Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald

 

I had the chance to read this novel thanks to Dutton/Penguin Random House and it was a delightful, sweet read heading into summer.

Read the Room is an independent bookstore in a cozy Seattle neighborhood. Full of quirky booksellers and customers, it's the kind of bookstore where you can relax and browse to your heart's content. 

April is one of those customers, and she's got a bit of a crush on Westley, the very handsome but shy bookseller who takes care of the used books that are dropped off and resold at the store. She's decided the easiest way to connect with him is by leaving a note in a book she's bringing to him. Sounds simple, right? What could go wrong?

Well, things go wrong and Westley never sees the note, and the book is bought by Laura, who finds the note and thinks the handsome man at the bookstore must have left it for her. 

A correspondence begins between April and Laura, who each think they're leaving notes for Westley, who remains absolutely clueless--and he's got his own mess to deal with--a movie is being filmed in the store. Westley is the quintessential Seattle dude, complete with beard and flannel shirt. Perfect for an indie movie about a bookstore. He's reluctantly pulled into the film as a back up to the star. 

This novel is really about lonely people. It's about waking up one day and realizing your life has somehow taken a turn you weren't expecting, and what seemed at first as protecting your space and mental health actually turns out to be isolating and lonely. Making friends as adults is hard, for sure. Making lasting friends as adults is hard, absolutely. 

April and Laura, and Westley are surrounded by a colorful cast of characters, and it was fun to see each circle of friends inch closer to connecting and growing into a big circle of friends who support each other and enjoy each other. Part of the enjoyment is anticipating the "aha" moment when April and Laura realize Westley isn't the one who's leaving notes-they're leaving notes for each other. 

This book is for fans of bookstore novels, women finding friendships, and novels where characters realize they are the key to their happiness--but it takes courage to change. 

Big thanks to Dutton and Penguin/RandomHouse for an enjoyable read!

Out now!

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Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald

Two July Reads: A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner and The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski

 I've been stopping and starting so. many. books. this summer; my house looks like a book bomb went off!

Here are two quick reviews for two novels I've read:

A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner

I love Jamie Brenner novels! Blush remains my absolute favorite. Her latest takes place in Provincetown, Cape Cod. One of those "I desperately want to visit" places for me. 

This novel centers on three friends who became great friends during college, and swore they would return to Provincetown each summer and stick together. It's been three years and Hunter, Shelby, and Colleen haven't kept that promise. But now Shelby has published her first novel, and Colleen's family bookstore is welcoming her to her first book signing.  Great, right? Well, it appears Shelby may have hurt a few feelings with some thinly veiled characters in her novel that are obvious to those who live and work in P-town. The friendship that was so close a few years before needs a lot of work; is this the summer Shelby, Hunter and Colleen grow their friendship? There's lots of bookstore drama, a past boyfriend who is still around, and a whole lot of growing up to do. I kept forgetting the three women were just out of college; it felt as if they should have been older. I didn't care for Hunter; she felt really immature and just hostile for no reason. Colleen was there and an important part of the plot, but just didn't seem to be a well-developed character. It wasn't my favorite Jamie Brenner novel, but it's definitely a beachy-read that will satisfy your summer reading cravings.  3/6 rating.

The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski

Give me a novel set in Wisconsin and I'm there. Childhood vacations in Wisconsin linger in my memories and I absolutely love that state. 

This was a novel that was not what I was expecting, at all. I thought it would be more along the lines of Lorna Landvik, who is the queen of Upper Midwest small town quirky novels. This was definitely more of a serious novel, tackling PTSD in veterans and the effect it has on families; grief for lost loved ones and lost relationships; regrets, and strained family dynamics. 

There are plenty of beers and brandy old-fashions to be had, however, and some really delightful characters. Esther Larson is the grandmother to Iris, a super smart Gen Z young woman who absolutely loves the North Woods and her grandmother's home, which is in peril, thanks to an internet scam. Enter in Cooper, his famous chef father Ivan, and his little sister. They've come to Ellerie County to bury Annabelle, Cooper's stepmother. The ladies of Ellerie County always gather together to make food for the funerals, and this one is no exception. And it's at this funeral that Esther and Iris meet Cooper, a lost soul traumatized by a horrific shooting at a holiday parade where his role as a paramedic couldn't save a young woman who died in his arms. It's a heavy load to carry. 

This novel took all sorts of twists and turns I wasn't expecting. I loved Esther and Iris; their relationship is solid. Cooper has a lot of baggage, and I rooted for him to get the help he needed to heal. I loved the small town setting, the way nature was always there, ready to soothe and comfort, and how the plot unfolded. Definitely not a light read but a good one.  4/6 rating.

There's two completely different novels, both enjoyable and filled with lots of supporting characters that add to the storyline. Settings are both lovely, and certainly gave me the travel itch. 

