Good Reads & Views

Crooked Hallelujah Kelli Jo Ford
Fiction

What it is: A novel in stories that focuses on four generations of Cherokee women—Granny Annie Mae, her daughter Lula, her granddaughter Justine, and great-granddaughter Reney—struggling to keep their family together as they cope with poverty, messy relationships, religious and social conflicts, and other hardships. Lula is a single mother barely held together by the strictures of her Holy Roller faith, which daughter Justine rails against. When Justine becomes pregnant with Reney at 15, she vows to have a different relationship with her own daughter, but unreliable men, bad choices, and devastating storms challenge that effort.

Why you might like it: Because it is beautifully written using simple, spare prose and exacting word choice, and is filled with small details of daily life that together signify a life worth living. And because despite the quirky structure that includes changing perspectives, time jumps, and characters who are introduced and dropped without explanation, the narrative still highlights the deeply connected relationships of the characters, the messiness of mother and daughter relationships, and survival despite the odds.

Critics say: “Ford’s storytelling is urgent, her characters achingly human and complex, and her language glittering and rugged. This is a stunner” (Publishers Weekly); “Ford unfolds Justine’s story without passing judgment, which is one of the great strengths of Crooked Hallelujah; she writes close to her characters, the narrative stripping away explanations, allowing readers to feel real involvement in the action” (Washington Post).

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The Other Boylen Girl by Philippa Gregory
Fiction

What it’s about: This is the story of Mary Boleyn, a woman who is often lessened to a footnote in history. It is notable, however, that she was the only Boleyn sibling to survive the Tudor court in sixteenth century England. It is also the story of Anne Boleyn, her rise and fall, as seen through the eyes of her sister, Mary, with whom Anne was to have a lifelong conflict of jealousy, greed, and ambition.

Why you might like it: This story is one that is sure to enchant all those with a love for well-written historical fiction.

You might also like: The Tudor Saga Series written by authors Jean Plaidly and Philippa Carr.

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The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by Victoria Schwab
Fiction

What it’s about: Never pray to the gods who answer after dark. Desperate to escape an unwanted marriage and life in a small town, Adeline LaRue forgets this advice and makes a deal for her soul in exchange for her freedom for as long as she wishes to live. She soon realizes she is cursed to live forever but never remembered by anyone she meets. Three hundred years later in New York City, she meets a man who remembers her. 

Why you should read it: Victoria Schwab has written numerous fantasy stories with unusual plots, but this one does not feel like a historical novel or a fantasy or a typical romance. The prose is spare and haunting. Especially recommended on audio.

What to read next: For another book about an immortal denizen of New York, try Forever by Pete Hamill.

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Is This Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld
Nonfiction

Reviewers say: “Fans of Seinfeld will eat this up, and aspiring comics will want to study how he shapes his seemingly effortless humor” (Kirkus Reviews).

What it’s about: Since the author began his standup comedy career in 1975, he has always written his own material. He wrote his ideas and jokes on big yellow legal pads and saved them “in one of those old school accordion folders.” In this book he goes through those legal pads, selects his favorite material, and shares forty-five-years’ worth.   

You might also like:  I Shouldn’t Even Be Doing This by Bob Newhart or A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost

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Big Girl: How I Gave Up Dieting & Got a Life by Kelsey Miller
Nonfiction

What it’s about: Kelsey Miller writes about her life of yo-yo dieting and how she finally started living only after she gave up dieting and started intuitively eating.

What’s inside: For anyone who has been on a diet, or who has been dieting their whole life, the first few months of a new year feel like a palate cleanser. A new year, a new you. You start that diet, you eat clean, you get a gym membership. But most of those diets fail. Before February, you’ve lost steam and you’re back to eating Oreos in the dark pantry, hiding your shame from your family. Kelsey’s story was very similar to this, going on her first diet in elementary school, and dieting on-and-off until her late 20s when someone she trusted suggested intuitive eating. It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change. Nothing is off limits, so Kelsey learned to think about meals in terms of nutrition and satisfaction, rather than net carbs and cheat meals. She could have Oreos when she wanted them, but never wind up in a situation where she needed them.

Is it for you? Kelsey’s story is very relatable, especially if you’ve lived a life of chronic dieting and daily weigh-ins. If you’re looking for a confidence boost (and a potential life change), this is the book for you.

