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Monday, March 18, 2024

March Read: The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang

 

I'm always fascinated by the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, so I immediately grabbed this historical novel by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang. It did not disappoint, and was exactly the kind of historical novel I enjoy. 

This is the story of four women: Nellie, Suling, Gemma, and Alice, who all connect in San Francisco days before the great earthquake. Gemma has arrived from New York as part of the chorus of an opera--she's got an amazing voice, but migraines which have kept her from climbing to the top in the opera world. She's hoping to connect with Nellie; they are friends who keep in touch no matter what. Suling is a young Chinese woman living in Chinatown with an astonishing embroidery talent. Unfortunately, she's days away from an arranged marriage she wants to escape. Alice is a scientist who specializes in botany, and she's living in the same boarding house as Nellie. 

Through interesting connections, the women all find themselves uncovering a terrible crime just as the earthquake destroys San Francisco, putting them all in danger not only from the catastrophe unfolding, but a very dangerous and deadly man who's willing to kill to keep his secrets. 

I can't give anything away, because it would spoil a few reveals and connections that are much more fun to uncover as you read. There's nothing downright shocking, but just a good story that grabbed my attention and I couldn't put it down. What was most interesting was how each woman fought against sexism and the barriers they faced even with obvious and immense talents. I especially loved getting a peek inside each career: opera, embroidery, painting, and botany. 

This is a novel about perseverance, talent, revenge, and healing from traumatic events. It's also a glimpse inside the world of 1906, on the cusp of immense change. There are author notes about San Francisco, the characters, and how they wrote the novel together at the end, which round out the novel. 

Rating: 5/6 for an entertaining novel set just before and after the San Francisco earthquake of 1906--but also a few other places around the world, too. Four strong women facing a deadly enemy and their quest for revenge. 

Available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audio. 

Sunday, March 10, 2024

March Read: Murder Road by Simone St. James

 

Oh, Simone St. James did it again. Managed to fascinate me while giving me the creeps. She is one of my favorite authors, and I have read every one of her novels, all the way back to discovering her first paperback during my bookseller years a loooong time ago. I'm thrilled she's getting the attention she deserves and becoming more popular with every new novel. 

This one will make you unwilling to drive down a dark, empty road by yourself for quite some time. It takes place in 1995, and starts out with April and Eddie Carter; two newlyweds on their way to a resort for a short honeymoon. It's late at night, and April wakes up in the front seat and discovers Eddie has become lost, and doesn't quite know how he got lost. But lost they are, late at night, on a lonely road with no one in sight. 

Until they see a young woman running down the road, begging for help. There is something very, very wrong with the young woman, and the road. A big black pick up truck comes roaring down the road, chasing after Eddie and April and the injured young woman in the back seat. They get to the town of Coldlake Falls just in time to escape from the black truck, but unfortunately the young woman dies at the hospital. The police are looking at Eddie and April, covered in blood, and in a bit of shock. Strangers in a small town; a dying woman in their back seat. They're forbidden to leave town as the police investigate, and that's where things really take off and get interesting. 

Eddie and April's backgrounds are messy and they both have kept secrets from each other. But murderers they are not, and they become determined to figure out what happened on Atticus Line Road that night. It wasn't natural, what they saw in the back of that black truck...

This is a small town with some eerie back story--hitchhikers found dead, murders unsolved, whispers of strange occurrences on Atticus Line Road. So many unsolved murders on that road, and the police are suspicious of anyone who comes through town. 

Will Eddie and April figure it all out and stay safe and out of jail for a crime they didn't commit? As they unravel the pieces of the puzzle, it becomes clear just why they were drawn to Atticus Line Road that night. It's one heck of a twist!

Anyone who loves eerie thrillers with a definite nod to creepy ghost stories will be all on board with this latest from Simone St. James. I love how her characters are always flawed in some way, and find themselves caught up in bizarre and ghostly events that require them to be stronger and braver than they've ever been. To believe and accept the unbelievable, because it's the only explanation. 

Loved it! Not surprised. I'm never disappointed with this author. 

Rating: 6/6 for a novel that will keep you patiently on the journey with Eddie and April as pieces slowly fall into place. A great ghost story about revenge, redemption, family, and leaving the past behind for a brighter future. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 


Thursday, March 7, 2024

March Read: Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out by Shannon Reed

 

I decided I didn't want to wait for the physical book to be available so I listened to the audio book instead. I am not a huge audio book person and when I do listen it's usually a non-fiction book so this fit into my audio book checklist perfectly. 

This book is made up of essays the author has written about her love of books, reading, and her experiences as a teacher of literature and writing.  From an early age Shannon inhaled books; she couldn't get enough. She lived at the library, surrounded herself with books, and found a lot of solace in books as a person who is hard of hearing. She could escape into so many other worlds. 

