Books – Life Off Headset

Books Read, March 2026

Bookish quote of the month, from the New York Times By the Book interview with Grant Grinder last February:

“Does a book help you feel less alone?” – I love that as a yardstick for books. I think there are so many ways books can help me feel less alone – they can show me people like me so that I know I’m not the only “Asian American failed potential Ivy League-educated daughter of immigrants and mother to young children” out there (or any one of those descriptors really). But also, a book can fill my world with people and adventures so that even though reading can be a solo activity, I still feel like my existence is very rich with humanity. I guess this is why when one is stuck on a desert island one would want books.

And on to last month’s books:

Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? A Memoir by Saemus O’Reilly, read by the author – O’Reilley recounts his childhood in Ireland, growing up as one of 11 children being raised by his single dad after his mother passes away. I picked up this book after reading Say Nothing because I was interested in reading another perspective about what it was like living in Ireland during the Troubles. The Troubles aren’t a huge part of O’Reilly’s narrative, but rather is a constant shadow in the background. What I loved this book for, though, is O’Reilly’s loving and clear eyed portrait of his father, a man who raises 11 kids single handedly without fuss or sentimentality, but with lots of love. If you are interested in big families, I highly recommend this book. I laughed out loud so many times when reading this book. One of my favorite quotes I read this month came from this book. Whenever one of the kids asked his father how he managed to raise 11 children on his own, he would reply:

“Which of you was I supposed to give back?“

I love that as a combination of no nonsense wit and deep affection for his children.

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by K.J. Charles read by Marty Swain – I loved this romance novel about two men who have a fling at an inn, only to discover months later that one (Joss) is a smuggler, and the other (Gareth) is the baronet of Joss’ little corner of England. Both Joss and Gareth were characters that I could root for and I really liked how their relationship starts as one thing and kept evolving as they warily and carefully got to know each other. There is a lively cast of side characters which is always fun. At first I didn’t like the audiobook narrator – I thought he was a little uppity in tone, but then I realized that he sounded a little bit like Colin Firth and suddenly I liked him a lot more.

101 Dalmations by Dodie Smith – Read aloud with the kids. The lady who wrote I Capture the Castle also wrote a children’s novel! I didn’t know that. Anyhow, I originally got this to read out loud with the kids in December because a good portion of this book takes place in the lead up to Christmas. It’s a charming book with lots of fun animal characters.

House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City Book 1) by Sarah Maas – So one day last fall, I was making dinner and suddenly the 14 year old comes into the kitchen, earphones in, clutching her phone, bawling her eyes out, as if her heart were breaking. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
“She died!!” the 14 year old cried, inconsolable. She cried for at least fifteen minutes.
Anyhow… this is that book. The 14 year old recommended it to me, and while fantasy is not my usual fare, I like to read something she’s read once in a while. It’s fun to ask her questions as I read and talk to her about the book. And, yes, the death in question was a real doozy. This book is one in a trilogy that features angels, mermaids/mermen, curses, magic, the underworld, immortal life, war, betrayal, intrigue, romance… so much packed in there. Will I read the other books? Probably not. This book was loooooong. And so much world building. I have a hard time with books where there is so much world building that I feel like I need a chart to keep track of everything. But I thought the twisty plot was certainly entertaining, and the relationship that develops between the two main characters was a very satisfying slow burn.

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams – continuing my efforts to read down my shelf of books I bring home from Little Free Libraries. This novel tells the story of Eva and Shane, two authors who had an intense connection over a couple days as teenagers and haven’t seen each other since, even though their writing is heavily influenced by their memories of those high school days. I enjoyed this book – it combines breezy humour and deeply felt trauma. Eva and Shane were by turns hilarious and heart-wrenching. I really enjoyed the writing, and the structure of the story unfolding in one week (with a few flashbacks). The ending felt a little forced/rushed to me, though – I felt like there were a lot of issues that didn’t get resolved – but maybe healing the trauma is not the story that is being told?

A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by K.J. Charles – The sequel to The Secret Lives of Country Gentleman. This book tells the story of Luke (a minor but important character in The Secret Lives…) who for mysterious reasons takes a job as the secretary to Rufus, the new Earl of Oxney. Of course love and intrigue ensue. I have to say, I didn’t like this one as much as the first book, but I still enjoyed it. While I really liked both Luke and Rufus, I thought the plot was not as tight as in The Secret Lives, and because these two books are intertwined, I found the weaker plot disappointing.

The Innocents by Francesca Segal – This is a retelling of The Age of Innocence, set in a tight knit wealthy Jewish community in modern day London. I always find retellings fascinating to read. I like seeing how an author molds one story to fit their own, seeing what works well transplanted and what feels like a stretch. I often wonder if a retelling would work for me if one didn’t know the original source material. Anyhow, I thought this novel was fine. Adam (the Archer Newland character) had a little bit more self awareness than Archer – I didn’t feel like he was deceiving himself as to his feelings towards Ellie (the Ellen counterpart). His fiancée Rachel was certainly not as interesting or complex as May in Wharton, though. I think what didn’t land for me was a) Adam and Ellie’s relationship felt very abrupt and lacked chemistry, and b) that I felt like Segal’s version was a little heavy-handed; some things that Wharton would talk about in an oblique, ironic fashion, Segal would hammer into the reader. And because of this lack of irony, I think in the end there isn’t anything tragic about Adam, not in the same way that Archer is kind of a pathetic figure at the end of The Age of Innocence.

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans – I finally got this hugely buzzy book off hold. I love me an epistolatory novel, which is why I picked this book up in the first place. I tore through it and then went back to read it a little more slowly, to savor every nuance and all the things said and unsaid. I will say that I don’t love “death of a child” as a plot point, so those bits were hard for me, but I found much of the rest of the book stunning – the slow evolution and reveal of each character, and how the book shows the importance of connection and the value of kind patience and love. And the book was so funny and on point. I also really loved how Sybil wasn’t the protagonist of everyone else’s story – I think that’s a real sign of craft when you can write and epistolatory novel where all the characters feel fully developed, even the ones that have no or very few letters.

On My Proverbial Nightstand (I probably have too many books going on right now…) :

The Eustace Diamonds by Anthony Trollope- Reading this for my Classics Reading Challenge. The prompt was for a novel originally written in serial form. I’ve never read any Trollope before and many lists say this is a good one to start with. Its is such a soap opera!

The Work by Olga Ravn – This is one of those books that came off my holds list and I couldn’t remember how it got there -I was probably doing some late night holding. (I mentioned in a comment on Engie’s blog that putting books on hold late at night is my middle-age lady’s version of getting drunk and waking up in an unfamiliar bed.) I think I put it on my holds because it talks about early motherhood, and I’m always up to read about someone’s experience of early motherhood. It’s been a little visceral and esoteric at the same time.

10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People by David Yeager – I had heard this book mentioned a couple times in the past month – maybe it’s Baader-Meinhof phenomenon? I’m constantly trying to figure out how to motivate young people, whether it’s my kids or my interns, so I picked this one up.

Felicity Cabot Sells her Soul by Aydra Richards – I’ve been on an historical romance kick (moreso than normal). Not sure if I love this book, but the male main character is doing some really satisfying groveling.

This American Woman written and read by Zarna Garg – Garg played the mother in A Nice Indian Boy and she was charming. This is her memoir about her life growing up in India and how she came to America at age 16 to escape an arranged marriage and eventually became a stand up comedian.

What good books have you read lately? How do books make you feel less alone?

Books Read January and February 2026

I haven’t done a book recap since the year started, so here is what I’ve read the first two months of 2026.

Automatic Noodle by Anna Lee Newitz – This science fiction novella tells about a group of deactivated robots in a post war future San Francisco who open a noodle shop in an abandoned kitchen. I mean how could I resist hand pulled noodles? This book was quirky and charming, exploring – as books about robots are wont to do – ideas of what it means to be human and challenging ideas of ownership. It’s a book about community and overcoming algorithms. It’s a pretty quick comfort read.

You’re the Problem, It’s You by Emma Alban, read by Chris Devon and Will Watt– This queer Victorian romance is an enemies to lovers story of two men who hate each other, but are constantly thrown in each other’s paths because of various society and family events. I thought it was very ordinary, and a touch longer than it needed to be. Plus enemies to lovers is one of my least favorite tropes in romance. On the other hand, it’s narrated by my audio book boyfriend Will Watt, and when the plot got over long, I just leaned into his mellifluous tones.

Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung – This historical fiction novel set in China in 1948, follows Hai Ang the daughter of a prominent family who, along with her mother and younger sisters, are left behind when the rest of their family flees when the Communists come to their village. After Hai is tortured in place of her prosperous family, her mother takes her and her sisters and they being a grueling journey to find the rest of their family. The story is based somewhat on Chung’s family history. I picked up this book to read when I was in Taiwan because the events in this story led to a massive influx of Chinese people into Taiwan – it’s a period of time that my parents lived through as well. I thought this book was gripping – I kept wanting to know what happened and what Hai and her mother would survive each of the challenges put before them. Once they reached Taiwan, though, I thought the story lost a a little momentum. The main heart of this story for me, was Hai’s mother and how she was inextricably tied to this deeply patriarchal society.

