The Samuelson family is a lot like most families. On the surface, all is well until the oldest son, Ellis, recently graduated from college, dies in a The Samuelson family is a lot like most families. On the surface, all is well until the oldest son, Ellis, recently graduated from college, dies in a freak accident. Not surprisingly, his death affects all the family members in different ways, and each ones tries to cope however they can. But as the novel proceeds, readers start to see the cracks in the veneer of the family's happiness, and secrets about each one start to spill out. Although some parts of this story are expected--Sib's secret alcoholism and a liaison, for instance--others are not, and readers are left to ponder the small and large moments that shape us and how joy is still possible amid tragedy. Well written and compelling, the novel [3.5 for me!] contains characters that are easy to embrace and about whom we want to know more. I'm glad to have discovered this author. ...more
As so many of us who are moving into our sixties and seventies have come to realize when looking in the mirror or facing surgeries or physical limitatAs so many of us who are moving into our sixties and seventies have come to realize when looking in the mirror or facing surgeries or physical limitations have come to realize, we're not eighteen anymore. That doesn't mean that there isn't any joy or changes left in our lives. While society, popular culture, and even modern medicine often seem to relegate older individuals to the sidelines or overmedicate them, that shouldn't be the case. Weaving science, years of experience, personal anecdotes, and literature in an engaging narrative, Louise Aronson makes a strong case for change within the medical profession and within ourselves and those around us. How strange it is that so few others have come to the same conclusions as Aronson has! Reading this book has made me want to rage, rage, rage against those who would relegate the aged and the elderly to the sidelines. A geriatrician, she raises important questions and examines her own initial and subsequent reactions to aging. This is one of those must-reads. ...more
After her father's death, Lucretia Sanderson and her move to the small town of Candle Island, Maine, in order to heal and build their lives again. TheAfter her father's death, Lucretia Sanderson and her move to the small town of Candle Island, Maine, in order to heal and build their lives again. The small tourist town has appeal for them for many reasons, partly because of its beauty and isolation, but also because Lucretia has a secret, one that isn't revealed right away. While she and her mother paint, she also tends to a young osprey and forms a friendship with Bastian, one of the locals. He, too, has a secret that she accidentally discovers. As Lucretia deals with the animosity of Murdock, another local, she also lands in the midst of a conflict between the locals and the tourists, a conflict that builds inexorably across the book's pages. As with all books by this author, this one has an interesting setting and plot, characters that are richly drawn, and questions about grief, loss, voice, and being true to oneself. In many respects it's also an homage to art, writing and music (all means of self-expression) and the power they have to help us find our way and heal....more
Fans of Southern historical fiction and book clubs in search of a title worth reading and discussing are sure to enjoy this one [3.5 for me!], set durFans of Southern historical fiction and book clubs in search of a title worth reading and discussing are sure to enjoy this one [3.5 for me!], set during the 1930s and 1940s. The two protagonists, Del and Rae Lynn, haven't had easy lives, and readers may be shocked at the events that open their separate stories. While the slow burn of their relationship and the redemption they eventually find in each other is appealing, what sets this story apart from many others is how the author weaves in details about the turpentine camps and pine forests where their paths cross. Swallow Hill, which is one of those camps, is not the easiest or safest of places, and racism and sexism run rampant there. Amid the natural beauty of the setting, there is evil, anger, and violence, and kindness is often regarded as weakness. The descriptions are lush, sometimes raw, and the emotions and sentiments expressed are honest and just as appealing as the book's characters. I thoroughly enjoyed traveling back in time to learn more about longleaf pines and turpentine and considering what the land must have been like before so many of those pines were carelessly destroyed. ...more
