This month's books were OK. I don't know that I was really blown away by any book in particular. Most of the five star reviews were kid's books and the other two were more fluffy, fun, beach reads. If I had to pick a favorite book of 2021, it would definitely not come out of this month's list, but still some really interesting and thought provoking reads that I do recommend. Here's the rundown:
The Newcomer - Mary Kay Andrews - fiction - five stars - I really enjoy Andrews' books. They are the quintessential summer reads, easy, fun, great characters. Same goes for this book. It's about Letty, who is on the run with her niece Maya after she discovers her sister Tanya murdered in her home. Tanya had made her promise to take Maya and run if she was killed, knowing that her ex would be the culprit. Letty heads to The Surf, a motel in Florida based on a clipping she finds in Tanya's go-bag. As she hides out there trying to determine next steps, she and Maya's lives become intertwined with the residents at the surf, most of whom are regulars who stay there for months at a time. Letty also unravels the mystery of Tanya's connection to The Surf, and works to bring justice for her sister. As always an enjoyable and engrossing read.
The Case of the Gypsy Good-Bye (Enola Holmes, #6) - Nancy Springer - juvenile detective - five stars - Really enjoyed this next book in the Enola Holmes series. I love how in each book the relationships between Enola and her brothers is fleshed out and developed more and more against the backdrop of the case at hand. In this book Enola, and Sherlock, are both on the hunt for a missing woman. Meanwhile a curious package is delivered to their childhood home for Enola, and Sherlock must reach out to her to determine what the package is and decipher it's contents. The story behind the package was both sad and unexpected, but I really loved the conclusion of the story. I think this was actually supposed to be the conclusion of the series, but I'm happy to see that there's another book out and looking forward to reading that one too.
The Immortals: A WWII Story of Four Heroic Chaplains, the Sinking of the SS Dorchester, and an Awe-Inspiring Rescue: The World War II Story of Five Fearless ... the Dorchester, and an Awe-Inspiring Rescue - Steven T. Collis - nonfiction - four stars - This was one I picked up at the library on a whim, I was intrigued by the description which sounded like the start of a bad joke: a Jewish rabbi, a Catholic priest, a Methodist minister, a Baptist minister.... What these guys all have in common is that they were chaplains aboard the SS Dorchester, a troop transport ship headed to Greenland during WWII which was torpedoed. The book details their stories, how each came to be a chaplain, their training as chaplains and background about the program during WWII, and then of course their actions while aboard the Dorchester and during it's sinking. While it's a bit of a slower read, I loved this story of faith and duty and sacrifice.
Infinite Country - Patricia Engel - fiction - four stars - Another really thought provoking book about immigration and migration. Elena and Mauro live in Columbia, it's the beginning of the new millennia and Columbia is not a great place to be. They obtain tourist visas and go to the U.S. to live and work, but of course there is a clock on their legal time in the U.S. They grapple with whether to return to a country still gripped by violence with limited opportunities, or stay, taking into account that if they are then forced to leave the path back to the U.S. will be even harder. Complicating the decision is the fact that Elena's mother remains in Columbia. In the U.S. their family grows as more children are added. Then, disaster, Mauro is deported. Later, as Elena is forced to become the breadwinner in the U.S., she sends their youngest daughter Talia to Columbia to be cared for by her mother. Eventually her mother dies and Talia must return to the U.S., and the stakes for that are high. I found this book really interesting because of the perspectives of the different individuals - did they actually want to be in the U.S., did they consider it home, which country did they consider home? All these questions were part of the narrative as you saw the perspectives of each of the kids and the parents. The story dragged a little in parts, which made it a four for me, but I really did appreciate the different voices in the book.
500 Miles from You (Scottish Bookshop, #3) - Jenny Colgan - fiction - four stars - This was a cute book and quick read. It's actually the third in a series, but stands on it's own. It's about Lissa, a nurse who witnesses a murder and is suffering from PTSD. Her supervisor arranges for her to swap jobs with Cormac, a former Army medic working in a little town in the Scottish Highlands for several months. The differences in culture and pace are striking for both Lissa and Cormac. They both learn a lot about themselves and stretch themselves, but they also strike up a long distance friendship with one another. It's pretty predictable, but a cute palate cleansing read.
Send for Me - Lauren Fox - historical fiction - four stars - This is another dual storyline novel. The historical part is set just before WWII, when people could still relatively easily leave. Annalise who works with her parents in a bakery, but dreams of other things, marries. She has a child, Ruth, and after their lives and livelihoods are threatened in the run up to the war, Annalise and her family flee to the U.S., leaving behind her parents. In the present day, Annalise's granddaughter Clare finds the letters from her great grandmother Klara written in her effects. The letters tell the story of what happened to those left behind, and their struggle to try to join Annalise and family in the U.S. A decent read with a twist that I definitely did not predict.