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Two July Reads: A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner and The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski

March Read: The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl

 

Ever since I read Ruth Reichl's first novel Delicious! I have been waiting for her to write another novel. I'll begin by saying it does have some childhood sexual abuse in it at the beginning, which helps explain some of the main character's feelings and attitude along the way.

Saying that, the novel is about a young woman, Stella in the early 1980's. She lives in New York and her mother, with whom she had a difficult relationship, has died. Stella's mom left her some money with strict instructions to travel to Paris and not to come back until all the money was spent. 

Stella decides, okay, I'll go. She buys a one way ticket to Paris and spends a few weeks living very simply and wandering around. Not really getting the whole Paris experience. She comes across a vintage clothing shop, and finds a stunning Dior dress that the shop owner insists is made for her. Convinced to buy it (and spending most of her money), Stella takes the owner's advice and goes to a particular restaurant to eat oysters and have champagne. This is the start point for Stella's adventures in Paris. 

While at the restaurant, Stella meets Jules, an elderly art collector, and this sets off Stella's awakening to all that Paris offers. Making friends with Jules, she's soon involved in an intriguing art mystery, traveling around Paris and the countryside eating amazing food, and discovering just what Stella wants in life. Paris feels like it might, just might, be home. 

What I enjoyed about this novel, besides the incredible food descriptions, was the meandering way Stella's adventures keep unfolding. The people she meets along the way, and the evolution of Stella from a meek and quiet young woman to a strong, confident woman are part of the enjoyment of the novel. Each person she meets and befriends has a whole story of their own--many based on heartbreak, too. 

I enjoyed this novel very much, and was happy to see Stella evolve from a trauma filled childhood to a confident and beloved woman who keeps moving forward despite her fear of the unknown. 

Anyone who loves Paris, or is a foodie will enjoy this novel. It is published in the U.S. on April 30, 2024 in hardcover. A big thanks to Random House for an advanced copy to read. 

Rating: 4/6 for an adventure story that begins in a traumatic childhood, and evolves into a young woman knowing herself and her place in the world. 

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March Read: The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl

October Read: A Death in Door County (A Monster Hunter Mystery #1) by Annelise Ryan

 

The cover of this mystery caught my eye and led to me checking it out of my library. Then last week, I was at my book group and one of my friends talked about it--I made sure he didn't give the ending away because I wasn't quite done with it!

 I finished it and enjoyed traveling to Door County, WI. I'm putting it on my bucket list of places to visit. It's not terribly far from where I live now, and even though my family took vacations every summer to Rhinelander, WI when I was little, we never got to Door County. 

Anyhow. This was kind of like a cozy mystery, but one with a little more oomph to it. Morgan Carter owns a unique bookshop called Odds and Ends in Door County. Her hobby, inherited from her parents, is the study of cryptids. Crypids are creatures people are sure exist, but just have never had definitive proof: Bigfoot, Loch Ness, Abominable Snowman. New police chief Jon Flanders hires Morgan to investigate the possibility of a cryptid swimming around Lake Michigan, after two men are washed ashore drowned but showing signs of being crushed by something powerful. Could it be a lake creature? 

As Morgan begins to dig into her research, she uncovers more questions than answers. We also get to meet her employees Rita and Devon, her beloved and very protective dog Newt, and see her cautious relationship develop with Chief Flanders. There is some uncovering of Morgan's past that answers some questions of how she is an expert at cryptids, and why she has such an unusual bookstore. 

I was deep into this mystery pretty quickly. It's clear Annelise Ryan knows Door County. It sounds absolutely lovely and she painted a heck of a picture. I deliberately kept away from looking online so I could keep it all in my head. There are a few sad moments, but overall I just let the mystery reveal itself as I read. There's no "ooh, maybe this person did it" as there is in cozy mysteries. I truly had no idea until the end. 

I'm happy to say the last few sentences lead to the possibility of the next mystery in the series and I'll be picking that up--it involves Bigfoot! 

Rating: 5/6 for the vivid writing that brings Door County to life, along with a very interesting main character with a special knowledge unlike any other mysteries I've read. I like the slow development of Morgan and Jon's relationship which leaves something for more mysteries to explore. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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October Read: A Death in Door County (A Monster Hunter Mystery #1) by Annelise Ryan

Summer Reading 2022: Book Lovers by Emily Henry

 

I'm chipping away at my summer reading pile, and I just finished Book Lovers by Emily Henry. I wanted to give her another chance after I read Beach Read a few years ago and had mixed feelings about that novel. Enough mixed feelings that I didn't read People We Meet on Vacation, her follow up. 

