The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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Rebel – Beverly Jenkins – 3***
This bodice ripper is set in New Orleans during the reconstruction period after the Civil War. It's a typical romance with heaving bosoms, knees made weak by kisses, demure women and strong men who are talented and generous lovers. The action is fast, even if the plot is fairly predictable.
LINK to my full review
Mrs Jeffries On the Ball – Emily Brightwell – 3***
Book number five in the Victorian Mystery series starring Inspector Gerald Witherspoon and his very capable housekeeper, Mrs Jeffries. Victorian London is certainly a hotbed of crime but Mrs Jeffries and her staff are more than up to the task of ferreting out the information to make the Inspector look good when he solves the murder.
LINK to my full review
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – Jenny Han – 3***
This is a lovely coming-of-age novel featuring a trio of sisters, of which Lara Jean is the middle sister. Among the issues dealt with are sibling rivalry, teen crushes, sex, social media (and bullying), and conflicting feelings – whether for your sister or your boyfriend. I really liked Lara Jean. She mostly has her act together, but she is only sixteen. Still, she’s a good kid; she’s smart, talented, loyal, principled, and determined. And she has an open heart that is ready to learn about love and what it really means.
LINK to my full review
Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller. I am about 25% through it, and I could not love it more.
The Underground Railroad – Colson Whitehead – 4****
Whitehead’s Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel is an extraordinary work of fiction. Unlike many novels set in the antebellum south, Whitehead’s imagination gives us a real railroad, traveling underground, through various states. As abolitionists and slave holders battle for supremacy, stations are closed or opened, sections of track are expanded or abandoned. Cora is a marvelous character - strong, resilient, smart, observant. Her desire for freedom never wanes; she will get there or die trying.
LINK to my full review
Leave the World Behind – Rumaan Alam – 4****
This grabbed me from page one and held on through the wonderfully ambiguous ending. It’s hard to say this is post-apocalyptic, though it’s certainly headed in that direction. Alam writes these characters so well. And gives the reader the same “unbalanced” sense that the characters feel – not knowing what is happening nor whom to trust. I’m left feeling unsettled and confused and curious and excited and desperate to know what is next.
LINK to my full review
Unfortunately Yours – Tessa Bailey – 1*
A rom-com set in the Napa Valley, with a kernel of a cute idea. But I did not find either Natalie or August remotely interesting. Of course, they have hot sex and achieve multiple orgasms. But these scenarios are so ridiculously unbelievable that I found them tedious to read. There was one very interesting metaphor for orgasm that earned it 1 star.
LINK to my full review
The Poet X – Elizabeth Acevedo – 5*****
In her debut novel, Acevedo tells the story of a teen from Harlem, who finds her voice in writing poetry, but who struggles against her mother’s expectations. I love poetry. I am in awe with how much a poet can convey in so few words. And Acevedo does a truly marvelous job in this novel-in-verse.
LINK to my full review
A Hundred Flowers – Gail Tsukiyama – 4****
In this novel, Tsukiyama turns her attention to the mid-to-late 1950s and Mao’s Cultural Revolution in China. The story focuses on the Lee family, who do their best in difficult times to continue moving forward. The uncertainty is palpable. Yet, they face their circumstances with grace, dignity and courage.
LINK to my full review
Take My Hand – Dolen Perkins-Valdez – 4****
In 2016, Dr Civil Townsend, reflects on her time three decades previously when she worked with Montgomery (Alabama) Family Planning. Perkins-Valdez took inspiration from a shameful episode in America’s history, when poor, Black people were used as subjects for medical studies without their informed consent. Additionally, Perkins-Valdez looks at the class distinctions between poor, rural Blacks and the wealthier professional Blacks. Kudos to Perkins-Valdez for shining a light on these policies in our history.
LINK to my full review
Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder – Valerie Burns – 3***
Book one in a new cozy mystery series. Maddy Montgomery’s great aunt Octavia has left her a lakefront house, a bakery, and an English mastiff named Baby. Maddy’s barely in town for a day when there’s a murder IN the bakery. Who would want to frame her? The residents rally round, especially Sheriff April Johnson and veterinarian Michael Portman. Fast, entertaining read.
LINK to my full review
A Hope Divided – Alyssa Cole – 3***
Book number two in the Loyal League series of Civil-War-era romances. Healer and free woman Marlie Lynch meets Union soldier and prisoner-of-war Ewan McCall when she goes to tend to the men at the nearby prison. Before long they are fleeing together from the Home Guard. It’s a pretty typical romance.
LINK to my full review
Sex and Vanity – Kevin Kwan – 2**
There were a few over-the-top scenes that tickled my funny bone, and I gave it two stars for those. I realize that Kwan means these works to be satires of “crazy rich Asians” but I just find them tedious. The characters were uniformly vain and shallow, and I grew tired of their obsession with appearances.
LINK to my full review
One Of Us Is Lying – Karen M McManus – 3.5***
Five students are together in detention when one of them died. Who did it? This was a twisty mystery and the students surprised me with their insight and tenacity in trying to clear their names. Of course, there is the usual teenage drama as well as issues of dysfunctional families, and racism. Surprisingly I didn’t think all this teen drama distracted from the central plot. I certainly was kept guessing and didn’t figure out the culprit until the author chose to reveal the truth.
