Be Ready When the Luck Happens was an absolute balm to my soul. Ina Garten, the Bob Ross of calm, reassuring presence in the food world, managed to maBe Ready When the Luck Happens was an absolute balm to my soul. Ina Garten, the Bob Ross of calm, reassuring presence in the food world, managed to make me like her even more. I expected the confident breeziness we see on her shows, but I didn't anticipate the depth, candor, or the kindred sense of adventure she brings to her story.
From her difficult upbringing to her marriage with Jeffrey and her influential entrepreneurial drive, Garten's memoir is warm, funny, and refreshingly open, as she takes charge of her life's story to tell it the way it deserves to be told....more
Set in a crumbling 1997 America, a runaway teen and her yellow toy robot head west through a landscape littered with abandoned battle drones 4.5 stars
Set in a crumbling 1997 America, a runaway teen and her yellow toy robot head west through a landscape littered with abandoned battle drones and the wreckage of a once-thriving society. The population has become catatonic, addicted to high-tech devices that once promised connection but left the nation hollowed and decaying. As they near the Pacific, the disintegration of civilization looms ever closer, hinting at an ominous collapse waiting just beyond the horizon.
The story itself, which I took in through the audiobook, is gripping and sad — but the true star of this experience is the artwork. Haunting and gorgeous, it could almost stand on its own, no explanation needed....more
Dubliners by James Joyce, first published in 1914, is a collection of fifteen short stories that quietly and powerfully captures everyday Irish life dDubliners by James Joyce, first published in 1914, is a collection of fifteen short stories that quietly and powerfully captures everyday Irish life during a pivotal time in Ireland's search for its own identity. Each story centers on characters experiencing 'epiphanies' that offer the narrative a thoughtful arc — a subtle tilt toward resolution, which can be unusual in short stories. Joyce's characters are softly displayed and gently handled as he turns them over, examining them from all sides. The standout story, The Dead, is the final entry in the collection — a novella and, by far, my favorite.
What I love about Dubliners, along with its quiet, meditative storytelling (and the brilliant audiobook performances), is imagining the through line from Joyce to a contemporary Irish author like Claire Keegan. While Joyce captured early 20th-century struggles with a focus on social constraints and masculine sensibilities — even with his female characters — Keegan offers a modern view with more natural nuance. Her work balances both male and female perspectives, filling in the feminine sensibilities that Joyce wasn't able to fully access. She portrays resilience and stoicism through a lens attuned to present-day values, creating a more cohesive portrait of existence. Irish storytelling is layered and rich with knowable characters, people you can see and feel. These two authors, separated by a century, are bookends of Irish literature that each reflect evolving cultural values and literary focuses, giving us a compelling, continuous portrait of Irish life and identity....more
Mike Brink, celebrated for his New York Times puzzles, is drawn into a web of mystery when he is called to meet Jess Price, a prisoner convic3.5 stars
Mike Brink, celebrated for his New York Times puzzles, is drawn into a web of mystery when he is called to meet Jess Price, a prisoner convicted of murder who refuses to speak. She hands him a cryptic puzzle believed to hold the key to her crime, pulling him into an investigation involving ancient mysticism and powerful figures. As Brink follows the trail from prison cells to hidden archives, his obsession with Price entangles him in a dangerous game where each solved puzzle unlocks deeper mysteries — and new threats.
Mike's uncanny ability to see puzzles and patterns so vividly stems from an accident that altered his brain, forever changing his life’s trajectory. Trussoni skillfully reveals his backstory through snippets and flashbacks, developing Mike's character in layers. Cleverly, she includes space on the page for each puzzle, both solved and unsolved, making for an engaging interaction for the reader.
The pacing of this book is breakneck, which can be risky, and I think Trussoni lost control of her narrative about halfway through. Around this point, the story — along with the complex puzzle Brink is trying to solve to save Jess — starts to go off the rails, an unfortunate development from which it never fully recovers. And in thinking more about it, I believe it's because the focus shifts away from puzzle-solving and leans heavily into mysticism and lore. This shift is not what the reader signed up for, and it's not what was promised going into the story.
