What I Read Last Week

Hello, all. Here is another of my periodic "what have I read lately" posts. I skipped a December roundup, but my thoughts on everything I read in 2020 are available on GoodReads, where I'm BethFishReads.

One of Our Own by Jane Haddam (Minotaur: Nov. 2020; Dreamscape: 9 hr, 6 min). This is the end of a long series featuring an ex-FBI agent, his wife, and the members of his Philadelphia Armenian American neighborhood. Haddam finished this book just before she died. Note: because I was the copyeditor for the first several entries in this series, the Demarkian books have always held a special place in my heart.

Although this isn't the strongest Demarkian book, Haddam did a fine job concluding the series. Most of the story arcs reached a satisfying ending, though (rightly so) not everything was tied up in a neat bow. I'm sorry to say goodbye to the returning characters whose stories I've followed since the first book was published.

As in most of the Demarkian books, Haddam addresses contemporary sociocultural/sociopolitical issues. In this case, she looks at inner city housing and a real estate magnate, immigration and ICE, foster care, culture clashes, and the changing nature of city neighborhoods. The mystery and side stories are well constructed, complex, and engrossing.

You'll want to start this series from the beginning so you can understand the dynamics between the main characters. For my thoughts on the audiobook, read by David Colacci, see AudioFile Magazine.

The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin (Delacorte: Jan. 12; Random House Audio: 11 hr, 25 min). This is a well-researched, though fictionalized, account of the great 1888 blizzard, often referred to as the Children's Blizzard because it struck just when most schools in the upper Midwest were closing for the day. The majority of those schoolchildren failed to made it home or to a safe haven before the blinding snow engulfed them.

The focus of the novel is on two sisters who are schoolteachers in different towns. The women make very different choices for how to tend to the children in their care. We also meet a newspaper man who is forced to think about his role in enticing the unprepared to stake claims on the prairie, and a young girl who was sold by her mother to a childless couple and makes decisions based on her unique situation.

The storm came up so suddenly that people were simply caught unaware and unprepared on the open prairie, where they became lost in the blinding snow, eventually freezing to death. The novel conveys the horrors of the blizzard, why even seasoned settlers were surprised by the snow, and how the storm had lasting effects.

Cassandra Campbell performs the audiobook, adding to the drama and bringing the characters to life. Thanks to the publishers and Libro.fm for review copies in audio and digital media.

Under the Alaskan Ice by Karen Harper (Mira: Dec. 2020; Harlequin Audio: 9 hr, 9 min). I was attracted to this book because of the premise of the mysterious unmarked private plane that crashes into a frozen Alaskan lake. What I didn't realize, though, was that this mystery had a heavy romance factor. That in and of itself would have been okay, but ultimately I had problems with the writing/style and put the book aside fairly early on.

My primary issue was the number of times the author asks the questions that should be left up to the engaged reader. For example, Harper has one of the characters think through a long list of questions about the plane: Why did it crash? Why now? Why here? and so on. The plotting should have made me ask those questions, without the prompting. This happens more than once. In addition, the young child was little too precocious for my tastes.

I'm a mystery fan and love an Alaskan setting, but this book just didn't click with me. Thanks to the publishers for audio and digital review copies.

Summerwater by Sarah Moss (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: Jan. 12 Macmillan Audio: 4 hr, 27 min). Written almost as linked short stories or vignettes, this slim novel, told over the course of one day, follows about a dozen people who are vacationing in a remote area of Scotland.

At the beginning of the day, which opens with a young mother taking a dawn run, each family is insular, hunkering down in their own cabins or following their own amusements. As we see the day progress through the eyes of different characters, we begin to view the temporary community of strangers as unique individuals, understanding their behavior from a variety of perspectives. By the end of the day, several groups have crossed paths, quarreled, or bonded . . .

The novel is beautifully written. Moss creates an uneasy atmosphere, building a sense of dread beneath what should be a relaxing summer day for the vacationers. This isn't an uplifting story, and some threads are left open-ended. But life isn't always bright and we can't predict how people are going to face their challenges.

The audiobook is read by Morven Christie, who does an excellent job conveying the author's style, building the tension, and subtly distinguishing between the characters. Highly recommended.

Thanks to the publisher and libro.fm for the audio review copy.

The Effort by Claire Holroyde (Grand Central: Jan. 12; Hachette Audio: 10 hr, 38 min). What happens when a comet is destined to hit Earth? A secret international team is quickly cobbled together to try to figure out a way to deflect the comet's path. Meanwhile, a team of scientists is heading to the North Pole, with a poet and photographer in tow, to try to record the last vestiges of Arctic wildlife and the icy landscape before climate change finally wins.

We follow the individuals from these two groups as the countdown to either the comet's impact or the comet's destruction occurs. We also see what happens afterward.

I liked the premise and the different ways people reacted to the news of the impending death of the world as we know it. This isn't an action-packed story but more a slow burn as individuals rise to the occasion or crumple under hopelessness. In addition, this isn't a feel-good story, but it does give us lots to think about.

This will not be the best book I'll read this year, but I'm glad I read it. This would be a good book club pick because readers will likely have differing opinions about the characters' actions. Worth your while.

The audiobook was read by Jay Ben Markson, whose sense of pacing was good match for this book. Thanks to the publishers for the digital and audio copies of this book.

The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage (Back Bay: 2001; Hachette Audio: 8 hr, 15 min). This is a re-issue of a book originally published in 1967 and my first time reading it. It is soon to be a movie.

Set in the 1920s in Montana, this is the story of two brothers, aged 38 and 40. The older, Phil, has always been thought of as the smarter, tougher, more sociable of the two. George is stocky and quiet. The brothers run a successful cattle ranch, living together in their childhood home, which their parents left them when they moved to Salt Lake City.