I don't quite know how he does it, but this author always, always manages to tell stories in a way that makes me care about his characters, even thougI don't quite know how he does it, but this author always, always manages to tell stories in a way that makes me care about his characters, even though they are nothing like me, and prompts me to see the world as being a little brighter and humans as better than I have before. In his most recent title, he explores the power of friendship and artistic expression through the stories of four teens who spend a splendid summer together in a town by the sea. Their homes are not exactly sanctuaries as there is violence in some, death and dying in others, and carelessness in still others. But none of that matters when they're together. Their stories are told through the eyes of Ted, one of the boys, 25 years later, as he and Louisa, an 18-year-old artist, deal with loss and their connection to a recently deceased artist who has given her, a homeless girl, his most famous and most valuable painting. As usual with this particular writer, there are moments of immense pain and heartbreak, but there are also moments of joy and humor, and readers can't help but feel uplifted by his words and the time they have spent with these characters. ...more
Set in and around Spokane, Washington, this book [3.5 for me!] features flawed characters, several of whom are searching for some sort of redemption oSet in and around Spokane, Washington, this book [3.5 for me!] features flawed characters, several of whom are searching for some sort of redemption or a way to find their way back home. The central character, Rhys Kinnick, a former journalist who has gone off the grid to live on his family's land in the woods for several years, has surrounded himself with solitude and books as he tries to sort out the meaning of life and avoid the messiness of the outside world. He's had little to do with his daughter, Bethany, or his two grandchildren, Leah and Asher, but once the two of them land on his doorstep, he begins to regret his actions and what he's missed. But his daughter is in the midst of an identity crisis after the death of her mother and her husband, Shane's, increased involvement with a fundamentalist group that has a branch called AOL (Army of the Lord), and Rhys must find the youngsters after they've been kidnapped. There are some interesting twists and turns in the plot, but what sparkles here are the characters. Even the less important ones have stories and complexities that draw readers into the book. This is a fast read but one with layers and emotional resonance. ...more
Narrated by Doctor Blob, a loyal Bernese Mountain dog, this charming novel is sure to prompt plenty of joy amid some tears as the canine tries to put Narrated by Doctor Blob, a loyal Bernese Mountain dog, this charming novel is sure to prompt plenty of joy amid some tears as the canine tries to put his family back together again. Ideal for fourth and fifth graders but with appeal for older ones, the book follows Blob's efforts to heal his people after Mom, the center of their world, dies in an accident. Nothing he does works, and when Mom sends some help, it's not in the form Blob expects. In fact, Blob positively hates this new arrival and does a very, very bad thing. The book's clever title rings true, especially when readers reach the final pages, and Blob's voice is endearingly authentic throughout the narrative, including how he addresses his favorite human, Good Boy, refuses to hear his real name because it contains a cat sound, and fears the Animal Control officer. Although the book covers tough topics of loss and grief, it also contains tender tidbits of humor and hope. Readers will be convinced by the end of the book that dogs really can make it all better. ...more
This newest novel by the master writer, Joyce Carol Oates, is a 4.5 for me. I've read several of her previous books, and this one simply has to be couThis newest novel by the master writer, Joyce Carol Oates, is a 4.5 for me. I've read several of her previous books, and this one simply has to be counted among the best. It's intense, really intense, dark, insightful, and unforgettable. Others have compared the book's namesake, Francis Fox, to Tom Ripley, and that comparison seems apt to me in many respects since Mr. Fox, a newly hired English teacher at a prestigious boarding school, is just as devious in his own ways as Ripley. Somehow, he uses his charm and charisma and anyone that might be helpful to him to achieve his goals, whatever they might be. The way he strings along various adult women--his soul-mates--and middle-grade girls is just as fascinating as staring into the cold eyes of a predator in the wild. And yet, he often has the best intentions to turn over a new leaf, to be a better man, something he's never able to pull off because of the dark desires he simply cannot control. While this is quite the page-turner, with readers most likely unable to pull their eyes away from the tragedy unfolding in front of them, I didn't read it as a mystery since I was sure almost from the start who had killed this man. Instead, I read it with great appreciation for the descriptive powers of this author and her ability to see inside a sexual predator as well as her understanding of several complex characters whose emotions and vulnerable sides are revealed in all their rawness. Some of the passages about Fox's interactions with his students and how he uses grades as emotional leverages are simply brilliant, bringing to mind one of my all-time favorite YA novels, The Chocolate War, and the unforgettable Brother Leon. If there's a flaw to this one, it pertains to one character about whom little is revealed after Fox's death. This one will stick with me for a while as I consider what makes it so easy for some individuals to use and discard others so efficiently and what makes some individuals so easy to discard....more
