goes over well, but Emmy’s discoveries about the lack of childcare threaten to land her and her new friends in hot water. I loved this smart, cheery (ha) sequel to Dear Mrs. Bird just as much the second time around. Can’t wait for book 3 this summer.

Jane of Lantern Hill, L.M. Montgomery
I say this every spring: I adore kind, practical Jane and the tale of how her life transforms once she starts spending time with her dad on Prince Edward Island. I love the Island, but what I love best of all is watching Jane grow into herself. Absolutely wonderful, as always.

The Radcliffe Ladies’ Reading Club, Julia Bryan Thomas
After escaping an oppressive marriage, Alice Campbell opens a bookshop in Cambridge and starts a book club that attracts four young women from Radcliffe. The students – Tess, Merritt, Evie and Caroline – are each struggling in their own ways, and both their friendships and the book club challenge their preconceived notions. I liked the premise, though it got kind of melodramatic. Shades of Mona Lisa Smile. To review for Shelf Awareness (out June 6).

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

What are you reading?

Read Full Post »

Poetry Friday: Rainer Maria Rilke

Early Spring

Harshness vanished. A sudden softness
has replaced the meadows’ wintry grey.
Little rivulets of water changed
their singing accents. Tendernesses,

hesitantly, reach toward the earth
from space, and country lanes are showing
these unexpected subtle risings
that find expression in the empty trees.

I saw this poem on Nicole’s Instagram back in March, and it seemed absolutely perfect for the “beautiful, capricious, reluctant” springs we often get here in New England.

April is National Poetry Month, and I am sharing poetry on Fridays this month, as I do every year. 

Read Full Post »

Poetry Friday: Laura Girardeau

Easter, Picacho Peak

We sleep in the desert
on a land full of stories,
and all night the wind reads the news.
We’ve left our attachments –
expectations and a newspaper –
on the picnic table for the night,
surrendering our documented selves
and reported names to sleep.

All night the wind sifts our dreams,
reading the truth.
We sleep deeply but aware,
like stones skipping water,
and hear the news
doing somersaults over the land.
Finally, it blows into a cactus,
sacrificed on a crown of thorns.

The moon encrypts new names
into our dreams, and near dawn,
coyotes sing the real headlines
in yips of happiness.

We wake to a world without word,
only scent and beauty.
The Word is written
everywhere on the land.

I discovered this poem last fall in the wonderful anthology What Wildness Is This. As we approach both spring and Easter weekend, I thought it seemed fitting to share here.

April is National Poetry Month, and I am sharing poetry – with an emphasis on women – here on Fridays this month, as I do every year. 

Read Full Post »

Poetry Friday: Victoria Adukwei Bulley

There You Are

There you are
this cold day
boiling the water on the stove
pouring the herbs into the pot
hawthorn, rose;
buying the tulips
& looking at them, holding
your heart in your hands at the table
saying please, please to nobody else
here in the kitchen with you.
How hard, how heavy this all is.
How beautiful, these things you do,
in case they help, these things you do
which, although you haven’t said it yet,
say that you want to live.

My friend Roxani – who finds the best poems – shared this one on Twitter recently.

Tomorrow kicks off National Poetry Month, and I’ll be sharing poetry on Fridays here, as I do each year.

I love the quiet daily-ness of this poem, and that last line is tremendous. I hope you enjoy.

Read Full Post »

February reading roundup #2

February has been a strange month – I’ve been fighting a weird upper respiratory infection, and the weather has swung from frigid to balmy, with very little snow. Meanwhile, here’s what I have been reading:

The Cuban Heiress, Chanel Cleeton
Two women – and the man on whom they both want revenge – board the SS Morro Castle, a pleasure cruise between New York and Havana. Elena is determined to get her daughter back, and Catherine (who’s not really an heiress) is wary of both her fiance and a mysterious jewel thief she meets. I like Cleeton’s historical novels, but this one felt a little thin; I prefer her series about the Perez sisters. To review for Shelf Awareness (out April 11).

