July 2017

Prince Caspian

By C.S. Lewis

Recently, we had the joy of introducing our grandson to the Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis.  On the long, 5-½ hour drive to his house, we listened to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.  We also had enough time to begin listening to Prince Caspian.  The ride went quickly as we enjoyed the audiobooks.  My husband and I enjoyed the book so much that we finished Prince Caspian as we drove home.  The series never loses its magic.  The narration was great.  The book and/or audiobook are appropriate and enjoyable at any age.

Hillbilly Elegy

By J.D. Vance

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance has been on almost every reading list I’ve seen recently.  I chose the audio version that was read by the author.   As is often the case, listening to the author read his book gave me a more authentic feeling than I would have gotten just reading the book.  I heard his voice instead of mine.  Hillbilly Elegy was an unusual choice for me.  As a liberal, it took me out of my comfort zone.  J. D. Vance is clearly a conservative.  He talks about his hillbilly background, how it affected his life and the lives of those around him.  He gave a voice to the many rural and rust belt conservatives with whom I have no contact.  It helped me to understand the mindset of the conservative right.  While not agreeing with their politics, I have a better understanding of where these particular conservatives are coming from and why they have supported the current Republican agenda.  Hillbilly Elegy is very relevant during this time of political polarization.  Definitely a significant read!

Between the World and Me

By Ta-Nehisi Coates (Read by the author)

Reading Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates is a continuation of my attempt to diversify my reading list and expand my world.   I chose the audiobook and am thankful that I did.  The narration by the author speaking to his son was powerful and moving.  I have nothing to add except that this book has contributed to my changing view of the world we live in.  Thank you to Ta-Nehisi Coates for giving a voice to words that needs to be heard.  I highly recommend the audio version of Between the World and Me.

The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry: A Novel

By Gabrielle Zevin

A book about a bookstore, a bookseller and books… who could ask for more?  This is my favorite genre, books about books.  Each chapter began with a short review of a book.  The significance of these reviews is not revealed until the end.  The story was charming and engaging.  I couldn’t put it down.  The Library Journal compared it to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.  They are absolutely correct.  I loved the character, A. J. Fikry, and equally loved the book.

An Official Killing: Molly Sutton Mysteries Book 7

By Nell Goddin

I hadn’t read any mysteries in a while, so I was happy to see that the seventh book in the Molly Sutton series was released.  An Official Killing included all of the elements and characters from the village of Castillac.  I love the way Goddin focuses on the daily lives of Molly and the villagers.  They remain consistent and feel like old friends.  I would love to live in Castillac. This wasn’t my favorite mystery, but I still enjoyed the book.  It’s definitely a good read.

Mrs. Saint and the Defectives: A Novel

By Julie Lawson Timmer

Mrs. Saint is a mysterious and flawed character, as are all of the others in this book.  It isn’t a murder mystery, but mysterious characters abound.  Reeling from a divorce, Markie and her teenaged son, Jesse, move into a bungalow on the wrong side of town.  With the help of next-door neighbor Mrs. Saint and her crew of defectives, they begin to rebuild their lives.  There is an unexpected twist near the end, which helps to make Mrs. Saint and the Defectives a good read. 

The Awakening Spirit

Edited by Peg Streep

Paintings by Claudia Karabaic Sargent

Years ago, I found The Awakening Spirit at a used bookstore.  A while ago, I donated this book to our local library. Recently, I rediscovered it at a recent library book sale and bought it back.  It’s an absolutely beautiful book.  Poems and short selections of meaningful prose by women are grouped into four sections: Self, Challenge, Creation and Love.  Claudia Karabaic Sargent illustrated all of the written work with related paintings. It’s definitely one of my favorites.  I’m so glad that I decided to donate it.  Otherwise it would have been sitting on my shelves for years, unnoticed.  It was a pleasure to rediscover and reread it.  The Awakening Spirit is returning to a bookshelf in my home permanently.

Songs of Willow Frost

by Jamie Ford

It all comes down to the reader.  From my perspective, Songs of Willow Frost was mildly engaging, somewhat formulaic, and not the best example of Asian-American fiction that I’ve read.  Perhaps that is because the main character was a preadolescent boy or maybe there was just too much melodrama.  I did read the entire book and didn’t hate it, but most of the time I was wondering why I continued.

A Quiet Life in the Country: A Lady Hardcastle Mystery Bk. 1

By T. W. Kinsey

A Quiet Life in the Country is a good start to the Lady Hardcastle mystery series.  The setting was in the English countryside in 1908.  This added charm to the story, which unfolded through the eyes of Lady Hardcastle’s maid.  A murder investigation made life in the country anything but quiet. The audiobook was engaging.  Narration by Elizabeth Knowelden was excellent.  I’m looking forward to this new cozy mystery series.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

By C. S. Lewis

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was a favorite that I shared with my own children years ago.  On a recent road trip, my husband and I revisited this third book in the Chronicles of Narnia series as an audiobook.  It definitely did not disappoint.  We were both drawn into Narnia and the adventures of Edmond, Lucy and their cousin, Eustace.  It made a long trip go very quickly.  I highly recommend the entire Chronicles of Narnia series in any form.