Union County Library discussion
What I'm Reading Now
The Women’s March � Jennifer Chiaverini � 4****
The novel focuses on the women who risked their liberty, and their lives, to win the vote for women, including women of color. Chiaverini focuses on three of the most important suffragists of the day: Alice Paul, Maud Malone, and Ida B Wells-Barnett, to tell the story. The chapters alternate between these three central figures, showing how each approached the issue and the unique challenges each faced. The scenes of the march itself, and the near disaster it became are harrowing. While the novel itself is interesting and engaging, I really enjoyed the author’s notes, where Chiaverini gives more details on what happened after the march. As of this writing, the Equal Rights Amendment is NOT yet ratified.
LINK to my full review
Thirteen Hours � Deon Meyer � 4****
This is a hard-hitting, fast-paced, police procedural with a complicated plot, a second, unrelated (or is it?) killing, and multiple twists: drugs, human trafficking, the music industry, and, of course, Benny’s continuing struggle as a recovering alcoholic. He's also been named as a mentor to a group of younger investigators, and Griessel is having a hard time with his recent assignment: Inspector Mbali Kaleni, a black woman, a Zulu, a feminist. This is an interesting pairing, and I’d like to see it continue in future books.
LINK to my full review
Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger � Lisa Donovan � 3.5***
Donovan is a chef and award-winning essayist who has worked in a number of celebrated restaurant kitchens throughout the South. This is her memoir. Her passion and focus has been on desserts but she knows her way around the entire kitchen. Her journey from Army brat to single mother to just-another-restaurant-worker to pastry star is interesting, and she tells her story with insight and honesty.
LINK to my full review
I am reading Parallel by Elizabeth O'Roark. It has time-travel and romance. The character development in her books is amazing
I finished Bewilderment by Richard Powers. Great book and highly recommended. I started Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell.
Interior Chinatown � Charles Yu � 3***
Yu’s inventive novel won the National Book Award for Fiction in 2020; he uses a second-person narrative voice and writes as if this were a screenplay. Personally, I found the structure off-putting. It seemed to me that Yu was trying too hard to be clever. Be that as it may, he had a pretty good story to tell, and eventually I came to appreciate his message.
LINK to my full review
Eye Of the Needle � Ken Follett � 4.5****
Wow. Just, WOW. Fast-paced and engaging, this WW2 espionage thriller was Follett’s first successful endeavor as a novelist; he wrote it when he was only 27 years old! Follet uses three story arcs � the German spy, the British intelligence team on his trail, and the innocent woman who holds the key to success for one side or the other. Virtually every chapter ends in a cliffhanger, and Follett keeps the tension high, with the three storylines converging in a heart-stopping scenario.
LINK to my full review
How the Penguins Saved Veronica � Hazel Prior � 3.5***
Veronica McCreedy is an eighty-five-year-old woman who is inspired by a documentary on penguins to visit Antarctica. After all, she can’t leave her fortune to her recently discovered grandson, as he is an unemployed pot-smoker! The plot is outlandish and unrealistic but completely engaging and heart-warming. Veronica reminds me of many other cranky, outspoken elderly main characters (Ove and Olive Kitteridge, to name two). Everyone learns a lesson or two about cooperation and teamwork, and about opening one’s heart to the possibility of love.
LINK to my full review
Let's take a break from the heat and humidity and enjoy a little Christmas in July!
An Amish Christmas � Cynthia Keller � 3***
A family living the American dream in North Carolina discovers they’ve lost everything. With little more than the clothes on their backs, they head for a family’s home in Maine, only to crash their car in the midst of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where they learn what’s really important in life. It’s a sweet, and somewhat sappy, holiday story.
LINK to my full review
Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda � Becky Albertalli � 3.5***
The story of this high-school drama centers on Simon Spier, a gay 15-year-old, who’s not yet out to his family or friends. Ah, the drama of high school relationships. There’s a lot to digest here, from family dynamics to first love to what it means to be a true friend, and Albertalli handles it pretty well. I can see why this would be a popular YA title for any teen.