Strict routines are kept until George suddenly, and without telling Phil, marries Rose, a widow from town, bringing her out to the ranch to make a new home for her and her son. Teenage Peter is bookish, somewhat effeminate, and has trouble connecting with others, but George hopes to be a good stepfather. Phil concocts myriad reasons for disliking and distrusting Rose and Peter and is determined to break up the marriage so life can get back to normal.

Savage writes with power and insight. He provides just enough of the characters' history, through minimal backflashes and memories, to give foundation to the events that unfold after George brings Rose into their home. Chilling and moving. In a way, Savage reminds me of Mishima: through sparse prose, a full and lush story is told. The Power of the Dog will likely be on my best of 2021 list.

This is my first Savage book, but now I must read the rest of his work.

The unabridged audiobook was brilliantly read by Chad Michael Collins. This is my first experience with him, and I was taken in by his pacing, his delivery style, and his ability to build a mood. The afterword (do not miss this!) is read by Annie Proulx, who provides context and thoughts gleaned from several close readings.

Thanks to the publisher and Libro.fm for the audio review copy.

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12 Audiobooks: What I've Listened to This Summer

Here's what I've read since my last check-in. All books were received for review or for a freelance assignment unless otherwise indicated. Where you see "AFM," please check out my full audiobook review on the AudioFile Magazine website. Also note that I've given fuller treatment to some of these titles over on Goodreads. Also note that I listened to all of these titles. I miss print/digital reading, but audios are what works for now.

Before I get into my brief thoughts on the dozen books I listened to since my last post, I want to mention one that I didn't finish. While I really liked the first book in the Aurora Cycle series, I ultimately turned off Aurora Burning. It may be my mood, it may be a case of sophomore slump for the authors, but I just didn't care enough to find out what happens to the characters. Note that I normally love Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, so blame the DNF on me. The narrators were Kim Mai Guest, Johnathan McClain, Lincoln Hoppe, Donnabella Mortel, Jonathan Todd Ross, Erin Spencer, and Steve West, and they all did a fine job. The performances were not the issue. (Listening Library; 15 hr, 16 min).

• Wandering Strange Lands by Morgan Jerkins (author read; HarperAudio; 8 hr, 3 min): In this memoir, the author sets out to search for her roots and along the way discusses the Great Black Migration north, myths and traditions, food and customs, and more that connect and disconnect Black Americans from each other and their ancestors. Adequately read by the author.
• The Golden Cage by Camilla Lackberg (read by Ann Richardson; Random House Audio; 11 hr, 2 min): This is a standalone thriller that focuses on a woman who is out to seek revenge on her husband who has done her wrong. A few good twists. I like Lackberg's main series better, but this is a good listen. Richardson does well with the accents and builds the tension.
• Death of Yesterday by M.C. Beaton (read by Graeme Malcolm; Grand Central; 5 hr, 36 min): The 28th installment in the Hamish Macbeth series still doesn't disappoint. I was, however, unhappy that I downloaded a "Booktrack" version of the audiobook. Malcolm's delivery was fine, but the so-called enhancements (music, sound effects) were too distracting for me. Your mileage may vary, but I'm not a fan of Booktrack.
  

• The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley (read by Gary Furlong, Elle Newlands, Morag Sims, Imogen Church, and Moira Quirk; HarperAudio; 10 hr, 8 min): What a super closed-door mystery with a ton of red herrings and an exquisite slow burn. You don't even know who the victim is until pretty far along. Loved this. The full cast was terrific; highly recommended. (personal collection)
  
• Summer Longing by Jamie Brenner (read by Molly Parker Myers; Hachette Audio; 11 hr; 36 min): It's not summer without a Brenner book. Her beach reads always have some depth to them and focus a lot on mothers and daughters and family. Perfect for these hot August days. Myers's performance was engaging.
• Northernmost by Peter Geye (read by Edoardo Ballerini and Lisa Flanagan; Random House; 11 hr, 34 min): Just a quick note here to say that this is probably my top read of the year. I'm pretty much in awe of Geye's talents and love the generations of characters he has created. I write more about this book on GoodReads. Ballerini and Flanagan were amazing. Listen to this one!

• Death of a Policeman by M.C. Beaton (read by Graeme Malcolm; Hachette Audio; 5 hr, 20 min): I'm almost done with the series and will likely finish up by the time I post reviews again. Still fun and Malcolm is still good.
• The Aunt Who Wouldn't Die by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay (read by Deepti Gupta and Zehra Jane Naqvi; HarperAudio; 3 hr, 15 min): I'm not sure I understood this Bengali audiobook in translation. It's the story of a poor woman who marries into a rich family and also the story of her daughter. The magical realism and the cultural references I didn't really get made this only meh for me. On the other hand, Gupta and Naqvi's performances were fine. AFM.
• His & Hers by Alice Feeney (read by Richard Armitage and Stephanie Racine; Macmillan Audio; 10 hr, 39 min): A twisty thriller set in England. Every time I thought I had figured it all out, I was wrong! Well done and worth your time. Armitage and Racine kept my interest and didn't give the story away.

• Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (read by Moira Quirk; Recorded Books; 16 hr, 50 min): This is the first in the Locked Tomb trilogy and because the second book was (or will be?) released this summer, I thought it was time to get on board. It's a unique fantasy and science fiction mashup with good characters, okay world building, and some mysteries. I'm interested enough to listen to the second book. Quirk was good; I have no complaints.
• The Fixed Stars by Molly Wizenberg (read by Erin Mallon; Dreamscape; 6 hr 21 min): I wrote more about this on GoodReads. I like Wizenberg's earlier memoirs so I knew I would like this one too, though the subject matter is not food related. Instead Wizenberg writes about her growing self-awareness in terms of her sexuality and discusses gender in broader terms. Mallon was excellent.
• Becoming Eve by Abby Chava Stein (author read; Seal; 7 hr, 53 min): Go see my thoughts on GoodReads for more. Fascinating look into both contemporary Hasidic life and the journey of a transgender member of the community. Stein writes with openness and feeling and seems like a natural behind the mic. One of my favorites of the year.
  

