Extra March Reading

Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister

Badass Women…yes ma’am we’ve got them! Ah, how I loved this book! It involved all the things I like best about historical fiction: unique time period, expert research, complex and intriguing characters, and a plot line that makes one compulsively turn pages. The entire story is set around the missing Franklin mission circa 1853, where a British naval ship has disappeared with all men aboard in the Polar North. Franklin’s wife proposes to send an all-female team to find some answers. Okay, is that improbable? Perhaps. But plausible, considering Lady Franklin was a badass explorer herself so hmmmm, possible. Each of the twelve women are unique characters, with quirks and skillsets and intriguing pasts - I would like some follow up sequels please. And if you’ve never read Greer Macallister, I highly recommend, especially Girl in Disguise about the Pinkerton detective women.

The Push by Ashley Audrain

What can I add to other’s take on this propulsive, un-put-downable book? Let’s just say the following: Do NOT read this if you’re a new mother or expecting. No, seriously. I would have found this story line very anxiety-inducing. Since my kids are grown and gone, I was good with it. Don’t read this if you like sweet sappy romance plot lines - this ain’t it. Do read this if you liked 𝘞𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘒𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯, and other books on really dark topics. Oh, and if you can stop yourself from googling your own child’s behaviors and what they might mean! Do read this if you want a book that will keep you up at night, force you to cringe frequently, and make you want to take a shower when you’re finished. In other words, it’s complicated. 

When I Ran Away by Ilona Bannister

“𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳’𝘴. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦’𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯; 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘵.”Seriously. Reread that quote and you’ll understand the honesty, the rawness, the authenticity of this book. It slammed into my brain and my heart in a way that is not going to let me go anytime soon. The premise: Gigi has moved to London and is juggling a new baby, along with a husband and another son. So simple, right? Except throw in grief from a brother’s death long ago, grief from a life that changed abruptly, grief over her relationship with her mother, grief over leaving her lifeline friends back in Staten Island, grief over a lost career, grief over a traumatic birth, but the biggest loss? The loss of herself, her identity as a human, her belief in her capabilities, the loss of simple joys  - it has all been subsumed by motherhood. As the story moves back and forth and side to side through time, we see Gigi’s life and how it has pummeled her, given her great joy and laughter, how it has shaped her. This book shows the real-ness of motherhood - like why can’t my husband find the damn mustard in the frig when it’s staring him in the face and why didn’t his life change exponentially when WE had a child??!! Damn, I loved this book.

Beach Read by Emily Henry

Can you say Perfect Palate Cleanser?! Yep, I read this one right after The Push so I needed some sweet romance to wash the child-sociopath plot line out of my brain. Beach Read worked to perfection! And look it, I am soooooo not a big rom-com book reader most days, but this one thoroughly satisfied for a couple reasons. One, it’s well-written. Seriously. This woman knows how to string a sentence together, doesn’t muck up the story with extraneous description, and has an appealing voice. Second, it’s also funny, as in I laughed aloud multiple times. Third, and most important for me, it’s NOT sexist. So many romance or thrillers depend on the sexist trope of the ‘weak woman’ (HATE that so much - I’m looking at You and Verity!). In Beach Read, the woman is smart, successful and the life problems she’s going through aren’t due to her being weak, it’s just life. And the male lead is sensitive, emotional, respectful, normal. So, yes, pick this book up when you need a good cleanse!

Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas

Peter Pan - yep, I’m a sucker for anything Neverland, Peter, Tink, you name it. Not sure why, but I did grow up with the Mary Martin stage play on TV, the Disney movie on video for my kids, and then Hook, possibly my all-time favorite Robin Williams movie, so yeah, I’m a fan. And this new book out from the author of Cemetery Boys did Peter justice with a creative new re-telling of an age-old story. This time around, Wendy is a teenage girl who constantly draws pictures of a boy’s face, who lives in a town where kids are starting to vanish, and whose own two brothers disappeared five years ago, never to be seen again. A wonderful villain, a teensy bit of romance, a strong female lead, a quirky male, and a tale as old as time…I loved this audio.

The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore

For my entire teaching career, almost 30 years, I was fascinated by the question "How do some at-risk kids survive while others drown?" This memoir attempts to answer that question, and made me think so much about what we can do as teachers, neighbors, parents, and society in general to provide more ways to support these kids. Two Black kids named Wes Moore were born in Baltimore in the 1980's, one became a Rhodes Scholar, one is serving life in prison. What made the difference? To find the answer, read this book - you won't be disappointed.

More March Reading

A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes

Toxic Masculinity...now I know where you came from! No. Seriously. I taught Greek mythology and 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘥𝘺𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘺 for YEARS. If I had to do it all over again, I would lead with this book and good ole Edith Hamilton. Odysseus would bring up the rear, and only to show what arrogant jerks these Greek ‘heroes’ actually were. (And honestly, I always questioned how and why Achilles was ever seen as a hero when he sits in his tent and sulks for most of the Iliad anyway!) If you’re a Greek mythology nerd like me, and you’d like to see the ancient world turned upside down while finally giving the women their due, this book is for you.

