This Book Made Me Think of You

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page, 416 pages

Five months after her husband died, Tilly receives a phone call from a local bookstore, telling her that her birthday present from her husband is ready to be picked up. When she arrives at the store, she learns that, before his death, her husband had arranged for 12 books to be given to Tilly each month for a full year. Included with each book is a note from her late husband, telling her why he picked the book and what he hopes it brings her. As a one-time book lover who hasn't been able to enjoy her hobby, Tilly is both impressed and intimidated by the yearlong venture, but as she begins to read and have conversations with bookseller Alfie, Tilly begins to feel a bit more herself.

This was a lovely book that's cozy like a favorite movie — it's predictable, emotional, and easy to enjoy. The characters are three-dimensional and the story takes a couple of turns that I didn't quite expect, and even though I feel like the "message from my dead spouse" trope has been played out, it plays well here.

The Death Row Club

The Death Row Club by V.A. Vazquez (2026), 323 pages

This book seemed like a cool concept. The adult children of death row inmates get to spend a weekend together away from the pressures and prying eyes (and judgement) of the public. While that eventually happened, it really follows two women whose fathers' commit murders while they come to terms with their unknowing roles in them. In some ways, the book does touch upon the family members of convicted murderers and the complicated relationship that they may have with each other and the convicted member, but I think I was hoping that there would be more of that angle. Instead, it quickly touches upon that issue and slowly (then dramatically) ends with a murder at the retreat and a quick resolution to the whole thing. It was an ok book, I just found myself a bit disappointed in it.

Heather

Heather by Caitlin Mullen (2026), 352 pages 

Callie Hauser is the new Police Chief in her hometown. She is young and motivated, and is soon swept up in a decades old murder surrounding a pair of teenage twins who went missing and left behind a dead newborn baby. 

I am back and forth on whether I liked this mystery. It is definitely better than Please See Us (which I recently reviewed), but I am having a hard time figuring out why it wasn't quite right. It is a bit unbelievable that a 30 y/o cop who just recently returned to her hometown would suddenly become the Police Chief (especially when there were more experienced police officers on the force). It is also a bit unbelievable said new Police Chief would have so much extra time to watch her best friends 3-year-old. I also did not care for the chapters written in the 2nd person - they were jarring compared to the rest of the novel. That said, there were some fun twists and unexpected turns that kept the storying engaging. So, I am torn about recommending it. 

Cool Machine

Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead (2026), 352 pages

Garnering praise from all reviewers, award-winning author Colson Whitehead has earned it with Cool Machine, the final installment of the Harlem Trilogy. The series started with the novel Harlem Shuffle, a story that is subdued. A lot of background — family, neighborhood, and relationships – a calm before the storm. Book two, Crook Manifesto, is a non-stop fling into the unplanned and random violence that crime generates. In Cool Machine Ray Carney, the protagonist of the three books, appears to recognize his fate and embrace the criminal he has become, a cool machine. There are no subtleties; Carney gets punched by page 15. Whitehead manages to weave the feel of 1980s New York into every page. Rare is the author that generates a page-turning crime novel and a sociological treatise in one book. Bonus — the writing is first-class.

With Love From Harlem

With Love From Harlem by ReShonda Tate, 416 pages

In the late 1940s, Hazel Scott was a jazz phenom, pulling classical themes into popular music, and beginning a career as a film star. All the while, she was using her fame to challenge social norms and fight for civil rights. So it seems inevitable that her path would cross with Harlem's newest electrifying politician, Adam Clayton Powell. They instantly form a connection (despite the fact that he's married) and embark on a long, and often tumultuous, relationship that takes them through Hollywood, political activism, and a cultural revolution.

This novel follows Hazel's life with Powell, though it also focuses on her professional highs and lows, as well as the relationships she has with other artists of the day. While some of the relationships feel genuine (the long relationship with Billie Holliday), there are times where it feels like the author is trying to drop as many names as possible (the Nina Simone bits were particularly irksome, as the author admits in the afterword that neither of these two meetings ever happened). Still, it's an interesting book, and worth a read as a jumping-off point for learning more about Hazel Scott, who certainly had a fascinating life.

Murder Mindfully

 Murder Mindfully by Karsten Dusse (2019), 416 pages

Life is coming in hard for Bjorn. Work is stressful, marriage is stressful, and all he wants to do is spend more quality time with his daughter. In an effort to save their marriage, Bjorn's wife sends him to a mindfulness coach. Initially Bjorn is reluctant as he has things TO DO. But even he realizes that he cannot keep going at this pace, especially as his top client's shady businesses are bringing unwanted attention. Thankfully, the mindfulness coach has given him the tools to be present in any situation (whether with his daughter, defending gang members, or committing the occasional murder). 

This was a fun read. It is light with a touch of humor and, honestly, some good advice on how to be more present in your life. I found this German series through the Netflix show, and will likely read more of them.  

The Trip

The Trip by Audrey J. Cole, 303 pages

Twenty years after a whitewater rafting trip that left a friend for dead, four women have gathered for a luxury sailing trip. Each has her own reasons for attending, and none of those reasons are to rekindle their friendship. However, nobody expects things to go sideways so quickly, with death, storms, and an almost complete lack of sailing ability aboard (though you'd think that one would've given them a clue). What becomes obvious is that someone aboard the sailboat wants revenge.

