The Duke Who Didn't

The Duke Who Didn't by Courtney Milan, 339 pages

List-maker extraordinaire Chloe Fong lives with her father in the small village of Wedgeford, known throughout Britain as home to a silly annual festival and an absent duke. Jeremy Yu, who regularly comes to Wedgeford for the festival, is that duke, but hasn't yet figured out how to tell his friends in the village that he owns the land they live on. He's particularly worried about how Chloe will handle the news, as he's been smitten with her since he's determined to ask her to marry him this year — despite her protestations at his very existence.

This could be a fairly standard historical romance novel, except for the setting in a multicultural small village and with Chinese or half-Chinese main characters. In an author's note at the end of the book, Milan discusses how she has incorporated the history of her grandmother into the story of Worchestershire sauce (created in England but as un-English a sauce as they come) and used it as the backdrop for what became an intriguing romance story. Really, in this book, the stories behind the romance are what really make it stand out.

Monogamy, by Sue Miller

Miller writes so well about marriage and family relationships, and her characterizations of even minor characters (a cat, an elderly neighbor, her stepson’s new toddler daughter) are spot on. When Annie meets Graham at the opening of his new bookstore in Cambridge, both have been divorced from earlier youthful marriages. The connection between the small, introverted photographer and the large, gregarious extrovert Graham is immediate and will soon lead to their marriage and a blended family that comes to include Graham’s son Lucas, his ex-wife Frieda, and their own daughter, Sarah. After thirty happy years (with one brief early lapse on Graham’s part), Annie and the extended family are stunned and grieved when he dies in his sleep of a heart attack. But the reader knows, from the early chapters, that Graham had recently been unfaithful again, somewhat reluctantly but complicitly, with a mutual friend. Months later, Annie comes upon this former lover (with whom he had broken things off the day he died, and after confessing his slip to his oldest friend) sobbing in Graham’s study at a memorial reception at their home. She guesses, but does not know the whole story, that he has strayed. In the second half of the book, Annie struggles with her pain and anger, on top of her very real grief, at this complete reversal of what she thought she understood about their, and their family’s, relationships. Much as I liked the book and the writing, I must admit in the end I was somewhat disturbed by Miller’s treatment of her female characters. Frieda, the ex-wife, remains friends with Graham after she leaves their “open” 60s marriage (open, seemingly, only to Graham). She becomes, in fact, Annie’s dear friend too. These close relationships will, in fact, hampered her own ability to forge a new life. Sarah, who inherited Graham’s size, not so attractive in a woman, adored her father but doubts her ability to find adult love. Annie, in addition to her anger at learning of Graham’s recent affair, is humiliated late in the book by the reappearance of an author she met and had a mild flirtation with at the McDowell art colony early in her marriage. Graham, dead or alive, remains the center of the book despite Annie appearing to be so. His influence has in many ways stunted the growth of the women around him despite their genuine love for him. 338 pp.

Automatic Reload

Automatic Reload by Ferrett Steinmetz, 304 pages

Years ago, Mat was a drone operator for the U.S. military. During one of his assignments, Mat accidentally killed a young child while taking out the nearby terrorists, and the misstep has haunted him ever since. Now, he's replaced his four limbs with high tech robotic replacements, which he uses to help save hostages, re-calibrating after every mission to try to minimize casualties as much as possible. On what should be a routine protect-the-package mission, things go haywire, introducing Silvia, a woman whose panic disorder has been weaponized. Now their mission has changed to try to take down the shadowy organization who did this to her.

This is a fast-paced, fun book that reads like a shoot-em-up video game (in a good way), but also handles mental illness with kindness and compassion. It's fun, it's sweet, it's imaginative, and I absolutely loved it.

Caste: The origins of our discontents, by Isabel Wilkerson

One of the more important books to come out during this plague year. It was a hard read during these already upsetting times – the impulse to hide out from disease, injustice, and political unrest in light fiction is strong. Wilkerson uses the concept of “caste” rather than “race” throughout, with frequent references and comparisons to the ancient Indian system, a system still very much part of that society. The horrific history of Nazi Germany is also used in comparison, and even the Nazis felt some American laws at that time that were based on race were too extreme. Although many of born into the dominant white caste, such as I am, may believe that we know a lot about the shameful history of slavery and subsequent oppression of African-Americans in this country, one will learn a great deal more in Wilkerson’s book, most of it very uncomfortable. In recent years, the wealth gap in America has been much talked about. Most aware people know that Black people in America have access to only about a tenth of the wealth that whites do. That they may be one paycheck away from losing everything because they do not have family money to call on in an emergency. But how this came about is clearly and forcefully related – one fairly recent factor being that Social Security, at its inception, intentionally did not apply to jobs traditionally held by Blacks – domestic and agricultural work. Therefore, Social Security provided no “safety net” for them nor way to accumulate generational wealth. Redlining shut down owning homes. Wilkerson also describes how wave after wave of later immigrants, but not those who had been here for generations because of slavery, became “white.” Such immigrants as the Irish, Italians, Germans and Eastern European could rise through an American caste system defined by poverty and position as well as color since they had a paler complexions. How Asians fit into the American caste system is a different story which she also elucidates. Much to think about, discuss, and most of all act upon to bring a more just and equal United States. Should be required reading. 395 pp.

