Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule - Jennifer Chiaverini

Genre: Historical Fiction

If the history surrounding the Civil War is interesting to you, this book will interest you as well.  The story as titled traces the history of Julia Dent and her ladies maid and slave Jule from their childhood friendship through the Civil War and the dissolution of the relationship and beyond. Julia, daughter of a Southern slave owner, grows up, falls in love, and marries a young soldier, U.S. Grant, a staunch abolitionist. Jule falls in love and marries Gideon, another Dent slave. Beyond the childhood friendship, Julia and Jule ultimately have little in common. Thank you to Christina Moore for her narration. 

We are given fairly detailed insight into the life and mind of Julia Dent Grant. Chiaverini has clearly done her research and utilizes what she learns. While a modern reader might find her stubbornness about retaining Jule as a slave - even as a supporter of the Union cause, even after the Emancipation Proclamation, even after Jule’s husband is sold from her family home - difficult to believe, Chiaverini creates a believable character. Jule’s frustration is well developed and her ultimate decision is not a surprise. 

What I didn’t expect was the detailed look into the life and choices of Ulysses S. Grant. Much of what we learn about Julia Grant - is learned with her alongside her husband. We learn much of his philosophy of life, of war, of family, of honor. So anyone who is interested in the Civil War (as am I) and who likes to learn through fiction (as do I) will learn much in this novel. The development of Julia Grant into someone who understands the horror of slavery is very, very slow even as she supports the Union side in the Civil War.  We are also denied the meeting between the two women that I think most of us wish for. While each of these may feel frustrating for the modern reader, I have little doubt that the story accurately reflects many relationships. Jule’s struggles as a married woman and a slave are powerfully depicted. I am glad she is respected as Madame Jule in the title. I find myself wanting more of her story. 

Ladies - we really do often keep the world moving. Even when we couldn’t serve in the military or the government, we kept the world operating and met essential needs in our families and our communities. Julia and Jule both exemplify the sacrifices made by women in the Civil War, and I am always a fan of lifting up the women who have been overlooked. And ever, when I see the strength in those who came before, I am reminded that I could be stronger myself. Always I hope, too, that these looks back at history would somehow make us wiser as individuals and as a nation to make better decisions now. I am grateful to authors and books like Jennifer Chiaverini’s Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule who create these compelling looks at history for those of us who need a little fiction with our facts. 

Cover Image of Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule by Jennifer Chiverini

Something in the Water - Catherine Steadman

Genre - Mystery/Suspense

When a novel starts with the digging of a grave - by someone who is clearly an amateur at the job - I’m probably in for the long haul. So began Catherine Steadman’s Something in the Water. Erin and Mark are on their long awaited honeymoon in Bora Bora, scuba diving, when they literally find something in the water that has the potential to forever change their lives. Cold hard cash and diamonds (& more) - what should they do? I read the audiobook expertly narrated by Steadman and felt like Erin was talking directly to me. 

I sure did love that point of view choice. And I loved my choice to listen to this one because of it. The arc of this character seemed unbelievable on the surface, but as I listened to her explain each step of the way - with the appropriate (?) excuses as needed, I felt as if I understood her. Of course she and Mark were not criminals. How could they possibly know how to safely manage what they found under the water, but, yet, they do. Her growth - with the help  of a prisoner that she was doing a documentary film on for her “real job” - is really something to watch. I can remember thinking that the subtitle of the novel should be: how to become a criminal in “10 easy steps”. Google helps. Having an organized crime guy’s phone number also helps. Quite honestly - a mind like Erin’s is critical, and I just love the insight that Steadman’s format gave. Not to be too lighthearted, the juxtaposition of a newly pregnant woman learning how to shoot a gun is intense to be sure. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wasn’t a bit worried about this baby’s future. Along with character development, the suspense kept me fully engaged with this novel. I pride myself in figuring things out, and Steadman keeps me on my toes. I went through several different scenarios. Steadman carefully crafted her plot. You know that someone is dead in the first several pages and even who it is. Don’t be fooled into thinking the end will be obvious!

I read this title because of a book club, and reading it was fun for me. I am becoming a bigger and bigger fan of this kind of suspenseful story. I can’t say that I can ponder much about the impact this title has had on how I am charting my own life moving forward which is FINE. I need a good entertaining reads. I also very much enjoy really clever writing. Something in the Water by Catherine Stead offers both. I was late to this party, but will certainly be looking for more books by this author.

Book cover Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

What My Bones Know - Stephanie Foo

Genre: Memoir

Sometimes the universe leads you to the perfect book - or maybe a search of available books in the Libby app does so. Such was the case for me with What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo. In it, Foo creates a transparent, emotional, intellectual, and ultimately hopeful look at her diagnosis of CPTSD. She is honest and frank about the life that led her to this diagnosis and about the journey that follows the diagnosis. Foo depicts the abuse from her childhood that creates the complexity of the trauma that informs the development of her CPTSD. She explores the variety of professional experiences - the failures and “successes” involving her diagnosis and treatment. She is very clear about the battles that she will likely always fight, but also leaves the reader hopeful. 

I value Foo's journalistic approach to this memoir so much. When she goes back to her hometown to explore her own memories - to check her perceptions against the perceptions of others, I was kind of mesmerized. Her ability to explore her childhood, youth, home life, education in such an organized and in depth way really touched me. I admire her ability to challenge herself as part of her efforts to be healthier. I appreciate her courage in walking away from some therapists/therapies and embracing others - to have been “raised” as she was and to have such an assertive attitude about her emotional health is not for nothing. If you are interested in exploring Foo’s writing - please consider the article here.

