The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks - Shauna Robinson

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Narrator: Imani Jade Powers

In The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson, Maggie Banks feels out of options. She had been staying with her mom & dad since she lost her last job. When her best friend offers her a temporary job in her bookshop while she is on maternity leave and a place to stay, Maggie can’t resist. She is not prepared for the battle she faces with the local literary society - no silliness allowed, no modern books, no events - her struggle leads her to create financial woes for the bookshop that is her friend’s sole source of income. Her creative response creates a lovely community but threatens her unexpected romance. Delightfully performed by Imani Jade Powers, this was an entertaining and thoughtful read. 

Maggie is a well developed character - this I know, in part, because she drives me absolutely crazy in some parts. If this old lady can get frustrated with a character’s decisions that means she is brought to life well. And when I say frustrated, I mean she seemed to be making decisions constantly that just didn’t seem sensible - and I know that is all part of the lives we live. But the mom vibe is strong in me, and I remember the frustration of keeping my mouth shut when I wanted so much to “guide” my young adult kids who needed to make their own mistakes. Anyhow, excellent characterization. I loved the setting: the town and the bookstore. I enjoy a good historical author tour and town. While the literary society in this town is next level for some, the conflict that ensues between old school and new ideas helps create an interesting plot.  I am sure the push/pull that Robinson illustrates is fairly common in historical towns. The book did have a bit of a Hallmark movie feel to me, which I like.

Books and the reading of them have been a pivotal part of my life for as long as I can remember. I have spent the better part of my adult life working with students as an English teacher and librarian  - influencing them in terms of books and reading. In The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks - Shauna Robinson takes me on a journey with Maggie. English teachers never love to hear that through exploring the classics they’ve made students hate reading. But, nonetheless, we hear it. And while we weave in more contemporary work and independent choices, we persevere with the classics. I enjoyed watching Maggie’s journey with reading. I am no longer teaching, so what I do with all the thoughts about reading that this novel inspired in me, remains to be seen.  I enjoyed The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson book at a variety of levels - I think you will too. 

The Second Mrs. Astor - Shana Abé

Genre: Historical Fiction

Narrator - Lauren Ezzo

If you are interested in the gilded age, its people, or by the tragedy of The Titanic, The Second Mrs. Astor by Shana Abé is a must read. Abé traces the relationship between Madeleine Talmage Force  and the scandalously divorced John Jacob Astor. In spite of the 29 year difference between them (he has a son very near her age), their love is portrayed as sincere. Society refuses to accept their marriage, and they set off on an extended honeymoon to Egypt with their return to take place on the Titanic. Lauren Ezzo narrates this gilded age historical novel drawing us into their rarefied world.

Abé does a remarkable job with the character of Madeleine Force Astor. She is a remarkably composed 17 year old girl when she catches the eye of John Jacob Astor - some three years after he catches hers. I liked that detail in terms of establishing her as an autonomous woman. She is innocent and in spite of her father’s warning, not fully prepared for the repercussions of her entry into Astor’s world in terms of both society and the press, but she is simultaneously wise and strong in working toward a relationship where she is as much of an equal player as the era allows. She is supported by her friendship with Margaret (the unsinkable Molly) Brown who is able to guide Madeleine through the difficulties encountered - meeting her where much of society would not. Her growth to an incredibly self possessed and strong woman is well portrayed. The glimpse Abé gives us into the gilded age is fascinating.I was unaware of the voraciousness of the reporting of the time. Somehow I thought the paparazzi were a more modern day problem. Their “reporting” does nothing to help Madeleine be accepted into Astor’s world and much to her disgust  - the same reporters try to make her a hero after the Titanic’s sinking. Abé provides insight into key players in the Titanic tragedy as well. I am impressed with how well she creates drama and builds suspense when the ending has already been written in history.

 I’ve watched the HBO Max Gilded Age series, read a number of other books, and been fascinated by the era and its people for some time. The same is true of the tragedy of the Titanic. Shana Abé’s The Second Mrs. Astor offered some very interesting reading about these. In the process she gave a unique look at love and what it can endure and the strength required to survive its loss. 

The Man Who Died Twice & The Bullet That Missed - Richard Osman

Genre: Mystery; Humor

Narrator: Lesley Manfield & Fiona Shaw

Listening to The Thursday Murder Club  Book 2 - The Man who Died Twice and Book 3 The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman felt a bit like coming home to me in a very good way. Voiced by Lesley Manfield and Fiona Shaw, the novels continue to show how Joyce, Ron, Ibrahim, and Elizabeth make living in a retirement community look like quite an adventure. In Book 2 - a mysterious man from Elizabeth’s past comes to the community with a tale of stolen diamonds and a mystery that ultimately involves, well murder. In Book 3 the adventures continue with the exploration of a murdered TV star and all kinds of laundered money. And while the four detectives and their friends work through these mysteries, we are lucky enough to briefly be a part of their lives, loves, and losses. 

I wrote about the original The Thursday Murder Club  - and much of what I like remains the same. And there’s more now…two more books in. I really like all of the characters, but Joyce wins the show for me in these two. I love the form of a diary entry. She is charming; she is clueless…I laughed more than once over her instagram for example. She is a delight. Her care for Ibrahim and the others in her circle, including Allen the dog, is touching again and again. The friendship that develops between her and Elizabeth is just as satisfying as a romance for this reader. Ron, Bogdan, and Donna find their own romances. I am fascinated by how well Osman creates this world where crime bosses, spies, police, counselors, and all manner of people interact as if such is all quite normal. Horrible criminals can seem vulnerable; money launderers lovable. Joyce can be staring down the barrel of the gun and just carrying on a conversation. The whole premise is entertaining, but also -  intended or not - I like the idea that people are portrayed as complex and that as we get older we become much more accepting of that complexity.  Both mysteries are entertaining - clues and red herrings and suspense abounds.