There is absolutely nobody likeable in this book, which mentions Starlink enough that I'm really hoping it was a paid advertisement. I read it a couple months ago and I honestly can't remember who the bad guy is, and really, I don't care. If you're looking for a hate read, give this one a go. Otherwise, skip it.

Such a Perfect Family

Such a Perfect Family by Nalini Singh, 384 pages

After a whirlwind romance, Tavish has married the woman of his dreams and moved in with her parents on the other side of the world while the newlyweds try to find a home of their own. However, it literally all goes up in flames when Tavish returns home from an errand to find the house ablaze, killing his new in-laws and putting his wife in a coma. While he tries to figure out exactly who may have set this fire, Tavish's checkered past (full of wealthy women dying and leaving him all kinds of riches) may be catching up to him, making him a prime suspect in the arson.

I read this a couple months back and I'll admit that I had to look up the summary to get that paragraph written. It was a disjointed story with unreliable and largely unlikeable characters, and other than the exotic locale (Philippines? New Zealand? Maybe both?), it's completely forgettable. Meh.

 

A Zoom with a View

A Zoom with a View by Jess Cannon, 384 pages

I already had this mystery on my TBR pile, but when I read Jan's review of it, I moved it up to the top. Leo, who has reluctantly returned to her tiny Texas hometown for job that doesn't even come close to using her doctoral degree in English; her batty hairdresser-with-a-secret-life mom Karina; Karina's best friend Kay, who manages to turn the county lockup into a kegger; police consultant (and secret girlfriend to one of the officers investigating the murder) Macy... these are just a few of the fantastic characters that make up the cast of this charming and innately readable cozy mystery. And while there are plenty of over-the-top and unbelievable elements (Chaz and Kymber saying "babe" in every sentence they say to each other, for example), there are also some very real elements to ground the story. The way Leo's best friend Emily reacts to both her mother's arrest and Leo's aloofness, Leo and Karina's difficult relationship... it's a fantastic book, and I can't wait to read the next one in this series. (And yes, the dog is fine.)

The Keeper of Lost Children

The Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa Johnson, 464 pages

Living with her husband in occupied Germany in the 1950s, Ethel Gathers is a proud wife of an American serviceman and always looking for something to do. She soon discovers a nearby orphanage filled with the abandoned children of local German women and the African American soldiers with whom they had brief affairs. While Ethel and her husband personally adopt a handful of kids, they're determined to help these children find homes back in the U.S., and Ethel begins reaching out to all of her contacts at African American newspapers, churches, and everywhere else to accomplish her mission. Ethel's tale is woven together with the stories of Sophie, a Black girl attending a prestigious private (and mostly white) school in 1965, and Ozzie, a Black serviceman in 1948 Germany who falls in love with a German woman.

Braiding these three stories together creates a captivating novel that is based on a real phenomenon of Black American families adopting mixed race children from Germany in the 1950s. All of the stories are compelling, and while the reader may expect each story to go one way, the somehow-realistic twists keep us guessing. Indeed, the least believable element of the whole book is how many kids Ethel and her husband adopt, and that part is based on an actual woman: Mabel Treadwell Grammer, who, with her husband, adopted 12 mixed-race children from German orphanages. It's a fascinating book, and I was riveted the whole time while reading it.

Lost Lake

Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen (2014) 296 pages

The cast of characters include Eby, an older widow who owns a lakeside resort that is in disrepair, just outside a little town in Georgia; Lisette, a mute woman whom Eby and her late husband had met in Paris and who has now been with Eby for most of her life; Kate, a young woman who has been a zombie since her husband died a year ago; Devin, Kate's eight-year-old daughter who has a most lively imagination; Cricket, Kate's mother-in-law, a controlling woman who is planning to run for a political office in Atlanta; and several others, all with engaging backstories.

Kate feels as if she has literally woken up after a year lost when her husband died. She sees her mother-in-law planning out her life, selling her house, moving her to the mother-in-law's house, and planning for her to work in her mother-in-law's office. The mother-in-law also wants to send Kate's daughter to a private school and train her to wear proper clothing, instead of letting her choose the fairy wings and cowboy boots and other garb that Devin likes so well.

 On their moving day, Kate finds Devin wearing clothing from a dress-up trunk in the attic and Devin shows her a postcard she found in the trunk from Kate's great-aunt Eby, which has a picture of Eby's resort. They make a split second decision to go to the resort to see if it still exists.

Eby has just agreed to sell the resort to a man who wants to redevelop it. The past keeps poking up its head. There just might be a ghost or two. As well as people who are looking for meaning. I liked this novel very much.

Swindle Series

Swindle series by Gordon Korman

Swindle (2008), 252 pgs.

Griffin Bing does not stand for injustice. In fact, more likely than not, you will find him outlining and executing a plan to right some wrong. Along with a group of friends, each with their own set of skills, Griffin makes a plan to get back a baseball card which he was swindled out of. These kids are constantly underestimated, but with the right plan, they can show the world that they are not to be messed with.

Zoobreak (2009), 230 pgs.
Griffin and his friends continue their mission of fighting for the little guy--this time for the little furry guys! After a field trip to a floating zoo, the classmates are horrified by the poor living conditions for the creatures in the exhibit. The animals must be freed, and this is just the team to do it. 