Interior Chinatown, by Charles Yu

Winner of this year’s National Book Award. The novel, arranged in seven “acts,” is confusing at first, which is intentional. Willis Wu, the protagonist, lives in a single room above the Golden Palace, a generic Chinese restaurant whose large laminated menu lists the usual suspects. He works downstairs. But wait, there are actual suspects – someone has been murdered in the Golden Palace and the case is being investigated by Miles Turner, a Black man from a family of cops who left law practice to honor his father’s wish, and Sarah Green, an attractive and up-and-coming white detective. They banter as they stand over the dead Asian guy on the floor. They are all actors in a well-known TV drama “Black and White,” and the Golden Palace serves as the stage set in the series. Willis, and his parents, estranged and also living in separate rooms in the same building, are or have been actors in the series. There is a hierarchy to the parts available to them, from Generic Asian Man or Pretty Oriental Flower, up to the pinnacle, Kung Fu Guy, a position once held by Willis’s father, and to which he aspires. The tricky structure of the book slowly reveals the theme that Asians, the “model minority,” individually and as a group are not regarded as American, no matter how long ago their immigration from any Asian country may have been. As Isabel Wilkerson discusses in her book “Caste,” Asians lack the history of slavery oppression of African-Americans, the inborn privileges of being white, and the opportunity to “become white,” rising from the bottom ranks of society, as recent immigrants from Ireland, Italy, and eastern European countries have done. Asians tend to be viewed monolithically, no matter their background, and remain somehow “other.” It’s also a memoir-like exploration of what it is like to come to grips with the “interior Chinatown” that Willis cannot seem to escape. “Interior Chinatown” is funny, sad, and will make the reader reassess their own biases. 270 pp.

Blacktop Wasteland

Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby, 285 pages

Years ago, Beauregard "Bug" Montage became known among certain criminal circles as one of the best getaway drivers in Virginia. But that was years ago, and he's done with that now. He's got a wife and two sons, and a garage where he can fix people's cars to his heart's content. But with a new mechanic in his small town, a kid who needs glasses, another one hoping to go to community college, and an elderly mother in a nursing home, the bills are piling up a bit too high. The only way out that Beauregard can see is getting back behind the wheel of a getaway car — but not everything goes to plan and Bug has to decide if he's an upstanding father or a criminal, ideally before someone gets hurt.

This is an action-packed crime novel that manages to also delve deeply into the nature of being a good father, a good son, a good husband, and a good man. Beauregard is a complex character, and Cosby does an excellent job of making him easy to sympathize with while also making him an intimidating man. I liked this book way more than I expected to, particularly given how much violence is involved. Well worth a read.

All Adults Here

All Adults Here by Emma Straub, 356 pages

An upstanding resident who knows EVERYTHING about what's going on in her small upstate New York town of Clapham, Astrid is the mother of three grown children — Elliot, Porter, and Nicky — all of whom have complex relationships with Astrid. Single-mom-to-be Porter runs her own dairy in Clapham, and Elliot's still there too, trying to live up to the expectations of his late father. Meanwhile, although Nicky left home right out of high school, he turns to his mom to take over when his teenage daughter has some trouble at her Brooklyn school. Astrid agrees, despite the fact that she's still reeling from witnessing a fatal accident and subsequently reexamining her own life. Soon Nicky's daughter is living in Clapham, and is clearly the most grown-up person in the family, despite being one of the youngest. 

I love a good dysfunctional family story, and this book certainly fits the bill. That said, I'm not sure how much I like any of the adult characters, all of whom needed a good smack upside the head for one reason or another. (Nicky's daughter, Cecelia, and her new friend, August, though? LOVED them.) There's a lot to think about in this book, particularly about failure and communication. I'd be interested to check in on this family again in a few years to see what new problems they have.

Hench

 

Hench / Natalie Zina Walschots, 403 pgs.

I love a gal who likes big data.  Anna is "hench" hired through a temp agency.  She is injured during a scuffle between her temp boss and a super hero.  During her recovery, she starts running the numbers about how much super heroes "cost" in the way of the damage they do.  "Rescue" and crime fighting are big business and they have to make it look good.  Collateral damage is acceptable since they are doing good...or are they?  Anna uncovers some interesting numbers and starts a blog.  Her work comes to the attention of Leviathan, a super evil dude who decides to hire her.  What kind of benefits do villains pay?  Turns out Leviathan is a good employer and lets her use her creativity to wreck havoc on the competition.  A fantastic look at the business side of the industry.

Opium & Absinthe

Opium & Absinthe by Lydia Kang, 368 pages

It's 1899, and Bram Stoker's Dracula is sweeping the nation. So when socialite Tillie Pembroke's older sister Lucy is found dead, bloodless and with two holes on her neck, Tillie's mind automatically turns to vampires. But Tillie's a curious young woman, and she's determined to find a scientific explanation for her sister's death, whether it's a vampire or something else. Complicating her investigations, however, are Tillie's recent fall from a horse (which has her constantly under the influence of opium) and Tillie's mother and grandmother, who are understandably resistant to letting their last remaining heir out of their sight.

This is an intriguing story of New York City at the turn of the century, and includes references to several historical figures and events that readers will find interesting. The mystery itself was OK, I guess, but I particularly enjoyed the Tillie's investigations into the science behind vampires — including meeting with morticians, anatomists, and even a zoologist — as well as the peek into the medicinal habits of the era. It's a fun book, if one can say that about murder and addiction.

