When Lemons Give You Life

When Lemons Give You Life by Anna Johnston (2026), 380 pages

Griff (64) is a grumpy, grieving chef who is living in a nursing home. Lisa (51) is his chaotic, estranged half-sister who refuses to give up on their relationship. Both have their personal issues to work through and secrets to navigate, but through love and food they find their way back to each other.

This book is like a Hallmark movie with some pointed societal takes. Griff's partner (and friend of Lisa) has been given a terminal diagnosis and the only way for them to remain together is for Griff to fake dementia and be admitted to the nursing home. Lisa cannot understand why Griff doesn't want a relationship, while simultaneously blocking the traumatic childhood they shared. Through his experiences at the nursing home, Griff realizes the lack of dignity many nursing home patients face and takes steps to remediate it through food. I could go on and on about the societal issues the author tackles (and really, it is too much), but in the end, the book is about relationships, love, and respect. I enjoyed the book, but was also super frustrated by it. 

Turtle Diary by Russell Hoban

Turtle Diary by Russell Hoban, 182 pages

Two turtle-obsessed wierdos- strangers to eachother- long to free the sea turtles of the London Zoo. Fate brings them together and they execute thier plan, but the lessons they take away from the experience are surprising. This book is chock-full of witty inner-monologuing and banter, literary references, and slices of life in 1970's London.

I cannot for the life of me remember if I read something about this book, or just saw it on the shelf and picked it up, but I'm so glad that I did! TD made me feel like a kid in English class in the best way. It was funny and thoughtful and suprising. I love stumbling on to an older gem like this and hope to read more by the author.

A Court of Splintered Harmony

A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Mass, 297 pages 

The newest ACOTAR book since 2021, very long awaited. This book served as more of a transitional book for the series, which was a little bit unexpected by many fans, myself included. I did enjoy all of the different POV's from different characters, but it just felt rushed and like a lot was packed into a short book. I am still looking forward to the next book in the series, but this was not my favorite.

 

 

Land

 Land by Maggie O'Farrell (2026), 400 pages

I am not sure what to think of this book. Overall, it felt very Irish. Which, I imagine, was exactly the point. It is an atmospheric, slow-moving tale of a family recently past the Great Famine dealing with repressed horrors, sadness and family/community dynamics while trying to maintain their home during British occupation. O'Farrell does a wonderful job capturing the beautiful landscape of Ireland and the importance of community support while not sugar coating the difficulty of life under British rule. While I enjoyed(?) following the family, it was very hard to connect to them. I am not sure if this is because it was all so bleak or because O'Farrell doesn't delve into them enough for you to establish a deep understanding. After finishing it, I just felt sad. 

October Totals

Byron: 1 book, 144 pages

Jan: 2 books, 613 pages

Kara: 10 books, 3421 pages

Kevin: 2 books, 672 pages

Margaret: 2 books, 734 pages

Regan: 10 books, 2931 pages

Sarah: 6 books, 1600 pages

Tracey: 6 books, 2160 pages

 

Total: 39 books and 12,275 pages

 

The Shrew Detective: The Case of the Pilfered Pearls (Shrew Detective #1): Volume 1 By Margi Preus

The Shrew Detective: The Case of the Pilfered Pearls (Shrew Detective #1): Volume 1 By Margi Preus, 128 pages

A few times a year I like to read some middle-grade fiction. The variety in the market is truly astounding, and nowadays they are usually written to be enjoyed by adult caretakers as well as children. And frankly, I just. freakin. love. shrews.

Minera is the titular shrew detective, visiting her cousin in a large human house. Animals, pets and pests alike, are all suspects when the human family's pearls are....pilfered. The pretty standard detective story is bolstered by shrew facts and opportunities to learn big, fun words.

This was really cute! If you know a kid that likes an animal cast of characters, maybe isn't ready for how violent the Redwall books can be, and loves showing off thier new vocab, check this one out. My only complaint is that it was a bit racist against squirrels.