LINK to my full review
Anyone else start, like, 4 books at once and just pursue the best one, then the next best, etc? No? I should stop that. Anyway, I decided on Small Steps, the sequel to Holes.
Mod
We all have our systems :D
Murder 101 � Maggie Barbieri � 2.5**
Alison Bergeron is an English professor at a small, private college on the banks of the Hudson River in the Bronx, who finds herself the focus of a murder investigation when the body of one of her students is found in the trunk of her Volvo, which she reported stolen a few days previously. As a mystery, this was not very well plotted, and I found the reveal completely unrealistic and dissatisfying. But I did find the nascent romance between Alison and Crawford interesting. And I might read another book in the series just to see how that pans out.
LINK to my full review
Reading Let Us Not Talk Falsely Now by my friend T. Patrick Graves and Forever War by Joe Haldeman.
Gorky Park � Martin Cruz Smith � 2.5**
As the snow begins to melt, three frozen bodies are found in Moscow’s Gorky Park. This is the first in a series, and Smith gives us an interesting cast of characters, including a dwarf who does reconstructive sculpture from bones to help identify crime victims, and a rich, ruthless and well-connected American mogul. Investigator Arkady Renko will have to battle the KGB, FBI and New York City police to solve this case. It started with a bang, but I began to lose interest with all the subplots and political intrigue. And I found the ending disatissfying.
LINK to my full review
State Of Terror � Hillary Rodham Clinton & Louise Penny � 3.5***
Clearly Clinton provided the behind-the-scenes information on the workings of government on this scale, while Louise Penny crafted the plot, which was fast and furious and held my attention throughout. I wish Clinton hadn’t relied so much on taking digs at # 45, because the basic plot would have worked without that, and it just makes the book seem like a thinly veiled criticism of our former leadership.
LINK to my full review
To Be Continued � Charmaine Gordon � 3***
I wasn’t expecting much from this coming-of-middle-age book, but I found it to be pretty entertaining. Oh, I did have some issues with the main character, but she eventually got her act together, found a new therapist, a new best friend, a new guy, and a new career. It was a fun, fast read.
LINK to my full review
: The Winds of War � Herman Wouk � 5
Book # 1 in the Henry Family saga introduces us to Commander Victor Henry, his wife Rhoda, and their children: Warren, Byron and Madeline. Victor wants a battleship, but he’s been selected to serve as Naval attache in Berlin. It’s 1937 and he’ll have a front-row seat to history. This is a larger-than-life story to tell, and Wouk captures the reader’s attention from the beginning, weaving the family’s personal soap opera drama into the fabric of history. This was a re-read for me, but I found it just as engaging and thrilling as the first time. I’ll probably give in and re-read the sequel as well.
LINK to my full review
A Fistful of Collars � Spencer Quinn � 3***
Book # 5 in the Chet and Bernie mystery series, has Bernie Small hired to “babysit� a notorious bad-boy Hollywood actor who’s the star of a movie being shot on location in his area. Of course, Bernie goes nowhere without his partner, Chet, who is a dog and also narrates the tale. I just love this series. I never get tired of Chet’s way of interpreting what he witnesses.
LINK to my full review
The Upright Piano Player � David Abbot � 3.5***
This work of literary fiction is a striking debut. Abbott gives us the story of Henry Cage, a successful businessman who seems to have it all: a fine home, a successful career, and a reputation for being a principled and upstanding man. But his outward success hides personal failure. Although I liked it, the structure of the book left me feeling dissatisfied, and with more questions than answers.
LINK to my full review
Mod
Betsy wrote: "I just finished Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves multigenerational family dramas. It completely blew me away."Thanks, Betsy. It's on my tbr list.
A little Christmas in July ...
