Long Live Curmudgeons

“I love me a Curmudgeon.” –Rachel

I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m a bit of a sucker for a good story built around a quirky curmudgeon. Olive Kitteridge, Miss Benson’s Beetle, A Man Called Ove…I love them all. When the second installment of The Emmy Lake Chronicles came out this summer, I couldn’t imagine Woman’s Friend magazine continuing without the formidable Mrs. Bird.

Yours Cheerfully continues Emmy’s wartime story after parting ways with Mrs. Bird. It follows her progression as a journalist, activist, and soon-to-be married woman. Although slightly predictable, author A.J. Pearce manages to keep you cheering for Emmy and all the female factory employees diligently working to maintain home and family while trying to seriously aid the war effort.

Pearce has done it again—she’s captured charm and locked it away in her pages. Simon and Schuster had this to say about her latest offering: “Every bit as funny, heartwarming, and touching as Dear Mrs. Bird, Yours Cheerfully is a celebration of friendship—a testament to the strength of women and the importance of lifting each other up, even in the most challenging times.” If I’m passing out stars, I’d hand over 4 bright ones for Emmy’s latest exploits. Keep ‘em comin’ A.J.!

Posted by Sharee

Lightning in a Book

“I’m gonna read a book. From beginning to end…in that order.” — George Costanza

It’s high time, people. Time to dub this The Summer of Rachel.  First, she formed a book club with the cutest nephews around. Nolan, Jude, and Tate have effectively stolen my heart with those shiny faces. (I love a missing tooth.) Their awesome picks would make even Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker proud! Second, she captured lightning in a bottle. I’ve been begging the Universe for time away where the only sounds I hear are crisp pages turning and sturdy aspens quaking. All I get are crickets. As summer comes to a close, I can’t help but wonder what else Rae’s got up her sleeve? I’m sending that woman a block of cheese!

Reading Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce this summer felt like my time for a minute—like tasting the fruits and letting the juices drip down my chin. Who can resist “a hilarious jaunt into the wilderness of women’s friendship and the triumph of outrageous dreams”? I could tell you how Margery Benson, a bit of a cipher in her own right and wrestling with despair, gets a wild and desperate hair to fulfill her decade-old self’s dream: discover the golden beetle of New Caledonia. In an effort to hire a French-speaking assistant, our dowdy Marge interviews a quirky but lovable floozy named Enid Pretty. Flamboyant Enid (who doesn’t speak a lick of French) also has pull with the universe. She sort of lands the job and the friendship of a lifetime.

Rachel Joyce, you are a genius. You made me laugh (out loud.) You made me cry. You made me care deeply about characters that sprung out of your fantastic head. Miss Benson’s Beetle was an intoxicating listen. (As always, Juliet Stevenson is brilliant.) I’ve recommended this book regularly throughout The Summer of Rachel—I’ve now lost count of how many readers returned to say thanks for sharing some serious portable magic.

Posted by Tracy

What's in a Name?

"I’ve never met someone who is so perfectly my favorite person.”

Friends, summer is sadly coming to an end. Your kids, neighbors, nieces and nephews may be starting school again and the sun’s starting to set a lil’ bit earlier. Here’s a last-ditch effort to keep that summer glow around: head to the beach…literally or figuratively.

Beach Read by Emily Henry follows romance author January Adams and her move to North Bear Shores, Minnesota. Not only is January reeling from the death of her father, she’s also trying to cope with his shocking death-bed confession about his mistress. In an attempt to extend an olive leaf, January’s dad leaves her the beach house in Minnesota where he and his mistress lived during their weekends together. She most certainly does not want to move in, but she’s been left with no choice: her boyfriend left her, she hasn’t sold a book in months, and she owes her publisher a full-on juicy novel in six weeks that she’s yet to write a page for.

She moves, meager belongings and all, only to discover that her collegiate rival (and now best-selling author of books without happy endings), Augustus Everett, is her next-door neighbor. Through a series of unfortunate events, “Gus” and January end up in a competition: Gus must write a romance novel and January’s next book has to be somber and serious. The loser has to endorse the other’s book publicly. Big yikes.

In order to make the competition fair, both January and Gus plan outings for the other that helps them understand the genre further. Can January set aside her anger to best the beast? Will she be able to resolve her writer’s block and deliver something to her publisher on time? Can she withstand the tall, dark and handsome temptations of Gus? Can all of these questions be answered in one novel?