I'm happy to say I had a different experience with this novel. It could be I liked the characters much more in Book Lovers.  Nora and Charlie both live in New York City. Nora is a literary agent, and Charlie is an editor. They meet briefly to discuss one of Nora's clients. Charlie doesn't like the book, and Nora doesn't much like Charlie. Neither makes a good impression on the other.  

Fast forward two years later, and Nora is taking a month long vacation to the town of Sunshine Falls, North Carolina with her pregnant sister Libby. They are extremely close, but Nora has felt some distance in their relationship. Libby isn't happy with Nora's career taking all of her time; Nora is afraid their relationship may be damaged because of it. 

Nora runs into Charlie in Sunshine Falls. Oh--did I mention Sunshine Falls is the setting for the novel Charlie dissed two years before? And that novel was a HUGE hit? Surprise, surprise. Charlie actually is from Sunshine Falls. He's there taking care of his parent's bookshop and helping his father recover from a stroke. Charlie hates Sunshine Falls. They run into each other, and it's clear their short meeting two years before was just the start of something big. 

Nora and Charlie begin working on editing a novel that has the potential to be a blockbuster. They both know it and are completely in sync with each other about the work it will take to shape the manuscript and get it ready to sell. 

Nora and Charlie also are irresistibly attracted to each other, and their chemistry is off the charts! I'll say Emily Henry hit the nail on the head as Nora finds the little things about Charlie so darn hot. That's exactly how it works. I'm partial to my dude's dimples. They get me every time. I love his chin. Weird, I know, but darn it all he's got a great chin. Anyway...Nora and Charlie just are so good together. I loved reading their texts; they just get each other. Smart, snappy, sharp conversations that make their relationship very believable. 

Charlie's attraction to Nora is also so. well. done. I loved the evolution of their relationship. A great match; great dialogue. 

Nora's relationship with her sister Libby is a bit complicated, and Nora's quirks and issues get a deep dive into her past. Charlie brings out the best in her. 

A big theme in this novel is the idea of happily ever after, and how sometimes it doesn't always happen the way we want it to happen. Life is not a Hallmark movie; tough choices have to be made. Sometimes your happy is not the same happy for others you love, and you have to make a choice. It's also about loving someone enough to let them go so they can be happy. 

I'm not saying how this novel ends, because the journey is important. It's a good journey, however, and while this is a romance, it's also a story about family, sacrifice, personal happiness, and healing. 

Okay. So I'm onboard the Emily Henry train. Book Lovers was a great read, a solid romance, and an examination of being happy in your life versus just being okay in order to make someone else happy. 

Rating: 5/6 for two engaging characters: Nora and Charlie. Darn it all, Charlie sure is appealing! The story moves along at a good pace; all of the strands of this plot come together neatly. A good novel to take on vacation. 

Available in paperback, hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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Summer Reading 2022: Book Lovers by Emily Henry

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

 

This is another book I've been anticipating for quite some time, thanks to buzz on Twitter and the book world. It took me a bit to finally pick up the book and plunge into it, though, but I was immediately captivated by Addie's story.

Addie LaRue is 23 in the summer of 1714, living in the small French village of Villon. She's pretty much lived her whole life there, not venturing much past the village boundaries. Yet Addie is burning with the desire to see the world; live a life much bigger than what awaits her in Villon. She has arrived at a point in her life where choice has been taken away: she is set to be married at sunset to a local man she does not love. Addie knows her life will become dreary, filled with unending tasks and bearing children until she simply grows old and dies. A life that is not at all what she wants. In a bid to escape the inevitable, she runs to the woods on the way to the chapel, and begs the gods and goddesses for a new life-she will do anything  to escape life in Villon. 

And someone does appear-a very dark god, indeed. The devil himself, to make a bargain with Addie: she will have the freedom she craves, but at a price: her soul in return, when she is weary of life. Addie agrees, but soon finds out the bargain is a curse, and a cruel one, at that. Not only is she immortal, but her desire to be free means no one remembers her; she cannot tell people her name, and she has no way to leave a memory of herself behind. She is doomed to wander the earth every day, unable to have a home, a lasting love, or even simply being remembered by anyone who crosses her path. Within minutes, she is forgotten. 

Most of the first half of the novel chronicles Addie's rough beginnings in her new life as she discovers she can be injured, can be voraciously hungry; even freeze at night-but it won't kill her. She can speak to a person, and that person walks away and returns with no memory of who Addie is or what she wants. Addie learns to live by her wits, stealing food and clothing, wandering cities and figuring out the game that will keep her sane. And Luc, the devil who made the deal, visits her every so often to remind her she only has to say she's done and it will all be over. Yet Addie is determined to never give in to Luc, and continues to learn, evolve, and wander the world. 

Part of the story is also set in 2014; Addie lives in New York. She looks exactly the same, and now over three hundred years old, she's pretty wise, but also still desperately lonely. Until she meets Henry. Henry remembers her. He's the first person to remember her in over 300 years. How is this possible? Has Addie finally found someone who will never forget her?