Now, as an adult, she teaches writing and literature at a college level, and is continuously surprised at the connections novels make in a world where reading is often dismissed as "boring". Her stories are pretty interesting. In one essay, she finds herself teaching a class on vampire literature. She herself avoids any kind of horror novels (terrifying nightmares as a child), but has to not only teach a class and read the books, but support a student who is also deeply afraid to read horror novels. In another essay, she talks about the connections modern high school students made with Bronte's Jane Eyre, much to her surprise. She was expecting most of the students to not read the novel at all, but instead, they had robust conversations and couldn't wait to get to class to talk in-depth about Jane and her life. 

She talks about reading for pleasure instead of her earlier years where she raced through books just to be able to say "Oh yes, I read that". And yes, even taking yourself out of your comfort zone and reading something that may be difficult or not at all what you'd normally read. One of her most interesting essays talks about Lincoln in the Bardo, and how she read it to teach a class and for the life of her couldn't understand it, and confessed that to her students. It began a journey they all went on together, and became one of her most interesting reading experiences. 

If you are a lover of books and are interested in exploring the reading life of other book lovers, pick this up. You can read a chapter and put it down without losing any flow. 

Rating: 4/6 for an interesting read about books, a love of reading, and how it all changes with time, life experiences, and the people you meet along the way. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 


Sunday, March 3, 2024

March Read: The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl

 

Ever since I read Ruth Reichl's first novel Delicious! I have been waiting for her to write another novel. I'll begin by saying it does have some childhood sexual abuse in it at the beginning, which helps explain some of the main character's feelings and attitude along the way.

Saying that, the novel is about a young woman, Stella in the early 1980's. She lives in New York and her mother, with whom she had a difficult relationship, has died. Stella's mom left her some money with strict instructions to travel to Paris and not to come back until all the money was spent. 

Stella decides, okay, I'll go. She buys a one way ticket to Paris and spends a few weeks living very simply and wandering around. Not really getting the whole Paris experience. She comes across a vintage clothing shop, and finds a stunning Dior dress that the shop owner insists is made for her. Convinced to buy it (and spending most of her money), Stella takes the owner's advice and goes to a particular restaurant to eat oysters and have champagne. This is the start point for Stella's adventures in Paris. 

While at the restaurant, Stella meets Jules, an elderly art collector, and this sets off Stella's awakening to all that Paris offers. Making friends with Jules, she's soon involved in an intriguing art mystery, traveling around Paris and the countryside eating amazing food, and discovering just what Stella wants in life. Paris feels like it might, just might, be home. 

What I enjoyed about this novel, besides the incredible food descriptions, was the meandering way Stella's adventures keep unfolding. The people she meets along the way, and the evolution of Stella from a meek and quiet young woman to a strong, confident woman are part of the enjoyment of the novel. Each person she meets and befriends has a whole story of their own--many based on heartbreak, too. 

I enjoyed this novel very much, and was happy to see Stella evolve from a trauma filled childhood to a confident and beloved woman who keeps moving forward despite her fear of the unknown. 

Anyone who loves Paris, or is a foodie will enjoy this novel. It is published in the U.S. on April 30, 2024 in hardcover. A big thanks to Random House for an advanced copy to read. 

Rating: 4/6 for an adventure story that begins in a traumatic childhood, and evolves into a young woman knowing herself and her place in the world. 


Monday, February 19, 2024

February Read: The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai

 

This was a delightful, cozy read and I'm happy to say the first in a series that was first published in Japan. The English version is translated by Jesse Kirkwood. 

Retired detective Nagare Kamogawa and his daughter Koishi run a distinctly different restaurant/detective agency. Tucked away on a small street in Kyoto sits a restaurant without a sign to indicate what it is. People find their way there when they see a one sentence advertisement in a magazine. The guests who arrive come for help that only Nagare and Koishi can give them. 

 Nagare and Koishi aren't your regular, run of the mill detectives. Their specialty is finding that one dish that each guest desperately needs to eat once again. Guests arrive, have a specially prepared meal by Nagare, and once finished, discuss their food mystery with Koishi, who gets as much information as possible from their guest. Two weeks later, the guest comes back to the restaurant, to experience that magical dish one more time, thanks to Nagare and his special talents at cooking and detecting. 

Guests have a variety of reasons for their journey; mostly memories of childhood, mourning what was lost when a loved one died. Bringing back happy memories that only a special dish can do--a slice of the past to help them move forward. 

I'll say I'm not much of a fish person, but wow the food descriptions made me want to try everything. It's a great introduction to Japanese food and will get your curiosity stirred up to expand your knowledge of Japanese cuisine. 

Each chapter is another guest to the restaurant who needs help. This is an easy read that you can read in a night or two. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Rating: 5/6 for an unassuming little novel about memories, love, food, and comfort. 

