What Is Wrong With You?

What Is Wrong With You? by Paul Rudnick (2025) 330 pages

Sean owns gyms and works out all the time. His friend Rob (also one of his gym clients) is a book editor who is still mourning the death of his husband a year ago, and he's working hard to help one of his writers, Tremble Woodspill, finish her book based on her blog "Life As We Fucking Know It," when he finds out he's fired by Isabelle, a young "sensitivity associate" recently hired by the publishing house. 

Sean, the gym owner, who had also been a superhero in a TV series, finds out that his ex-wife, Linda, is getting married to a billionaire, Trone Meston (a nicer version of Steve Jobs or Elon Musk). Sean is still in love with Linda, even though he cheated on her multiple times. These are just some of the characters whose perspective we experience as the story unfolds.

Bring all of these people‒and more‒to the wedding on an island that Trone owns off the coast of Maine, and see what happens. This is a fun book, and I really loved the characters.

Out of the Woods

Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young, 336 pages

Sarah and Caleb got married right out of high school, racing against the clock so that Sarah's mom could be at their wedding before she lost her battle with ALS. Caleb was Sarah's rock and savior during those rough years, taking care of her while she dealt with the weight of caretaking and then struggled with her grief. Eleven years later, while Caleb works too many hours at his startup company, Sarah's struggling to remain relevant in her own life. When a friend suggests a weeklong couples camping trip (something that is completely foreign to the distinctly non-outdoorsy couple), Sarah sees it as a hail mary pass to save their marriage.

This is billed as a romance, and the cover makes it look like a pretty lighthearted one at that. But while there is a bit of spice, it's much more a book about a couple working on themselves to get through the rough spots in a marriage gone stale, and any of the authors attempts to lighten the mood feel a bit off. It's not a bad book per se, but I don't know that I'd recommend it to someone seeking a light romance.

This Disaster Loves You

This Disaster Loves You by Richard Roper, 380 pages

After 20 years of marriage, Brian's wife Lily unexpectedly disappeared. She sent a postcard saying she'd be gone for a while, but seven years later, she still hasn't returned to the small inn and pub they ran, and both Brian and the pub are worse for wear. But when Brian stumbles across a series of Tripadvisor reviews that he thinks were written by Lily, he embarks on a trek that crisscrosses Britain, following her clues.

This was an OK book about a man dealing with his grief, though I had trouble fully buying into Brian and Lily's love story as it's presented and one reveal at the end had me doubting the structure of everything that led up to it. However, Brian's friend Tess, an Australian woman he meets on the road, is amazing, and I'd happily read a book about her. Unfortunately, this isn't that book.

His Only Wife

 His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie, 288 pages.

Afi is an amateur seamstress living with her mother in a house owned by the biggest businesswoman in her small Ghanaian town. Her whole life quickly changes when that same businesswoman asks her to marry her son. Elikem Ganyo is considered quite a catch; he's handsome, rich, polite, and good to his family. But he is also in love with a woman his family doesn't approve of, and they are desperately hoping that if he marries a respectable woman he'll finally leave his mistress. So Afi, knowing all of this, marries him in absentia and is determined to be the best wife possible, although she doesn't actually see her new husband until weeks after their wedding, and even then only rarely.  Yet somehow falling in love only makes everything harder.

Something I found fascinating about this book is that Eli only actually appears in a fairly small portion of it and the mistress, who I believe appears on the cover, is almost not shown at all. This means that the entire book is very focused on Afi and her development as a character. I also thought this book was fascinating as a snapshot into modern Ghana. The setting feels very significant in all aspects of the book, and I absolutely never forgot where we were, but enough context was provided that no prior knowledge of the country is required going in. This isn't normally a genre I read, but there were enough really interesting elements to keep my attention throughout, and I suspect that readers who enjoy the contemporary/literary genres more would like this book even better. 

The Midnight Bargain

 The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk, 384 pages.

