Twas a good month. Let’s dive right in!
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman. A fun second installment to a mystery series featuring a handful of retirement home-dwelling seniors, a couple of local cops, some small-time thugs and a murderer (or two!).
Now is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson. A really lovely novel about two lonely teenagers, Frankie and Zeke, who meet one summer and make an evocative poster together. The poster becomes a social phenomenon – basically “goes viral” but analog – before that’s a thing people are savvy to, or skeptical about. Fear of satanists, kidnappers and other miscreants soon runs through their small town in what becomes known as the Coalfield Panic. Someone even ends up dead. The two kids swear each other to secrecy. Then 20 years later, a journalist starts investigating…
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, MD. Six months after starting, I finally finish reading this tome. Not only is it big, it’s heavy. Also, interesting and critically important. But yeah, I had to read it in little chunks so as not to become overwhelmed. If you are interested in how your body and mind hold onto trauma, this book is for you. However, this doctor (not a doctor) orders you to take it in manageable doses.
Very Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q Sutanto. A widowed tea shop owner in Chinatown forces her way into the lives of several potential murderers after an unexplained death. Was it a murder? The police say “No.” Vera says “Yes.” She’s determined to figure it all out, and a new family is formed in spite of themselves.
Huge by Brent Butt. This debut novel by beloved Canadian comedian Brent Butt was such a treat to read. I felt like I was getting a real insider’s view of life on the road and what it’s like to be a working comedian. And then wow, the wild ride started. This novel is a genuinely suspenseful psychological thriller, with a side of bananapants. I loved it.
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade. A very fun, very sweet rom com featuring a fan fiction writer and the lead actor of the series she’s writing about. It’s light reading, but not dumb – and neither are the characters. I absolutely love that both main characters are highly successful in their own circles and not as confident outside of them. They are each on an individual journey to self-acceptance, with the writer relatively farther ahead than the actor. It’s lovely. Recommend.
