Haunting Bombay by Shilpa Agarway, 359 pages.
Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach (2013) 352 pages
It's 1892 in India, and Captain Jim Agnihorti is recovering from grievous injuries in a Poona hospital when he reads in the newspaper about two young women who have either jumped or fallen off a clock tower in Bombay. After following the case, and subsequent inquest, Agnihorti is sure there's more to the story than the suicide that their deaths are eventually ruled, and approaches the women's well-to-do family to investigate further. As he gets to know the family and digs deeper into the women's history, Captain Jim finds himself pulled into far too many dangerous situations, both for his recovering body and his heart.
While I enjoyed the details about late-19th Century India, I felt like there were a lot of deviations from the central mystery and had to put it down a few times as it got a bit slow in the middle. That said, I was invested enough that I did pick it up again, and I'm glad I finished it. (And I particularly liked learning about how the final revelations are based in the author's family history, which is mentioned in the author's note at the end.) Not my favorite mystery, but not bad either!
It's the end of summer, and Andrew Blur is moving to Nashville for graduate school at Vanderbilt. While he'd been looking forward to this for ages, it's with a lot of emotional baggage that he makes the journey now — his best friend and adopted brother, Eddie Fulton, had already been at Vanderbilt for a semester, getting ready for Andrew to join him, when he inexplicably committed suicide just weeks before the fall semester was to begin. Andrew is sure that Eddie wouldn't kill himself, and it's with that in mind that he makes the move — yeah, he'll go to school, but his main goal is to prove that Eddie was murdered. However, Eddie and Andrew had a deeper connection, dating back to a horrific incident when they were 13 that tightened their bond and gave them both the ability to see revenants of dead people. When Eddie's revenant attaches to Andrew, Andrew's mission gets even harder, as Eddie's ghost is certainly an angry one.
This is a great horror novel with plenty of spooky situations, yes, but it's also an amazing look at the grieving process, self-realization, and learning to let go. I was thrown a bit at the beginning by Andrew's copious alcohol consumption and drug use, but as I continued to read, I realized how right it was for Andrew's character. I ended up really enjoying this book, and I highly recommend it to fans of horror.
*This book will be published Sept. 28, 2021.
In 1911, a man named Vincent Peruggia stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre. The painting's whereabouts were unknown for two years until it was returned to the Parisian museum. Peruggia had attempted to sell the painting to Italians, claiming that he was trying to return Da Vinci's work to its homeland, but ended up being sentenced to two years in prison. Because the painting was missing for so long, there have been theories floating around for more than a century that the painting on display in the Louvre is actually a forgery.
All of that is true.
In The Last Mona Lisa, Santlofer takes this real heist and conspiracy theory and spins it into a thriller centered on Peruggia's great-grandson, an art historian who is determined to find out why his ancestor stole the painting in the first place, as well as determining once and for all, whether the Mona Lisa on display is the real deal. But since this is a thriller, there are of course other, less altruistic, parties interested in Peruggia and the painting. It's a fast-paced story, full of twists and turns and lots of solid information about art history. While there are a lot of threads to keep track of at the beginning, it's worth it to stick it out and see how they all come together.
The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold, 352 pages.
Fetch Phillips is a man-for-hire, which is like a PI but with the hopes that nobody will think he's smart. He works in Sunder City, which has largely fallen apart (along with the rest of the world) since the magic that powered it went away six years ago in an event known as The Coda. An event that (according to Fetch) was his fault. Now he's been hired to try and find a dying professor, who happens to be a vampire, in the hopes that the new inter-species elementary school he taught at and helped hold together can be saved.
This book is an exceptional example of the urban fantasy noir genre (which is bigger than you might expect). It's rare to find urban fantasy set in a fully fantasy world, and Arnold's world is exceptionally well filled out with dozens of species, many of which have their own creation stories. The Last Smile in Sunder City does and exceptional job both filling out a large world that feels complex and full of traditions and weaving in the exposition so it never drags down the plot. I found the pacing in this novel pretty exceptional, and I had a hard time putting it down for the whole of the final 2/3 of the book. Fetch's voice is strong, and full of the kinds of exceptionally good one-liners that can really make a noir. I was surprised at just how much I enjoyed this book, and am definitely looking forward to reading the next one.
