Shadow of the Wind
Daniel’s father introduces him to a hidden library where he’s allowed to choose one book. He chooses “The Shadow of the Wind”, by Julián Carax and finds it so relatable that he sets out to find the author’s other works. What he discovers instead is that the Carax books are being systematically destroyed. Daniel rushes to save the books by learning about Carax’s past as quickly as he can so he can understand who is destroying them and why. Recommended by my friend, Carol, and it did not disappoint!
Between Two Kingdoms
At age 22 Suleika was diagnosed with leukemia and given a 35% chance of survival. She documented her 4 year battle with cancer in a New York Times column and video series, Life Interrupted, which won an Emmy. Once “cured” she takes a 100-day travel journey to meet those that gave her hope while in the hospital in an effort to figure out how to return to normal life. What an interesting memoir. It might be worth checking out the NY Times series before reading this book as well.
The Foundling
This author was inspired by her grandmother who, in the 1930s, at age 17, worked as a stenographer for the director of an asylum to sequester “unfit” women in rural Pennsylvania. In this historical fiction, Mary, a young secretary at an asylum (designed to prevent pregnancy of “feebleminded” women), discovers that schoolmate Lillian has been sent to the institution and Lillian claims there’s nothing wrong with her. Is Lillian now insane? Feebleminded? Or is something evil happening at the institute? A page turner and a strange look at some weird 1920s/30s history.
Alias Grace
This historical fiction is based on the true story of one of the most notorious women of the 19th century! Teenage Grace Marks and a male accomplice, both servants, have been convicted of the ghastly murder of their wealthy employer and his mistress housekeeper. Grace’s male accomplice is hanged for it. Grace, however, is serving time in an asylum. Some believe she’s insane. Some believe she was manipulated and coerced by the man who was hanged. Others believe she was the mastermind of the whole plot! The story of this true event was absolutely fascinating but the book drug in places and the ending (not surprisingly unlike real life events) was less than satisfying. If you’re ok without a nice, neat bow ending, check it out. I’d never heard of this event and found the event itself pretty interesting.
Code Name Helene
A great read to celebrate women’s history month and proof that one person can make a big difference. This is historical fiction but based on the true story of Nancy Wake who earned the Gestapo nickname “the white mouse” after successfully smuggling people & documents across the border as part of the resistance. With a bounty on her head, she’s forced to flee France for Britain. There she trains with Special Ops who airdrops her back into France where she becomes a powerful French Resistance leader & the one of the most decorated woman in WWII. Nancy’s alias & the alternating narrative style take some getting used to, but this incredible story is worth it!
Origin (audiobook)
Billionaire Edmond Kirsch claims he’s discovered the answers to life’s most baffling questions – where do we come from and where are we going? He warns key religious leaders that he plans to announce his research findings to the world. During his live stream announcement he’s prevented from doing so and it’s up to his mentor, Robert Langdon, and media advisor, Ambra Vidal, to help Edwin & complete the task. Audiobook was great!
The Cuckoo’s Calling (audiobook)
Cormoran Strike, a detective with a crumbling lifestyle, and his spunky secretary / sidekick are hired by John Bristow to review the “suicidal” death of his adopted supermodel sister who fell from her balcony. The list of suspects include rock-star boyfriends, models, designers, a cranky uncle, rich neighbors, her friends, etc. Whenever I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong. Murder isn’t normally a laughing matter but I couldn’t help but laugh at the descriptions used by the author. All the clues are there to solve the mystery before the big reveal, but some are extremely subtle. Great writing and a wonderful, fast-paced read that’s first in a series. Enjoy!
From Strength to Strength
This is a book for aging career “strivers”. He presents data that suggest it isn’t just athletes who lose abilities. Well before age 50, our fluid intelligence (learning new things quickly and problem solving) declines as we age and we can’t simply work harder. This decline is stressful. We need to leap to new careers that use crystalline intelligence like teaching where we can bring complex ideas coherently together….a strength that comes from experience. Where he loses me is that instead of exploring how to find this next career he talks about instead the things that make us happy in old age and how to get those – friendships, spiritual enlightenment, etc. Definitely some useful nuggets in here but in my mind not as cohesive as I would have liked.