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Stacked-Up Book Thoughts: 5 Current Book Reviews

Hello, December! Where the heck did this year go? We may be a few weeks away from winter, but the weather here has definitely taken a downward turn. It's been windy, a little icy, and cold.

We haven't had any major snow yet, so that's something to be grateful for. I'm also glad we took the time to get the deck ready for winter. We didn't finish with the yard work -- but there's always next year, right?

Another thing I'm happy about is that it seems as if my workload is finally under control. It's crazy how busy I was. My reading suffered horribly, but I plan to make up for lost time in December.

I'm not going to review everything I read or listened to over the last month (or however long it's been since I did a Monday post). Instead I picked five books to talk about.

I assume everyone has read Erin Morgenstern's The Starless Sea (Doubleday, Nov. 5). The premise of this book hit a ton of my buttons: a fantasy set in modern times involving stories and books and an alternative world with portals to our own. Unfortunately, Starless Sea didn't totally work for me. Here's the good: I loved the stories within stories, the blending (in the book's reality) of truth and fiction, and the nonchronological plot threads. I also liked the alternative world, with its caves and library and kitchen and, yes, starless sea. However, despite so many positive elements, I was left, at the end, with a vague feeling of being unsatisfied and maybe even thinking (just a little), "So what?" On the other hand, the audiobook (Random House Audio; 18 hr, 37 min) is absolutely beautifully narrated by a full cast, and it was the fabulous performances of Dominic Hoffman, Dion Graham, Bahni Turpin, Fiona Hardingham, Allan Corduner, and Jorjeana Marie that kept me going. Bravo to the narrators; I hope they win some awards. (digital and audio copies provided by the publisher)

Here's a novel you may have missed. Heddi Goodrich's Lost in the Spanish Quarter (Harper Via; Sept. 10), takes place mostly in Naples near the end of the twentieth century and is told in retrospect after our protagonist hears from her college lover after a long silence. The book is billed as fiction, though much of the main character's life mirrors the author's including her name. Heddi moves from America to Italy on a high-school exchange program and ends up staying in the country all the way through college. When living in the Spanish Quarter of Napels, finishing university, she meets Pietro, and the two fall for each other hard. The novel is a love story to the ancient city, Mount Vesuvius, and all things Italian as well as the story of a group of young people facing their futures, full of hope and opportunity, yet still very much influenced by their families and their past. Heddi and Peitro's relationship and the pain and trials of their transitioning to full adulthood are universal enough to draw you in and unique enough to keep you interested. Goodrich wrote Lost in the Spanish Quarter in Italian and translated the book to English herself. Recommended to those who like character-driven novels. Warning: you'll be planning a trip to Naples even before you finish the book. (audio copy provided for a freelance assignment)

Do you read the New York Times column "Modern Love"? If you don't, you've been missing out. Fortunately, you can read about 30 of the essays in the collection Modern Love, Revised and Updated, edited (with others) by Daniel Jones (Broadway, Oct. 1). Each of the essays reprinted here really shine. I can honestly say there were no misses for me. The stories cover all kinds of love from romantic relationships to parent-child relationships. Some are funny (as in dating mishaps), some are sad (those that ended in death), and others are almost unbearably moving. One of my favorites involved an Evangelical woman who loved her church and her god but was later surprised to realize that she loved a woman from her Bible study class even more. Another one is about a man who meets some of his many children for the first time: he was sperm donor when he was in college and one of his sons finds him through a DNA/genetics site. There are also stories of adoption, dating when you're disabled, and much more. If you're an audiobook lover (Random House Audio; 8 hr, 9 min), you don't want to miss this all-star cast performance. Each narrator did a credible job, bringing out the many emotions without going over the top. (audio copy provided for a freelance assignment)

A few weeks ago, I included Wild Life by Keena Roberts (Grand Central, Nov. 12) in a nonfiction round-up. I really enjoyed this memoir of a girl growing up divided between a remote research camp in Botswana and a Philadelphia Main Line private school. Keena's parents are well-known field primatologists who studied baboon communication and social behavior in a colony of monkeys who lived on a string of islands a long way from any kind of town. Keena's story is a fascinating look at life in one corner of Africa, with its incredible beauty, haunting sounds, and many dangers. She was curious, level-headed, smart, and self-sufficient at an incredibly young age. Despite her impressive Africa skills, Keena found it difficult and sometimes frustrating when she had to adapt to America. Even sitting in a classroom all day was hard for her. Add on the fact that she had missed out on television and other pop culture, and you can see why it wasn't always easy for her to fit in. Still, because she returned to the same school each trip home, Keena was able to make some lasting friends who helped her survive the mean girls. The audiobook (Hachette Audio; 9 hr, 42 min) is read by Chloe Cannon, who picks up on Keena's personality and her obvious love of the wild places of her childhood. (audio copy provided by the publisher)

Another book I featured in my nonfiction round-up was Gareth Russell's The Ship of Dreams: The Sinking of the Titanic and the End of the Edwardian Era (Atria, Nov. 19). I'm one of those people who have been fascinated with the Titanic story since I was a child. I don't really know why, but I've never gotten tired of learning more about the tragedy. Russell's take is a little different from others. Although he does give details about the actual night of the sinking, the loading of the lifeboats, and the sights and sounds of that horrible night, he places the passengers and the whole phenomenon of the luxury liner in the contemporary global context. He talks about immigration, old versus new money, various prejudices (ethnic and religion), political issues, social conventions, and other concerns of the fading Edwardian Era. He focuses on a handful of passengers to make his points of how various people were treated and/or expected to be treated in the years leading up to World War I. He also paints a much more realistic picture of the evacuation of the Titanic than sensational movie scenes have led us to believe (for example, third-class passengers were not locked below decks). This is as much a history of the mid-1910s as it is a story of the Titanic and its passengers. I tried the audiobook (Simon & Schuster Audio; 12 hr, 35 min), but I didn't click with narrator Jenny Funnell. Her performance was fine, but a few mispronunciations and odd pauses sent me to the book. Your mileage may vary. (audio and digital copies provided by the publisher)

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11 Picks for Speculative Fiction Fans

Here at Beth Fish Reads I try my best to provide book news for a range of reading tastes. Last week I was all about true stories, so this week I’ve taken a 180. The books featured today are not only fiction but have some fantastical elements. Most are set in fully imaginary worlds, but one takes places in the bleak future and a couple are based in contemporary times.

