Hello happy readers! Thank you for joining me for my fourth newsletter (You can catch up on the first, second or third one (as well as a mini issue) if you missed them).
I have been reading a lot of fun books lately so I thought I would do a special SUMMER READING EDITION of the newsletter where I give a lot of quick recommendations, with short descriptions, of numerous titles for adult readers. I plan to return to my usual newsletter format next time.
I have continued to enjoy the personal notes and messages I’ve been getting from some of you — thank you so much to everyone who reached out. It makes me truly happy to hear from you and I hope you’ve read something enjoyable lately.
Book Giveaway Winners
I’m excited to get to give away some books!
If you are a winner, I will be contacting you via email with more information about picking out the book you would like me to send you. Congratulations and happy reading!
[Note: Books marked with an asterisk * below indicate that I have a copy to give away]
Summer Reading: Quick Recs
ROMANCE
The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
What Others Are Saying: A woman struggling with burnout learns to embrace the unexpected—and the man she enlists to help her. Anna and Quan have to fight for their chance at love, but to do that, they also have to fight for themselves.
My take: A completely predictable book in some ways (in the best possible sense — if you think you’re picking up a sexy romance, then you want some sexy romancing!) but then surprising in others. I’m not the most prolific romance reader, but I don’t think I’ve read one before where the female lead is on the autism spectrum. And there are some really heartfelt and touching plot lines about caring for an ailing parent. It ends up being an interesting balance of instalove! and extremely talented, beautiful, just-flawed-enough people finding each other at the exact right moment! and incredible chemistry with electric sexytimes! with…actual, real-life issues and, ultimately, a reasonable timeline? Overall, an enjoyable romance.
So We Meet Again by Suzanne Park
What Others Are Saying: When investment banker Jessie Kim is laid off she moves back home to Tennessee to live with her loving but meddling mother and father. There she runs into her childhood nemesis—golden child Daniel Choi—at the local Asian grocery store. The smart, charming lawyer appears to have it all...while Jessie has nothing. But just as she discovers Daniel’s life isn’t as perfect as it seems, he shows up for a life-changing business opportunity, and their rivalry is back on . . .
My take: An enjoyable romance. No real surprises (will Jessie’s new Korean food business take off? Oh no, an annoying boy from her childhood, Daniel, is now super hot, and also really good at the exact business stuff Jessie needs help with! whatever will happen?), but lots of fun to read nonetheless. I especially enjoyed Jessie’s mom and the way the mother-daughter relationship grows and changes. A satisfying read (that will also make you crave Korean food).
BUMMERS
These books were good, but I sometimes have a hard time recommending heavy books. I mean, you can see that one of them is about Auschwitz, so it shouldn’t actually be a surprise that these might be hard to read (the other two are about a a girl who ends up in the foster system and a corrupt orphanage). I did think each of these was well-written and worth reading — I certainly learned a lot — if you’re looking for something serious.
The Sisters of Auschwitz: The True Story of Two Jewish Sisters' Resistance in the Heart of Nazi Territory by Roxane van Iperen
What Others Are Saying: The unforgettable story of two unsung heroes of World War II: Jewish sisters Janny and Lien Brilleslijper who joined the Dutch Resistance, helped save dozen of lives, were captured by the Nazis, and ultimately survived the Holocaust. Based on meticulous research and unprecedented access to the Brilleslijpers’ personal archives of memoirs and photos, Sisters of Auschwitz is a long-overdue homage to two young women’s heroism and moral bravery—and a reminder of the power each of us has to change the world.
My take: A fascinating look at The Netherlands and the Dutch Resistance during the Nazi occupation of WWII. Two sisters, Janny and Lien, are active members of the Dutch Resistance and end up in the same concentration camps as Anne Frank and her sister Margot (the Brilleslijper sisters are the ones who confirm for Otto Frank that Anne and Margot died). A heartbreaking book, of course, but also inspiring to learn about the courage of those who participated in the Dutch Resistance.
How to Make Friends With the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow (cross list: YA)
What Others Are Saying: Tiger's life changed with a simple phone call. Her mother has died. That's when darkness descended on her otherwise average life. Tiger's mother never talked about her father, and with no grandparents or aunts or uncles, her world is packed into a suitcase and moved to a foster home. And another. And another. Until hope surfaces in the shape of . . . a sister? Sometimes family comes in forms you don't recognize. But can Tiger learn to make friends with the darkness before it swallows her whole?
My take: Glasgow is an extremely talented writer (her Girl in Pieces was incredible and is a book I still think about) and I will probably always read whatever she writes, but she certainly doesn’t choose lighthearted topics. The book is a powerful portrayal of grief and family; it’s heartbreaking and raw.
Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
What Others Are Saying: Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River boat. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents—but they quickly realize the dark truth. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of danger and uncertainty. Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country.
My take: I’m not 100% sure I’m glad I read this book. I guess it’s good that I learned about the real-life horrors of the Tennessee Children’s Home (in a “it’s important to know about history” sense), but it was also gut-wrenching to read the story of how so many children were horribly mistreated and abused.
