February reading roundup #1

We’re halfway through February (and more than halfway through winter – I hope!). I’ve recently been to the West Coast and back again. Here’s what I have been reading:

A Treacherous Curse, Deanna Raybourn
Veronica Speedwell and her colleague, Stoker, are drawn into a third mystery surrounding some artifacts from an Egyptian archaeological dig. A fun romp involving a diadem, a possible curse, complicated relationships and a chase through the sewers of London (very Les Mis). I’m enjoying this clever series – I flew through this one on a cross-country plane ride.

Tumble, Celia C. Pérez
Adela “Addie” Ramirez is floored when her stepdad proposes adoption. She loves him, but it’s a big decision, especially since she knows next to nothing about her biological dad. Addie’s sleuthing leads her to nearby Esperanza, N.M., and the Bravo family – her family – of legendary luchadores. I loved watching Addie navigate her new family dynamics, step into her own identity and deal with a big theatrical performance at school. Wise and warmhearted.

The Wife App, Carolyn Mackler
After she finds out her husband is cheating, Lauren Zuckerman files for divorce. While toasting her new life, she and her two best friends, Madeline and Sophie, hit on an idea: an app to make money from all the mental-load tasks that wives typically do for free. The app, and its launch and ramifications, will change all their lives – and change the way all of them think about work and relationships. A smart, funny, occasionally sexy ode to female empowerment and going after what you really want (while juggling childcare, relationships and camp forms). I blew through this in one sitting. To review for Shelf Awareness (out June 27).

Choosing to Run, Des Linden
Like many people, I was completely awed by Linden’s gritty, historic 2018 Boston Marathon win in terrible conditions. Her memoir intersperses an account of that day with the larger story of her life and career. She’s plainspoken, engaging and dedicated. As a runner and a Boston resident, I loved it. To review for Shelf Awareness (out April 4).

The People’s Hospital: Hope and Peril in American Medicine, Ricardo Nuila
Confession: I put off reading this ARC because I feared it might be depressing. But Nuila’s insider account of practicing medicine at Ben Taub, an unusual public hospital in Houston, and the lives of his patients is anything but. Compassionate, detailed, accessible (and yes, occasionally infuriating), this is a wise look at how American medicine is failing nearly all of us, and a glimpse of a different way forward. Urgent and timely. To review for Shelf Awareness (out March 14).

Coronation Year, Jennifer Robson
London, 1953: the coronation of Elizabeth II approaches, and the residents of the Blue Lion, a small inn, are hoping it will change their fortunes. Edie, the owner, needs a financial and morale boost; photographer Stella is building a new life after some horrific wartime experiences in Italy; and Jamie, an Anglo-Indian artist, has landed a big commission. I love Robson’s warm, thoughtful, well-researched historical fiction, and this is a lovely look at ordinary people during a historic time for Britain. To review for Shelf Awareness (out April 4).

Luck and Last Resorts, Sarah Grunder Ruiz
Yacht stewardess Nina Lejeune is focused on work and fun, but she’s been hiding from her feelings about chef Ollie Dunne for years. When Ollie gives her an ultimatum, Nina has to finally see if she’s brave enough to pursue the life she wants. I found Nina maddening – it took her forever to face her issues – but I liked how this played out.

A Dangerous Collaboration, Deanna Raybourn
Veronica Speedwell and her colleague Stoker (see above) end up on a remote Cornish island, trying to solve the mystery of a woman who disappeared on her wedding day. The case involves Stoker’s brother, the dead woman’s husband, his sister (who has a passion for poisons) and various other characters. Highly entertaining, like this entire series.

Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
I’ve loved Alcott’s story since I first read it at age 7, and it’s been a delight to reread it slowly, this winter, along with Annie and others. It’s comforting and tender and true, and it has shaped so many of my ideas about work and love and womanhood. I love it still.

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

What are you reading?

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May reading roundup #2

Back from a beach vacation with my family – I did not read much on the actual beach, but squeezed in a few pages at night and a lot of plane reading. Here’s the latest roundup:

The Rehearsals, Annette Christie
Megan Givens and Tom Prescott are gathering their (difficult) families on San Juan Island to tie the knot. But after a disastrous rehearsal dinner, both Megan and Tom keep waking up on the morning of that day. They’ve got to figure out two things: how to get out of the time loop, and whether they really want to be together. A warm, funny, surprisingly insightful rom-com with a Groundhog Day twist. I expected to like it, but I loved it. To review for Shelf Awareness (out July 13).

