The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson

Here's a funny story about this book. It was a Pulitzer Prize winner, and even though no one had read the book, my book club decided it must be good so we'd read it. The reviews were outstanding, and we determined that although it was a very long book, it would be worth it for us to tackle it. As I was reading along on my Kindle, I realized that I was eager to put it down and the percentage at the bottom just didn't seem to be moving. I was about 20% into the novel when I wrote to the rest of the club asking for motivation. I had read that the book improved in the second half of the book, and I was looking for assurance that it would. Several members replied that they had already given up, but the few who had persevered said it did indeed get better.

And it did! The novel takes place in North Korea, a country that is a mystery to most of us. While the author visited North Korea to research the book, he admits that because he had limited access there, the novel is definitely fiction. The society he created is frightening but probably has some truth in it. I won't (and can't) even begin to summarize this book with all the complex changes and characters. The author uses a number of techniques including writing entire chapters that are announcements made over a loudspeaker to the citizens of North Korea, and his chapters jump around in time.

I will say that this book was a challenge for me. I recommend it with lots of reservations. If you are squeamish at all, beware. There are some detailed graphic stories that made me literally push the book away. But if you are looking for something very different from other books you've read, you might like it. Obviously the judges for the Pulitzer did. - June

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

It is a fact: I love Anne Tyler! There's just something about her writing style that captivates me. Her books are primarily focused on families, and they pull you into the lives of characters and let you see the family members with all their warts and wrinkles. The reader KNOWS these characters and has people in their lives who are just like these people. There's the son who just doesn't fit into the family, the daughter who is the overachiever, the mother who just wants everyone to get along.

This is the story of the Whitshank family. We meet one generation but the author also shifts to the previous generation and back again. This might confuse some people, and it did cause me to have to pay attention to the growing cast of characters, but it all works. For those of you who like an exciting plot, you will be disappointed. But if you love to join into a family struggling to make it through good times and messy times, this is for you.

Some people have said that this is Anne Tyler's last book. I sincerely hope that this isn't true. I look forward to each and every one. While this one might not be her best, even an average book by Anne Tyler is for me better than most authors will ever write. Recommend. - June

The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah

The Nightingale was recommended to me by several friends. Each time, I listened to what they had to say but as soon as they said it was written by Kristen Hannah, I knew I wouldn't read it. I just associate her writing with romantic novels that just don't appeal to me. But then my book club selected this novel, and at the same time, said that this novel was different from her previous ones. And I believe it is.

It's the story of two sisters in France who struggle through World War II and show their bravery in different ways. There are so many books out there about the war, and while this one described many of the same scenes I've read about before (Nazis rounding up the Jews, concentration camps, etc), it also told some new stories as well. And I have to say I liked the book and it kept my interest until the end.

My only complaint is the writing. While this might not be your typical romantic novel, there are some elements that are there. One of my fellow book club members said it best when she said that the author told us everything when sometimes it is better to just be able to interpret things from the writing. Perhaps the book also could use some better editing as there were things that were told to the reader multiple times. Right after I finished this book, I picked up my next book which is by Anne Tyler, and I was only a few pages into it when I said to myself "Now THIS is good writing". Such a welcome change.

So I recommend this one for the story - but not for the writing style. -June

The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

This is probably the big summer hit for 2016. I've seen it being read in airports, in bookstores, and in book clubs. What is it about us that we love reading about dysfunctional families? Is it fun to look at them and realize that maybe our own families aren't so bad?

The Nest is about four siblings who know that when the youngest reaches 40, they will inherit money in a trust set up by their father. They call this inheritance The Nest. Leo, the bad boy brother, gets into some major trouble and some of The Nest goes to cover up his mistakes. The bulk of the book examines each of the siblings lives and how their hopes for their portion of The Nest are fading. They all are in need of the money but there are also other issues in their lives that they must cope with.

It's well written. The pace is good. And it's nice to see some of the characters develop and change throughout the novel. Recommend. - June

Dept of Speculation by Jenny Offill

This is a tiny, utterly unique little novel. It could easily be read in a day or on a short plane ride. While it might put some people off with the short paragraphs that do not necessarily flow from one to the next, I loved it. They almost read like a series of tweets but they are thought-provoking and well written little pieces of wisdom. But wait.... there is actually a plot. It's the story of a marriage. I won't say more except to say try it. I do think you'll like it. - June

Euphoria by Lily King

What do you know about Margaret Mead? Here's what I knew before I read this book. She was an anthropologist who was born in the early 1900's. Here's what I know now. Just about the same thing. But I did enjoy the book!