Framed (2010), 234 pgs.
When a Super Bowl ring belonging to the school goes missing, all signs point to The Man With a Plan. The thing is--Griffin did not take it. Given his history with heists, Griffin has trouble proving his innocence, so his friends must step up and make a plan to clear their leader's name. 

Showoff (2012), 248 pgs.
Luthor, the hulking Doberman belonging to one of the friends, is in trouble. After going berserk at a dog show and injuring the star canine, his owners are forced to give him up to the pound. Griffin cannot stand to see a member of the team behind bars--even when it may be deserved--so he picks Luthor up and comes up with a plan to tame the beast--by training Luthor to win a dog show of his own. 

Hideout (2013), 275 pgs.
The team must band together again to help Luthor after his malicious previous owner begins suing for custody. The friends decide to take the dog with them to their summer camps and hide him while they figure out what to do. 

Jackpot (2014), 200 pgs.
Someone in Cedarville has won the lottery, but they have yet to claim their prize. As time runs out for the winner, The Man With a Plan takes it upon himself to discover what happened to the winning ticket. If that weren't stressful enough, Griffin must complete this plan alone after a new student moves to town and disrupts the friend-group.  

Unleashed (2015), 202 pgs.
Since his dad is an inventor, you'd think that Griffin would be a shoe-in to win the inventing contest at his school. However, competing against his technology-genius friend, Melissa, is never a good idea. Despite the invention rivalry, when Melissa's invention goes missing, the team must come together once again to make sure it's a fair competition. 

Jingle (2016), 199 pgs.
After being unwillingly signed up for the annual Christmas extravaganza, Griffin and his friends begrudgingly participate--dressing as elves and handing out gifts. When the event is cancelled after a priceless artifact is stolen, the group is slightly relieved to be out of elf-duty--until the blame is shifted their way. In order to clear their names and keep the spirit of the holidays alive, the team completes another plan... this time to save Christmas. 

The Mercy of Gods

The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey, 448 pages

I first read this book about a year and a half ago, and realized that as awkward as my write-up was then, I'd write it exactly the same way now — in fact, when I first started writing this, I started it with the same sentence before I erased that and just chose to redirect you to that original blog post. Anyway, this made a bit more sense on the second read-through, and it was an excellent discussion in Orcs & Aliens. Can't wait to read the second book in this series, which I thankfully have sitting on my shelf at home.

The Last Mandarin

The Last Mandarin by Louise Penny and Melissa Fung, 400 pages

Food blogger Alice and her mother, famous dissident and human rights activist Vivien, have never really gotten along. Yet when mysterious global attacks traced back to China start setting off alarms worldwide and stopping all the elevators simultaneously, they learn that they are closer to the source of these attacks than they thought. The mother-daughter pair must work together, with or without the help of the U.S. and Chinese governments, to determine who is behind the attacks before something truly devastating happens.

This would make an excellent summer blockbuster along the lines of Indiana Jones or National Treasure or The Mummy. However, there are just too many improbable or downright impossible things to suspend disbelief for the length of time it takes to read a book. Wait for the inevitable film adaptation and read one of Penny's other books instead.

Yesteryear

 

 

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, 391 pages 

Natalie Heller Mills is a "tradwife" social media influencer, who lives the perfect life in the eyes of her Instagram followers. Her posts hide the less "perfect" aspects of her life, like her nannies, farmhands, and martial problems. One day Natalie wakes up in the 1800s and has to learn to navigate her life without her usual modern amenities.

I was really excited for this book, and did enjoy the beginning. I enjoyed the book less as it progressed, and found the story line got muddled in attempts to keep the suspense alive. Similar to many readers, I did not like the ending. The concept of this book was very intriguing, and I am looking forward to the movie, however it did not hit home for me. 

The Road to Tender Hearts

The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett (2025), 384 pages

PJ is struggling. He is a 63 y/o divorced alcoholic that is drifting through life. He gets a wake-up call when he suddenly becomes the caregiver to his orphaned grand niece and nephew. On top of that, his ex-wife (of whom he is still very close to) and her fiancé take an extended trip to Alaska while his somewhat estranged daughter comes back into the picture. To round out the sudden changes, a death cat appears to provide comfort, warnings, and security. PJ decides that best way to handle all of this is to take a road trip west to reconnect with a recently widowed former high school crush and to get a paternity test from a Soap Opera star for his grandniece. 

 ALL of that is in this book. There is also a bunch more. Despite PJ being a man-child and a bit irritating, I ended up really liking the book. Fair warning, there are a lot of heavy topics covered in the book. It is not a breezy read, but there is enough warmth and humor to keep you invested.  

The Silver Fish

The Silver Fish by Connor Martin, 384 pages

Fresh off a personal tragedy, journalist Dani has come to Ghana determined to expose corruption and write an investigative article that will restart her career in the high-risk world of international journalism. While she seeks a story uncovering corruption in the oil industry, she stumbles upon something much more sinister and explosive, involving the fiberoptic cables that traverse the ocean, international spies, and oh so much danger.

As much as I wanted to like this book at the outset (it's a spy novel! in a setting we're not used to! with a female journalist as the lead character!), it was kind of a mess. Dani's journalistic ethics are almost nonexistent and she makes some REALLY stupid moves, which is what leads directly to the danger and suspense. Would've loved to see a smart woman exposing corruption without corrupting herself in the process. But alas...