There's much more to the story, and a heartbreaker of an ending, for sure. Addie's beginnings are very interesting, as she navigates the streets of Paris and other cities, surviving by her wits, learning skills along the way. Her pain from time after time of spending the night with someone, only to be met with confusion and shame the next morning, is devastating. Yet with Henry, she has a chance, finally at happiness. Or will fate be cruel once again?

I did like the characters; Addie is especially tough and complex, as would anyone who is immortal and utterly dependent on themselves. It is interesting to think about being alone while in the midst of a pandemic. We are all forced to spend less time with friends and family; often spending whole days alone with no personal contact. I cannot imagine going through hundreds of years that same way. The mixture of art and literature, and the ways Addie finds loopholes in her curse to leave some trace of herself behind are interesting, and frame the beginning of each section of the book. 

I can't give away the end, and it may satisfy or disappoint you--definitely something to discuss! Addie is a character you won't soon forget; after all, that's what she wants--and she succeeded with this reader. 

Rating: 4/6 for a powerful novel about time, love, memory, and the traces we leave behind. How do you leave a legacy when no one remembers you? 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber

Heather Webber has written more than twenty-five novels-most of them are cozy mysteries and light romances. However, she has found her sweet spot in her previous novel Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe, and her newest novel, South of the Buttonwood Tree. I can't say it strongly enough how much I enjoy novels imbued with magical realism. 

This is not a sequel, but a stand alone novel about Blue Bishop and the people she calls family. Set in the small town of Buttonwood, Alabama, Blue is a children's author and illustrator, and has a series of books about a bunny that have made her famous. However, her family name has made her infamous in her hometown. Blue and her sister, Persy are the only two left in the Bishop family; her brothers all died tragically and under unhappy circumstances, her father left the family and died; her mother Twyla willed herself to death after losing her sons and husband. Growing up with little money, the family did what it could to survive-often getting into trouble with the law. Blue, however, stayed on the straight and narrow (except for that one incident in high school). She's been working hard and saving money so she can start the process of adopting a baby. It's what she's wanted for so very long. 

Blue has a gift: listening to the wind, and following it to find lost things. But there remains one thing that is lost that she needs to find before she can move away from the town that has caused her a lot of heartache. So every day she walks the woods to the Buttonwood Tree, searching for that lost thing. This time, she hears a baby crying, and finds a newborn tucked under the tree, with a button from the tree saying "Give the baby to Blue Bishop" tucked in her blanket. 

Everyone knows if you ask the tree a question, it will answer with a wooden button and one sentence of advice.  If you don't follow the tree's advice, you're doomed to unhappiness. 

Blue's dream seems to be coming true-a newborn baby girl left specifically to her. Quickly arranging guardianship, Blue names the baby Flora. While gossip swirls around town and the police investigate the appearance of the baby, Blue's close circle of friends celebrate with her. However, there is Ginny Fulton. She despises Blue and the whole Bishop family, and she will do what she has to in order to take the baby away from Blue. Ginny's daughter, Sarah Grace, is unhappily married, and her husband and her mother both want her to have a baby (the unhappily married part is a secret). She doesn't want one, and knows that Blue will make the best mother for Flora. She has a secret friendship with Blue, and doesn't understand why her mother loathes Blue so much. 

Sarah Grace has a few secrets of her own, too. Big secrets that may damage her father's run for Governor. Sarah Grace has her own business-flipping houses, then renting them to folks who don't have much money. Sarah Grace has the most interesting gift: she can hear the houses talking to her. They tell her all kinds of things-the history, the happiness, the sorrow; they let her know what's wrong with them and who is invited to stay. And she wants the old Bishop house. It is calling to her. 

There are a few other people in Buttonwood who have some special gifts, too. I'll let you discover that. There's also quite a few secrets, and some are doozies! Will Blue get to adopt Flora, or will the town turn against her? Will Sarah Grace find her way out of her unhappy marriage? It seems as though baby Flora has stirred the pot, and set in motion a whole lot of truths that need to be told. There's romance in the air, too for more than one character. It always seems that life's changes all come in a flurry,  and that is definitely the case for Blue and the folks in Buttonwood. 

I absolutely loved this novel, even more than the Blackbird Cafe. Alice Hoffman's earlier novels, along with Sarah Addison Allen's novels are similar to Heather's, and I'm so glad to have found another author who write magical realism that I enjoy so much. Step into Buttonwood, Alabama, and discover the Buttonwood Tree. 

Rating: 5/6 for a novel that had a few surprises, and a lot of warm characters. Believe in the magic. Perfect for a reading session in a hammock. 

Available in hardcover, audio and ebook. 