Bluebird Bluebird
Darren Matthews, an African-American Texas Ranger, ends up in the small Texas town of Lark to investigate the deaths of a local, Caucasian woman and an African American lawyer, who was just passing through. Darren will have to work around small town police, wade through the intertwined history of the locals, and dig up information no one wants to openly discuss about family, race, love, and jealousy to solve these cases and potentially a few others unsolved from the past! The story moved at a decent pace, put race relations front and center, and it’s first-in-a-series characters are worth checking out again, but overall, the mystery was middle-of -the-road compared to some others I’ve plowed through this year.
Under an Outlaw Moon (audiobook)
We’ve all heard about Bonnie and Clyde but what about Depression-era bank robbers Bennie and Stella Mae Dickson? This novel is based on their true story. The Dickson’s made the FBIs most wanted list after robbing several banks, taking hostages, and evading authorities in stolen cars for months. Did “Bad Bennie”, who taught his new 16 years old wife Stella Mae to shoot and rob banks with him, ever intend to stop once he had enough money to fund their legitimate life or was this just a line he fed Stella Mae? Really enjoyed this historical topic and the audiobook reader, but there were a few times the story could have progressed more quickly.
The Quiet Game
One part action, one part murder mystery and part legal drama with a dash of southern charm and romance. This first-in-series novel will have you reading past your bedtime! Penn Cage, a lawyer turned novelist, returns to his home town of Natchez, Mississippi for a break, only to find himself thrust into the investigation of an unsolved civil-rights era murder. Penn and a great supporting cast of characters, including local police, ex CIA, and several women (one from his pat, one he just met, and one over anxious fan) are faced with mounting obstacles, dirty politicians, gunplay and double crosses. A great recommendation from a friend that I’m passing along to you. Loved it!
The Feather Thief
Immediately add this captivating and bizarre whodunnit to your list! One of the most peculiar true crimes I’ve ever heard of! This is the true story of young Edwin Rist, who broke into the British Museum of Natural History to steal rare birds after becoming obsessed with the Victorian art of salmon fly-tying. As Wallace investigates Edwin’s crime he takes the reader through the process by which the birds ended up in the museum, the fascination with rare and exotic birds dating back to Marie Antoinette, bird smuggling and and underground culture of fly-tiers, feather sellers, and big money.
The Guest List
If you are easily irritated by a mystery that doesn’t provide enough clues for you to solve it, don’t read this book; but if you’re fine just waiting for the book to unfold, you’re in for some great twists and turns. In Agatha Christie style the setting is an dark, mysterious, and inescapable island and multiple characters have motive for the murder but Foley tells the story from the perspective of 5 different characters and the victim isn’t even disclosed until 3/4 of the way through the book. The story is centered around the remote island wedding of Jules and Will, a handsome couple who seem to have it all. Along with the bride and groom, the not-so-successful best man, disturbed younger sister, bride’s oldest male best friend and nice-as-can-be wife, irritating schoolmate groomsmen, and wedding coordinators/island owners, all have secrets to reveal.
Killers of the Flower Moon
This is a true story. When oil was discovered on land owned by the Osage Indians in Oklahoma in the 1920s, they soon became the richest people per capita in the world. Then one by one they began to die – some obviously murdered and some under mysterious circumstances. In addition, several investigators of the murdered were themselves murdered. As the death toll of the Osage rose, Hoover’s newly created F.B.I. took the case, in what became on of the organization’s first major homicide investigations. What they found was racism, greed, and widespread collaboration that is shocking.
Friends, Lovers And The Big Terrible Thing
If you know me, you know I’m a HUGE fan of the show “Friends” so could I BE any more excited to read this book? Nope. In this book Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing on “Friends”) reveals a lot about his divorced parents, his early desire for recognition, and the void he filled with drugs and alcohol, despite obtaining immense fame and fortune. When I read this book, he seemed to be on the other side of addiction at the age of 53, but it took nearly losing his life to addiction to turn things around. If you’re a “Friends” fan, you’ll be shocked by his ability to function on the show, while privately all of this was going on. You may also gain a better understanding of just how horrible this type of addition is and how will power is less a factor than you think. A must read if you’re a fan of this actor or are looking for insight into addiction. Otherwise, skip it for something more gripping. That said, this guy was a comedic genius and I’m still sad every time I remember that he’s now gone.