Canary in the Coal Mine: A Forgotten Rural Community, a Hidden Epidemic, and a Lone Doctor Battling for the Life, Health, and Soul of the People - William Cooke - nonfiction - four stars - Another really thought provoking read. Cooke is doctor who had a calling from an early age to work with the underprivileged. After graduating from med school, he heads to Austin, Indiana. The area suffers from extreme poverty and addiction, and he finds himself at the epicenter of the opioid epidemic and subsequently an AIDS outbreak. The book raises a lot of questions and issues that I struggle with, for example, syringe exchange programs. It was really interesting to read the reasoning behind those from Cooke's perspective, that it slows the rise of HIV, but it also allows health workers to build relationships with addicts, which means that if at some point they are ready to try quitting, they have trusted people that they can turn to. Ultimately, Cooke's version of doctoring is really about building relationships with all those in the community. A little bit of a slower read, and there were definitely some parts that got bogged down, but a very good read.
Malibu Rising - Taylor Jenkins Reid - fiction - five stars - I really enjoy Jenkins Reid's books. She's kind of like a younger Mary Kay Andrews. Her books are entertaining, quick, beachy type reads, although I will say her characters tend to be a bit more complex and varied. This is the story of the Riva kids, offspring of a famous singer who has abandoned the family more than once. Nina is now a famous model, her brothers are a famous surfer an photographer and the baby, Kit is an aspiring surfer. The book tells their full history, from how their parents met, to their struggle to stay afloat following his abandonment and the death of their mother. It delves into the relationships between the siblings and the roles they play in the family. The story takes place in a single day, with the history interspersed throughout the day. The day in question is the annual legendary Riva end of summer party. You know right off the bat that the party is going to end in disaster, and the question is how it all goes down, so that lends a bit of mystery/drama. Really good read.
Swimming Back to Trout River - Linda Rui Feng - fiction - four stars - This was a really interesting book. It tells the story of a Chinese family. The mother and father, Cassia and Momo, come of age during the cultural revolution. When their daughter Junie is born their life changes. To create a better life for her, Momo travels to the U.S. to earn an advanced degree. After a time, Cassia leaves for the US. as well. Momo's goal is to reunite the family there, to eventually send for Junie who has been staying with her grandparents. I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this book. I was often frustrated by the characters, but I also found them interesting and sympathetic, and I definitely did not see the ending coming. It was one of those books that makes you think, but I'm not really sure that thinking led to a conclusion if that makes any sense. This was another that was probably closer to a 3 and a half.
The Unteachables - Gordon Korman - juvenile fiction - five stars - This was another fun Korman book. It's about a class in middle school where they send the kids that supposedly can't be taught. This year the teacher is Mr. Kermit, who used to be an amazing teacher before a cheating scandal that ruined his career years ago. Now he's just trying to make it through this final year so he can retire. Somewhere along the way he ignites something in this group of misfits and vice versa. Korman's books are always fun and filled with very likable characters, but I thought this one was a really uplifting book also. I loved how the characters interacted and brought out the best in one another.
Good Eggs - Rebecca Hardiman.- fiction - three stars - I picked this one off the 'New' shelf at the library because it sounded cute. It was underwhelming. Eighty three year old Millie has taken to shoplifting to spice up her life. When her son Kevin is called in to sort out the mess, he puts his foot down. While he'd really prefer for Millie to move into a home, he ends up hiring a helper for her. Meanwhile his daughter Aideen has been getting in trouble as well. His solution for her? Boarding school. These two situations all go wrong when Millie realizes that her helper is actually a con woman, and Aideen gets into trouble at the new school. The two set off to try and make things right. While Millie and Aideen are OK characters, the rest of the book is populated by truly annoying individuals, the worst of which is Kevin. Just meh. This is another two and a half star book that rounds up.
Zoobreak (Swindle, #2) - Gordon Korman - juvenile fiction - four stars - I swear everytime I turn around Carina is thrusting another Korman book into my hands. I do love that she loves his books so much (she currently has this whole Swindle series checked out from the library), and Korman creates such fun characters I can't complain too much. In this episode of the Swindle series, the kids need to rescue Savannah's pet monkey who was stolen and sold to a traveling zoo. The kids are great foils for one another, I love their interactions, and the roles they play on the team. A fun, quick read.