Perhaps what I enjoyed the most here is the growth Osman creates in nearly all of the characters. They all are dealing with trauma and loss at some level, but they find happiness in a number of ways (some quite dangerous :-) They are building a community and that is a delight to watch. You all - The Man Who Died Twice and The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman - are a great read!

The Man Who Died by Richard Osman Book Cover

The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman Book Cover

Clover Hendry's Day Off - Beth Morrey

Genre: Contemporary Fiction; Humor

Narrator: Imogen Church

Have you ever had just the smallest thing set you off? In Beth Morrey’s Clover Hendry’s Day Off, for Clover it appears to be her husband putting forks in the dishwasher the opposite of how she preferred. Honestly, does she have to do every single thing by herself? She clunks her head and self treats with some pretty powerful pain meds and then some antihistamine in case she has a reaction to the pain meds. What follows, then, is a day marked by frankness, independence, sassiness, and a whole lot of self reflection. 

The hilarity and entertainment of watching Clover, wife, mother, and employee, spend a day doing just exactly what she wants - is pure delight, at first. She takes a deserved day off work; she swims where and when she wants to; she “rescues” a rabbit; she stands up for herself again and again. Being just a bit older than her, I appreciate and understand many of her frustrations. I loved seeing her come into her own - and find her voice. The flashbacks to her past made my feelings a bit more complex. Her husband was clearly not just a self centered guy in the kitchen. Their love story was special and unique. Hints surface that indicate her career was marked with some darkness - perhaps more influential than the forks in her very rebellious day. Morrey expertly balances the laugh out loud funny and the serious reflection and sadness. She captures expertly the complexity of Clover’s character - going far beyond stereotype. 

Beth Morrey’s Clover Hendry’s Day Off is a delightful mix of humor and seriousness. I appreciate how Imogen Church’s narration brings Clover to life - further engaging me. I think we all have things in our pasts that we wish we had handled differently. We don’t often get a do over. Clover reminds me that with age and experience more strength can come. If we can tap into it, perhaps we can create some change - perhaps in how we see our own worth. Ladies, read this book. 

Book Cover of Clover Hendry’s Day Off by Beth Morrey

All the Colors of the Dark - Chris Whitaker

Genre: Historical Fiction, Suspense, Mystery

Narrator:  Edoardo Ballerini

The socials lured me into reading this All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker, and I’m glad they did. I am thinking of how best to do a summary and finding it quite difficult - the book covers a great deal of time and feels somewhat like an epic. Patch and Saint  - who each have their heartrending struggles become the closest of friends. One day Patch interrupts the abduction of a teenage girl - setting in motion a chain of events that alters their lives forever. He is captured instead - and Saint remains obsessed with finding him long after others have given up. When he is found, he spends the rest of his life looking for Grace - in captivity with him long after others cease to believe in her. Tragedy and hope unfold in the thirty plus years that follow. Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini, this book works for me at a number of levels. 

First for me as per usual is character development. A beautiful friendship develops between Patch and Saint - in part because they struggle with poverty, difficult home lives, not fitting in at school. Their problems intensify after Patch’s captivity as each of them remain committed to their goals. They care for each other in ways throughout their lives that evidence a level of devotion seldom seen. The people in their small town have difficult lives as well, but again and again they find ways to stand with these two. Whitaker’s plotting is also excellent. He tracks these main characters for decades, maintaining interest the entire time. The book becomes as  much a study of life in this one small town as it does a novel of mystery and suspense. I have been reading a fair number of novels that explore the impact of just one decision on a life, and such an impact is illustrated here through Patch’s split second decision to involve himself in the abduction. Such a noble instinct that goes so very wrong for him. Saint remains devoted to him her entire life - another very impactful decision. Finally, the whole notion of being shaped by what is missing for many in this book - by a fractured family and poverty is expertly illustrated. . I was reminded of Demon Copperhead - wanting to better his life but at the mercy of his surroundings - and, of course, his choices - often made as a result of his surroundings. 

So again, I am thinking of my former students - current students - and what they face on the daily that we on the periphery of their lives may not see. I am again saddened that we don’t do better by them. I’m remembering how often I felt helpless in the face of what we could not do for our students and also grateful for what we could do. I like very much how Whitaker captures this in All the Colors of the Dark. And he does so while crafting suspense and complex relationships. Thanks to the socials for the recommendation. 

The Storm We Made - Vanessa Chan

Genre: Historical Fiction

I hate war. I hate everything about it. I can listen to a nuanced explanation of reasons for war - why it happens from a variety of perspectives. Perhaps some part of the explanation might even make sense to me. But a book like Vanessa Chan’s The Storm We Made underscores why I hate war and the conflicts it provokes. Set in Malaya in 1945 and in 1935 - Chan explores the impact of war on one Malaysian family. Both timelines run concurrently in the novel. In 1935 Malaya was occupied by the British. Cecily Alcantara, a young mother, is lured into being a spy for Japan. By 1945, Malaya was occupied by the Japanese. Her entire family is endangered. Her son Abel has been captured and put to work in a Japanese camp. Her daughter Jujube works in a tea house and must deal daily with the Japanese soldiers, and until her disappearance young Jasmin is forced to hide in the basement to avoid being used at a comfort station for Japanese soldiers. Cecily feels the weight of her earlier decisions and horror ensues for them all. 