The Names by Florence Knapp– I really liked the speculative premise behind this novel- a child is born, his mother must decide what to name him. The story diverges into three paths, each based on which name is chosen. I thought this book was gripping; I stayed up til 4am reading because I needed to know how it ended and what happened to each character. I loved how the storylines intersects through the different realities. Warning, though, domestic violence is a pretty manor plot point, and that was hard for me and kept me from loving the book.

Hum if You Don’t Know the Words by Bianca Marais. I picked up this book last summer because it’s set in South Africa and I was getting ready for our trip there. I didn’t actually get around to reading it until I got back, though. This book is set in 1976 where, in the aftermath of the Soweto uprisings, Beauty Mbali searches for her missing teenage daughter and 9 year old Robin is taken to live with her aunt after her parents are murdered. Circumstances bring Beauty and Robin together and in the shadow of Apartheid they grapple with grief, racism, and loss. I thought this book was really great up til the last quarter of it when it kind of became a slightly ridiculous adventure/espionage story. Overall, though, I found this book to be a real page turner.

Good Spirits by B.K. Borison, read by Karissa Vacker and Will Watt. Another audiobook read by my audiobook boyfriend Will Watt. But aside from Will Watt, this also has another thing that is catnip to me: it’s a spin on Christmas Carol. Ghost of Christmas Past Nolan has been assigned to haunt Harriet York, though neither can figure out why as Harriet is lovely, kind, nice (to the point of being a door mat) with no skeletons in her closet. I really enjoyed this story and how Nolan and Harriet’s relationship unfolded – I was really rooting for both of them and the “ghost loves human” romance had just the right amount of conflict and angst. The ending felt a little unresolved, but that didn’t bother me that much. It’s kind of like a cozy Hallmark Holiday movie with a bit more spice and plot.

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe. This narrative non-fiction read is about The Troubles in Northern Ireland, explored through the lens of the disappearance of Jean McConville, a widowed mother of ten. The “Memory” part of the subtitle is, I would argue, the focus of the story that Keefe is telling here – how the trauma of war affects those who live through it for the rest of their lives. This is one of those non-fiction books that I read and I can understand how people become radicals, even while asking myself if I would do the same if I were in their place. I really enjoyed the book – it was fascinating and heartbreaking all at once- the kind of book where I could marvel at the details and ingenuity of both sides of the conflict while at the same time being incredibly moved by the tragedy of the situation. Really excellent read.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden, read by Michael Crouch and January LaVoy – I found this book on a list of Audie award winners (audiobook award) and was prompted to pick it up because it starts in Nova Scotia, and that is kind of cat nip for me. It is set during WWI – field nurse Laura Ivan has returned home to Halifax following an injury on the front. She finds out that her brother Freddie has gone missing, presumed dead, but she believes that he is still alive so she accepts a nursing job that will take her back to the front, Belgium to be specific, so that she can look for her brother. In a parallel storyline, the reader follows Freddie who has woken up after an explosion, trapped in a pillbox (I had to Google that) with a German Soldier. As Freddie and Laura’s storylines converge, we encounter wartime plots, people desperate for answers and connection, and a mysterious Innkeeper who plays the violin. There is a bit of a supernatural story here, but one that is so embedded in the minds of people traumatized by war that it doesn’t seem supernatural at all. I loved this book – it took me a little bit of time to really get into this book, but eventually, the story sucked me right in; there is emotional heft in the choices that each character has to make, the characters are brave but not stupid, and the mystery unspools at just the right pace, allowing the reader to piece things together. The writing is lyrical and precise- there were so many sentences where I was blown away by the way Arden strung words together. The author’s note at the end, I thought had a really interesting take on how WWI was a very steampunk era where the old and new collided. I loved this book so much that after I finished the audiobook, I got the physical book from the library. This was my first “heart” in my reading journal for 2026.

Big Bad Wool by Leonie Swann translated by Amy Bojang – This is a sequel to Three Bags Full, a mystery novel in which a flock of sheep hilariously solve mysteries. (Which – I’m am very excited to discover – is about to be a movie starring Hugh Jackman and Emma Thompson – talk about catnip!) In Big Bad Wool, the sheep are at it again. I’ve got to be honest, the mystery part of this novel was completely over my head and at times tedious. I am here for the sheep – they are hilarious, witty, curious, and their observations about human foibles had me laughing out loud many times.

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. Read for Engie’s Cool Blogger’s Book Club. This was a re-read for me; I had read it maybe twenty five years ago, around when the movie came out. I really loved this book – I loved how immersive the language is and how I felt like I just had to sink into Wharton’s prose world in order to have an idea of what was going on. It’s not a book that tries to hit you over the head right away. So much goes unsaid or is assumed that I think there is much room for interpretations as to what each character is really like or what motivates them. A friend told me that Wharton wrote books about interior design and that makes so much sense because I really felt like she was so precise about the physical world that her characters live in, and that was in stark contrast to how little she said about their true interior world. I mean the novel is from Archer’s POV, but he lacks self awareness and that precision that is present in his exterior world, and this makes his interior musing unreliable. Anyhow, I think this kind of open for interpretation nature of Archer made for some lively debate every week on Engie’s posts. This book checked off one box for my 2026 Classics Reading Challenge.

On my proverbial night stand:
House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City Trilogy) by Sarah J. Maas – still plugging away at this book. I just got to the part that had my 14 year old bawling inconsolably. (I’ve never bawled at a book myself, but this was a real doozy and I get why she was inconsolable.)

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by K.J. Charles – on audio. Almost done – I have twenty minutes left. I’m really enjoying this one.

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams – also almost done this one. It’s really well written, sweet and sexy and also a great mother/daughter dynamic.

So Long a Letter by Mariama Ba – I was reading this as a book set in Africa for my Classics Reading Challenge, but then I realized it was first published in 1979 and the challenge is for books written before 1975. Oh well, I’m going to count it anyway.

How’s your 2026 Reading life so far?

2025 Reading + 2026 Reading Challenge

OMG – it’s February. Does anyone care about my 2025 reading life? Well, here are some thoughts on it anyhow…

In 2025, I read 67 books. (seems appropriate…). I don’t do extensive tracking of statistics; I keep a reading journal where I write down the name of each book and my thoughts on it. If I really liked a book, I put a little heart by it in my book journal. Sometimes I write down quotes, but I also record quotes in my Highlighted app because it automatically finds your book by scanning the ISBN number and then I can just use my camera to pull quotes. Highlighted also makes it easy to paste quotes into a blog post if I want.

Over all, 67 books is a lot for me – usually I average 50 or so. Not sure how I read so many books. Many of them were audio, which makes it easy to fit in a book when I had a long commute. But, out of the 67, only 12 books earned a little “heart” next to them in my journal – that’s about 18 percent. I would like to love more than 18% of the books that I read. It doesn’t mean that the other 82% were bad, just that only these 12 made me sigh with blissful satisfaction when I finished reading them, this feeling of wanting more, but also of having had a perfect reading (or listening) experience.

Anyhow, on to…

MY “HEART” READS 2026

My three top reads were memoirs, and each one gave me a quote that stuck with me all year. I listened to all of these on audio, and then loved them so much I re-visited them in print.
What the Dead Know: Learning about Life as a New York City Death Investigator by Barbara Butcher. “When you leave here [autopsy work] each day, surround yourself with things of beauty. Enjoy nature and art and food and music and love. Just do it, and don’t skip a day. Seriously.”
The grisly yet human details about dealing with death every single day sucked me in.

-Shakespeare, or the Man who Pays the Rent by Judy Dench and Brenden O’Hea. “Everyone is nervous. It’s not your business to make more of it.” (said, regarding the first day of rehearsal.)
I loved this book, a series of interviews with Dame Judy Dench where she deep dives into the Shakespeare characters she has played while musing on her life in theatre. If you are interested in Shakespeare or life in the theatre, I highly recommend this book.

–Mailman: My Wild Life Delivering Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home by Stephen Starring Grant “Don’t quit today. Finish your route, but don’t quite today.”, advice given him on a particularly bad day at work.
This book featured so many fascinating peeks at how the postal system works as well as Starring’s thoughts on how Americans live day to day.

Other Favorites:
-My Season of Scandal by Julie Anne Long – romance. I really loved how the two main characters develop first as friends and had a real rapport. The “sophisticated world weary hero brought down by the girl fresh from the country” is the trope, but this story feels like so much more.
-The Seven Year Slip by Ashely Potson – Time travel romance that just sucked me in even though I don’t usually like time travel. Novel that also explores grief and timing and pushing through life.
-The Finest Print by Erin Langston – Lovely romance, rich in detail about running a printing press and a main characters who are sensible and not stupid.
-Clear by Carys Davies – This book about the last man left on a Scottish island and the minister who is sent to evict him really drew me in and took me by surprise.
-Hail Mary by Andy Weir – Science Fiction, not usually my thing, but what a beautifully human story.
-The Woman Next Door by Yewande Omotoso – novel set in Cape Town about two cantankerous old women who think they’ve settled into life but then are thrown a curve ball.
-Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela + Winnie and Nelson by -The former book was so inspirational and the latter book showed that even the most inspirational figures can be deeply flawed.
-The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie, adapted into a stunning audioplay for Amazon Studios.

