February Reading

Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad 

“Death never comes at a good time, but getting a death sentence when you’re young is a breach of contract with the natural order of things.”A memoir of cancer, of survival, of coming to the brink of death and peering over that edge, and then deciding to strike out on her own and connect with the people that gave her hope during her years of battle, Suleika Jaouad blew me away with this life story of her twenties. When I was twenty, my only thoughts were what hot outfit to wear to the bar, how to afford the fancy hair salon,  and who was coming over for the weekend barbecue. Suleika was forced into another life, one filled with chemo, hair loss, and navigating a relationship while fighting cancer for four years. Once the war was won, the question was "Now what?" Having written a NYTimes column on Life, Interrupted, she decides to travel America, connecting with others who have experienced loss,  and on this journey, coming to know the new Suleika, the one forged through grit, resiliency, and ultimately, surviving a uniquely terrible disease. I read this book in 24 hours, drawn into her story in ways that inspired me, touched me, and ultimately gave me hope. This is the perfect book to read having lived through 2020; I cannot recommend it highly enough. “When you survive something that was thought to be unsurvivable, the obvious is gained. You have your life - you have time. But it’s only when you get there that you realize your survival has come at a cost.”

The Survivors by Jane Harper

Admittedly, Jane Harper is one of my very favorite mystery writers (𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘳𝘺, 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘯 - all 5 star reads for me), so I wondered...could she do it again? The answer is a resounding 𝐘𝐄𝐒. ⁣This time Harper sets the story in Tasmania, in a small coastal town where tragedy struck years ago, raising shadows over the recent murder of a young woman. The main character, Kieran, has returned to his childhood home with his wife and baby, helping his parents, seeing old mates, trying to out-swim the ghosts of the past. Within this small cadre of friends and family lie the hints, clues, roadmaps to solving the mystery. ⁣Once again, Harper meticulously builds her plot, slowly, brick by brick, leaving no room for error, throwing red herrings along her path, daring the reader to make a guess as to 'whodunnit.' Another 5 star read!

Empire Falls by Richard Russo

I'm not sure how I missed this Pulitzer Prize winner back in 2002? Oh yeah, I was driving two daughters all around the state for soccer, teaching high school English, and trying to find any spare moments to read? So yeah, missed this one - shame on me. As always, Russo delivers a powerful piece of literature and a town that feels like I walked in the door of the Empire Falls cafe and know all the characters by name. This is the story of a mill town in Maine, the characters who build it, inhabit it, terrorize it, destroy it, and yes, rebuild it again, and again, and again. Russo is the master at pulling heart strings, creating a sense of mystery, and making us laugh out loud, all in the same story. If you're looking for truly stunning literature that makes you feel invested in the people and a town, Empire Falls is pretty impossible to put down.

The Unwilling by John Hart

I have read all of Hart's previous books; he is a master storyteller, threading mystery and family drama throughout his novels. His latest takes us back to 1972, as the Vietnam War rages and a family with three boys experiences its impact. After the oldest son is killed and the middle son is dishonorably discharged, spending time in prison, their youngest is pulled into a storm of murder, secrets, and corruption, moving between prison scenes, high school life, and police investigation. This is definitely a richly told family saga that made me turn pages quickly; some occasional implausibilities but I didn't care that much as the tale was just so good!

The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr.

It is hard to know what to say about this gorgeous debut novel; it has been compared to Toni Morrison, and I do not disagree. Jones is a lyrical writer, moving between and among time during the antebellum South. While the story focuses on Samuel and Isaiah, it is also a story of the entire plantation and its evil system - the slaves, the owners, the overseer. A deep lifetime bond, morphing into a passionate love between the two young men, religion moves into their world, upsetting the fine balance, causing what was once beautiful to be seen as a sin. Yet we also see how religion is used to justify the ownership of humans, to degrade the slaves and steal their humanity. I listened to the audio, but then picked up the physical copy to reread some parts. This is NOT an easy read - the constant movement of time, place, characters can be confusing if you don't pay attention, very similar to Morrison. It earns and deserves time and thought and introspection; it is a masterful debut.

Little Threats by Emily Schultz

Most of the time, thrillers tend to disappoint me, but this one was a page turner that satisfies. Kennedy Wynn has just spent fifteen years in prison for murdering her best friend; she can't remember the events of the evening, so even her twin sister has doubts. When she returns to her Virginia suburban community, answers slowly trickle out as both the sisters and a crime television show attempt to find out the truth. It's a solid plot line, with some intriguing twists and compelling characters. It's a fast, easy read, perfect for a vacation or some mindless entertainment.

The Last Tiara by M.J. Rose

This is a looooong, engrossing historical tale that ultimately just involved too many things for me. Told in two perspectives and time periods, we follow Sophia during the years of the Russian Revolution, her friendship with the royal family, the love affair with a soldier suffering from amnesia, the involvement of the Faberge jewelry makers, and a mystery of a tiara. Decades later, Isobelle, the daughter of Sophia, tells her story as she tries to understand how this tiara came into her mother's possession. Isobelle's life also involves her work as an female architect in the male-dominated world, her time at Oak Ridge building a city for atomic bomb scientists, a love interest whose own family issues are complex. Yeah, there was just a LOT going on for me. I was intrigued and fascinated by the Russian time period, less so with the post WWII life, and found the ending a bit implausible and too-neatly packaged.