If you haven’t already heard, Elizabeth McCracken’s Bowlaway is one of the Buzzy Books Of Spring, for obvious reasons: tt’s been seventeen years since her last novel, and the premise of this new book – a family saga about a bowling alley – is a perfect fit for McCracken's offbeat but heartfelt type of storytelling.…
Though it pains me to admit it, I am not a fan of audiobooks: they take so much longer to get through than a print edition, they distract me from my driving, or I’m too distracted by other things (like driving, or my children, or cooking dinner) to pay attention to the story. But everyone…
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of literary retellings – classic stories reimagined. Sherlock Holmes is a particular favorite, though I won’t turn my nose up at Shakespeare or Jane Austen, either. That being said, the one genre I’m loath to explore is literary continuations. You know the kind: a (usually bestselling) author is…
According to my various social media feeds, Iceland does the holiday season right: it’s a national tradition to give people books on Christmas Eve, and then spend the rest of the night reading. Can you imagine anything more blissful? Especially if you are reading the books while wearing flannel jammies and drinking a large cup…
Everyone has authors they consider an autobuy -- authors who could write a guide to federal tax code and you'd still be eager to read it. Barbara Kingsolver (Small Wonder, The Poisonwood Bible) is one of mine, so I will admit that I came to her latest, Unsheltered, with a definite bias. The verdict, surprising…
It is almost impossible to write a proper review of Kate Atkinson’s Transcription without spoiling it. (Yes, it’s one of THOSE books.) (I’m sorry.) But it’s also impossible NOT to talk about it, because Transcription is, deservedly, one of the Big Books of Fall. Also, I want people to read it and then visit me…
Sometimes, I need to let a book marinate before passing judgment on it. A clever twisty thriller might, after a few days' consideration, sprout countless plotholes. Far more rare -- and more enjoyable -- are the times that a "it was pretty good, I guess," book transforms into “I can't stop thinking about this story!" Happily,…
I picked up Libby Page’s The Lido expecting a fast, cheerful read. The breezily illustrated cover suggested that I’d probably like it just fine, but forget about it after a few days. Delightfully, I was wrong. Yes, it’s a fast read. Yes, it’s cheerful (mostly). Yes, I had to look up how to pronounce lido.…
Few things give me greater joy than hearing my kids discussing a book they’ve enjoyed, particularly if I catch them discussing said book with each other. Not only do these conversations give me hope that they might someday treat their siblings like actual civilized human beings on a regular basis, but I firmly believe that…
Friends, a dilemma. I need a good book. Everything I've read lately has ranged from, “Fine, I guess,” to “Meh.” I’m leery of starting anything on my TBR pile, because in my current mood, I might miss something I’d normally consider a great book. In short, I am in a reading slump, and it is…