The Memory Collectors by Kim Neville

This debut novel surprised me in quite a lovely way. It Is a mix of mystery, family drama, and magical realism, involving two intriguing lead characters. Harriet is an old woman who owns two homes to keep her 'bright' objects; is she a hoarder or does she have ability to read the objects' histories? And then there's Ev, a young woman with memories of a happy home, yet raised in foster care, who touches objects and sees their emotions, whose secret past binds her to tragedy. This is the story of these two women, picking their way through the debris of their lives. Unique, beautiful, thoughtful story.

Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of Africa America, 1619-2019 by

Ibraham X. Kendi (editor)

What would happen if the author of How To Be An Anti-Racist and Stamped From the Beginning gathers dozens of authors, poets, essayist? And then assigns each of them a five year period in the history of Black America? This book is the answer. I was mesmerized by the audio, by what I did not know and had never been taught in all my years of schooling, by the heroism, the tragedy, the inspiration, by the march through history that is vital to our understanding of our nation. I highly recommend the audio, done by a variety of voices; it is a powerhouse performance and piece of literature. 

A Vow So Bold and Deadly (Cursebreakers #3) by Brigid Kemmerer

If you read her first two books In the series (A Curse So Dark and Lonely / A Heart So Fierce and Broken), you'll probably want to finish up this trilogy. My opinion...you could skip it. As a retelling of the old tale of the Beauty and the Beast, the first two books were fantastic at building both characters and worlds, using a diverse cast that included handi-capable, gay and straight, as well as a variety of racial backgrounds. I loved them. I didn't hate this one, yet it was just 'meh' for me. 

From the Ashes: My Story of Being Indigenous, Homeless, and Finding My Way by

Jesse Thistle

This memoir was a rough read for me - emotional, heart wrenching, drenched in tragedy, with little light until the final hour. It is the story of a Native boy in Canada, whose home life is marked by desertion, addiction, and a tragic void of love. His grandparents eventually take in the three boys, but it is a difficult childhood and youth, marked by poverty and poor choices driven by circumstance. Jesse experiences incarceration and homelessness until eventually finding his way to sobriety and success. Yes, it is inspiring, to see what a human can do in the face of extreme sorrow and challenges. However, for me, it became trauma overload, with one sad event piled on top of the next. I am completely cognizant that this is Jesse's life, told in a raw, authentic, honest voice and I celebrate his success; I just was not in the right mood for the level of despair.

This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens

Need a light-hearted rom-com to lighten the load? This will do it! Back in 1990, two babies are born on New Year's Day, setting the course for their lives. One, Minnie Cooper (oh yes, the endless childhood teasing for that name!) is told her entire life that she was born unlucky, since she wasn't born first, missed out on the 'cool' name, and didn't win the huge money prize. The second baby, Quinn Hamilton, was the lucky recipient of the money, the name, and all the best luck in the world. Right? Well, not exactly. Watching these two discover who was really lucky is just delightful, mindless entertainment.

Passing by Nella Larson

Take a famous female author of the Harlem Renaissance, mix in New York City in 1924, and then sprinkle The Vanishing Half on top and you have this modern day classic. This short novel takes the reader to the Black community where one can choose to “pass” if light skinned enough, if one is willing to turn their back on their culture and their past, if one is secure enough to live a secret life, always looking over their shoulder. One friend is, one friend is not. The complex issues, emotions, and decisions play out in a short yet compulsively readable story. Check out the Netflix movie when you're done!

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

In preparation for her first book in a decade, coming out this May, I am deep into backlist reading of this award-winning author. There's just something about her writing voice for me; she pulls me in with her words and her ability to deeply develop her characters. It is never plot-driven yet I still cannot put her books down. This time around it is the story of Gogol Ganguli, the son of a first-generation Indian family who settles in Massachusetts. Yep, it is that simple. We see Gogol born, grow up, find his way through adulthood. It's hard to put into words the beauty and simplicity of this book, but I learned so much, was pulled deeply into the character's lives, and am still haunted by its themes.

The Kindest Lie by Nancy Johnson 

This is the story of Ruth, a successful Black chemical engineer who lives in Chicago with her supportive husband. Yet is she satisfied with her life? Does her childhood in a small Indiana town continue to impact her beyond what she believes? As Ruth returns to that childhood town and her grandmother, we see how poverty, racism, and lack of opportunity shaped her. I was torn by this book. On one hand, it has some provocative things to say about race and class and destruction of the manufacturing core in the heartland of America. Yet, I found the characters to be a bit flat, lacking in motivation and development, with too many story lines going on. However, there's tons of potential here; I look forward to her next book.