Some say to never judge a book by its cover. I say judge away with this one! The title appropriately sets the reader’s expectations—a fun story that will keep you entertained while you catch some rays. Four out of five sunny stars in my summer-lovin’ book!

Posted by Michelle

A Fall Resplendent in New Reads

“I cannot remember a time when I was not in love with them—with the books themselves, cover and binding and the paper they were printed on, with their smell and their weight and with their possession in my arms, captured and carried off to myself.” —Eudora Welty

Came to the mountains carrying more books than I’ll have time to read. Just the heft of them reassures me. I’m wishing my days here could be as long as their pages. The universe knew I needed this time away where the only sounds are the aspens quaking and pages turning. And did it also know, I wonder, how much I needed a fall resplendent in new reads from some of the best to put pen to page? Because boy, did it deliver. In the biggest of ways. Here’s a sneak peak so you all can rejoice along with me.

Coming 9/28

Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See won the pulitzer and a permanent place in our Top 10 of all time. We are forever fans. Read Tracy’s review here. A new release from him brings with it all the magic of childhood Christmas eves. Here’s an advanced review:

“This is a glory of a book. As its cast of characters moves us across continents and ages from ancient Greece to the present and beyond, we fall in love with the best of them—and the worst. Cloud Cuckoo Land is impossible to put down and once finished, life-changing, the kind of book you hope will come your way but almost never does. An absolute masterpiece.”—Betsy Burton, The King’s English Bookshop

Coming 10/5

Mon Amour, Amor, is back just in time to save 2021. He had me at Rules of Civility and sealed the deal with A Gentleman in Moscow. You can read my review here. From the sounds of this Kirkus starred review, our relationship is destined to remain on solid ground.

“Towles’ third novel is even more entertaining than his much-acclaimed A Gentleman in Moscow . . . A remarkable blend of sweetness and doom, [The Lincoln Highway] is packed with revelations about the American myth, the art of storytelling, and the unrelenting pull of history. An exhilarating ride through Americana.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred)

Already on Chapter 24

Were my life going according to plan, I’d have purchased this book from Myrna’s bookshop and be curled up in front of a roaring fire at the Bistro, reading its pages while snow quiets the already quiet village of Three Pines. Next to me, enjoying a licorice pipe and some hot cocoa, would be my dear friend Bonnie—who has celebrated every Penny release with me until this year. Oh how I miss her. I hope she’s in her version of heaven, one that includes the best food, the best books, and a never-ending supply of cupcakes.

Have yet to join the Penny fan club? Read my sales pitch here and here. And 24 chapters in of her latest, I already wholeheartedly agree with Amazon’s review: “Urgent, yet thoughtful, philosophical and suspenseful, The Madness of Crowds proves Penny just gets better with each novel.” —Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Editor

Posted by Rachel

The Boys are Back in School

Thinking of my book club besties today and hoping they have the best first day of school. I’ve no doubt those smarties will take the year by storm! As for me, I’m feeling pretty gleeful over the raving reviews our last round of books garnered. Just hoping Tate’s Grandma Pam doesn’t find out I sent him a book with a couple swear words in it.

This bookclub has been the highlight of my summer and I’m nowhere near ready for it to end. So as long as these boys keep reading what I keep sending, I’ll share their reviews here. A fun update from Nolan: he took a while to read The Wednesday Wars because he was so busy reading the follow up books to The False Prince and Circus Mirandus. Now that makes my book-and-Nolan-loving heart sing.

Tate(11): I liked this book a lot! The monster is my favorite character. This monster can shape-shift and it helps the boy by telling him stories and becomes his friend. The end is really sad but I still really liked it. I would give it 5 stars! Beware: there are two cuss words in it.

Jude(7): I was really happy to get this book because I like comics a lot and it was long. I liked how the character, Claudette, wanted to be a warrior. And it was cool that Gaston wanted to be a sword maker. I give this book 5 stars for sure!

Nolan(9): I thought this book was really funny! There is a little adventure but more humor. I give this book 4.5 stars. I would tell my friends to read this book. Even though the main character doesn’t like school, reading this book still gets me excited about my school starting Monday!