Pride & Puppies, Lizzie Shane
Dr. Charlotte Rodriguez is swearing off men after dating too many not-Mr.Darcys. She gets an adorable golden retriever puppy, Bingley, and everything is fine – except she might be falling in love with her sweet neighbor, George. Meanwhile, George is head over heels for Charlotte but weighing a possible move back to Colorado (with plenty of unsolicited advice from his sisters). I loved this modern-day Austen-inspired romp with two wonderful main characters (and so much puppy cuteness).

See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love, Valarie Kaur
I picked up Kaur’s memoir at Yu and Me Books in NYC and was blown away. Kaur tells the story of her childhood in California, her family’s Sikh faith, her experience mourning and documenting hate crimes after 9/11, and her journey into love, healing and activism. She’s a strong writer and an even stronger person. Thought-provoking and compelling.

The Language of Trees: A Rewilding of Language and Literature, Katie Holten
Holten, an Irish artist and writer, has invented a tree alphabet – and this gorgeous collection of essays, poetry and quotes features each piece in English and in her Trees font. Wide-ranging, thoughtful and an urgent call to preserve and cherish the trees we still have. To review for Shelf Awareness (out April 4).

The Lioness of Boston, Emily Franklin
When Isabella Stewart Gardner came to Boston as a newlywed, she struggled to find her place in the rigid, wealthy Brahmin society. After struggling with infertility and losing a young child, she eventually began traveling and buying art – becoming a famous “collector” of both art and people. This novel – elegant, intimate, fascinating – narrates Isabella’s story in first person. I loved it, and it made me want to go back to her museum. To review for Shelf Awareness (out April 11).

The Stories We Tell, Joanna Gaines
This book showed up in my Christmas stocking, and I’ve been reading it slowly. I like its emphasis on owning all the parts of your story, though lots of it seemed vague and repetitive. I most enjoyed the parts where Gaines actually shared her personal experiences. Warmhearted, but a mixed bag.

A Murderous Relation, Deanna Raybourn
Veronica Speedwell and her colleague, Stoker, are called upon to investigate a scandal possibly connecting a prince to the Whitechapel murders. The case takes them to an exclusive brothel and all over London – including face-to-face with several villains they didn’t expect. A fun entry in this highly entertaining series; I was glad they didn’t dive over-much into the Jack the Ripper cases.

How to Be Brave, Daisy May Johnson
Calla North is used to looking after her mother, Elizabeth, who knows a lot about ducks but not much about everyday life details. But when Elizabeth goes on an expedition to the Amazon and Calla is sent to boarding school, she must band together with an unlikely crew of friends (and nuns!) to rescue her mother. A super fun middle-grade adventure with engaging characters.

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

What are you reading?

P.S. The fifth issue of my newsletter, For the Noticers, came out recently. Sign up here to get on the list for next time!

Read Full Post »

Poetry Friday: Jack Gilbert

Failing and Flying

Everyone forgets that Icarus also flew.
It’s the same when love comes to an end,
or the marriage fails and people say
they knew it was a mistake, that everybody
said it would never work. That she was
old enough to know better. But anything
worth doing is worth doing badly.
Like being there by that summer ocean
on the other side of the island while
love was fading out of her, the stars
burning so extravagantly those nights that
anyone could tell you they would never last.
Every morning she was asleep in my bed
like a visitation, the gentleness in her
like antelope standing in the dawn mist.
Each afternoon I watched her coming back
through the hot stony field after swimming,
the sea light behind her and the huge sky
on the other side of that. Listened to her
while we ate lunch. How can they say
the marriage failed? Like the people who
came back from Provence (when it was Provence)
and said it was pretty but the food was greasy.
I believe Icarus was not failing as he fell,
but just coming to the end of his triumph.

——————————

I came across this poem online this week, as a blogger I follow announced her separation. It made me think of my own marriage, and how we failed, yes, but also flew, over the decade-plus we were together. Four years later, there is still beauty (and some pain) in what was, and also in the new life I’ve made since then.

Read Full Post »