The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone (Kingdoms & Empires, #1) - Jaclyn Moriarty - juvenile fiction - five stars - I really enjoyed this one, Ellie too. Bronte Mettlestone has been raised by her aunt her whole life. Her parents have been off traveling, and then they are notified that they have passed away, and according to the terms of their will, Bronte must embark on a trip to visit all of her aunts (by herself) to distribute gifts to them. The will is decorated with fairy embroidery, so it's unbreakable, if Bronte doesn't comply, her town will be destroyed. The will is very specific and detailed - places she needs to visit, when the gifts must be distributed, etc. It's a really fun book. I really liked Bronte and the different visits she had with her different aunts. There was a bit of predictability in the story, but it was paired with a few things I didn't expect. Great read, and I'm excited to see that it's the first in a series.
The Anatomy of Desire - L.R. Dorn - fiction - four stars - So apparently (I figured this out after I started reading) this is a retelling of another book, An American Tragedy. The basic gist is there's a love triangle, and one of the characters is trying to disentangle herself from one, in order to be with the other, but an accident occurs. She swears it was just that an accident, the authorities feel that it was foul play. An investigation and trial ensue. This retelling is framed as several episodes of a crime docuseries. So, it's transcripts of interviews with different characters/individuals. Overall, I wasn't crazy about the use of this literary device. I think part of the problem was the the narration jumped around so much. I've read books using this type of format before, but it jumped around a lot less. I felt like often it was someone just saying 1-3 sentences, then there would be another speaker, it really disrupted the flow of the story for me, especially early on. It was a pretty good story though, except for the fact that I just wasn't crazy about most of the characters or the ending. This was really more like a 3 and a half that was rounded up.
Lucy Clark Will Not Apologize - Margo Rabb - juvenile fiction - three stars - Lucy Clark is at boarding school, but after a couple of unfortunate incidents, is sent to do something akin to community service. She is to help an elderly woman in New York City, Edith Fox, who may or may not be suffering from dementia. When she gets there, she discovers that Edith Fox is not only perfectly sane, but someone is trying to kill her. Lucy, Edith's best friend, and Lucy's best friend most determine who the culprit is. I will say that I really liked the characters in the book, but I just couldn't get over how unbelievable the overall situation was, and continued to be over and over. There were just too many coincidences and scenarios that just didn't make sense. And, I hated Lucy's parents. This book was just too unbelievable.
The Man with the Silver Saab (Detective Varg Series, #3) - Alexander McCall Smith - detective - four stars - This is another of McCall Smith's series I really enjoy. Ulf is just a very kind, deliberate, thoughtful character, and I appreciate his interactions with others. I like how you get to see into his mind a bit. This book focuses a bit more on Ulf, his continuing attraction to co-worker Anna, his dog Martin who is attacked and requires surgery. Oh yes, there's also a case at work, Ulf investigates a series of occurrences in which someone appears to be trying to discredit a well known art critic. All in all a very enjoyable read.
When You Reach Me - Rebecca Stead - juvenile fiction - four stars - This was a really interesting book, and it had me really thinking over the ending after I finished it. Miranda is in sixth grade. Her best friend Sal has stopped talking to her, and she doesn't know why. In the midst of this, her mother is trying to win $10,000 pyramid, and she's had to find some new friends. Meanwhile, she has started getting some strange notes. I really enjoyed this book and how everything came together in the end. I did think that there were some pieces that didn't necessarily fit, I think she tried to fit a lot of things in there that maybe didn't need to be there. Stead provides a lot of details that I think are there for character development, but are underdeveloped if that makes sense. It's as if she is just popping random facts about something/something into place so she can reference them later, but overall I thought this was a really thought provoking book. Both Ellie and I enjoyed this one a lot.
Briar Rose - Jane Yolen - YA historical fiction - three stars - Ellie liked this book, I was just kind of so-so about it. It's a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty/Briar Rose story set in the Holocaust which sounds like a weird combination and it kind of is. As she and her sisters were growing up, their grandmother Gemma told them her version of the Sleeping Beauty story over and over. When she dies, Gemma tells Becca that she is Briar Rose and makes her promise to find the castle. Sorting through Gemma's belongings after her death, Becca begins to uncover the story, but must go to Poland to put it all together. This was just OK. I felt like there were parts/people that just didn't help move the story along. For example, her sisters were just horrible and annoying, I'm not sure we really needed them at all. Things like the fact that she was watching late night TV and watched a soft-core film, and descriptions, although somewhat oblique about rough sex. Why do I (or a my teenager since this is YA) need that detail? Tying the fairytale and the holocaust story together was an interesting concept, but it just didn't work for me. This was really more like a two and a half rounded up.
Would love to know what you have been reading. I'm currently reading Winged Bull, about the life of Henry Layard. It's a bit of a slower book, so I'll probably pick up another book to read at the same time. Most likely candidates are one of the large stack of Gordon Korman books Carina has for me to read, or Florence Adler Swims Forever. I have been finding myself drawn to non-fiction of late, so expect to see some more of that on September's recap.
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