How to End a Love Story

How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang, 372 pages

When she was 16, Helen Zhang's sister, Michelle, killed herself by jumping in front of a car driven by the homecoming king, Grant Shepard. When Grant showed up at Michelle's funeral, Helen and her mother threw him out, and that was the last Grant and Helen saw of each other. Thirteen years later, Helen's a successful young adult author and her wildly popular series is getting a TV adaptation. One of the lead writers on the show? Grant Shepard. So now Helen has to figure out how to deal with seeing Grant on a daily basis in the writers room for the show while simultaneously figuring out her increasingly confusing feelings toward him.

I'll admit that this setup is not at all something I would expect to find in a romance novel, yet somehow Kuang makes it work. There's good character arcs and a spicy love story to satisfy any romance reader. My one quibble is that the awkward dislike/hatred between Helen and Grant shifts to sexy attraction pretty rapidly, considering there was no previous interest shown between them beforehand (maybe an unrequited mutual high school crush would've helped?). However, their complicated relationship is well handled, and that makes me less concerned about the steep on-ramp to the relationship.

I'll Be Waiting

I'll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong, 324 pages

As someone who has been dealing with cystic fibrosis her whole life, Nicola never expected to outlive her husband, Anton. But after a car accident, that's just what happened, and Nicola is left reliving Anton's final moments on the side of the road, whispering "I'll be waiting for you." Several months later, Nic is still haunted with grief, and has turned to spirit mediums to try to reconnect with her late husband. In an attempt to cut her off from the unhealthy relationship with fakes and cons, her friends and family convince Nic to try one last time, with a very scientific seance before calling it quits. That's how she ends up at Anton's grandmother's lake home with an American scientist, her brother-in-law, and a new friend from a grief counseling group. However, there's something from Nic's past that keeps popping up and potentially interfering with their attempts to reach Anton...

It's rare to find a horror novel featuring a character with a terminal illness that doesn't immediately become the center of the story, and it's lovely to see Nic portrayed as much more than her illness (it's more of a character trait than a definition). I loved the way Nic and her friends and family approached the seances (with a bit of dry humor and skepticism, even as they took part in the rituals), as well as the mix of easily explained and unexplained phenomena in the book. It does go a bit off the rails toward the end of the book, though that's the case in a lot of horror novels. All in all, this one was pretty decent. (However, reader beware if you don't like bugs. Bleh!)

What Happened to Nina?

What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan, 322 pages

Nina and her boyfriend Simon have been dating for several years when they decide to spend a week alone at his family's vast country estate in Stowe, Vermont, hiking, climbing, and generally enjoying the mountainous landscape. But when Nina doesn't turn up at home when she said she would, her parents become panicked and are convinced that Simon knows more about her whereabouts than he's letting on. Before long, the search for Nina has become a social media sensation, with increasingly crazy conspiracy theories and slanderous spin against both Simon and Nina's family (though the latter is at least partially fueled by Simon's wealthy and influential parents). Still, Nina's parents just want to know what happened to their daughter... but will they ever find out?

Based on the 2021 murder of Gabby Petito, this fast-paced thriller keeps you guessing as it bounces back and forth between points-of-view of Nina's parents, Simon's parents, the investigating police officer, and even, in the foreword, Nina herself. It's compelling and surprisingly fresh, given the "ripped from the headlines" nature of the book. A good quick read.

The Murder of Mr. Ma

The Murder of Mr. Ma by John Shen Yen Nee & S.J. Rozan, 300 pages

In this Sherlockian mystery, college professor Lao She assists Judge Dee Ren Jie in solving the titular crime, as well as a string of related murders of Chinese men in 1924 London. Judge Dee is a whip smart martial artist (as well as opium addict) whose experiences in the trenches of France give him insight into the lives of the murdered men, as well as plausible theories as to the motives behind their deaths.

The book offers a very traditional mystery setup mashed together with a stark depiction of the casual racism against Chinese people in London at that time. While I appreciated the social elements, the way in which the story was told — the brilliant detective makes discoveries and solves the crime as we watch, as opposed to hints appearing throughout to give the reader a chance to solve the mystery themself — felt a bit dated and uncomfortable for those who prefer more modern storytelling styles. Still, for those who like Sherlock stories, this one may hold some appeal.

Amazing Grace

Aretha Franklin's Amazing Grace (33 1/3), by Aaron Cohen, 2011, 176 pgs.

Final Rhythm n' Books read for 2024, capping off the year of our newest book club. I'm not a god-fearing man, but I do enjoy some old school gospel--not because of any religious messaging, but primarily because a lot of the music lends itself to other genres, like soul, blues and funk. There are harmonic things going on that you don't usually encounter in other forms of music. The consensus from the book group was that this felt like a decent book report, as opposed to an in-depth exploration. I was surprised to learn that out of everything Aretha has ever done, this is her highest selling album ever. The author explores Aretha's roots in the church and how she tried to walk the line between church and secular music, while also having a voice during the Civil Rights Movement. For all its limitations, the book pairs well with the documentary of the same name that came out in 2018. But everyone in the group absolutely loved the album, whether they listened to gospel before or not. Listening to her sing a live set for over an hour seemed to make her voice a God-given superpower. But you don't have to go to church to believe it; let Aretha take you there. 