On to ~~Next~~ This Year: One of my Reading aspirations for 2026 was to read more classics – I felt like I read a lot of the same genre last year, namely memoir and romance. I wanted to read more books that were a little less in my vernacular, that might be a bit of a challenge. I found this Classics Reading Challenge from The Tea and Ink Society and I like the prompts. I like that “Classics” means anything written before 1975, so it’s not just dense Victorian tomes. Most of Agatha Christie was written before 1975! I’m looking forward to reading a few Golden Age mysteries. I’m not going to do the challenges in the month order listed, but I think I’ll get through them by the end of the year all the same – it’s only 12 books, surely I can fit that in.

Here are some of my thoughts of what to read:

January: A “serial novel” you read throughout the course of the year
-I think I’m going to read either Anthony Trollope or Elizabeth Gaskell for this. I just discovered the Serial app that will send you a novel in serial form, one chunk every day. I love that idea, though I don’t love the idea of reading on my phone.

February: A nonfiction journal or diary
– I have Ned Rorem’s New York Diaries in my TBR for about 20 years now, and I also have Martha Ballard’s A Midwife’s Tale on hold.

March: A book from the classics section of your local library
-Okay, so there is no “classics” section at my library – it’s all in the fiction. Also, the play section of the library is paltry, barely even a third of a shelf. Which is all to say… not quite sure what I’ll do for this one.

This is the shamefully paltry drama section at my library.

April: A classic Western novel or short story collection
No clue what to read for this one – I’ll take suggestions.

May: An Edith Wharton novel
The Age of Innocence – thanks to Engie’s Cool Blogger’s Book Club for filling this slot.

June: A book set in Africa
Things Fall Apart if the obvious one. I also just put a hold on So Long a Letter by Mariama Bâ, translated by Modupé Bodé-Thomas. I want to read a book by an African author for this one, not a colonizer.

July: A classic thriller
I’ve recently read about an Australian author named Mary Fortune who was one of the earliest female writers of detective fiction. Other ideas: Lady Audley’s Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon. Something by Ngaio Marsh? I want to read a female author for this.

August: A book written under a pseudonym
-James Herriott? George Orwell (I haven’t read 1984 yet)? Maya Angelou?

September: A short classic under 200 pages
I think for this, I might read a play. I picked up a copy of Lillian Hellman’s The Children’s Hour from the Library’s bookstore. Or maybe I should read/listen to a Shakespeare that I haven’t experienced before.

October: A classic novel featuring brothers
-This will be East of Eden; it’s been on my TBR for a very long time.

November: A classic novel featuring sisters
Well I’ve read the obvious ones (Little Women, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Howards End [one of my favorite books!], the Little House books), so I’m on the look out for other literary sisters. Edith Wharton wrote a novella called Bunner Sisters. The Penderwicks? Chekov’s The Three Sisters? We Have Always Lived in the Castle? Daughter’s and Wives?

December: A wintry mystery
No clue what to read for this one – I’ll take suggestions.

Are you doing a reading challenge this year? Any favorite Classics that you would recommend for any of these categories?

Books Read – October, November, and December 2025

Rounding out my 2025 reading, here are the books I read in the last quarter of 2025. Most of the reading for these three months were cozy, comfort reads – lots of romance and good people and happy ever afters. Life was busy and this was just what I needed in my reading life.

Whalefall by Elizabeth O’Connor, read by Dyfrig Morris, Gabrielle Glaister, Gwyneth Keyworth, Jot Davies, Nick Griffiths– This book is about the inhabitants of a remote Welsh island where a dead whale washes up on shore (hence the title), followed soon after by a pair of English researchers. Those two incidents are not related, but parallel each other throughout the story. The story is told through the eyes of Manfred, a teenager who lives on the island with her father and younger sister. Even as Manfred wants to leave the island there are many things holding her there, and the book talks a lot about that pull between life on the island and the world beyond. (Incidentally, this is the third “Island” book I’ve read this year, after Clear and Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries.) I thought this book was fascinating – I really liked the characters and learning about their life on the Island. I had to google some things, which I also like. I also liked that the parts of the book that were supposed to be from the researcher’s recordings, were engineered in the audiobook to sound like they were being played on an old gramophone, giving it a real sense of time and place. My one thing about this audiobook, though, is that the narrators’ voices and accents were so beautiful, that sometimes I would get lost in the lilting cadence of the narration and would lose track of the plot.

Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley – well written novel that follows Coralie, an Australian writer who moves to London, falls in love and marries a single father Adam, and the domestic path their life together takes, all set against the backdrop of Brexit then COVID. On the scale of plot vs. character, this book solidly falls into the character driven. It’s not about big exciting developments, but about how the actions of every day can erode one’s sense of self. So much of what Coralie felt really resonated with me, and I found myself highlighting so many passages. I have to be honest, though, ultimately this book felt a little flat – I liked the parts more than the whole. Maybe it felt too much like my life?

for example:
“She was like a sandcastle, and Adam and the kids were like the sea, eroding her and flattening her with their proximity and demands. If she went for a walk, or listened to a podcast, she could begin rebuilding her ramparts, only to get knocked down again by wave after wave of needs.” p. 278

“It appeared she had breached the anger/sadness barrier. She’d become sad enough for Adam to care about her more than he hated conflict.” p. 74
As a mildly conflict avoidant person, I think I’m Adam in this scenario.

or this one:
“On Saturday, when Adam texted “Ready”, she let herself into the house, hurried upstairs, and threw herself onto Florence’s bed. Her children jumped on her, comb marks in their wet hair, hair beautiful faces shining. She read to them and cuddled them. She put them in bed, then back into bad when they got out. She shushed them when they chatted. She sat in the corner until they slept. This was shat she’d thought being a mother would be like. Doing one thing at a time, and kindly.” p. 311
One thing at at time, and kindly – I think that’s what I aspire too, and so rarely achieve.

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa- The Professor can’t remember anything for more than 80 minutes. The Housekeeper comes to work for him, bringing her ten year old son along. The professor the housekeeper, and the son for a bond. I thought the premise of this book was charming – and it initially was, but I think I’ve come to the conclusion that I find Japanese Fiction a little cold and distant for my tastes. The characters all come to have great affection for each other, but when they are pulled apart no one seems to fight for the relationship. The Japanese fiction that I’ve read this year (and I’ve read three or four novels by Japanese authors), all read very fable-like, and the characters never seem to grow on me – they all seem to be going through the motions of living, checking boxes, even when they have existential crises. I’m happy to be proven wrong if someone wants to suggest a Japanese novel where the character have a little bit of self awareness.

Anna in the Tropics by Nilo Cruz, production by LA TheatreWorks – I realized that many of LA Theatreworks’ recordings of plays can be found on Libby, so I’ve decided to listen to as many Pulitzer Prize winners as I can. I love plays, but I think part of what makes them come alive is the different voices, something that I don’t get when I jsut read them. Anna and the Tropics is about a family that works/runs a cigar factory. They hire a Lector to come in to read to the workers while they roll cigars. The play centers around how the lives in the family shifts when a new charismatic lector comes and reads them Anna Karenina. I remember when this play came out – there was a lot of buzz surrounding it, and Nilo Cruz. The audio version is a little hard for me to keep all the characters and relationships straight in my head, but ultimately it was a pretty gripping drama. Made me want to read Anna Karenina. I had read it once in high school, but I don’t think it really stuck with me.

The First Time at Firelight Falls by Julie Anne Long – I really love Julie Anne Long’s historical romance novels, so I thought I’d read one of her contemporary romances. This small town romance tells the story of single mom Eden and ex-Navy SEAL now school principal Gabe who keep running into each other and having cute and witty banter. It’s pretty typical small town romance stuff with a resourceful independent business owner (Eden is a florist), the competence porn school principal, and lots of fun side characters, some of whom turn out to surprise me in a nice way. I did find the “getting involved with the school principal” bit a little… icky, but I guess it’s a small town and the hot single school principal deserves love too. The plot itself is kind of nothing too exciting, but I thought the writing was pretty good. I’m on the fence as to whether or not I want to read the other books in the series as I wait for Long to come out with another Palace of Rogue book; this book was absolutely a solid read, but I think there is something about Long’s historicals that just feel more exciting to me.