Despite the odd choice of insta-love and a chaotic second half, the story was still engaging enough to pull me along once I adjusted my expectations. Brink has a lot of potential for a series lead with his puzzling-solving noggin at the helm, and I look forward to a more focused and refined narrative in the second book....more
Lovingly crafted, The Small and the Mighty, a nonfiction debut from Sharon McMahon, offers the stories of twelve seemingly ordinary Americans4.5 stars
Lovingly crafted, The Small and the Mighty, a nonfiction debut from Sharon McMahon, offers the stories of twelve seemingly ordinary Americans whose acts of heroism helped shape the nation's history but have been left out of our history books.
McMahon highlights individuals whose courage and resilience left a lasting mark, elevating them above the ordinary. Through what is likely a staggering level of research and meticulous planning, McMahon provides a more nuanced view of American history.
McMahon’s voice, with or without the audiobook, shines through. She offers several tear-jerking moments, brimming with hope, love, and strength. This book is both timely (who doesn’t need a little hope right now?) and timeless, with the treasures inside waiting to be discovered by readers at any time in the future.
A perfect addition to school curriculums, The Small and the Mighty gave me a renewed sense of pride in the people this land has fostered — something I haven’t felt in quite some time....more
Ellen and William Craft's story is nothing short of extraordinary. In 1848, this enslaved couple made one of the boldest escapes to freedom by disguisEllen and William Craft's story is nothing short of extraordinary. In 1848, this enslaved couple made one of the boldest escapes to freedom by disguising themselves: Ellen as a wealthy, disabled white man and William as "his" enslaved companion. Traveling over 1,000 miles through the South by train and steamboat, they narrowly evaded slave traders and military officers, even crossing paths with people who could've exposed them.
Their journey didn't end with their escape, though. Their story captivated this nation, and they became prominent voices in the abolitionist movement. But the passing of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850 sent them fleeing once again, this time out of the country and across the pond. Master Slave Husband Wife captures the courage, love, and resilience of this couple as they navigated their fight for freedom and pioneered a new life for themselves.
A book of halves.
First, the five-star half. To say that this first half was riveting, nail-biting, and edge-of-your-seat would be an apt description. Woo sketched the backstories, the setting, and the dangers with perfect pacing and clarity. But as their escape neared its end, I grew suspicious about what was left to tell and how it would be delivered. If the pacing had remained consistent throughout, making different structural decisions, this would easily have kept its five-star rating. Unfortunately, my suspicions played out.
Second, the remaining two-and-a-half star half. Once Ellen and William completed their initial harrowing journey, the second half became uneven, with too much focus on secondary and tertiary figures, leaving me increasingly bored. Additionally, as I chose the audiobook, I was baffled by what prompted the narrators' switches. Their alternating didn't mark any shift in perspective, but rather seemed to follow a set schedule, like a classroom reading session where everyone gets a turn regardless of what's on the page. Ultimately, the second half weighed down the experience, and I found myself thinking that readers might be better off enjoying the first half of the book and turning to Wikipedia for the rest....more
Practice follows Annabel, a student at Oxford in 2009, over the course of one day as she alternates between discipline and distraction while trying toPractice follows Annabel, a student at Oxford in 2009, over the course of one day as she alternates between discipline and distraction while trying to complete an essay on Shakespeare’s sonnets in her dorm room.
What starts as an interesting, witty, and sexy stream of consciousness loses momentum as this short novel unfolds. The gap between where the story begins and where it ends feels wider than I’d hoped, and the opportunity for deeper character growth through Annabel’s observations fell away.
And, not for nothing, I found myself wanting more direct connections to Shakespeare’s sonnets or a clearer tie-in to Annabel’s assignment and ultimate goal. While the writing style and characterization are excellent, the novel ultimately felt more like a writing exercise than an intentional circadian novella....more
My experience with Ishiguro has been that his books are beautifully imagined — with particular care taken to get the c2.5 stars
Yikes. Not my Ishiguro.
My experience with Ishiguro has been that his books are beautifully imagined — with particular care taken to get the characters just right — and they could be described as "Ishiguro tries his hand at _____." Now, that might be spec-fic, sci-fi, classic, or fantasy, all of which I've loved or really liked, but "Ishiguro tries his hand at detective novels" was not a winner for me.