Here are 11 November books that caught my eye. The summaries are from the publisher, and I’ve included the first line and audiobook information as well. Speculative fiction lovers have a lot to be grateful for this month.

Note: All books were provided (digital, print, or audio) by the publisher; some first lines are from advance reader copies.

Life and Limb by Jennifer Roberson (DAW, Nov. 5) The first installment in a new urban fantasy with a western slant on Armageddon.

Gabe Harlan, ex-con biker, and Remi McCue, Texas cowboy, are informed—no, commanded—by a higher power that they must form a partnership, bound by blood and bone, to help save the world. Complete strangers one moment, they have now been thrust together, conscripted into heaven’s army-on-earth. While Remi is willing to believe in such things, to Gabe, newly released from prison, it makes no sense that heaven would count on humans when it has angels in its armory.

First line: “His voice was rich, a much loved, clear baritone, as he handed his seven-year-old grandson a gun.” Audiobook: Read by Kevin Stillwell (Audible Studios; 10 hr, 57 min).

The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White (Delacorte Press, Nov. 5) This first in a trilogy offers a fresh look at Guinevere and her role at Camelot.

Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution—send in Guinevere to be Arthur’s wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail. . . . To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old—including Arthur’s own family—demand things continue as they have been, and the new—those drawn by the dream of Camelot—fight for a better way to live.

First line: “There was nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl on the cusp of womanhood.” Audiobook: Read by Elizabeth Knowelden (Listening Library; 10 hr, 51 min)

Sisters of Shadow and Light by Sara B. Larson (Tor Teen, Nov. 5) The story of two sisters living in a fairy-tale world.

Zuhra and Inara have grown up in the Citadel of the Paladins, an abandoned fortress where legendary, magical warriors once lived before disappearing from the world—including their Paladin father the night Inara was born. On that same night, a massive, magical hedge grew and imprisoned them within the citadel. . . . For fifteen years they have lived, trapped in the citadel, with little contact from the outside world . . . until the day a stranger passes through the hedge, and everything changes.

First line: “The night my sister was born, the stars died and were reborn in her eyes.” Audiobook: Read by Caitlin Kelly (Macmillan Audio, 14 hr, 42 min)

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw (Simon Pulse, Nov. 5) A dark fantasy set near a haunted woods lightened by elements of romance.

Rumored to be a witch, only Nora Walker knows the truth. She and the Walker women before her have always shared a special connection with the woods. And it’s this special connection that leads Nora to Oliver Huntsman—the same boy who disappeared from the Camp for Wayward Boys weeks ago—and in the middle of the worst snowstorm in years. He should be dead, but here he is alive, and left in the woods with no memory of the time he’d been missing.

First line: “Never waste a full moon, Nora, even in winter, my grandmother used to say.” Audiobook: Read by Emma Lysy and Mark Turesky (Audible Studios; 10 hr, 16 min)

Fate of the Fallen by Kel Kade (Tor, Nov. 5) An epic fantasy full of adventure and friendship.

Everyone loves Mathias. Naturally, when he discovers it’s his destiny to save the world, he dives in headfirst, pulling his best friend, Aaslo, along for the ride. However, saving the world isn’t as easy, or exciting, as it sounds in the stories. The going gets rough, and folks start to believe their best chance for survival is to surrender to the forces of evil, which isn’t how the prophecy goes. At all. As the list of allies grows thin . . . they must decide how to become the heroes they were destined to be or, failing that, how to survive.

First line: “ ‘Why?’ Mathias said as he stared down at the back of his best friend’s head.” Audiobook: Read by Nick Podehl (Macmillan Audio; 12 hr, 33 min)

Day Zero by Kelly deVos (Inkyard Press, Nov. 12) Set in the near future, a story of survival after organized violence ends life as we know it.

Seventeen-year-old coder Jinx Marshall grew up spending weekends drilling with her paranoid dad for a doomsday she’s sure will never come. . . . Now that her parents are divorced, she’s ready to relax. But all that disaster training comes in handy when . . . a pattern of violence erupt[s] all over the country. . . . In a desperate attempt to evade paramilitary forces and vigilantes, Jinx and her siblings . . . make a break for Mexico. . . . But if they can survive, will there be anything left worth surviving for?

First line: “I will save the world.” Audiobook: no information

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (Doubleday, Nov. 5) Stories come alive in an underground world where time is fluid and people are not what they seem.

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a mysterious book hidden in the stacks. As he turns the pages, . . . he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood. Bewildered by this inexplicable book and desperate to make sense of how his own life came to be recorded, Zachary uncovers a series of clues—a bee, a key, and a sword—that lead him . . . through a doorway to an ancient library hidden far below the surface of the earth. What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their guardians—it is a place of lost cities and seas, lovers who pass notes under doors and across time, and of stories whispered by the dead.

First line: “There is a pirate in the basement.” Audiobook: Read by Dominic Hoffman and others (Random House Audio, 18 hr, 37 min)

Eight Will Fall by Sarah Harian (Henry Holt BYR, Nov. 26) A dark adventure fantasy with battles, monsters, and forbidden magic

In a world where magic is illegal, eight criminals led by rebellious Larkin are sent on a mission to rid their kingdom of monsters. Descending into an underground world full of unspeakable horrors, Larkin and her crew must use their forbidden magic to survive. As they fight in the shadows, Larkin finds a light in Amias, a fellow outlaw with a notorious past. . . . But as the beasts grow in number and her band is picked off one by one, Larkin is forced to confront a terrible truth: They were never meant to return.