This novel could easily be classified as young adult, with the possible exception of a couple of rather steamy scenes. Set in suburban Baltimore in 1975, it is the coming-of-age story of Mary Jane, the 14-year-old only child of stolid middle-class parents, who actually more typify the 1950s. Father goes to work, reads the newspaper at meals, and has little interaction with his wife or child beyond going to church on Sundays. When a local psychiatrist and his wife need a temporary nanny for their precocious 5-year-old daughter, Izzy, Mary Jane leaps at the chance to have a more interesting summer than helping her mom cook, clean, and garden. As it turns out, the Cone household is the diametric opposite of her home, with disorderly chaos, dinners at quick food restaurants, and a degree of freedom that is totally unfamiliar to Mary Jane. There is also love, family fun, warmth, and a live-in incognito, famous couple. Sheba, loosely based on Cher it seems, and Jimmy, her husband, are rock legends. Mary Jane has been raised on hymns and Broadway soundtracks, but she also has a very fine natural voice. Soon they are singing around the house together while Mary Jane entertains Izzy, organizes the chaos, and cooks the type of nutritious and well-balanced meals she’s learned at her mother’s knee. In turn, the Cone household opens her eyes to other ways to live, and to the repressed and bigoted ideas her parents have. But there’s a dark reason why the celebrities are there. Dr. Cone has given up his usual practice for the summer to concentrate on getting and keeping Jimmy off heroin. They are all rather amused that Mary Jane has no idea that her name is slang for marijuana, which they all use and seem to think is a viable alternative to Jimmy’s hard drug addiction. When sober, he is charismatic and irresistible, and soon both Mrs. Cone, who has a free, hippie attitude towards life, and Mary Jane are very attracted to him, as is a neighbor who has figured out who they are. A memorable summer. 314 pp.
The American, Mark Scott, who helped Maisie Dobbs escape from her last adventure in Hitler’s 1938 Munich, is back in the next book in this popular series. As always, Winspear skillfully intertwines historical fact, often about aspects of the period that are little known to the average reader, with the lives and fortunes of a cast of recurring characters that that same average reader has come to know well and genuinely care about. The historical aspect treats the months of the Blitzkrieg and its effect of ordinary Londoners, and the disinformation and propaganda war on the intelligence side, with the personal fortunes of Maisie and her family as she seeks to protect and ultimately adopt young Anna, the refugee that they are protecting in the Kent countryside. We’ll be seeing Mr. Scott again. 358 pp.
Livesey’s most recent book, The boy in the field, was one of my favorite recent books. I also enjoyed her Eva moves the furniture, published in 2001, and then went on to read this 2004 novel that followed it. As with the other books, Livesey’s strength is in her wonderful use of language and her ability to inhabit and understand the characters she writes about, most of whom are half a bubble off. Zeke is a twenty-nine-year-old builder who is definitely “on the spectrum” as one says these days. While working in the empty house of an out-of-town client, Verona, 37 and visibly quite pregnant, shows up on the doorstep, suitcase in hand, and claims to be the clients’ niece who has been given leave to stay in their house. These two mismatched people end up spending the night together there, to Zeke’s amazement, but the next day, Verona has vanished as suddenly as she appeared. Zeke copes with life with fixed routines, avoidance of social situations, knowing his limitations in reading nuance in speech, and keeping to himself, but this encounter with Verona will force him to conquer his many fears to help her. As it turns out, she is actually running away from men looking for her brother, Henry, who owes them a lot of money. Lovely book. 321 pp.
O’Farrell’s award-winning 2020 novel, Hamnet, introduced me to her writing and I look forward to reading her earlier books. Instructions for a heatwave was published in 2013 and set in London during the historic heatwave that gripped Britain in 1976. During our current long, hot, often smoky summer, it seemed the obvious place to begin. Although living for decades in Britain, the Riordan family is still deeply Irish Catholic. One July morning, Gretta wakes up to find her husband of forty years, Robert, gone. Really gone, and the bank account cleaned out as well. In a panic, she calls her son, Michael Francis, and daughter, Monica. A third daughter, Aoife, who left the family several years back after a quarrel, is living in Manhattan. In their search for the missing man, family secrets will come to light. Michael Francis’s marriage to Claire is in difficulties, while Monica’s first marriage has failed and her second is rocky because of her stepdaughters’ dislike of her. Aoife has recently become involved with an American who is dodging the Vietnam draft. She has her own secret – she cannot read and has spent her entire life concealing it, an exhausting battle. Robert, nee Ronan, has been concealing something even more surprising since before his marriage. Just as Hamnet centered on a fictional reimaging of the marriage between Shakespeare and Anne (Agnes) Hathaway, this earlier novel’s theme is marriage and its complexities. Recommended. 290 pp.