Death in a Darkening Mist, Iona Whishaw
Lane Winslow’s second adventure finds her stumbling over the dead body of a Russian at a hot spring. Her Russian language skills make her a valuable asset to the case. I love Lane and her supporting cast of characters in rural postwar British Columbia; I’m especially fond of young, good-hearted Constable Ames.

All the Little Hopes, Leah Weiss
In 1943, Lucy Brown’s family in eastern North Carolina gets a government contract to produce beeswax. They also get a new addition: Allie Bert Tucker, who arrives from the mountains to care for her pregnant aunt but ends up becoming part of the Brown clan. The girls (age 13-14) narrate their story in alternating chapters. It’s got mystery (Lucy fancies herself a Nancy Drew) and plenty of heartbreak, but it’s really a story about family and growing up. So good. To review for Shelf Awareness (out July 27).

The Windsor Knot, S.J. Bennett
After an evening of entertainment at Windsor Castle, a young pianist is found strangled in his room. MI5 suspect the Kremlin, but the Queen has other ideas, and enlists her secretary, Rozie, to help her pursue them. A smart, charming mystery featuring Her Majesty’s sleuthing skills and lots of palace intrigue. Rozie – a whip-smart British-Nigerian army veteran – is a fantastic character. More, please.

In All Good Faith, Liza Nash Taylor
Virginia, 1932: May Marshall is struggling to run her family’s market and care for two young children when tragedy strikes her husband’s family. In Boston, shy Dorrit Sykes struggles to cope after the loss of her mother, eventually heading to Washington with her father for a veterans’ march. The women’s two stories (eventually) intertwine, to fascinating effect. Richly detailed, engaging historical fiction; I loved May’s head for business and the way Dorrit eventually grows in confidence. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Aug. 10).

Caterpillar Summer, Gillian McDunn
Cat is the best at taking care of her brother, Chicken – especially since their dad died. But when they end up spending time with their estranged grandparents one summer, Cat gets to be a kid for a while. She learns to fish and digs into the reasons why her mom has been avoiding her own parents. Lovely, warm and insightful; a sensitive portrait of a biracial family that includes a neurodivergent child.

Shadow of the Batgirl, Sarah Kuhn et al.
Cassandra Cain is a trained assassin, and that’s all she knows how to be – until she breaks away from her father and his gang. With the help of a kind noodle-shop owner and a librarian named Barbara Gordon, Cass begins to step into her own powers and figure out how to use them for good. I loved this YA graphic take on Batgirl, found at Million Year Picnic.

The Bookshop of Second Chances, Jackie Fraser
In the same week, Thea Mottram loses her job and her husband tells her he’s leaving. Then her great-uncle Andrew dies and leaves her his house in Scotland, plus his extensive book collection, so Thea heads there to sort out his estate and collect herself. Soon, she begins to make friends and even (possibly) fall in love. Sweet, though sort of problematic – the main love interest and his brother had a very strange feud – but I liked Thea and her new community.

Most links are to Trident and Brookline Booksmith, my perennial local faves. Shop indie!

What are you reading?

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September reading roundup #2

Looking at this month’s reading list, it’s clear I’ve been reaching for comfort books: historical fiction, poetry, a bit of mystery, a few familiar characters. (See also: new job + milestone birthday.) Here’s the latest roundup:

Wires and Nerve, Marissa Meyer
I’ve enjoyed Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series (Scarlet is my fave). This graphic novel focuses on Iko, the smart-mouthed android who helped Cinder and her friends save the galaxy. I’m not a huge graphic novel reader, but I liked following Iko’s adventures on Earth, and enjoyed the appearances by other familiar characters.

When I Spoke in Tongues: A Story of Faith and Its Loss, Jessica Wilbanks
Jessica Wilbanks’ early life in rural Maryland was dominated by her family’s Pentecostal faith. But as a questioning teenager, she began challenging the sermons she’d always heard, eventually leaving the church altogether. Her memoir chronicles that struggle, which included a trip to Nigeria to investigate the origins of American Pentecostalism. She’s a gifted writer, though the book’s ending felt a bit unfinished. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Nov. 13).

The Gown, Jennifer Robson
I love Robson’s compelling, richly detailed historical novels. This, her fifth, follows the creation of Queen Elizabeth II’s exquisite wedding gown through the lives of Ann and Miriam, two seamstresses who worked on it. I loved both characters, though the present-day protagonist (Ann’s granddaughter) was less engaging. I did love the way the narrative threads wove together. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Dec. 31).

