Punch-Drunk Love

“Drink deeply from good books.”—Coach John Wooden

I wish I had received a card with the Seven-Point Creed written on it when I graduated from elementary school. I’m just so sure it explains, in part, the coach of the century’s greatness. I’ve got point number 4 down pat—I’m drinking deeply from good books. Kathryn Stockett’s The Calamity Club was thoroughly and altogether intoxicating. After 17 years, the genius behind The Help has given me a total buzz with her sophomore novel. In fact, I still feel tipsy. 

I’m a book drunkard. I wish I were still immersed in the rich, vivid details of the 1930s South, which is sayin’ something considering its depression era. Talk about a sensory setting! Oh, to have award-winning narrators Jenna Lamia and January LaVoy’s voices sharing the story of a group of unlikely but highly resourceful women who experience desperate times together. You can bet they employ desperate (sometimes hilarious) measures. The novel features alternating perspectives. Stockett moves seamlessly from an 11-year-old orphan named Meg (who has officially stolen my heart) to a bookkeeper called Birdie, who’s as memorable as she is bright and genuine. When their paths converge, the magic of unconventional and underestimated women happens. Oh Kathryn, we’re so glad you’re back. 

It’s true: “The Calamity Club will make you laugh, cry, and cheer—it’s a testament to resilience, friendship, and the fierce, funny women who know that calamity can be the spark of new beginnings. This is Kathryn Stockett at her most confident, heartfelt, and hilarious—the triumphant return of one of the most beloved storytellers of our time.” I’m drunk on the idea that she’s back and she’s here to stay!  

Posted by Tracy

All Buzz, Less Bite

“The common stories are one plus one equals two. We get it, they make sense. But the good stories are one plus one equals three.” —Ken Burns

My last read has me thinking well past the final page. On a day like today, when jet lag has had his wakeful grip on me, thinking about things is proof of life. This may be the exhaustion talking, but I’m ultimately grateful that curiosity sometimes kills this old lady cat. Blessed curiosity interrupts the stress cycle—it takes you out of anxiety into joy. And for the rest of 2026, I’m choosing joy. 

I’ll elaborate more on being a joy-finder later. For now, let’s talk about Yesteryear, the book that has me reflecting casually or otherwise. This contemporary fiction meets social satire plus psychological thriller has brought with it one ton of buzz. (Anne Hathaway will be bringing protagonist Natalie Heller Mills to life on the big screen.) Is it buzz-worthy? Absolutely. Props to Caro Claire Burke for providing us with such an inventive debut novel. Her satirical and timely concept—which she acknowledges was inspired by influencers like Hannah Neeleman (the parallels are as big as the broad side of a barn)—revolves around a tradwife who falsely curates homesteading for social media. When the algorithm-obsessed influencer wakes up on the farm in 1865, she finds herself isolated in a demanding day without end. Burke’s wild premise and relevant commentary alone bring in da noise, bring in da buzz. 

Buzz alone is not enough to pass the reading litmus test. What is the litmus test, you ask?  If it’s not worth re-reading, it’s not worth reading. Burke’s story did not breathe for me. It fell flat, in part, because to my curious mind, Natalie felt like a wooden character. I recognize, by design, she’s meant to be artificial and alienating. I can deal with an unlikeable and unreliable narrator. But in Burke’s effort to create a deliberate caricature of the modern trad wife, she needed to better understand their culture. Developing a satire of a culture you don’t really understand is risky business. You risk reinforcing harmful stereotypes. And sometimes you miss the mark. (I did think her deep dive into contemporary internet culture was fascinating.) This isn’t a “common” story in the trad sense of the word; however, it is one plus one equals two. 

P.S. I’ve run out of space and time. I’ll have to talk about choosing joy in another post. I will say joy-finding is a whole lot easier when I’m offline. It makes training your attention much easier, that’s for sure. Can I get an amen, Mary Oliver?

Posted by Tracy

A Quiet Little Book

“There is no friend as loyal as a book.” –Ernest Hemingway 

Oh, Ernest, I understand well the emotional attachment a reader can feel for a gorgeous book. In my mind, there’s no question that books offer unconditional companionship and unchanging wisdom. They’re constant. They’re comfort. They’re loyal. Reading can provide “a moveable feast” of experiences for book lovers. Of course, the same can be said for my Golden named Ringo. He’s all of the above plus a soul full of unparalleled devotion. That said, I doubt my latest recommendation about an elderly man who has a deep affinity and need for his beloved elkhound will surprise. 