Not only is this unique novel sweeping in its scope, moving back and forth in time and leaping from one character to another while also returning to tNot only is this unique novel sweeping in its scope, moving back and forth in time and leaping from one character to another while also returning to the night when one character disappears while walking along the beach with his daughter, but it's just as sweeping and massive in its writing. The author uses complex sentences, vivid descriptions, and small moments that capture the essence of her characters, and just when it seems that readers feel as though they know all about someone, that knowledge turns out to be untrue or incomplete. Since I knew nothing about how several individuals had been kidnapped and imprisoned in North Korea, much of the political aspect of this story was revelatory for me. There is so much to consider while pondering the slippery nature of memory and emotions here as well as family dynamics and how we choose to cope or simply continue on after great losses. It's a fascinating mystery that requires some patience on the part of readers, and the omission of great swaths of time may be problematic for some. But ultimately, everything fits together rather neatly, possibly prompting a reread to appreciate even more the author's storytelling and plotting abilities. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when starting this book, but I wasn't disappointed. As I reached the last pages, I found myself thinking about how little of what happens to us is actually in our control, something that the author makes quite clear. ...more
I've been a fan of this series ever since I read the very first book, and my admiration for its creator, Suzanne Collins, continues to grow as she offI've been a fan of this series ever since I read the very first book, and my admiration for its creator, Suzanne Collins, continues to grow as she offers fans the back story of some of the characters who appear in the first three books. While The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes offers readers the origin tale for the Hunger Games by focusing on Coriolanus Snow and his slow but relentless descent into the dark side, this book follow Haymitch Abernathy, winner of the fiftieth Hunger Games, as he becomes a tribute and manages to outlast all the other competitors. Savvy readers will recall how broken Haymitch is as he guides Katniss and Peeta in their Hunger Games, no doubt wondering what has caused him to be so broken. Surely, something terrible must have happened, and while fans of the series will already know that he survives, a feat that surely would haunt anyone because of what is necessary in order to leave the Games alive, they'll have no idea just how harsh his punishment will be for having embarrassed President Snow. His is not a triumphant return to District 12 at all, and I felt a literal chill at Snow's final words to him since I knew that he'd come home to nothing. While this book may not have quite the same emotional impact that the previous book does, it's still moving and disturbing, mimicking in some ways the helplessness that any individual or group of people must feel when all the odds are, indeed, stacked against them and are never in their favor. The skillful weaving of lines from Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" with its echo of "Nevermore" through parts of this particular love story adds another layer to the story, contributing to the hopeless yearning of Haymitch, who must surely be driven mad by his longing and feelings of loss. This one simply MUST be read. ...more
All that twelve-year-old Queenie Jean Anderson wants is a home of her own. She and her mother have loved renting the little house she calls Peachy, buAll that twelve-year-old Queenie Jean Anderson wants is a home of her own. She and her mother have loved renting the little house she calls Peachy, but when their landlord sells her property, they have to move. And just like a chess piece on a board, they bounce from place to place, first, temporarily in a vacant room at a senior center where Queenie's mother works, but then somewhere else, and again, somewhere else. Queenie makes friends at each of the new places, but all this moving makes her anxious and uncertain about what will come next. She's also writing songs and hoping that she can summon the courage to actually perform before an audience. Set in Australia during the immediate aftermath of the recent pandemic, this middle-grade novel [3.5 for me!] is full of heart, hope, and resilience. The constant moving around is also related to Queenie's desperate need to fit in somewhere and her mixed feelings about her former best friend and now rival. The book's clever title with its double meaning will surely attract readers who will fall in love with Queenie and relate to her feelings, even when some of them are misdirected. ...more