Kara got to this review first here and I entirely agree with her. I was really pleasantly surprised by just how much I liked this book. It had enough formal elements and problems to feel like it really inhabited it's pseudo-Victorian setting, but it also wasn't too stuffy. I was also pleasantly surprised that the setting took the time to do some actual world building when I was only expecting a slightly reskinned England. The stakes felt real and the problems difficult. I completely agree with Kara that the plot wrapped up too perfectly in a way that was pretty unbelievable (and had some unaddressed issues), but I'm willing to set aside my disbelief for a happy ending from time-to-time. I definitely feel like there's a lot to talk about here, and I'm really excited to discuss this book with Orcs and Aliens tonight.

The Midnight Bargain

The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk, 375 pages

Beatrice is entering her first season on the marriage market, though the last thing she wants is to get married. Marriage means giving up her innate magical abilities, something she loves and feels would be much more useful to her family than a loveless, magic-less marriage, especially if she's able to make the great bargain: summoning and harnessing a greater spirit to do her bidding. Unfortunately, society's rules (and Beatrice's father) are dead set against this happening, and Beatrice's only hope is a grimoire that has fallen into the hands of Ysbeta Lavan, who also seeks to make the great bargain.

In the acknowledgements, the author describes the book as "Pokémon, but make it Jane Austen," and that's a funny and fairly good description. Except that it leaves out the currents of feminism, rebellion, and oppressive patriarchy that makes the book so compelling. I have some quibbles with the plot, which wrapped up WAY too neatly, but otherwise it was an enjoyable read. I'm curious to see what the Orcs & Aliens book group thinks of it next week.

The Hour of the Witch

The Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian, 405 pages

In 17th Century Boston, unhappily married women have very few options when it comes to divorcing their husbands, particularly when the man has not been unfaithful or deserted her. But that's exactly what Mary Deerfield would like to do after five years of increasingly violent outbursts from her much-older husband Thomas. The final straw comes when Thomas takes one of the newfangled three-tined forks (meant for eating, not carving, and imported by Mary's father) and stabs it through her hand. But even with an injured hand, the divorce trial is difficult, particularly since so many of the Puritan magistrates see the weapon as "the Devil's tines" rather than an eating utensil. Mary must walk a fine line to seek an end to her marriage without bringing a charge of witchcraft down upon her head.

This is a fascinating exploration of the limitations upon women in the 1600s, as well as a pointed look at how little things have changed over the past 400 years. It's well-researched, well-written, and has a compelling plot that moves it along much faster than your average 400-page historical fiction novel. No wonder it has so many people waiting for it at UCPL!

The Echo Wife

The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey, 256 pages

Just after receiving a prestigious prize for her work on cloning, Evelyn learns that her ex-husband, Nathan's, new wife, Martine, is pregnant. While this would be upsetting for many, Evelyn's particularly angry because Martine shouldn't be able to get pregnant, as she's a clone. One that Evelyn's ex made and based on Evelyn (but without the "disagreeable" parts, of course). But when Martine accidentally kills Nathan during an argument, Evelyn grudgingly gets involved in helping Martine cover up the murder, risking her career in the process.

Clone novels always introduce an element of ethical debate, and The Echo Wife is no different. What makes this one stand out, however, is the multiple layers of ethics up for debate. Are clones people or tools? Can a woman who was programmed to want a child and be subservient to her husband really make an autonomous decision to have the child? Can a clone be blamed for the crimes of its source human? Gailey is an angry person, and in this book, their anger crystallizes into a wonderfully told, taut drama solidly based in science fiction. This will make a wonderful book group title.

Good Company

 

Good Company / Cynthisa D'Aprix Sweeney, 310 pgs.