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South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

Another novel that involves books, bookstores, literary references, and quirky characters. They are my reset kind of novel, when I need a mental break from the daily "stuff" and pure escapism. My partner finds that in movies, I prefer books. 

Nina is a 29 year old women who lives with her cat Phil, works in a bookstore, and is so organized it makes my teeth hurt. Plus, I'm a little envious of the organization, I've got to admit. But Nina is a little too organized, and her mind is running a million miles a minute. She's on a trivia team, and her head is stuffed with bits of facts about everything. Life is pretty good for Nina, until she finds out that the man who was her father has died, and she's in his will. 

This man was someone Nina never knew. Her mother, a world traveling photographer, had a quick fling, found out the man was married, and that was that. Except Nina arrived 9 months later. She had an unusual childhood-she was raised by a nanny while her mother roamed around the world, checking in but really leaving Nina to be raised by her beloved Lou. Lots of things contributed to grown-up Nina's love of being alone, anxiety, need for order, and overwhelming love of books and reading. 

Now, she finds out she's got a family she never knew about, and darn it all, that cute guy Tom on an opposing trivia team is giving her a look that's hard to resist. So much potential change is giving Nina a bit of anxiety. Just how much can she handle? Is she ready to open up her heart, and her life, or will she let her safe life continue the way it is?

Nina's internal dialogue is witty, and her quips with Tom are sweet. And what really got my heart was the fact that Nina loves books--absolutely loves them, and Tom doesn't really read much at all. That's my fate in life, too. Books are a HUGE part of my life, and by golly I love a man who hasn't read a book since high school. And yet, he gets me and my book obsession. Phew. I think if we both were avid readers, we'd probably never talk about anything else but books, so it's good we've got lots of other stuff to talk about. And he remains impressed when I randomly spit out bits of information and facts that "I read somewhere". 

I just realized Abbi Waxman also wrote The Garden of Small Beginnings , which I bought a few years ago, and still sits on my bookcase, unread. I'll be sure to read it now. I thoroughly enjoyed Nina's tale, and had moments of chuckling out loud while reading. Of course it had a satisfying ending, and I didn't expect anything else. 

Rating: 4/6 for a fun, lovely little tale about books, reading, trivia, romance, and finding your tribe. Conquering anxiety even when it wants to pull you down. Knowing that all those little baby steps can lead to some place wonderful, if you can just be brave enough to try. 

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio.

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The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan

I usually do a bit of pre-reading work before I read most of my books.  By pre-reading work, I mean that I read a synopsis, some reviews...get the lay of the land, so to speak.  
I did not do that for this novel; instead I was captivated by the title, and decided I had to read it without having much of any idea of the plot.  

It took me about halfway through the novel to finally rid myself of the idea that somewhere in the Bright Ideas Bookstore there was a mystical, magical, fantasy storyline just waiting to pop out.  Nope.  Nothing like that at all. Add in a Gas N' Donuts place, and I thought: okay, maybe I'm wrong about the fantasy part, but I bet it's quirky. Yep. A quirky bookstore novel.  

Wrong again. It's actually a crime novel, with a bookstore as a significant setting. Here's a short summary, because I don't want to give anything away:  Lydia works at the Bright Ideas Bookstore, in a part of Denver that's seeing a revitalization.  She's befriended Joey, a young man who has no one and no where to go.  He spends hours at the bookstore, reading and watching people.

One night, as Lydia is closing up the bookstore, she realizes Joey hasn't come down from the third floor.  Irritated, she goes up to the third floor, only to find Joey hanging in the history section.  Curiously, a photo of Lydia as a small child is found sticking out of his jeans pocket. Devastated by Joey's suicide, Lydia scrambles to figure out why, why?! She's been asked to clean out Joey's apartment, and while she does, she finds a box of books that are meant for her. Inside the books, Joey's cut out bit of sentences, leaving little bits of the books missing. Through some smart observation, Lydia starts putting the pieces of the book mystery together, and instead of making things clearer, it only pulls her deeper into the mystery of Joey's life, and death. And they are, somehow, linked to Lydia's past.

Lydia is an interesting character.  At age ten, she was the only survivor to a horrible murder that remains unsolved.  Her father, a librarian, moves them away from Denver, and he himself slowly changes from the loving father Lydia knows to a withdrawn, sad man who slowly closes out his daughter.  Leaving home after high school graduation, Lydia returns to Denver, and becomes a bookseller--the one place where she feels at home.  Her past remains past, as she strives to escape the "Little Lydia" nickname the newspapers gave her, all those years ago.  She doesn't talk about her past, and doesn't have anything to do with her father. 