Rachel’s the reason When the Cranes Fly South was in my tbr pile to begin with. (No surprise there either.) When we were in Parnassus Books, she pointed to Lisa Ridzen’s debut novel and said, “This was really good.” When she points at a cover, I take note. The story is about an 89-year-old Swede named Bo who’s perpetually lonely for his wife Fredrika—she’s gone into care because she can’t really remember anything or anyone, including him. Each day caregivers visit Bo at home. His son, Hans, regularly looks in on him too. But his best company by far is his dog Sixton. Bo’s hound becomes a point of contention between he and Hans who believes his father is much too frail for a dog. To be honest, there were times where I wanted to pummel Hans. He fails to see that Sixton is a fine cushion for his father’s old age. 

There’s more to this thoughtful character-driven story. Charm, for one. A longing for autonomy is another. And the hope for future peace of mind because things will not be left unsaid. Reviewer Judith McKinnon summed it up well: “It’s a quiet little book, and sometimes I thought as I read it, that there wasn’t really a lot happening. And yet it kept me turning the pages.” When the Cranes Fly South is, by design, meant to be pondered more than consumed.

Posted by Tracy

Metaphorical Magic

“With freedom, books, flowers, and the moon, who could not be happy?” –Oscar Wilde

While Rae is basking in moon joy—in the glow of four good humans being shuttled to la lune—I’ve been savoring my own portable magic, compliments of Rachel Hochhauser. The debut novelist transported me back into the most popular fairy tale of all: Cinderella. It’s been years since I’ve even thought about the childhood rags-to-riches narrative, the symbolic primer for achieving happily- ever-after. When my book-savvy niece told me she was hearing a whole lotta chatter about Lady Tremaine, I downloaded the feminist retelling as if Drizella was shouting “Faster!” at me, not her oppressed stepsister.

I loved Hochhauser’s spin on the classic. She transforms the cold, calculating evil stepmother into a talented, forward-thinking matriarch who has all her daughters’ (including Cinderella’s) welfare in mind. Lady Etheldreda Verity Isolde Tremaine loses both her first and second husbands early on in each of her marriages. In financial ruin, she works tirelessly to secure a better future for her children. The Royal Ball remains a pivotal point in the story. After that, we get hit with a princely twist.

Now I see why C.S. Lewis said, “Someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” While Lady Tremaine isn’t your traditional fairy tale, characterized by magical elements, there was a metaphorical magic in these pages. Etheldreda possesses more than one superpower. Her relentless focus on survival and social mobility in an unforgiving aristocratic world is beyond impressive. It’s inspiring. Glennon Doyle believes this is “destined to be one of the biggest books of the year.” I think she’s right. Way to ditch the evil archetype in favor of a capable, confident woman who doesn’t need saving by a man, RH. It’s a must love.

P.S. For all you Bridgerton fans, you’ll be happy to hear Bessie Carter’s voice on the other end of this one.

Posted by Tracy

May We Always Choose Each Other

“Ultimately, we will always choose earth; we will always choose each other.” —Christina Koch, after coming out of the blackout and becoming the first woman to orbit the moon.

Anyone else following every moment of the Artemis II mission and weeping for the joy of it all? I haven’t cried this much over space travel in…well…ever. Maybe it’s part residual glow of just having reunited with my longtime friends, Rocky and Rylan Grace, in theaters (wept my way through that as well). Maybe it’s seeing the best of humanity on full display, coming at a time we needed it most. Maybe it’s Moon Joy. Maybe it’s that four good people, on their way to making history, invited us along for the ride so we too can revel in the wonder of it all. Amaze. Amaze. Amaze.

Speaking of Project Hail Mary, our hearts still pump chocolate for Weir’s lovable heroes, proving Tray’s theory that the best way to rate books is by how very much we miss the friends we made in them. By that measure, Tayari Jones’s latest, Kin, ranks near the tippity top.

It’s been weeks since I read the last page and I’m still homesick for Annie and Vernice—or as those of us close to Vernice call her, Niecy. Two friends, growing up motherless in Jim Crow’s South, become each other’s chosen family. The trajectory of their very different lives feels fated, often heartbreakingly so, yet through it all, the thread of found kinship binds them to each other. I savored every word of this book. I laughed out loud, I cried real tears. And most of all, I didn’t want it to end. There’s a reason the LA Times dubbed Tayari Jones “the bard of the modern South whose skill at weaving stories is matched only by her compassion for her characters.”

I’ve been rooting for Tayari since the night I met her, on the cusp of her huge success surrounding An American Marriage, and bonded over Boden, BLT’s and the delicious contentment of staying in. She exudes warmth and light. An American Marriage reminded me why I read; Kin reminded me why I love it so.

Posted by Rachel

A Love Letter to Libraries

“That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.”—Jhumpa Lahiri.

Have you ever wished you could live inside a book? Wished you could live inside the fantasy world you imagine so vividly while reading about it? What book would you choose? Would you travel to England to spend time in the regal world of Jane Austen or would you be drawn into the amazing adventures found in Narnia? There are so many astonishing places, but so little time. I’m glad I wandered into Kate Quinn’s new book The Astral Library—a fantasy adventure that acknowledges her childhood love of fantasy stories and serves as a “love letter to books and libraries, blending whimsical elements with a more serious, topical theme about the threats libraries face.”

