Good Reads & Views

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich
Fiction 

What it’s about: Ghosts, turbulent times, and a love of books and bookselling are key to this darkly humorous literary novel. Tookie—convicted of a bungled attempt at body snatching and released from prison only to marry the cop who arrested her—is now, much to her surprise, working in a bookstore. Like many people, Tookie is haunted by her past (both personal and ancestral), but she is also haunted by a very real ghost who is becoming increasingly intrusive and aggressive. Set in Minneapolis beginning in the fall of 2019—just at the onset of the pandemic, the murder of George Floyd, and a year of protests and unrest.

Starring: Tookie—prickly and tough on the outside but learning to open up; her husband, Pollux—a natural leader who is challenged by his own mistakes; and the ghost, Flora—the bookstore’s most annoying customer.

Critics say: “More than a gripping ghost story, this offers profound insights into the effects of the global pandemic and the collateral damage of systemic racism. It adds up to one of Erdrich’s most sprawling and illuminating works to date” (Publishers Weekly); “Rising from last summer’s ashes and honoring its ghosts, The Sentence is the perfect book to read right now, an unpolished, intense, politically passionate, sorrowful, comic masterpiece” (Julie Phillips, 4Columns).

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A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
Fiction

What it’s about: Set in post-apocalyptic Panga, tea monk Dex leads a satisfying life wandering the road, serving tea, and listening to their clients—until the urge for something more takes them off-road and on this gentle adventure. Then Dex encounters Mosscap, a wild-built robot, “offspring” of the robots that became self-aware and left Panga’s civilization centuries ago. Mossback has been sent to answer the question, “what do people need?” If they join forces, will either of the two find what they are looking for? A delightful, companionable read about friendship and discovery.

Who is this for? Fans of comfort-punk and hopeful science fiction will enjoy the excellent, effortless world-building, and the simple, whimsical, and introspective story with deep character development. It’s like a nice cup of hot tea—but exactly the right tea as prepared by a tea monk like Dex.

You might also like: The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune, The Bear by Andrew Krivak, The History of Bees by Maja Lunde, and The Wild Robot by Peter Brown.

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Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Fiction

Introducing: Tough and appealing, Mercy Thompson is a mechanic and a shapeshifter (she shifts between coyote and human forms) who deals with broken-down VW vans and supernatural beings with equal aplomb. Mercy is headstrong and self-reliant, but her narration can be personal and surprisingly revealing.

What it’s about: A newly changed werewolf—in the form of a half-starved teenage boy—turns up at Mercy’s shop and begs for help. Mercy has no choice but to ask her neighbor and antagonist, head of the local werewolf pack, for help, but this leads to unexpected consequences.

Why you might like it: Highly entertaining and fast-paced, it’s easy to gobble up this urban fantasy series. Engaging and interesting characters, suspenseful storytelling, and excellent world-building keep the reader involved, especially since each book introduces new lore or mythology.

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The Weekday Vegetarians by Jenny Rosenstrach

Nonfiction

Who it’s for: Whether you are a committed vegetarian, or an omnivore considering adding some meat-free meals to your dinner plans, you’ll find something in this cookbook full of delicious easy to cook meals. Aimed at simplifying meal preparation, these recipes will help make weeknight dinner planning and cooking easier. Many recipes are vegan or have suggestions for veganizing; others have suggestions for adding meat for those holdouts in the family.

What sets it apart: Each recipe has a hook, an element or component like a flavor or texture that makes a meal more exciting, that will tempt you and add enjoyment to the dish. A mix and match meal chart covering favorite ingredients like beans, tofu, squash, or tomatoes points to specific recipes, or to suggestions for improvised meals featuring that ingredient.

Recipes include: Sections on “new regulars” include bowls and salads (Glazed Shitake Mushrooms with Sweet Corn Polenta); tacos, tortillas, and enchiladas (Migas Tacos); and skillet mains (Cauliflower Cutlets with Romesco Sauce). A small plates section covers beans, breads, and “vegetable-is-the-star” salads like Slivered Minty Sugar Snap Peas on a Bed of Ricotta. Cooks can add variety to a simple vegetarian meal by utilizing the “bag of tricks” section featuring protein hits (Crispy Chickpeas), sauces and dressings, and breads.

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The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
Fiction

What it is: A collection of literary short stories that examines the lives of contemporary African American women, focusing on spirituality, secularity, relationships, sexuality, body image, and self-determination. The stories are deeply moving, and characters are portrayed with scorching honesty. If you don’t like short stories, give this collection a try anyway—the writing is so good it might convert you. “Snowfall” is filled with gorgeous bittersweet memories of life in the South, and “How to Make Love to a Physicist” is perfect storytelling.

Of special interest: The story “Peach Cobbler” was inspired by a prompt to write about food, and to kick off with a fantastic first line, as well as Philyaw’s childhood confusion while growing up in the Church—she thought the preachers were God. That first line—“My mother made a peach cobbler so good, it made God himself cheat on his wife.”

Book buzz: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies was a finalist for The National Book Awards and is a Los Angeles Times Book Awards finalist for first fiction. It is also the first book to win both The Story Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.