First line: “Beneath Larkin’s glowing lantern, luminite shimmered like fish scales in the darkness of Ethera Mine.” Audiobook: Read by Lauren Fortgang (Macmillan; 10 hr, 15 min)

Unnatural Magic by C. M. Waggoner (Ace, Nov. 5) A standalone historical fantasy with strong female characters who hope to forge peace in their land

Onna Gebowa is determined to become a great wizard. She can write the parameters of a spell faster than any of the young men in her village school. But despite her incredible abilities, she’s denied a place at the nation’s premier arcane academy. . . . Tsira is a troll who never quite fit into her clan, despite being the leader’s daughter. She decides to strike out on her own and look for work in a human city. . . . Trolls have lived alongside—and been revered by—humans for generations, but now it appears they’re being targeted by a sinister sorcery. And Onna and Tsira both begin to devote their considerable abilities into figuring out how to stop the deaths before their homeland is torn apart.

First line: “Onna Gebowa always liked numbers.” Audiobook: Read by Shiromi Arserio (Blackstone; ~14 hr)

Blood Heir by Amélie Wen Zhao (Delacorte Press, Nov. 19) The start of an epic fantasy series with elements of mystery, political intrigue, and corruption

In the Cyrilian Empire, Affinites are reviled. Their varied gifts to control the world around them are unnatural—dangerous. And Anastacya Mikhailov, the crown princess, has a terrifying secret. Her deadly Affinity to blood is her curse and the reason she has lived her life hidden behind palace walls. When Ana’s father, the emperor, is murdered, her world is shattered. Framed as his killer, Ana must flee the palace to save her life. And to clear her name, she must find her father’s murderer on her own. But the Cyrilia beyond the palace walls is far different from the one she thought she knew.

First line: “The prison bore a sharp resemblance to the dungeons of Anastacya’s childhood: dark, wet, and made of unyielding stone that leaked grime and misery.” Audiobook: Read by Emily Woo Zeller (Listening Library; 13 hr, 57 min)

Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean (HMH BYR, Nov. 6) Set in a world where women battle for power and shape-shifters are despised

Each generation, a competition is held to find the next empress of Honoku. The rules are simple. Survive the palace’s enchanted seasonal rooms. Conquer Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Marry the prince. All are eligible to compete—all except yokai, supernatural monsters and spirits whom the human emperor is determined to enslave and destroy. Mari has spent a lifetime training to become empress. Winning should be easy. And it would be, if she weren't hiding a dangerous secret. Mari is a yokai with the ability to transform into a terrifying monster. If discovered, her life will be forfeit.

First line: “Breathing in the dark, and not her own.” Audiobook: Read by Hanako Footman (HMH, 9 hr, 52 min)

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Stacked-Up Book Thoughts: Reading across the Genres

Oh happy day! I'm now officially back to a human-level workload. I met all my crazy deadlines last week and now I'm looking forward to having more time to read blogs and, especially, to read books. Yay!

I spent the weekend doing some baking (sandwich / toast bread and banana bread) and catching up with the household chores. I even did a little fun shopping.

We finally started the second season of Mindhunter, and it's just as good as we remembered. We often make Saturday a movie night, but this week, we ended up reading and listening to music instead. It was relaxing and just what I needed.

Here's what I listened to and read last week.

I couldn't resist listening to Elin Hilderbrand's What Happens in Paradise (Little, Brown, Oct. 8). This is the second book in Hiderbrand's Paradise series, which is set on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The story revolves mostly around the Steele family, a few months after Russell, the father/husband, was killed in a helicopter accident. Irene is still reeling from her sudden widowhood and because she had no idea her husband had a secret life in the islands: not only a much younger mistress but also a tween daughter. The only good news is that Irene's husband left her a wealthy woman . . . or did he? It turns out Russell's business may not have been on the up and up. Sons Cash and Baker have their own woes: Cash's outdoor supply store is going under and Baker's wife is leaving him for a woman. Independently, all three decide to relocate to Russell's St. John luxury villa and think about a fresh start. In Hilderbrand's signature style, the story involves family and romantic relationships with broader themes stirred into the mix. In this case, the novel deals with sleazy business dealings, tax havens, secrets, and ethics. I loved getting to know the Steele family and their friends in St. John. As always with Hilderbrand, I felt the relationships and characters were realistic, and I'm fully invested in what happens next. But ARGH, I hate waiting until next fall to find out whether the Steeles find lasting happiness.

The unabridged audiobook (Hachette Audio; 9 hr, 47 min) was read by Erin Bennett, who (as I've said before) is *the* voice of Elin Hilderbrand. I love the way Bennett picks up on Hilderbrand's style and tempo. She also creates great characterizations and never tips us off when someone is hiding secrets. Can't wait for next fall. (digital and audio copies provided by the publisher)

Renia's Diary (St. Martin's Press, Sept. 24) by Renia Spiegel and her sister, Elizabeth Bellak, is one of those rare things: a Holocaust diary that reveals the daily life of a young girl in Russian-occupied Poland. The diary starts out with typical 15-year-old thoughts about school and gossipy comments about classmates. After Poland is divided between Germany and Russia, Renia's thoughts turn to her mother, who is living in the German side -- almost daily she writes about how much she misses her mother as she tries to cope with everyday teenage issues (school, girls, boys) in an increasingly dangerous environment. Reina and her family are Jewish, but not particularly religious. She hopes God will protect her, but she never mentions going to the synagogue and only rarely acknowledges a holiday. Her diary is filled with poems she writes for various occasions and to express her deep feelings. Life gradually changes as food and goods become more scarce, the Germans come, and Jews are put under more and more restrictions. Finally, she is to be sent to the ghetto, and Jews without work permits will be likely be sent away to camps. Reina, 18 years old by then, hands her diary over to her longtime boyfriend. He hides Reina and his parents with friends and smuggles Reina's little sister into the city, where she is eventually taken to Warsaw to be reunited with her mother. Reina and the elderly couple were not so lucky. Decades after the war, the boyfriend tracks Elizabeth and her mother down in New York and returns the diary, where it remained hidden to the world until relatively recently. It's a hard read, but important. I read a digital galley and thus missed the photographs, though many are shown on the Smithsonian website. Never forget--especially in the current political climate. (digital copy provided by the publisher)