Once again, I struggle with historical fiction. According to the book jacket, Euphoria is "Inspired by events in the life of revolutionary anthropologist Margaret Mead..." which means maybe some of the story is true or maybe the author created the whole thing! The main character even has a different name. (Would that be for legal reasons?) As I read it, I decided to just read it as fiction, and when I switched to that mindset, I really enjoyed the book. The story follows three anthropologists in the 1930's in New Guinea; Nell, Fen (her husband), and Bankson. Their relationship with the tribes they visit and their relationships with each other are complex and very interesting. It's a subject that few novels are written about so it's a great topic to discover. I recommend this one and will bring it to you, BT. -June

H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald

It seems that we've had quite a few popular authors passing through my town lately, and in April, Helen MacDonald gave a talk at our local Audubon center. Since my book club was preparing to discuss her book, we went together as a group. I had not read the book at this point, but I enjoyed her personality and her enthusiasm for her story. But I do wonder if I hadn't seen her, if I might have liked the book more?

H is for Hawk is a memoir written in the year following Ms. MacDonald's father's death. To get through her grief, she decided to buy a hawk which is evidently legal in England. Her father taught her about falconry and birding, and she felt the training and structure would help her out of her depressed state. The writing is beautiful; the author is also a poet. Whole paragraphs are devoted to describing a tree or the look in the hawk's eyes. But I was troubled as I read it. I don't believe hawks should be pets. So that was my biggest problem with the book. But I also had a hard time visualizing this devastated young woman when the woman I had seen was bubbly and almost giddy with excitement. It just didn't fit and made the story less believable for me.

I kind of gave up after I was halfway into it and skimmed the rest. I took the book to a British lady who is a huge birder and I'll see what she thinks. -June

The Truth and Other Lies by Sascha Arango

Remember Gone Girl? It certainly wasn't Pulitzer Prize material, but it was a page-turner and book that kept you guessing what would happen next. So I'll go out on a limb and say that if you liked Gone Girl, you will also like The Truth and Other Lies.

It's hard to say anything about the book without giving away one of it's many twists and turns. I'll just say it's about a famous author who has a wife and a girlfriend who is now pregnant with his child. We find all this out in the first few pages. People die. And people lie and betray one another. And you might just find yourself saying "Are you kidding me?" as you read (which is what I did often). I'll say no more. Recommended. -June

The Storied Life of A J Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

We read to know we're not alone. We read because we are alone. We read and we are not alone. We are not alone.

Readers love to read books about bookstores and booksellers. I love bookstores, and can easily spend hours in one - just browsing the shelves, picking up novels and reading the jackets, looking at the selections that the booksellers recommend. I confess many of my books come from the library or online, but I do try to buy some books from our local bookstore. So what could be better than a book about a bookstore? 

A J Fikry owns a bookstore on an island off the coast of Massachusetts. He gets most of his customers during the summer in the tourist season. He's a bit grumpy and opinionated, but somehow lovable. And then one day he finds something in his store that will change his life forever. 

I loved all the literary references in the book; it was fun to hear the fictional Fikry give his opinions of fictional works that I've read! This is a quick, fun read that will make you want to travel to this imaginary island, pull up a seat and spend the day in this bookshop.  Recommend. - June

My Salinger Year by Joanna Rakoff

I remember reading Franny and Zooey when I was in high school. I can still picture the white cover of the paperback and how grownup I felt that I was reading this very adult book. Unfortunately, I can't remember anything about the story itself, but at the time, I loved it.

So it was fun to read this memoir about a young woman who worked in the New York office that represented J. D. Salinger in the 90's. For me, the best parts of her story were those where Salinger was involved: the times he called on the phone or the time he appeared in her office. Unfortunately, the author had to stretch it out to make a book and so we also have to learn about her boyfriend and his writing struggles and her girlfriends who were so forgettable that I kept mixing them up. Basically, this would have made a nice essay - and in fact, I believe that is how the story started. And then someone suggested she make a book and there you are.... a nice story with a lot of extra stuff wrapped around it. But if you're a Salinger fan, or even if you love to hear about authors and the book world, it's an interesting read. - June

Remember Me Like This by Bret Anthony Johnston

I blame Netflix. I just haven't been reading as much lately, and I know it's because I'm binge-watching Nurse Jackie and House of Cards and more. My Kindle is loaded with books I want to read but I'm addicted to tv shows! But I'm making a turn and I think I'm headed back to normal again soon.

I just finished (slogged through) Remember Me Like This. It's a well-written, interesting story. But boy, it is so hard to read because it is truly every parent's nightmare. The book opens when Justin has returned home after he being kidnapped by a man and living with him for four years. We never learn much about what happened during that time, but instead we get inside the head and heart of the mother, father, younger brother, and grandfather. On the outside, this family should be thrilled that their son has returned to them; however, they are all living with fear and anxiety for various reasons including the fact that the kidnapper is out on bail. The writing is excellent in most parts but in some parts way too wordy. So would I recommend that book? Yes, I suppose but it is so painful to read. I often had to put it down until I finally hit the last quarter and then powered through it.  - June

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