The Hollow Places

The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher, 341 pages

Thirty-something divorcee Kara has recently moved in with her Uncle Earl, in part because she wants to help him run his weirder-than-weird museum of oddities, but also because she REALLY doesn't want to move back home with her mother. One day, while Kara's manning the museum, she discovers a hole in the wall, though it turns out that this hole is not your normal hole and is in fact odder than anything in Uncle Earl's museum. Armed with nothing but sarcasm and a thermos of spiked coffee, Kara and her friend Simon head through the wall into a foggy world filled with spooky, mist-covered islands (each inexplicably housing a cement bunker), lots and lots of willows, and, well, not a lot else. As they explore, Kara and Simon discover more and more unsettling things about this strange land, and hope to close up portal between the museum and the islands, hopefully with themselves safely on the museum side.

This is a wonderfully creepy story, made more so by the presence of all the taxidermy (I mean, when DOESN'T that make a story creepier?). But the shining star of this book isn't so much the atmospheric creepiness as it is Kara's quirky personality and matter-of-fact way of looking at things. As Simon panics in one scene, she rightly notes that only one of them can panic at a time if they're going to make it through the situation; in other scenes, her brain focuses on small details (fonts on a school bus, the official name for a particular shade of gray found in the mist) rather than take in the enormity of the situation. I found her a winning protagonist, and not just because she has an excellent name, spelled correctly. Anyway, the book was awesome, and I'll definitely be checking out more by Kingfisher (better known in the kid book and graphic lit worlds by her real name, Ursula Vernon). Highly recommend this funny creepfest.

Skin Deep

Skin Deep by Sung J. Woo, 324 pages

After Korean American Siobhan O'Brien (she's adopted) unexpectedly inherits the private eye business where she's been apprenticing, she's a bit uncertain about how to proceed without her mentor. But when a friend from her past shows up seeking Siobhan's help tracking down her college-age daughter, Siobhan is on the case and up to her eyeballs in higher education, secretive feminist activist groups, a cutthroat beauty industry, and, oddly enough, a hippie-esque yoga retreat. All of them tie together somehow, right?

Siobhan is a great character, and several of the elements of this story were intriguing. But with so many disparate things thrown together, it was a bit hard to follow the thread of the plot. I feel like a few of the elements could have been edited out, and the romantic side-plot toned WAY down, and it would've been a better story. Not bad, just not the best.

The great indoors

 

The great indoors: the surprising science of how buildings shape our behavior, health and happiness / Emily Anthes, 290 pgs.

A fascinating look at how our environment shapes us. The inside environment, not "nature."  Most humans spend the bulk of their time inside and the way that space functions, how it serves us is a key component in how productive we are, how healthy we are and how happy we are. Anthes studies workplaces, hospitals, correctional facilities, school and even our future homes on Mars.  Each chapter is loaded with examples of ways we can improve our environs and why it matters.

The adventure zone: murder on the Rockport Limited!

 

The Adventure Zone: Murder on the Rockport Limited! / Clint McElroy et. al, Illustrated by Carey Pietsch, 232 pgs. 

Part two of the adventure has the guys on a train with a MURDERER. Will they discover who this is and retrieve the magical relic?  Well of course they will.  But getting there is quite the adventure. Also, what is this ending?  Do we know what is going on or is it all up in the air? I'll never tell, read it yourself.

Cat's Cafe

 

Cat's Café / Matt Tarpley, 168 pgs.

You know it is a good coffee shop if the owner is a cat and all the customers are cute little animals.  Tarpley uses this to provide a supportive vibe and has many tiny stories about mental health, friendship, and the goodness of a hot drink. This is a quick pick-me-up.

Predator's Gold

 

Predator's Gold, Phillip Reeves, 352 pages

The trainwreck continues. Hester, while still called ugly at every possible turn, has developed a relationship with Tom, the other protagonist of Mortal Engines. Because a "beautiful" girl enters into the plot, insecurity and tragedy abounds. Bad ideas are made into plans, new scoundrels are introduced, and good golly I can't look away. I've already requested the third book.

Mortal Engines

 Mortal Engines, Phillip Reeve, 310 pages

Phillip Reeve's Mortal Engine is a bit like a trainwreck. It's both awful and captivating at the same time. On one hand, Reeve spends a lot of time discussing how horrifyingly scarred and/or ugly Hester is. A LOT of time. Maybe 1/4th of the book a lot. On the other hand, the world he's built is incredibly fascinating and the time not devoted to descriving Hesteris creates a plot that was fun and engaging. If you want to just relax and read a book without having to think too terribly deeply about the implications of the text, reading to just to read and have fun, this is the first in a series that fits that bill nicely.

Anxious People

 

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (©2019; translation ©2020) 341 pages

If you've never read Fredrik Backman, you must! A failed bank robber's entrance into an open house of an apartment for sale affects the lives of every person at the scene, including those of the policemen who respond, but not in the way that you think it will. The characters first strike me as somewhat ornery, but stay and watch all of them turn into people you care about. An important backdrop to the story is a suicide that had occurred ten years previously, with connections from that suicide weaving themselves into the present day. Despite that event, the book is uplifting.

Backman's page of thanks at the end reveal that his characters portray issues very close to him. He brings it all to life in this extraordinary book.

Is this anything?

