Tunneling to the Center of the Earth by Kevin Wilson
3 stars
After enjoying Nothing to See Here, I was excited to pick up this short story collection when I saw it on audio from the library. While set in the real world, each story has an odd, often gothic twist that makes everything go sideways. For example, in "Grand Stand-in," the narrator is employed by a company that matches fake grandparents to couples who want to provide their children with the "grandparent experience" but either don't have any living grandparents available or feel they need a replacement. While I found some of the stories engaging, the collection as a whole felt a little underdeveloped to me (perhaps simply because Wilson was younger when he published this collection). Overall, I liked it, but didn't love it. If you like slightly sideways stories with a modern gothic feel, this might be for you.
Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu
5 stars
A historical multigenerational family saga? This is my catnip. It's 1938 when the novel opens. Meilin is a new wife and mother, on the edge of a beautiful future, but when the Japanese invade China, she is forced to flee with her son, Renshu. Through the years, Meilin does all she can to keep her family safe and ensure her son has a bright future. Her efforts eventually lead to a new life for Renshu that takes him far away from his mother and his heritage in China. As Renshu builds his life as Henry Dao and starts his new family, he must reckon with the truth of his chaotic childhood and heritage. I loved this book. If you enjoyed Four Treasures of the Sky by Jenny Tinghui Zhang or Wild Swans by Jung Chang, this would be a great read for you.
The Postcard by Anne Berest
5 stars
This is not your average World War II historical novel. It's 2003 and the Berest family receives a mysterious postcard with no message except for the four names of the family's ancestors who were killed during the Holocaust: Ephraïm, Emma, Jacques, and Noémie. Anne confronts her mother—the daughter of Ephraïm and Emma's one surviving daughter—to unravel the meaning of the postcard and its origin. In a chain-smoking fervor, Anne's mother unpacks the tangled and tragic history of their family's past from their flight from Russia during the revolution to Latvia, to Palestine, to Paris, and eventually to their untimely demise during the occupation of Paris. This book is devastating and beautifully written. It's not your typical summer read, but it may be one of my favorites of the year. If you love historical fiction and want something more substantial, I highly recommend it.
Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alison Espach
4.5 stars
What a beautifully written novel about loss and the bonds it forges among the people left behind. The novel opens during the summer before Sally (the book's narrator) enters eighth grade. She idolizes her older sister and best friend, Kathy, and though the sisters are growing apart, they remain connected by their obsession with Billy Barnes. In a remarkable stroke of luck, by the end of the summer, Kathy and Billy are dating. But the summer also ends with a horrifying tragedy that forever bonds Sally and Billy in their grief and guilt. Over the course of 15 years, Sally narrates her life to her sister, despite her death, and reckons with the permanent ramifications of loss as her life intersects with Billy's. If you love a coming-of-age story with a strong voice or enjoy a book full of emotion without sentimentality, this could be a good choice.
Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
4.5 stars
Despite the hype surrounding this book, I was somewhat unenthusiastic because Malibu Rising, while enjoyable, wasn't my favorite. I'm so glad I still picked this one up. After a record-breaking tennis career, Carrie Sotto puts down her racket and decides to retire at 31 years old. But six years later, Carrie finds herself watching her record being broken by a young and powerful British tennis player named Nicki Chan. With something to prove, Carrie decides to step back onto the court to defend her title as the best tennis player of all time. She even goes so far as to ally herself with her father as a coach and another tennis player/former love interest, Bowe Huntley. This novel is fast-moving, emotionally resonant, and an all-around good time. Carrie is ambitious and not always likable, but you can't help but cheer for her in her grand comeback endeavor.
Liberation Day by George Saunders
3.75 stars
Imagine a Kazuo Ishiguro plot, but written with Saunders' signature darkly funny and bawdy tone. That's about what this story collection feels like. Though their plots and details vary wildly, each story in this collection deals with topics of ethics and power. For example, in "Elliott Spencer," Elliott, who's in his 80s, has been brainwashed and is being used as a political protest pawn, often suffering violence at the hands of counter-protestors. The titular story in the collection asks how we objectify performers for our own amusement, which is a valid and serious topic, but Saunders presents the question cloaked in a bizarre and fantastical manner that will leave you feeling like the world has gone sideways. Like Lincoln in the Bardo, the audiobook of this collection is narrated by a host of notable voices, so I'd definitely suggest that format.
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
4 stars
I went into this book blind besides knowing it was a contemporary romance. The book has two distinct parts and, while I liked the whole thing, I enjoyed the first half more. Here's the summary: Sally is a sketch writer for an SNL-like late-night show called "The Night Owls." After unsuccessful and lackluster casual relationships, she's given up on finding real love. Then, you guessed it, a guest on "The Night Owls" changes things. Noah is a pop star and Sally is impressed by his sense of humor and willingness to poke fun at himself during his brief time with the writers leading up to his guest host spot. Despite their obvious chemistry, Noah's time on the show comes to an end. But, years later, as New York is gripped by the throes of the pandemic, the two reconnect over email. I won't spoil the ending, but also, it's a rom-com, so you could probably guess what happens. Overall, it was a cute book and I especially loved the behind-the-scenes feel of the first section.