It Looks Like You in the Dark

It Looks Like You in the Dark by Mathilda Zeller, 288 pages

Chukchi is a tiny and remote Inupiat village in Alaska, and while there are some folks who leave, most of them either stay or return. The only time white men visit is when they're convinced that the nearby mine is full of rich minerals, whether it's gold, lead, or some of the rare earth materials that make up computer processors. And usually, when the greedy white men arrive, death soon follows, usually in the form of the legendary and always hungry kushtuka, a creature that disguises itself as someone you love to lure you to your death. That's certainly what happens in this book, in which a new herd of wealthy white men come into town and slowly win over everyone with their false charm and promises of better jobs at the mine. Everyone, that is, except Tapeesa, who is convinced they're up to no good. When Tapeesa's sister goes missing, she will do anything to get her back, even if it means seeking help from these outsiders, even though she's convinced they have something to do with the disappearance.

This debut novel pulls together so many types of horror -- supernatural and indigenous folklore, capitalism and the terror of being a young woman -- and they're woven together incredibly well, keeping the reader guessing as to what or who the villain actually is. And the remote location only adds to the creeping terror. An excellent book, and I can't wait to see what Zeller comes up with next.

Taxi Dancer

Taxi Dancer by Marivi Soliven, 240 pages

During the Great Depression, Filipino immigrants often found themselves working hard at low-paying service jobs in cities, or traveling up and down the west coast as farm workers. But on the weekends, many of the men found themselves spending all of their hard-earned money on dime dances with white women at taxi dance halls. This story tells of Filipino farmworker Eli who falls in love with dancer Lucinda and plans to run away with her to Washington, where it was legal for them to marry. But before Eli and Lucinda can escape San Diego, the owner of the dance hall where Lucinda works is gunned down and Eli is blamed for the crime.

While we often hear about the migrant workers during the Depression, this was the first time I'd read about the taxi dance halls, and the way in which the strict segregation of the era was breached in these nightclubs. I loved getting a peek into that world, and especially having it presented in such an adventurous way. There were a few coincidences that were a bit too convenient, but I think this is a fantastic look at an element of American history we don't often see in historical fiction.

A Vow Made Twice

A Vow Made Twice by Emma Denny, 432 pages

After his father's death, Ash has officially inherited the title of earl and must marry, despite the fact that he had already made a commitment vow to a partner, who died in battle several years earlier. When he meets young widow Agnes, the pair agrees to a marriage of convenience — Ash will keep the title and lands from one day going to his horrible uncle, while Agnes saves herself from being forced into marriage to an equally horrible family friend — and neither expects anything other than friendship out of the union. When a bandit sets upon them in their travels, however, Ash's past comes back to haunt him, and forces them to re-evaluate everything, including their growing affection for one another.

Denny plays with some familiar historical romance tropes here (marriage of convenience/fake dating, mistaken identity, etc), but with some fresh twists. Ash's past love is a man, Agnes is nonbinary (though she doesn't have the language to properly label herself), and the *spoiler* unexpected reappearance of Ash's long-thought-dead lover *end spoiler* creates a truly tricky romantic situation. Yet Denny handles all of it delicately and deftly. While this is the third book in the series and there are plenty of references to the first two, A Vow Made Twice stands alone well, and only made me want to pick up the first two. It's great to see the representation of this romantic configuration, especially in a historical setting.

Easy Crafts for the Insane: A Mostly Funny Memoir of Mental Illness and Making Things by Kelly Williams Brown

Easy Crafts for the Insane: A Mostly Funny Memoir of Mental Illness and Making Things by Kelly Williams Brown, 288 pages.

The author experiences a truly astounding amount of misfortune in a short amount of time, including hospitalization for mental health, and details how humor and crafting helped her cope.

I feel like there are a lot of books of this type, attempting to "put the fun back in dysfunctional", but I found this to be way better than the myriad of such memoirs circulating. The author's style is easy, and she does take responsibility and learn and grow from these difficulties. This book was not just an exhausting endless tragedy with no point (a la Tara Westover) nor was it more cringy than necessary ( lookin' at you, Jenny Lawson). I appreciated that she limited her stories to those she had a reason to tell, and that for the audiobook she omitted most of the craft instrucitons. It really did have some solid crafting advice, too!