The Gap Year by Sarah Bird

I thought this book would be about a magical year for a young woman between high school and college.  And, if I'm interpreting the cover correctly, it would also be about that same year in the life of her mother.  Wrong.  This book is all about a very tumultuous high school senior year and the relationship between daughter and mom.  I loved the writing and loved reading the book.  It so much nicer to read about the strain between parent and child than to live through it.  And I think the author does a great job of portraying the two differing points of view.  However, I think the end was a bit too tidy and some of the events in the final pages made me think, "Huh, where did that come from?"  But overall, I recommend it and I'm sending it off to BT who, as a mother to a beautiful daughter, might have more insight into that relationship. - June

The Beginner's Goodbye by Anne Tyler

Anne Tyler.  When anyone asks me my favorite author, she's always at the top of the list.  There's something about her writing that simply transports me into the world she writes about.  I don't know how she does it, but I feel I know the characters, see the setting, feel like I'm there.  While The Beginner's Goodbye may not be my favorite book by Anne Tyler, it's still worth reading (or in my case, listening to it).  Aaron's wife, Dorothy, has died.  Through the use of flashbacks, we learn how they met and what their married life was like.  And when Dorothy starts to appear to Aaron after her death, they talk about things that were left unsaid between them.  Some of the secondary characters were very interesting too.  Recommend it.  -June

Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

Strange relationships.  How about this one?  A young teenage girl and her dead, gay uncle's partner.  Hard to picture, but in this wonderful book, it all makes sense.  The book takes place in the mid-80's when AIDS was still something of a mystery, and people were afraid and embarrassed by associating with individuals affected.  June and her sister, Gerta, pose for a portrait that their Uncle Finn is painting as he is dying.  After Finn's death, June meets and connects with Toby, Finn's partner, and it's their relationship that makes up much of the book.  I loved the characters in the book, and it was one of those rare books where the ending really satisfied me.  I did think the actions of Greta were sometimes overdone, but her relationship with June was very touching.  I'm sure the many references to wolves in the book have all kinds of symbolic meaning, but I'll be darned if I can figure them out.  And I think the title of the book (which is also the name of the painting) may cause some people to avoid the book.  But I loved it and highly recommend it.  -June

Night Sins by Tami Hoag

This was trashy in so many ways!  I listened to this book on a long drive this weekend, and I chose it because I thought Tami Hoag wrote fast-paced mystery books and it would keep me awake.  Well, I stayed awake because I was groaning out loud at how ridiculous it was.  I hate to admit I listened to the whole thing with hopes it would get better or at least have a satisfying ending.  It didn't.  Why do mystery writers feel the need to throw in lusty romance scenes.  It was more of a romance novel than a mystery.  AND the ending left me hanging without really solving the crime.  I now see there's a sequel.  I won't waste my time on that one.  -June

Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl

Warning: Don't read this book when you're trying to lose weight.  This is a memoir (although the author claims she might embellish) from Ruth Reichl who was a food critic and the editor of Gourmet Magazine.  It's all about her history with food from stories about her mother and grandmother to her jobs in restaurants.  Recipes are sprinkled throughout the book, and each chapter is almost a short story by itself.  One of my favorite parts of the book has to be the stories about her mother.  Obviously, her mother had some emotional problems, but she would serve outdated or moldy food at large dinner parties as Ruth ran around trying to warn the guests.  I also loved reading about her life in Berkeley in the 70's where she lived in a home that I suppose would be like a commune.  And, of course, Ruth did the cooking.  My only complaint was that the ending was rather abrupt, but I see that there is a sequel, "Comfort Me with Apples", that picks up where the "Tender at the Bone" leaves us.  Recommended!  -June

Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

Caleb's Crossing takes place in the mid-1600's on what is now Martha's Vineyard and the Boston area.  Caleb is a Native American who crosses from his world to the English world, and he ends up being the first Native American to graduate from Harvard.  This is the part of the book that's true.  Most of the rest of the book is fiction and presents a story that includes Caleb. Even though the book is named after him, Bethia is the narrator and the main character.  Her story includes Caleb and her relationship with him.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book with just one tiny exception. Bethia is just a little too advanced, and to me, she sometimes came across as unrealistic - almost like a 20th century woman who was plunked down in the middle of the 1600's.  The characters are well developed, and the descriptions of the island are beautifully written.  Recommended.  -June

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

I'll admit it - Toni Morrison is an incredible writer.  There were sentences (sometimes paragraphs or pages) that I had to reread just to admire the skill with which she chooses her words and forms her descriptions.  So why is it that I have so much trouble liking her books?  Frankly, I think I'm so focused on the beautiful writing that I can't get into the story.  The Bluest Eye was another book club choice, and it was a good one for discussion.  Yet we all sort of felt that we read it because we had to and not because we enjoyed reading it.  Did I like it?  Yes, I did.  Will I read another book by Toni Morrison?  Not unless it's assigned.  -June