A Light of Her Own, Carrie Callaghan
As a young female painter in 17th-century Haarlem, Judith Leyster struggles to make a living. Her friend Maria, also a painter, wrestles with her Catholic faith. This historical novel follows Judith’s attempts to set up her own workshop and the efforts of the city’s male painters to shut her out. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Nov. 13).

Refuge, Merilyn Simonds
At ninety-six, Cassandra MacCallum is content to live alone, on an island near her family’s farm in Ontario. But when a young Burmese refugee shows up insisting she’s Cassandra’s great-granddaughter, she tugs at the complex threads of Cass’s life story and her relationship with her son, Charlie. Gorgeously written and compelling; I couldn’t stop following Cass’s adventures from Mexico to Montreal to New York. I picked this one up on impulse at the library and I’m so glad I did.

Yesterday I Was the Moon, Noor Unnahar
Unnahar is a young Pakistani poet, and this slim volume collects her verses and drawings. They’re vivid and raw and often heartbreaking, but lovely. I read this one slowly, dipping in and out. Found at Three Lives during my August NYC trip.

Bellewether, Susanna Kearsley
During the Seven Years’ War (known in the U.S. as the French and Indian War), two captured French officers are housed with the Wilde family on Long Island. Many years later, a museum curator digs into the legends and ghost stories surrounding the Wildes and the officers. Kearsley is a master of compelling historical fiction with romance and a hint of the supernatural. Such an enjoyable read, with important themes relating to slavery, agency and freedom.

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

What are you reading?

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Literary City Guide: London

London is a little bit like New York: it is constantly changing, and the books set there in different eras evoke very different Londons. Here are a handful of my favorites, from all sorts of time periods.

(I know I’m leaving out a lot of classics – A Tale of Two Cities, Mrs. Dalloway, much of the Sherlock Holmes canon – because I assume most people have read them already. These are my quirkier/lesser-known faves.)

Nonfiction/Memoir

Imagined London, Anna Quindlen
Quindlen is best known for her novels, but I adored this slim paperback about London as a city of imagination and literature. Quindlen adores both London and books about London, and mentions many classic London stories. Affectionate, well written and so much fun.

84 Charing Cross Road, Helene Hanff
I love this warm, witty collection of letters between Hanff (an American) and British bookseller Frank Doel, which began with Hanff’s inquiries about books and morphed into a longstanding friendship. The movie version with Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins is also delightful. (Bonus: when I was last in London, I browsed some actual Charing Cross Road bookshops with my friend Caroline.)

Fiction/Mystery

The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets, Eva Rice
This delightful novel of love and rock ‘n’ roll in 1950s London is one of my favorites, ever. It beautifully evokes a postwar London waking up from its long grey sleep – and the result is dazzling.

Maisie Dobbs and sequels, Jacqueline Winspear
I’ve written before about my love for Maisie, who works as a private investigator in 1930s London. Her work takes her to many places, but London is the city of her heart, and I love watching her move around in it.

The Runaway Princess and The Little Lady Agency, Hester Browne
Browne writes smart, funny, utterly British chick lit, and several of her books are set in modern-day London. These two are particularly fun (and The Little Lady Agency has two sequels).

Mrs. Queen Takes the Train, William Kuhn
An enchanting novel of Queen Elizabeth II taking a totally unexpected journey, and the half-dozen members of her staff who follow her. Starts in London and meanders all over the country. (I also loved The Uncommon Reader – similar in some ways.)

A Beautiful Blue Death and sequels, Charles Finch
Finch writes meticulously plotted mystery novels about Charles Lenox, a gentleman investigator in Victorian London. The setting, from Lenox’s elegant home to the Houses of Parliament (which he frequents), is perfectly described.

A Bear Called Paddington, Michael Bond
Paddington Bear, who arrives at the eponymous station “from darkest Peru,” is adorable. I loved revisiting his adventures after I saw the bear himself (above) on my most recent trip to London. A hilarious and perfect story of a newcomer adjusting to English life.

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

What are your favorite books about (or set in) London?

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September reading roundup #2

Gunpowder Plot, Carola Dunn
Daisy Dalrymple Fletcher travels to a country estate to write about its Guy Fawkes celebration, but the festivities are interrupted by murder. Of course, her husband Alec is called in to investigate. I liked the family dynamics in this one.