Chan tells the book from the perspectives of all four main characters and goes back and forth between timelines. Each voice is strong and well developed. Cecily is motivated by something deep within. I can admire that while not loving the choices that she makes. Abel’s story is deeply tragic as he tries to survive the horror of camp - becoming addicted in the process. Jasmin is too young to comprehend the danger she is in, and I was scared by her childish choices. Jojube tries to be the glue that holds everyone together, and she just becomes angrier and angrier at her helplessness. As these characters’s stories develop, Chan creates suspense. The content is intriguing, and I was very engaged and invested in what was happening to each. Her movement from chapter to chapter allowed her to release the narrative in a way that kept me guessing…and reading. 

I will never understand the cruelty of the world - from the playground to the workplace, within and between nations. I had a hard time shaking off this novel. First I wonder how I was blessed to be born where and when I was. Then I wonder if I’ve ever done enough to stop the cruelty in my corner of the world. Can you pray enough? How do I act? Vanessa Chan doesn’t let anyone off the hook - even in the title - with her novel The Storm We Made. 

the book of two ways - Jodi Picoult

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Sometimes a book speaks to me - like the book of two ways by Jodi Picoult. I read all of Picoult’s work, and am unsure how I missed this. I’m blaming the pandemic and related issues. I am grateful that Libby offered this when I was looking for an available audiobook. Beautifully narrated by by Patti Murin, Picoult gives us Dawn who has the unique opportunity to revisit her past and consider which of two ways her future might unfold. When her faith in her marriage is shaken by her husband’s actions - Dawn begins to reach back and question all the decisions that brought her to this point. She is married, the parent of a teenage daughter, and working as a death doula. In another life - with one different choice - she is with her first love (first passion?) working as an Egyptologist in a newly discovered tomb. How much do we choose and how much do we just let happen? Using the ancient Egyption tradition of being buried with the book of two ways - offering two paths into the afterlife - Picoult explores this question in multiple ways. 

I don’t love Dawn - she is problematic to me on some levels, but boy she is bold in seeking out what will make her happiest and most fulfilled. I admire that (Am I jealous?). Picoult develops her in detail, warts and all. She does the same with Dawn’s husband, daughter, lover, and client. I felt their pain and confusion, and even when I didn’t agree with or understand their choices, I was prepared to hang on. Character development is one of Picoult’s gifts. Another is complexity, and she provides it in spades. She establishes through the Egyptology Book of Two Ways angle how long humans have dealt with choices and options.  She offers a look at the power of choices made and not made through Dawn’s work as a death doula and her client Win who asks her to help her deal with the repercussions of her choices. And of course, Dawn’s choice to come home and care for her mother instead of completing her work for a PhD. And the book ending choice - Brian or Wyatt. As usual, Picoult presents multiple sides and points of view. Nothing about the plot and conflict here is simple - one of the things I love about a Picoult book. 

On reflection, I’m  not sure exactly why this book spoke to me so profoundly. One is that I am fascinated by the important work of the death doula  - introduced to me in The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer. The job seems so important, and I am so unfamiliar with it. More philosophically, often life feels to me mostly a series of choices and the consequences - good or bad - that follow. I don’t do well with decisions. I take a great deal of time making them and even longer settling in with them. Once I do settle though, I try not to look back. I think that is why I was both uncomfortable but admiring of both Dawn and Win. I found them selfish and yet envied their ability to reflect. I feel like I am in a place where I should be looking back on my life and figuring out what I’ve learned. I have no easy answers here to the thoughts and questions this book provoked - much like the book itself. Perhaps that is why the book resonated with me in a number of ways. I was fascinated by Picoult's treatment of the power of choice and change and consequences the book of two ways. 

Book cover for The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult

James - Percival Everett

Genre - Historical, literary fiction

Sometimes I just don’t feel that I have the chops to write about a certain book. James by Percival Everett may be one of those times. I had to wait a long time to get my copy; much has already been written about it, so I only need to share some of my thoughts, I guess. I have taught Huckleberry Finn at the high school level. Through it I tried to have honest conversations about Jim (the James of this novel) with my students. I would love to introduce them to James. How our discussions would have evolved.

My students complained the most about Twain’s use of dialect. We were well into Huckleberry Finn before they could mostly understand what Jim was saying on their own. So I am fascinated by Everett’s approach to how the slaves used dialect to keep their owners and other whites from recognizing their intellect. I have googled to test the accuracy of this and even as a retired librarian, I have not found the correct search terms yet for exploration. I have some Percival Everett events on my calendar and am hoping that conversation comes up. Either way, I love the exploration of the power of language in any form. The lessons that James has with his children were poignant and uncomfortable. I am sad that parents still have these kinds of lessons - language, behavior if your car is pulled over, hoodies - the list goes on. Different era - same painful dance.

Everett remarkably illustrates the horror of slavery. He shows the separation of families, the brutality of slave owners, the expendability of slaves, the commodification of human lives. He creates this balance, and I’m not sure how, where the blacks in the book are matter of fact about it all, but desperate for freedom and respect at the same time. I don’t mean to suggest that they accept their lot without rancor, they just know what life is likely to bring them. James is trying to move toward freedom the entire time, but when things go awry, he deals with the consequences and works toward a new plan because he must. Percival also shows within the text a slave that seems to accept his lot and cooperate with his white owner - horror at a different level. 