Maybe it’s the aging demographic, but two mysteries in a row (the first the wonderful Thursday Murder Club, by Orman) set in retirement communities seems a little odd. However, Pheasant Run, the setting for Aviary and located in Montana, is far removed from the upscale, bucolic English village in Orman’s book. It’s down at its heels and may be soon to be sold, leaving the residents, none of them particularly well-off, uneasy and possibly homeless. When a new management company is brought in and new on-site manager, the odious Herbie Bonebright, is installed, they begin to fear the worst. Herbie seems bent on making things uncomfortable enough that residents begin to leave. Then a mysterious fire breaks out in his kitchen and Herbie disappears without a trace. So does resident Viola Six. The reader comes to know the sorrows, worries, and sometimes joys of the residents; of the fire marshal, Lander Maki, who investigates the fire; and Clayton Spooner, a troubled young boy with an awful home life. Recommended. 292 pp.
Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth, 368 pages.
This young adult novel by the author of The Falling in Love Montage (which I wrote about here) follow Aideen, a high school student who has essentially no part of her own life figured out. She's failing most of her classes, her only friend is pulling away from her, and her mother is drinking again. But after she walks in on overachiever and rival Meabh having a meltdown over her untenable schedule, and is talked into helping her escape it by pushing her down the stairs so she sprains her ankle, suddenly she's at the head of a "social enterprise" that is helping her fellow students to solve their problems. Which is great so long as she doesn't have to think to much about her own.
Much like The Falling in Love Montage this book resonates with me for reasons I can't entirely understand, beyond the fact that I loved reading it. Aideen is deeply sympathetic, and even though there are actions she could take to improve her situation none of them are so extreme that not doing them feels like a plot hole. Rather it feels like Aideen is doing the best she can with what she has, and I feel for her. Beyond Aideen, I really liked many of the other characters in this book (especially Kavi, who is central and who I adore) and it was very wholesome to see all of these kids come together to help each other for the sake of helping. Ultimately, I would say that this is a book that is very focused on the myriad of ways a life can be falling apart, but also on the equally numerous ways that we can all help each other. It was a very emotionally soft read, and I really enjoyed it.
The Past Is Red by Catherynne M. Valente, 160 pages.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, 448 pages.
Karou is living a double life; one part art student in Prague, one part errand girl for monsters (who are also the only family she's ever known). The errands are mostly for Brimstone, who trades wishes for teeth, for reasons even Karou doesn't know. But after angels start causing problems she is going to have to find out, even if the answers she finds are much more than she could have imagined.
I read this book for the first time in high school and only recently finally got around to rereading it (inspired by the beautiful 10th anniversary edition pictured here). I continue to really enjoy it, even if it isn't my favorite by the author anymore. I really like Taylor's prose, and I find the world building keeps my imagination going long after I put the book down. There are definitely elements of the book that are sort of adolescent, but I still absolutely enjoyed it.
When she was a young woman, Marie Curie (then Marya Sklodowska) was both engaged to a young man named Kazimierz and hoping to move to Paris to further her education. When Kazimierz's mother forbids their engagement because Marya isn't good enough for her son, however, the young man breaks it off and his now-former fiancee heads to Paris to take the scientific world by storm. All of this is true. In Half Life, Cantor tells the story of Curie after she leaves home and heads to Paris, BUT in alternating chapters, she tells the completely fictional story of young Marya who stays with her fiancee (who has left his family behind), putting his work ahead of her own.
I'll be honest: I was skeptical of this premise through the first few chapters. But then I was suddenly 150 pages in and completely hooked. Cantor imbued her writing with enough detail and feeling that the competing plots felt equally plausible and real, as well as fated and dramatic. I ended up absolutely loving this book, and I'd highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction and science history.
An apprentice archaeologist has managed to snag a once-in-a-lifetime research trip back to Earth so she can study ancient technology (you'd recognize it as stuff that's slightly more advanced than what we have now). But as soon as she arrives, she falls victim to a young con artist, who convinces her to place a bet on a robot fight. When things go wrong for both the scholar and the con, the two must band together to save themselves.
