CODE NAME HELENE by Ariel Lawhon was the right book at the right time for me – the story of a tough-as-nails woman whose struggles and bravery make our shelter-in-place woes seem trivial. (Yes, the fictional story is – remarkably … Read more...
Book Review: WORDS by Jessica McCann
In the introduction to WORDS: Essays on Writing, Reading, and Life, Jessica McCann shares with the reader a core belief that is as intricately a part of her personal journey as it is her writer’s journey and forms the basis … Read more...
Book Review: FAMILY OF ORIGIN by C.J. Hauser
What first drew me to FAMILY OF ORIGIN by C.J. Hauser? When I saw it at an indie bookstore, the jacket was face-out, displaying the frilly butt of a diving duck. Score. This could be right up my science- and … Read more...
Book Review: BOOST YOUR BRAIN by M. Fotuhi & C. B. Antoniades
I often don’t review the nonfiction books I read, but I felt this one was important to share. BOOST YOUR BRAIN is an older book (published 2013) I downloaded on my iPad years ago when it was on sale. It’s … Read more...
Book Review: ANIMALIA by Jean-Baptiste Del Amo
As ANIMALIA by Jean-Baptiste Del Amo promises by its title, it is, on the highest level, about animals – specifically, about the complicated and often brutal and indifferent historical treatment of animals by farmers. But it’s also about people, an … Read more...
Book Review: THE SPEED OF LIFE by Anne Pete
THE SPEED OF LIFE by Anne Pete is a compelling debut novel and a must read for anyone who loves the Arizona desert, strong but vulnerable female characters, and moving personal journeys.
The biggest fear most of us have is … Read more...
Book Review: AMERICAN DIRT by Jeanine Cummins
I am SO fortunate to have gotten my hands on AMERICAN DIRT by Jeanine Cummins in advance of publication (thanks to my book angel). It was THE way to wind down the reading year: to be totally absorbed in a … Read more...
Book Review: THE WOLF IN THE WHALE by Jordanna Max Brodsky
Novels featuring Gods and Goddesses and mythology aren’t generally my go-to. But THE WOLF IN THE WHALE by Jordanna Max Brodsky, admittedly, attracted me based on the native Inuit character, Omat. I have been long fascinated by North American … Read more...
Book Review: THE BOOK OF SPECULATION by Erika Swyler
THE BOOK OF SPECULATION by Erika Swyler has been on my shelf for far too many years, and it seems to have spoken to me at just the right time. It may not be my typical go-to genre, but it … Read more...
Book Review: DISAPPEARING EARTH by Julia Phillips
When I read the jacket copy for DISAPPEARING EARTH by Julia Phillips, I assumed it was a “who done it,” as the description talked about an ongoing police investigation. I don’t generally gravitate toward missing persons/abduction-type stories; but this … Read more...
Review: THE BULLET JOURNAL METHOD by Ryder Carroll
THE BULLET JOURNAL METHOD: Track the Past, Order the Present, Design the Future
by Ryder Carroll is a handy book about not only how to bullet journal, but how to set and meet goals that lead to a more fulfilling … Read more...
Book Review: THE OVERSTORY by Richard Powers
Mind blown. When books connect on a personal level, they can transcend beyond words on the page. That was THE OVERSTORY for me. I couldn’t help but think Richard Powers wrote this book for me.
It was an immediate connection … Read more...
Book Review: THE MURMUR OF BEES by Sofía Segovia
THE MURMUR OF BEES by Sofía Segovia was among a handful offered as a free e-book by Amazon Crossing, as part of World Book Day in March. Otherwise, it likely would not have been on my radar.
Translated from Spanish, … Read more...
Book Review: CORRAG by Susan Fletcher
Heartbreaking, breathtaking, hopeful… of Jacobites and the fierce loyalty to kings ... and the Glencoe Massacre Read More...
Book Review: THE GLOVEMAKER by Ann Weisgarber
Pitch-perfect writing ...quite a tale about members of the Mormon community in rugged 1888 Utah. Read More...
Book Review: WASHINGTON BLACK by Esi Edugyan
Oh how I loved WASHINGTON BLACK by Esi Edugyan! I was in need of lovely, sensory language and an engaging tale – and perhaps, more so, I was in need of a journey with incredibly rich characters. As the … Read more...
Book Review: THE WIFE by Meg Wolitzer
I picked THE WIFE by Meg Wolitzer for our book club, as I thought it would be so much fun to have a corresponding “go to the movies night” to compare the novel with the new movie featuring Glenn Close. … Read more...
Book Review: THE NATURE FIX by Florence Williams
I don’t review a great number of nonfiction on Goodreads, but to those who know me (and my penchant for fiction writing that includes sensory nature descriptions), it’s probably no surprise that THE NATURE FIX: WHY NATURE MAKES US HAPPIER, … Read more...
Book Review: ELMET by Fiona Mozley
This little book took me by surprise in a big way. A debut with a long list of well-deserved literary honors.
Book Review: GODS OF HOWL MOUNTAIN by Taylor Brown
The language is poetic and lyrical. Taylor Brown creates an incredible sense of place that transports the reader.
Book Review: THE LOST LETTER by Jillian Cantor
Jillian Cantor is a natural at her first dual-narrative novel... fascinating insight about a little-known resistance tool during WWII ...
Book Review: GOOD MORNING, MIDNIGHT by Lily Brooks-Dalton
I loved GOOD MORNING, MIDNIGHT by Lily Brooks-Dalton – which surprised me, since this novel was billed as a post-apocalyptic story. I have read only a handful of such stories and warmed only slightly to them (The Age of Miracles, … Read more...
Book Review: TRUE PLACES by Sonia Yoerg
For starters: that cover! It spoke to me immediately. But what is beneath the beautiful artwork is equally delightful. While I have enjoyed all of Sonja Yoerg’s novels, TRUE PLACES has to be my favorite, with its juxtaposition of nature … Read more...
Book Review: WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens
I was fascinated by WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING when I first learned about author Delia Owens’s background studying wildlife in Africa, and her awards as a nature writer. I was in the mood for a book lush in setting and … Read more...
Book Review: PECULIAR SAVAGE BEAUTY by Jessica McCann
In Jessica McCann’s PECULIAR SAVAGE BEAUTY you get a front-row view of the horrors of the American Dust Bowl. Your skin will sting with torrents of dust, your eyes will burn from the grit, your heart will race. Yes, you … Read more...