I do not have CPTSD, but I was once told by a counselor that as a young girl at a vulnerable time I experienced a “capital T” trauma. Abuse was not involved - but a death in my family led to a pattern of impacts that have lasted quite a long time and very much shaped who I am. Much of the content of this book resonated with me. (Including the experience of EMDR) I learned more about my own journey, through Foo graciously sharing so much about hers. I will be recommending What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo to others for both the quality of the writing and the importance of the content - especially its emphasis on honesty, hope, and the healing power of love.

Book cover of what my bones know by Stephanie Foo

The Hundred Loves of Juliet - Evelyn Skye

Genre: Romance (contemporary and historical)

Let’s be honest. The tragic form aside, didn’t most of us wish for a different ending for Romeo and Juliet? Even when I was teaching it and we talked about the flaws that led them down the tragic path - when I claimed “adult” perspective - part of me wished things would have been different for those two crazy kids. Enter Evelyn Skye’s The Hundred Loves of Juliet:An Epic Reimagining of a Legendary Love Story . Skye imagines an altogether different world for our star crossed lovers. Imagine if Romeo had not really died. If he would, in fact, never die. What if he met his reincarnated Juliet again and again only to lose her. When Helene, a newly divorced writer, meets Sebastian Montague, an Alaskan fisherman, she is stunned at how well he resembles the character that she has created in her head who populates all of her short stories. She does not know that they have had love affairs again and again all with tragic endings for hundreds of years. Sebastian is determined to keep her at a distance to protect her life and perhaps his heart, but Helene and fate have other plans. 

Skye does a remarkable job of making this story absolutely believable. Part of the charm of the book for me is how she weaves in the love stories from all of the different eras - through Helene’s stories and Sebastian’s memories. I’d love to see the planning document she used for plotting. The inclusion of the stories and flashbacks are seamless. They help us believe right alongside Helene. I read the audio version and Aspen Vincent and Joe Arden do a beautiful job of bringing each character to life in alternating chapters.  I struggled a bit with Sebastian’s character development - oddly enough because he reminded me of much of what annoyed me about Romeo in the original play. So ultimately kudos to Skye for capturing so much of that in a character that should have aged a few hundred years. And without spoilers, how that became such a part of his character arc. The settings here were outstanding. I loved the time travel and the glimpses into different worlds and eras. I also loved the world travel with endless money. The food, the experiences, the places they stayed - beautifully described. So much of the early novel was set in Alaska - spectacular in its own way. The whole community here contributed much to the developing relationship. 

Some ambiguity cleverly exists at the end of this novel, but I am inclined to believe that Romeo & Juliet find a happy ending no matter how situations resolve. And, of course, that pleases me. Quite honestly, that was enough to make this a successful book for me. But the reminder that choosing love even when it might seem a lost cause or too scary, is a great choice to make. We can all stand to be reminded that the next day - even the next hour - is not guaranteed. Be sure when you are finished with The Hundred Loves of Juliet by Evelyn Skye, be sure to read the author’s epilogue. 

The book cover of The Hundred Loves of Juliet by Evelyn Skye



Sidle Creek - Jolene McIlwain

Genre: Short Story Collection, Literary Fiction

I love when life leads me to a book that I appreciate and enjoy as much as I have Sidle Creek by Jolene McIlwain. I acquired the book to read in order to participate in a book discussion at a nearby library with Jolene McIlwain. I am always fascinated by an author event - primarily because I am interested in all things author and writing. That this one is local to me and features our region in her work increased my interest even more.  Further, I have always been fascinated by the short story genre - having read and taught them for years. How happy I am to have been led to this title. 

McIlwain eloquently captures the voice of our region - Western Pennsylvania Appalachia. We talked a great deal at the discussion about the importance of our region being represented honestly by someone who knows it. McIlwain does just that. She captures the spirit of its small town and communities. Her stories feature neighbors who pull together in a variety of circumstances to support each other. The love that she portrays is simply real - illustrated often through both loss and grief. She also reveals darkness - so well that she took my breath away more than once. Some of the stories are harrowing and horrifying. I guess I want to say, THAT can’t happen around HERE! But, of course, I know better. Part of McIlwain’s success is that she captures both extremes and everything in between. She also writes about the natural life that I take so for granted in a way that will have me paying better attention to the world around me. We also discussed the beauty of her writing. McIlwain talks freely of the hard work entailed in creating her work - including the input of other writers, and constant revision. She mentions choices - in terms of symbols and metaphor. She talks of inspiration from her life to paintings to a slip of paper in a writing class. Her dedication and work are clear in the finished product. Even the shortests of the stories are complex and layered.  If I were not a retired English teacher, my AP students would be analyzing some of her work. 

I love to hear authors talk about writing. I have always sought out articles and anything I could find when teaching to see if I could find authors’ reflections on their own works. So last night was a privilege. You should read Sidle River by Jolene McIlwain. You won’t be sorry.

The First Ladies - Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray

Genre: Historical Fiction

When I see a book come out by Marie Benedict and, now, Victoria Christopher Murray, I call it a must read. The First Ladies was certainly no exception. Combine its authorship with my current fascination with Eleanor Roosevelt following a summer visit to Hyde Park and the FDR presidential library and an introduction to Mary McLeod Bethune courtesy of The History Chicks, and I was all in. Benedict and Murray begin this work with Roosevelt and Bethune’s first meeting in the 20s through their decades long battle for Civil Rights. By joining forces these ladies break new ground in demonstrating friendship between different races, integrating the federal government, getting black pilots into the air in World War II and much more. 