OK, there's definitely some good stuff in here about prejudice and class and collective history, but let's focus on the real reason to read this: it has giant robots fighting. And that's awesome. It's a short book and it's fun, so give it a whirl.
Rabbits by Terry Miles, 448 pages.
This novel is set in the same universe as the podcast of the same name by Pacific Northwest Stories, which is why I picked it up. Although based on the same fictional game, they are both standalone stories, and don't seem to quite line up with each other factually (which has some interesting implications within the narrative). This novel is described as a "technothriller" which I would say is pretty accurate, although I would say that it is also obvious that Terry Miles has a background in writing horror. I found this book riveting and hard to put down, and found myself plowing through to the end. Unfortunately, the ending was a little disappointing to me. I won't get into specifics here (for spoilers reasons), but I feel like this books real strength was building mysteries. This strength falters a little when it comes to actually providing answers for those mysteries, and I feel like what was presented as "what's actually going on here" was not the most interesting option, or the one that goes best with the evidence we were provided. Overall I would say that this book is still definitely worth the read, even if it flubbed the landing a little.
Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket, 258 pages.
Yellow Dirt: An American Story of a Poisoned Land and a People Betrayed by Judy Pasternak, 336 pages.
This work of investigative journalism follows the very long saga of Uranium mining on Navajo lands, from the beginning of the Uranium boom in the 1940s to the present day (as of the writing of the book in 2010). I feel the need to start with the fact that this book is infuriating to read. The entire experience mostly left me stewing in frustration that things like those described in the book could have ever happen, let alone keep happening for decades. This general feeling comes from nearly every direction.
Early Uranium mines were monumentally unsafe, with no protective gear whatsoever. This was partially because the dangers of Uranium were not fully understood (a problem furthered by the fact that it was not in the best interest of anyone in power to acknowledge or understand them), and partially because the owners and foremen of the mines (all white men) couldn't be bothered to follow the basic safety protocols that were in place for mining sites off of the reservation (such as the use of water to keep down the amount of radioactive dust in the air).
This is the first of countless dangers brought on by either ignorance, racism, or the unwillingness of anyone to take responsibility. I could get into more specifics, but honestly I don't think I could cover a fraction of the tragedies described in this book, so I would recommend reading it yourself. The end result of all of this is a Navajo population with exploding rates of various types of cancer and birth defects.
This book is, overall, very accessible. I do not know very much about radioactivity or medicine, but Judy Pasternak did a really good job making it easy to understand both the problems and the scale of the dangers presented. There is also one silver lining that makes it easier to come away from this book feeling slightly less hopeless and enrages. This book is actually based on a series of articles that Pasternak wrote for a newspaper, and the final few chapters outline the action that is finally, after decades, being taken to fix the problem and begin to make reparations as a result of the rise in awareness she created. I think the small bit of hope at the end makes the whole book go down a fair bit easier, and it makes it possible to walk away from it slightly less haunted. I definitely think this book is worth a read, but only if you're prepared for the heavy emotionally toll of watching a story of preventable death unwinding over decades with little done to stop it.
The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen, 256 pages.
Tiến loves his family, reading fairy tales, and reading fairy tales with his family. The fairy tales are especially important to his mother, both because she loves the stories and because they are helping her to practice her English. This graphic novel switches between
Tiến's story of trying to find a way to tell his parents he's gay when he doesn't even know the word in Vietnamese, and his mother, who is missing her family (and especially her ailing mother) back in Vietnam, and is afraid she abandoned them to be safe in the United States with her husband. These two stories are beautifully interwoven with three gorgeously illustrated fairy tales, which are the lens through which all of the characters are processing both their own and their loved one's problems.
I was very interested into this story because I, much like our protagonists, love fairy tales. I also love inter-generational stories, so I was pretty sure I would like this one. I really underestimated just how much though. The colorful illustrations are breathtaking, and the flow of the narrative is pretty much flawless. The interplay between the stories and "real life" was done more cleverly than I had expected, with each narrative genuinely enriching the others. I also loved how very human everyone felt. All of our characters very much felt like real, three-dimensional people. I would definitely recommend this very quick book.