The protagonist and plot of this book [3.5 for me and a fast and engrossing read!] are great examples of how one shouldn't let outer appearances deceiThe protagonist and plot of this book [3.5 for me and a fast and engrossing read!] are great examples of how one shouldn't let outer appearances deceive them. After all, even the quietest of mild-mannered individuals--in this case, a middle-aged sweater-wearing librarian named Hana Babic--have stories and sometimes a dark past. For three decades Hana has lived in Minnesota, tending books and her farm as well as her memories of the Bosnian war for independence when Serbs and Bosnians fought. The story moves back in forth in time from the 1990s, mostly 1995, in rural Bosnia, and then years later, in Minnesota. Hana's quiet life is interrupted by the news of a friend's violent death. Naturally, this puts Hana on high alert as she tries to discover who knows her secrets. As she seeks to avenge her friend's death and protect the small life entrusted to her, Hana takes increasingly dangerous steps. Most readers in this country (the United States) probably know very little about the Bosnian war and some of the war crimes that occurred against Muslims during that time, making the sections entitled "Bosnia" in which Hana's experiences during the war are revealed in shocking detail eye-opening and disturbing. While there are some false notes sounded in the narrative, overall, this was a solid read, engaging, thoughtful, and fully rendering the long-term effects of trauma on teens like Hana. I can see why it's been garnering rave reviews, but it certainly isn't an easy read. ...more
I'm probably not the right reader for this one since I'm not married and never have wanted to be married. I liked the author's other two books, Daisy I'm probably not the right reader for this one since I'm not married and never have wanted to be married. I liked the author's other two books, Daisy Jones & the Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, much more since they seem more nuanced than this one. The plot involved a couple, Lauren and Ryan, who met in college, and have been married for six years. The love between them seems to have died, and they barely communicate or have sex. In a last-ditch effort to save the marriage, they agree to separate for a year, hoping that the time apart will remind them why they loved one another and give them time to grow and assess matters. Not surprisingly, this strategy works, partly because Lauren reads the unsent drafts of Ryan's emails to her. As I read this romance, I kept thinking about what would have happened if one of them wanted to reunite and the other one didn't as well as the emotional damage done to one another and the men and women they dated during the interval. It seems obvious that communication is the key to a successful, healthy relationship, but what if the partner isn't listening or is so self-absorbed that messages aren't heard or are misinterpreted? Relationships are so complicated. There's not a lot of description in this one, and the story is told mostly through dialogue. For someone who loved her job, Lauren rarely mentions it or identifies much of what she does at the job. It might be popular, but this book is one of the author's weakest ones....more
Dealing with loss and grief, whatever the form, is never easy. It's important that youngsters come to understand that death and/or loss are a part of Dealing with loss and grief, whatever the form, is never easy. It's important that youngsters come to understand that death and/or loss are a part of life, and even adults struggle with the emotions surrounding loss. In this moving picture book, Giselle, the protagonist, is quite observant and can tell that her father is feeling particularly sad on this day. While it could be that her mother is simply missing or has left the family behind for an adventure, it seems clear that she's dead, judging by the items that are on her dressed--earrings, perfume, and rings, all carefully dusted by Giselle. As Giselle thinks about happier times, she remembers how her mother used her imagination to dream and pretend that all the things they planned to do were happening now. Inspired, she drags her father into a series of imaginative adventures, including flying on a plane, attending a concert on the moon, and time traveling through a book, in this case, a scrapbook filled with family photos and mementos. Despite its subject matter, the story is hopeful, offering one path to healing. The luminous, color-drenched, surreal illustrations, including a much larger-than-life turkey sandwich, were created with textures that were painted and then scanned with Photoshop and Procreate. Giselle's shining example offers a way forward for others in similar circumstances. ...more