Rising Strong, Brené Brown
Brown, a social worker and vulnerability researcher, writes about recovering from falls and failure: delving into our emotions and stories, and being honest with ourselves about them. Some great lines, but overall I was a little underwhelmed. Still thought-provoking, though.

Murder at Beechwood, Alyssa Maxwell
Newport society reporter and Vanderbilt cousin Emma Cross finds a baby boy on her doorstep. As she tries to find the baby’s mother, she also ends up investigating several murders. I really like Emma and the Newport setting; curious to see where Maxwell takes the series after this.

Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina, Misty Copeland
I saw Copeland dance in On the Town during my recent NYC trip and was blown away. I enjoyed her memoir of discovering ballet at age 13 and building a whole new life for herself. A little gushy at times, but an inspiring story.

The Idle Traveller, Dan Kieran
Kieran is a proponent of “slow travel”: taking your time to arrive at a destination, embracing disaster and being willing to wander. This book dragged a bit in the middle, but was still a charming account of his philosophy. Found at the Strand.

Young Elizabeth: The Making of the Queen, Kate Williams
A well-known yet enigmatic figure, Queen Elizabeth II was something of an accidental ruler. Williams explores the Queen’s childhood, her experiences in World War II and the turbulent family politics that set the stage for her reign. Quite readable, and fascinating. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Nov. 15).

Miss Buncle’s Book, D.E. Stevenson
Desperate for some extra money, Barbara Buncle writes a novel under a pen name – all about her fellow villagers and their escapades. The book is a runaway bestseller, but Barbara is terrified of what will happen if she’s found out. Another joyous, charming English novel from D.E. Stevenson. Found at Book Culture.

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

What are you reading?

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October books, part 4

Mrs Queen Takes the Train, William Kuhn
I was utterly charmed by this novel, which asks and answers a fascinating question: what if Queen Elizabeth II went off on an unplanned break? Where would she go, and how? Who would follow her? And how would she get back home before a national scandal broke out? Kuhn brilliantly captures the inner monologue of not only The Queen, but half a dozen people (mostly members of her staff) who follow her to Scotland, forming some unlikely alliances as they do so. Wonderful characters from a cross-section of British society, and a lovely ending involving a performance of Henry V. (I cried.) Funny and enchanting, especially for Anglophiles like me.

Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen, Laurie Colwin
Colwin is a self-proclaimed home cook, rather than a foodie: she admits to grand cooking experiments, but she falls back on reliable, simple food when those experiments fail. I loved her tales of dinner parties in a wee New York apartment and serving comfort food to family, friends and strangers, interspersed with recipes. Her writing is warm and appealing, like the recipes themselves.

O Jerusalem, Laurie R. King
This fifth adventure starring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes takes us back to an interlude in The Beekeeper’s Apprentice (their first adventure) in which they briefly fled England for Palestine. The trip turns into a rather unusual working vacation, as Holmes and Russell (the latter disguised as a man) travel around Palestine hunting a dangerous criminal. As always, King masterfully blends history, mystery and a cast of fascinating characters, and the setting of Jerusalem is particularly rich.

Justice Hall, Laurie R. King
Holmes and Russell are back in England (and it’s the 1920s again, after the flashback of O Jerusalem). But they are reunited with two friends from their time in Palestine, distant cousins who served as their guides through that land. A large cast of family members and their secrets converge on the palatial Justice Hall, as our two intrepid detectives dig for answers and attempt to protect their friends. Fast-paced and wonderfully atmospheric.

The Journal Keeper, Phyllis Theroux
Sarah recommended this book, drawn from the author’s journals over six years. It is at once luminous and mundane, charming and ordinary – like all journals. Theroux is dealing with her mother’s illness and death, adjusting to an empty nest, worrying over her work and finances, and wondering whether she can find love again. My favorites were the small, crystalline descriptions of her settings – she has an eye for lovely details. Sometimes I grew frustrated with her doubts and questioning – but that is part of what journals are for. I certainly use mine that way.

The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen, Syrie James
I enjoyed James’ first novel, The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, and liked this one even better. Samantha McDonough, Jane Austen fan and frustrated scholar, finds a letter hinting at an Austen manuscript that went missing at a manor house in Devon. She travels there, managing to convince the house’s (handsome) owner to help her look for the manuscript, and when they find it, they read it aloud together, while debating what to do with it. The framing story is a bit predictable, but fun, and the “manuscript” itself is a fine Austen imitation, well plotted and highly entertaining. To review for Shelf Awareness (out Dec. 31).

What are you reading?

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