 

Is this anything? / Jerry Seinfeld, read by the author, 470 pgs.

I thought this would be more of a memoir but really it is a lot of Jerry's best bits arranged by decade. Jerry does the audio book so if you are into him at all, get the audio.  Some bits from the 80's don't hold up all that well...eg. talk about PHONES.  Of course that is part of the joy of the collection...things have changed but Jerry is still funny.

A promised land

 

A Promised Lan / Barack Obama, 751 pgs.

You might of heard of this guy.  He did some stuff a few years ago.  Here, we get a look at the decision to run for president through the time just after Bin Laden was taken out.  I relished every word and look forward to volume II.

The Space Between Worlds

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson, 327 pages

In a distant future, the lines between haves and have-nots has become increasingly clear. The haves live within the protective dome of Wiley City, either gainfully employed or taken care of by society. Meanwhile, the have-nots struggle to survive in the unprotected desert surrounding the city, ruled by a brutal emperor/gang-leader who metes out a cruel death to those who dare to contradict his rule. 

In the midst of this, Wiley City tech genius Adam Bosch has created a method of traveling between parallel worlds, but with an interesting caveat — the only people who can survive the trip are those who have already died in the other world. This makes the desert-dwellers suddenly VERY valuable to Bosch and his company, and nobody is more valuable than Cara, a woman whose doppelgangers have died on all but 7 of the 380 known other worlds. When a routine trip to gather information from a "new" world (read: one in which Cara's doppelganger just died) goes awry, Cara begins to question her role in Bosch's company and in Wiley City itself.

The imaginative world-building and sharp social commentary of this novel are excellent, and the characters are nuanced — I'm honestly not sure if any of them were particularly likable, though all of their motivations are completely understandable. A great thought-provoking read.

Miss Graham's Cold War Cookbook

Miss Graham's Cold War Cookbook by Celia Rees, 487 pages

In 1946, British teacher Edith Graham is recruited by a longtime friend to be a spy in post-war Germany under the cover of helping re-establish schools there. Her mission? To track down her ex, who also happens to be a doctor whose unconventional research made him an asset to the Nazi regime. During her time in Germany, Edith also collects local recipes, which double as code when she sends them to a friend back home. But as she gathers intelligence, it becomes harder and harder for Edith to figure out who to trust.

There have been many books written about scrappy young women playing a vital role in World War II, and despite taking place post-war, this book fits neatly into that subgenre. That said, Edith's relative naivete, as well as her reluctance to continue with her spycraft, give this one a bit of a different tone, one that I'm still not sure if I enjoyed. That said, if you're a fan of the aforementioned subgenre, give this one a read. The recipes alone are worth a gander.

The Trial of the Chicago 7

 

The trial of the Chicago 7: The official transcript / edited by Mark L. Levine, George C. McNamee and Danial Greenberg, read by a full cast 385 pgs.

This is an amazing history lesson.  I was not familiar with the details of this trial...I mean, I've heard some about the whole incident but wasn't aware of all the details.  Listening to this is a revelation.  It is so perfectly done and amazing.  The cast is reading the actual trial transcript, the ultimate non-fiction.  The editors took 9,000 pages of transcript and picked the most important areas.  I'm sure the book of this is also fantastic but the cast that reads this audio will blow your socks off.  Give it a listen.

Over the woodward wall

 

Over the woodward wall / A. Deborah Baker, read by Heath Miller, 204 pages.

Zib and Avery aren't friends but they live on the same street. One morning a detour sends them over a stone wall.  They end up in the "Up and Under" an imaginary place where they are on an adventure.  Despite their differences, they quickly decide to stick together and try to find their way home...or maybe they will just stay for awhile.

Nobody Cries at Bingo by Dawn Dumont

 

Nobody Cries at Bingo by Dawn Dumont. 298 pp.

Dawn Dumont grew up on the Okanese First Nation reserve in Saskatchewan, and her life might be somewhat reminiscent of other native experiences that have been put to paper--struggles with drinking, addiction, the trauma of residential schooling--but you probably haven't read anything so consistently funny that also happens to include the aforementioned subject matter. Dumont's experiences might be specific to her identity, but the voice of her childhood feels so universal. Being sassy, knowing all the answers even when you don't, the inability to resist curiosity even when you know the outcome will be terrible. Nobody Cries at Bingo is told in a series of vignettes with Dawn's older, wiser, it's-funny-in-hindsight voice narrating the trials and tribulations of a very serious rez girl. For all the humor that comes up in books, I don't always find myself laughing out loud, but this proved an exception. I look forward to reading more of Dumont's work.

Note: This book is listed in several places as young adult. I would argue that it's adult with crossover appeal to young adults. Dumont does not shy away from strong language and mature physical content.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. 320 pp.

The last thing Noemí Taboada wants to do is leave her life of luxury in Mexico City, but when her family receives a troubling letter from her newly married cousin, she's tasked with getting to the root of the problem. Noemí finds herself in a foreboding, remote Victorian mansion, tucked deep into the forested mountains of Mexico, where her cousin lives with her English husband and in-laws. Something seems amiss about the entire situation--her cousin's behavior, the family, the house and grounds--and, despite warnings sounding all around her, Noemí is determined to find out the truth.