Joey's suicide stirs things up in Lydia's life; I have to say it was a pretty good storyline that brought Joey's random, sad life and Lydia's dysfunctional adult life together.  I kept wondering just how the two would come together, and that kept me reading.  It wasn't surprising to find out who was the murderer, but it was interesting to find out why this person committed the crime. Most poignant of all was the short life of Joey.  A young man who never had a family, felt completely alone, abandoned, and lost.  A struggle for a meaningful life that ended with a final blow that he just couldn't overcome.  Joey's character is pretty powerful, even though he's dead for the majority of the novel.  

I did come around after a bit and did enjoy the novel, even though I still have a faint disappointment that it wasn't what I had hoped for.  You know how you think the cookie is chocolate chip, but instead it's oatmeal raisin?  You'll eat it anyway, and enjoy it, but darn it all, it should have been chocolate chip.  That's how I feel about this novel. Matthew Sullivan is a gifted writer, and his descriptions of Denver and the bookstore anchor you in the story.  It's a quick read, and you'll keep reading, because you want to find out what the heck is going on, and how Lydia and Joey are connected.  It all connects back to Lydia's childhood and that horrible murder.  Read it and see what you think.  

Rating:  3/6 for a well crafted crime novel that also addresses the plight of the homeless, the abandoned, and the foster care system in our country.  

Available in hardcover, e-book, and audio.

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Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan

Don't Worry, Life is Easy by Agnes Martin-Lugand

I was thrilled to be able to read this sequel to Happy People Read and Drink Coffee (click on the link to read my review from 2016), because quite frankly the tale of Diane and Edward was so powerful I couldn't wait to find out what happens next.  If you haven't read Happy People, I'm going to probably spoil a few things for you, so beware.

Translated from French, this sequel picks up a year after Diane returns to Paris from Ireland.  Her bookstore is doing well after Diane renews her commitment to making it a success.  Her life has a routine; her grief has subsided.  Her feelings for Edward, however, are still pretty strong, and her time in Ireland and the people she met remain on her mind.  Felix, her best friend, is still a delightful character who can be counted on to keep things light.  

Diane has been going out on dates, and they're all pretty horrible.  Listening to the tales my dating friends tell me, it's amusing to read about similar experiences in Paris, the City of Love.  Bad dates happen everywhere!  But Diane does meet Olivier...a kind, quiet, handsome man who is very patient with Diane.  He's safe, and doesn't stir her wild emotions as Edward did in Ireland.  And who's to say safe is a bad thing, after the emotional devastation Diane has gone through?  

One night out, Diane and Olivier run into Edward, who's visiting Paris for a photography exhibition.  Diane is shaken, and her feelings for Edward are still strong.  She finds out his Aunt Abby is ill, and decides to travel back to Ireland to visit her.  

I'll stop there.  I won't give any more away.  I will tell you that this sequel is just as good as the first novel.  Agnes succeeded in reducing me to a sobbing mess more than once.  She writes so beautifully; simply said but so impactful.  Spare, but packs a punch.  You are wishing so much for Diane and Edward to find a way; can two people who live in different countries, are both emotionally damaged, and so wary find happiness together?  

It's a quick read, but one that will stay with you for quite some time after you've turned the last page.  It is one of my favorite reads for 2017. Both novels remind us that life can be so very painful, unfair, and dark.  But if we are brave enough, it can also be pretty wonderful, too.  

Thank you to Hachette Books for a chance to read this book ahead of publication.  Also a huge thank you to Roslan & Campion for giving me the opportunity to talk about this wonderful author once again.   

Don't Worry, Life is Easy will be available May 2nd in the U.S. in hardcover and ebook.  But you must read Happy People first!

Rating:  5/6 for a sequel that is just as good as the original novel about  finding the sunshine in life after devastating loss. 

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Don't Worry, Life is Easy by Agnes Martin-Lugand

The Moment of Everything by Shelly King

This happens every time I post a "This is What I'm Reading" blog.  I immediately turn around and find something to read that's not on my list.  This is one of the perils of working at a bookstore.  

School has been incredibly busy this month!  I am doggie paddling as fast as I can; it doesn't help that I want to sit and read fun stuff all day and I can't.  I have read two books in the past few weeks, but they are about my other interests:  forensics and death.  I didn't want to post reviews on those, cause I figure y'all want something fun to read!  So here's a fun book to read, and perfect for book lovers, librarians, and fans of bookstores.

The Moment of Everything by Shelly King is a sweet little novel about being at a point in your life where you think you should do one thing, but another is calling to you.  We've all been there...sometimes more than once.   Maggie Dupres is a former librarian who turned her library skills into mining for information at a Silicon Valley business she co-founded with her pal Dizzy.  Unfortunately, through acquisitions, board member stuff, and just bad luck, she's out of a job.  The only thing she knows for sure is that moving home to Mom and Dad is not an option. 

