The View from Lake Como

The View from Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani, 416 pages

Jess is recently divorced and has moved into the basement of her overbearing Italian-American parents' house, lamenting her inability to do anything in life that really inspires passion. She's a talented draftsperson for her uncle's marble business and just after he invites her on a trip to visit the source of the company's marble in Italy, he dies, leaving her with an open-ended plane ticket, a new business in her name, and a whole pile of trouble in the form of long-buried family secrets and a second set of account books for the business. While she agrees to work with the feds on sorting out her uncle's crimes, Jess is allowed to leave for Italy, where she does whatever she can to figure out who she really is.

This was my first Trigiani novel, and I wasn't really expecting the high level of New Jersey/Italian American stereotypes — it was a bit overbearing in the first section of the book. However, once Jess made it to Italy, the idyllic village and slower pace of life was particularly soothing. It wasn't my favorite book, and it definitely leaned a little too hard on romantic comedy/woman on a journey of self-discovery tropes, but I'm glad I read it. It's a good escape.

Every Step She Takes

Every Step She Takes by Alison Cochrun, 384 pages

Sadie has never truly enjoyed a date she's been on, despite her mom and sister constantly setting her up with perfectly fine guys. Maybe it's because she's too wrapped up in her work selling and refurbishing antiques — after all, she can't remember the last time she went on a vacation or got a chance to relax. When she's presented with a chance to take her travel influencer sister's spot on a trek along Portugal's Camino de Santiago, Sadie decides to go for it. Perhaps some time away from home, work, and her family will help reset her brain a bit. But then the combination of wine and turbulence on her flight to Europe prompts Sadie to spontaneously tell the stranger sitting next to her that she might be a lesbian, and suddenly Sadie has a lot more to consider. Especially when Mal, the stranger from the plane, turns out to be a fellow hiker in Sadie's tour group.

While there are a couple of eyebrow-raising elements in this romance novel (I'm not sure I fully buy into the "hey, we're kissing for practice, since you've never kissed a woman before), overall it's a lovely exploration of self-discovery with  a swoony, supportive romance. And it really makes me want to take the 100-mile trek of the Camino pilgrimage. That's not too far, right? :) Anyway, I highly recommend this to readers of Casey McQuiston's The Pairing who wanted a bit less spice.

The Curious Secrets of Yesterday

The Curious Secrets of Yesterday by Namrata Patel, 283 pages

Tulsi Gupta has been raised from birth to be the successor of her mother and grandmother in their spice healing business. At 30 years old, however, Tulsi still hasn't taken the final steps to take over her mother's role and allow her grandmother to retire. Why? Well, she's not so sure she wants the legacy, and while she doesn't know what her vocation should be otherwise, she knows she wants to travel and get experiences, and she's slowly been saving up so she can do those things as soon as she gets up the nerve to tell her mother and grandmother. Then two things happen to upset that particular apple cart: the shop suddenly has social media accounts that are blowing up BIG TIME (despite Tulsi and her family having no idea who's running the accounts) and a handsome ex-Marine has taken over the café next door (and much to the delight of her family, Tulsi seems to be hitting it off with him).

The writing was a bit clunky to begin with, and the story was a bit predictable, but if you can make it through the first 50 pages, this is a quick and satisfying read about secrets, family, duty, and love. Not my favorite book, but definitely not the worst I've read.

*This book will be published June 1, 2024.

Their Eyes Were Watching God

 

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (1937) 238 pages

I listened to the audiobook through Libby. Ruby Dee is amazing at performing and narrating the story. She makes every other skillful audiobook narrator I've heard seem like they are only giving a 70% effort. The various character voices and emotive delivery are stellar. Hurston's story feels like a legend about the founding of the black town of Eatonville, Florida, where she grew up, and where she did anthropological studies in college. We follow the life of Janie. As a child she is raised by her grandmother and married off young to a much older man. She is raised to be obedient and stays put for years. Later, she runs off with a smooth talker who has dreams of being the mayor of a new black town. As the mayor's wife she is treated with respect, but is caught in a sort of gilded cage. As a still young widow, Janie meets perhaps her great love, and starts life anew again. She begins to enjoy life and find her individuality for the first time. The ending crashes through fairly rapidly with a hurricane hitting Florida, a rabid dog bite, and a brief courtroom drama. Hurston really masters the language in a poetic way with the dialect of blacks in the south in the 1930s.

Juliet takes a breath - graphic novel

 

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

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