March Reading

The Northern Reach by W.S. Winslow

This book. Wow, it is truly hard to know what to say as I sit here stunned, having read it in just 24 hours. This small town of  Westbridge, Maine has been seared into my soul. Winslow explores the past as she meticulously divulges the families that make up this town: the doctors, the fishermen, the mothers, the drunks, the lonely, the heartbroken, the family ties that not only bind, but never let one leave this town. Each chapter focuses on a family and its members, yet each story is connected to the last, in both overt and subtle ways. We see the funerals, the weddings, the illicit love affairs, the questionable parenting, the scrabble to rise above life's circumstances, the ghosts that live on in this windswept town. The writing style is lyrical, and this book unforgettable. If you liked Olive Kittredge, you may love this book even more, as I did. It is rare that I put a book down, knowing I will choose to read it again but this one is that rare gem. Do NOT miss this incredible debut.

Sparks like Stars by Nadia Hashimi

Since first reading The Pearl that Broke Its Shell in 2014, I have been a huge fan of Hashimi, an American author born to immigrant parents from Afghanistan. She always has a unique perspective, drilling down into the lives of women in Afghanistan. In her latest novel, she goes decades back, to the time of kings and the Cold War, as both America and Russia argue over this mountainous, ancient country. Sitara is a young girl whose father is an advisor to the king when a coup occurs. This one tragic event changes Sitara's life as well as her identity. Only when a chance encounter with a ghost from long ago enters her life decades later, does Sitara deal with the traumas of her past. I loved the history I gleaned, the tension created during the escape, and the strong women showcased. My only"But" has to do with the main character; she is so closed emotionally (for good reason), yet I wanted to see more, know more, understand more about her. However, perhaps this choice was quite intentional by the author, showing us how deep childhood trauma scars one forever.

The Bad Muslim Discount by Syed M. Masood

"We don't take from the world what we can't give back to it...the damage we do to each other, to the world, survives us." This debut novel is a stunner, as in I read it in 24 hours, unable to stop turning pages. It is a book filled with impossible choices, Catch 22's, of more 'rocks and hard places' than one should ever have in a life. It is the story of two people: Anvar, who emigrates to America as a teenager from Pakistan, whose family each struggles in their own way to assimilate; and Satwa, a young girl born in Iraq, chased from country to country by violence, illness, rape, and war, who through the bad luck of geography has never known peace or security. Anvar's story can be crisply hilarious, biting in its observation of both his family and his adoptive country. Satway's story is heartbreaking, authentic, and far too close to home for comfort. A five-star read, this book is not to be missed.

Infinite Country by Patricia Engel

“Emigration was a peeling away of of the skin. An undoing. You wake each morning and forget where you are, who you are, and when the world outside shows you your reflection, it’s ugly and distorted; you’ve become a scorned, unwanted creature.”Written by an award-winning author and child of Columbian immigrants, this book encapsulates so much of what is F-ed up with our immigration system. It is a deep study of one family caught in the web of violence, only wanting safety and security, no matter how it is achieved. It is the story of Mauro, the father, trapped by by his lack of education and thin choices of a way out; of Elena, the mother, who will literally do anything for her children, even if that means giving one away; of Karina, a daughter and a Dreamer, who lives in America but is told she has no right to be there; of Nando, the son, who is bullied for who he is, an American boy but perceived as an 'Other'; and of Talia, the girl sent home to Columbia, who struggles to reach Bogata after running away from reform school, who is the Solomon's child, torn between two identities, two parents, two countries. This book is one we should ALL read, as we hope for a new direction in America, to once again be the shore that welcomes those 'yearning to breathe free.'

 The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor

This modern-day classic is a breathtakingly personal look into the lives of women in the inner-city, trapped by poverty, or children, or tradition, or parents, or just plain life. Yet the beauty of their stories transcends their circumstances. It begins with Mattie, young and pregnant, part of the great Black migration, moving from North Carolina to Harlem, finding her spot as the matriarch of Brewster Place. The stories of seven women intertwine for decades and we seem them struggle with their own prejudices against homosexuality, raising up good children, fighting for their right to exist and flourish. I loved the audio of this one, drawing me into these women's lives as if I was a fly on the wall.

Just Us: An American Conversation by Claudia Rankin

This is a uniquely constructed book, full of poems, essays, historical notes, and photos, all centered on the conversation of 'whiteness' and what it means in today's world. Written and compiled by a Black college professor, I found it a fascinating read, sometimes uncomfortable in a way that forced me to confront my own biases, as well as eye-opening as I was enlightened by past history of which I knew nothing. Want to be kicked outside that box of white privilege and forced to see sometimes what we don't want to? This book will do just that.

Empire of Sand (The Books of Ambha, #1) by Tasha Suri

This book has been in my backlist pile for well over a year, so it was time to finally dive in; what an adventure it turned out to be! Written by an Indian-American writer, this fantasy tale is set in a magical realm much like India, using its cultural and spiritual beliefs to guide the story. It is a tale of mystics and magic, of an emperor who wants to live forever, of a man trapped by a vow, of a mother forced to make impossible choices, and of a girl who can manipulate dreamfire and save their world. Looking for an escape from reality and for a fantasy book not peopled with the all-white list of characters of pretty much all the popular fantasy books of today, this book is a winner.