This book is available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

Monday, February 5, 2024

The Women by Kristin Hannah

 

I finally cracked and read a Kristin Hannah novel. Thanks to St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy; otherwise I probably would not have read it, for a couple of reasons: I wouldn't have gotten around to it, and I tend to avoid novels about the Vietnam War. 

I didn't lose any family in the Vietnam War, and I don't really remember much of it at all--I was a small child, born just as it was ramping up. By the time it ended, I was about 6-7 years old. I only remember Walter Cronkite on the evening news, seeing some of the footage in color on my parent's console TV. I don't recall my parents ever talking about it, either. That little I do remember is still pretty sharp in my memory. 

This novel, is, you guessed it, about the women who served in Vietnam: the nurses, mostly. Those fierce women who saw some of the most grisly and devastating parts of the war, who toiled through unimaginable scenarios to save men's lives and get them home. 

Francis "Frankie" McGrath lives on Coronado Island, California. Her parents are wealthy, and her brother Finley has just signed up to go to Vietnam. In 1966 no one knew the horrors of the Vietnam War just yet, and it was considered honorable and expected of men to join the armed services and go over and end the hostilities quickly. At a party, Frankie meet Rye, one of her brother's good friends, who tells Frankie "women can be heroes, too." That one phrase changes Frankie's life. 

Frankie, fresh out of nursing school, decides she wants to follow Finley to Vietnam as a nurse. At twenty, she's sheltered and not happy with the limited choices she has, and the expectations of her parents to get married and raise a family. 

Once Frankie steps off the plane in Vietnam, her world is completely shaken. From her first days in camp and meeting her friends Ethel and Barb, to meeting Jamie, a surgeon who is clearly interested in Frankie, she's thrown into a world where there's no time to be afraid. Frankie's experiences in Vietnam shape her into a veteran who cannot shake her experience once she comes home.

The novel is split into two parts: Vietnam, and the return home. It spans 1966-1982, and follows the heartbreak, heartache, and struggles Frankie endures once she returns home and discovers Vietnam Vets are not being welcomed home. Will Frankie overcome her demons? 

This was one heck of a read. I started it this past week and power read over the weekend to finish it. I was afraid if I stopped I wouldn't pick it back up; only because some of it is tough to read. Frankie's PTSD, nightmares, and drug and alcohol use are harsh and your heart breaks for her struggles in a world where even the vets don't believe women served in Vietnam. As Frankie tells them, they would only have seen her if they were gravely wounded. 

Loved it--I'm glad it wasn't just about Frankie's experience in Vietnam, but also the aftermath at home, and the years it took to overcome the results of her experience. 

This novel is released in the U.S. on February 6th in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook. I know it is going to be immensely popular and bring new fans to Kristin Hannah. 

Rating: 6/6 for an absorbing, heartbreaking, tough look at the Vietnam War from a nurse's experience on the ground in the harshest conditions. It also examines the aftermath of the war and the mental toll it takes on veterans and how the system failed so many when they needed help and compassion the most. Powerful stuff. 

Sunday, February 4, 2024

Grimoire Girl by Hilarie Burton Morgan

 

I read Hilarie Burton Morgan's The Rural Diaries when it first was published and absolutely loved her memoir about meeting her husband, finding their home in rural New York State, and raising a family together. 

Now she's returned with another kind-of memoir about the magic of every day life and how we can recognize it in all the infinite ways it weaves through our lives. 

This is in parts a how-to with gentle guidance on cultivating  friendships, building memories, and discovering the simple ways we can bring the magic of nature and synchronicity into our lives. It can be as simple as burning a specific colored candle, or recognizing the language of flowers and being intentional in how we cook with love and purpose for those we care about. 

Most of all, it is about seeing how everyone creates their own grimoire--or magic spell book. It can be a physical book you put together yourself, full of memories, notes, incantations, recipes, photographs. It can, in one instance, be an estate with acres of gardens with a hidden message that speaks of a lifetime of grief and love. It's paying attention to the people and places that come into your life at certain moments--it's all the magic of the universe, and it's there for you if you just start paying attention. 

I enjoyed this book and it inspired me to start paying attention to what's going on around me--what patterns are there that I'm just not seeing, because I'm too busy? 

I guess I've already started my own grimoire with the books I keep at home; the books that make my home my special place and tell the story of my life. It's in the things I keep at home that remind me of my loved ones who are gone, and special places I've been. Instead of looking at these items as things I have to dust, I have a new appreciation of them.

So burn the candles, set up your mini altar at home. Play with the cards, write in that journal. Gather things that have meaning to you, and open your eyes. The world is a magical place, and we need to bring that positive energy back into being. 

Rating: 5/6 for an interesting book about myth, magic, creating a home, and taking care of your well-being. A call to remind ourselves we are magic. 

Available in hardcover, ebook and audio.