Posted by Rachel

Jimmy May Be Onto Something

"The thing is, Peter, grown-ups don't know what they're doing any better than kids do. That's the truth."

If you're anything like me, you've got a running list of books to read on your phone. Mine is currently 89 books deep (not joking). Between family, work, and now grad school, some of the books stay put for a bit. When Jimmy Fallon put Ask Again, Yes on his 2019 Tonight Show Summer Reads, I knew I had to move it up closer to the top of my incredibly long list. And by golly, I'm glad I did!

Mary Beth Keane’s Ask Again, Yes begins in New York City during the 1970s. Rookie cops Francis Gleeson and Brian Stanhope are newly-minted partners. Due to staffing shortages, there aren't enough cops to give both of them a veteran. The two have virtually nothing in common: Brian was born and raised in Queens, while Francis is a recent immigrant from Ireland. The two begin to bond over being in the same stages of life—newly engaged and looking to get out in the suburbs. As fate would have it, they end up becoming neighbors in the quiet town of Gillam, New York. It sounds like a great friendship's brewing, right?

Wrong. Couldn't be further from the truth. Anne Stanhope, a recent immigrant from Ireland, refuses to speak or interact with Lena Gleeson and her family (and now we got bad blood, hey!). Despite their parents' best efforts, Kate Gleeson and Peter Stanhope develop a close friendship, one that is tested repeatedly. When Peter's mom does something unthinkable to Kate's family, will their friendship be able to survive?

Ask Again, Yes is a solid read to wind down the summer season. Keane does a fabulous job of keeping you invested in Kate and Peter's story. She also delivers a powerful message of the power of forgiveness. While the book was a little long for my taste, it's worth it in the end. I’m sure Jimmy would offer up one of his famous hashtags on behalf of this book—maybe something along the lines of #WhyIRead.

Posted by Michelle

The Boys of Summer are Back

My favorite book club buddies are back with their latest round of reviews. Looks like we had two hits and a miss, folks. After striking out with Jude last time, I hit it outta the park with a book that made his Captain-Underpants-loving heart scream for more pages. Doesn’t get much better than that! I also had a hard time playing it cool when I heard Nolan loved Circus Mirandus so much he couldn’t wait to read the follow-up. That’s two wins in a row with the pickiest reader of the bunch, for those keeping track. Tate is keeping me humble though with his tepid response to The Westing Game. A 3 out of 5 stars from this avid reader feels like a meh at best. Here’s hoping I win him back with my next pick!

JULY’S PICKS

Nolan(9): I give this book 4.5 stars. This was really a good book. I liked that there were animals and magic in it. My favorite character was the parrot, Chintzy. Chintzy teleports and that’s a cool power to have. I want to read the second book: Bootlace Magician!

Jude(7): I give this book 4 stars. I liked that it was super funny just like Captain Underpants. I also liked that they were creative and did different things in the book. My favorite character was the piranha. I wish the book was longer!

Tate(11): I give this book 3 stars! I wish it was a longer book. I felt like there was a lot talking and not much action. I liked that it was a mystery and it felt suspenseful at times!

Posted by Rachel

Dog Days of Summer

“This is the thing about good and evil. They aren’t so far apart—and they often start from the same valiant place of wanting something to be different.”     

The older I get the more I’ve come to believe that a good beach read is therapeutic, even if I can’t physically make it to the beach. There’s something cathartic about getting lost in a story that’s not overly complicated but holds your interest, and makes you feel good in the process. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave checks all of those happy-read-lucky boxes.

Here’s the basic premise: Owen Michaels disappears, leaving his new wife, Hannah, a note with only two words on it: Protect Her. She knows the note refers to Owen’s 16-year-old daughter, Bailey, who wants nothing to do with her. The media shares reports of corruption at Owen’s workplace and the FBI arrests his boss. The FBI, US Marshalls, Hannah, and Bailey aren’t the only ones looking for Owen. Together, Hannah and Bailey begin to realize that Owen isn’t who he said he is. As they look to his past, they unknowingly begin to build their future.

If you’re looking for a story to get lost in before summer’s end, or you’re lucky enough to find yourself with sand in between your toes and the ocean calling, The Last Thing He Told Me is a good four-star beach read that will help you enjoy the dog days of summer.

Posted by Sharee