The relationship with Huck is different in this book than in Twain’s text. Such a shift is natural in terms of the corresponding shift in the narrator.  In the classroom we spent a great deal of time talking about Huck’s treatment of Jim in Twain - from the scene on the river where he resolves to go to hell rather than turn in his friend to the ending where he blindly follows Tom’s directives for imprisoning Jim. We all struggled - even if at some level we understand what is going on. I like the James ending much better - though I have little hope of happiness, a little hope remains. The book here is, after all, about James, not Huck. 

James is an important book. James is an excellently written book. While for me, many of my thoughts were about the connectedness of the two, James is a book you should read - even if you haven’t read Huckleberry Finn - it will stand on its own terms. 

Book cover of James by Percival Everett

The Summer Of Yes - Courtney Walsh

Genre - Contemporary Fiction with a dash of Romance

When Kelsey (Kelly? Kasey?) is hit by a car that jumped the curb and wakes up in the hospital, she begins to question her whole life. So begins Courtney Walsh’s very recently published The Summer of Yes. Georgina Tate, a business icon, is her roommate there, and her presence makes Kelsey question her own decisions even more. She wishes to be a writer, but is instead working as a very underappreciated editor. She is losing sight of family and friends in an effort to work harder and climb that career ladder. When it occurs to her that Georgina has experienced the career success that she has longed for, but doesn’t have a single visitor, other than her paid assistant, she questions her own choices even more. Georgina who quite frankly seems mostly annoyed by Kelsey, tells her to say yes more. This advice sends Kelsey on a journey that will ultimately change both of their lives. 

I loved both Kelsey and Georgina here. The audiobook, narrated by Tanya Eby and Cathi Colas, brings Walsh’s character development to life. I’m certainly more the age of Georgina who likes to feel like she has the time to effect great change like Kelsey. I love that when Kelsey commits to the idea of a summer of yes that she does so wholeheartedly. She takes her sick and vacation time and reconnects with friends and does everything in her power to bring Georgina along on her journey. I love her commitment to a goal and her refusal to look back. The quietly developed connection between the two is beautiful to watch. Kelsey commits to helping Georgina - even though Georgina resists fiercely. In spite of disagreement, disappointment, and sadness, their journey is peppered with humor and some laughter. Walsh creates a delightful balance. The supporting cast rounds out the book nicely. Georgina’s assistant and her son (a little bit of romance, anyone?) and Kelsey’s friends and coworkers all support Kelsey’s desire for change for herself and Georgina. Walsh creates a lovely world in this book. 

What a great message Walsh teaches - of course most of us can say “yes” more often than we do. And here’s the thing - Georgina who could well have been facing the end of her life - ALSO learns to say yes more. Folks, Walsh shows us in The Summer of Yes we can always change our lives for the better. I have been thinking quietly since finishing this book about places where I can be more adventurous with my willingness to say yes - a fun and thought provoking read - perfect for the beach or the porch!

Book cover The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh

.

After Annie - Anna Quindlen

Genre: Contemporary Literary Fiction

Anna Quindlen’s After Annie is a beautiful look at the impact of grief in the year after a devastating death. Annie passes out in her kitchen and dies. Quindlen explores the impact of this loss on her children, particularly Ali; her husband Bill; her best friend Annemarie; and the elderly residents at home where she worked. This study of grief is beautifully rendered.

These characters are thoroughly developed. I love books with multiple perspectives and such is the case here. I resonated most with Ali.I have spent a fair amount of time in the last ten years trying to process the impact of grief on my family - on me through the loss of my 8 year old brother when I was 7. My heart was right with Ali. I can remember aging fairly quickly after that tragedy. I’ve often wondered who I’d be if we had grown up together. Like Ali, for a time, I lost my parents as well as my brother. Bill’s grief was poignant, and Anna captures his confusion and loss. Annemarie becomes lost to addiction for a brief time (again). I am grateful for the counseling that this family in the book received. We have come a long way from the early 70s to be sure. Quindlen’s gentle empathy toward all of these lost characters is lovely to read. I am grateful, too, that love wins, warts and all.

I can’t recommend After Annie highly enough. Quindlen’s gentle insight into this very realistic family situation worked for me very well. I think if you are early in the grieving a loss space, Quindlen offers hope. If you are a life timer like I am, you might find a kind of comfort in knowing that other families, other daughters have walked a similar journey. In many ways Anna Quindlen’s After Annie feels much like a good friend to me. 

The Fury - Alex Michaelides

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Suspense, Literary

Have you ever felt like the book gods are sending you books purposefully, like with a pattern? I put Alex Michaelides’ The Fury on hold because of the author. When it arrived, I found myself again on an island with a murder - much like One Perfect Couple. Also, I thought I was in a book where a writer was writing as a writer - using the structure elements a bit like You Could Make This Place Beautiful. Perhaps the similarities end there but still. Michaelides expertly uses a second person point of view to tell a tale of murder and betrayal. And…he gives us an insiders’ view of a broken man. Elliot loves Lana-a beautiful actress whose work saved him as a child in a darkened theater. Lana loves Jason who is betraying their marriage through an affair with her best friend Kate. For a bunch of creatives revenge must be plotted - perhaps like a play. The four travel to Lana’s Greek island, and along with her maid Agathi and the island caretaker Nikos, plans unfold. The Fury takes hold. 