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan – Read for Engie’s Cool Blogger’s Book Club. This was a re-read for me, and I got behind and didn’t participate too much in the book club, though I had lots of thoughts. I think it was interesting for me to read this twenty years after I read it the first time. There are parts of it that seem a little dated, but also parts where I wondered if Tan (or her editors) felt the need to kind of dumb things down because a lot of Chinese culture wasn’t mainstream. For example, there is one part where one character talks about large grapefruits, and I knew instantly this was a pomelo. I feel that nowadays, you would just write “pomelo” and expect the reader to either know what that is or to look it up. Or an author would write something like, “grapefruit like pomelo.” It seemed like everything had to be written so that non-Chinese people could read it without feeling like the things were too foreign. Exotic okay, but not foreign.
The Book Riot podcast Zero to Well-Read just did a whole episode on this book. They gave a lot of context as to why this book has been so groundbreaking; the background on where the publishing industry was in the mid-late 80s was really fascinating for me. I don’t know that I agree with everything they say – I do think the book is more dated than they do, and also I think they see a bigger arc in the stories than I did – but it was interesting to hear thoughts about the book.

Charm City Rocks: A Love Story, by Matthew Norman, read by Kristen DiMercurio – This novel tells about single dad music teacher Billy Perkins who gets to meet his rock-star crush, drummer Margot Hammer. His teenage son, knowing of his dad’s crush, tricks Margo into coming to Baltimore to meet them, awkwardness and romance ensues. The book takes place in Baltimore, which was very much a character in the novel; I wanted to go visit all the areas that are mentioned in this book. I thought this book was really charming. I liked the super niche glimpses into the world of rock music; I liked how specific each detail in the book is; I liked how I was rooting for all the characters, even the oblivious cheating ex-husband. I also really liked that the two main characters are older – Billy’s son is a senior in high school – and there are so many layers in their lives that they have to balance. Billy’s a very nice person. Margot is also a very nice person. I like romance novels about very nice people where there is chemistry from the start and they are just trying to live life and figure out how to be together and get over their baggage. And the book is funny. I laughed out loud many times as I listened. This book had such affection for it’s characters, for Baltimore, for music, and for music educators.

Mailman: My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home by Stephen Starring Grant, read by the author – Back in 2020, Grant lost his corporate job at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. In order to get health insurance, he takes a job as a rural mail carrier in West Virginia, where he lives. I loved this book. I loved the fascinating minutia about being a mail carrier, the details he goes into about how mail is sorted so that it can be delivered efficiently and correctly, the chapter where he writes about what he carries with him on the route, the details like how Slim Jims become magical greasy goodness when left on the dashboard and how Frosted Cherry Gatorade is the flavor of choice of postal carriers. But also I loved how Grant writes about the things he learns, the wild stories of mail deliveries gone wrong, the people he meets, and the existential questions that he contemplates, about what divides us and what brings us together. Looking at America through the lens of the Postal Service offers a unique perspective on all the many layers of humanity in this country. Some of my favorite quotes that I read all year comes from this book, like when Grant has a truly awful day on his route and calls a co-worker to bail him out and his co-worker tells him (and I’m paraphrasing), “Don’t quit today. Go back, finish your route and you can quit tomorrow, but don’t quit today.” Don’t quit today. I want to engrave that on a pillow.

Also this observation about why he was never worried, during election season about people stealing the mail from him: “Why grab a few ballots when you can grab the whole US Capitol?”

The Finest Print by Erin Langston read by Mary Jane Wells and Will Watt – Will Watt! I didn’t love Langston’s previous novel, but then this one was narrated by Will Watt, so I had to give it a try. I ended up really loving this book. This novel, set in Victorian London, tells the story of Belle, an aspiring writer and Nathaniel an American journalist. Nathaniel inherits an printing press, but needs to make money fast in order to save it from being repossessed by creditors. He convinces Belle to write Penny Bloods (more commonly known as Penny Dreadfuls) which start selling like hotcakes. I really liked how the relationship between Belle and Nathaniel progressed, their easy banter, and their devotion to each other from the beginning. There was a mature kind of romantic tension between them which is refreshing in a romance novel – no coy will they or won’t they. They very much will, and do. I also loved all the details about the printing press and how Penny Bloods got printed – there was such a strong sense of place in this book – you could feel the effort it took to work the presses, smell the grease, see the ink smudges everywhere. Very much enjoyed this one. Also that cover is terrible. I get a back ache just looking at it.

Some Winter’s Evening by Erin Langston – I read this after finishing The Finest Print because I wanted to continue the warm fuzzy feeling of that book. This is a novella about Belle’s parents, Cora and Gavin. They meet one evening when snowbound at an Inn. Cora is on her way to start a new position as a governess; Gavin is on her way to her sister’s house. Surprise surprise, Cora’s new employer is Gavin’s sister. (That sister, also turns out to be the heroine of Langston’s first book Forever Your Rogue.) This book was .. fine. I mean I feel like shagging your employer’s brother in the conservatory isn’t a great thing to do, but hey, it’s a romance novel.

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston: This novel tells about Clementine who wakes up in her apartment one day to find there is a man in there. And not just any man, a man from seven years in the past. A cute, charming, man from seven years in the past. I really loved this book; I stayed up until 4am reading it because I just had to know how it ended. I didn’t used to think I liked time travel type books, but I think there is an element of angsty longing inherent in the plot device that I love sinking into. Aside from the romance, though, I just really enjoyed getting to know these characters and their friends and struggles with life, work, and the sadnesses with which they live. I want to read more by Poston now – I had previously found her supernatural elements in her novels unappealing, but her writing and her characters might have won me over.

Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman – A second Matthew Norman book for me. Grace and Henry are both mourning the loss of their respective spouses. Their family tries to set them up, and while neither are ready to move on yet, they fall into a sympathetic friendship, bonding over holiday movies and the awkward social reality of losing a spouse. Like Charm City Rocks, this book takes place in Baltimore and Norman’s love for the city really shines through. I really enjoyed this book – it’s funny, fully of good people, and a vibrant sense of place. There is a little less conflict/ drama than in Charm City Rocks, so the plot isn’t as taut, but I still felt invested in the characters. It’s a cozy read, like hanging out in your pajamas with your best friend. And all the Holiday movie references were a lot of fun. (After reading this book, I finally decided to watch The Family Stone, and I have to say, what an awful movie! I don’t know why it’s on so many Best Holiday Movies Lists.)

Brightly Shining by Ingvild Rishoi – a slight novella about two sisters trying to survive the Christmas season (and life) despite their alcoholic father’s constant unemployment. This started off as one of those books narrated by a clear eyed and resourceful child surviving hard times and I was really rooting for good things to happen to them, then the ending went a little bizarre for me.

Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-Zi, translated by Lin King – I picked up this National Book Award-winning book to read while in Taiwan because I like linking my reading to my travel. This book is a little bit of a trompe l’oeil effect – it is told in the form of non fiction travel writing- there is even a prologue where a professor tells a little about the history of the “Travelogue”. But the book is very much fiction. (I read that some people were so taken in by the framing device that they thought it was indeed a non-fiction book and were upset to find that it wasn’t, leading to a redesign of the cover.). Beneath the descriptions of food — and oh boy the food writing is excellent – and places in Taiwan, there is the story of the novelist Aoyama Chizuko and her relationship with her translator and guide Chizuru. I think I liked the concept of this book more than the actual substance of it. The framework of writing a travelogue of Taiwan was interesting and I felt like I learned a lot about Taiwanese food and history. However, much as I was interested in what happened to the two main characters, I ultimately found their relationship one dimensional, which made that part of the book a little unsatisfying. I did really enjoy the translator’s notes at the end- another meta twist that I thought was really thoughtful and interesting.

On my Proverbial Night Stand:

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe – almost done this book. It’s been gripping and sad. The stuff that goes down after the Good Friday Agreement is wild.

Good Spirits by B.K. Borison – such a lovely cozy romance. On audio.

House of Earth and Blood by Sara J. Maas – Not my usual fare, but reading it because the 14 year old loves this series.

Books Read September 2025

September was a solid reading month. One very “meh” book, but lots of entertaining reading otherwise. I’m looking ahead to my reading for the rest of the year and I think I would like to focus on fun reads since it’s going to be busy. Maybe some holiday reading. And also maybe something really fun/engrossing/immersive to read for the plane trip to Taiwan.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, read by Ray Porter. This very popular novel is about a scientist/ middle school science teacher, Ryland Grace, who gets involved in a plan to save the world from destruction and is sent with a team to the far reaches of the galaxy to carry out said plan. Along the way, his fellow travellers do not survive so he has to carry out the mission on his own. Or maybe not on his own. I didn’t know what the book was about when I first picked it up, only that it was getting a lot of raves. Science fiction/space travel really isn’t my thing, but I really loved this book. The science really went over my head, but there is such a human element to the story telling. I’ve read a few books the past few years – this is one, Ministry of Time is another – that have made me realize that I really like books that try to explain what it’s like to be human to an outsider, in all it’s contradictory, messy, fragility. I though Ray Porter did a really good job reading the audio version.
Funny story – the 13 year old noticed I was listening to the book and she got so excited because she had listened to it a few years ago and also loved the book and couldn’t wait for me to finish it so we could talk about it together. Also there’s a movie coming out next year… I’m so intrigued about how they make the story work!