LINK to my full review
A Study in Scarlet – Arthur Conan Doyle – 3***
This novella introduced the reading public to Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick, Dr Watson. The case hinges on a dead body found in a locked room; although the corpse shows no signs of having been attacked, Holmes is convinced it was murder. I found it a slower read than today’s mystery novels. But I was interested in getting to know Holmes and Watson. We learn how Holmes came to his method of deduction and begin to see the fast friendship that will develop between these two men.
LINK to my full review
Four Seasons In Rome – Anthony Doerr – 4****
Subtitle: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World. This is Doerr’s memoir of a year he spent as a fellow at the American Academy of Arts and Letters. The award came with a studio in which to write, an apartment, and a stipend. And, of course, the experience of a year in Rome. I was completely delighted by his recollections.
LINK to my full review
Everything, Everything – Nicola Yoon – 3.5***
This YA romance had some significant serious issues to discuss. I really liked Maddy, who’s intelligent and mostly serene. Olly is more complex and guarded, which is understandable given his family situation. Can love (even teenage love) conquer all? Yoon certainly makes a good case.
LINK to my full review
China Dolls – Lisa See – 4****
This work of historical fiction begins in 1938, following three young women – Helen Fong, Grace Lee and Ruby Tom – through World War II and the period shortly thereafter. I really enjoyed this book. I was in vested in these young women and their aspirations, and really enjoyed the detail See included from costumes to scenery to social issues – these elements really took me back to this era and culture
LINK to my full review
Nerve – Dick Francis – 3***
This mystery/thriller opens with a bang, as a jockey shoots “himself, loudly and messily, in the center of the parade ring…” Is someone sabotaging jockeys? Who? And Why? Francis crafts a compelling psychological mystery. Jockey Rob Finn is tenacious, determined and smart in the way he goes about ferreting out information to build the case against an unlikely perpetrator. I came late to the Dick Francis fan club, but I’m glad I finally arrived.
LINK to my full review
Out Of the Dust – Karen Hesse – 5***** and a ❤
Hesse can say so much in so few words. This is an extraordinary work of fiction, written entirely in verse. It's an emotionally evocative story of growing up in the harshness of poverty and tragedy, set during the Oklahoma Dust Bowl of the Great Depression.
LINK to my full review
Good Night, Irene – Luis Alberto Urrea – 5*****
This book of historical fiction is based on the life experiences of Urrea’s mother, who served as a Red Cross “Donut Dolly” during World War II. I have read many books by Urrea, so I knew he could write, but I was almost speechless at the end of this book. Whatever you do, do NOT skip the author’s note at the end where he relates how it took him some twenty years to come to grips with and write this novel as a testament to his mother’s experiences. This is truly a love letter to his mother.
LINK to my full review
The Jasmine Project – Meredith Ireland – 3***
This was a cute rom-com with the family engineering a sort of “Bachelorette” competition for Jasmine Yap’s affections. They identify three likely candidates and watch carefully to see which one she will pick. But the road to HEA is full of obstacles. I liked that Ireland showed real growth in Jasmine’s character.
LINK to my full review
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Give Me a Sign – Anna Sortino – 4****
Lilah and the other counselors at Camp Grey Wolf are in many ways typical teenagers. But, they must also navigate a hearing world as Deaf or hearing-impaired individuals. I really enjoyed this book. Sortino is Deaf and passionate about seeing diverse characters portrayed in the media. This is her debut novel.
LINK to my full review
Instructions For Dancing – Nicola Yoon – 3***
Evie doesn’t believe in love anymore. Not after her dad left and her parents divorced. But then she finds her way to a dance studio and the next thing she knows, Evie is paired with a boy named X, learning to waltz, fox-trot and tango. This is a charming YA romance with a young couple who have multiple family issues they have to navigate.
LINK to my full review
Fatal Thaw – Dana Stabenow – 3***
Book number two in the mystery series featuring Aleut private investigator Kate Shugak. Stabenow writes a great thriller/mystery. I love the setting in a very rural part of Alaska, and the way she incorporates some Aleut culture into the mix. Kate is a very strong woman and a marvelous lead character. She’s intelligent, resourceful, determined, observant, and kind, but she does not hold back when toughness is required.
LINK to my full review
The Hive and the Honey – Paul Yoon – 3***
I like this kind of literary fiction. This is a collection of short stories, all featuring Koreans. The settings and time frame vary, from Europe to Asia to North America, from the 19th century to contemporary times. What they have in common is the way in which Yoon depicts his characters.
LINK to my full review
Free Fire – C J Box – 3***
Book number seven in the mystery series featuring Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett. Gosh but I love Pickett. He’s an astute observer, keeps his cards close to the chest, doesn’t take unnecessary chances, but doesn’t hesitate to go into dangerous situations when it’s called for. There are some hidden agendas regarding ecoterrorism, deals cut with major bioengineering firms, and possible drug dealing. Can he sort it out and discover the “real” culprit before a natural disaster occurs to wipe out all evidence?