The voice and the structure are what engaged me most here.  I love the way Michaelides uses 2nd person to tell this story of love, deception, and murder. I’d like to call Elliot unreliable, but he seems to know exactly what he is doing. He is careful to tell his story, releasing details when he feels most appropriate. He is very honest about structuring his story to best flatter himself. He presents himself as a playwright and tries to shape his narrative like a play. He very much tries to create a Greek tragedy - to present himself as an expert in these. The twists and turns keep coming, and he sets up the bit of a surprise ending nicely - no spoilers. The characters very much bring to life the notion of old Hollywood and Broadway as outsiders see it - endless wealth, love affairs and betrayals. Everybody loves Lana, an iconic star, even Nikos who brings in a mysterious Greek - moody and dark and private. She embodies the kind of self absorption that I would expect from someone of her stature. I am interested in how she can take control in some areas and be oddly overwhelmed in others. Kate and Lana offer an interesting glimpse of an unusual friendship. To talk about it too much would offer spoilers I’m thinking.

Rarely in real life do we take the opportunity to fully examine our motivation, actions, and the consequences of them. Eliot takes us on a fascinating journey as he does so. I could reflect on how I tell myself stories in the same way that Eliot does albeit with not as dramatic an outcome, but probably not today. Today I will reflect on a good book. I love good writing, and Michaelides offers excellence in The Fury. 

Book Cover of The Fury by Alex Michaelides

The River We Remember - William Kent Kreuger

Genre - Contemporary/Historical? Fiction; Literary Fiction

In the epilogue of The River We Remember, William Kent Krueger writes, “Because we are only one part of the whole, the river we each of us remembers is different, and there are many versions of the stories we tell about the past.” On this central metaphor this novel is based. The novel opens with a dead body - at the river, and through the investigation, we come to know Brody Dern, the sheriff, Jimmy and Marta Quinn and their family, Noah and Kyoko Bluestone, Evangeline and her son Scott, Scott’s best friend, and the Creseys among others. We learn that what they remember is sometimes different - we learn that they are very much defined by pasts - filled with war, abuse, prejudice, loss, and, perhaps, love and joy. This town is a small town - and the relationships are defined by geography as well as events and relationships.

For a variety of reasons I went into this novel thinking that it would be OK - but not one that I would resonate with as much as others I have recently read. And perhaps at the outset that was true. But oh, I was quietly and steadily drawn into the world of this book and the hearts of its characters and the complexity of their lives. The characters are expertly drawn, and they all have secrets. Part of what engaged me is the mystery surrounding them - some resolved and some remaining. Brody has painful secrets from his war service overseas; Noah and Kyoko are both victims of prejudice; Evangeline comes from a painful childhood and makes decisions to escape that are difficult; Scott’s best friend and his mother are victims of domestic abuse. Kreuger is unflinching in his rendering of all of these painful issues and more. And yet, he is not heavy handed. He presents you with the characters and their choices and leaves you to process it the way that works for you. In that, he is supporting his epilogue about the same rivers being different for different people. The setting in the small Minnesota town in 1958 has a powerful influence. Of course the book begins and kind of ends at the river. The town is rural, and the people in it reflect in many cases the prejudices and values of the time. At some point or another all of the characters are victims of either or both.

I like to think sometimes that with the passing of time and of legislation that we as a culture are way beyond these prejudices and values. Often, I think we are worse. Always I know I have to work on myself - the product of a rural 70s and 80s upbringing. I hope that books like William Kent Kreuger’s The River We Remember will always leave me feeling uncomfortable with the progress I have made in how I move through the world and respond to the people in it. I hope, too, that I will continue in this time of my life to plumb my memories, like I should the relics in my house - deciding what to keep and what to let go - what is accurate and what is not. I have the luxury of time for reflection - if I allow myself to do so. If you like mystery, complexity, character driven works, this will be for you as well. Much like in life, a simple ending doesn't work for this novel. Like with life, if time continued to pass in this fictional story, the stories of this small town would be told with the variety of memories involved. 

Cover image of The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger

One Perfect Couple - Ruth Ware

One Perfect Couple - Ruth Ware

Ruth Ware does not disappoint in her newest offering One Perfect Couple and Imogen Church narrates it with perfection. Lyla is frustrated. Her data just isn’t doing what her boss needed it to do in her post doc program - she figures her days in the program are numbered. Her live-in boyfriend Nico desperately wants her to participate with him in a reality program - One Perfect Couple  - that he hopes will jumpstart his lagging acting career. What seems madness to her at first quickly becomes an escape for Lyla and she grudgingly agrees to go - with the plan to be sent home within two weeks to finish what she can of her work. After they arrive things go terribly wrong. Nico is sent home instead of Lyla and the rest of the cast is left stranded on the island after a vicious storm. In the spirit of Christie’s And Then There Were None (which I am listening to now…), one by one…people begin to die. What could be going on?

Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, Joel and Romi, Conor and Zana, and Lyla and Nico - show up to the island for romance and money, but one of them is a murderer. After Nico exits the island surprisingly quickly, a storm changes the game from reality TV to survival. Ruth Ware, as always, offers up red herrings and hints alike, as the plot gains in suspense. Through it all we get a variety of  insights into the cast and their motivations (No real innocents here turns out that no one is perfect!). Ware juggles the reveal of the nature of each of these personalities carefully, adding layers beyond the traditional procedural mystery. Ruth Ware is a master of this kind of nuanced writing. 