As always with these authors, the character development is excellent. I went down quite an Eleanor Roosevelt rabbit hole after visiting Hyde Park. I loved how Benedict filled in the knowledge I’d gained about Roosevelt with a fully developed woman on the page. Murray accomplishes the same with Bethune. Part of what makes this work special is the very real friendship that develops between the two women. Through this friendship we can witness not only the incredible strengths of these women (that are clearly very evident in history) but also their weaknesses and fears. I find it difficult, of course, to not admire women who fight so vigorously for women’s rights and civil rights. They dramatically changed the country in which we live and for that, I am grateful. But the weaknesses and personal details are where many of us can connect. We can relate to marital stress, worrying about children, loving a good meal, being frustrated by in-laws, being afraid.  That connection allows us to believe that perhaps, we too can effect great change in our world.  Further, the extensive research completed by its authors is evident in its grounding in the history of their time. We learn about the culture and government in integrated lunches that become photo ops and flights that become legendary. Benedict and Murray bring these stories to life. I have long learned history better with stories than with facts. My favorite history teacher was a storyteller - my roots in historical fiction run deep. I am grateful to books like The First Ladies for continuing my education. 

I had the privilege of hearing Marie Benedict speak courtesy of the Evans City Public Library. I appreciated very much her honest recounting of the process of writing The First Ladies with Victoria Christopher Murray. She talked frankly of how through the process of writing, first, The Personal Librarian and then this book, they had tough conversations and explored the same kinds of racial tension likely felt between Roosevelt and Bethune. I have recently had such difficult conversations with a friend (about a different subject), and know the value of agreeing, disagreeing and loving and growing a friendship in it all. These conversations and these books epitomize the importance of literature - in demonstrating  friendships that lead to change. Too often we remain polarized rather than working together toward a common goal. The First Ladies is  one that book clubs will read; students will read; conversations will happen. And in the process of looking how far we’ve come; we will look at how far we’ve yet to go and, perhaps, see a path to getting there, together. 

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store - James McBride

Genre: Literary Historical Fiction

At the mercy of a long waiting list, I am late to the discussion of The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. For me, the title was well worth the wait. The historical narrative defies easy summary. In 1972, a skeleton and a Jewish mezuzah necklace are found at the bottom of a well as the area is being prepared for a new building project. Hurricane Agnes erases all the evidence of the crime. McBride takes us back to the early 20s in Chicken Hill near Pottstown, PA to “solve” the mystery. We meet a huge cast of characters including - Moshe and Chona Ludlow who are Jewish, Nate who is black, Dodo, deaf and dumb and black and the town doctor who marches with the Ku Klux Klan. And so many more delightful (and less than delightful) people. Narrator Dominic Hoffman brings these characters to life. 

The characters are my first love here. McBride is masterful in creating such a variety of folks with their own hardships, prejudices, loves, and hates. He manages such detail that I can picture them - laugh and cry with them. The relationship between Moshe and Chona from first love to comfortable marriage to grief and loss is beautifully rendered. I love a good “romance” novel, but the romance embedded here is real and touching and heartbreaking. Dodo and Monkeyboy’s friendship works much the same for me. To see those boys who have been overlooked and undervalued in such a horrible setting forge such a beautiful friendship left me in tears. We could all hope for such a gift. And, of course, a group of disparate people who don’t always like let alone understand each other to work together in the way that they did. Such an act demands hope from this reader. The plot and these relationships keep us grounded in the reality of hate, difference, and prejudice. The discussion of the lack of value of a Jewish woman’s life, the marching of the Klan, the treatment of the mentally ill and physically disabled and more left me breathless. 

We have hope. We have the reality of our failings. Both…and…These kinds of difficult books leave me feeling a bit helpless which I think may be part of the intent. Simultaneously, they force me to face my failings in dealing with different kinds of people, with the hate and misunderstanding that still plagues our society which must certainly be a bigger part of the intent. This book is an important book - for me it hearkens to Geraldine Brooks’ most recent novel Horse. Again I am convicted that  I must figure out and do my part to effect change. I have always believed that good fiction can contribute in a valuable way to a reader’s learning.  I am always learning. James McBride’s Heaven and Earth Grocery Store has become part of that journey. 



The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch - Melinda Taub

Genre  - Historical Fantasy Fiction, Retelling

For Pride and Prejudice fans who don’t clutch their pearls over retellings, The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melinda Taub is an entertaining and fun read. Don’t worry, Taub knows her source material well. Just when I thought I was getting just a tad too far from the world I knew of the Bennets, Taub dropped in just the perfect allusion to it. But, Lydia has a story to tell; she’d like to clear the record. She is not empty headed and  she is not a fool; she is, in fact, a witch. And if she could just explain, you’d see the true Lydia Bennet and NOT the Pride and Prejudice Lydia. And if you are not a Pride and Prejudice fan (gasp!) The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch stands on its own and will be an engaging, adventure filled read. As a child and an inexperienced witch, Lydia makes a promise to a dragon demon Wormenheart that will haunt her future. When he comes to collect, Lydia must go to Brighton on a quest endangering both her precious “sister” Kitty and her new acquaintance Miss Maria Lambe. Nothing is as it seems, not even Wickham who is traveling right along beside her. 