LINK to my full review
Yours Cheerfully – A J Pearce – 4****
This is book two about Emmeline Lake, a young woman who was introduced to readers in Pearce’s DEAR MRS BIRD. I was completely charmed by Emmy in the first book and really like to see her continued growth as a woman and journalist. As Emmy meets the women on the line in a munitions factory, she begins to identify the societal and industrial prejudices that women are suffering, and then to advocate for solutions.
LINK to my full review
Dragon Actually – G A Aiken – 3***
Welcome to the world of handsome warrior dragons and the bloodthirsty females who love them. The plot is thin, but it was a fast read and somewhat entertaining, if repetitive. I have to say I most enjoyed the family interplay between Fearghus, his siblings and parents.
LINK to my full review
Finished Ten Big Ones and starting The Cat of the Baskervilles
The Queen of Sugar Hill – ReShonda Tate – 3.5***
Subtitle: A Novel of Hattie McDaniel. Tate’s novel begins with the Oscar ceremony when McDaniel won for best supporting actress for her portrayal of Mammy in GONE WITH THE WIND. But Hattie McDaniel was so much more than that iconic role, and Tate gives us all of her. Having read this book, I have a new appreciation for the trailblazing that McDaniel and other Black actors of her generation did.
LINK to my full review
The Tunnels – Michelle Gagnon – 3***
Book One in the mystery series starring FBI agent Kelly Jones. A serial killer is targeting women on a New England college campus. This is a brutal, graphic murder mystery, and Jones is a tough lady who is up to the task. The pace is fast, the lead character is likeable, and the storyline held my attention, but I’m not sure I’d bother to read another in the series.
LINK to my full review
Sincerely, Sicily – Tamika Burgess – 3***
Sicily Jordan has looked forward to middle school with her besties, and their coordinated outfits. But shortly before school starts, she learns that she will be enrolled in a newer school, and she’ll have to wear a uniform! I thought this was really delightful. Sicily’s troubles range from “new school” blues to bullying to navigating a first crush to family drama around her chosen hairstyle to racism. I like the way Burgess dealt with Sicily’s conflicts, as well as the way she portrayed the girl’s awakening to her family’s background and culture as Black Panamanians. I’m going to recommend this to a couple of middle-schoolers I know.
LINK to my full review
All Systems Red – Martha Wells – 4****
Book one in the Murderbot Diaries series. Our narrator is an AI-android who calls itself Murderbot (because of “that incident” in its past). I really love this Murderbot! Probably my favorite non-human since I “met” Rocky in Project Hail Mary. It is often self-deprecating in its humor, and I loved the occasionally snarky remark. This is one loveable rogue! And I enjoyed watching the friendship develop between Murderbot and the human Dr Mensah. I think I will have to continue the series.
LINK to my full review
Our Missing Hearts – Celeste Ng – 4****
This was uncomfortably plausible. Ng holds a magnifying glass to current and past events and predicts the likely dystopian outcome, especially if the silent majority remains silent and complacent when “it doesn’t affect US.” Bird is a wonderful character, and I loved the network of librarians who were used to thwart the “powers that be.”
LINK to my full review
A Death In Door County – Annelise Ryan – 3***
First in a new series featuring Morgan Carter, bookstore owner and cryptozoologist. Several bodies are found washed up on the beaches of Washington Island in Lake Michigan, all bearing unusual injuries that look like bites from a giant, unknown animal. I loved the setting in Wisconsin’s Door County, and I loved Morgan’s dog, Newt. The plot stretched credulity and the solution to the mystery felt rushed as well as implausible. Still, a fast read and moderately enjoyable.
LINK to my full review
The Affairs of the Falcóns – Melissa Rivero – 4****
Ana Falcón, her husband Lucho, and their two children have fled the political turmoil of their native Peru for the chance at a better life in New York City. My heart broke for Ana and her family. There is a lot going on and they can never catch a break. The ending is jarring and unsettling and ambiguous. I desperately want to know what happens next!
LINK to my full review
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store – James McBride – 5*****
This work of historical fiction begins in 1972, but is mostly set in the early 20th century in the Jewish / Black neighborhood in Pottstown, Pennsylvania known as Chicken Hill. It is a character-driven work. McBride paints a colorful and intricate landscape, of two equally strong cultures co-existing because of the strength of character of their leaders. At its heart, this is a story of community, cooperation, tolerance and respect.
LINK to my full review
The Seasonal Reading Challenge
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This Time Will Be Different – Misa Sigiura – 3.5***
This is a charming YA novel about family, social justice, friendship and loyalty. There’s also a little romance thrown in. CJ is a pretty mature teen. Although she frequently doubts herself, she usually follows her inner compass and makes solid decisions. Of course, this is a young adult novel, so there is bound to be some of the drama typical in teen life – prom-posals, mean girls, cliques, attractions based strictly on looks, best friends who maybe aren’t anymore.
LINK to my full review