The Final Target

 The Final Target by Nora Roberts (2026), 419 pages

Arden Bowie's first book has just been published and her book signing was a success; except that it is also the first time she meets her future stalker. 

This is a somewhat new genre for me as I didn't realize Romance Thriller is a thing. Now that I know it is, I understand the book better. I couldn't figure out why there was this crime, but a lot of the book centers around her meeting nice guy Gideon. The parts surrounding the stalker were pretty intense, but then the book would refocus to Gideon and it was like a nice Hallmark show. So, if this is your thing, it was a good summer read. If it isn't, I would move on. 

Please See Us

 Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen (2020), 341 pages

Clara, a teenage psychic/prostitute, and Lily, an embarrassed art gallerist, form an unlikely friendship to reluctantly solve a string of Jane Doe murders in down and out Atlantic City. I really didn't care for this novel. The writing was clunky, the character arcs both tropey and unbelievable, and it was told from too many points of view. Definitely not one I will be recommending. 

July Totals

Please talk to us about our books!

 

Annie: 2 books, 852 pages

Byron: 4 books, 1209 pages

Jan: 5 books, 1334 pages

John: 2 books, 746 pages

Kara: 9 books, 3054 pages

Kevin: 9 books, 2308 pages

Regan: 10 books, 4087 pages 

Sarah: 6 books, 1716 pages

Tracey: 9 books, 3322 pages

 Totals: 56 books and 18, 628 pages

 

More Weight: A Salem Story

More Weight: A Salem Story by Ben Wickey (2025) 532 pages 

I loved the in depth history, mostly in black and white, of the 1692 events. So much more disturbing than Arthur Miller's version of events in The Crucible. The focus on Giles and Martha Corey works well. I also appreciated poets Longfellow and Hawthorne's tour of Salem in the 1860s. It goes in an otherworldly direction, which seems odd, until you realize that this part has been a ghost story all along. The two parts connect because Longfellow had written a play about the Salem Witch Trials focusing on the Coreys and Hawthorne is related to one of the judges with his family living in the Salem area for generations. The Intro and Outro about the aftermath of the witch trials leading to modern day Salem is super dense with litigation from mishandled justice, politics, consumerism, and ongoing fictions and frauds. So much fascinating educational material. It took longer to complete than I expected, but I'm glad I stayed with it.

A Zoom with a View

 

A Zoom with a View by Jess Cannon (2026) 370 pages

Leo (short for Leonora) has reluctantly moved back to her hometown, a small city just south of Austin, Texas. Reluctant because she has most often felt that her mother is standoff-ish and doesn't want her to come back. Reluctant, too, because moving back is an admission that after her multiple post-doc years, she can't get a permanent job as an English professor. However, she accepts a summer job taking photos of new listings with a realtor (Kay) who happens to be her mother's best friend as well as the mother of Leo's best friend.

At the town's 4th of July parade, there is an altercation between Kay and another realtor, Chaz.  Chaz and his girlfriend have been spotted sabotaging Kay's float for the parade. Just hours later, Chaz is dead and Kay is arrested for his murder. On the surface, this story looks to be a standard whodunnit. However, there are hints early on that something more nefarious is going on, something which started way before this murder. This is the hook that led to this book being finished in a day, which does not happen often anymore.

Social media skills come into play while collecting evidence; Leo knows her stuff and finds herself helping the local detective. Are the characters believable? Mostly. Is the storyline solid? Reasonably. Is Leo a protagonist we can get behind? Most definitely. She's smart, measured, and takes time to think.  The only negative might be a positive: the book is calling for a sequel.

Mississippi Solo

Mississippi Solo by Eddy Harris, 250 pages

At the age of 30, aspiring writer Eddy Harris decided to find a canoe and paddle his way from the headwaters of the Mississippi River in Minnesota all the way down to the delta in New Orleans. Never canoed before, yet here he was, doing it all by his lonesome. Except that he wasn't really alone. Along the way, Harris met dozens of folks from all walks of life and swapped stories with them, getting as familiar with people as he did with the river itself. 

This was a fascinating memoir, and I'm so glad we read it as part of the Big Book Challenge this year (and even happier that Eddy came to visit! The dude give really good hugs.) I'll be recommending this widely.

The Underground Railroad

 The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016), 306 pages

This sometimes hard to read novel follows Cora, a young slave woman, fleeing the South for somewhat freedom in the North. Books about slavery aren't enjoyable, but should be required reading for all Americans. Whitehead does not hold back on the horrors Cora, her compatriots, and aiders experienced during this era. He does a great job exploring all the aspects of the Underground Railroad and how risky it was for the folks using it and for those running it. If you haven't already, I highly recommend you check this one out. 

The First Date Prophecy

The First Date Prophecy by Kate and Danny Tamberelli (2023) 327 pages

Lucy and Rudy are both in their early thirties and living month to month without great jobs and definitely not finding partners. When Lucy gets back onto the dating website HeartThrobs after a particularly bad first date, she sees Rudy's profile and recognizes him as a child star from a TV series and decides to give him a chance. Rudy, meanwhile, gets onto the same site after his own annoying date: someone who approached him after one of his music gigs in a bar. He finds Lucy's profile. They end up meeting in a restaurant featuring Elvira, the oldest psychic in New York. The date ends up etched in their memories because of the old woman's prophecy for them, which seems like it's positive. However, the old woman is unable to finish before she collapses.