(Also a note: the author's notes in the back talk a lot about the development of the art, and they are extremely interesting)
The Love and Lies of Rukshana Ali by Sabina Khan, 336 pages.
Rukshana Ali is seventeen and trying desperately to balance the life she wants for herself with the life that would make her semi-conservative Muslim parents happy. But soon everything will be better, when she gets a little space on her own to be with her secret girlfriend and study engineering at CalTech. Everything explodes when her mother catches Rukshana kissing her girlfriend and goes ballistic, along with her normally very even-tempered father. Soon Rukshana is whisked away with her parents to their family in Bangladesh, where being gay is dangerous in addition to unacceptable (like it is in the Bangladeshi community back home in Seattle), and where they will stay until an arranged marriage is settled and their daughter is no longer "sick."
This book does a phenomenal job truly acknowledging how complicated Rukshana's existence is. She is very proud of her heritage, and she loves Bangladeshi culture and her family. She even cherishes visits to Bangladesh (with the major exception of current events). But at the same time the book does not shy away from acknowledging the huge problems in Bangladeshi culture, which has problems in the same way any culture has problems.
Mostly though, this book will break your heart. It is told in first person and I found, especially in the whole second half, my heart breaking for Rukshana and the things she was going through. It feels very emotionally honest, even if there's a small degree of suspension of disbelief in the plot. I will say, on a more positive note, the conclusion of the book did a good job putting my heart back together again. Definitely a good read if you're in for an emotional time.
A lovely novella about a grandson and grandfather who mean a lot to each other and whose time together is coming to an end. It reveals the special bond between grandparents and their grand children, sometimes the parent is too busy for their child but makes time for their grand child. Despite the melancholy, this also has lots of humor. Be ready for some tears.
Every comic here depicts something fairly mundane. It is every day life but we get a little glimpse inside the thoughts of some of the characters. I like "The Groceries" the best. A couple is putting away the groceries and thinking about their futures. They share their thoughts and it seems so cool. The art is superb.
Miggy and Ellen are 7 year old best friends. Miggy is a little hard to follow, energetic and a tad crazy. Ellen does like to hang around her but is frequently out of her element. Their parents are main characters too. Neither set seems like they are doing a great job with the girls but when tragedy strikes, we see how it affects the five remaining people. Everyone is unmoored and unable to cope but in their own separate ways. I thought this book was a pretty good read but was mostly intrigued with its being set in St. Louis. I see no evidence that the author has spent any time here. Perhaps the setting is the biggest mystery of them all.
This book has a thrill a minute. Maybe even MORE per minute. Captain Bill Hoffman's family has been kidnapped, he is instructed to crash his commercial flight into a yet unnamed, but we KNOW, iconic location. If he tells anyone, his family will be killed. If he doesn't cooperate, they will be killed. He is flying a plane with 140+ people on it. He tries to negotiate. He tells his good friend and fellow airline employee and head flight attendant Jo, she starts making plans. She happens to have a nephew in the F.B.I. so gets them involved pretty quickly. From the start to the finish there is action! Unfortunately almost nothing here makes much sense...but who cares, you can't stop reading (or listening). Steven Weber did a good job with this thriller.
Nella is the only "professional" black employee at Wagner Publishing when Hazel is hired. They end up sharing cube and Nella is relieved to have an ally. But is Hazel what she is looking for? Hazel inexplicably takes several stances that seem to undercut Nella, Maybe part of the problem Nella's jealousy that Hazel seems to be involved in all kinds of cool projects and has caught the bosses eye. When notes telling Nella to leave he company show up anonymously on her desk, is is possible Hazel is behind this? The situation evolves into Nella distrusting Hazel but then some new information becomes known and the distrust turns into something closer to a conspiracy.
For me, the book started out as one thing but then shifted gears in the middle. I'm not sure I really followed it but I did enjoy the question that sticks with me...how is progress made in the area of racial equality?
It's December 27 and Jamie is on his way to work at a cafe when two police officers stop him. His friend Kit has been missing since the 23rd, and they suspect Jamie may have been involved. Told in alternating present day and "one year earlier" chapters, Jamie weaves a story of deception, drug addiction, infidelity, and anxiety that he swears proves his innocence...until it doesn't. There are so many twists and turns in this thriller that I'm still trying to process how Jamie got himself into this predicament, and how he ended up where he did. A propulsive story, perfect for fans of thrillers where all the characters are suspect.