I just love how Taub captures the voice of Austen’s Lydia Bennet, right down to her exclamations, la! Since I was using the audiobook, I also had the privilege of hearing Amy Hoggart bring Taub’s created voice to life.  Together, they created a sassy and quite believable Lydia. Lydia has the same flair for the dramatic as in the original source material, but as she fills in the details of her life as a witch our perceptions of her change. What I really like is how she still acts in much the same way - on instinct, often without thinking - but in the context of her new story, she grows and changes, perhaps even learning how to love and be loved. Seeing a secondary character expanded in such a creative way who will stand on her own is delightful, and yet Lydia remains recognizable to Pride and Prejudice readers. The setting remains similar but with the addition of the witchcraft and demon elements. Since watching “Bewitched” as a child I have been fascinated by witches (the good kind?).  I have read of familiars before and the cleverness of Kitty as a familiar was so, so good. In that sense, Kitty gets an expanded role as well. Of course I have heard of hexes and spells, but the idea of sacrifice to make witchcraft work was new to me and oh so fascinating. The creation of the hierarchy based on location was interesting as well. The acceptance of witches and witchcraft in this time is perhaps illustrated most effectively through Fitzwilliam and Georgiana Darcy. The form of the novel very much allows us to come to know Lydia best as we are hearing her own stories in her own words - not  strictly epistolary but a version of it, much like the book itself. The balance between her present day and the history through her writing is just right for maintaining suspense. 

Through Lydia, Taub gives us all hope that we can reinvent ourselves. Or at the very least tell our story in the way that we’d like instead of having it told by how others see us. Of course, I love that reminder as I reinvent my life in so many ways. Since I have loved the works of Austen for so long - I sure enjoyed getting such a message through a retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I love how Taub values Lydia’s independence, stubbornness, and emotion - the very same things that Austen (whom I admire so very much) seems to criticize. Even for being ahead of her time (I think), a more modern perspective can add an intriguing and interesting twist to Austen’s work. To be clear, Pride and Prejudice will always be one of my favorite novels - as is. But I find joy in its use here to create a refreshing, suspenseful, fun walk in its original footprints. Join me in reading Melinda Taub’s The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennett, Witch. 




The Last Mrs. Parrish - Liv Constantine

Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller

While I don’t remember why I put a hold on Liv Constantine’s The Last Mrs. Parrish, I’m glad it became available. I’m not sure if it is my Nancy Drew roots, but I still really enjoy a good, suspenseful novel. While not truly a mystery, the novel does raise a number of questions that require paying attention and some sleuthing to answer before its end. Told in the perspectives of both the Mrs. Parrishes of the novel, Constantine crafts a suspenseful and exciting thriller. Amber is tired of being poor and overlooked. She has dedicated a fair amount of her young adulthood to becoming the bride of a wealthy man. When she discovers Daphne Patterson, sees her privileged life, she sets her cap for her husband - the mysterious and compelling Jackson Patterson. The first half of the novel is told from her point of view - the second from Daphne’s. 

The two halves cover much of the same time. Constantine masterfully builds and intertwines the two perspectives. She plants the seeds of suspicion and concern in part one. Amber seems the queen of manipulation.  These seeds grow in a suspenseful way throughout. We get to know Daphne much better when she takes over the narration. I enjoyed seeing some of my suspicions confirmed, but was still startled with all that I learned. The tension continues to build, even as the reader has some sense of what is about to happen based on part one. I was listening and found the book very different to turn off, looking for reasons to keep it playing in my ear, invested in the outcome.  Suzanne Elise Freemen and Meghan Wolfe do an excellent job of bringing these complexly developed characters to life. The setting - mostly one of wealth, luxury, and privilege - is a perfect accent to the plot here. (Not quite the resort bribe that I talk about loving here.) The difference between the wealthy and not wealthy contributes much to the events as they develop. Jackson thinks his wealth makes him untouchable; Amber wants the ease and things that she believes come with wealth. Daphne is painfully realistic about the price of wealth. 

Spoiler alert* I don’t like to give things away, but I could not stop thinking about Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” as I was reading this. The issues raised in this 1892 short story about the lack of autonomy for women seem illustrated in a contemporary way here. While many readers will be picking up Constantine’s subtle hints - the full picture of Jackson is not fully illustrated until part two. How much do I hate considering how, still today, a woman can be essentially a prisoner of the man she marries - especially when wealth and innocent children are involved. Constantine successfully illustrates not just once, but twice, how such “relationships” are developed. While in the end, I can’t admire either Amber at all - and admire Daphne only a bit for taking charge of her life, I admire Liv Constantine for her skill in bringing them both to life in The Last Mrs. Parrish. She successfully creates remarkable suspense and entertainment, and provokes serious thought.

Leave the World Behind - Rumaan Alam

Leave the World Behind - Rumaan Alam

Genre - Dystopia

For a long time - probably around the time of Hunger Games - I was reading so many dystopian novels. These were the kinds of books my student readers wanted - so in the spirit of collection development and book talks, I read and read. When the trend ended, I took a bit of a break. I have since read some adult dystopias, and my most recent is National Book Award Finalist Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam at the recommendation of a friend. An urban family is escaping to a rental house for a beach getaway. They are surprised when the homeowners arrive in the middle of the night citing a black out in New York City. With some reservations, Amanda and Clay agree to allow George and Ruth to stay, especially after they offer a partial refund. Strange things are happening. Animals seem to be gathering in the woods. Internet connectivity is sketchy to nonexistent. Piercing sounds nearly disable them. Suspense builds as tension builds among the residents in the house.

The tension and the mystery surrounding these characters kept me reading avidly. I’m not sure that I was fully grasping what was happening in the outer world, but that didn’t really matter. Actually for this reader, the lack of detail made the plot  easier to believe, more difficult to criticize. The fear among the characters was palpable. What would we do if we couldn’t google on our phones to find out what was going on in the world? How would we react if we were essentially trapped with strangers - neither family trusting the other? Do we trust others or isolate? How do we protect our children - from fear, from disease? How well do we know even people we think we know? These questions are just some of what these characters must address.