The Midcoast by Adam White
4 stars
Honestly, I initially read this novel because White is from Maine, and I'm a sucker for a local story. I didn't know much about it beforehand—I even got the genre wrong as I thought it was straight literary when it is shelved as crime fiction. The story opens when Andrew, who has recently returned to his hometown of Damariscotta, attends a party with his family at the Thatch's house in honor of the Amherst women's lacrosse team. Andrew knew Ed and Steph Thatch in high school and is bewildered by how their lives have played out. It seems unexpected that Ed, a lobsterman, and Steph, who dropped out of high school, would rise to the point of putting their children in a school like Amherst. When he accidentally comes across a file of crime scene photos of a burned body in a car during the party, and the police arrive to take Ed and Steph away, Andrew begins to put the puzzle pieces together. My favorite part of the book was the pitch-perfect setting and the way White captures the essence of Mainers and small-town life. Some details of the crime plot felt a little far-fetched to me, but I still enjoyed the ride.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
4.5 stars
My sister-in-law and husband recommended this book because of its Fredrik Backman-like feel. Here's the summary: Tova has been working as the night cleaner at the Sowell Bay Aquarium since her husband's death. When faced with tragedy, Tova prefers to stay busy, a tactic she perfected when her only son went missing in a boat in Puget Sound 30 years before. During her shifts, she becomes well acquainted with Marcellus, the escape artist giant Pacific octopus who lives at the aquarium. Marcellus is remarkably intelligent and has a rich inner life (even narrating portions of the book), but he's never felt attached or protective of any of the humans he interacts with before Tova. Ultimately, because of his keen observation skills, Marcellus deduces what happened to Tova's son all those years before. I won't give away too much more, but it was a heartwarming journey. While it doesn't dethrone Backman in my list of favorites, I still highly recommend it if you like a quirky and bittersweet read. Also, it's a delight on audio.
The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff
3.5 stars
Though I haven't loved all her books, Groff's writing is so beautiful that I will keep reading anything from her. This is her first novel and has a more fantastical edge than her recent work. After a disastrous affair, Willie returns to her mother's home in Templeton, NY, on the same day a mysterious sea creature beaches on the shores of Lake Glimmerglass. Willie comes from a long line of notable Templeton residents and feels the weight of that history anytime she's home. The monster's appearance, however, has set the town on its head and provides Willie some privacy to work through the ramifications of her poor decision-making. When her mother reveals the story she's always told Willie about her biological father—that he was a random man at a free-love commune in California—is a lie, Willie starts down a path to discover the identity of her father. Like all of Groff's work, the writing is beautiful. I did feel that it could have been tighter, and I wished the monster played more heavily in the narrative rather than as a background element.
The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry
4.5 stars
This was a Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Guide pick, and I'm excited to read more from Callahan Henry. When Hazel comes across a rare children's book by an American author, she's stunned to read a story she invented with her long-lost sister during childhood. In 1939, Hazel (then 14) and Flora (then 5) were evacuated to the English countryside as part of Operation Pied Piper. They are taken in by Birdie and her teenage son, Henry. They fill their days with idyllic adventures and imaginative journeys to the magical land of Whisperwood. That is until Flora vanishes while playing near the banks of the river. Hazel spends the next 20 years searching for her sister and blaming herself for her disappearance. The appearance of the children's book is her first glimmer of hope and sends her on a desperate search for information about her sister's fate. Though there were a couple of plot points I felt were unnecessary, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and an element of mystery.
The Last Ranger by Peter Heller
4 stars
Heller's books are the perfect type of thriller for me because they are all set in the wilderness, usually in national parks. This newest takes us back to Yellowstone, the setting of Celine, which I loved. Ren is a park ranger, and his days are a mix of exciting (for example, saving a family from a close encounter with a moose) and mundane (settling camper disputes). When he discovers his friend Hilly, a biologist and wolf expert, trapped in a steel trap and nearly dead, he hopes it was all an accident. A red ribbon tied to a stake at the site of the incident, however, leads him to believe it may have been intentional. Ren's investigation into the activities of a well-known poacher put him up against a group of local hunters and ranchers who have a drastically different and oppositional view of the park. Like all of Heller's work, this book is fast-paced and well-written, and the characters are wonderfully drawn and lovable. My only complaint is that the ending felt abrupt, but I'm still glad I picked this one up, and I'll keep reading anything Heller publishes.
Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley
4.5 stars
I am not usually drawn to YA books, but Anne Bogel recommended it. I'm so glad I gave it a go. Perry Firekeeper-Birch is less than enthused to find herself working through the summer because she has to pay her aunt back for damages caused to her Jeep during a fender-bender. She quickly aligns herself with the other outcasts in the summer program at the cultural center—a group that calls themselves the Misfit Toys—and focuses on finding a way out of her situation to save some of her previously planned "Summer of Slack." That changes, though, when she encounters the Warrior Girl, an ancestor whose bones are stored in the museum archives. Perry sets out to learn as much as possible about the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act in an attempt to get the Warrior Girl back to her people. Along the way, Perry discovers that many artifacts and remains are owned by private collectors. She and the Misfit Toys hatch a heist plan to get a few of them back. This book surprised me in the best way possible. I would definitely recommend it if you're interested in stories about modern Native American life or simply enjoy stories about the importance of family.