Quinn overtly and covertly reminds readers that libraries are sanctuaries. When Alix Watson is having a terrible day (in a pretty bad overall life), she seeks refuge in one of her favorite places: the Boston Public Library. As she hurries inside to find a place where no one will see the tears she’s holding back, she happens upon a hidden library within the library where books are portals to other worlds. There she meets a stern guardian. Together they work to protect The Astral Library from an unknown enemy that pursues them through different literary worlds. Alix is a feisty, flawed character that has always found comfort and love within the pages of her favorite books. As a book lover myself, it’s impossible not to cheer for her.

The Astral Library is a complete 180 from previous books authored by Kate Quinn who is considered “a master of historical fiction” by many. As one who seldom seeks out the fantasy genre, I hesitated a moment before picking up this one. But Kate has never let me down, so I decided to give it a go. I was not disappointed. The rating on Goodreads is a little low, in my opinion. Fitting, I know, but I’d give The Astral Library more stars—at least 4, for the amazing classics Quinn inspired Alix to explore.

Posted by Sharee

An Ordinary-Not-So-Ordinary Story

“The best stories always end up being about the people rather than the event.” —Stephen King

Although I’m not a big horror girl, I am a fan of Annie Wilkes’ brainchild. He knows plenty about the best stories. I couldn’t agree more with The King of Horror on character-driven narratives. Take Theo of Golden, for example—the self-published, word-of-mouth phenom is remarkable largely because Theo is remarkable. Theo is the sun around which the story’s solar system revolves. The same holds true for Ariel Lawhon’s latest historical novel, The Frozen River. Martha Ballard is the polestar, the guiding light through Lawhon’s captivating pages.

Martha Ballard is a real-life protagonist. Born in Oxford, Maine, in 1735, Martha became a lighthouse for future midwives and healers. Despite not having any formal medical training, she delivered 800 babies that we know of and never lost a mother. Not one. Midwifery in the 18th century was a tough row to hoe, but Martha was a cool-headed pioneer. Her survival rate shines, even amid today’s rates. Because Martha was a faithful journal writer, Harvard historian and Pulitzer Prize winner Laurel Thatcher Ulrich was able to “transform what most considered ‘trivia’ into a groundbreaking micro-history” surrounding this ordinary-not-so-ordinary woman. No doubt Martha was the inspiration for Ulrich’s famous statement: “Well-behaved women seldom make history.”

Lawhon, a meticulous researcher and emotionally compelling writer, made sure we all feel doubly blessed and doubly fortunate by offering readers a “gripping blend of 18th century historical detail, intense murder mystery, and [a] compelling true-life story.” Bringing forgotten, sometimes misunderstood, women to light is her specialty. Who doesn’t want to learn about a quiet, strong, unsung heroine? Martha Ballard is an inspiration. If you’re still wondering whether this book is for you, consider this: “Atmospheric, unique and elegantly written, The Frozen River will satisfy mystery lovers and historical fiction enthusiasts alike.”

Posted by Tracy

Time for a Ghost Story?

Book club got me again! When my reading group picked Remain by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan, my first thought was I haven’t read a Nicholas Spark’s book in over 30 years, and M. Night is a little too spooky for me. Another book not really in my wheelhouse. What am I doing in this book club?  Several supernatural pages later, and I have to admit, I liked this book more than I ever imagined I would. A solid four stars for sure. 

Tate Donovan is a New York architect who’s struggled with depression since the death of his beloved sister. On her deathbed, Sylvia informs Tate that she can see spirits that are still tethered to our world. (A gift Sylvia maintains their family is blessed with.) Tate doesn’t think much of otherworldly connections—he’s just trying to find a way to keep his head above water. 

When Tate decides to head to Cape Cod to build his best friend’s dream house and give himself a fresh start in the game of life, he takes up residence in an old bed and breakfast that hasn’t had visitors for a very long time. Queue the spooky music. In the Cape, he meets Wren, the only person he’s noticed staying at the house. He’s drawn to her. Tate soon realizes that Wren may not be what she appears to be. The clock is ticking as he tries to uncover the gruesome truth that has Wren trapped. The twists and turns that follow will keep you spellbound, which is M. Night’s true talent. 

Ryan Steck, a well-established reviewer of mysteries and thrillers, had this to say about Remain: “Think The Notebook meets The Sixth Sense, Remain is an atmospheric, emotional ghost story that blends romance and the supernatural with mixed but memorable results.” If Steck’s review doesn’t pique your interest, then maybe knowing M. Night is currently working on the movie Remain with Jake Gyllenhaal as Tate Donovan will.   

Posted by Sharee