Like in Mary Kay Andrews’ The Homewreckers, it was fun to see the reality of reality TV. Beyond that and the mystery of it all, I enjoyed watching Lyla come into herself. At the beginning of the novel, Lyla is uncertain of her career, her relationship, and her life’s direction generally. On the island, she is faced with one horrific surprise after another and responds with a strength we (and she!) didn’t know she had.  She becomes a leader. And while her future is no less certain at the end of the novel, she is more ready to face it head on. I guess staring death in the face will do that for you. I always like to see a woman gain strength. I also appreciated the easter egg - where a Ruth Ware book is mentioned and used in the plot. Ruth Ware is clearly having a little fun which is fun for her readers. Ruth Ware lovers, mystery/thriller lovers, if you haven’t already, get a hold of Ruth Ware’s One perfect couple. 

The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Genre - Historical Fiction

Recommended by a friend, The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón proved to be an excellent read - different for me - but I enjoyed it very much. Daniel’s father, a book seller, takes him on a visit to the Cemetery of Lost Books in their hometown of Barcelona. Here Dan chooses a book The Shadow of the Wind by Julián Carax. The reading of this book leads to a lifelong obsession  - filled with mystery, horror, love, and tragedy. Daniel meets and learns about a fascinating group of characters along the way. 

Zafón is a lyrical writer. In spite of my 35 years as a teacher of literary analysis, I find myself quite unable to find the precise words I’m looking for to back up that statement. His prose is poetic. Particularly when he is describing the setting in Barcelona, he creates a magical impression for me - smoke and mirrors - stars and sunshine. This book is not a fantasy and is populated by real  - many broken - people who love and who hate, but the way he writes imbues it with a touch of unreality. Perhaps that is how I endure the hatred that is so painfully illustrated throughout the book. The plot is expertly crafted. As Daniel alongside pursues his fascination with the mystery of Carax and his book, we explore Barcelona’s recent past and the book’s present - gradually learning more and more about the characters and their society. Daniel is helped by his friend Fermín - forever his servant after Daniel and his father rescue him from the street - offering him a job and shelter. He is a crass buffoon with an endless appetite for food and women, but he is devoted and offers wisdom to Daniel again and again. He is hard not to love. Inspector Fumero is pure evil and his hatred spans generations. But Zafón also writes of love - some love that is enduring and some that isn’t - just like life. I appreciated very much the love that this little community shows to one another - like they do to Don Federico. For Daniel, this is a coming of age story  - and he learns about love along the way. 

I am especially drawn to books about the power of books and reading. Zafón writes, “Bea says the art of reading is slowly dying, that it’s an intimate ritual, that a book is a mirror that offers us only what we already carry inside us, that when we read, we do it with all our heart and mind, and great readers are becoming more scarce by the day.” For most of my teaching career I struggled to convince my students about the power of reading. We debated about whether authors really had messages to convey or if English teachers made them up. My stronger students and I talked about theories of criticism that suggested that the meaning is all in what the reader brings to the book. I was always trying to find the balance. I have asked myself again and again if great readers are becoming scarce. - but I always found great readers. I’m sure they’d love this book, and I’d love to talk with them about Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s The Shadow of the Wind.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón book cover

Save What's Left - Elizabeth Castellano

Contemporary Fiction Humor (see: just right for a newly retired late 50 something :-)

Would you love to read a book this summer that overturns the typical beach read tropes? Save What’s Left by Elizabeth Castellano and narrated by Thérèse Plummer is such a fun one. The novel gives us Kathleen who is in a pickle. Her husband of thirty years has just announced that he feels their marriage is not working. He is leaving on a trip. What should she do? After a delightful walk through her Christmas letters (one of the many times I laughed aloud) she determines to sell her Kansas house and buy a beach house in Whitbey  - sight unseen. Kathleen does not achieve the relaxing beach life she is hoping for. Instead, she finds herself best friends with the crotchety lady next door and constantly battling local government - filing grievances again and again for building and beach violations that are largely ignored.  She is frustrated and angry much of the time. Eventually her husband returns to live in his Airstream in her driveway. What’s a fifty something not quite divorced woman to do?

Plummer has just created this woman that I didn’t know whether to love or hate - and many who know her in the book feel the same. She is angry - but I can’t help but admire her ability to stand up for herself. She is witty - and errs on the side of sarcasm whenever she can. She has little tolerance for stupidity and yet tolerates so much of it. I just feel like in so many ways she represents the late 50 something woman quite well. We find our voices and are learning how to use them the most effectively.  Plummer just barely keeps me liking and kind of admiring her - most definitely rooting for her. The whole beach neighborhood is just a hoot, really. She feels she has no friends here, and yet she builds quite a crew. In YA land Sarah Dessen often gives us a look into the people who live at the beach and have to put up with all of the vacationers. We see that perspective here. Oh how frustrating it is for the locals to have their ordinances ignored. Everyone is building bigger and more elaborately. It falls to folks like Kathleen and her nosy neighbor to try and stop the tide. 

Oh man. I just recently reviewed The Memory of Lavender and Sage where I lamented my lack of appetite for change and adventure. I can’t decide if Save What’s Left by Elizabeth Castellano has confirmed my fears or made a mockery of them. She announces fairly quickly that she has made a huge mistake in the purchase of Oyster House and subsequent move, but yet, she forges ahead. Her husband returns, and she isn’t sure she wants him to, but yet, she works to figure it out. No one really responds to her myriad of concerns, but yet, she keeps lodging them. Again, I don’t know if I should aspire to be more like her or guard against it with a fury. I enjoyed the beach read turned on itself and found something to be thoughtful about as well. 