The Swallows by Lisa Lutz (Ballantine; Aug. 13) is set in a New England boarding school and addresses the #MeToo movement and sexual bullying. When new teacher Alex Witt asks her creative writing students to fill out an anonymous Q&A about themselves (what do you like, what do you hate, who are you), she learns about something called the Darkroom, which turns out to be a secret website created by the academy's male students. The site includes inappropriate photographs of female classmates and the running scores for a contest the girls don't know they're participating in: who gives the best blow jobs. Although the Darkroom and contest are not all that secret, the faculty seems to have a boys will be boys attitude. Alex is having none of it and so begins to help a couple of the girls who are determined to shut the boys down. The story is told from a variety of viewpoints and includes a couple of other plot lines. Lutz has written a timely book, and I hope it makes at least some young adults think twice about their behavior. I listened to the unabridged audiobook (Random House Audio, 11 hr) read by a Abby Elliot, Lisa Flanagan, Ari Fliakos, Michael Crouch and Johnny Heller. The performances were spot-on and captured the different emotional reactions of the students and faculty. More on the audiobook at AudioFile magazine. (audio copy for a freelance assignment)

Cat Science Unleashed by Jodi Wheeler-Toppen (photos by Matthew Rakola) is a National Geographic Kids book (Aug. 27) that helps kids (and adults) learn more about their furry feline friends through easy in-home experiments and activities. The book is illustrated with photographs of kids and and their pets, and I'm happy to report that the book features a diverse group of young scientists. The activities help us learn about cat health, senses, predatory behavior, and intelligence. The activities are easy, fun, and inexpensive to do. For example, kids can test their pet's hearing and purring by using a smartphone. The photos, fonts, and colors are engaging, and I can't wait to try some of these tests with my niece's cats. Fun and informative for cat lovers of all ages. Below is an example spread from the book--click to enlarge. (print copy provided by the publisher)

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Stacked-Up Book Thoughts: Late Summer Reading

Happy Monday! It's been a while since I wrote a review post, so this is going to be long on books, but not necessarily long on words. Despite feeling overworked, I've still found time to make a dent in my reading list.

Even though it's September, I'm still reading summer books, though I just started listening to the new fall Elin Hiderbrand book. I couldn't wait any longer to read the next installment in her St. Johns trilogy.

We watched the movie Mary, Queen of Scots on HBO this past weekend. What a disappointment. Not only was it historically inaccurate but it was somewhat superficial. It didn't address any of the burning questions we have about Mary, so I'm not quite sure what the point of the movie was. Perhaps I was just too burned out from work to catch the details.

Someone We Know by Shari Lapena (Pamela Dorman Books; July 30): This thriller involves several families living in an upper-middle-class neighborhood in a small town in the Hudson Valley. The story starts off with a murder, and from there we learn about infidelities, betrayals, break-ins, and bad parenting. We meet best friends, troubled couples, a snoopy widow, and a couple of teenage boys with issues. Seriously, I would not want to live in that town. The gist of the book is figuring out who did the killing and why and whether any of the other neighborhood issues has anything at all to do with the death. Someone We Know held my attention, but there were a number of eye-rolling moments. The unabridged audiobook (Penguin Audio; 7 hr, 50 min) was read by Kirsten Potter, who did a fine job with capturing the characters' personalities and their reactions to the various goings-on among their friends. (print and audio review copies provided by the publishers)

I Guess I'll Write It Down by Beth Evans (Morrow Gifts, June 11): This little hardcover journal is filled with a combination of lined and dot-grid pages, and at just over 6 x 4 inches, it's the perfect size to slip into your purse or tote bag. I'm not very good at keeping a journal on an everyday basis, but I do like to carry a small journal when I travel. It's the perfect size for jotting down info you want to remember: that restaurant you liked, the wine you tasted, or the museum you visited. You always think you're going to remember when you get back to your hotel, but I have better luck when I write things down right away. If you like to record your dreams, this little journal would be perfect for that too. I Guess I'll Write It Down would also make a nice stocking stuffer or hostess gift. (print copy provided by the publisher)

The Perfect Wife by J. P. Delaney (Ballantine, Aug. 6): This techno/domestic thriller has shades of the movie Stepford Wives. Five years after his wife disappears under mysterious circumstances, Tim -- a leading AI developer -- succeeds in building a companion robot with Abbie's face and memories. What happens when the bot-Abbie develops self-awareness and begins to wonder what really happened to Tim's wife? To make matters more complicated she is beginning to question how Abbie could have voluntarily left her autistic son. The mystery/thriller parts of The Perfect Wife are very twisty and make you think about some of the issues surrounding AI. In addition the novel tackles theories of treating children on the autism spectrum. I stuck with the story, but I didn't love it. The majority of the unabridged audiobook (Random House Audio; 10 hr, 42 min) was read by Saskia Maarleveld who did a fine job with the sections from bot-Abbie's point of view. Graham Halstead and Euan Morton read sections told by other characters. (digital copy provided by the publisher; audio copy for a freelance assignment)

