This has been a tough month on a lot of fronts. Everywhere I look or whatever I think about, there’s something that brings me down. And I don’t think it’s just me. It feels like everyone, everywhere is just going through it. Thank goodness for books, I’m tellin’ ya. They weren’t all bangers this month, but any book is better than no book. Just noticing that there is a higher proportion of “meh” books listed below than usual. Last month, I said I was going to focus on light n fluffy escapist fiction, but those types of books just didn’t land for me. Maybe, just maaaaaybe, this lousy Smarch mood/weather has affected my perceptions. I’d love to know what you think.
The Diva Cooks Up a Storm by Krista Davis. A typical cozy with lots of lovely food descriptions. Two or three days after finishing it, that’s pretty much what stands out to me.
The Second Husband by Kate White. This is one of those woman in danger but who can she trust?-type psychological thrillers that feels like maybe it should be a movie starring, say, Shailene Woodley channeling an older, more businessy version of the character she played in Big Little Lies. This novel comes complete with lots of genre tropes, competently executed. I enjoyed it.
Stay Where I Can See You by Katrina Onstad. I think I found this novel in the psychological thriller category, and it’s sort of that, but mostly it’s a very believable mother-daughter drama overlaid with a creeping sense of suspense. (Wait – maybe that’s actually the definition of a psychological thriller? Anyway…) This novel was the rare case for me where one of the main characters is almost exactly my age and of the same time and place. While our life experiences are very different, I felt grounded in her story from the outset because I just got her. It was a real page turner for me.
A Murder in An Irish Village by Carlene O’Connor. This cozy starts with a glossary that explains what phrases like “the cheek of him” or “taking the piss” mean and how to pronounce Irish names like “Seamus” or “Siobhan.” The author having so little faith in their readers and in their own ability to convey meaning through context offered me a shrieking alarm bell that this book was not for me. I almost put it down, but curiosity got the better of me. It was not as bad as I feared but not actually good – a fairly standard cozy with abundant genre tropes and more than enough Irish stereotypes to go around.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. In sharp contrast to the above, this novel drops the reader into an utterly unfamiliar setting and slowly, gradually unveils details about the main character (Piranesi, sort of), his … friend? (“the Other”), and the world they occupy. It’s absolutely masterful and rewards the patient reader with a fascinating story.
The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani. I was going to say that this kid-lit novel had enough plot for three or four books, and the storytelling suffered a bit by cramming so much in. Then, I looked it up and realized that this is actually the first in a series of nine books. So, wow. Props to the author for tapping into such a well of creativity. It deals with big themes – good versus evil, obviously, but also destiny, friendship, love, and ambition – in a way that ultimately feels superficial. It’s a good-not-great book with the potential to be a lot more.
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. Someone recommended this book to me last month when I was reading memoirs, and I added it to my list. Very much worth waiting for. It’s absolutely beautiful, emotionally honest, and captivating from the first line: “Ever since my mom died, I cry in H Mart.” Chapter by chapter, Ms Zauner creates a portrait of a complicated mother–daughter relationship, suffused with love. Highly recommend and, yes, you might need a tissue or two.