Speaking of children who were separated from their families and treated horribly….
If you, like me, have been horrified to by the recent news regarding Christian residential schools for indigenous/First Nation children in Canada, you might be looking for some good reading recommendations on the topic. Below is a list of books recommended by @lorbbrand on Instagram. I have not read any of these, so I cannot give personal recommendations, but think it’s important for all of us to learn the history.
They Called Me Number One by Bev Sellars
Five Little Indians by Michelle Good
The Education of Augie Merasty: A Residential School Memoir by Joseph Auguste Merasty
Dear Canada: These Are My Words: The Residential School Diary of Violet Pesheens by Ruby Slipperjack
Broken Circle: The Dark Legacy of Indian Residential Schools by Theodore Fontain
Up Ghost River: A Chief’s Journey Through the Turbulent Waters of Native History by Edmund Metatawabin
Indian Horse by Richard Wangamese
Sugar Falls: A Residential School Story by David A. Robertson
My Name is Seepeetza bu Shirley Sterling
Stolen Words by Melanie Florence, Gabrielle Grimard (Illus) (note: this one is a picture book appropriate for younger readers. If this is a topic you’re discussing with younger kids, there’s also a very good episode of Molly of Denali (PBS) called “Grandpa’s Drum” that I recommend).
HISTORICAL FICTION
The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
What Others Are Saying: Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist—and confidante—to the wealthy women of the upper class. Known for her original designs and sage advice, Lakshmi must tread carefully to avoid the jealous gossips who could ruin her reputation and her livelihood. As she pursues her dream of an independent life, she is startled one day when she is confronted by her husband, who has tracked her down these many years later with a high-spirited young girl in tow—a sister Lakshmi never knew she had.
My take: I really enjoyed this book — I’m always a fan of historical fiction set in times/places I don’t know much about (here: 1950’s Jaipur). Lakshmi is a complex and fascinating character; I love a headstrong, determined, but flawed heroine. As she makes her way through a world set against her, she struggles to reconcile her desire for independence with the need to support her new-found sister. Best of all, I didn’t find this book predictable — there were lots of fun twists and turns along the way.
The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
What Others Are Saying: Mi-ja and Young-sook, two girls living on the Korean island of Jeju, are best friends who come from very different backgrounds. When they are old enough, they begin working in the sea with their village’s all-female diving collective, led by Young-sook’s mother. Despite their love for each other, Mi-ja and Young-sook find it impossible to ignore their differences. Over the decades, the residents of Jeju find themselves caught between warring empires. Mi-ja is the daughter of a Japanese collaborator. Young-sook was born into a long line of haenyeo and will inherit her mother’s position leading the divers in their village. Little do the two friends know that forces outside their control will push their friendship to the breaking point.
My take: I loved this book. It’s one of the best I’ve read in a while and I definitely recommend it. It was fascinating to learn about the female-dominated culture of Jeju, where a matrilineal tradition of haenyeo (sea-diving women) is upheld (seriously, the haenyeo are incredible!). Be warned, there are also heartbreaking aspects to the story, as it spans decade of (often violent) Korean history. Female relationships are the heart of the book
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
What Others Are Saying: Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. Meanwhile in present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, running from her own demons. When she stumbles upon a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London two hundred years ago, her life collides with the apothecary’s in a stunning twist of fate—and not everyone will survive.
My take: Ok, I sometimes get tired of the “historical woman who knows all about herbs and healing” trope but I’m back on board when the woman (Nella) provides herbs to help other women murder the bad, abusive and/or wayward men in their lives! (I mean, Nella also provides herbal cures. But mostly murder herbs.) I am also just fine with a book that bounces back and forth in chapters between a modern day woman researching a previously-unknown history and the historical woman herself (although, again, this can be an over-utilized story structure). Overall, I enjoyed this book. I thought the Nella (historical) parts were far more entertaining that the Caroline (contemporary) parts (oh, and Caroline’s cheating husband is insufferable! Plus, Caroline is a rather annoying (lazy? entitled?) student of history, (who also seems to think she can just become an academic librarian overnight? Psh!)). The thing is, I’m just a sucker for books that focus on women’s often-lost, or completely ignored, roles in history, and I found this book an enjoyable read overall.
Ok friends, I had much more planned for this edition of the newsletter but…I’ve run out of space! So, I will be sending out a “Summer Reading: Quick Recs, Round II” sooner than the usual interval (probably in the next week or two). The forthcoming issue will include books that fall into the following categories: “Young Adult” and “Mysteries/Spies/Thrillers” and “Contemporary” (and possibly even “Western” — an unusual choice for me, thanks to reader B.L. who sent me an old Western called Idaho!)
Thanks for reading! I hope you found a title or two in here that has piqued your interest.
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Giveaway: Each time I send out an issue I will select, at random, a subscriber to receive a free book, so please subscribe and encourage others to do so.
Happy reading!
I’ve had The Island of Sea Women on my to-buy list FOREVER—guess it’s time to pull the trigger.