After that unsettling experience, Lucy and Rudy decide to hang out with each other to see if their relationship has a chance of success. They go to each other's job gigs and meet each other's friends. They like each other a lot, but they are each reluctant to take the relationship to a physical level, fearful of possible heartbreak.

Watching them as their friendship and job prospects progress, waiting to see if they can be successful together, is a fun trip, complete with eccentric secondary characters, weird situations, and of course, a crisis point.

Hearts of Oak by Eddie Robson

 

I do not know how I feel about this book! I have 15 different opinions. It's a dimestore Piranesi, but also Westworld-meets-Truman Show- meets Alien. But the style is much like Star Trek: The Original Series.  Our story takes place in a walled kingdom made entirely of wood. A king lives in a tower, out of touch with his people, his only advisor a talking cat. Below, an architecture professor meets a mysterious woman that triggers realizations about life beyond the walls. Of course, the two stories eventually converge.  I seemed to go through a cycle of different reactions, including "huh?" "Okay, I think I see" and "meh?".  On the one hand, I appreciated that I had no idea where the author was taking me. On the other hand, a lot of problems were solved with a hand-wave and it lacked the sort of texture that immerses you in a sci-fi or fantasy story. I don't read much of this sort of thing, but it was definitely interesting.

Lady Tremaine

Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser, 352 pages

Most of us are familiar with the story of Cinderella, who is forced to be a servant for her stepmother, Lady Tremaine. This book takes that familiar story and reimagines it from the stepmother's point of view, and in much the same way that Wicked made a sympathetic, three-dimensional character of the Wicked Witch of the West, Lady Tremaine paints the titular character with many shades of gray, helping put us in her shoes, attempting to find good matches for her daughters and stepdaughter, despite having no husband or income. It's a great read for fans of fairy-tale retellings, or for anyone who thought there might be more to the villain's story.

Dungeon Crawler Carl vol. 1

 

Dungeon Crawler Carl vol. 1 by Matt Dinniman, Tevagah, and Laurel Pursuit Studios, 320 pages.

Chasing his ex-girlfriend's cat through the snow is the only thing that saves Carl's life when aliens crush every structure on the surface. Carl follows a stairway underground that leads him to Dungeon Crawler World, the universe's premier game show and exceptionally lethal death game. Carl better learn the rules of this new world fast, because any mistake could be deadly. 

I was skeptical of this graphic novel of the popular book, not because I don't like the books, but because I suspected this would mostly be a simplified version of the novel I already read with the addition of some occasionally gnarly art. However, I decided to give it a try when it came across the desk at the library, and I'm glad I did! The art here is very expressive, and conveys the action and feelings of the characters very well in a way that felt like it was actually adding something to the original. They also showed a lot of restraint with illustrating the grosser elements of the source material, which I appreciate a lot. I will probably read more of these as they come out! 

The Serpent in Heaven

The Serpent in Heaven by Charlaine Harris, 304 pages. 

 

 This 4th entry in the Gunnie Rose series doesn't actually contain the titular Gunnie Lizbeth Rose, but rather her little sister Felicia. Felicia has been studying at the Grigori Rasputin school in the Holy Russian Empire, although not being taught the kind of magic she wants because nobody there thinks her capable of it. However, when danger comes to the school in the form of Felicia's past, she will have plenty of chances to prove herself. 

 Unfortunately, this is by far the weakest book in the series. This is partially because Felicia is a much weaker than Lizbeth, but not entirely. I also found the hand of "people making nonsensical decisions to make the plot work" to be extra heavy this book, and I had a hard time telling the difference between when 15-year-old Felicia was jumping to crazy conclusions and when those nonsensical conclusions were somehow true. This was weak enough that I'm not sure I will continue the series, but the next book is back to Lizbeth and the fantasy western concept that caught my interest in the first place, so I may give it another chance. 

The Odyssey

 The Odyssey by Homer (751/2000), 541 pages

Like many folks, I picked up The Odyssey to read it before watching the movie. I had a long car ride ahead of me and decided to use the time to listen to the audio version. I had read snippets of The Odyssey in school, but remembered very little of it. I had forgotten how encapsulated each chapter/section of the book is. I wish I could tell you the translation I listened to, but I could not find the details anywhere on the title information page provided by Libby. It seemed like a fair translation and, overall, I did enjoy the saga. At some points I wish there was more elaboration to an event and others less so. I am, though, looking forward to seeing it on the screen and it visually coming to life.

Sunny Figures it Out

 Sunny Figures it Out by Jennifer and Matthew Holm. 224 pgs. © 2025

Book #6 in the series, the most recent (my daughter says a new one is coming out next year). Sunny is older and trying to figure out romance by reading old Harlequin romance novels she finds at a thrift store. Her friend Deb explains the rules of dating--what boys should and shouldn't be doing (carrying your books, giving you their jacket, etc). but it doesn't feel right to Sunny and her boyfriend Tony. They're more like good friends who are forcing a relationship. Eventually she realized she's not like her friend Deb and has no interest in growing up too fast. 