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The Princess Spy: The True Story of World War II Spy Aline Griffith, Countess of Romanones by Larry Loftis
Nonfiction

What it’s about: It’s a stranger-than-fiction, fast-moving true story: a young woman from a small town longs to contribute to the war effort during WWII—and gets recruited as a spy during a dinner party. After whirlwind espionage training, she’s off to Spain, where she’s assigned to infiltrate high society to uncover Nazi collaborators and spies.      

Why you might like it: Suspenseful and exciting, this book features charismatic international spies, romance during wartime, bullfighters, glamour, murder, celebrities, and Spanish nobility. (It’s not a spoiler to reveal that Aline married a Spanish count.)

You might also like: If you want to read more about the intriguing life of Aline, Countess of Romanones, pick up her memoirs. The Spy Wore Red covers the war years in Spain, and The Spy Went Dancing and The Spy Wore Silk take place during her marriage, when the CIA lured her out of retirement.

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Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman
Fiction

What’s it about: The prequel to Practical Magic and Rules of Magic, this tells the story of Maria Owens who invokes the curse that will haunt her family for generations to come. The locations range from 17^th century England to Dutch Curaçao to Salem, Massachusetts, and New York City.

Want a taste? “Some people grow weak when they are victimized, others grow stronger, and still others combine those two attributes to become dangerous”; “No one knows where time goes, all the same it disappears.”

Reviewers say: “Maria's page-turning adventure is thoroughly enjoyable. Hoffman's redemptive story of a fiercely independent woman adds an engrossing, worthwhile chapter to the series” (Publishers Weekly).

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Joy at Work: Organizing Your Professional Life by Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein
Nonfiction 

What it’s about: Kondo and Sonenshein help employees get a grip on their workspaces – tangible and virtual – in this uplifting book. They start with visualizing your ideal work life and end with maintaining work-life balance. Kondo even addresses the problem of “rebound”—when your tidying work comes undone.

Why you should read it: Who hasn’t encountered frustration at work? From not being able to find important things when you need them to time-sucking meetings, Kondo and Sonenshein present actionable processes to improve things.

Reviewers say: “The authors contend that tidying one’s workspace is ‘an epic voyage of self-discovery’ and ‘the first and most effective step toward realizing your vision of a joyful career” (Publisher’s Weekly).

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Little Black Dress by James Patterson
Fiction

What it’s about: A young woman determined to experiment with making her fantasies a reality.  With all decisions, there can be delightful and enjoyable consequences OR there can be ghastly and unpleasant consequences. The storyline is enticing to witness how a little black dress transforms her personality. I LOVE Patterson’s new co-author, Emily Raymond. I could not stand to put it down once I started reading it. I’m already looking for more books written by both of them.

Why you might like it: BookShots are an excellent read for people who do not have time to sit down and enjoy a much longer book.

You might also like: Let’s Play Make-Believe, written by James Patterson and co-author James O. Born.

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Vesper Flights by Helen MacDonald
Nonfiction

Who’s it for: Bird watchers, wanna-be bird watchers, and anyone who wants to read a thoughtful examination of how humans interact with the natural world.

Tell me more: MacDonald’s collection of more than 3 dozen essays, many short enough to be read in quick chunks, include observations made over the period of her lifetime, from childhood to the present. She often shares how her initial observations may have been missed, or how new knowledge imparts a different perspective on a topic. The deep shadow of the climate crisis colors all the essays, imparting a melancholy tone to much that she observes. She makes visible what is unseen and unnoticed by so many of us—and urges us to hurry and notice it before it is gone.

But I want details: Many of the essays are about birds—swifts that spend most of their lives in flight, swans that belong to royalty and are counted annually in a practice known as swan upping, murmurations of starlings, cuckoos in the house, bird (and insect) flights in the upper skies observed by radar (far above city high-rises) at 10 to 12,000 feet. But she also shares thoughts and observations of “flying ant day,” deer and automobile collisions, development of childhood paradises, glowworms, and total solar eclipses. This beautifully written, poignant, and sobering collection will inspire you to get outside, now.

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The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand  
Fiction  

Reviewers say: "Engaging family relationships mixed with vivid landscape descriptions create an effortless read" (Library Journal).

What it's about:  A tale of identical twins who are raised on separate islands after their parents’ divorce. They are now 39 years old, they don’t get along, and the book explores complications caused by twinship and small island worlds.

You might also like: The Summer Girls by Mary Alice Monroe or Surfside Sisters by Nancy Thayer.