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The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris
Fiction

What it’s about: In a small Georgia town during the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, residents grieve their losses. George and Isabelle Walker are mourning the death of their soldier son Caleb. Recently emancipated brothers Prentis and Landry, after struggling to survive in the wilderness, find refuge working for the Walkers. But the growing friendship between the brothers and the Walkers disturbs the local white residents, and the resentful feelings come to a head when yet another broken soldier returns from the War.

Critics say: “Harris' first novel is an aching chronicle of loss, cruelty, and love in the wake of community devastation” (Booklist); “Harris writes in intelligent, down-to-earth prose and shows a keen understanding of his characters, and while the plot leads to several tragic events, there’s a tinge of hope at the end. This character study is credible and deeply moving” (Publishers Weekly).

You might also like: For more lyrical, haunting historical fiction, try Ta-Nehisi Coates' The Water Dancer or The Prophets by Robert Jones.

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Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby
Fiction

Why you should read it: For the adrenaline-rush heart-pumping story that’s also a nuanced and emotional examination of masculinity and father/son relationships. Beauregard “Bug” Montage is a former wheelman turned garage owner who takes one last job to pull himself and his family out of poverty, but it doesn't go as carefully planned. This fast-paced, heart-pounding, and violent heist-gone-wrong thriller is backed up by strong, likeable, yet flawed characters forced into heartbreaking situations. Winner of the 2021 Anthony Award.

Reviewers say: “A superb work of crime fiction, uncompromisingly noir but deeply human, too, much like Lou Berney's November Road” (Booklist); “A high-octane, white-knuckle thriller that will have readers whipping through the pages at breakneck speed” (Bookpage); “The epic, jaw-dropping chase sequences that figure prominently are reason alone to read this pedal-to-the-metal but profoundly sorrowful novel” (Publisher’s Weekly).

About the author: S.A. Cosby is an Anthony Award-winning author from southeastern Virginia. He works at J. K. Redmond Funeral Home, but works less hours now that his second novel, Razorblade Tears, debuted at number 10 on the New York Times bestseller list.

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We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker
Fiction

Read this if you like:  Vengeful teenage girls, genre blending, and long-buried secrets.

What happens? This combination thriller, western, and literary coming-of-age story begins at the end, thirty years after Walk, a small-town chief of police, turned in his childhood best friend Vincent for causing the death of a child. Time hasn’t healed Walk’s pain, or that of Star Radley, the child’s dazzling but troubled older sister, now the single mother of two—Duchess and Robin. Duchess, a fierce13-year-old who introduces herself as “the outlaw Duchess Day Radley,” considers herself the protector of both her little brother and her mother, whose addictions and penchant for tough men have often gotten her into trouble. Soon after Vincent returns home from prison, there is another murder and Walk and Duchess each set out to unmask the killer and avenge the death. A dark and moving page-turner.

Want more like this? Try True Grit by Charles Portis, for another suspenseful western about a feisty teen girl pairing up with a lawman to exact revenge. Duchess’s unusual cadence of speech is reminiscent of that of Mattie, the True Grit heroine. The Round House by Louise Erdrich is also about a young teen seeking justice for a crime against their mother and is equally heartbreaking.

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Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce
Fiction

Read it for: The unexpectedly plucky and resilient characters you’ll care deeply about, the swashbuckling adventure and deadpan humor, and the uplifting tale of female solidarity and friendship.

What it’s about: It’s 1950, and domestic science teacher Margery Benson has had enough of being underappreciated and made fun of, so she sets off on an expedition to find the mythical golden beetle of New Caledonia. She is an unlikely adventurer, a mid-forties spinster with no experience of the world. She is joined by an even less likely assistant (not her first choice), the loud and brassy blonde bombshell Enid Petty, who is hiding some secrets about her past. But Enid is surprisingly capable and kind when Margery falls very ill with seasickness, and they begin to develop a respectful friendship that may help them weather the many obstacles they face—language barriers, passport fraud, their inexperience with jungle conditions, and the obsessed man who is stealthily following them.

What critics say: “If you’ve been longing for a book about fully realized women helping one another grow through kindness and acceptance, this 'happy' book with a lot of depth is exactly what you need” (Bookreporter); “There are delightful flashes of humor in this novel... they fight, they bicker, they betray each other. Secrets and hurt from their past threaten to jeopardize their present. Joyce is excellent at depicting their pain and revealing their failings, and she has no qualms about repeatedly placing her characters in harm’s way“ (The Star Tribune).

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The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Fiction

Why you may like it: This clever, twisty mystery features a great cast of characters and an intricately plotted storyline. The Thursday Murder Club are four residents of a retirement community who meet weekly to discuss unsolved crimes. There’s the gentle widow Joyce, a retired nurse and newest member, who records unfolding events as she sees them; Red Ron, a (mostly) former activist and agitator; Ibrahim, the therapist; and Elizabeth, whose mysterious past gives her the expertise and connections needed to investigate cold cases that former member Penny brought to the group. Their bodies may be aging and creaky, but their minds are still sharp! The droll humor, fast pace, and charming characters will have you asking for more.

What it’s about: When a local builder is found dead in the village, the senior sleuths take on their first real-time case—they have a plan to help their friend and rookie cop PC Donna De Freitas solve the murder. When a second death occurs before their eyes, the gang wonders if they are tracking two killers, or one.

You might also like: For more geriatric amateur detectives, try Exit by Belinda Bauer or Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Mario Giordano. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz is another intricately plotted witty mystery. 

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