Fat Ham by James Ijames, production by Audible Originals. I’ve recently discovered that Audible has a large selection of plays in their collection, many of which they produced themselves. I like listening to plays because they are shorter than books, but pack just as big of a wallop. Also – I don’t get to the theatre very often and this is like bringing the theatre to me. Fat Ham, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2022, is a modern day re-telling of Hamlet, set against the backdrop of a Black family’s BBQ empire. I really liked seeing where the story paralleled Hamlet and where it offered a twist on the Shakespeare. It was kind of irreverent and fun but also thoughtful and emotional. Listening to Fat Ham has prompted me to try to read/ listen to all the Pultizer Prize winning plays of the 2000s. Maybe this will be my reading project for next year.

Winnie and Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage by Jonny Steinberg. I read this after reading Nelson Mandela’s biography and this books was fascinating. All the infidelities and violence and family drama that gets glossed over in Long Walk to Freedom are detailed here. Winne Mandela’s life in particular was really fraught. While Nelson was in jail, she had to raise her two daughters, was constantly unemployed. She was banned to a rural part of South Africa, she assembled a group of bodyguards under the guise of being a football club that carried out some truly violent acts, all the while trying to advocate for the end of Apartheid. Reading this book made the Mandelas more human, framing their fight against apartheid with very human struggles that we all face- looking for love and friendship, making ill advised choices, financial difficulties, temptations, protecting the people you love, work life balance…. Of course, there is something extraordinary about the context of their struggles – I don’t imagine I’m going to have a spouse in jail for thirty years, or that I’m going to be under house arrest – extraordinary situations make for extraordinary choices.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett – This book is told in diary format, as Professor Emily Wilde records her experience researching fairies on a remote Scandinavian village. I have to be honest, this was not a book for me, even though I pushed on to the end. I thought the diary format was not really well executed, and the story stretched the limits of the diary device. At one point, another character starts writing in the journal, which just felt forced. The world building was really hard for me to follow and I still don’t really understand what all was happening. I did like the gruff village inhabitants and the dog, though.

Heartwood by Amity Gaige – This novel details the search for a lost hiker on the Appalachian Trail in Maine. It is told through three main perspectives – the lost hiker, the Maine Warden who is leading the search, and a 72 year woman living in a retirement home. This book has been billed as a “thriller”, so I wasn’t really sure if it would be for me because that’s not really my genre, but it’s been getting a lot of buzz and I kept reading about people loving this book, so I decided to pick it up when I saw it at the library. I will say, it didn’t come across as a thriller to me – rather I felt that the mystery of whether or not Valerie would be found, while gripping, took backseat to the characters’ personal stories. I was really sucked in by that character driven aspect of the novel, each character seemed to genuine and well drawn to me and I really liked that.

Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten read by the author- This cozy memoir is a perfect autumn read. Garten recounts her life from growing up in Brooklyn to working in DC government to buying The Barefoot Contessa in the attempt to escape her career in bureaucracy. Listening to Garten talk about food and friends and dinner parties made me want to invite a bunch of people over for an impromptu dinner party; the descriptions of food were mouth watering. Garten also talks about the challenges she faced personally, professionally, and financially as she builds her empire. I really liked hearing about how she made certain choices about Barefoot Contessa and projects she was willing or not willing to take on. I do always take memoirs of very successful people with a grain of salt, though, because I think even though it’s clear that Garten is super smart and driven and savvy, she clearly had a lot of support when crafting her career. Sometimes memoirs make it seem super easy to become wildly successful, like good things just happen, but it does seem to me that people who are successful entrepreneurs have a lot of personal and financial connections that they can leverage. I still really enjoyed this book, though.

On my proverbial night stand:
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan – Cool Blogger’s Book Club read.

Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe- 2018 non-fiction book about the Troubles in Northern Ireland during the 1960s and 1970s. I guess reading about civil conflict has been a theme of my non-fiction reading this year.

Say You’ll Be Mine by Naina Kumar – Romance novel featuring the fake engagement of two people who are introduced through the matchmaking efforts of their Indian parents.

Do you like reading memoirs? What are you looking forward to reading to round out the year? Have you ever listened to a play in audio?

Books Read, August 2024

I really enjoyed reading in August, and managed to read more than I do most months. Lately, I’m trying to have dedicated reading time. Yes, I still always have a book (or four) on Libby to pull out when I’m standing in line or waiting for something, but I’ve realized that for me, reading breeds reading; the more uninterrupted reading time I have, the more I enjoy books. And in turn, the more I enjoy reading books, the more I want to read books and the more likely I’ll reach for a book when I have pockets of time.

Not getting interrupted allows me to get into the flow of the story and remember details. There are books that are good adventures, propulsive plots of which I don’t have to remember all the details – these often make good audiobooks for me and I can tune in or out but still get the gist of the story. But a books that a rich in detail and character, books that I like to savor and think about – these books for me benefit from having uninterrupted reading time. I’ve read a few books this year that I’ve really liked, and I think I would have liked them even better if I had gotten to read them in more concentrated chunks, if I had been allowed to sink into them more. Not necessarily in one sitting – I don’t by any means read that fast – but maybe twenty or thirty minutes at a time.

When I only get to read here and there, in the grocery line, or waiting for pick up, or when I’m constantly interrupted by sibling squabbles – I find I don’t connect with what I’m reading as much. I think some of it is an attention span thing- I just get out of practice of concentrating for longer than a few minutes at a time. Maybe, also, I don’t let myself get too invested because I know I will only get to read a small chunk? Perhaps it’s like with any hobby – doing it in an unhurried manner, giving an activity your time and attention allows savoring and makes it more fulfilling. Investing in something you enjoy means not just investing money but also investing time. Anyhow, I’m trying to invest more of my time to uninterrupted reading so that reading may beget more reading. Because books are really awesome.

Anyhow, on to August Books:

Swept Away by Beth O’Leary read by Conor Swindells and Rebekah Hinds: This novel tells about a one night stand on a house boat that becomes a twelve day stand when the boat is swept out to sea. I really enjoyed this book – the characters were smart, with just enough baggage to be interesting, but no so much that it weighed down the story. I enjoyed following the perils and adventures as Zeke and Lexi worked together to survive with dwindling food, no cell service, and no power. There is also a seagull that figures prominently. There is some typical romance novel third act silliness, but not silly enough to bother me. The audiobook narrators were fantastic and full of personality.

Five Little Indians by Michelle Good – This novel by a British Columbia author of Cree and French Canadian heritage tells the interconnected stories of five teenagers who struggle to rebuild their lives after leaving an Indian residential school in British Columbia. I thought these were important stories to tell and that each character has an interesting arc – the stories are heartbreaking and at the same time filled with little triumphs. However, I didn’t enjoy the writing. I thought the prose was very stolid and plain, almost stilted, and the structure of the book was a little confusing at times, jumping back in forth in the timeline. I couldn’t tell if these things were signs of a specific writing technique or a lack of writing technique, but I wanted the writing to sing a bit more than it did.

Knockout by Sarah MacLean – this is the third book in the Hell’s Belle’s series, about a quartet of women out to bring down the scum of high society. I think it’s my favorite so far. Lady Imogen Loveless is an explosives expert. Tommy Peck is a brilliant detective. Of course their paths intersect. I really liked these two protagonists – Imogen was just a bit daffy, but not enough to be annoying, and she was brilliantly smart. Tommy’s working class background is a nice departure in a genre that is often full of dukes and aristocrats. But I will say, when you have a book series centered around a group of very strong willed, independent, ass-kicking women, their heros all kind of start feeling the same. As much as I enjoyed the chemistry and antics of Imogen and Tommy, Tommy had the same “I’m exasperated by your antics and am going to try to come to your rescue all the time,” air that all the other men in the series had so far. But then again, romance novels often thrive on familiar tropes. The writing, as always, is reliably solid and witty and I can’t wait for the fourth book to come out.

The Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki – The Husband recommended this novel – it’s set in the part of Southern California where I grew up and where my parents now live. And a donut store features prominently. I thought this book was fantastic. The plot features so many threads that you wouldn’t think it would work, but it does. There’s the trans teenager running away from home, with just her cheap violin and her wits and courage. There’s the brilliant violin teacher who made a deal with the devil. There are the refugees from another galaxy who run a donut store as it is the key to returning home. There is the potter who is running the family’s violin repair store, a store that has been in their family for generations. There are tangerines. I thought this was a beautiful book, and I want to read it again to sink into all the details – the book is feel good, cozy, smart but also doesn’t shy away from pain and difficult situations. Also when I figured out where the titles came from I gasped in wonder – the writing is pretty beautiful, each word or phrase or image so precise and well suited. Also – Bartok’s sonata for solo violin plays a big part in the book, which the music nerd in me just loved. Science fiction isn’t really a genre I read a lot of, but this one was so grounded in things that I know and love, and the writing was so good, that it felt really accessible to me.