Save What’s Left by Elizabeth Castellano book cover

Finding Margaret Fuller - Allison Pataki

Genre: Historical Fiction

Allison Pataki’s Finding Margaret Fuller narrated by Barrie Kreinik happily brought me back to one of the best nerdy vacations that my family has ever taken to Concord, MA. I double checked with my daughter who confirmed that sadly, we learned very little about Fuller in our literary tours there.  In an effort to bring to light the remarkable accomplishments of Margaret Fuller - Pataki places her readers directly into the lives of the Concord writers. She fully explores Fuller’s relationships with Emerson, Thoreau, the Alcotts, and Nathaniel Hawthorne as she comes into her own as a philosopher and writer, bringing the time alive. She follows her then to Rome - where Fuller works as the first female war correspondent and finds fulfillment in her personal life. 

I know it’s fiction, but I really enjoy seeing the ways in which these characters - most of whom (with the exception of Fuller ironically enough) I’ve both read and taught - interact in their daily lives. The narration of Barrie Kreinik brings each individual to life - and as they are most different, this can’t have been easy. So I loved the time the book spent in Concord and could easily picture the walk from Emerson’s house to Orchard House from my time there. Much as I loved this insight, I didn’t always understand Margaret - at one point I asked out loud, rather frustrated, “Margaret, why do you keep going back to Concord?” Ultimately, Margaret herself ends up a bit bored with the inaction there as well. I was a bit relieved when she spent time in New York and finally Europe. The time she spent in Italy revolutionized the expectations for the role of women in journalism. Her reports back to Horace Greeley supported her and opened the eyes of her readers. Her dedication to her craft in the face of gender bias, poverty, love, and even war is astonishing. I will be exploring some of her work for sure. I haven’t read from the transcendentalists in some time. In Italy she also found love and family. Isn’t it funny how these can be found when the finder isn’t even looking? 

I have had a good run with historical fiction that highlights strong women. See The First Ladies, Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule, and When Women Ran Fifth Avenue. These authors and their works are so important. I am grateful for them. I  still feel like I have work to do, but I have been spinning my wheels in terms of the reading and study I thought I’d do in my retirement. I’m not doing it. I gathered up some of the books I’d  acquired for such a time as this and they are still gathered in a pile. Perhaps the role model found in Allison Pataki’s Finding Margaret Fuller will provide a starting point. I have so much to learn. Perhaps. 

Home is Where the Bodies Are - Jeneva Rose

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

I was due for a good thriller - and the availability of this audiobook, allowed me to find Jeneva Rose’s Home is Where the Bodies Are when I was looking for an audio book. Cassandra Campbell, Brittany Pressley, Andrew Eiden, and January LaVoy bring each of the characters to life in this well crafted mystery thriller. The book begins with Beth who is at her mother’s side as she dies. She contacts her sibling Nicole, who has suffered much from addiction and Michael who hasn’t been home since their father mysteriously left years before. Characterized by anger and angst - the sibling relationship is a difficult one as they try to accomplish their mother’s wishes and lay her to rest. An unexpected discovery as they are going through the house creates even more tension. Could their parents have been involved in a murder?

The setting here for me is in many ways the star of this book. A house sort of isolated in the woods at the edge of a small town - the kind that kids want to escape when growing up. Also the one to which many return. Beth feels stuck in the house, and it becomes a chess piece between her and her brother. The woods provide mystery that increases the suspense. The oppression of the setting is palpable. The conflict among the siblings is as well.  It’s fascinating to me the way “typical” sibling rivalry is magnified as the novel progresses. Rose expertly layers on the conflicts - often through arguments. This slow release of detail also enhances the suspense. I love when I am kept guessing and the twist and turns the plot takes. 

Don’t we all hope that we will never have to figure out if our parents have committed murder? But don’t we all deal with sibling issues in one way or another? The groundedness here makes this suspenseful thriller thoughtful as well as entertaining and exciting. Jeneva Rose’s Home is Where the Bodies Are balances these in an interesting way. You won’t regret spending some time with this family! I didn’t. 

Home Is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose book cover

The Memory of Lavender and Sage - Aimie K. Runyan

Genre: Contemporary

I am a rules follower. I worked for good grades for the first part of my life. I worked to raise my kids. I worked to put them through school and get a pension to retire a bit early. Never did I really act on a dream or pursue a giant whim. My life is not a sad one, not at all. I just don’t take chances. So… I was drawn to The Memory of Lavender and Sage by Aimie K. Runyan narrated by Caroline Hewitt and to Tempèste much like I was drawn to Frances in Under the Tuscan Sun. I will not likely ever buy a house overseas and live there, renovate it, get to know the neighbors, and have affairs and adventures. But gosh, I like reading about it. 

That being said, of course, I loved the character development of Tempèste. I admire her taking charge of her life with the move in spite of an obvious lack of support from her brother and her grandmother. She overcomes much - a very neglected house, strong dislike from some of the locals, a need for purpose. Runyan creates the village and its residents in a lovely way. I appreciate how as she gets to know the people there, Tempèste learns about her mother and comes to appreciate her more. In the process, she learns surprising details that …  you should read and find out. Tempèste also learns that she has some unexpected abilities - to impact the things and people around her in an almost mystical way. I don’t read much fantasy, but this element is woven into the plot in such a believable way that I found myself, well, believing it. 

I am probably not going to change a lifetime of behavior any time soon. To be honest, in retirement, I find myself still not necessarily pursuing those things I thought I’d might - certainly not yet. I suppose I need to think about why…maybe. (I’m sure the articles exploring such behavior exist.) But anyhow that doesn’t mean I can’t love reading about those who do. And I loved reading Aimie K. Runyan’s The Memory of Lavender and Sage and hanging out in a small village in France for a time. 