Moreno-Garcia puts a terrific spin on the classic gothic horror genre by placing it squarely in the heart of Mexico. The road leading to
Noemí's discovery was thoroughly creepy--I felt I was right there along side her every step of the way. While that gothic ambiance stands first and foremost, the novel also serves as a spot-on commentary of how indigenous Mexicans have been exploited by colonizers over centuries. Better still, as someone who both enjoys horror and is a complete scaredy-cat, I did not find myself needing to keep the lights on at night but still able to appreciate all of the horror elements.

Writers & lovers, by Lily King

 Casey Peabody at 31 has perhaps reached her lowest point. She is estranged from her father, who coached her as a young golf prodigy, after he is discovered in a compromising position as a high school coach, and she is reeling from the sudden death of her mother, who collapsed unexpectedly while on a vacation. Casey is currently living in what is basically a potting shed in back of a house belonging to a friend of her West Coast brother while waiting tables at a posh Harvard area restaurant in Cambridge. She’s in deep debt from college loans and without financial means or health insurance. A suspicious lump is worrying her. A would-be novelist, she is a good enough writer to have been invited to work at a few prestigious writers’ retreats, but after six years of diligently poking at her book, she is no where near finishing it. A chance encounter with another struggling writer, Silas, and an even more chance encounter with an older, well-to-do and well-known author, recently widowed and raising two precocious young sons, leads her into complicated relationships with both. An enjoyable book, written with hope and humor, by the author of the well-regarded "Euphoria," a historical novel based on the life and loves of anthropologist Margaret Mead. Recommended. We all need cheering up. 324 pp.

A dangerous place, by Jacqueline Winspear

The next book in the Maisie Dobbs series began with such a shocker that I thought I had skipped a previous book in the series. The novel before this one ends happily with Maisie returned from India and marrying James. They are relocating to Canada, where James is to continue doing his bit for the possibility of war in the coming years by helping develop new defensive aircraft. Stop here if you are reading the series – spoiler alert – and rather a spoiler in many ways. The opening pages are set two years later and not only has James died in a test flight, but Maisie has lost the baby they were expecting. As when Elizabeth George killed off a favorite character in her Thomas Lynley series, I almost didn’t want to keep going further. Maisie retreats overseas (again) to lick her wounds and try to recover some emotional stability. However, a letter from her beloved father’s wife draws her back towards England to be with him. As she disembarks just a short way from her destination, on Gibraltar, and almost on a whim, she decides to stay awhile before continuing to dock in Southampton. Not surprisingly, she trips over a dead body and is drawn into more foreign intrigue. Next stop, the Spanish Civil War. A worthy, if sad, addition to the series, and a fascinating depiction of Gibraltarian life, about which I knew nothing. It is a feature of many of Winspear’s books that there is a backstory about a place, custom, or time that adds so much historical interest. 305 pp.

Juliet takes a breath - graphic novel

 

Juliet Takes a breath: graphic novel / Gabby Rivera, illustrated and adapted by Celia Moscote, 176 pgs.

The graphic novel form of the popular book by the awesome Gabby Rivera. Juliet is trying to find herself.  She is a lesbian but her mom thinks it is a "phase." Her girlfriend is kind of non-responsive and she is heading out for an internship with a famous white feminist. What could go wrong?  Oh, yea...she still has a lot to learn.  And learn she does!  I found this story to be fairly standard but beautiful.  The art here is amazing and we are ready for Juliet to take over the world. 

Ring Shout

 

Ring Shout / P. Djeli Clark, read by Channie Waites 185 pgs.

I started this in audio and could not figure out what I was listening to.  Someone told me to give it another try and I'm glad I did.  I'm still not sure I got all of it but I think I got most of it.  And it is pretty incredible.  The KKK exists and they also have monsters fighting on their side.  The Ku Kluxes are kind of zombie like but fast and furious.  Our protagonist hunts them and she is good at it.  The movie "Birth of a Nation" puts a spell on the population and brings out their worst.  It is 1920s Georgia and our heroine has joined a motley crew to fight the Klan.  I'm not even sure how this all fits together, but the audio book is an amazing listen...stick with it.

Thin Air

 Thin Air by Ann Cleeves (2014) 389 pages

I've noticed Ann Cleeves's books constantly circulating out of the library, so it was well past time for me to try one out. In Thin Air, set mostly on Unst, the most northern of the Shetland Islands, a woman named Eleanor disappears and is later found dead after celebrating the hamefarin' (a post-wedding event) of one of her college friends. With her on this trip from London were her husband, Ian, a large man of few words, Polly, another friend from college, and Polly's boyfriend, Marcus. The newly married couple, Caroline and Lowrie, were staying with Lowrie's parents, who lived on the island, while the others had rented a cottage nearby. 

Eleanor, a television producer, had been very interested in an old local case of a young girl who drowned in the sea in 1930, her ghost said to appear to people from time to time. Eleanor was gathering information to make a television program, and spoke of having seen the child prior to her disappearance. She was also recovering emotionally from a late-pregnancy miscarriage.

The police who come to handle the case are at least as compelling as the case itself. Detective Jimmy Perez is still mourning the death of his fianceé Fran while sharing care of Fran's daughter with Fran's ex-husband. Willow, the chief inspector, is apparently smitten with Jimmy, and their colleague, Sandy, is a quiet guy who takes it all in.

