The Art of Crash Landing by Melissa DeCarlo

At the end of this funny, quick-reading novel, the author has written an article about her favorite books. The first author she mentions is Richard Russo, one of my top five favorites. Russo has a formula for most of his books and it works. He has a main character who is flawed but somehow lovable, and then he surrounds him/her with a cast of quirky, eccentric, memorable characters. And all the dialogue is clever and sometimes snarky but very fun to read.

Melissa DeCarlo did her best to follow this formula, and it worked for her. And considering this is her first novel, she did it well. She created Mattie who is a 30-year-old woman whose life is a mess. She's broke, unemployed, pregnant, and living with a jerk. We follow her to some tiny Oklahoma town where she has gone in hopes of collecting her grandmother's estate after her death. While she's there, she tries to solve several mysteries about her mother and her grandmother, and along the way, she's joined by some of the locals who provide hints and help to get to the answers.

This would be the perfect stuck-in-an-airplane-for-5-hours book (the author creates words like this so I guess I can too) because it's fun to read and yet there is a sweetness to it too. I did think the ending was a bit contrived (but certainly not predictable) and almost hard to comprehend. But still recommended. -June

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

When I was in the 6th grade, I read a book by Beverly Clearly called Jean and Johnny. I loved it. It was the first book I had read that was about a girl in my generation, a teenage girl who was experiencing her first taste of young love. All the books I'd read up to that point were about historical characters (Little House in the Prairie or my beloved Betsy and Tacy series) or characters I loved but couldn't really relate to (good old Nancy Drew). But this girl was me and even the name was right. It was all so innocent; probably the only worry in Jean's mind was how to ask Johnny to the dance.

Young adult fiction and stories of teenage love have certainly changed since then. Eleanor & Park is a beautifully written book about two teens struggling with major personal and family issues who find each other and truly need each other. It's a quick read but also one I couldn't put down. I found myself worrying about the characters when I wasn't reading it so I ended up reading it until 2 AM last night to finish it.

Two warnings. The narrator shifts back and forth from one character to another, sometimes even in extremely small entries. I didn't mind this but I know it bothers some people. The other warning is that the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. There are still some unanswered questions at the end, although there is some hope given that at least resolves the big issues. In an interview I read with the author she hinted that she might not be done with these characters so perhaps a sequel is coming.

Oh, and I suppose I should give another warning. Because this book is considered young adult fiction and this book does contain profanity, it was banned in a couple of small-minded communities. Their loss. -June

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Sometimes as I read a book, I ask myself periodically, "Will I recommend this book to friends?" (mostly you, BT) And as I read this novel, the answer was "YES... YES..... YES!!!" It is funny and sweet and well-written - and the characters are wonderful. So YES, BT and anyone else who reads this. This is definitely one to get.

Ove is a grumpy old guy. He doesn't like change, and he believes in living by the rules. Every morning, he walks around his neighborhood checking to make sure that the cars are properly parked, the bikes are correctly stored, and the garage doors are all locked. And if someone breaks rules, he's not at all timid about letting them know. He drives a Saab, and he's always driven Saabs and can't understand why anyone would drive anything else. Generally, he things most people are idiots. He's definitely a curmudgeon.  But this is a feel-good kind of book, and by the end, we see the softer side of Ove.

Get it. Read it. Report back. - June

Once We Were Brothers by Ronald H. Balson

If you're tired of Holocaust books, move on to the next review. Many of my friends are, and as soon as I mention a book such as this, they hold up their hands and say "stop".

The author in this novel has told a story inside of a story. The first story takes place in the present (or maybe the early 2000's) and is all about an elderly man named Ben who was originally from Poland. He believes that Elliott, a wealthy Chicago businessman, was once a Nazi who was raised by Ben's family before the war. Ben is out to prove to the world who Elliott really is and to recapture items that he feels were taken from his family. To do this, Ben is telling his story to Catherine, a smart attorney who has major self-esteem issues.

Ben's story is compelling. He talks about his family and all that they endured because of their faith. I wish that the entire book had just been Ben's story. The part of the novel that revolves around Catherine is not at all compelling and sometimes downright stupid. For example, as Catherine listens to Ben's story, she seems to be learning about the holocaust for the very first time and is shocked to hear about Jewish ghettos and death camps. And, of course, there has to be a predictable love interest for Catherine. Must everyone pair up to be a happy ending?

So do I recommend it? Maybe just read Ben's story and skip the story that frames it. This would involve a lot of page turning, but I'm sure you can manage.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Recently, I had to drive a lot over several days and really wanted to listen to a good audiobook. I'd heard things about this one, but didn't know much about the plot or the characters. So what a wonderful surprise this was. It is quirky, funny, and just plain lovely. I loved hearing the narrator read with the voices of the characters, but I suppose if I had "read" the book instead of "listened" to it, I could have supplied my own voices in my head.

Bea is a young teenager living in Seattle with her eccentric mother, Bernadette, and her father who works for Microsoft. The story is supposedly a satire and it certainly does portray the Seattle lifestyle pretty well. You will learn at the beginning that Bernadette disappears, but it isn't until you are maybe 2/3 of the way into it that she actually does. For most of the book, you learn about the relationships in Bea's family and in their community.

Loved it. Read it. -June

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

Some books grab me right away; others take time to pull me. This book was the pulling kind. In fact, I almost put it down. But once I got 1/3 of the way in, I loved it.