One of my favorite passages was this one, when Lan (the alien captain) and Shizuka (the violin teacher) meet at an Olive Garden:
Lan ate one, [bread stick] then the other. She looked at Shizuka in horror.
“Oh no! I ate your bread stick, too.”
“Don’t worry. They’ll bring more.”
“Really?”
Shisuka tilted her head. “Lan, haven’t you traveled the galaxy? I mean, surely you’ve been to much nice places than an Olive Garden in Cerritos.”
Cerritos is a very Asian, very bland, very functional suburban area in Southern California, near where I grew up. This comment made me laugh.

Or this one, the potter training her son on how to mend a violin:
“Andrew, careful means watch what you are doing. Careful does not mean be indecisive.”

I need to embrace that more.

The Beast Takes a Bride by Julie Anne Long – The latest in her Palace of Rogues series that takes place in a boarding house along the Thames. I didn’t love this book as much as My Season of Scandal, but I did like it a lot. This is a second chance romance between two people who are married, but have been separated for five years because of things that happened on the night they got married. The story of how Alexandra and her husband Magnus get back together is classic Julie Anne Long- well-written angst and longing with an incandescent resolution. That part of the story I really loved. I have a few quibbles though – first of all, the story starts with Alexandra in jail which lent a certain humor and quirkiness to her character that is never really explored. She turns out to be a little dull, which is actually kind of the point of her character, but I wanted her to be a little less dull. Also most of the story is told from her POV, so Magnus remains in large part a mystery, and I kind of miss getting to understand his transformation from the inside out the way that we see Alexandra’s. Also while I love the antics of the Grand Palace on the Thames, it really threw the pacing off in this story. The parts that didn’t feature the main romantic couple were all well written and funny, but I think in past books, the antics meshed more seamlessly with the main love story, and in this one they didn’t. Having said all that though, I thought the story of Alexandra and Magnus was really well crafted and the conflict was thoughtfully laid out. The cover, though, doesn’t really have a lot to do with the book. I think her covers are getting worse and worse as the series goes on.

Tru Biz by Sara Novic – I thought that this novel set in a boarding school for Deaf teenagers was pretty great. First of all, the plot is interespersed with chapters that explain parts of Deaf history and culture. As someone who is unfamiliar with any of that context, it was so eye opening. The sections that talked about the nuances of sign language were fascinating. Also Alexander Graham Bell had so much more going on than just inventing the telephone. The actual story itself was absorbing too – the story tells the story of two students at the school, and the head mistress of the school. Their stories seem very separate at first, but then come together as plot like things happen. There is some very risky teen behavior going on, and some grown up problems involving the complicated world of running a deaf school, and things like cochlear implants. I thought the ending felt a little unresolved, but in the notes at the end, the author says that she left the end a little open because she wanted these characters, these Deaf characters, to live on in the reader’s mind, so that the reader doesn’t just leave them in the book, but takes them, and Deaf culture, out into the world. I really loved that thought and it makes me see unresolved endings in a whole new light.

On my proverbial Night Stand

Winnie and Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage by Jonny Steinberg – still working my way through this biography of Winnie and Nelson Mandela. There is some seriously messed up shit going on that certainly didn’t make it into Nelson Mandela’s autobiography.

Hum in You Don’t Know the Words by Bianca Marais – A ten year old girl and Xhosa widow’s lives come together in the aftermath of the 1976 Soweto uprisings.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett – Curmudgeonly academic goes to a remote Northern Island to research faeries. Breezy and ironic in tone, but moving at a slow pace. Or maybe I’m just reading it at a slow pace?

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, read by Ray Porter – I don’t pretend to understand the science bits, but the human bits are really wonderful.

How was your reading life last month? Are you able to find satisfaction in reading in fits and starts, or do you find you need longer uninterrupted time for reading?

Books Read, June and July 2025

I’m fitting two months in this reading recap, since I didn’t get around to writing June’s run down. I managed to read a lot in June, mostly because I wanted to finish the Mandela autobiography before I went to South Africa, so I was very disciplined about it, reading 15 pages a day for two month. July has been mostly audiobooks because of having a long commute.

Stillborn by Guadalupe Nettel, translated by Roslind Harvey – This novel tells about two friends, Alina and Laura – they are independent career driven women whose have to learn to navigate their friendship when Alina decides to have a baby and her pregnancy develops complications. This is very much a character driven book – it’s one about life just happening and explores issues of friendship, motherhood, aging, and what we owe the young people in the world. Its a quiet book – just life being lived, but also profoundly touching as well. The lack of propulsive plot made the book feel a little slow at times, but I thought it was such a thoughtful, meditative book as well. I highlighted so many passages in this book, but two of my favorite:

“Dogs are low-intensity children: they give you love, joy and loyalty. They are affectionate creatures which need to be taken care of, but which in no way stop you from living your life. If you go on a trip or if they annoy you you can just send them away to boarding school. It makes me angry to think that some people even beat them without the risk of being sent to prison. Dogs do not ask questions. If they take offence, they show it timidly and it doesn’t last long. In any case, they can’t sue you, nor demand that you pay for their therapy. Instead of needing a babysitter, it’s enough to have someone take them out for a walk for a few hours. It’s true they never become independent, but it’s also true that they live for only a short time, eighteen years or so if you’re lucky. When they get ill or grow old, many owners opt for euthanasia they prefer to say they have them ‘put to sleep’ without facing legal problems or anyone questioning them about it. I know that there are also many people who treat them well and care for them as if they were a member of the family, but this does not diminish how sad their lives make me feel.”
-I’m not really a dog person, but I completely see how dogs can worm their way into one’s heart.

She doesn’t seem ill,’ I said.
The doctor assures me that this little girl, as well as being healthy, is determined to live.
‘That’s because she doesn’t read the newspapers yet. As soon as she sees the state the world’s in, she’ll change her mind.’
Alina looked up at me and said: ‘It’s so strange, don’t you think? Why would someone who has never lived want to do so?’ I recalled something I had read years ago, in the Buddhist books I had bought on my last trip to Nepal. According to those writers, who had been born many centuries before Inés and us, the emotion that most characterizes our species is desire, and it is desire, too, that makes us reincarnate as human beings.
-I often think about this instinct to live that children have. I mean I want to live because I know about music and love and chocolate. But babies? They know nothing about these things. And then, also, our instinct to nurture children, even those that we know will not survive.

Forever Your Rogue by Erin Langston, read by Justine Eyre and Will M. Watt – I tried to read this book last year, but couldn’t really get into it, but then I saw that the audiobook featured Will Watt, one of my favorite narrators, so I decided to give it another try. This is a sweet and funny fake engagement romance novel about Cora a widowed Countess who bribes her childhood friend and current wastrel Nathaniel to pose as her fiancé so that she can win custody of her children from her evil sister in law. There were some cute touches – each chapter opens with a letter, and I do love epistolatory novels – and Nathaniel’s arc of turning his life around is quite lovely to watch. But I will say the children in the story felt utterly unrealistic to me. All in all, not earth shattering in the genre, but a perfectly pleasant historical romance novel. I wasn’t crazy about Justine Eyre’s narration – it just sounded forced and strangled. Will Watt, though was perfection.

The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, read by the author – I picked this book up after reading about it in an interview with Jose Andres where he cited this book as one that he thinks the President should read. Villavicencio is herself an undocumented immigrant and her book is part journalism part personal essay, as she travels across the U.S. to tell the stories of the undocumented immigrants who are embedded in the very fabric of our lives here in America. Undocumented immigrants live in a permanently liminal space – here and working, but with no access to safety nets – and Villavicencio details a lot of those lack of safety nets, from those in New York who responded to 9/11, to immigrants in Flint Michigan who were unaware of the water crisis there. Intertwined with the stories of others is her own journey and feelings about being a immigrant in America. This is a hard book in a lot of ways, and it made me realize how lucky I am because my immigration story, and that of my parents’ is very different from what it could have been. I will say, I listened to this on audio because it was the only version I could find; I might have preferred reading this to listening to it – Villavicencio’s narration is a little dry.

Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela – I read Mandela’s autobiography in anticipation of my trip to South Africa. Mandela is a legendary leader, a prominent figure in modern South African history despite being in jail for almost thirty years. I found reading Mandela’s words riveting; his childhood and schooling, the injustices he suffered as a Black man in South Africa, his daring and illegal political work, the dehumanizing conditions of prison, his capacity for forgiveness and peace-making – I found all of it inspiring. Even though this is a very large book (clocks in at almost 600 pages), it is very readable, and moves quite quickly. I was very determined to finish this book before we left for South Africa so I imposed a very disciplined reading schedule for myself – 15 pages a day. I know it’s just one man’s story, but what a story he had to tell. I highlighted the heck out of this book too.

Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story by Leonie Swann, translated by Anthea Bell – This is a mystery novel featuring crime solving sheep. It was hilarious – I laughed out loud many times. The sheep casually eavesdrop on conversations in search of clues, sneak into churches and pubs and other mundane village fixtures. They are delightful. Seeing the world of humans though their eyes was a lot of fun – humans are quite incomprehensible to them. I will say, the actual mystery itself wasn’t very interesting to me, but I would read the sequel just to see what the sheep get up to next.