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A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
Fiction

What it’s about: Galadriel, or El to her friends (if she had any) is in the Scholomance, a giant school constructed in the void to trap evil magical creatures that want to snack on the students within, who are constantly in peril. El hates Orion Lake, who has everything going for him and who keeps saving her, though she wishes he wouldn’t, and hanging around, though she gives him nothing but grief about it.

Why you might like it: Hogwarts was a picnic compared to the Scholomance. El is sassy and sarcastic, scheming hard to survive the worst test of all, Graduation, where the seniors are dumped into the Graduation Hall at the base of the school and have to fight their way out.

For fans of: Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Battle Royale

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Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth
Fiction

What it’s about: In a blend of Gothic horror and current-day Hollywood story, this creative and quirky novel is full of surprises. When an author writes the story of two grisly deaths at a girls’ boarding school in the early 20^th century (death by yellow jackets), her book gets optioned for a movie. As the filming begins, eerie and inexplicable events haunt the set (including: more yellow jackets!)

Why you should read it: If you like your horror novels both smart and snarky, this is the book for you. This book is also a great choice for readers who enjoy clever footnotes in fiction, novels that alternate between two timeframes, LGBTQIA+ fiction, and stories told in layers.

Reviewers say: Kirkus Reviews says it’s “Creepy, meta, and a whole lot of fun.”

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Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh
YA Fiction

What it’s about: This is a coming-of-age book about a girl named Ada. She’s had a troubling past and has messy relationships with both of her parents, the church, and her own body and sexuality. The main narrative focuses on the time after her high school graduation and her first semester of college, though we do get flashbacks into her primary years. It’s the first time she’s living on her own, miles away from her family, and she is struggling to find her rhythm in both her classes and the day-to-day lifestyle of a college freshman. One day she wanders into a dance studio and peeps on a young woman expressing herself through movement that captivates her. They become friends, and Ada finally starts to build confidence.

Why you might like it: This novel is written in free-verse, making it a quick read despite its 400-page length. The way the words fall on the pages really fits Ada’s mood and tone. The reader falls in love with her and the relationships she builds. This is Candice Iloh’s debut novel, and I’m excited to read more from her!

Other free-verse books: Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo, Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, and Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai.

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The Searcher by Tana French
Fiction 

What it’s about: Retired Chicago cop Cal Hooper is looking to start a new life in a small Irish village, spending his days fishing and fixing up an old house. Then he is talked into helping find the missing brother of a local kid and by doing so finds dark secrets among an insular community.

Want a taste? “The wind combs the heather and gorse with a low ceaseless rustle. Its smell has a sweetness almost too cold to catch. The sky is a fine-grained gray, and from somewhere in its heights a bird sends down a pure wild whistling.”

Reviewers say: Delivers “plenty of twists, shocking revelations, and truly chilling moments. Slow moving and richly layered” (Kirkus Reviews); a “slow-burn stunner that will keep readers turning the pages late into the night” (Library Journal).

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A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future by David Attenborough
Nonfiction

What it’s about: David Attenborough, the naturalist, describes his career creating nature television over sixty years, against the backdrop of humanity’s increasingly harmful exploitation of biodiversity.

Why you should read it: Climate change is real and David Attenborough explains how we are destroying the biodiversity that all life depends on.  But he also presents his optimistic “vision for the future:” a way forward that will nurture nature rather than destroy it.

Reviewers say: “Recognizing that we are at a tipping point, Attenborough is refreshingly optimistic, noting that one thing humans do well is solve problems. Anyone concerned with the planet's ecological future will want to spend time with this excellent book” (Kirkus); “Longtime devotees as well as newcomers will find much to learn about the man and his mission” (Library Journal).

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The Resisters by Gish Jen
Fiction

Read this if you: Like your dystopian fiction served up with a healthy dose of humor, think that a good game of baseball solves everything (can you say underground baseball league?), and believe anything can represent the Resistance, even knitting.

What it’s about: Imagine a future America—AutoAmerica—flooded due to climate change and watched over by an artificial intelligence known as “Aunt Nettie.” Society is divided into the “Netted”—those who live on dry land, and have work and college opportunities and privileges, and the Surplus—mostly people of color, or who aren’t Christian, or who are “odd-bodied,” eking out a living on soggy ground or on water. The story focuses on a Surplus family—former teacher Grant, activist Eleanor, and their baby daughter Gwen, who displays amazing baseball pitching ability from her crib. What gifts or consequences will Gwen’s golden arm bring to her family in an unequal society? Sensitive and thought-provoking yet charming.