The Book Stops Here by Kate Carlisle (2014) 323 pages
Brooklyn is smart and knowledgeable, as are her friends. But she does come into contact with some characters in the course of the story who seem somewhat caricatured. Nonetheless, the story is entertaining and moves fast.
Ellie McDonnell grew up with her locksmith (and sometimes thief) Uncle Mick, who did his best to steer his niece toward an upstanding life, providing her an education and finishing school. But Ellie just couldn't resist following in his footsteps, both legal and illegal. But when the pair gets caught after cracking a safe during a World War II blackout, Ellie must put her lock-picking skills to work for straitlaced Major Ramsey to ensure Uncle Mick's freedom. Unfortunately, that assignment doesn't go quite as planned, throwing Ellie into a tangled mess of murder, spycraft, high society, and yes, more thievery.
I'm a sucker for a heist, so perhaps I'm a bit biased, but I found this a wonderful beginning to what's sure to be a great mystery series. Ellie is a plucky young woman who can hold her own in a male-dominated world, and her interactions with Uncle Mick, handsome Major Ramsey, and Felix, the boy next door who has always been a bit sweet on Ellie, are simply sparkling. I absolutely loved it, and I can't wait to see what else WWII brings for Ellie and her compatriots.
Mr. Monk and the Two Assistants by Lee Goldberg (2007) 280 pages
Monk's current assistant is Natalie. She began working for Monk after his previous assistant, Sharona, left town to return to her ex-husband. Now Sharona's back in town. Her husband, Trevor, is in jail, accused of killing a woman who had hired Trevor to do her landscaping. Sharona thinks her husband is guilty and thus she isn't interested in asking Monk to prove Trevor's innocence. However, Natalie fears that Sharona will take her job away, and decides that Monk needs to prove Trevor's innocence in order to get Sharona to go back to Trevor in Los Angeles. While the two women start out at odds with each other, they find they share strong concern for Monk's wellbeing and end up working together well. Monk's over-the-top personality helps infuse the story with humor.
Makeda Hicks has spent her life helping other, and putting their wants and needs ahead of her own, so you'd think that when her grandmother tells her she's a princess from the tiny island nation of Ibarania, she'd be excited to claim that crown. Unfortunately, that same claim by her grandmother (as it was her grandmother who had a wild fling with an Ibaranian prince) is what drove Makeda's mother to a level of obsession that ruined their relationship and Makeda's self-esteem. And while Makeda would love to do what she can to make her grandmother happy, the appearance of sexy Ibaranian investigator Beznaria, who is hunting down possible heirs to the throne, only makes Makeda more resistant. But when her grandmother's business is threatened, Makeda reluctantly agrees to travel to Ibarania with Bez.
While Cole's last royalty-themed romance was a bit of a dud for me, this one is a welcome return to form. Makeda and Bez have great chemistry and wonderfully developed personalities — complete with a boatload of flaws and some good character growth. This book is also full of some of my favorite romance tropes: enemies-to-lovers, one-bed-in-the-room, fake marriage, and yes, the whole princess thing (though that one's turned on its head here). A fun read.
In the near future, dogs don't exist, thanks to a fast-moving canine-specific disease that wiped them out. Desperate for animal companionship, humans are trying everything they can to find something that can fill the void of the hardworking, lovable pets — and for some, that means genetically engineered domesticated dragons. Enter Noah Parker, a young genetic engineer who unexpectedly lands a job at Build-a-Dragon, the premier dragon creating company on Earth. Except Noah has an ulterior motive, in that he hopes to use Build-a-Dragon's computing power and genetic printers to help his brother, who is suffering from a progressive muscular disease that Noah believes is genetic.
While the premise and plot are intriguing enough, I had a *lot* of trouble getting through this book. As a dog lover, I'm more than a little put off by the idea of all dogs being wiped off the face of the planet, and I'm particularly cranky about Kobolt's antiquated and prejudiced view of pit bulls. I also had some serious issues with the way Noah has a sense of righteous entitlement throughout the novel (particularly when it comes to his misogyny), something that never gets checked or rectified; there's no character growth on his part. This is basically the book version of a mashup of Build-a-Bear and Jurassic Park, and I really like those separately better.
