Even More December Reading

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

This is the quintessential 'potato chip' book...completely addictive, no nutritional value, utterly delightful. The premise is outrageous - teenage girl Avery Grambs lives a rough life with her sister, occasionally protecting Libby from her abusive boyfriend, playing chess with the homeless guy in the park, and sometimes sleeping in her car. Yet one day Avery learns she is the sole heir to a billionaire's estate. Realistic, right? But honestly, who cares when the story is this addictive?! Avery then has to live In the Texas family mansion for a year, residing with the four grandsons and other family members who have been summarily disinherited. So yeah, let the games begin! Book two in this series cannot be released quickly enough.

A Sky Beyond the Storm (An Ember in the Ashes series) by Sabaa Tahir

This YA fantasy series snuck up on me four years ago, starting out with An Ember in the Ashes introducing the three main characters and the premise which is loosely based on the fall of the Roman Empire. I questioned how strong Laia, the slave girl, the Scholar, truly was - could she carry this series? I heartily disliked Helene, a Mask, a killer, a member of the aristocracy. And Elias, a soldier torn between the Tribes and his fellow Masks and his love for Laia, was he intriguing enough? Yet this four book series builds purposefully, showing how life experiences strengthens each character, how hatred of the 'Other' destroys a republic from within, and details the slow, insidious march of how a society falls (yes, it is rather topical and prophetic to the times we live in now). Tahir is a masterful storyteller, as well as a woman of color who deliberately peoples this series with characters of all colors, religions, sexual and gender identities, and cultural and socioeconomic background variety. THIS is the series we have all been looking for, after the righteous complaints of the very white-centric YA fantasy series popular in today's world. Highly highly recommend diving into this world - you won't be disappointed. (And if you've never tried YA fantasy, this one would be a great place to start!)

Memorial by Bryan Washington

Here was another book that had so many mixed reviews. On one hand, it was so critically acclaimed, yet many readers seemed torn by their feelings around the story line. It is a simple plot line - partners Mike and Benson have lived together for four years and now, Mike leaves for Japan to see his dying father, while Ben stays in Houston with Mike's mother Mitsuko. The characters, however, are far from simple, nor are the themes of loss, relationship struggles, how the past impacts our present, how family expectations form our psyche. I chuckled at the snarky quips from Mitsuko as she taught Benson how to cook, I cringed at some of Ben's decisions with another man, and I wept for Mike as he struggled with a relationship with a father he had not seen in fifteen years. I was uncomfortable many times, wondering 'How do I relate to this book?" But isn't that the point of reading? I admired Washington's ability to dig deep into each of these two men's souls, and to force me outside my box with a unique writing voice.

The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

A book about a book? Yep, I'm all in. Told in two perspectives, in two differing time periods, this is the story of the New York Public Library. Laura Lyons is the first occupant of the apartment in the library when it opens in 1914; a wife and mother, Laura has other dreams that are fed by her studies at Columbia as well as her entry into the life of suffragettes in Greenwich Village.  In 1993, her granddaughter, Sadie, is curating the new exhibit at the library and stumbles upon her grandmother's past. I enjoyed the mystery of the stolen books and the work of the early feminist movement, but could have cared less about Sadie and her love life. The writing style is fairly simplistic, making it a quick read, but ultimately, I wondered how memorable this book would be? Perhaps if Davis had focused solely on the earlier story, the beginnings of the research library, the struggles to make it as a female journalist, acceptance of a chosen lifestyle, I would have been more enamored? 

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

“𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦-𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩.”Beautiful book at the wrong time? Or not my style? Whatever it is, I struggled with this Booker Prize award winner. Partly, I think the title threw me off as I didn’t find it truly about a little boy named Shuggie. To me, it was more of a deep look into life in the Glasgow slums during the 1980’s, a time when mines were closing, working class people were struggling, gender inequality was rampant, and drinking away one’s problems was the best solution. I admired the writing, was depressed by the bleakness, and ultimately found myself wanting a deeper dive into Shuggie and his mother, Agnes, wanting to know the motivations, the ‘why’s’ of it all. Or maybe 2020 just had me in its grips and the wrenching sadness blinded me to the beauty of Shuggie? Admittedly, books like this with so little light (ie. Betty) are problematic for me. I understand it may be more realistic but hard for me this year. 