Take a Hint, Dani Brown

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert, 384 pages

PhD student Danika Brown has been burned by love in the past, so now she's only in for no-romance, no-strings-attached friends with benefits. When her students' phones capture her hunky friend Zafir Ansari rescuing her from a stalled elevator, Dani and Zaf are suddenly #couplegoals (despite the fact that there's no actual couple there) in viral video that brings new attention to Zaf's struggling non-profit organization.  The pair decides to fake a relationship until the buzz dies down, but given Zaf's romantic commitment to, well, commitment, will Dani be able to keep from catching feelings?

Oh, this was a delicious romance novel! I loved that the stereotypes were switched (Zaf's the romance reader, Dani's oblivious to anniversaries, etc) and in a way that still felt organic. It's steamy, it's funny, and it's very realistic. An awesome sophomore effort from Hibbert. Can't wait for the next book about a Brown sister!

When No One Is Watching

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole, 352 pages

Gifford Place is a Brooklyn neighborhood with a long history of Black Americans moving in and slowly being replaced by waves of white immigrants, yuppies, or other methods of gentrification. And with a new medical research facility planned for the area, the neighborhood is once again "up and coming," as the hipster realtors have dubbed it. Longtime resident Sydney Green can't help but notice as an increasing number of her beloved neighbors rapidly sell their houses to be replaced by hipster rehabbers, and channels that frustration into a historic walking tour. She finds an unlikely ally in her new neighbor Theo (recently unemployed while his perky blonde girlfriend makes over their new house), but the two soon begin to suspect that something more nefarious may be occurring. Is it paranoia or is their fear justified?

Who knew that gentrification would make such a taut thriller? I'd only read Cole's (amazing) romance novels before, and while I knew she was good, this book blew me away. It's creepy, well-paced, and constantly makes the reader second-guess everything, right alongside the characters. A fantastic thriller and a late addition to my personal "best of 2020" list.

The Poison Garden

The Poison Garden by Alex Marwood, 391 pages

Romy grew up as a member of The Ark, a survivalist/hippie cult in North Wales. Now 21 and pregnant, Romy is one of handful of survivors, after more than 100 of her fellows died by poisoning. Luckily, her half-siblings Eden and Ilo have also survived, and are now living with her long-estranged aunt Sarah. But Romy has plans to reconnect with a second branch of The Ark, plans that require some truly horrific actions. Are Romy, Eden, and Ilo safer now than they were in The Ark? It's hard to say, though they certainly want to go back.

This is a creepy, and somewhat confusing story, which is understandable given the brainwashing the three siblings got growing up. Marwood does an excellent job of making sure the reader never gets too comfortable, always keeping us on edge. A good read if you're into cults and thrillers.

Fast Girls

 

Fast girls : a novel of the 1936 Women's Olympic team by Elise Hooper, read by a cast 499 pgs.

A compelling story of women athletes at a time when there was some question if running might damage a woman.  There were members of the Olympic committee arguing against women even participating.  Here is a story of several participants of the 1936 Olympics but also some back story about each.  Enjoyable and mostly based on fact but I could only wonder how much better non-fiction would have been.

Safely endangered comics

Safely Endangered Comics / Chris McCoy, 144 pgs.

Hilarious! I found so much to love here.  The illustrations look simple but they are brilliant.  McCoy has an interesting perspective.

Ties that Tether

 

Ties that tether / Jane Igharo, read by Nkeki Obi-Melekwe, & Gary Tiedemann 308 pages.

At 12, Azere promised her dying father she would marry a Nigerian man. She lives in Canada now and has every intention of keeping the promise until a hot one night stand turns into something more.  Now her mother is disowning her but Raphael, the sexy Spaniard is making her forget her promise. Oh yea, there are other obstacles.  He has darkness in his past and she can't get rid of her guilt.  They better figure something out quick, turns out she also has a secret.  Pretty standard romance fare but nicely narrated by Nkeki Obi-Melekwe. Tiedemann isn't as good but he is working with less.

The Devourers

The Devourers by Indra Das, 306 pages

When a lonely history professor meets a mysterious stranger one evening in Kolkata, the last thing he expects is to be introduced to a race of violent creatures that may be, but probably aren't, completely fantasy. Over the course of several months, he and the stranger meet again and again, as the history professor transcribes journals for the stranger, journals that give a vibrant and visceral history of one of these werewolves (for lack of a better word) and the Muhgal woman he impregnated. 

Das' writing is beautiful and horrific, lyrical and terribly evocative, and absolutely perfect for the stories of odd relationships being told, both in the past and present. There is plenty of violence, both physical and sexual, and it's intriguing to see how the victims and perpetrators evolve in the aftermath. I look forward to discussing this with the Orcs & Aliens on Monday night.

The Adventure Zone : Here there be Gerlins

 

The Adventure Zone: Here there be Gerblins / Clint McElroy, Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, Travis McElroy, art by Carey Pietsch, 252 pgs.

First in the series, we meet the crew and go on the first adventure.  Taako the elf wizard, Merle the dwarf cleric, and Magnus the human warrior are a motley crew of misfits but they manage to entertain us and stay alive on this first adventure where they get bandied about and end up securing the relic and a job. Fun reading, even for a non D&D acclimated human.

A Burning

 

A Burning / Megha Majumdar, read by a cast, 293 pgs.