This is a collection of essays in the form of reviews that talk about all manner of things. The Anthropocene is our current geologic era. Realistically the reviews are mostly about things Green is familiar with, some with a view to the larger era. As you can imagine, a lot of things are left out. It was wonderful hearing the author's voice as he talks about things as important as the Indy 500 and mundane as humanities temporal range...or maybe I have those backwards.
Former TV star Patrick O'Hara disappeared from Hollywood after his hit sitcom ended, moving to a home out in Palm Springs and rarely leaving. But when his longtime best friend and sister-in-law Sara dies after a long illness, Patrick reluctantly takes in his young niece and nephew for the summer (their father handled their mother's illness somewhat worse than they did, becoming addicted to pills, and spends the summer in rehab). While Patrick's not sure that he's up to the challenge of caring for his niblings (he's grieving himself, not just for Sara, but also for Joe, a serious boyfriend who died years earlier), he agrees to give it a shot. Imagine his surprise when too-smart Maisie and lisping Grant turn out to be just the delightful distraction he needs.
This is a fantastically funny, heartwarming, emotional, and accepting novel. I absolutely loved everything about it, from Patrick's "Guncle Rules" to Grant's obsession with the fancy toilet at Patrick's house to the wonderfully written family tension with Patrick's siblings. Highly recommended for all readers.
Christa: 13/3909
Jan: 9/2439
Kara: 17/5565
Kathleen: 1/535
Linda: 3/933
Regan: 11/3642
TOTAL: 54/17,023
Jo's job is not at all legal, but it does have a good cause: she and her colleagues work hard to take down powerful and horrible men, those who take advantage of women and are often considered untouchable in their field. When a job targeting a Hollywood producer goes south, Jo must scramble to pull off another job in the hopes of appeasing her mysterious boss, known only as "The Lady Upstairs."
This is a noir-ish look at the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles politics, crime, and entertainment. Nobody in this book is at all likeable, so if you have to like a character, stay away from this one. But for those seeking fictional revenge against the Harvey Weinsteins of the world, give this one a whirl — you won't be disappointed.
Aki Ito always idolized her older sister, Rose, even if the two of them were as different as night and day. So when Aki and her parents arrive in Chicago after leaving Manzanar, they're shocked to find that Rose died the day before, supposedly killing herself after an illegal abortion. But Aki doesn't believe that Rose would ever do that, much less just before her long-awaited reunion with her family, and begins investigating Rose's death, even as the Itos attempt to settle into their new freedom.
This is a wonderfully woven tale of post-Manzanar life wrapped around a beguiling mystery. It's obvious that Hirahara did a ton of research while writing this novel, though it's equally obvious how well she's woven that research into her captivating plot. Aki, her parents, and her friends are incredibly well-drawn and alive. An excellent book for fans of historical fiction and mystery novels.
An anonymous demon, deemed "too fragile" for most fieldwork, is now on duty at a monastery, attempting to trip up the monks who must constantly pray for a long-dead wealthy benefactor. While on the job, the bored demon becomes ensnared by a sadistic exorcist who's working hard to undermine the laws of good and evil. As the narrator tells his story, the reader must wonder what makes someone good or evil or just human.
This novella is alternately funny, thought-provoking, confusing, and absurd. I'd recommend it to anyone who read Good Omens and wanted more details about the day-to-day existence of angels and demons.
Last year, the Roseingrave family's reputation and finances were dragged through the mud by a swindler who took advantage of Mr. Roseingrave's piano-building prowess and eldest daughter Sophie's talents at the piano. Fleeing London, they've now settled in Carrisford, where they hope to rebuild in an upstanding town. But when Sophie meets beguiling silk weaver Maddie Crewe, she's convinced that Maddie is up to something untoward. As it happens, she is. Maddie and the other weavers of Carrisford are determined to run their own con on an unscrupulous businessman who is driving them into the poorhouse. However, Sophie's meddling — and Maddie's burgeoning feelings for her — may stand in the way of both the Roseingrave family's rebuilding and Maddie's swindle.
This is a sweet love story between the two young women, and one that, refreshingly, doesn't have an element of disapproval or shame from Sophie's family, and only the barest hint from society at large. While that makes the story particularly sweet, it also takes it a bit out of the historical context. An enjoyable, if not particularly substantive, historical romance.