Eyes to the Wind: A Memoir of Love and Death, Hope and Resistance by Ady Barkan

Looking for some inspiration amongst the sadness, I highly recommend this audio book, from LibroFm, narrated by Bradley Whitford. I remember Ady Barkan, the man in the wheelchair who confronted Jeff Flake during the tax bill debate, who toured the halls of Congress during the ACA repeal debate, who suffers from ALS but does not let it define him. THIS is his story. It shows that Ady was a hero long before any video of him went viral, who fought for the people who most need a hand up, who pushed constantly at the powers who control all the levers, who loves his his family and shows us every facet of his life in this incredible memoir. High recommend!

More December Reading

Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline

Back in 2011, I fell madly in love with Ready Player One, especially the audio read by Wil Wheaton. The sequel continues the dystopoic tale of a world in decades in the future, ruined by climate change, socioeconomic disparity, and an addition to the virtual reality world called the Oasis, invented by two super dorky computer nerds from the 1980's. Once again, Wade Watts, the 'winner' of the world in the first book, has to play hero to save the world. Yet, this time around he is not as sympathetic, but more of a spoiled, rich brat who thinks he can rule the world ('cause he kinda does!). The best part of the book, as before, is all the amazing 80's pop culture - yes, I wanted to just remain in the world of John Hughes movies and hang out with Ferris Bueller. Occasionally, the author gets a bit stuck in the techie weeds, as well as the video gaming quests that I found less than compelling, but...I am glad I read it. It is a pretty worthy finish to a highly creative story.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

HOW did it take me so long to read this book, the book that so many high school kids tried to get me to read when I was still in the classroom, the book they said spoke to their heart like no other, and the one that spoke to my heart as well? Shame on me. This is a story of two teens, a boy and a girl who don't fit into the neat little boxes adults want to put them in, and the circumstances of life that wants to separate them. Yep, it's that simple, and yet this book is so powerful in its simplicity and so real in its authenticity. Highly recommend as a gift to a young adult:)

The Reckoning (Maeve Kerrigan #2) by Jane Casey

I always wonder if the second in a mystery series will live up to the potential in the first? The first book, The Burning, introduced the murder squad in a London police department, particularly Maeve Kerrigan, the young newbie detective. Could Casey build on that? The answer is a resounding, YES, with this second one being even better than the first. This time, as Maeve continues to struggle with her personal life and a creepy living situation, they search for a serial killer picking on men accused of being pedophiles. Not the most sympathetic victims, yet there is much more than the eye can see. This was a solid page turner, and book number three is definitely on my list for next month.

The Chanel Sisters by Judithe Little

I do love a good historical fiction story, and one set in France, with high fashion, family drama, and a little love sprinkled in? Yep, this book was a winner. Three Chanel sisters grew up in a convent school, and this story is told by the youngest, Antoinette. We see the sparse life, harsh punishment, and lack of love in their early years, years that influenced Coco Chanel's fashion choices in the future. How the elder's sisters illness impacted them all, how Coco and Antoinette began their fashion business, how their love affairs influenced the direction of their lives, and most importantly for me, how their childhood poverty and struggles became a drawing board for one of the biggest fashion icons of the 20th century. I enjoyed this story immensely.

The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X by Les Payne

Winner of the National Book Award this year, this book is a tour de force of research and history. To be honest, I knew little of the factual information on Malcolm X, relying in the past on movies, television shows, and pop culture to fill in what I didn't know. I am grateful to finally have the real deal, to have learned Malcolm's past, his childhood, his ancestry, his journey. While I listened to the audio, I would not necessarily recommend it - too many names and incidences where I wanted to flip back chapters and reread. Les Payne digs deep into this icon of Black culture, revealing both the bigness and the small things of Malcolm's life, and shows us every piece of how Malcolm Little became Malcolm X. 

A Burning by Megha Majumdar

This book was a conundrum for me. Mixed reviews - some critics loved it, some national book clubs picked it, some readers I respect loved it, while others not so much. I wondered what I would think as I picked up this debut novel, written in three different points of view, about a terrorist event in India? Some thoughts...first, I didn't love the writing style as it felt choppy and simplistic in my brain. Yet, I totally understand the choice as each voice fit each of the three narrators. The premise started out dark as a young girl from the slums is wrongly accused of a horrific act, it stays dark as the former gym teacher and aspiring Bollywood star question their own behavior toward the accused, and it grows even darker in the end. However, am I glad I read it? Yes. It gave me a slice of life in India. Did it disturb me, provoke me, anger me? Completely. Will I pick up another book by this author? Definitely. Did I need to read a light fluffy book afterward? For sure.