Jivan is falsely accused of being involved in a train explosion.  She is arrested but knows justice will prevail. She had been teaching her actress friend, Lovely to speak and read English. Her gym teacher PT Sir is willing to testify on her behalf.  But as her case gains recognition on social media, Lovely and PT Sir's situations change.  They must decide if they want to go against their own good fortune to stand up for Jivan.  Would it even matter if they do?  Will it change the outcome?  This is an interesting contemporary story that shows how quickly things can change and how hard it can be to do the right thing.  Wonderfully read by a full cast that really bring the characters to life.

The Fate of a Flapper

The Fate of a Flapper by Susanna Calkins, 311 pages

Gina's a cigarette girl at the Third Door, a well-known speakeasy hidden under a Chicago pharmacy. One night in fall of 1929, a couple high-on-the-hog stockbrokers come in, flashing money and getting the attention of a pair of flirty young flappers. After getting thoroughly soused, the quartet leaves together — but the next day finds both a stockbroker and a flapper dead. Is it a case of bad liquor or something more sinister that killed the pair? Gina and her police officer cousin, Nancy, are on the case to find out.

The atmosphere of the Third Door and the classic cocktails provided therein were spot-on in this story. I loved Gina and Nancy as characters, and would have happily followed them around rough and tumble 1920s Chicago. Perhaps I was a bit *too* taken with the atmosphere though, as I found the plot a bit lacking, with few clues leading to the eventual solution. Ah well, it was bubbly, fizzy fun!

The Starless Sea

 

The Starless Sea / Erin Morgenstern, read by a cast 598 pgs.

Kara said it here and I can only agree. Listening to this audio was very pleasurable, it is very well done.  The words sound great.  But I have almost no idea what happened, what the book is about or how any of it fits together. I can own my inability to understand.

Memorial Drive

 

Memorial Drive: a daughter's memoir / Natasha Trethewey, read by the author, 211 pages

Thirty years after her mother's murder, the author mentally returns to her memories and relationship.  After trying to forget, the author finds herself back near the physical place of the murder.  We learn about her early life and then the situation from her child's eye that brings a step father into her life.  For the next ten years, she struggles to avoid the step father and learns that he beats her mother.  Finally her mother takes her and her brother and leaves.  Soon her step father tries to kill her mother.  He is jailed for a brief period then gets out and renews his harassment, eventually killing her while the author is away at college. The absolute grief and pain of the memories here is harrowing.  The author reads this story in a stoic mostly unemotional way but somehow that makes it no easier to manage.  It is a sad story but beautifully told in the way that only a Poet Laurette can do.

The Language of Thorns

 

The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo  281 pp.

This collection of short stories includes witches, goblins, mermaids, golems, and evil stepmothers. While the stories aren't ones you find in traditional fairy tale collections, they are very much in the style of the darker tales from the Brothers Grimm. Bardugo's writing is atmospheric and rich in detail. I'm not a big short story fan but I enjoyed these a great deal.  

You Had Me at Hola

You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria, 365 pages

Jasmine and Ashton are the stars of a new telenovela on the biggest streaming service in the United States, something that each of them hopes will help them on their way to bigger and better things, career-wise. Jasmine wants to become a TV leading lady (a la Jennifer Aniston) while telenovela veteran Ashton is hoping this move will help catapult him into more serious work (becoming the next Javier Bardem). While their onscreen chemistry is palpable, the two actors are a bit uncomfortable off-screen. Could that have to do with Ashton's privacy needs and the fact that Jasmine is a paparazzi magnet — and, of course, their mutual attraction?

A romance novel about telenovela stars whose characters are going through similar romantic issues? Um, YES PLEASE! I was initially a bit disappointed that there wasn't a single amnesia- or evil twin-related storyline, but really, that would have been too obvious and cheap for such a fantastic storyline. Daria creates a great, believable couple with real challenges and a perfect slow burn romance. I absolutely loved this, and I'm putting Daria on my "must read" list.

Dear Emmie Blue

Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis, 312 pages

When she was 16 years old, Emmie Blue attached a message to a balloon and let it go from her home in England, hoping that someday someone would find it. As luck would have it, a British boy who recently moved to France found it and sent her an email, starting a friendship that spanned the English Channel. In the 14 years since she sent it, Emmie slowly fell in love with her balloon-finder, Lucas, and when they meet up for dinner in a seaside restaurant, she's gutted to find out that instead of returning her unspoken feelings, Lucas wants Emmie to be the "best woman" at his wedding to someone else. Emmie is suddenly thrown into wedding planning for a marriage she doesn't want to have happen, attempting to sort out her emotions while being a good friend.

This is a fun, and funny book that would make for an excellent romantic comedy movie (I'll admit I was casting it in my head as I read it). Is it completely believable? Not at all. Doesn't mean it can't be an enjoyable read though.

Master of Poisons

Master of Poisons by Andrea Hairston, 512 pages

In a land where poisonous storms are overtaking crops and making livable areas unbearable, politician Djola is frustrated by the many years his recommendations of moderation and conversation have been ignored. Too late for these methods and desperate for a solution, his king banishes Djola from the kingdom, telling him he's not allowed to return until he tracks down a powerful magical spell that can drive the poison from the land. Meanwhile, Awa, a young farm girl, has been sold to a group of nomadic magicians, where she begins learning to be a powerful griot and speaker for the people and the land. Over the course of several years, Awa and Djola's paths become intertwined, as both hope to solve the ills of the land by ending the corrupting magic of the upper class.