Well, Regan kind of said it all in her post, so instead of repeating her description, I'll just link to her post here. I will say that I really loved getting to know Mayan folklore and I particularly enjoyed the way Moreno-Garcia wove together the real-life Jazz Age Mexico and the fantastical Mayan underworld. The Orcs & Aliens also seemed to love this one (except Casiopea's obnoxious and entitled cousin), and I'd highly recommend this to fans of fantasy and mythology.
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, 338 pages.
Gods of Jade and Shadow opens almost like a Cinderella story, with Cassiopeia Tun living as a servant in her wealthy grandfather's house. The inciting incident occurs when Cassiopeia opens the mysterious locked chest in her grandfather's room and releases a Mayan death god into the world. If she helps him recover the pieces of himself that his treacherous brother stole she will be rewarded with whatever she desires. But they are on a time clock, the god drains her life force to remain alive, gradually turning himself more human and her more dead. Cue a magical road trip through Jazz Age Mexico and the Southern United States, all centered on the concepts of love, justice, and family.
This was a very fun book, and I really liked Cassiopeia in particular. The tone of it very much reminded me of a more mature Percy Jackson series, which is definitely something I can get behind. I was a little disappointed that this book didn't seem particularly interested in exploring it's Jazz Age setting beyond being a way to explore Cassiopeia's newfound freedom, but I found all of the locations very interesting, and it was definitely neat to read a book set in historical Mexico. I was also pleasantly surprised that many of my predictions about where the book was going did not come true, it made reading the novel more exciting as I kept having to adjust my expectations about its trajectory. I'm looking forward to hearing other people's takes during the Orcs & Aliens book club tomorrow!
Belle da Costa Greene is J. P. Morgan's librarian. She is a complete bad ass who builds the world famous collection based on his AND her desires. She negotiates with dealers and becomes quite famous as one of the most successful working woman of her time. On top of the work it takes to become that successful and admired, she is keeping the secret that she is actually "passing" for white, her father was the first African American graduate of Harvard. Despite her success, she knows the world and J. P. Morgan himself will never allow her to stay if her heritage is discovered. This is based on a true story but with all historical fiction, the day to day is filled in by the imagination of the authors. Parts of the story aren't my cup of tea but how can any librarian take a look at this volume and pass on it? Overall a good read.
One By One by Ruth Ware (2020) 372 pages
The top personnel of a British tech start-up company called Snoop rent a chalet in the French Alps. Instead of a week of camaraderie, it becomes apparent that the co-founders, Topher and Eva, want to go opposite directions. Topher wants to stay an independent company while Eva wants to accept a handsome buy-out offer. A former employee named Liz feels tugged from both sides because her 2% share in the company can be the deciding vote.
What starts as a difference of opinion between Topher and Eva turns into a series of deaths as the group is beset by a missing skier, a devastating avalanche, and power failure. When it looks possible that maybe both of the first two deaths are murder, the remaining employees realize that the stakes couldn't be higher. Riveting.
Closed Casket by Sophie Hannah (2016) 302 pages
Lady Playford announces at dinner the first night that her will has been changed and she is leaving everything--a considerable amount of money and property--to Joseph Scotcher. This is seen as very strange, as Scotcher is not expected to live more than a few weeks. Later that night, Sophie's screams bring the household running. She says that Lady Playford's daughter Claudia was talking to Joseph in the library while she was bashing in his head. Things don't add up when everyone notes that Claudia was wearing a white, non-blood-spattered dressing gown. And in the course of the investigation, we learn that Scotcher died earlier that evening of poisoning. Is Sophie lying? Leave it up to Poirot and Catchpool (and not the local police force) to ferret out the facts in a household of strong-willed people.
Heart of Barkness by Spencer Quinn (2019) 299 pages
As this story begins, Bernie is leaving the hospital after a long recovery. He and Chet go to a bar to hear Lotty Pilgrim, a formerly noted country singer perform. Bernie chases down a man who took tips out of her tip jar, and in doing so, gets to know Lotty and her manager/boyfriend, Clint. Clint appears to be rather controlling of Lotty, and after he is found murdered, Lotty is arrested and plans to plead guilty. Bernie and Chet travel the desert, including a few trips into Mexico, trying to figure out what happened decades ago in Lotty's life that is making her take the fall for the murder. The fast-moving plot is riveting.