Witch Hat Atelier Vol. 1

 

Witch Hat Atelier Vol. 1 by Kamome Shirahama (trans. Stephen Kohler), 204 pages.

Coco has been in love with magic her whole life, but everyone knows that witches are born, and Coco was not born with that gift. After a tragic mistake proves to Coco that she can do magic, because anyone can if they know the secret of it, she must learn to master it if she has any hope of reversing her terrible mistake. This volume covers the beginning of Coco's new life in a magic atelier with other apprentices. 

This is a stunningly beautiful manga. The art is self-indulgently gorgeous, and many normal panels are as elaborate as the art that is usually used for chapter covers. Additionally, the world is interesting, and I am intrigued by both the characters and the magic. I was brought into this series by the recent animated adaptation, but I believe I may continue with the books as well.

Sunny Makes Her Case

Sunny Makes Her Case by Jennifer and Matthew Holm. 224 pages. © 2024

Book #5 in the series. Ok, this has been my favorite so far. Sunny is helping out more around the house and arguing with her mom, who says she should grow up to be a lawyer. She tries out for the cheerleading squad and doesn't make the cut, but she doesn't dwell on it too long. With her D&D friends out of town, Sunny and her friend start a debate club and win first place at the championships. The funniest bit in this is when she wants to dress up nicer for the next debate, like the debate kids from the prep school. She goes to mall and picks out a pant-suit and a briefcase, which I guess was high working-woman fashion at the time. Sunny's friend also admits he likes her and asks her out on a date. 

Robert B. Parker's Cheap Shot

Robert B. Parker's Cheap Shot by Ace Atkins (2014) 308 pp

Facing a 2000-mile road trip I loaded up on books on CD to keep my attention while navigating the boring interstates.  How could I miss with an author named Ace Atkins? And, of course, I was familiar with Robert B. Parker’s fictitious Boston bad-boy, Spenser. The story is preposterous – a pro football player’s son kidnapped by many potential perpetrators and many motives. The cast is seemingly endless and includes Spenser’s longtime sidekick Hawk, and a new addition, Zebulon Sixkill, aka Z.  The writing is lively, albeit hackneyed, and the production is saved by the narrator, veteran actor Joe Mantegna, who has an uncanny ability to come up with a distinctive voice for each character. I’m a grump. Parker is passé.  When an author dies, don’t get a shiny new scribe to churn out the same (dated) formula stories – RIP Spenser.

Sunny Makes a Splash

 Sunny Makes a Splash by Jennifer and Matthew Holm. 224 pgs. © 2021

Book #4 in this series, another great entry. Actually this and the 5th book have been my favorites. Here Sunny is a little older, exiting7th grade, and gets a job working the snack counter at the pool. She also gets to watch the romantic relationships unfold between the lifeguards...it's better than watching General Hospital. The book makes lots of humorous references to actual things in the 1970s and it makes me chuckle to think kids are learning about The Price is Right and fluffernutter sandwiches from this. Sunny takes her first job seriously and eventually musters up the courage to jump off the high-dive at the pool. This kid is growing up fast, watch out world. 

Winter Counts

Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden (2020), 325 pages 

You may remember that I just finished Wisdom Corner by Weiden and did not realize it was volume 2 in the Virgil Wounded Horse series. I have now read the first volume and, honestly, like it more. Virgil is the local enforcer for the Rosebud Indian Reservation and is roped into helping squash the nascent heroin trade infiltrating the Reservation. I appreciate Weiden's informational look into Reservation life and the issues they are facing. I love learning more about the tribes and their customs. I did have one major issue regarding his nephew, but don't want to give spoilers. Additionally, this is listed as a thriller, and, like, Wisdom Corner, I would consider it a crime novel - it moves way to slow for thriller status. 

The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances

The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances by Glenn Dixon, 224 pages

After his wife, Edie, dies, Harold lives alone in his longtime home, supported by his Smart Home system and the sentient appliances managed by it. Edie was once a piano teacher, though she spent her dying days in bed, listening to Harold read classic books to her. However, not too long after Edie's death, the AI grid that runs society begins to start pushing Harold out of his family home, and the sentient appliances work together to hatch a plan to keep Harold from being forced into an assisted living home.

Told from the point of view of Scout, the sentient Roomba, this book is a meditation on the decline of humanity as we increasingly rely on technology, as well as a pointed look at how we treat the elderly. And somehow, it's also some weird mashup of The Brave Little Toaster and all of the humans-turned-furniture in Beauty and the Beast. It's a lovely little story though, and well worth some rumination.

Inharmonious

Inharmonious by Tammye Huf, 382 pages

Thousands of Black men signed up to fight for the U.S. during World War II. This book tells the story of three of them: Benny, Lee, and Roscoe. Light-skinned Benny is accidentally enlisted as a white man in the segregated army, where he gets treated better than his lifelong friends, but also lives in fear that he'll be discovered. Lee was a troubled teen in a secret relationship with Benny's sister Cora and has enlisted to prove to her family that he's worthy of her. Their friend Roscoe enlists, and in order to ensure her security after the war, Roscoe marries Cora, despite neither of them wanting the marriage. The book follows all three men through their different experiences during the war, and afterward, as they try to rebuild their lives, with varying degrees of success.