Hampton Heights

Hampton Heights: One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwuakee, Wisconsin by Dan Kois, 2024, 208 pgs. 

I've seen a series of these types of books that are typically fairly short and are some kind of visitation of popular Stephen King themes. The last one I was read was A Scout Is Brave, that also had a similar retro cover, which is what first caught my eye. A Scout is Brave was ok, but this was much better. Equal parts Stranger Things, Are You Afraid of the Dark and Monster Squad, the story follows a handful of kids in the 80s who split up on a paper route to get more subscriptions, only to each encounter their own strange, Lovecraft-ian episode. The first two chapters were good, but the middle chapter really hooked me for the rest of the book. There, the boys fall under two witches' spell while listening to the story of how they fell in love. It was suprising and unexpected, and really defined the tone of the whole book. I don't really like much fiction but I enjoyed this, so you know it must be pretty good. 

A Little Devil in America

 A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance by Hanif Abdurraqib 2021, 320 pgs.

A national book award finalist and a best book of 2021 by the Chicago Tribune, this was a bit of a departure for us in the Rhythm n' Books club in that everything here is personal essays about music or music-related icons--as opposed to what we've read so far, which have primarily been biographies or histories. Abdurraqib is not a musician, but is very reflective when it comes to his black heroes--both known and those who have been buried by the past. Of note is an essay about magicians and the "magical negro" trope often found in white culture, as well as an essay about various degrees of blackness and how even in African-American communities, those degrees can be used as weapons against each other. The essay about Josephine Baker and her willingness to sort of love a country that hated her because of her skin color was also a great essay. The book is filled with a lot of black pain that Abdurraquib seems to be working through in his own way of writing. Very personal, heartfelt and eye-opening.  

Sorcery and Small Magics

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy

Leo Loveage is entering his final year at the Fount on probation — he's skipped class, gotten in trouble, and avoided doing any difficult magic for four years already, and if he doesn't buckle down and study now, he'll get kicked out and he'll lose the inheritance his father has promised him. Sebastian Grimm has long been Leo's rival and different from him in every way — serious, studious, and determined to use his education to make a difference in the magical world. However, when they're paired up in class, Grimm accidentally casts an illegal control spell on Leo that leaves Leo quite literally unable to resist doing what Grimm tells him to do. As discovery of this spell would mean doom for both of them, Leo and Grimm embark on a quest to track down a counterspell, a project that takes them far from the Fount and into the dangerous Unquiet Woods.

This was a lovely lighthearted story of reluctant friendship that somehow manages to also include solid backstories for both of the main characters, and wonderful worldbuilding. There's definitely a vibe of romance throughout, which I thought might be problematic given the control spell, though thankfully it's handled very well. This is as series starter, and I can say that I'll be delighted to read more books about Leo and Grimm in the future.

Island Witch

Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa, 367 pages

Amara has long assisted her father with his work as the local village's priest, helping exorcise demons and protect homes using the traditional methods. When local men start getting attacked in the nearby jungle, however, villagers who have adopted the colonizers' Christian religion start blaming him (and by extension her) for welcoming and controlling the demons instead of fighting against them. Meanwhile, Amara struggles with a growing divide in her relationship with her father, which has disturbingly coincided with a series of violent nightmares and an increase in sleepwalking. All the while, the attacks continue...

This was an intriguing look into the colonization of Sri Lanka and the ways in which it impacted local culture (it reminded me of Things Fall Apart in that sense). But it also taps into local mythology, the anger of mistreated women, and fear of the unknown. There are times at which the author does a bit more telling than showing, which is unfortunate, as so much of horror is based on atmosphere and the unsettling feelings it creates. But overall, this was a fresh and creative way to examine colonialism.

Listen for the Lie

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera, 336 pages

Five years ago, Lucy's best friend Savvy was murdered after a wedding in their small Texas town. Lucy has no memory of that night, but given that she was found covered in Savvy's blood not far from the body, everyone assumes she did it, despite the fact that the police never charged her with the crime. In the aftermath, Lucy divorced her husband and fled to Los Angeles, where she's enjoyed a much more anonymous life...at least until a popular true crime podcaster picks up the cold case. Suddenly, everyone knows who Lucy is, and it's managed to end her job and relationship in one fell swoop. At the request of her beloved grandmother, Lucy heads back to her hometown and starts working with the podcaster to discover the truth of Savvy's murder, whatever that may be.

This was an interesting, quick read with a main character that is such a mess that you can't help but shake your head at her. But she also has a fantastically dark sense of humor, which made her so realistic and likeable to me. The book is alternately billed as a thriller and a mystery, though I'm not sure it really matters in the grand scheme of things, because it's wicked fun and keeps you guessing until the end.