Dashing Through the Snow � Debbie Macomber � 3***
Last minute plans to travel from San Francisco to Seattle nearly thwart Ashley Davison and Dashiell Sutherland. Stranded at the airport they decide to share the last remaining rental car. Their road to HEA includes several detours: an abandoned puppy, a pair of petty thieves, and an FBI agent who has mistakenly identified one of them as an international terrorist. But never fear. It’s a holiday rom com and a lovely distraction, so curl up in a comfy chair, with a warm blanket and the beverage of your choice and enjoy.
LINK to my full review
Much Ado About You � Samantha Young � 3***
Evie Starling, a thirty-three Chicagoan who’s just broken up with her boyfriend and been disappointed one time too many at work, decides to take a Bookshop Holiday in England to re-evaluate and regroup. She doesn’t expect to meet the devastatingly handsome local sheep farmer (and his even cuter dog). A charming rom com with all the usual tropes. Perfect for a light holiday read.
LINK to my full review
I don't know how to attach books, and at this point I'm too afraid to ask. Anyway, I'm reading The Quiet Zone: Unraveling the Mystery of a Town Suspended in Silence, a great non-fiction about the 13,000 sq mi zone where cellphones and wifi are banned. Even microwaves and automatic doors can get you in trouble. Not only is it a unique way of living free from the addiction of constant availability that many of us willingly suffer, but a unique way of dying for some, when there is no way to call for help. A bit preachy at times, but rightfully. Excited to get further in.
Mod
That sounds fascinating!
The Mummy Case � Elizabeth Peters � 3***
Book three in the popular Amelia Peabody cozy mystery series. Amelia and her handsome husband, Radcliffe Emerson, want permission to dig in a specific area for a long-lost pharaoh’s tomb. But the authorities were not pleased with Emerson’s past behavior and give him a site far from the desired pyramids of Dahshoor. They bring along their incredibly precocious son, Ramses, who wants a dig of his own. Peters writes these books as if they were Amelia’s memoirs and uses a formal style of writing that helps transport the reader to the late 19th century.
LINK to my full review
Gabi wrote: "I don't know how to attach books, and at this point I'm too afraid to ask. Anyway, I'm reading The Quiet Zone: Unraveling the Mystery of a Town Suspended in Silence, a great non-fic..."Not sure what you mean by "attach books" .... You seem to have easily added the title link.
Mod
Much Ado About You
� Samantha Young � 3***
Evie Starling, a thirty-three Chicagoan who’s just broken up with her boyfriend and been disappointed one tim..."
Adding this one to our holiday TBR list - sounds cute!
American Gods � Neil Gaiman � 2.5**
Gaiman is a hit-or-miss author for me. I’ve loved some of his works, others, not so much. This one clearly falls into that last category. In fact near the beginning I was tempted to DNF it entirely. Am I glad I persevered? Not exactly.
LINK to my full review
Balzac And the Little Chinese Seamstress � Dai Sijie � 5
During China's Cultural Revolution, three young men are sent to a mountain villages for re-education. One of them has a secret horde of books. The other two are captivated by the books and also by the little seamstress, daughter of the district’s tailor. Sijie gives us descriptions of the harshness of the terrain and of their forced labor. The scenes in the coal mine were particularly harrowing. But there are many humorous scenes, as well. I have read this little gem of a novel several times. It is luminously written. For me, it answers the question, "Why do you read so much?"
LINK to my full review
The Children’s Train � Viola Ardone � 3.5***
This is a story based on true events, set in post-WW2 Italy, when children from impoverished families in the south were sent north to wealthier communities / families who could care for them. How can the mother reconcile her decision to send her child to safety with the result of a child who is returned so different from the one she sent away? How can a child forgive his mother for her inability to provide more? I’m sure my book club with have much to discuss.