 

Best of 2020

 Best Book of 2020: Caste by Isabel Wilkerson 

"Once awakened, we then have a choice. We can be born to the dominant caste but choose not to dominate. We can be born to a subordinated caste but resist the box others force upon us. Caste is a disease, and none of us is immune. A world without caste would set everyone free." A historical overview of the four hundred year old caste system in America, this is the Must Read book of 2020.

Best Literary Fiction: Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore

A character study of life in Odessa, Texas, as women's lives are examined through the lens of a rape of a young girl, this debut novel still haunts me. 

Runners Up: A good neighborhood, Normal People, In Five Years, Writers & Lovers, The Unseen World, Long Bright River, A History of Loneliness, Heft, Saving Ruby King, Anxious People, Homeland Elegies, Pale Morning Light with Violet Swan, Dear Edward

Best Historical Fiction: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett AND Greenwood by Michael Christie

A march back and fourth through the history of a Canadian family, what a brilliant family saga

Runners Up: The Mountains Sing, Hamnet, The Stationery Shop, The Book of Longings, Rodham, Hum if You Don’t Know the Words, Greenwood, The Lost Queen,, If You Want to Make God Laugh, The Exiles, Against the Loveless World, Your House Will Pay

Best Mystery: The Searcher by Tana French

Ireland, a bond, and a missing brother, the deliberate plotting and writing is stunning

Runners Up: the Louise Penny series, Winter Counts, Ellison Cooper series, Take It Back, The Burning, 

Best Thriller:  The Last Flight by Julie Clark

Two women, a plane ride, and a page-turning mystery, the one thriller that satisfied in 2020

Runners Up: We Are All the Same in the Dark, The End of October, Blacktop Wasteland, When You Disappeared, When No One is Watching, Dear Child

Best Humor: Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes by Kathleen West

A crazy PTA mom, social media, and a school setting, this book gives some very pointed laughter

Runners Up: Shit Actually, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, 

Best Modern Day Classic: A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

The classic story of a friendship, a mother, and life, I could read this book every year.

Runners Up: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Kindred, Stoner, The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon

Best Non-Fiction, History:  His Truth is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of

Hope by Jon Meacham, John Lewis

The story not only of John Lewis and the march in Selma, but the history of how we arrived in this moment and where we are capable of going now

Runners Up: Death in Mud Lick, Wandering in Strange Lands, The Splendid and the Vile

Best Non-Fiction, Memoir: When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter

Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors, Asha Bandele

A woman's life growing up in urban Los Angeles, her family, and the beginning of a movement

Runners Up: All boys aren’t blue, My Vanishing Country, The Girl Who Smiled Beads

Best Non-Fiction, Social Commentary: Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope by

Nicholas Kristof, Sheryl WuDunn

An deep look at working class neighborhoods across America, and the devastation as well as the hope found there

Runners Up: How to be an Antiracist, The Undocumented Americans, A Knock at Midnight, 

Best Audio:  The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff

A chilling account of September 11, 2001, and the thousands of people involved and impacted by it

Runners Up: Mercy House, Saving Ruby King, We Are Not from Here, The Death of Vivek Oji, Poet X

Best Adult Fantasy/Dystopia: The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune

An inspector, some magical children, and an orphanage, this is a heart happy book I want to read every year

Runners Up: The Midnight Library, Wanderers, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Best YA:  Dear Justyce by Nic Stone

A boy, a prison cell, racial injustice, a friendship, this book delivers everything

Runners Up: All American Boys, The Boy in the Black Suit, the Burning, Dear Martin,Truly Devious series, Clap When You Land

Best YA Fantasy: Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

The finale of the Throne of Glass series, best finish to a series EVER

Runners Up: House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1), Serpent & Dove, 

Best Middle Reader: Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Roades

A young boy guided through death by Emmett Till, the is a book for all ages

Runners Up: Track series by Jason Reynolds, They Called Us Enemy, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, March

December Reading

 Take It Back: A Novel (Zara Keel #1) by Kia Abdullah

I love a good courtroom thriller and this debut novel delivers, as well as introduces us to a fabulous new female. Zara Keel is a complicated woman; she is a talented lawyer who leaves firm life to become an advocate for victims of violence. Add to that, Zara is also a Muslim woman who left her arranged marriage, has multiple family dramas, and chooses a life of independence,  and it spells success for the subsequent series. In this first book, Zara is faced with a young girl, suffering from a physical disability as well as a traumatic home life, who has accused four young Muslim boys of rape. The subsequent trial and media circus  is gripping, making this book very difficult to put down. And when you think you have it all figured out, trust me, you don't. Can't wait for Book #2!

Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden

This book, plain and simple, is fantastic. Set on a South Dakota native reservation, written by a Lakota tribe member, this thriller hits all the right marks: First, a fantastic lead character in Virgil, a reservation strong man with a troubled past and a moral compass; thoroughly developed and compelling supporting cast, especially Virgil's love interest; fascinating setting on Pine Lakes reservation, giving the reader enormous new knowledge of native life and its troubling relationship with the federal government; and a mystery that will keep one reading until the final chapter. I could not put this book down, and will be first in line for Weiden's second novel. (And yes, I am keeping my fingers crossed for a Virgil sequel!)

Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar

If you want to be kicked HARD out of the box you live in, read this book. If you want to be blown away by brilliant writing, read this book. And if you want to know what it is like to live as both a first and second generation immigrant, then yes, read this book. Akhtar smoothly weaves together autobiography and fiction to tell his tale of a father who emigrated to America from Pakistan, stepping back from devout Muslim faith but never leaving it entirely, and the complex relationship this father has with his son. Bouncing amongst many, many topics, there were times I wondered if all the detail as necessary? And then realizing, yes, it was, as Akhtar explores their world post 9/11, his search for value as a writer, his observations of marriages and relationships between Muslims as well as mixed culture marriages, his mother and her views of America vs. Pakistan, a court trial that sheds light on big corporations in healthcare, etc. So many topics are addressed, yet as it comes down to the end, the one question that is consistently asked is "What makes us American?" Brilliant book - I won't forget it anytime soon.

Pale Morning Light with Violet Swan: A Novel of a Life in Art by Deborah Reed

An Oregon author, a book I had never heard of, what would this story be? Magical, that's what, just unbelievably magical. This is a book that has not yet found a wide audience, and deserves one so very much. A story of Violet Swan, a woman in her nineties, a famous artist, resident of the Oregon coast, dying of lung cancer, and who has a story to tell, and what a life story it is! I loved the author's style and voice, the way she interspersed small moments of the past in an authentic manner, as tiny incidents sparked a memory for Violet., pulling us back to her past, yet also making connections with her life of today. The threads of the many decades of Violet's life, as well as her art, are woven together in a manner I will not soon forget. I so loved this book.

We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin

After the heaviness of some very serious books, I needed a good thriller to get lost in and this book did the trick. As many of you know, thrillers have been mostly 'miss' this year, with few 'hits,' but this tale of family secrets, murder, and police knocked it out of the park. I don't want to give anything away so here's the brief premise: ten years prior, Wyatt's sister and father disappeared, never to be seen again, with Wyatt blamed, becoming the Texas town pariah. When Odette, his ex-girlfriend becomes a cop in town, still obsessed with the sister's disappearance, the mysterious happenings escalate once again, dragging everyone into the mystery. Creatively plotted and well-written, this is a thriller that thoroughly satisfies.

The Cipher (Nina Guerrera, #1) by Isabella Maldonado

It's a rare FBI profiler-type mystery series that doesn't pull me in, but not every one of them satisfies - this one definitely deserves all the accolades it is receiving. Written by an ex-police trained in FBI tactics, Maldonado shows her deep knowledge in the creation of her main character, Nina Guerrera, as well as how the police and FBI interact and develop a plan to catch a serial killer. Nina's own past as a victim has pulled her into the latest kills of a very creepy killer, one that can give nightmares so don't read this in the dark. The twists and turns are plentiful, while the action consistently builds tension, leading to a page-turning finish. I loved the variety of characters created, with diversity in culture and gender. I will definitely be picking up the second book in this series when it comes out.

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

Oh, how I loved his first book The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, and could not wait to get my hands on this one. Almost 500 pages later, I was sadly left with feelings of 'meh.' It is the story of a boat, sailing back from Indonesia to Amsterdam in the 17th century. Populated with a wide cast of characters (take notes - there's a ton of people!), a lot of weirdly evil stuff happens on this ship. Plus, the most interesting character to me, the Sherlock Holme-ish detective, was kept imprisoned most of the time when I wanted him in the story more. Don't get me wrong - the plotting is creative. Yet it is also confusing at times, extraordinarily drawn out with many unnecessary details, and the ultimate denouement fell a bit flat for me. Considering all the pages it took to get me there, yes, I was disappointed.