The Woman Next Door by Yewande Omotoso – I picked up this book because it was on a list of books set in South Africa, and I like reading books set in my destination when I travel. This novel tells the story about two eighty year old widows, neighbors in Cape Town, one White and one Black, who do NOT get along. Then things happen and they are forced to put up with each other. This book also deals with the legacy of Apartheid in today’s South Africa as Hortensia and Marion are both touched by events in the past. Read this if you want a book about crochety 80 year old women with razor sharp tongues and complicated histories.

Bombshell by Sarah McClean – The first book in McLean’s Hells Belle’s historical romance series (I’d read the second one already, and decided to start with the start of the series.) The main characters Sesily Talbot and Caleb Calhoun were side characters in another McLean novel/series, so this book felt a little bit like being dropped off in the middle of a series, even though it was the firs book of this current series. Sesily and Caleb have long been attracted to each other, and this book is a lot about them fighting that attracting while Sesily tries to covertly bring about the downfall of a dastardly Duke. (I think it was a duke?) To be honest, Sesily and Caleb were the least interesting part of the novel – they fought, made out (and then some), had misunderstanding and secrets and a little bit of martyr syndrome. Pretty standard romance stuff. The best part of the book was the friendship between Sesily and her fellow female vigilantes – their honest, loyal, bantering friendship made this book sparkle. I’m sticking to this series to read more about the female friendships.

The Red Notebook by Anton Laurain, translated by Jane Aitkin and Emily Boyce read by Alex Wyndham – (Interesting… this is my third novel in translation in this post…) I got this book because I needed a new audiobook for the car and a bunch of people on Reddit recommend Alex Wyndham as an audiobook narrator. This novel tells the story of Laurent, a bookseller, who finds a purse in the street and searches for the owner. The owner, Laure, had been mugged and is in the hospital. The books kind of feels like a Hallmark movie – predictable, warm, and a full cast of family and friends to meet and meddle along the way. There are lots of fun literary references and there is also a grumpy cat that I enjoyed. All in all, a sweet, pleasant read/listen, though not terribly memorable.

Drop Dead by Lily Chiu read by Philippa Soo and John Cho – Two rival journalists compete for the chance to write a tell all about a famed reclusive author. This enemies to lovers novel is a little different in tone from Chiu’s other books I’ve read; first of all it’s in third person alternating narratives when her past novels have been in first person. I miss a little of the quirky first person voice, to be honest, and the book also felt a little unresolved in terms of the BIG SECRET that the reclusive author was hiding. I would read this book for Chiu’s witty insights and banter, the cats, and the glimpses into the newsroom, particularly obituary writing.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie, an Audible Original – Not strictly an audiobook, rather this is a dramatized audio version of Christie’s first Poirot novel. I thought this was really really well done. The voice acting was spot on (Peter Dinklage was Poirot, Phil Dunster, who plays Jamie Tartt on Ted Lasso was another character, Rob Delany from Catastrophe played the American husband), and the writer/adaptor punched up some of the WWI aspects to create more atmosphere and tension. There was an original score that was by turns creepy and nostalgic. I don’t remember if I’ve ever read this mystery, but I was for sure as invested in finding the murderer as I was in the lives of everyone in the story.

On my Proverbial nightstand:

Nelson and Willie: Portrait of a Marriage by Jonny Steinberg – This dual biography details the relationship of Nelson and Winnie Mandela. There is a lot in this book that didn’t make it into Mandela’s autobiography. Understandably so. It’s all quite scandalous.

Five Little Indians by Michelle Good – Novel about five teenagers who struggle to adapt to life in Vancouver after leaving the church-run residential school they were forced into as children. So far it’s been grim but engrossing.

Tru Biz by Sara Novic – I started reading this book a while back, but then it went on the back burner while I finished some books that were actually due back at the library. I’m really loving this book about a high school for Deaf teens trying to live their teenage lives, and the headmistress trying to keep everything together.

The Beast Takes a Bride by Julie Anne Long – the next book in the Palace of Rogue series. It’s pretty swoony so far.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, read by Ray Porter – This book is a lot of fun and Porter is a great narrator.

Books Read, May 2025 + recommend me a book!

Not a book, but book related thought lately – I went to see the opera Porgy and Bess with my 13 year old a few weeks ago. I had last seen this show ten years ago and I found I had a very different reaction to it this time around. (Spoiler alert…) Porgy and Bess tells the story of a Black community living in Catfish Row in South Carolina. Porgy, a disabled begger is in love with Bess, taking her in when her violent murdering boyfriend flees from the law. At the end of the opera, Bess takes off for New York with her drug dealer. When Porgy finds out, he decides to go after her. Curtain. End of opera.

The first time I saw the opera, when the curtain came down at the end, I thought, “wait, that’s it?!?!”. I found the ending really unsatisfactory. I wanted Porgy to find Bess and have a happy ending. Or him to die on the way to NY, or Bess to die… something that felt like an ending, not a beginning. But the opera doesn’t tell you what happens to Porgy after he leaves Catfish Row. We don’t even know if he makes it to New York.

Watching the opera ten years later, though, this ending did not bother me as much. Maybe because I already knew what was going to happen? But maybe also because I’m ten years older and my expectations of narratives and story arcs have changed over the years. I was thinking about this because the 13 year old’s reaction to the ending was the same as my reaction ten years ago. She wanted to know what happened to Porgy. (She also had some choice words for Bess, saying she didn’t deserve him.) I read Katherine Graham’s memoirs in my twenties, and when I got to the part where she got married, I realized that we were only about 1/3 of the way through the book – there was still another four hundred pages to go. I remember that being kind of a narrative-challenging light bulb moment for me, this realization that there is a lot of life ahead of a person after marriage and that the narratives I had come to expect weren’t the only narratives out there, fiction or non-fiction.

I wouldn’t want to read a romance novel that doesn’t end with a happily ever after, but for other fiction, I think I’m okay with inconclusive endings. I think I can read a book where the real story is in the journey and not the destination. I still do like a book where the ending is tied up neatly, but when the ending is inconclusive, I don’t find it as unsatisfying as I used to. I no longer think it’s the author’s job to fill in all the blanks for me. I can think and speculate about what there’s character’s lives look like after “The End”. I felt like this about Clear. Lisa noted that the ending seemed abrupt to her, and I agree – I do wish that I knew what happened to the three main characters. But I also loved the journey they all went on before they end of the book, and I realized that was the story that the author wanted to tell. It might not be about where a character ends up geographically, but rather where they end up internally.

Anyhow – what about you? Do you like books with endings that feel final? Or do books with nebulous endings appeal to you too?

On to books read last month. I read more books that I usually do, a lot of them on audio since I was commuting a lot. Nothing outstandingly amazing, but each very engrossing in their own ways…

Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom by Ilyon Woo – This non-fiction book tells the story of Ellen and William Craft, who escape from slavery by boldly pretending that Ellen was a sickly white man and William was her servant. They board a train in Georgia and travel north to Boston. The escape spans about half the book, and the rest of the book tells about how the flee to England (via Nova Scotia!) and become famous speakers against slavery. The Crafts’ story is so amazing and this book is filled with many historical details, giving readers a descriptive sense of America at the time. One thing that really made me think – I knew that very few slaves could read or write, but when it is put in context of pretending to be a white gentleman, it is amazing to me that the Crafts managed to pull off their escape. Think about all the little things you have to read or write when travelling – schedules, tickets, hotel ledgers, menus. When the Crafts arrive in Boston and one of their first requests was to learn to read – that was such an emotional moment for me:

“Ellen had come of age in a house where education was prized, but denied to her-where she had only been able to stare at the alphabet in secret. Here was a new beginning, evidenced in the tentative series of loops and lines that she formed in her own hand-spectral, fleeting traces that she drew, erased, and drew, again, to spell out her name, Ellen.”

― Ilyon Woo, Master Slave Husband Wife, p. 137

This is a gripping and fascinating non-fiction read, if you are looking for narrative non-fiction – well written and detailed.

Stage Kiss by Amelia Jones – This romance novel tells the story of two actors performing as Elizabeth and Darcy in a touring production of a Pride and Prejudice musical. And the tour is stopping in DC. So many things in that plot summary are my catnip – Jane Austen retelling! Theatre! Set in DC! In truth, this book wasn’t the best romance novel I’d ever read – the attempts to parallel P&P are a bit of a stretch at times – but I had a fun time reading about my world in a romance novel – I could picture the places they were and the walks they took. I don’t know that it’s a super accurate depiction of my work life, but who cares? Okay, the one part that made my jaw drop, though, was when the two main characters had sex in the dressing room while in costume! I’m pretty sure dressing room sex happens all the time, but IN COSTUME!!!!?!?!?! I mean we don’t even let people sit on the ground or eat in costume. Having sex in costume is just irresponsible.