What critics say: “The magic of Gish Jen’s latest novel, The Resisters, is that, amid a dark and cautionary tale, there’s a story also filled with electricity and humor.... Rippling with action, suspense and lovingly detailed baseball play-by-plays, there’s a sense throughout the book of both celebration and danger” (Diana Abu-Jaber, The Washington Post); “Jen has too much humor and heart as a writer to do a full-out futuristic nightmare. Instead, the feel of The Resisters is more like that noir sequence embedded within It's a Wonderful Life....” (Maureen Corrigan, NPR).

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Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
Nonfiction

What it’s about: Louie Zamperini was an amazing track star, breaking record after record running in the 1936 Olympics. Once WWII broke out, he became a bombardier assigned to the Pacific theater. During one of his missions, his plane went down over the ocean. He and two other crewmembers survived. They were captured by the Japanese and spent the next 2+ years enduring brutal mistreatment before finally being freed at the end of the war--something that left Louie adrift and struggling to find his purpose in life.

Why you might like it: A tragic yet redeeming story advocating the value of human life, and how its multitude of struggles help define each one of us, for better or worse.

You might also like: The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

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The Weight of a Piano by Chris Cander
Fiction

What it's about: A novel about a Blüthner piano, which for eight-year-old Katya becomes her love and passion until the family emigrates to America. Fifty years later, twenty-six-year old Clara inherits the same piano, but never learns to play and decides to sell it. In doing so she learns about its unique history.

Reviewers say: “Strong characterization and attention to detail, whether in the manufacture of a piano or in the desolate beauty of Death Valley, elevate Cander's tale about learning to let go of the past” (Booklist).

About the Author: Chris Cander graduated from the Honors College at the University of Houston, in the city where she was raised and still lives, with her husband, daughter, and son. Her first novel, 11 Stories, won the Independent Publisher Gold Medal for Popular Fiction, and her most recent, Whisper Hollow, was long-listed for the Great Santini Fiction Prize by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance.

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The Book on Pie: Everything You Need To Know To Bake Perfect Pies by Erin Jeanne McDowell
Nonfiction

What it’s about: McDowell is passionate about baking pies, and it shows in her baking videos as well as in her mouthwatering book. She breaks down the steps of making pies so that you can mix and match a variety of crusts, savory as well as sweet fillings, and toppings for many lovely pie-baking experiments. She can help you diagnose underdone and overdone pie crusts and help you avoid the dreaded soggy bottom.

Why you might like it: Are you kidding? They had me at “pie.” This is a luscious compendium of pie with suggested crusts for certain fillings, as well as tips on how to crimp, lattice, and more. Start baking the pies of your dreams (and if you don’t dream about pie yet, you might after reading this.)

For fans of: PIE!

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Dragman by Steven Appleby
Nonfiction

What is it? This is a graphic novel that, quite literally, has it all. A main character who is questioning his gender identity. Superheroes. Mystery. Murder. Love. Selling of souls. Dynamic relationships. Flying dolls. And babies.

What’s inside: A collection of beautiful and unique watercolor paintings, telling the rise and fall of August Crimp, AKA Dragman. Ever since he was a child, August has been questioning his identity, and wearing women’s clothing in secret. One day he dons a pair of pantyhose he found behind his couch, and he starts flying! He applies to become an official superhero, but ultimately gets rejected. He continues to live his life as just August, getting married, and having a child. But when a scientist discovers the human soul, and then corporations discover they can sell and exploit the human soul, Dragman, along with his companion Dog Girl, go on a secret mission to discover the truth behind soul-trafficking.

Reviewer’s say: “Despite its many twists and turns, the graphic novel’s emotional heart lays with August’s struggle to accept his own identity and its full power. Gender fluidity in this jaunty superhero story is trumpeted not only as a gift and a source of strength, but as something that might just save the world” (Publisher’s Weekly).

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Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
Fiction

What it’s about: This literary novel explores the interplay among family, science, and faith. In her lab, Gifty researches reward-seeking behavior, in an effort to learn about the depression and addiction that have affected her family. Meanwhile, she’s drawn back toward the religious faith of her younger years.

Why you should read it: If you enjoy introspective and thoughtful novels, this story of a family who moved from Ghana to the United States will captivate you. The story of Gifty mourning her brother and caring for her mother is heartbreaking, yet hopeful. A perfect choice for book clubs, this own voices novel is character-driven, emotional, scientific, spiritual, somber, and heartening.