LINK to my full review
Reading Up a Storm � Eva Gates � 3***
Book number three in the Lighhouse Library Mystery series. Cozy mysteries are my go-to comfort reads and this doesn’t disappoint. They’re fast and fun and I love Lucy’s cat, Charles Dickens!
LINK to my full review
The Creation of Eve � Lynn Cullen � 4****
Based on the true, but little known, story of Sofonisba Anguisola, the first renowned female artist during the Renaissance period, this is a captivating work of historical fiction. I knew nothing about this extraordinary woman, and only a little about the court of King Felipe II. Cullen crafts a compelling story that includes intrigue, romance, mystery, politics and the frustration felt by a woman shackled by society’s conventions.
LINK to my full review
Outliers � Malcolm Gladwell � 3.5***
Subtitle: The Story of Success. Gladwell looks at hugely successful people who are “outliers� � far out of the norm. Examples include Bill Gates and The Beatles. He tries to explain how luck, opportunity, and the right birth year or month help these people succeed. Of course, ten thousand hours of practice is also a key element. I was interested in what Gladwell had to say and found the various essays easy to absorb and understand.
LINK to my full review
The Case of the Missing Books � Ian Sansom � 3***
This is the first in a new series starring Israel Armstrong, the librarian in charge of the mobile library van in the small Irish village of Tundrum. It was entertaining and I did like all the book references, but I prefer more actual mystery in my cozy mysteries. I doubt I’ll read any more of the series.
LINK to my full review
Artemis � Andy Wier � 4.5****
I wondered if Weir could possibly top The Martian , or at least equal it. Well, now I know. And I love that this time he features a feisty, intelligent woman as the lead character. I love a good crime caper, and this is one. Lots of twists and turns that kept the action moving and my interest high.
LINK to my full review
Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? � Caitlin Doughty � 3***
Doughty, a funeral home director, answers questions posed by kids about death, dying and funerals. She’s forthright and honest, but also sprinkles her remarks with some lighthearted banter. It’s a pretty fast read, and quite informative.
LINK to my full review
The Confessions of Frannie Langton � Sara Collins � 4****
This work of historical fiction looks at slavery, colonialism, drug addiction, medical experimentation and lesbianism in early 19th century England. This is Collins’s debut novel and it’s an ambitious one. Frannie narrates her story beginning in 1826, when she is already jailed for a double murder, and going back to 1812 and her youth in Jamaica. Frannie is a marvelous character � educated, observant, loving, strong and yet vulnerable. The story was as addicting as the laudanum frequently prescribed for “nervous ladies.�
LINK to my full review
The Library of Lost and Found � Phaedra Patrick � 3***
A heart-warming and enjoyable read. Martha Storm volunteers at the local library and would love to have a permanent paid position there. She’s clearly unappreciated, but soldiers on. And then one day a book of fairy tales is left for her, and as she tries to puzzle out where the book came from and how it came to be in her possession, she uncovers family secrets. Patrick writes quirky characters with hidden secrets very well. These are nearly broken people who keep their heads down and try to exist without much support or joy in their lives. And yet �
LINK to my full review
Klara And the Sun � Kazuo Ishiguro � 4.5****
Klara, the narrator of this extraordinary work, is an artificial friend (AF). She is a keen observer and tries to be a good friend to Josie, the young girl she’s ben bought to accompany. For all her intelligence and perceptiveness, Klara cannot quite understand emotion and she certainly doesn’t have feelings of her own. Her interpretations of what she observes are sometimes quite naïve. What does it mean to love? Can science duplicate that essentially human quality in an artificial intelligence being? Do we want scientists to try?
LINK to my full review
Miss Julia Rocks the Cradle � Ann B Ross � 3***
Book number twelve in the Miss Julia series, featuring a woman of a certain age who cannot help but get involved in the goings on in her North Carolina town. What I love about this series is Miss Julia, herself. She’s a real firecracker of a woman. The supporting cast of characters are wonderful as well. A fast, fun, comfort read.