Mostly this title left me unsettled - perhaps as intended I’d say. I was not surprised that it was composed in 2020 - a time of much uncertainty in the world. In retrospect, I’m not sure as a culture we have done much to improve in the areas where weaknesses were evident during this time. I pondered the questions raised by the novel for a time, but I am not quite in the place to spend much time in the uncertainty of it. Just as an aside - I did follow up the reading of Rumaan Alam’s Leave the World Behind with the Netflix movie. For me as per usual, the book was better but both were certainly unsettling and thought provoking, highlighting the importance of art and artists in confronting the world in which we live.

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun - Elle Cosimano

Genre: Murder, Mystery, Suspense, Humor

When I’m laughing out loud on the first page over a scene in a department store bathroom, I think I’m starting a great book. When the book is about Finlay Donovan, that thought becomes a certainty.  Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano does not disappoint. From the chaos that is her family life on page one to a trip to a police training camp. Finlay and Vero work desperately to clear Vero’s debts and keep the Russian mob from killing them. In the meantime, the novelist needs to complete her latest novel and figure out what exactly to do about her attraction to police detective Nick. Much to do.

From book 1, I found it impossible to not enjoy Finlay, Vero, and the other characters that populate their world. They are all complex. They all make me uncomfortable now and again - with their choices and their secrets. I think maybe they are the kind of folks I want to hang out with in book land, but might make me just a little nervous in real life. (Partly why readers read, right?)The plot is complex here - as it is in books 1 and 2, and reading the series in order would be most helpful. The setting for most of the book is a sort of police boot camp - complete with dorm life. The change in setting makes for learning, laughter and interesting new adventures. What I love about Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan series is that as I’m reading I think “no way.” But then yes, yes what is happening continues  and weaves itself delightfully into the overall content of the book. 

Pure entertainment. I would love to climb into Elle Cosimano’s brain to just see how these ideas develop.  Her work is carefully researched, filled with adventure and suspense, and laugh out loud funny. If you haven’t already, give FInlay Donovan Jumps the Gun a chance!

Cacophony of Bone: The Circle of a Year - Kerri nĩ Dochartaigh

Genre - Memoir

Sometimes I read a book that makes me long for the ability to produce something just as beautiful (or even partially so). Kerri nĩ Dochartaigh’s Cacophony of Bone: The Circle of a Year is such a book for me. I can say easily I loved her use of language - her prose is poetry and her words are precise and just lovely. I listened to her reading it first, and found her voicing of her text  beautiful. Now I am rereading it in the traditional print mostly because I need to slow it down just a bit and dig slightly deeper. I’m already entranced with the arrangements of words on pages. You guys. Also, this book is the first that has much to do with 2020 that I didn’t read and say, “Um, you know, I’m just not ready…and perhaps the key to that for me is in the prologue where Dochartaigh writes, “ I am telling you here of a year that was like no other…I am telling you here of a year that was just the same a every other that had ever gone before.” Her lens is so very different from mine during that time and speaks to me in a way that previous writings have not. Additionally, I am intrigued because many of the poets she quotes are favorites of mine. I needed to own the print version to explore her quotations and mentions of other writers more carefully. I am not sure what that means beyond reading and rereading some things. I am kind of excited about it though. Oh and birds. I have long been drawn to birds. Dochartaigh seems to be as well and how she weaves them into her work is simply stunning for me. 

In a typical review, in this paragraph I tend to try and take a technical look at the book for review. In fiction I tend to focus on setting, characterization, plot, etc. I have not worked with nonfiction and memoir as much. True confession: I googled how to review a memoir structurally. The results weren’t helpful - in part I think because I don’t necessarily feel qualified to “review” this work. And so. She structures her work very much like a journal. She starts in January of 2020 - naming months and numbering days throughout. It sounds like something ancient (especially aloud) but then she’d be referencing something she saw in instagram, and the contrast just worked. She is cyclical in her references to the moon. She writes of birds and of swimming and of collecting bones and of grieving and of writing. She captures a year very directly but also through snippets and fragments that seem accidental until you see the patterns that aren’t really patterns after all. I will leave the academic analysis this time to the academics I guess. I have had the conversation with students again and again - the difference between appreciating writing, loving it versus tearing it apart to analyze it deeply. And sometimes the analysis increases the appreciation and the love (for me it usually does), but sometimes it is just as good to read and appreciate and love. For now I am doing that with Cacophony of Bone. 

In this paragraph, I like to reflect on the impact of the work on me at a more personal level. I kind of think I’ve been doing such reflection throughout this time. Dochartaigh illustrates change beautifully. She deals honestly with the difficulty of change - addiction, loss, a pandemic. She explores healing through routine, nature, reading, and writing. She inspires me to look deeper into the literature that I have loved for years. I have been gathering books for a bit - mostly collections of poetry - to read when I retired. I haven’t touched them yet. I must. I will be getting even more ideas from this book. But. I am still wired to work. To organize. To clean. To be productive in what I consider a tangible way. Some rewiring is a bit necessary. Dochartaigh teaches that reflection and personal growth are not luxuries, but essential to living well in this world of ours. Please read this memoir. 

The Mystery Guest - Nita Prose

Genre: Cozy mystery

I really like Molly - the protagonist of Nita Prose’s The Mystery Guest. This follow up to The Maid does not disappoint as we come to know Molly a bit better. While you can certainly read The Mystery Guest and understand it without having read The Maid, I very much recommend both. Molly takes great pride in being the head maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. So when a famous author dies on what she considers her watch, she is very invested in figuring out what happened. She has been involved in a murder investigation before and much to police detective Stark’s dismay, she feels more than capable of being involved again. She doesn’t even realize how much she will have to dig into her past to move forward here. 