This one, the eighth and final book in the series, is a 3.5 for me. Anna Hibiscus truly is amazing. Every book in this series, set in Lagos, Nigeria, This one, the eighth and final book in the series, is a 3.5 for me. Anna Hibiscus truly is amazing. Every book in this series, set in Lagos, Nigeria, is simply charming, chockful of humor, love, and life lessons. This may, like the seventh title, may be the best book in the series as Anna deals with some family troubles caused by her twin siblings and mourns the death of her grandfather. She feels this loss keenly, partly because she was in denial about how he was fading and played outside rather than spending time with him. Consequently, she feels guilty and acts out at school, hurting her best friend. All of her emotions and actions are relatable, and the advice her grandmother gives her helps her start to process her grief. She takes comfort in knowing that her grandfather lives on through the memories she and others share. This one is so touching, supported as it is with ink drawings that support the text and provide a glimpse into Anna Hibiscus's world. I'm sad to see the series come to an end. ...more
Oh, this historical fiction, set in rural Iowa during the summer and fall of 1941, is so good, so emotionally rich, and well written. Not only does itOh, this historical fiction, set in rural Iowa during the summer and fall of 1941, is so good, so emotionally rich, and well written. Not only does it cover a little-known part of WWII history--the existence of a Quaker hostel for Jewish refugees--but it also tackles hard, almost unanswerable questions with respect, honoring their complexity. The plot focuses on Peggy Mott, 12 and 13 during the six months of the story, a math whiz who is convinced that all problems can be solved. But as she eventually learns, that may be true when it comes to numbers and math problems, but not when it comes to life, death, love, and even some choices that seem forced on us. When Peggy learns that her literary, poetry-loving cousin, Delia, has leukemia, she tries to force her rational approach to life on finding a cure. Her frustrating journey also reveals much about herself to Peggy, who experiences emotions she never imagined she would, including a crush, and makes plenty of mistakes along the way. Humor is deftly blended into the narrative, with one passage in which Peggy tries to explain a poem to Delia through a mathematics lens being particularly absurd but also offering clues to her own worldview. The characters in this book are just as complicated as life itself. And while the setting may seem, on the surface, to be dated, the emotions and questions are particularly relevant in today's political climate when it often seems that there is little that is within our control. ...more
Serendipitously I was reading another book about the Hall-Mills double murder in the fall of 1922 while also reading this one, which focuses on F. ScoSerendipitously I was reading another book about the Hall-Mills double murder in the fall of 1922 while also reading this one, which focuses on F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, but also features that very same crime as Sarah Churchwell, the author, examines the influence of that murder on Fitzgerald and his masterpiece, The Great Gatsby. Her research takes Churchwell and her readers to some interesting places as she relies on letters, notes, published columns, and newspaper articles as well as her own reading of Gatsby to offer a different perspective on the novel. While she doesn't completely succeed in her endeavors since the murder, which remains unsolved, doesn't offer enough material to fully flesh out each chapter, her take on this event is fascinating, provocative, and intellectually titillating. The inclusion of passages from Gatsby and from Fitzgerald's calendar and letters opens up new ways of reading his work, and any fans of his writing--myself included--will be drawn into the book, which is fascinating in its portrayal of Fitzgerald and those around him as well as those particular times while also offering insight into his writing life. The book's title comes from one of my own favorite passages in The Great Gatsby. ...more