This richly told story weaves African folklore into a creative new world, all the while offering some refreshing insights on power, corruption, the environment, and the role of everyday people in all of the above.

His Only Wife

His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie, 278 pages

Afi is a beautiful, smart young woman well on her way to success as a seamstress when her mother arranges her marriage to a successful man that Afi does not know. However, Afi accepts her lot, going through with the marriage, moving to Accra, and doing her best to please the husband that she barely ever sees. However, as she learns more about her husband she both falls in love with him and learns that he's spending time with another woman, one that his mother hoped would go away after Afi married him. As she becomes more successful and learns more about her situation, Afi must decide if she's going to let him continue to keep his mistress (or even take her on as a second wife, a distinct possibility in Ghana) or if she's going to learn to share the man she loves.

What a wonderful story of independence, growth, and family! I enjoyed this glimpse into the life of a woman halfway around the globe and found that while there are many differences, some things never change. An excellent book, and I can't believe it's a debut novel. Can't wait to see what else Medie has to say!

Axiom's End

Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis, 374 pages

In fall of 2007, a document is leaked online implying that the U.S. has made first contact with extraterrestrial life. Cora, the daughter of the famed whistleblower, believes it's all a hoax and wants to avoid the whole issue — but when a "meteor" hits northern California in the same place another "meteor" hit a month earlier, it doesn't seem like that'll be possible. Pretty soon, Cora's on the run from the CIA, as well as an unexplained visitor that is lurking in her neighborhood, and is finding out that her family is much more involved in an alien coverup than she ever thought possible.

I wasn't sure what to expect from a first-contact story, but somehow this one hits all the right buttons. It's action-packed, yet thoughtful; told from a human-centric point of view, but universal; smart, but not difficult. I loved it.

The Mother Code

The Mother Code by Carole Stivers, 337 pages

When the U.S. military unleashes an unstable biological weapon, a team of scientists and engineers must figure out a way to stop the resulting pandemic — or barring that, sort out some way to create babies that will be genetically immune to the biological weapon. As their attempts to stop the rapid pandemic fail, all their hopes are pinned on the babies and a set of Mothers, robots who will incubate and care for the babies after the rest of the world has died.

This is an interesting premise for a novel, one that is particularly intriguing given the advances in artificial intelligence and robotics in real life as well as in the novel. That said, it's not particularly easy to care much for the adult humans who caused this whole mess, or even those who are attempting to clean it up. The relationships between the kids and their Mothers are what really make the book interesting.

It Will Just Be Us

It Will Just Be Us by Jo Kaplan, 263 pages

Sam Wakefield lives with her mother in their ancestral home in Virginia, outside a small town where the Wakefields have gotten the reputation of being particularly spooky, even witches. Makes sense, as their sprawling mansion is haunted by a century and a half of Wakefield ghosts, with whom Sam and her mother get along just fine. But when Sam's pregnant sister comes to stay after a fight with her husband, the ghosts take on a new and scarier method of haunting, offering unnerving glimpses of Sam's unborn nephew. While she wants to avoid the sources of these particular spooks, Sam's not sure how to do it safely, for herself and her family.

This is a Shirley Jackson-esque gothic ghost story, but with a twist that turns the horror up to 11. A fantastically creepy tale, though not one to be read at night. *shudder*

The Love Story of Missy Carmichael

The Love Story of Missy Carmichael by Beth Morrey, 339 pages

Missy Carmichael is 79 years old and lives alone in the house where she and the love of her life raised their two children, both of whom live far away. She doesn't have any real friends or much to do except take walks to the nearby park. It's on one of these walks that boisterous Sylvie and harassed single mom Angela meet Missy and begin forcing their friendship upon her. Soon, Angela also forces Bob, a temporarily homeless dog, on Missy, changing the older woman's life in ways she never would have dreamed.

This is a touching story of love and friendship arriving in the most unexpected ways. I enjoyed getting to know Missy and her new friends (both human and canine), and I was touched by the ways in which multiple generations of women supported one another. An excellent read.

November totals

Christa  13/3389

Jan  5/1369

Kara  19/7481

Karen  7/1671

Linda  5/1474

Total: 48/15,297

The Deal of a Lifetime

The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman (2016) 65 pages

I read this short novelette three times, especially savoring it the second and third times. Backman knows how to pack so much into so few words and I didn't want to miss any of them. A wealthy middle-aged divorced man with a grown son has cancer, and he looks back at his life while considering the lives of his adult son and of a cancer patient who is a young girl. Drawings here and there make this work even more charming. 

The Cards from Within

 

The Cards from Within by Mark Pemburn 87 pp.

This brief book, written by a friend, is not a how-to book on the Tarot. Rather, it's a collection of insights gleaned from the author's meditations on the meaning of each of the 78 cards in the Rider Waite Smith tarot deck. Pemburn's brief commentary on the cards of the 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana give added discernment to the traditional meanings of the cards. This is only available in ebook format.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll  116 pp.

This is one of my favorite books from childhood and I had the fun of portraying the Duchess in a somewhat modernized production of the play back in the dark ages when I was in high school. It's one I drag out every few years just for the enjoyment of the absurd characters and goings on. This time I listened to an audiobook version read by Scarlett Johansson. I quite wish this version had included Alice Through the Looking Glass as that contains the parts I like best in the Alice adventures. However, Johansson does a good job of narration.