Molly does not respond as one might expect to social cues - she often sees the world a bit differently than others. Part of what I like about the books is that she is never labeled - we just get to know her through the narration. We learn in this book a great deal about how Gran (her late grandmother) raised her - most especially that she valued Molly’s uniqueness - celebrating it rather than trying to label and “fix” her. Even when Gran removes her from a school situation where Molly is not quite understood, Gran is preparing her for a successful future through experience.  Prose cleverly moves back and forth between this past and the present day mystery where we see how Molly’s unique way of thinking is often an asset in putting together clues in ways that Detective Stark can’t see. Their developing relationship is also a strength of this book for me. I tend toward focusing on character development in all of my reading - across genres, but the cozy mystery here is engaging. I like the kind of mystery that takes me back to my Clue board game playing days, where slowly over time clues are discovered and connections can be made - if we’re taking good notes.  Prose pays attention to detail here, and the mystery develops in this way. 

I seldom research a book or its author before writing about them here because the objective is to communicate my impressions and how a book has impacted me. But after I worked on this a bit, I found myself curious about how Prose intended to portray Molly. I found her words in an article by Simon published on the Shondaland website. Prose says, 

I felt that if I waved a big sign on the cover copy or if Molly herself had a diagnosis, it would be too easy for the reader to place her in a box, to decide what she was, to label her,” the author explains. Instead, Prose hopes that readers — who “understand rightfully that there’s something unique about her personality, something very different about how her brain works” — will approach Molly with an open mind. “What I want the reader to do is step into her shoes, live as her, see themselves behind her eyes, and experience for a moment not life as themselves, but life through her particular gaze and her worldview,” she says. “I think only through that experience can we really have true empathy.”

She goes on to report having heard from many readers who feel a connection to Molly. The power of books and reading is clearly illustrated here through an author who creates a character, gives her freedom from labeling, who ultimately feels representative to many of her readers. As a YA librarian, I wanted all of my kids to feel seen in the books of my collection. So I suppose writing about books is the way I am trying to continue to connect readers and books. In the case of The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose - you can either relate to Molly or recognize the value of getting to know people like Molly with empathy. And you get a great mystery in the meantime. I also love the hope that resonates in the work at one point, Molly notes, “Gran always found hope and what is hope but shining light into the darkness.” Yes. Great bookish stuff!

Simon, R. (2023, November 28). ‘the maid’ author Nita Prose was scared to write a sequel to ...
Shondaland. https://www.shondaland.com/inspire/books/a45920144/the-maid-author-nita-prose-was-scared-to-write-a-sequel-to-her-best-selling-novel/ 

The Berry Pickers - Amanda Peters

Genre - Historical Fiction 

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters is an uncomfortable read, purposely I am sure. Peters explores a world where a 4 year old child has disappeared from her family, and the police have no time to investigate because she is of native heritage. Ruthie and her family leave their home in Nova Scotia and come to Maine to pick berries every year - until the year that Ruthie disappears. Peters explores how her disappearance impacts her family, especially her brother Joe for the next five decades. Meanwhile, Norma is being raised in her affluent family in Maine. She has haunting dreams, and notices that she is very different (particularly in looks) from her parents. She struggles to figure out why in the extremely oppressive house in which she lives.   The book alternates perspectives between Joe and Norma. I listened to the audiobook. Aaliya Warbus and Jordan Waunch do an exceptionally nice job of bringing both characters to life as children and adults. 

The characters are well developed in this novel. The situation created by the plot is very complex, leading to even more complex feelings. These feelings are communicated through the narration. Both Joe and Norma are honest about their confusions and their flaws and the experiences that got them to where they end up. The issues of setting are fleshed out nicely. I was completely unaware of the particular history of berry picking in Maine by Canadians during this time period. The time comes alive. In interviews, Peters talks about driving with her dad in Maine and hearing his stories of his time as a berry picker - and feeling compelled to tell a story. The personal connection is evident. She captures the strength of the family and the love that bonds them. She captures the humor that carries them through difficult times. She illustrates the profound racism and the lack of concern for the well being of native Canadians and their family - allowing for this disaster. As more and more stories surface about the residential schools and the forced family separations of native Canadians, this novel is a moving illustration of the cost of such behavior.

As with Above the Salt by Katherine Vaz, I am in awe of the resilience of the people of this book. I am reminded how entitled I can sometimes feel - truly that I have the luxury of retiring and examining my feelings, and sharing them here and with others. Ruthie’s family endures the worst possible event and still finds love and hope in what is often a cold world to them. They just keep moving forward - some more hopeful than others - but moving forward. Norma processes years of not quite fitting into her family - and avoids the kind of bitterness that would likely tempt many - like Ruthie’s family she moves forward. I recently listened to an episode of The Lazy Genius Podcast called “Starting Fresh When You Can’t Start Over” in which Kendra Adachi advises listeners to “continue not just begin.” When we are in the January hustle it is easy to be lured into trying to start over. When we retire, it can be tempting to think we are required to start over. When you have endured painful, unspeakable tragedy, starting over likely feels like a dream. Instead those in this book continue - to live and love and even to hope. Folks if they can, so can most of us. Honestly, I’d love to know more about the aftermath of the story, but that kind of tidy ending truly would take away from what Amana Berry’s The Berry Pickers has to offer - a little discomfort. 