Basically, a grown man named Christopher Banks, who has become a renowned private investigator, heads back to Shanghai hoping to find out what happened to his mother and father, who disappeared some twenty years earlier, leaving him orphaned. Interspersed are Christopher's memories and the path to this present time in his life.
Ishiguro's spare writing style didn't match well with the tone or subject matter. Far more plot-driven than what I've found so far with his work, but Ishiguro seems to try and hide the plot behind the building of the main character's childhood and adulthood events that lead to this desperate search. This one was a bud that just never blossomed....more
Though I typically prefer my nonfiction via audiobook, The Situation Room surprised me with some of the production choices. So, I had to switch to priThough I typically prefer my nonfiction via audiobook, The Situation Room surprised me with some of the production choices. So, I had to switch to print from the library, and it worked so much better for me. Plus, I got the benefit of the pictures included. In both the audiobook and print versions, some sections came across as a bit too dry, too reporter-like. Admittedly, that feels like George’s authentic voice, though. Regardless, this was well-crafted, incredibly researched, and full of enthusiasm for the subject.
One issue that kept this from being five stars for me was that it was a bit overloaded with (unsurprisingly) a bunch of white men, and I had trouble keeping them straight, especially when it came to people or events from before my “news awareness” age. George would often reintroduce someone with the sentiment of, “Remember this one white guy from LBJ’s era? Here he is again, thirty years later.” No, George, I don’t remember him.
All in all, this was a fascinating look at a wide range of administrations and how they each responded to crises—both through their unique approaches and with the limitations or advancements in technology at the time. Like George, I’m surprised this was the first book detailing the history of this hugely important meeting point. ...more
Having been a fan of Mary E. Pearson's young adult series, like The Remnant Chronicles (which I still think about), Dance of Thieves, and Jenna Fox ChHaving been a fan of Mary E. Pearson's young adult series, like The Remnant Chronicles (which I still think about), Dance of Thieves, and Jenna Fox Chronicles, I was really intrigued and excited to see Pearson's entry into full-fledged adult fantasy.
Bristol Keats and her sisters are struggling after the loss of both their parents. When Bristol receives letters from an unknown "aunt," she discovers that her family history is a complete fabrication — and that her father may still be alive, kidnapped by creatures from another realm. Determined to find him, Bristol enters a world of magic with gods, fae, and monsters. There, she makes a deal with the fae king, Tyghan, unaware that he’s the one behind her family's troubles and just as intent on finding her father —whether dead or alive.
Because of my familiarity with both YA and adult fantasy and with Pearson's work — I was doubly disappointed here. I'm not sure what the impetus for making the shift to adult fantasy could have been, but I am not sold on it having been Pearson’s intention. The Courting of Bristol Keats retains all the earmarks of a young adult fantasy (particularly those from a decade ago), but with some sex scenes and adult language sparingly peppered about. Bristol herself is only 21 (nay, begging pardon — she turns 22 during the narrative), and yet she still felt every bit as "grown up" as the sixteen-year-old protagonists of typical YA fare. Additionally, there's a lack of freshness, with echos of series that have come before, like Holly Black's The Cruel Prince.
This is one of those books where the story itself is interesting, but the execution doesn't quite able to hold up the weight of the full narrative.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review....more
A Hercule Poirot novel — narrated again by his friend Arthur Hastings…the last, as I understand it, where Hastings narrates until the final Poirot booA Hercule Poirot novel — narrated again by his friend Arthur Hastings…the last, as I understand it, where Hastings narrates until the final Poirot book in 1975.
Basically, a wealthy older woman (never married) and owner of Little Green House, Emily Arundell is the last survivor of five siblings. The novel opens with her point of view and some vague concerns, a letter written to Poirot asking for his assistance, and her death. Cut to Poirot, who receives the letter months later than intended, and far too long beyond when it would’ve helped Emily. And, as one would expect, he and Hastings trot along to Little Green House in Berkshire to deduce that, not only was Emily’s death not due to natural causes, but she had been murdered.
He solves.
Pretty good little mystery from Christie. I can see why this one isn’t a more famous one, but also have no big issue with it. Delightfully predictable in Christie-ish ways, but not (I don’t believe) super easy to discern the guilty party.