Benny, Lee, and Roscoe each have a very different WWII experience, and the combination of all three paints a vivid portrait of the way that Black soldiers were mistreated during and after the war. Throw in Cora and her female friends' experiences, and it's almost as if Huf was determined to show the full spectrum of the injustices inflicted upon Black Americans during that era. While I appreciate her aim and definitely think that it needs to be talked about more, part of me feels like this would be a stronger book if it had a bit more focus on just one or two of the main characters. As written, it wasn't always easy to distinguish the three male main characters until quite a way into the book. Still, a worthwhile read, especially in such a racially divided city as St. Louis.

Lost in the Summer of '69

Lost in the Summer of '69 by Eliza Knight, 400 pages

Eleanor was once a musician who stopped performing when she became a mother, and now, as she's facing down a diagnosis of dementia, she realizes that a California music festival might be her last chance to live her dream. Unfortunately, she doesn't tell her daughter, Leanne, about her spur-of-the-moment decision to fly across the country, and it's only after Leanne and her daughter Nora hear Eleanor singing on the radio that they realize where she's gone. So instead of hanging out with her friends before going off to college, Nora embarks on a cross-country road trip with Leanne to find Eleanor and bring her back home.

Set during the summer of 1969, this book is full of pop cultural nods to the era, as well as the clash between Leanne and Nora's generations. And while it's not the most believable book around, it's still a fantastic story of three generations of women finally learning to understand, love, and communicate with each other. It's quirky, it's fun, and I highly recommend it.

Sunny Rolls the Dice

 Sunny Rolls the Dice By Jennifer and Matthew Holm. 224 pgs. © 2019

Third book in the Sunny series and the main character seems in a better place. This time Sunny's older brother has joined the Navy and is straightening his life out. She's in 7th grade with a new best friend when the two girls start hanging out with a group of boys who are into playing Dungeons and Dragons. Sunny really starts to enjoy the game but her friend is more interested in dating and dances and tries to low-key shame her out of kid things. Eventually, she learns to accept herself, even if that means losing her friend.  These are fast enjoyable reads. Plus they're upping my page count for the month :) 

The Odyssey

The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson (2018), 582 pgs. 

Odysseus has caught the attention of the gods--for better or for worse. Zeus rages against Odysseus's mission to get back to Ithaca after the Trojan War, crushing his ship and stranding him for years on Calypso's island. Athena takes note of his intelligence, and convinces Zeus to let him free. Poseidon wrecks his ship again, the sun god kills his men, and Hermes delivers the souls of his enemies to Hades. As Odysseus makes his way back to his family, he faces many trials. At home, his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus--now an adult after so long apart--face their own battle against a group of raucous and increasingly belligerent men who have taken over the family's estate with the demand that Penelope marry one of them. This epic journey can end no other way but in violence. 

I am so grateful to have been able to read this translation of The Odyssey by Emily Wilson--the first translation published by a woman! Dr. Wilson starts with a comprehensive introduction to this massive work, including explanatory information about what is to come and background as to why she made certain translatory decisions. This section is chock-full of details and can take a while to get through, but it is well worth it, and once you begin reading, the actual Odyssey is a breeze. Dr. Wilson has translated the ancient text into a relatively easily accessible work for anyone with an interest in Greek mythology to dive right into. If you have not read The Odyssey yet--or even if you have--Dr. Wilson's version is a great way to get into it. 

Swing it, Sunny

Swing It, Sunny by Jennifer and Matthew Holm. 224 pgs © 2017

The second from this series. Sunny spends her days helping around the house, getting frustrated at school and hanging out with her best friend, watching General Hospital. Her troublesome brother has been sent to a military academy and is angry at the world. Sunny is excited to see him when he comes from Thanksgiving dinner but he takes out some of his anger on her, hurting her feelings. A new friend has moved in next door who is on the twirling squad at school. She shows Sunny how to twirl and is an encouraging influence. While she frets over losing the connection to her older brother, her Grandpa reminds her that sometimes you can't fix people, you just have to hope for the best. Eventually, her brother seems to come back to his senses. 

Sunny Side Up

 Sunny Side Up by Jennifer and Matthew Holm. 244 pgs, © 2015

Another read from my daughter who is really into this graphic novel series. Sunny is a good natured, plucky 10 year old girl growing up in the mid to late 70s. She's sent to stay with her grandfather in his retirement community in Florida for the summer. As the story moves forward, you realize she was sent away so that her parents could deal with her older, difficult teenage brother, who is getting into drugs and trouble. Sunny misses home and is also worried about her brother. She's bored at the retirement community most days, but makes a friend who introduces her to comic books and they make extra change scooping up golf balls from the pond when the alligators aren't nearby. Captures the frustration and tiny joys of being this age fairly well. 

Tracks by Robin Davidson

 

Tracks by Robin Davidson, 288 pages

Tracks is a pretty standard travel book originally published in 1995. The author, an Australian woman, moves to Alice Springs and learns to handle camels. She then walks across the Western Australian wilderness with four camels and a dog.  I found the book to be pretty good, but I like a story about a solo trip even if it's a little predictable. Of course the people that solo trekkers meet along the way are some of the most interesting parts of the story.  Some aspects of animal husbandry seem harsh to those of us who are not farmers. So reader discretion is advised on that topic.