The Berry Pickers Book Cover Amanda Peters

The Reading List - Sara Nisha Adams

Genre: Contemporary, realistic fiction

Trigger Warning: Suicide

When books turn up from my hold list in Libby, I’m not usually 100% sure why I put them there in the first place.(Any suggestions for easily tracking that?) But Sara Nisha Adams’ The Reading List was just a perfect fit for this reader, no matter from whence it came. Mukesh and Aleisha, both searching for different things, meet at the library and bond over reading. Aleisha is providing books for Mukesh from a mysterious list she has found; the books include: To Kill a Mockingbird, Rebecca, Life of Pi, The Kite Runner, Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, A Suitable Boy and Beloved.

Others in the community have found the same list - Chris, Indira, Izzy, Joseph,Leonora, and Gigi. Mukesh is trying to recover from the loss of his beloved wife Naina and believes reading one of her last checked out library books The Time Traveler's Wife had allowed him to become closer to her. Aleisha struggles with her older brother Aiden in caring for their mentally ill mother. She finds reading the books from this list brings her comfort. What follows is a beautiful look at love, loss, community, and the power of books and reading told through all of these characters, expertly rendered by Adams. To try and summarize the narrative plot would be a bit silly, but the beautiful complexity and richness of it will alternately sadden and delight the reader’s soul.

I love how the book has multiple perspectives. We are able to get to know a rich cast of people well. I read the audiobook and the variety of performers excellently brought these characters to life. Thank you to Tara Divina, Sagar Arya, Paul Panting. While reading these books is not at all necessary to appreciating the novel, I have read all but one.I have in the course of my teaching career taught some of them. What I love here is how different characters derive different lessons from the books - all perfectly right in context. Near the end of my teaching career especially, I delighted in a variety of interpretations of a text. Of course evidence - of course explain, but what a joy to see how student experiences and needs led to individual meaning. To me this collision of experience and need and meaning is what makes reading of all kinds so powerful. Adams illustrates this throughout this small community of diverse readers. Can I just say it? Books matter. Reading matters. Libraries matter. 

I can’t spoil the ending, but through The Reading List, Adams teaches us that no influence is too small. I needed this reminder as a newly retired teacher. I had the privilege of working with hundreds of students over years. And some of them did benefit from their time with me. I have missed that opportunity to make a difference, no matter how small. I have been actively seeking new areas of service but am truly grateful for this reminder. You never know what a simple gesture might bring. Be creative with your influence. I will endeavor to be more so in working to make the world a better place for those of us in it.  

Everyone Here Is Lying - Shari Lapena

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Everyone was certainly lying - from the beginning to the end in Shari Lapena’s novel Everyone Here is Lying. Young Avery disappears from her home following an argument with her father. The police quickly begin to canvas the area - interviewing the family, the neighbors both friends and strangers. Many of them lie - it’s hard to tell if anyone is being honest. Days pass and frustrations mount as secrets are revealed, but Avery remains at large. Oh and then a twist - well played, Ms. Lapena…well played.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by January LaVoy. Her performing experience was excellently put to use here. She differentiated between a number of voices - successful even as 9 year old Avery. Her skill enhanced the suspense and certainly maintained my interest.

Nobody here, with the exception of Avery’s 12  year old brother Michael, is likable. Honestly - if this is a real suburban slice of life, let me live in the country. LaPena expertly juggles a huge cast of characters - changing point of view regularly from Avery’s family to the neighbors to the police who are investigating the crime. I had the feeling of sort of investigating the crime as a reader more fully than I often do. Lapena layers the information carefully and grows the story in such a way that the twist, while unexpected, is completely believable. I remember thinking, of course, yes, this is absolutely what happened. Excellent plotting. And, no spoilers, the ending is just perfect. I love the uncertain certainty of how Lapena finished. 

I like to finish my thoughts with a little lesson learned, and I’m not sure I can do so here. Perhaps I could wax eloquently about the reality of uncertainty?(I probably could.)  But most importantly, this book is engaging, entertaining, and just what I needed when I got it from the holds list - worth the wait. If you enjoy a good suspenseful mystery, Everyone Here is Lying by Shari Lapena is for you. And please comment below if you want to talk about that ending.

The Librarianist - Patrick deWitt

Genre - Literary Fiction

We are taught from elementary school not to judge books by their covers. I often encouraged my students towards books I knew they’d like even thought the cover was dated. But  I literally checked out The Librarianist by Patrick deWitt because of its cover. I was working at a library fundraiser, and the book was on display. How could a retired librarian resist? 

The story of retired librarianist Bob Comet was … I am struggling with the word, so perhaps complex will suffice. DeWitt starts the narrative after Bob’s retirement as Bob stumbles on a purpose with a local center for the elderly. The details of his childhood, youth, and young adulthood are filled in as flashbacks. He finds adventure when he runs way as an 11 year old and experiences an interesting couple of days with traveling actors at a hotel along the shore. I may have to read it again to process the particular interlude. He finds solace in reading throughout his life. He finds and loses at least one friend and one lover. 

I had to google “librarianist.” Even with an MSLS and 20+ years in the field, the term was new to me. Aaron Kreuter notes, “As the obscure word ‘librarianist’...suggests, working in a library can be more than just a job. It can be something of an art, a calling” (https://reviewcanada.ca/magazine/2023/10/inside-voices/). The joy of the book for me is that Bob found this calling. In spite of what appears to be a sad childhood in which he is fairly neglected, he finds reading and an education and a mentor and a job. The sadness of the book for me was the inevitability of the implosion of his relationships with Ethan and Connie. The redemption, I guess, is Bob’s renewed sense of purpose when he discovers the center for the elderly and finds a role there. The twist is that he finds one rather big surprise as well. Bob’s character development is thorough. If you don’t love a character driven book, this may not be the best choice. If you do, (and I do) de Witt provides us with a fascinating, sometimes frustrating man. Some of what I'd like to discuss will provide spoilers, and I hate to do that. Suffice it to say that the novel has what my former AP kids would have called a “literature” ending. (ie I didn’t necessarily get the kind of resolution that I hoped for. ) As I look at what I’ve learned to guide me in the newly retired part of my life, it is this. Bob ultimately makes peace with his life - even the most devastating parts. He continues to live in a way that works for him. He remains open to new experiences, even. He has good boundaries in the end (that prevent me from getting the ending I want). Even as a child, when for a moment,  Bob seems to be living his best life ever, he accepts that the experience has ended with equanimity and seems to just move on. I struggle with making peace and I can learn from Bob’s acceptance. Like Bob, I have a bit more time to think and to reflect. I hope I do it as well has he does. 