The Dig
England was on the brink of WWII when widower, Mrs. Pretty, hired an amateur archeologist to dig into the suspiciously large mounds on her farm. As the dig proceeds, it becomes clear that the treasure they find buried there is no ordinary find. This fictional recreation of the famed Sutton Hoo dig follows three months of intense activity around the dig and Mrs. Pretty’s fight to maintain her rights to the treasure. An odd tale, but one that never seemed to peak properly or resolve satisfactorily. Spend your spare time reading something more interesting or check out the Netflix show made from the book instead.
The Personal Librarian
Historical Fiction at its best! Young Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his world-class personal Library. Belle becomes one of the most powerful people in the art and book world, admired for her intellect, loved for her quick wit, and feared for her negotiating tactics but Belle has a secret. She is a light skinned African American living as a white woman due to racism. An extraordinary must read story!
The Boy at the Door (audiobook)
One the fence with this one. Cecilia Wilborg, a character so abrasive that you will almost cringe at the mention of her name, has crafted the perfect life but all that is about to change when she’s asked to take a small boy home from swimming practice as his mother failed to pick him up. Cecilia’s past is linked to this boy and to his drug addicted caretakers. How far will she go to maintain her perfect image? Other than the innocent boy, nary a likeable character in the bunch so hard to fully recommend.
Believe Me
Skip this one. Have enjoyed his standup comedy but didn’t even make it 1/3 of the way through this audiobook. A few funny lines but a rather dull and slow moving tale.
Goodbye, Things
There are better resources out there. Fumio is a regular guy who was stressed out and constantly comparing himself to others until he turned minimalist. Chapter – Why Minimalism was a bit preachy and that’s saying a lot coming from me. LOL! Chapter 2 – Why We Accumulate So Much has to do with tying our self worth to inanimate objects. Chapter 3 – 55 Tips To Get Rid of Things + 15 More sounded promising but I didn’t learn anything new. A lot of fluff. Chapter 4 – 12 Ways He Changed he after becoming minimalist and Chapter 5 – Feeling Happy Instead of Becoming Happy I skipped through quickly as I was irritated by this point.
The Four Agreements
Overall, food for thought and good takeaways. This book was gifted to me and advocates personal freedom from agreements and beliefs that we have made with ourselves and others that are creating limitation and unhappiness in our lives. These agreements are deceptively simple: 1. Be impeccable with your word (speak with integrity; say only what you mean);
- Don’t take anything personally (nothing others do is because of you);
- Don’t make assumptions (find the courage to ask clarifying questions);
- Always do your best (and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret).
I struggled with the new-agey mythical overtones but enjoyed the message tremendously!
The Peripheral
Mix one part futuristic society with on part time travel, one part murder, and one part political intrigue. Sounds like a recipe for fun and the story was admittedly decent, but it took A LOT to get past the author throwing the reader into the middle of the action with no context. That includes strange new technologies and odd new terms. The approach is frustrating, as if the author wants you feel like an idiot and you’re 1/4 to 1/3 of the way through the book before any of it starts making sense. Want to love this one but meh…it was ok.
This is part 1 of a series that Amazon picked up so maybe check out that instead?
The Year of Magical Thinking
this is the memoir of a wonderful marriage between two highly published authors that ends too soon. Joan Didion’s husband unexpectedly died just days after they admitted their recently married daughter to the hospital for a serious illness. Joan relays her year of struggle with both situations. She talks about grief, getting a grip, and getting on, but sadly she doesn’t offer a lot of suggestions or help for others suffering grief, loss or trauma. Skip this one unless sad memoirs and shameless book promoting is your thing.
Killers of a Certain Age
I found your summer beach read! Golden Girls meet Mission Impossible in this story of four 60yr old friends trying to retire from a clandestine organization of assassins called the Museum. Their retirement is complicated by the fact that they’ve been targeted for elimination by their former employer. The action that ensues is wonderfully fun! Without their usual support network will they be able to resolve the situation before being eliminated? Are these ladies outdated or seasoned experts? I’d want every one of these “old ladies” in my corner!