Flora has the world by the tail, happily married, good friends, a lovely daughter...but then she makes a discovery.  The wedding ring that her husband claimed to have lost while swimming in a pond is actually in an envelope in their file cabinet.  This can't be good, can it?  He made a big deal of losing it in the pond and people spent time looking for it.  Of course, it isn't good news.  But in addition to shining a light on his duplicity, Flora discovers that her best friend Margot also knew about this.  Now Flora is on verge of losing them both - or choosing to ditch them both.  This book highlights the issues that arise even with something that occurred in the distant past. I like the way the author reveals enough of each character that we really understand where they come from.  The supporting crew here, Ruby, the daughter and a former therapist are fantastic even though they are briefly included.  

The Miser of Mayfair

The Miser of Mayfair by Marion Chesney (M.C. Beaton), 167 pages

When Roderick Sinclair's wealthy older brother dies and the will is read, Sinclair is dismayed to learn that he's been left only the custody of Fiona, his brother's teenage ward. With only Fiona's good looks and only a bit of money to his name, Sinclair decides to take Fiona to London for the season, in the hopes of marrying her off to a wealthy aristocrat. But how to explain their outdated clothes and residence in a supposedly cursed rental home? Lovely Fiona, who is much smarter than she leads on, lets it slip that her "father" is a wretched miser, who wants to hide his wealth to avoid suitors who are only interested in the Sinclair money.

Again, Chesney/Beaton does a lovely job skewering the London society, while creating a playful and light tale. So much fun!

Confessions on the 7:45

Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger, 364 pages

On her Instagram page, Selena's marriage looks great — lovely house, two beautiful children, loving husband, perfect nanny. But in real life, she recently found out that her husband's cheating on her with the nanny. Unsure of what to do, Selena confides in a friendly stranger on her commuter train (the stranger has just shared her own secret, so it's natural, right?)...and then things start to unravel. The nanny goes missing, the police are interviewing Selena's husband, and the stranger from the train is suddenly texting Selena, despite Selena not sharing her number. Selena must get control of her life again, but how?

This thriller definitely lives up to the genre name, particularly as the perspective shifts between Selena, a young girl named Pearl, another woman named Anna, and even a semi-retired FBI agent named Ross. Unger keeps us the reader on their toes, despite telegraphing some twists. The un-trustworthiness of every character in the book makes it a page-turner.

Anxious People

 

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

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

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

His Only Wife

His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie, 278 pages

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

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

The Painted Veil

 The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham (1925) 246 pages

Set in the 1920s, this novel follows Kitty, a beautiful young English woman whose mother has high hopes for her to make a great match. But Kitty's mother thinks that each beau who woos Kitty isn't good enough. When Kitty is 25, in a panic, she marries Walter Fane and moves to Hong Kong, where he's a bacteriologist who works for the government. When Walter discovers she's having an affair, he gives Kitty a choice: if her lover will divorce his wife and marry Kitty, Walter will give Kitty a divorce. Otherwise, Kitty must follow him to an area in China which lost its only doctor to cholera, and where cholera is still raging. Heartbroken when her lover won't leave his wife, Kitty goes into the heartland of China with Walter. The story finally takes off and Kitty begins to show some character.

A Good Marriage

A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight, 390 pages

Every marriage has secrets, right? Well, in the upscale Brooklyn neighborhood of Park Slope, there are more than average, and one of those has gotten beautiful new neighbor Amanda Grayson murdered. Initial suspicion lands on her husband, tech entrepreneur Zach, who his old law school classmate Lizzie from prison, asking her to be his defense lawyer. At first, Lizzie's convinced her old friend is innocent and begins poking around to find an alternate suspect. But digging around Park Slope is revealing way more that she anticipated.

This is a gripping psychological thriller, filled with plenty of creepy potential suspects, flashbacks to the days leading up to the murder, and deep dark secrets for every last character in the book. I was captivated, horrified, and completely satisfied with this quick read.