This is the story of one summer in the life of a family living in rural Minnesota in 1961. The narrator is Frank, a young boy, who lives with his brother, sister, mother and father, who is a minister. There's also a group of fascinating, rich character such as Gus, his father's friend from the war, and Emil, his mother's former boyfriend who is now blind and disfigured. At the heart of the story is a mystery, and there are several people who have secrets that are slowly revealed. But for me, the best part of the book was the love between the Frank and his brother and between Frank and his father. Just a feel-good, well-written novel. Recommend it. - June

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

I just can't seem to get the title of this book straight in my head. When someone asked me what I was reading recently, I told them "What I Don't Know" or The Stuff I Forgot to Tell You". So I guess I would say that while this is a forgettable title, it's not a forgettable book.

In the first sentence, you know that Lydia is dead. Lydia is a teenage girl who has an older brother, a younger sister, and two parents who love her. The book allows you to see through the eyes of each of these characters as they grapple with Lydia's death and try to figure out what happened to her. It is a sad book in many ways, but certainly well written and one that stays with you after you're done. Recommended. -June

Let Me Be Frank With You by Richard Ford

This is my first time reading anything by Richard Ford, but after recently hearing an interview with him on NPR, I wanted to give him a try. In the interview, he was funny and quick, and that is the way his character, Frank Bascombe, is too. Ford writes very well, and although there's really no plot in this book, it's a fun read.

The book is divided into 4 chapters, each one covering a different scene in Frank's life. He's retired and getting older with the normal aches and pains, and he reveals to the reader his thoughts on aging, marriage, friendship, and more. I like Frank. I like the way he thinks and his humor and even his politics. He's got opinions and is more than willing to share them. I recommend you spend some time with him. -June

Stoner by John Williams

My brother and I don't always agree on movies and books.  While I love him dearly, he's drawn to movies like The Piano which I suffered through years ago and tried hard to like but couldn't. Maybe he's just more intellectual than I am, so when we recommend books to one another, we are sometimes disappointed that the other sibling doesn't love it like we do. However, this time I loved his recommendation. But it's going to be very hard to say why.

Stoner (this has nothing to do with being stoned, BTW) is simply the story of a man's life from beginning to end. He's raised on a farm in Missouri in the late 1800's and early 1900's, goes to college, and becomes an English professor. He is likable enough but certainly not charming and lovable. No matter how he is disappointed or beaten in his life, he plods on through and takes what life gives him. The people in his life do not always treat him well, and he, in turn, mistreats many of them. So far, the book sounds pretty awful, doesn't it? Well, once you make it through the first quarter of the book, I predict you will be captivated. There is something about the writing - it is exquisite. You will be completely transported to the University of Missouri and sit with him in his office, his home, his campus.

I wouldn't recommend this book to many of my friends who insist on powerful plot-driven books. However, BT, I think you would definitely like this, and since you are practically the only person who will read this, I'll leave this note for you. My only suggestions are to give it a chance by reading 50 pages or so before you give up, and do NOT read the Introduction before you read the book. I think it's silly to have an introduction that gives away the entire plot. I started to realize what it was doing and quickly moved on to the book itself. I'll read the Intro now that I've finished the book.

So now I need to write my brother and thank him. - June

The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

I think this is the last book I'll read by Jojo Moyes. I've only read two, but that's enough. I picked up this one because after reading Deep Down Dark, I wanted something light. This one is just too light. However, it starts out with a lot of promise that was the only reason I finished - I kept waiting for it to get good again. The novel is divided into two parts, and the first part is great. We meet Sophie, a Frenchwoman who is running a hotel in a small town in France while her husband is fighting in WWI. Her husband is an artist, and he paints a picture of her that hangs in the hotel. Her town is controlled by the Germans, and it is her relationship with them that causes trouble for her and her family. All of this is fascinating stuff. But then we switch to the current time and meet a whole new cast of characters who aren't quite as interesting. The painting is at the center of this part of the novel as the true owner is determined after lots of courtroom drama.

I liked the plot and liked the story but the writing just got in the way. For example, the book would include a letter written by Sophie - and she would write it with dialogue including quotation marks. This was done in several places in the book. People generally don't quote conversations in this way when writing a letter or a diary entry. Am I wrong? It just seemed weird and contrived. And the love story is so very predictable. You know where it's going from the first moment. So I'm done, Jojo. Sorry. - June

Deep Down Dark by Hector Tobar

We all remember the frightening story of the Chilean miners who were trapped for over two months. Well, this is their story. Hector Tobar was selected by the miners to write this book, and he had access to all of them find out what had happened. The book starts with individuals preparing for work that day and ends with their release and a follow-up afterwards. It's all fascinating. And certainly eye-opening. We saw the media reports but there is so much more to it all. The author lets us know some of the individuals and how they relate to each other as their time together underground continues. It isn't all pretty, that's for sure.

This book triggered a lot of good conversation in my book group. I'd recommend it for any discussion on how groups interact and leaders emerge. - June

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

The last book I read about the end of civilization was decades ago - The Stand by Stephen King. It's my husband's favorite book, and I remember reading it but getting pretty spooked by it too. So when I first heard about Station Eleven and realized that it had a similar theme, I wasn't interested. But our local bookseller in town said it was his favorite book from last year. I had to try it.

Imagine what the world would be like if over 99% of the people died. No electricity. No leadership. No transportation. No communication. This book is the story of what happened to a group of survivors when life as we know it ended. The characters are all connected to an actor named Arthur, and the book jumps in time from before the pandemic to afterwards. Some of the main characters are part of a group of performers who travel around the midwest setting up plays and concerts for the small communities that have formed.

While not my usual read, this book fascinated me. It's well written and does make you think about "what if". -June