The Daughter of Dr. Moreau
Carlota Moreau has grown up in a remote location with her father, a caretaker, a ranch hand, and her father’s half-animal/ half-human hybrids as friends and family. More recently, her father’s financial supporter begins to pull funds but it’s not until the money man’s son, Eduardo, shows up that everything changes. Eduardo doesn’t care for the hybrids or the “sanitarium” but he’s in love with Carlota. Will marriage save her home, friends and the doctor’s work or will Eduardo’s arrival put everyone in danger? A light romance set in a disturbing world. This one was not for me.
Our Missing Hearts
This dark, dystopian novel felt a little too close to reality! 12yr old Chinese American Noah (nicknamed Bird) lives in future America where PACT-The Preserving American Culture and Traditions Act – was passed to quell a financial crisis blamed on the Chinese. PACT ensures anything deemed unAmerican is handled by the government – books are removed, neighbors spy on neighbors, and children can be forcibly removed from any parent reported to the government. Bird’s Chinese mother wrote a poem that inadvertently becomes an anti-Pact / revolutionary rally slogan and because of it his mother is forced to leave the family before the government takes away their child. The story is about Bird’s journey to find her and her tale since having left him behind. Themes include racism, book banning, the power of fear, revolution, and love. A thought-provoking read recommended to me by my stepmom, Sue. Thanks for a good one.
The Personal Assistant
The story revolves around Alex who is a social media influencer / mommy blogger @unapologiticallyalex whose life falls apart after she blacks out drinking and a rude Instagram post causes her fans to turn on her. At the same time, the number one suspect (besides herself) in posting this damaging material (her assistant A.C.) goes missing. The book then alternates between the stories of Alex, her husband, Patrick, and A.C. and nobody is who they present themselves to be. Will I remember it in a couple of weeks? Probably not, but it provided me with entertainment while I was reading.
Mickey 7
Mickey 7 is the crew’s only expendable. His job in trying to colonize the new planet is to do things too dangerous for standard humans who don’t upload their memories for use in regenerated body. In a snafu, Mickey 7, presumed dead, returns from his mission to find that Mickey 8 has already been printed! Now Mickey 7 and Mickey 8 try to figure out how to survive without the error being discovered by the other colonists, which would likely result in one, or both, of them being shoved down the recycler hole, particularly as there are plenty of people on board who don’t like the unnatural idea of being “immortal”. Unlike most Sci-fi novels, this is more a character study in an absurd situation. There’s minimal technobabble and the writing is snarky and sometimes crude, but I enjoyed it and its themes of identity and immortality.
American Prometheus
This biography of the “father of the atomic bomb” was 25 years in the making. The author reviewed thousands of records and letters gathered from around the world including massive FBI files and conducted close to a hundred interviews with Oppenheimer’s friends, relatives and colleagues. This biography cover’s Oppenheimer’s life from cradle to grave, from theoretical physicist to the charismatic head of the Manhattan Project’s secret weapons laboratory during WWII. After dropping the atomic bombs on Japan, Oppenheimer became the most famous scientist of his generation but as he pushed for international controls of atomic weapons, he got caught in political Cold War hysteria and was shunned for early-life communist sympathies and for speaking truth to powerful men. This is a detailed and fascinating story of a complicated man living in complicated times. The movie is also a must see!
Die With Zero
The author’s goal in this book is to help you live more deliberately by planning properly to spend your money on the experiences that you’ll always remember at the right stage in your life. His hypothesis is that making the most out of your money throughout your life requires that wealth declines towards zero by the time of death. Perkins then tries to address some key concerns in trying to land softly at zero like the fear of running out of money at the end of life or not being able to leave any to children. He has some interesting perspectives on this and other retiree concerns. Didn’t agree with all of his points, but the book is thought provoking!
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
This could simply be described as a coming of age story about 2 best friends who create video games but it’s so much more. It’s a story of friendship, loss, disability, failure, hardship, success, redemption, forgiveness, the joy of play and the human need to love and be loved. . Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before. A wonderful recommendation from my friend Elizabeth Mitchell that I’m passing along to you!
Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage (audiobook)
This is the harrowing true tale of British explorer Ernest Shackleton’s 1914 attempt to reach the South Pole! The crew of the Endurance spent months trying to reach Antarctica and after navigating a thousand miles of pack ice the ship became locked, was crushed, and eventually sank. Shackleton and his 27 crew members would have to attempt an 850 mile journey of the South Atlantic seas and and over mountain ranges never before traversed on foot to save themselves. This chilling tale of hardship and courage will keep you on the edge of your seat!
Remarkably Bright Creatures (audiobook)
Marcellus is a 60lb Giant Pacific Octopus who has been living in (or he would say held captive by) a Puget Sound Aquarium. He has befriended Tova Sullivan, who cleans there in the evenings. Tova lost her son in a mysterious boating accident 30 years ago and has more recently lost her husband. When she hurts herself, a young man, new to town, takes over her duties. The temporary assignment is good for Cameron, particularly under Tova’s direction, but this also has Tova thinking about retirement. As Marcellus observes both Tova and Cameron, he realizes he knows something they don’t! Can an octopus solve a mystery? And if so, can he communicate the truth to these humans? This heartfelt tale is told from the point of view of Tova, Cameron and Marcellus, whose wit, wisdom, and snarky observations about human behavior are absolutely wonderful. You’ll be invested in these 3 characters and all of their friends from the first page to the last, I could have lived in their little world forever! Thanks Kellen Heigel for the fantastic recommendation!
The Nazi Conspiracy (audiobook)
This is an interesting and little known historical event that occurred at the height of WWII. It took months and months for President Franklin Roosevelt to finally arrange the first ever face-to-face sit-down with his allies Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill in Tehran, Iran. The meeting itself would decide some of the most crucial strategic details of the war including the invasion of Normandy. Yet it was nearly thwarted by a Nazi assassination plot to take out the big 3. Some redundancy from chapter to chapter but overall an interesting listen / read.
Mad Honey
This is the tale of two moms and their children: Beekeeper Olivia McAfee, and her son, Asher, and Forest Ranger Ava Campanello, and her daughter, Lily, who’ve recently moved to town to escape conflicts with their ex-husbands. When Asher and Lily become romantically involved, both moms happy to see their children overcoming past events. This happy story turns dark when Lily is found dead and Asher is arrested as the prime suspect in her murder. Did he do it? Was the reason something from his past or from hers? A decent whodunit with a great twist, but it wasn’t necessary to beat the reader over the head with its social statements.
The Home Edit Life: The No-Guilt Guide to Owning What You Want and Organizing Everything
If you are a non-celebrity looking for a book to actually help you edit your belongings, organize things, or declutter, this is NOT the book for you. The information you’ll get is group like things together, put them in bins with fancy labels, and organize ROYGBIV style. If you love massive consumerism, enjoy authors who throw around celebrity names to impress you, and you want to see beautifully arranged rainbow colored spaces in mansions, then pick this one up so you can run out afterwards and buy their organizing bins available at the Container Store. Needless to say, I am still looking for something besides Marie Kendo’s book on minimalism and organizing that works.
Fortune Favors the Dead
You’ve likely never read a detective story that pairs a female circus runaway and a middle-aged woman with multiple sclerosis and a glass eye to solve the case! It sounds corny but not only does the author convince you that they can solve the mystery, you’ll look forward to the next time you meet this unorthodox duo! First in the series, you’ll hear how they met and how they solve the case of Abagail Collins who was found behind a locked door bludgeoned to death with the crystal ball that had been used to entertain guests at her party. It’s a great gumshoe story with plenty of plot twists, but it’s the wonderful characters and the way in which it’s told that make it memorable. It contains so many surprising and well-placed revelations that are both perfect for the era in which it’s set, the 1940s, and perfect for the modern reader.
Hope you enjoyed my quick reviews and thanks to all of the people in 2023 who provided great recommendations. If I didn’t get to them this year…they’re on my book list and hopefully will fit them in in 2024!