LINK to my full review
Atomic Love � Jennie Fields � 3.5***
This work of historical fiction captured my attention from the beginning, and the twists and turns in the plot kept me turning pages. Set in 1950 Chicago, it focuses on Rosalind Porter, previously the only woman physicist working on the Manhattan Project, but now selling jewelry at Marshall Fields. It’s a fast-paced espionage thriller with a romantic triangle. It held my attention and I found it hard to put down at times.
LINK to my full review
Ordinary Girls � Jaquira Díaz � 4****
In this memoir, Díaz relates her childhood and teen years with brutal honesty. She grows up in Puerto Rico and Miami, with a mentally-ill and drug-addicted mother. And looks to her friends for the love and support she does not get at home. I found her writing gripping and enthralling. There were times when I wanted to turn away, because the scenes were so painful, but her writing kept me going. My heart went out to the young girl and struggling teenager. I applauded the woman she became.
LINK to my full review
Shards Of Honor � Lois McMaster Bujold � 3***
Book number 1 in the space-opera series Vorkosigan Saga introduces the reader to this family. We have a kick-ass heroine, Commander (later Captain) Cordelia Naismith and the leader of the enemy forces, Captain Aral Vorkosigan. Lots of intrigue, adventure, drama, danger, politics and plot twists to keep the reader turning pages. And witty banter to show the attraction between these two blossoming to romance. I doubt I’ll continue the series (just not my preferred cup of tea), but I’m glad I read it.
LINK to my full review
The Book of Lost Friends � Lisa Wingate � 4****
For this work of historical fiction, Wingate was inspired by actual “Lost Friends� advertisements that appeared in Southern newspapers after the Civil War, wherein newly freed slaves search for family members from which they’d been separated. She uses the ubiquitous dual timeline for this story, and while I’ve come to really dislike this device, I thought Wingate did a marvelous job in this case. I was interested and engaged from beginning to end, and I really appreciated learning about the “Lost Friends� advertisements.
LINK to my full review
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind � William Kamkwamba � 4****
Subtitle: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope. This is the memoir of an extraordinary young man, the son of a Malawian farmer, struggling in poverty and through famine and drought, but following the spark of inspiration, his own thirst for knowledge, and a desire to help his family and community. William saw a need and thought, “What if?� As he explained to a TED conference, “I tried, and I made it.� It’s the not the best-written book I’ve read, but his story is inspiring and uplifting. Bravo!
LINK to my full review
The Cat Who Turned On and Off � Lilian Jackson Braun � 3***
Book three in Braun’s popular “The Cat Who…� cozy mystery series, starring Jim Qwilleran (known simply at Qwill), and his two Siamese: Koko and Yum Yum. I really like this cozy series. As a journalist for the local newspaper, Qwill has every reason to search out the story. There isn’t a lot of graphic violence, and Qwill is a gentleman when it comes to romantic interludes.
LINK to my full review
Just finished “Remarkably Bright Creatures� & “An Invisible Thread�. 💕 them both. Book club should meet tomorrow nite for next book.
Union County Library
Books mentioned in this topic
American Like Me: Reflections on Life Between Cultures (other topics)Princess of Blood (other topics)
Don't Trust Fish (other topics)
Great Big Beautiful Life (other topics)
On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
S.K. Waters (other topics)Amanda Cassidy (other topics)
Emily St. John Mandel (other topics)
A Fall of Marigolds � Susan Meissner � 3***
A vibrantly printed scarf connects two women across a century; both lost someone in a horrific tragedy, both experience grief, guilt and PTSD. Meissner does a good job of weaving these stories together and moving back and forth in time across a century to explore the common elements. I liked Clara’s story better than that of Taryn, probably because of it’s setting on Ellis Island. Both women struggle with the ethical dilemma of what (and when, if ever) to reveal or withhold to others. My F2F book club had quite the discussion about this.
LINK to my full review