In The Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man

 In The Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man: A Memoir by Tom Junod, 416 pgs. © 2026

Tom Junod is a fantastic writer from the golden age of magazines. His 1998 article about Mister Rodgers was adapted into a movie with Tom Hanks. In this book, which really reads like 3 different books, Junod dissects his tumultuous relationship with his father Lou--a successful handbag salesman in the 1960s who also led something of a double-life as a rat-pack inspired philanderer. He croons Sinatra, hosts cocktail parties, goes on long trips, etc. As different as the author feels from his father, he can't escape his larger than life shadow. Eventually, Lou dies and the story moves from memory lane into something else--Junod playing detective for the next decade, uncovering his father's clandestine affairs and family secrets. All this leads Junod to discovering in his early 60's that he has a sister he never knew about. The book then pivots again into him developing that relationship. I was apprehensive reading a memoir about someone I didn't really know that much about, but the writing here is top notch. I'm flummoxed at the use of the title, which is a lyric from a Led Zeppelin song, but the band and lyric make no appearance whatsoever. Lou Junod was a Sinatra fanatic, wouldn't a better title have been Strangers in the Night? My Way?  Still, the book is a bit overdeveloped and would've benefited from better editing. But a good read if you're into father/son relationships and digging into the past. 

Interior Chinatown

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu (2020), 270 pgs. 

Pan out on Chinatown. See the streets bustling with activity, with people performing the roles of their daily life. Zoom in. Close-up on Willis Wu in the background, today playing Generic Asian Man. Willis has always been an extra, an unnamed Asian character on the call sheet, but he longs to become the mystical Kung Fu Guy, the pinnacle of roles here in Chinatown. Casting for Kung Fu Guy is competitive--it is the role Willis sees all his peers aspiring toward--but Willis knows his time is coming soon. As he performs his role in Black and White, the long-running cop show offering bit parts, he meets someone who changes his career trajectory--and his life. Perhaps Willis does not have to play these roles forever. 

This book is masterfully written. The lines between performance and reality are blurred from the start, and the confusion that readers feel in discerning between the two mirrors that of the characters. Charles Yu weaves history and stereotypes and intersectionality all into a narrative somehow through metaphor and plain direct language. Readers cannot ignore the message of the harm in believing in and contributing to the propagation of these "roles" that Asian American people feel they must play in order to make it. Highly, highly recommend

It's Not Her

It's Not Her by Mary Kubica, 352 pages

Courtney thought the family trip to the lake was going just fine until she woke to find her brother and sister-in-law murdered in their cabin. To make things worse, her teenage niece is missing, and her nephew managed to sleep through the whole thing. As Courtney works with local authorities to search for her niece and figure out who killed her relatives, she discovers that things weren't quite as rosy as they seemed, and the list of suspects could include just about everyone.

Interspersed with flashback chapters from the missing niece's point of view, this thriller certainly keeps the reader guessing and the plot zooming along. The problem comes when all the cards are finally on the table and we learn exactly what happened, as the culprits feel a bit random (did the author throw names in a hat and pick someone out? It's possible!). I read this a few weeks ago, and I honestly couldn't remember the particulars until I looked it up. So maybe pass on this one. (Unless you really want to read every book about a missing teenage girl, then sure, add this to your TBR for completion's sake.)

The Storm

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins (2026), 277 pages 

As the title suggests, a storm, plays a prominent role in this ok thriller. Set in St. Medard's Bay, Alabama, it follows the lives of three generations of townspeople who have survived (or not) the frequent hurricanes that hit the area. One in particular saw the death of a well-known politician's son and now a journalist has shown up to investigate what might have actually happened. This is one of those books that feels like it was really written to be a Netflix limited series. The visuals sound amazing, but the actual story is a bit contrived and not super engaging. It was a fine, quick read, but it lacked any real depth.

Mississippi Solo

 

Mississippi Solo: A River Quest by Eddy Harris, 256 pages.

This memoir, published in 1988, follows Harris' solo journey down the Mississippi River in a canoe. Along the way Harris connected not only with the river itself, but with the incredible variety of people who make their home on it. Harris has a real talent for connecting with strangers, and these thoughtful, meaningful connections provide just as much substance to the book as the misadventures of a novice canoeist who had no idea what he was getting himself into. I read this book too slow to attend the book discussion, which is a shame, but I am still so glad I decided to finish it anyways. This is exactly the kind of thing I want in a memoir, and I fully expect to read it again. I'm excited to see how this book converses with Life on the Mississippi, which I am embarrassed to admit I am also behind on. 

How to Hold Someone in Your Heart

How to Hold Someone in Your Heart by Mizuki Tsujimura, 224 pages

Ayumi has the unique ability to reunite a living person with a dead person for just one night, during the full moon. There are very specific rules for this process, but since he inherited the ability from his grandmother, he's connected countless people to their lost loved ones, while still holding down a full-time job as a toy designer. 

This book follows Ayumi through several episodes related to his supernatural ability, as he questions many of the ideas and emotions that helping these people brings up. It's the second book in this series, though it's not necessary to read the first one to enjoy this one. This type of episodic, gentle, introspective Japanese novel is becoming very popular, and this one is an excellent example if you'd like to read one that has more of a solid through-line of plot.