 She finds herself hanging out at Dragonfly Books, a used bookstore that is home to a quirky owner, a vicious cat, and lots of romance novels.  Maggie reluctantly becomes vested in the well-being of the shop when she finds a copy of Lady Chatterley's Lover that changes her life.  Inside the beat up, torn up novel are marginalia (the librarian in me is delighted to use that word) between Henry and Catherine that tell of their love story.  What is marginalia?  Scribbles, comments, and notes in the margins of books.  It's also a secret way to communicate between lovers.  Who are they?  Where are they?  Did they ever meet?  Maggie becomes obsessed with this tale, and it becomes a driving force in reinvigorating the business of Dragonfly books.  It also messes with Maggie's ideas of love and romance.  She thinks she's pretty immune to love, but finds out love pops up whether she's ready or not.  

This novel is full of great book references, the smell and feel of a bookstore, and reminds me of why I love books and reading.  I also got a kick out of reading about a librarian working at a bookstore--gee, that kinda sounds familiar....

Anyway.  Read this if you liked The Storied Life of AJ Fikry.  Or if you love books and bookstores.  And if you have a Dragonfly Books in your life, visit it.  

Rating:  7/10 for down to earth characters, a lovingly drawn-out bookstore, and a woman's story that is a bit messy but real.  

Available in paperback and e-book.

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The Moment of Everything by Shelly King

Goodnight June by Sarah Jio

I've read every Sarah Jio novel to date, and I have to say The Violets of March and now Goodnight June are my two favorites.  I just so loved this book; perhaps because it is about a bookstore and sisters, two things near and dear to my heart.  

June is a banker in New York City who has the unenviable job of delivering foreclosures to small businesses.  She's good at it, but deep down doesn't enjoy her job at all.  A letter arrives from Seattle, informing June that her Great Aunt Ruby has died and left June her bookstore, Bluebird Books.  June is grief stricken at the thought of Ruby being gone, and regrets that her job has taken her so far away and kept her from visiting Ruby--now it's too late.  June takes a week's vacation to visit Seattle and plans on clearing out Bluebird Books, selling the store, and returning to her life in New York City.

Once in Seattle, June finds a letter from Ruby, imploring June to remember how much she loved Bluebird Books, and how she's meant to take it over and keep reminding the children of Seattle how important books and bookstores are to this world.  In addition to the letter, June finds correspondence between Ruby and Margaret Wise Brown from the 1940's when Bluebird was in it's infancy.  Ruby and Margaret met at school--Margaret the teacher, Ruby the student.  They formed an immediate bond, and kept up their friendship through letters and visits.  June suspects there is much more--were Ruby and her bookstore the    inspiration for Margaret's most famous book, Goodnight Moon?  

There is much more to this book, of course.  Ruby, Margaret, and June all have estranged sisters, and each struggles to overcome bitter feelings in order to form  loving relationships with their sisters.  Are any of them successful?  And June finds out so much about the Ruby before June knew her as Aunt.  It is true we all have such stories to tell about lives; stories lived in the spaces of our hearts and minds that are precious and not always obvious to others.  

I so loved this book.  It is, of course, most of all about being happy and living your life doing what you love.  If we could all do that, how much happier and brighter this world would be for everyone.  And anyone who is a fan of books, actual physical bookstores, and the transformative power of reading will also adore this book.  I have seen children's faces light up when they are given a book, or have eagerly waited for a favorite author's latest novel.  Books are truly one of the best things in life.  And bookstores--for all those who say they are dying, you are wrong.  As long as we continue to cherish books and the hallowed places that keep them for us, patiently waiting for someone to take them home and make them part of their lives...well, bookstores will always survive.  Have you been to one lately?  If not, maybe it's time.  Put down the mouse and find your nearest bookstore and remember the thrill of walking in as a small child, smelling the paper, and knowing somewhere on those shelves there was a book waiting just for you.  Magic.  

Rating:  8/10 for a unique story with characters you can't help but love.  

Available in paperback, e-book, and audio.

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Goodnight June by Sarah Jio

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

                                                This is the story of a crabby bookstore owner who finds there's life left to be lived after all.  

A.J. Fikry lives on Alice Island, and owns the only bookshop in this tourist spot.  He's in his early 40's lives, above the bookstore, and is disgusted at life, people, and the garbage they read.  One night, his life is changed for ever, and we find out A.J. is not the curmudgeon he so wants to be.  

This is a novel that will appeal to anyone who loves books, works in bookstores or works in the book business.  It makes you think about what you love to read and why, and how it shapes your world.  It reminds us that some books become part of us and in some ways become a playbook for how we think and live.  

If you haven't read Gabrielle Zevin, I highly recommend her first novel Elsewhere, which is so wonderful it made me a fan of hers for life.  A.J.'s story will make you smile, get a little teary, and sigh at the end.  And he sums up life quite nicely with this quote:

                                  "We are not quite novels.  
                                   We are not quite short stories.
                                   In the end, we are collected stories."