As with any Christie, I approached Dumb Witness with a modicum of trepidation. Like Ms. Gump’s box of chocolates, you just never know what you’re gonna get. The issues can vary from just expected criticisms of the plot to now-wholly inappropriate (and sometimes racist) characterizations. I was especially concerned given the title…dumb, of course, often used for a long time to refer to someone who is nonverbal. And while not entirely offensive itself, given the time in which it was written, you never know what else that brings with it. However, I’m happy to report that this one had no big issues in it. And the dumb witness, as you could surmise, is the victim’s fox terrier, Bob, featured on the cover.
I feel like I’ve been trying to get to the next one, Death on the Nile, since forever and ever amen. So…soonish, finally. ...more
Parakeet started out strong with the bride when, on the week of her wedding, she receives a visit from a bird she feels is her dead grandmoth3.5 stars
Parakeet started out strong with the bride when, on the week of her wedding, she receives a visit from a bird she feels is her dead grandmother. The parakeet-grandmother drills the bride about her life at present before telling her not to get married and to go find her brother, from whom the bride is estranged.
As the days count down to her wedding, the rest of the week unfolds in and around the mesh overlay of the past she has long avoided. Much of the writing is witty, tender, and empathetic as it explores heavy identity and trauma themes. There is a strong surreal, experimental feel to it — and the disjointed and meandering style increases in intensity and frequency, while simultaneously dipping into intentional confusion. And while I appreciated the style at the beginning, the distinct lack of direction made this feel more like a writing assignment stretched to fit a novel, rather than something with intention from the author.
The novel feels like a deluge of dissociative fugue, overwhelming and fragmented. And with Bertino's skill, this largely worked well. The unnamed narrator was, despite all levels of wackiness and self-delusion, she was pretty fun to get to know. Much of the present-day narrative takes place in a newly renovated, but old-looking hotel on Long Island.
Having loved Bertino's newest novel, Beautyland, I did enjoy seeing some of the same elements explored here, but I think this suffered a bit from a storytelling perspective in that she allowed the core of the novel to wander too far off base before hauling it back for a beat too short. Nevertheless, I look forward to what Bertino does next, and I am going to take a peek at her earlier novel, 2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas....more
Merowdis Scott is a funny young woman who talks to the trees and animals in the woods near her home. It's in the woods where she is most at home. One Merowdis Scott is a funny young woman who talks to the trees and animals in the woods near her home. It's in the woods where she is most at home. One day when a figure emerges from the shadows of the woods, Merowdis's life changes shape and direction — a life better suited to her true nature.
The Wood at Midwinter is as sweet as it is brief — full of magic that has soft and hard edges. The illustrations are perfect by Victoria Sawdon, fully encapsulating the melancholy tone from Clarke....more
Recently, my audiobooks weren’t working for me; I’d start one after another, quickly abandoning each. I listened just long enough to count as4.5 stars
Recently, my audiobooks weren’t working for me; I’d start one after another, quickly abandoning each. I listened just long enough to count as samples. So, I knew that meant it was time to return to some narrative nonfiction.
@SarahsBookshelves brought this one to an episode of Double Booked late last year, and then it popped up in her 2024 Summer Reading Guide, so it had remained on my radar and in the back of my head. I’m so glad in my mad search for an audiobook that would fit the bill, I recalled this one.
The Spy and the Traitor is a wholly engrossing espionage-centered biography about Oleg Gordievsky, a KGB officer who spied for MI6 during the Cold War. Disillusioned with Soviet communism, he helped the West by exposing Russian spies and sabotaging Soviet plots. Macintyre details the intense spy games between the US, UK, and USSR, and culminates in Gordievsky's dramatic escape from Moscow in 1985. It's a thrilling tale of espionage, betrayal, and the impact one man had on history.
Also, I’m so glad I saw some reviews that instructed to not start the last section (Part 3) of the book until you have nothing else to do but listen (or read), because you will be riveted. While it didn’t quite capture me to the extent that I was on the edge of my seat, it came close and my attention was certainly rapt. The cinematic way Macintyre delivered the extraordinary exfiltration was perfection....more
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