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, The Dog Stars, and Station Eleven). Why did I fall for this one, then? Because, at its heart, GOOD MORNING, MIDNIGHT … [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 and affluent suburban living. If you enjoy book club and upmarket women’s fiction in contemporary settings – … [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 critters and love of the earth. I had hoped this book would fill that need. When the introduction discussed the roots of this story – … [Read more...]
Book Review: THE REMOVES by Tatjana Soli
Wow. I could probably stop there, honestly, because that’s about all you need to know. But… I can’t do that because I loved this book too much not to talk about it. THE REMOVES by Tatjana Soli is an intense portrayal of yet another of America’s darkest periods of history. And it is told through the perspectives of three fascinating characters: … [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 will feel for the jackrabbits escaping the biting dirt, and the birds falling from the sky. And, you will fall in love with RJ, … [Read more...]
Book Review: THE WEIGHT OF INK by Rachel Kadish
THE WEIGHT OF INK by Rachel Kadish is one of those books that, when you close its covers upon reading the final pages, you know you’ve read something special. It is also the kind of book that, days later, sinks even deeper into your subconscious and makes you realize just how impressive a literary accomplishment it is. I was immediately … [Read more...]
Book Review: THE SHAPE OF IDEAS by Grant Snider
First, a confession: I’ve long been a fan and a follower of Grant Snider’s “Incidental Comics.” Seeing one of his comic strips pop-up in my Twitter feed is like a gift of sunshine to brighten my day. My eyes delight in his whimsical artistry; my mind gleefully applauds his creative perspective; and my heart gratefully savors his insightful … [Read more...]
Book Review: THE RIVER OF KINGS by Taylor Brown
Wow! What a fascinating book written with absolutely gorgeous, transporting prose. I tend to enjoy dual-period books, but THE RIVER OF KINGS by Taylor Brown actually is a rare treat in that it weaves a third period into the storyline, and does so expertly. The novel follows the stories of two brothers on a quest to take their father’s ashes to … [Read more...]
Book Review: GOODBYE, VITAMIN by Rachel Khong
"...there is a bit of magic in this author’s ability to tell a deeply affecting story with interspersed humor" I will be honest: I don’t know how to feel about this book. Prior to picking up GOODBYE, VITAMIN by Rachel Khong, I had just finished reading a heavily literary, epic novel that was almost 600 pages, and perhaps the contrast felt a bit … [Read more...]
Book Review: HOMEGOING by Yaa Gyasi
Wow. What an ambitious accomplishment for a debut author (any author, really) – a story following the lives of one family over 300 years, and written in only 320 pages. I don’t think many readers are familiar with the origins of American slavery – how slaves got to the U.S., who was complicit in the capture and transport of slaves, and even the … [Read more...]
Book Review: THE SECOND MRS. HOCKADAY by Susan Rivers
As a fan of Civil War-era historical fiction, I thoroughly enjoyed the slim debut of THE SECOND MRS. HOCKADAY. An epistolary novel told in its entirety through letters, legal court inquests and journal entries, it mirrors the real-life story of a husband and wife in 1864-66 (with flashbacks and flash forwards). While the narrative weaves back … [Read more...]
Book Review: THE SPORT OF KINGS by C.E. Morgan
What I’ve come to learn about myself as a reader is that I am patient enough (who knew?) to enjoy epic novels that span generations (This one was 545 pages). And I’m nerdy enough to enjoy puzzling out long, beautiful literary sentences that may ramble (This book does include some of those). I also enjoy gently-paced, character-driven stories with … [Read more...]
Book Review: ALL THE BEST PEOPLE by Sonja Yoerg
I’ve read all of Sonja Yoerg’s work and with each novel, she brings something different to the table. In her first novel, hidden secrets; in her second, a search for self among the wilderness; and in ALL THE BEST PEOPLE, a fight to understand and survive a damning family legacy. Each of her novels highlights a character on an emotional journey, … [Read more...]
Book Review: THE FIRE BY NIGHT by Teresa Messineo
There is something about THE FIRE BY NIGHT by Teresa Messineo that packs a big punch. Perhaps it’s the reality of nurses who volunteered to serve during the war and who were put into the same horrific, life-threatening predicaments as soldiers, but who were never fully recognized for it? Perhaps it was learning of their mettle, their … [Read more...]
Book Review: THE BONES OF PARADISE by Jonis Agee
I’m not generally a reader of mysteries, and frankly, I’m not sure THE BONES OF PARADISE by Jonis Agee can be billed as one. It is a fabulous conglomerate: a family saga, literary fiction, historical fiction, a love story, a western, and a mystery all wrapped into one. Admittedly, the mystery component of ‘what really happened to JB and Star … [Read more...]