The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins (Gallery; July 30): This fun, light story has a touch of magic and a lot of charm. The small Southern town of Dove Pond is in trouble: businesses are moving out and the mayor isn't keeping close tabs on the town's budget. Sarah Dove (a descendant of the town's founding family) has grown up believing that she will save the town with a bit of the famous Dove luck. Meanwhile Grace Wheeler's life has been turned upside down when her sister overdoses, leaving behind a young daughter just when their foster mother (known as Mama G) begins to show signs of dementia. In a desperate plan to regroup, Grace moves her cobbled-together family to Dove Pond, Mama G's home town, hoping familiar surroundings and old friends will help the older woman feel less at sea. As it turns out Sarah's part in saving the town is convincing Grace, a business wizard, to take charge of the annual Fall Festival. A predictable plot is the comfortable backdrop for some of the larger issues found in The Book Charmer: aging, PTSD, found families, friendship, and trust. I really liked this sweet, small-town story -- perfect escape fiction. The unabridged audiobook (Simon & Schuster Audio; 11 hr, 42 min) was jointly read by Tavia Gilbert, Amanda Ronconi, and Sebastian York. Their voices blended well and each nicely portrayed their character's point of view. (audio copy for a freelance assignment)

Cat Breed Guide by Gary Weitzman and Stephanie Warren Drimmer & Angela Modany / Dog Breed Guide by Gary Weitzman and T. J. Resler (National Geographic Kids, Sept. 3): These books are definitive guides to all things about our favorite pets. These books may be labeled for kids, but they're really for anyone who wants to know more about domestic dogs and cats. The heart of each book is devoted to the different breeds of dogs and cats. The specific breed pages contain a photograph plus information about the animal's history, characteristics, and general disposition and include a quick-look chart on the breed's, size, grooming requirements, personality, and (for dogs) exercise requirements. But the books are filled with so much more: such as how to read dog and cat body language, how to communicate with your pet, stats on their senses (smell, sight, hearing, etc.), how to know which breed will be the perfect pet for your home and circumstances, how to prepare for and care for your pet, and how to train your pet. Plus you'll find features on dogs and cats in folk lore, art, and literature and you'll learn about dog and cat intelligence. Cat Breed Guide and Dog Breed Guide are must-have resources for any pet lover. (print copies provided by the publisher)

By the way, I finished Carnegie Hill by Jonathan Vatner (see my feature here for information) and enjoyed getting to know the residents of this New York City apartment building. The book was generally light reading with a broader eye on relationships and marriage as well as on socioeconomic class and the generation gap. Recommended.

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Stacked-Up Book Thoughts: A Good Reading Week

Thank goodness I had a much quieter week than the one before. The new washing machine is installed, and although it's a little bit louder than the old one, it's faster and better, so all is good.

The temperatures moderated enough that on Saturday I spent a couple of hours on my deck reading. I loved being able to read outside for a change. I really should have been taking a walk, but it felt so good to just relax at home that I let my lazy streak take over.

I lucked out in my reading too. All three books were enjoyable and kept my attention, and today I find myself in that rare spot of getting to chose a new audiobook and a new print/digital book. I'm already looking forward to the end of the workday.

Amelia Westlake Was Never Here by Erin Gough (Poppy, May). This is a fun teen rom com with LBGTQ+ themes set in Australia. Will and Harriet may go to the same all-girls snooty prep school, but that's where they think their similarities end. Will is artistic, a little clumsy, middle class, and leans to the liberal side. Harriet is academic, a star athlete, rich, and definitely conservative. After their male swim coach makes yet another inappropriate comment, the two girls find themselves on the same side: something has to be done; this is the age of the #metoo movement, and despite coach's credentials, enough is enough. Worried about getting kicked out of school during their final year, Harriet and Will come up with a plan. They invent student activist Amelia Westlake. As the two girls give Amelia a social media presence and more things to protest (such as unfair grading practices), the students and faculty are abuzz with questions. Meanwhile Will and Harriet discover a growing mutual attraction, but is their shared secret enough to help them overcome their differences? Amelia Westlake Was Never Here follows a classic rom com plot line and is told in alternating perspectives from Harriet's and Will's viewpoints. Gough ties in themes of friendship, feminism, and economic privilege. The lesbian aspects are handled matter-of-factly, and both the primary and secondary characters are easy to envision. Fun summer escape reading. The unabridged audiobook (Hachette Audio; 9 hr, 5 min) is read by Candice Moll and Jaye Rosenberg, who both sounded believable as the teenagers. The performances were well matched in terms of characterizations and pacing, and I loved their Australian accents. (audio copy provided by the publisher)

Chances Are . . . by Richard Russo (Knopf, July 30). Russo is one of my go-to authors, so it was a no-brainer that I was going to read his latest. The story revolves around three college roommates reuniting on Martha's Vineyard forty years after graduation. The three were close as brothers in college, but this is the first time they've been together since a similar weekend in 1971 when their other best friend, a girl, left the island, never to be seen again. Despite a police investigation, Jacy's fate was never discovered. The reunion weekend shows just how much the guys have changed while also staying just the same, including their undying love for the long lost Jacy. The story is told both in the present and through flashbacks, revealing the men's secrets, the strength of their friendship, and ultimately, what happened to that beautiful girl after she stepped off the ferry. Chances Are . . . is a little bit character study, a little bit mystery, and a whole lot period piece. There's a strong focus on what it was like to be in college in the late 1960s to early 1970s, thoughts on the Vietnam War, and relationships between parents and children and husbands and wives. Russo also explores the differences between the ways we present ourselves to the world and the realities of our private lives. You won't want to miss this one. I listened to the unabridged audiobook (Random House; 11 hr, 17 min) for a freelance assignment. My thoughts on Fred Sanders's excellent performance will be available through AudioFile magazine. (digital copy provided by the publisher; audio copy for a freelance assignment)