Anyone who's read one of this author's previous books will know that she is particularly skilled at immersing readers in her setting through vivid desAnyone who's read one of this author's previous books will know that she is particularly skilled at immersing readers in her setting through vivid description and the use of vocabulary that fits the time period. In this case, it's the summer of 1894 in the Northwest. Having lost her job at a mineral springs hotel in central Oregon, Sally O'Malley, an orphan whose life has contained few moments of joy, decides to head west. Her aim is to see the sea, something she's heard about but never seen. Along the way, she meets Major, who delivers goods to various stores, and is accompanied by her faithful dog, Sarge, and a donkey, Mabel. Seeing something in Sally, 13, that may remind her of herself, she offers a ride to Sally. Along the way, they pick up an unusual package--a standoffish, priggish boy named Lafayette--who needs to be taken to yet another relative after other of his kin washed their hands of him. Sally is as rough around the edges as Lafayette is refined, but slowly, a friendship builds, and just as slowly, Sally realizes that there are individuals who are trustworthy, kind, and those who won't break her heart or take advantage of her. She also starts to see that she, too, is worthy and resilient. An ideal choice for a classroom read aloud, this well-written historical fiction might be predictable in many respects, but Sally's journey [to her best self and to the sea] will speak to middle-grade readers, some of whom will see themselves in her tough as nails exterior that hides a tender interior that emerges by fits and starts. ...more
This middle grade novel set in 1850 Lancashire, England, kept me engaged during the entire time I was reading it. Although there are several passages This middle grade novel set in 1850 Lancashire, England, kept me engaged during the entire time I was reading it. Although there are several passages about fruits, vegetables, and gardening that some might find distracting, those elements only served to enhance my pleasure in reading this book. It covers territory not often written about in modern books for this age group, including its time and place, as well as featuring an imperfect protagonist in Scilla Brown, 11, who has spent most of her life in a workhouse, having been abandoned by her mother. After losing her older protector, Dora, who seems to have used her to distract others while she steals food, Scilla climbs into the Earl of Havermore's garden [You have to love these names!] to eat a peach. Of course, she's caught, mistaken for a boy, and then continues the pretense so that she has a temporary place to stay and something to eat. Although she's aware of the distinction between right and wrong, her poverty and life on the streets often prompt her to blame others or to be dishonest. But the trust of the head gardener, Mr. Layton, and the sense of purpose she feels when working with the plants, slowly change her. Her growth can be compared to that of the plants she tends, and she begins dreaming of a hopeful future. Still, there's Phin, an apprentice who befriends her and urges her to take risks. Despite her attraction to him, Scilla slowly starts wondering if her trust in him is misplaced. Every word in this story has been carefully chosen, fitting the time period as well as adding suspense and intensity to even the seemingly smallest moments. There are so many aspects of Scilla's story that bear considering and discussing, including her thoughts on nobility, which, in the end, has nothing to do with one's class or social status but more to do with one's character and behavior. Bravo to the author for this wonderful story, her first one. Its literary quality is high, and while its setting may be unfamiliar to young readers, its themes and ethical dilemmas will resonate with them....more
I liked this historical fiction title even more than the author's previous one, The Secret Life of Sunflowers. Just as the other one follows the life I liked this historical fiction title even more than the author's previous one, The Secret Life of Sunflowers. Just as the other one follows the life paths of two different female characters, so does this one, making the plots quite similar. But that's perfectly okay since we can never have enough stories about strong females with dreams and the determination to succeed and thrive against all odds. Plus, the fact that one of the protagonists is Suzanne Valadon, a half-forgotten artist who grew up in the poor section of Paris in the 1870s, eventually hobnobbing with all the famous artists of her time, including Renoir, van Gogh, and Degas, and even musician Eric Satie. Self-taught, she was a trapeze performer, a wreathe-maker, and a model, becoming the first woman to be named to the Societie Nationale des Beaux-Arts, all fascinating elements that tick all the buttons for what I look for in a book. Ellie, the other protagonist, is interesting in her own respect too since she's in mourning over the loss of her husband, Chris, and the life that they thought they'd have, when unexpected events change everything for her. The loss of her job is disappointing, but she pulls herself together and finds a way forward, finding inspiration in Valadon's life and example. There is plenty of detail about the art world and painting as well as interesting historical tidbits sprinkled throughout the narrative, making readers feel as though they have traveled back in time. It's a fast read, but it's also deeply involving. ...more