The Accomplice – Lisa Lutz

"The Accomplice" focuses on a deep and abiding friendship between Owen and Luna, who meet in college. It is the story of more than one death that they have singly and together experienced. And booze everywhere, in family homes, on their college campus, at the edge of a cliff. The story takes place in two … Continue reading The Accomplice – Lisa Lutz →

The Great Mistake – Jonathan Lee

Andrew Haswell Green (1820-1903) is the protagonist of this fascinating historical fiction novel. He was christened the father of New York City for a considerable array of accomplishments including early work to encourage and support the creation of the amazing space that became Central Park and later heading the Central Park Commission with many problem … Continue reading The Great Mistake – Jonathan Lee →

We Share the Same Sky – Rachael Cerotti

This is a memoir about Cerrotti's grandmother, Hana Dubova, a Holocaust survivor. What I really love about We Share the Same Sky is the degree to which Cerrotti had access to her grandmother's journals and even to some of the people/relatives of the people who helped Hana or journeyed with her. This is also a … Continue reading We Share the Same Sky – Rachael Cerotti →

Stork Bite – L. K. Simonds

In 1913, David Walker lived with his Gramps, his Mama, his Papa and his Catahoula Hound, Huck, "obedient only to David." in one moment along the Pigs trail, while David is duck hunting with his grandpa's wartime Sharps .22 rifle, his life changes dramatically. He kills a white man, and the fact it is in … Continue reading Stork Bite – L. K. Simonds →

The Hilarious World of Depression – John Moe (Audible)

There's a reason people share their personal journeys about depression with John Moe, whether it's after he gives a speech or in his podcast. I frankly never heard of the eponymous podcast, nor of John Moe. I read a description of the book and saw it looked popular and grabbed the audible version to start … Continue reading The Hilarious World of Depression – John Moe (Audible) →

The Girls from Alexandria -Carol Cooper

Nadia and Simone live with their parents in Alexandria Egypt, spending their days at the beach and avoiding too much interaction with their obnoxious cousin Victor. Cooper weaves a dreamlike picture of their family and the extended community of "outsiders" who emigrated from Syria over 100 years ago. Their family is Greek Orthodox in a … Continue reading The Girls from Alexandria -Carol Cooper →

An Unwanted Guest – Shari Lapena

I really enjoyed this mystery about a group of strangers stranded in a small inn during a snowstorm. It is fair to say this pays homage to Agatha Christie's "And then there were None." I started reading Christie in high school and pretty much had read all of her books by the time I finished … Continue reading An Unwanted Guest – Shari Lapena →

You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me – Sherman Alexie (Audible)

If you want to love this book, live this prose poetry, deepen your understanding of a profoundly sad yet moving mother/son relationship, dripping with loss and caring and snapshot after snapshot (or quilt piece after quilt piece) of reservation life in the seventies and eighties… If you want to learn more about a deeply imperfect … Continue reading You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me – Sherman Alexie (Audible) →

Broken (in the best possible way) – Jenny Lawson

Here's what I personally love about Jenny Lawson: She is unafraid to write about the darkest side of anxiety, ADD without the H, depression, chronic diseases, and the absolutely horrifyingly CRAPPY health care system that denies people the care they need, with absurd rules and denials. She illustrates this in ways anyone can understand and … Continue reading Broken (in the best possible way) – Jenny Lawson →

The Lost Apothecary – Sarah Penner

Eliza is 12 in 1791 London. She is in service to Mrs. Amwell, who dispatches Eliza on an errand to a hidden shop -- an apothecary-- where Nella, aging and sick, compounds death for men who betray women. Caroline flew alone to London for what was supposed to be her tenth-anniversary trip. She's left James … Continue reading The Lost Apothecary – Sarah Penner →