The Homewreckers - Mary Kay Andrews

Genre - Contemporary Mystery & Romance

What does this book have to do with Christmas you ask - well, just this. I needed something to listen to in the last minute dash to get things done around the house. That meant finding something available on the Libby app. When Mary Kay Andrews’ Homewreckers  popped up, I remembered my recent read of her new Bright Lights Big Christmas and thought why not? 

I love to watch HGTV and Magnolia Network, so a novel about renovating a beach house seemed good. I enjoy a good mystery and this novel offers an unexpected one. Homewreckers felt like the perfect choice to entertain as I worked away.

Hattie Kavanaugh is in a tough spot, widowed at 25, she has just lost a great deal of money working with her father in law - because she invested in the wrong house. When a Hollywood producer offers her the chance to work on a Saving Savannah show, she is skeptical, but really needs the cash and the chance to redeem herself. Things quickly seem to spiral out of her control. Saving Savannah becomes Homewreckers; she is forced to work with Hollywood designer Trae, and gulp, a dead body is found in the old sewage system.  Hattie needs to find the strength she has lost since becoming widowed to win back her confidence and self respect. Kathleen McInerney’s narration brings Hattie’s experiences to life in an engaging and entertaining way. 

When I learned that Hattie had kind of frozen herself after she lost her husband in a motorcycle accident - my heart just ached for her. I have not, thank goodness, experienced that loss but love people who have. The stacks of supplies and unfinished home was a beautiful symbol in her world where she creates beauty for whom she works. I loved the drama of the show and seeing the dark underbelly of home improvement TV. The cozy mystery portion is well developed and who doesn’t love seeing a cold case solved? The romance was kind of just an undertone, and I liked it that way. Hattie’s transformation is what drew me the most. I loved seeing her find her voice, Andrews making that the centerpiece around which all of the other plots pivot. Grief takes time. It’s not an orderly progression as some might suggest. A good group of people who love us are such a blessing on what for most is a tempestuous journey. Letting go of the old that doesn’t work and finding a love renewed for what does and combining it with the new - I enjoyed watching Hattie move forward. And the comedy and the mystery elements give us room to breathe as she does. Andrews strikes an excellent balance. So why not a beach read in December while you prepare for Christmas? I’m a fan - especially if it ends with that new year, new you vibe. 

Homewreckers book cover

The White Lady - Jacqueline Winspear

I was left with the same general feeling when I finished The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear that I get when I read a historical novel like this. I am in awe of the resilience of people in history who have survived more than I can imagine. Their cleverness and strength in these times is often nothing short of miraculous. I have not suffered in such a way. And quite honestly, I doubt my ability to step up. And, while this is not a political blog in ANY way, I am reminded how much I hate war: the loss, the destruction, the evil it engenders. I can’t. And I can’t with people who seem eager for war to occur. I don’t know if I have a better solution to solving world disagreements and profound philosophical differences, but I fervently believe that war is not it. I spent my adult life trying to educate students to have a more thoughtful view of the world. Part of the figuring out process of doing life for me has to be how to continue efforts toward making a difference. 

My local library’s book club led me to Jacqueline Winspear through Maisie Dobbs. We read the first book of the series years ago. I was exploring my local Libby collection after a re-listen to Maisie when I discovered Winspear’s new book The White Lady. Following three timelines WW1, WW2 and shortly after the war in 1947, we learn the story of the white lady, Elinor White. In 1947, she is a mysterious lady who lives alone and remains fairly isolated from the rest of her small village until she finds herself drawn to little Sally Mackie. Through this she learns that Sally’s dad is in trouble - even danger - and determines to get to the root of the problem to protect the family - even when it puts her at odds with Scotland Yard. Throughout the novel, we learn of Elinor’s harrowing past as a member of the resistance in WW1 and essentially a spy in WW2. We meet her mother and sister and come to know the history of how she became the mysterious woman who will take on the local mob. 

Winspear moves flawlessly between the timelines revealing just what we need to know about Elinor at the perfect time. Through the plot we learn (or are reminded) of the extensive efforts in both World Wars 1 and 2 of the resistance and espionage. I am as always fascinated by the courage and skill of these “regular” citizens thrust into unbelievably dangerous situations due to the war. The Europeans who lived through both wars deserve an homage to be sure. Most of the ones about whom I’ve read just downplay the struggle, stoically building a life following war. Elinor reflects this ethic. I enjoyed her complexity. I am glad we meet her as a fairly young girl and get to follow her development through both wars. We experience her fears and her grief both of which help us to understand the choices she makes in the novel. I appreciate the attention to detail in the setting. We are brought quickly into village life and war life. Part of the success of the novel for me was the excellent narration of Orlagh Cassidy. I googled her to find out what else she had narrated and discovered that she has been an actress on a few of my favorite shows. Her acting experience comes through very clearly and enhances the experience of the audiobook version of Jacqueline Winspear’s The White Lady.

The White Lady Book Cover