The Women - Kristin Hannah

Genre - Contemporary Fiction 

Kristin Hannah’s The Women has been read, reviewed, discussed, and discussed again all over my social media and online reading. I was on a long waiting list. But finally, my copy came up. I set aside everything I had heard and pressed the play on my phone. I don’t think a traditional review from me would have much to contribute to the world at this point; you can find plenty,  but I do have some things to say. If you haven’t heard, Hannah’s novel focuses on Frankie McGrath’s time serving in Vietnam as a nurse and then on her return home and what she faces there. Spoiler alert - it’s not pretty. The audiobook is narrated with the excellence we expect from Julia Whelan.

If you want perfectly accurate details about the Vietnam War, please seek out a nonfiction book on the subject - many, many exist. I didn’t google any of the details, but I have seen some complaints on social media about accuracy. If you want a book that captures the spirit of the times in the United States and Vietnam during and after the war, Hannah does so. She specifically focuses on, well, the women - women who fear the loss of sons, husbands, and lovers, women who wish to do so and must find a way (many like McGrath, as a nurse, women who are told again and again that there “were no women serving in Vietnam.” Hannah writes, “How did a woman open her world when no invitation had been issued?” How indeed.

One reader characterized Frankie as a spoiled socialite used to getting her own way. I wonder if that reader read the entire book.Frankie does come from privilege and gives it all up when she travels to Vietnam. Serving in combat situations is a great equalizer to be sure. She lived, worked, and relaxed in the same horrific conditions as everyone there. Her friends - who become closer to her than family - come from all different walks of life. These friendships extend well beyond Vietnam. I admit that she did return to privilege and benefited from it. But in the end she eschews its safety and strikes out on her own, creating a sanctuary for other women who served.

I suppose the notion that she is spoiled could stem from her well illustrated struggles with PTSD and with drug and alcohol addiction. If so, then the understanding of these issues is lacking. I appreciated Hannah’s honest depiction of the complexity of what Frankie experiences.

A number of folks expressed frustration with the second part of the novel. I get that in some ways I guess, An urgency exists in the beginning of the novel set in Vietnam. The romance is more intense. Adventure persists. Even celebrations are infused with suspense. However, I’m not sure the second part of the book isn’t the most important part. We see here the need for more care for returning veterans; we see the inequity that existed for returning women - “there weren’t any women in Vietnam.” While I think we are doing better as a country, I think much can still be done for our veterans - in helping them recover and return to life outside of combat zones. 

I don’t think we can possibly be reminded too much about the difficulties surrounding the Vietnam War - and all who served. We must be very aware of how we treat those who are tasked with any form of military service. Women, we must remain aware of that from which we come. While the 70s are farther away than I’d like them to be, they are not that long ago. Countless people like Frankie paved the way for me to have many more choices than she may have. Finally and perhaps most importantly, I loved the strength of her friendships. Her strength comes in great part from her closest friends. And she supports them in their battles as well. The Women by Kristin Hannah is a beautiful reminder of how grateful I am for the women in my life who support me unconditionally. 

Book cover - The Women by Kristin Hannah

You Could Make This Place Beautiful - Maggie Smith

You Could Make This Place Beautiful - Maggie Smith
Genre - Memoir

When I completed You Could Make This Place Beautiful, written and read by Maggie Smith, I said out loud in my empty car. Oh, I loved this - it was indeed beautiful. I don’t always respond out loud to books, but when particularly moved, I sure do. (Don’t all English teaching librarians?) This lyrical memoir focuses on Smith’s divorce and its aftermath, but the insights she gained and shares here are valuable to us all. Smith reading her own words was particularly powerful for me, but also I will be getting a hold of a copy of the print book because I have a need to see her words on the page. 

Part of the appeal for me was how transparent she was about writing as a writer. The vignettes are punctuated with discussion of the sorts of terms English teachers and writing love. If I were still teaching, I might be tempted to use those pieces just to prove that they exist outside of the English classroom. She stretches me to think differently about structure and writing (why I need to see it in print). I love the repetition that a book is rooted in a question that can’t be answered to title her sections. I have often thought recently about what question a book is meant to answer and whether or not it does so. She does so here even if the current answer for her is uncertain. Ultimately a hopeful throughline provides a general  answer even when specifics are still resolving. Her work also includes her poetry - illustrating so beautifully how poems come often from experience and how they can also help the poet and her reader work through experiences. I love her frankness and honesty and that she is careful with what she shares -  just using the 2nd person voice to tell us so. I cried with her, was angry with her, laughed with her as she reflected on her journey. As a parent who worries endlessly about her kids, her words about them resonated with me quite powerfully. The prose here reflects her life as a poet. Her words are lyrical. She creates imagery, figurative language, and symbols while I’m sure not effortlessly, it reads that way. 

Change - particularly that which is unsought - is difficult. Even when I choose to change, I often struggle with the reality of it. I know I have missed some lovely opportunities in my life because of my struggles with change. Smith very much speaks to me here. She teaches through this work that adapting ,while painful, can yield beautiful results. She also illustrates the powerful connections through metaphor that can easily be overlooked in the tasks of living each day. She is honest and reflective, and I admire how she uses writing - poetic and prose - to note her struggles and to work through many of them.I wish I had the capacity, talent, devotion - fill in the blank - to create art this beautiful and thought provoking. I wish I took more time to reflect on how my mindset impacts the way I live from day to day. Perhaps this You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith will inspire me to do so BEFORE I fill my days with activities and tasks to keep busy, busy, busy. Wouldn’t that be something?