You might also like: If you enjoy reading about the lives of scientists, pick up a copy of Lab Girl by Hope Jahren—a lyrical and moving nonfiction account of a scientist’s captivation with her work.

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The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
Fiction

What it’s about: Unappreciated suburban housewives tend to their True Crime book club while battling a dark force in the shape of James Harris, a charming new neighbor. FYI: Don’t mess with the housewives!

Is it for you? If you are on the squeamish side and break out in a cold sweat when rats (pgs. 128-132) and cockroaches (pgs. 295-298) are involved, you may want to pass on this one. If, however, you like horror with humor and don’t mind some gross stuff, you should enjoy this.

Reviewers say: “Hendrix draws shrewd parallels between the serial killers documented in the book club's picks and Harris's apparent vampire persona, loading his gruesome story with perfectly-pitched allusions to classic horror novels and true crime accounts. This powerful, eclectic novel both pays homage to the literary vampire canon and stands singularly within it” (Publishers Weekly); “Fans of smart horror will sink their teeth into this one” (Kirkus Reviews).

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You had me at Hola by Alexis Daria
Fiction

What it’s about: Soap opera actress Jasmine Lin has just come out of a messy public breakup. She decides to focus on her career, and staring in “Carmen In Charge” is the way to go. But acting opposite Ashton Suarez is testing her to her limit.

Why you might like it: If you like your romances steamy while still having characters with depth, give this a try. The characters are drawn sympathetically with a dash of humor. The Latinx cast, with just a touch of Spanish language, provide an authentic multicultural experience.

Reviewers say: “This romance by a RITA award-winning writer is a sizzling hot and fun ode to soap operas” (LibraryReads); “Sexy, compelling, and complex—a terrific romance from a rising star of the genre” (Kirkus Reviews).

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In Order to Live by Yeonmi Park
Nonfiction

What it’s about: This book is divided into three parts depicting Yeonmi' s family's life in North Korea, Yeonmi and her mother's time in China, and then their life in South Korea. This is a well written account that cultivates a greater awareness through a great deal of personal insight and experience.

Why you might like it: This book allows for a greater understanding of the experiences of people from North Korea and what they have endured and continue to endure.

You might also like: The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya 

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The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Fiction 

If you like: Stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things, found families, and quirky fantasies, read this now!

What it’s about: Offbeat and heartwarming, this tale is set in a highly bureaucratic dystopian society where magical beings exist under the strict scrutiny of the bureaucracy. Linus Baker is a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth whose life is changed forever when he is given a classified assignment to observe an island orphanage housing dangerous magical children. When he opens the top-secret case file and learns the secret of the first of these children, Linus faints with fear. But under the guidance of Arthur, their caretaker, these little monsters have the potential to become their best selves; as Linus learns, a case file can’t tell the whole story. A whimsical and surprisingly delightful story about celebrating differences.

You might also like: Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire, The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern, and Warlight by Michael Ondaatje.

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Island Girls by Nancy Thayer  
Fiction  

Reviewers Say: “In this touching summer read, forgiveness benefits both the person bestowing it and the recipient” (Kirkus Reviews).

You might also like: Beautiful Day or Here’s to Us - both by Elin Hilderbrand

About the Author: Nancy Thayer grew up in Kansas and got her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English literature from the University of Missouri at Kansas.  She moved to Nantucket Island 33 years ago after visiting a friend who introduced her to island life. She has published over 30 novels. 

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Bookish and the Beast by Ashley Poston
YA Fiction

What it’s about: Ashley Poston’s Once Upon A Con romances are sweet takes on fairy tales through the lens of science fiction fandom for the fictional show Starfield. In this one, the film star villain gets to be the hero. Petulant actor Vance Rains (who plays General Sond in the movie) is sent into exile in a small town to weather a social media storm. Rosie Thorn stumbles into his secret hideaway and manages to ruin a very collectible book, so to pay off the debt she organizes his books and steals his heart in the process. Sparks flew with the General Sond cosplayer she met at the Starfield convention ... who was that guy? It couldn’t be the real star who played Sond … could it? 

Why you should read it: This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is light but still tugs at the heartstrings. Rosie has wonderful friends and a great dad, but she still misses her mom a year after her passing. Vance’s bad behavior hides his belief that he messes everything up. Can two wounded people make each other whole?

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