Dept. of Speculation

Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill (2014) 177 pages

Jenny Offill's small book packs a wallop in its quiet way. The short chapters are not really composed of paragraphs, but what look like unrelated thoughts set near each other. Keep reading (it's impossible to stop, anyway) and a story grabs hold, pulling you into the lives of the wife, the husband, and the child (all unnamed). Pithy thoughts, some by famous philosophers, are sprinkled around the boundaries of the sketched-out story line.

Here's something that stuck with me (page 114): "... now it seems possible that the truth about getting older is that there are fewer and fewer things to make fun of until finally there is nothing you are sure you will never be."

Thoughtful and poignant.

Death on the Nile

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie (1938) 276 pages

Death on the Nile is a classic whodunnit whose ending I'd forgotten, which made it even better to read again. Linnet Ridgeway, a beautiful rich young woman of twenty, decides on impulse to marry an unmoneyed man, startling the society-page watchers who'd expected her to marry someone more of her class, and also surprising the financial advisers who'd expected to control her estate for several more months until she turned 21. (Control of her money was set to come to her at age 21 or the time of her marriage, if younger.) Linnet's new husband was (until recently) the fiance of Jacqueline, one of Linnet's best friends from childhood. When Linnet and Simon Doyle honeymoon in Egypt, Jacqueline shows up to torment them at every turn, even on board the boat they sneak onto under assumed names on a weeklong cruise on the Nile. One of Linnet's financial advisers is on the cruise too, as are an assortment of others who may have grievances against her (or her dead father, from whom she's inherited her wealth) as well. When Linnet is found murdered, fellow passenger Hercule Poirot and his friend Colonel Race delve into the investigation, rapidly ruling out both Linnet's husband as well as Jacqueline, the most obvious suspects. Poirot just doesn't get it; things haven't happened in the order he would expect. At various points, each passenger looks guilty, as one might expect from a story written by Christie. Read it and find out whodunnit!

Anna Karenina in 100 Sketches

Anna Karenina in 100 Sketches, adapted by A.R. Eguiguren  (2010) 128 pages

Knowledge about Tolstoy's Anna Karenina was just one of the gaps in my education, so when I saw this short book in the UCPL Graphic Lit section, I checked it out. The characters are drawn simply, as humans with heads of rats. A much simplified rendition of a complex story, it seems well done. But of course I'd have to read the original Anna Karenina with its 800+ pages in order to be sure.

The Long Way Home

The Long Way Home by Louise Penny (2014) 373 pages

In this tenth book in the Inspector Gamache series, Armand Gamache and his wife, Reine-Marie, have retired and moved to Three Pines, a small village in Canada, an hour or two outside Montreal. Gamache is still fighting the demons that led to his retirement, both physical and mental.

A year prior to the events in this story, Clara, an artist who was finally recognized for her work at age 50, sent away her husband, Peter. It was apparent that Peter was jealous of his wife's newfound success. They had agreed that he would return in exactly one year and they would meet and decide if they still had a future together. However, it's now a year later and he has not shown up. Clara finally asks Gamache to help her find Peter. Gamache and his former second-in-commend, Beauvoir, work together to find the pieces of Peter's journey over the past year, and with Clara making the decisions, they set out to find him, traveling up the St. Lawrence River via car, airplane and boat. Clara does not know if her relationship with Peter can be saved, but she feels that she will know when she sees him. As they close in on finding him, they begin to realize that there has been a crime and the journey takes on urgency.

As always, Penny develops her characters fully; I feel as if I know these people. The dialogue is true, and the meshing of the people–and sometimes the annoyances they have with each other–are real.

The Pull of the Moon

The Pull of the Moon by Elizabeth Berg (1996) 193 pages

Nan is a fifty year old woman from Boston who abruptly leaves on an extended road trip to find herself. The novel is primarily a gathering of journal entries she makes along the way, along with letters to her husband, Martin. She chooses to travel on small highways and visit small towns, sometimes striking up interactions with strangers. She also ponders her youth, adulthood, motherhood and her marriage in great detail. This was a book that I found hard to set down.