Rating:  7/10 for quirky characters, a memorable bookstore, and a short but sweet story.

Available in hardcover and e-book.

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The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

Anyone who read Between Shades of Gray in the last few years has eagerly been awaiting Ruta Sepetys' latest teen novel.  This woman is such a good writer and teller of stories that I predict she will continue to take the teen world by storm.  I hope she branches out into adult fiction sometime soon.  But don't let the "teen" in this novel scare you away.  

Josie Moraine lives in New Orleans in 1950.  She's 17, and her only family is Willie, a madam who owns a whorehouse and keeps an eye on Josie.  Josie's mother is absolutely horrid and cannot stand her daughter.  I mean she really hates her own child.  She's a drunk, a whore, and runs with the very wrong crowd.  She will steal from anyone and everyone--including her daughter.  Josie is smart, kind, and determined to go to college.  She just doesn't know how to do it.  Until she meets Charlotte, who comes into the bookshop Josie works at, and befriends Josie.  Charlotte goes to Smith College, and she encourages Josie to apply.  This begins Josie's quest to apply to Smith College--her way out of New Orleans and into a better life.  But the road is very bumpy, and she has many obstacles to overcome.  

What I most enjoyed about this novel was the cast of characters that surround Josie.  What she lacks in blood relations is made up by all of the people around her who love her, guide her, and take care of her:  Willie; Cokie, Willie's driver; Jesse, a young mechanic who has feelings for Josie; Patrick, a young man who's father owns the bookshop Josie work at; and Charlie--the owner of the bookshop who gives Josie a place to live on her own at age 12.  Even the prostitutes at Willie's love Josie and take care of her as best they can.  She needs all their help, as her mother is tangled up with gangsters and the murder of a rich gentleman from Tennessee.  Josie is involved in this murder also, but only because he visits the bookshop and buys books from her the day he dies.  There's so much more to the story than that, but I can't give anymore away!

I think Ruta Sepetys has a wonderful writing gift.  The characters are well drawn, Josie's world is easy to picture, and even though you want her path to be easy, it's not.  And that's the way life is--not always wonderful; full of obstacles, and sometimes lots of pain and disappointment.  It's also full of caring people, love, and hope. It's about looking for your path, and taking those steps even when it's tough and looks like you won't make it.  That's Josie's life.  You will quickly become absorbed in her story, and won't put this book down until the very last page.  

Rating:  9/10  I love Ruta Sepetys.  I love New Orleans.  I love this story.
Available in hardcover, and e-book.   

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Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

Book Talks Next Week! What I'm Reading For Them

A really fun part of my job is giving book talks.  I can't seem to shut up about reading, so I guess it's easy to say "I would love to talk to your group about books--where and when?"  And next week, I have two talks in one day--a luncheon crowd at a private home, and a book club meeting at my bookstore that night.  I sometimes feel a bit of a pinch to talk about brand spanking new books, but have learned to incorporate books I've already read into my talk.  This way I'm not stressing myself out by trying to read gobs of books right before my talks.  And, I have to remember that the people I'm talking to do not know all the books that are out there--they don't work at a bookstore like I do.  I see waaaaay too many new books every week!  Temptation is always staring me in the face.  

Anyway--here are three books I'm going to be reading this week so I can add them to my book talks next week.  I've already created my "talking" list, but I'm really looking forward to these stories--have to add them--and I hope to hit my Good reads 2012 challenge by next week, too.  These were novels that peaked my interest, so I just have to fit them in--and talk talk talk about them, too:

I have heard such mixed reviews of The House I Loved that I must read it.  I haven't read her other two titles--which seems to be the center of most of the so-so reviews for this one.  Since I have nothing to compare it to, I think I'll be able to read it from a different perspective.  I never got a chance to read it in hardcover, so I bought the paperback last week.  I also have heard wonderful things about The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared.  A fun, fresh adventure story featuring a 100 year old man who escapes his nursing home and relives his life.  And since I read so many novels by women, I want to enjoy some novels written by men.  The Sisters grabbed my attention as I was putting it out on a new paperback table at work.  I read the author's interview at the back of the novel and decided it would be a fascinating read about a tragic break up between sisters--I have 4--what would happen if I didn't speak to one of them ever again?  And what would cause such a chasm?  It will definitely be one to recommend to book clubs.  

Add these three to my book talk next week.  I've already read plenty of other titles, so my list is complete.  I've found most groups prefer to read paperbacks, so that's what I aim for--and for those who don't mind the format, I usually sprinkle in a hardcover or two.  It's always refreshing and fun to have free reign in my book talks.  

What are you reading this week?

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Book Talks Next Week! What I'm Reading For Them