Bethlehem by Karen Kelly (St. Martin's Press, July 9). This is a family saga set in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, when the steel mills were still running strong. The Parrish and Collier families have been intertwined since the post-World War I steel boom in eastern Pennsylvania, and the novel follows the two families, mostly in flashbacks from the 1960s, after Frank Collier and his wife, Joanna, move into the Parrish estate to live with his widowed mother and grandmother. Joanna, a South Philly native, isn't used to life on the nicer side of tracks, but tries to make the best of it. While walking her young children through the local graveyard, she meets an elderly couple and their grandson. As Joanna's friendship with this family deepens, she is confronted with choices and begins to suspect that her in-laws may have more complicated pasts than they let show. This was a fast read, ripe with family secrets and a few surprises. Bethlehem is light on period details but strong on the women's options, the consequences of their decisions, and their bonds over common issues. This is an enjoyable story that reads quickly. The twists weren't that hard to figure out and the world-building was a little scanty, but I was caught up in the women's lives. Recommended for beach or poolside reading. (finished copy provided by the publisher)

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8 New Audiobooks for Summer Listening

Summer is here with a vengeance (at least in my part of the world). Hot, humid, and horrible . . . except for the sun-ripened fruit, the abundance of farm-fresh veggies, grilling most nights, ice cold rosé, flowy sundresses and strappy sandals, long evenings, good friends, and—of course—audiobooks. Hello oppressive heat, I won’t let you get me down.

That introduction has pretty much nothing to do with this roundup of 8 audiobooks that caught my eye, all releasing next Tuesday. Some are already in my queue and some I'll be reviewing for AudioFile Magazine. I hope to get to them all. What else is there to do when hanging out in front of the A/C unit? Give me an engaging audiobook, a cold drink, and maybe a jigsaw puzzle and I'm a happy camper.

Bring on the Thrills and Chills

Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman, read by Susan Bennett (HarperAudio; 10 hr, 17 min). Do you really need to know anything at all about this audiobook besides the Lippman–Bennett pairing? I don’t, but here goes: Set in Baltimore in the 1960s this mystery is based on a real-life cold-case of the drowning of an African American cocktail waitress. Besides the details of the murder, we see the workings of a big-city newspaper office, meet an ambitious woman reporter (with at least two strikes against her: female and Jewish) and a host of shady characters, and get a taste of life during the civil rights era.

Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham, read by Joe Jameson (Simon & Schuster Audio; 11 hr, 30 min). Jameson is a relatively new narrator on my go-to list but I so loved his work on the Spellslinger series that I had to add this audiobook to my list. Here’s the premise: a young girl without a known past, a psychologist who works on criminal cases, a chief inspector in charge of a murder cases, converge to figure out who raped and killed one of Britain’s rising star female figure skaters. Reviews of the thriller have been terrific, and I’m looking forward to hearing Jameson perform this gritty story.

A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campell, read by January LaVoy (Macmillan Audio; 10 hr, 29 min). I’m not familiar with Campbell’s writing but I am a huge fan of LaVoy’s; whenever I see her name on an audiobook cover, I’m pretty much in. Here's the story: For Caroline, having a dream beach house (think Martha’s Vineyard, not Ocean City, NJ) didn’t come with a dream life. After she discovers her husband’s cheating, lying ways, she may have made some poor choices, but killing the bastard wasn’t one of them. Or was it? Stalking, passion, adultery, power, murder, and a new man—who can any of us trust?

Take Me to the Past

The Shelly Bay Ladies Swimming Circle by Sophie Green, read by Anthea Greco (Hachette Australia; 11 hr, 29 min). It’s true that I haven’t read anything by Green and have never even heard of Greco (though I did hear a sample of her easy-to-listen-to voice), but when I learned about this book from Shelleyrae at Book’d Out, I knew I had to track it down. Set in 1982 in New South Wales, Australia, it’s the story of four women in different places in their lives (and of different ages) who meet serendipitously on the beach and end up offering each other healing and hope and friendship. I’m thinking this could be the perfect summer listen.

Home for Erring and Outcast Girls by Julie Kibler, read by Karissa Vacker (Random House Audio; 14 hr, 24 min). This is another take-a-chance audiobook for me, seeing as this would be my first time with both Kibler and Vacker. The dual-time-period story takes place in Texas. One plot line is set in the early 1900s and follows two young mothers who, for various reasons, find themselves without resources or husbands. Choices were few in those days for single mothers, but together the two women just might find a way to survive. In contemporary times, a recluse librarian finds evidence of their existence and seeds of hope for her own redemption. I’m attracted to the themes.

Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb, read by Nancy Peterson and Jeremy Arthur (HarperAudio; 9 hr, 32 min). I don’t often fall for celebrity fever, but I do have a thing for Grace Kelly and have read a couple of nonfiction books about her life and the choices she made to marry her prince. Thus it was a no-brainer that “A Novel of Grace Kelly’s Royal Wedding” was going on my list; that it was written by Gaynor and Webb is a much-welcome bonus and I’m confident Peterson and Arthur will bring the story to life. This well-researched fictionalized version follows the Kelly, her family and friends, and reporters from America to the Mediterranean.

Let Me Escape

The Marriage Clock by Zara Raheem, read by Ariana Delawari (HarperAudio; 8 hr, 33 min). Thanks to my friend Swapna Krishna I was introduced to South Asian literature more than a decade ago, and I haven’t ever looked backed. This is Raheem’s debut novel, but I’ve enjoyed Delawari’s performances over the years, especially on the Wrath and the Dawn books. In modern times, the immigrant parents of Lelia—an LA-born twenty-something Indian Muslim woman—will call in the matchmaker if she can’t find her own Muslim husband in the next three months. After, bad dates, soul-searching, and a trip to India for a family wedding, Lelia’s time is up. What happens?

The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal, read by Judith Ivey (Penguin Audio; 11 hr, 13 min). This audiobook calls to me on so many levels: It is set in the Midwest and written by Stradal and has themes of family, food, and drink and offers a realistic view of women in their sixties. I was introduced to Ivey through her work on a Sue Miller novel and again through the Ya-Ya books. This audiobook is about estranged sisters, a decades-old inheritance, a family business, second chances, and the younger generations. Oh, and there’s plenty of beer and pie! Absolutely refreshing on a hot July day.

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