The Switch by Beth O’Leary narrated by Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones – Okay, fun P&P link here – Allison Steadhm played Mrs. Bennet in the iconic (and to my mind the best) BBC P&P adaptation. The Switch tells the story of Leena and her grandmother Eileen who are both in a bit of a rut, so they switch homes for two months; Leena takes her grandmother’s house in rural Yorkshire and Elieen will take Leena’s flat in London. I was looking for a sweet fun audiobook, and having enjoyed O’Leary’s Flatshare, I picked this one up, liking that the premise featured an older protagonist. The plotting is not as tight and flowing as Flatshare, but I still really liked this book and seeing how Leena and Eileen’s journey unfolded. I particularly liked Eileen’s attempts at dating and friendship as a senior citizen – Eileen is a quietly bad ass character.

Why We Make Mistakes by Joseph T. Hallinan, read by Marc Cashman – This book was recommended to me by a co-worker and I read it because I had been thinking a lot about choices I was making that didn’t always seem to be the right ones. Journalist Hallinan explores the reasons behind mistakes and missteps and human error. This book read like a compilation of scientific research over the years about how human behavior is fallible. There were lots of interesting tidbits. As an overthinker, the part that really stuck with me was when Hallinan talked about how statistically, having more information does not necessarily make for more correct choices. So when I dither on making a decision because I feel like I need more information, that’s really my own reluctance to commit, not necessarily because I truly need more information. There was also an interesting discussion about how amateurs sometimes can catch mistakes that experts miss because they are looking at something with unbiased eyes. Often experts expect something to be a certain way, so they don’t read information carefully, glossing over details that they perceive as correct. Lot of interesting things to ponder, but to be honest, I feel like this book could also have been just as useful if it had been a podcast or magazine article as well.

Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane – This book was my 13 year old’s suggestion. It’s one of those books that is marketed as a romance, but really the romance aspect is secondary to the main character figuring out their life. Wedding photographer Harriet calls off her wedding to a perfect on paper man and moves in with Cal Clark who is also reeling from a broken engagement. Cal is a conveniently nice and sweet guy, but he’s the least interesting part of the book – he’s kind of a narrative box checker. The meat of this novel is about how Harriet, with the help of her friends, learns to free herself from the trauma of past relationships and help others do the same. The best parts of the book, I thought, were those friendships, and also I admit, I did love the details of her job as a wedding photographer. When I asked the 13 year old what she liked about this book, she said she liked that the romance wasn’t the main point, but that a lot of the book was about Harriet figuring things out for herself. I thought that was a pretty cool observation on her part.

A Tempest of Desire by Lorraine Heath, read by Will Watt – This romance novel tells the story of Marlowe, a famous courtesan (though really, she’s 22 years old and has only had one lover in her life, so I felt like courtesan is kind of a misnomer). Marlowe flies hot air balloons as a hobby, and during one stormy flight, she crash lands on the island of Viscount Langdon. They shelter together until the storm passes and then have to navigate their mutual attraction once they return to London society. I think there were a lot of great character details – Marlow’s impoverished childhood, Langdon suffering from an affliction as a result of a train accident – all of it well researched and detailed. The plot itself is pretty slight, and the ending rather abrupt, but I still enjoyed it. Truth, though, the appeal of this book was 95% Will Watt’s narration. He just has the kind of voice that you can sink into and he imbues every word with a panoply of emotion and intent. This is one of those romance novels that are part of a huge series, and every character that seemed interesting probably has their own book.

The Crucible by Arthur Miler – LA Theatre Works production – This wasn’t strictly a book, but an audio version (borrowed via Libby) of the famous play. I had, shockingly, never read the play; it wasn’t required reading in high school. Early this year, a theatre friend of mine was singing the praises of the play John Procter is the Villain, now on Broadway, and I confessed:

Since the opera version is on the horizon for me, I thought it a good a time as any to finally discover Miller’s iconic work. It’s all kinds of messed up, isn’t it? I just felt icky at the end. Which I guess is kind of the point. I love LATW production of plays – I should listen to more of them.

On my Proverbial Night Stand (I realize that a lot of these books were in progress last month too…)
Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela – I’ve been reading 15-20 pages of this book every day because I am detirmined to finish it before out trip to South Africa. It’s really gripping and inspiring.

Three Bags Full by Leonie Swan – Sheep solve mysteries I’m having a really hard time concentrating on this book, to be honest. But when I do managed to have a big chunk of time to give this book, I love it.

The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, read by the author – I saw this book in an interview with Jose Andres as the book he most wished he could require the President to read. It tells about how illegal immigrants are inextricably woven into the fabric of our lives in America. The narration is a little dry, but the stories open my eyes and break my heart.

On another note….

Anyone want to recommend a book to read during my trip to South Africa? Things that check boxes for a vacation read for me:

Gripping, immersive plot. (I like good writing and character driven books too, but for travel I definitely want a page turner)
Average length – not too long (don’t want to pack a huge tome), not too short (or else I’ll finish it too soon.)
Characters who are smart and trying to do the right thing, whatever that means to them.
I like most fiction genres. Memoir or narrative non fiction also would be of interest. Fantasy or Sci-fi if there isn’t too much world building.
Bonus points if it’s set in South Africa or London, written by an underrepresented demographic, has a bit (or a lot) of romance, or looks at a kind of niche subject/location/historical period.
Books I’ve read in the past that I would consider perfect for vacation: The House on the Cerulean Sea, Where’d You Go Bernadette?, Agatha Christie novels, The Great Believers, Hunger Games Trilogy, Ministry of Time, Fleishman is in Trouble, Harlem Shuffle, The Monsters We Defy, Nothing to See Here.

Things I don’t care for:
-Unreliable narrators
-Suicide, sexual assault, or graphic violence

If you have any thoughts, I’m all ears!

Books Read – April 2025

Only three books finished in April – but that’s par for the course for a month of being in rehearsals and tech.

Clear by Carys Davies, read by Russ Bain – Set in 1843 on a remote Scottish Island, this short novel tells the story of John Ferguson, a minister, who has been sent to the island to evict its last remaining inhabitant, a man named Ivan. Ivan doesn’t speak English and has been living on his own for many many years. This book was written in language so beautifully spare and precise. I loved how the story explored themes of language, communication, and connection, contemplating how we live alone, and with each other. I liked this book so much that as soon as I finished the audiobook, I borrowed the book from Libby so I could read the prose myself. It’s a pretty slender book, but each word or image packs a punch.

Heartbreaker by Sarah MacLean – This is the second book in the Hell’s Belles series, and the first one that I have read of that series. It’s basically a road romance as former thief, now society wallflower Adelaide Frampton races the Henry Carrington, Duke of Clayborn on quest to find his brother who has eloped. It’s a little convoluted. I liked a lot about this book – it has MacLean’s signature strong female characters, wit, warm female friendships, well developed side characters, and elegant writing. The chemistry is top notch. I thought the plot was a little meh. There are books where the characters drive the plot, but I thought in the book, the plot drove the characters, and I didn’t see much character development. Still, I always enjoy a Sarah MacLean novel, and this one was a solid one.

Briefly, Perfectly Human by Alua Arthur, read by the author – Arthur is a Death Doula – she helps people as they are nearing the end of their lives handle both the practical and the intangible matters that come with dying. This book is her memoir, starting with her childhood in Ghana and the U.S., how she came to her profession, and lessons she has learned along the way. The memoir part of the book was non-linear and a little scattered, almost cyclical. I have to admit I had problems following it, though maybe it’s because i listened ot it on audio. But the parts of her book where she talks about her different clients and how they each faced death, and the lessons she learned – that was where I felt the book really spoke to me. Arthur talks a lot of the interstitial nature of life – how we are always in some form of transition. I particularly liked this passage:

“To adapt is central to the human experience. Humans are masters at navigating the unknown and adapting to new circumstances, even though we often do not give ourselves the credit. Change is the god that we must bow to.
Each new day that we get to wake up, we greet a reality that wages a war of attrition against our expectations. Life doesn’t go the way we want. Duh. Ideas fail. People change their minds. Governments get overthrown. Babies won’t nap. Psychedelic trips end with a potential for inpatient treatment. Our hearts get broken. We burn dinner. Tires go flat. Yet, we learn to adapt in the moment, even as we struggle and resist. Learning to adapt introduces us to the new self, time and time again. The new self is one we never imagined – someone who has integrated all that has come before.
When we arrive at this new place, we are able to say, “Today, I am here.” Starting sentences and thoughts with the word today grounds us in the present. “Today, my husband can no longer walk.” “Today, I can’t grip my coffee cup.” “Today, my best friend can’t stomach her favorite meal.” “Today, I am separated.” “Today, my father is dead.” Today is not without its grief.”

― Alua Arthur, Briefly Perfectly Human

I love that idea of “Today” – what a great thought to hold on to when things feel hard.

On my Proverbial night stand:

Three Bags Full by Leonie Swan – a mystery featuring crime-solving sheep. It’s quirky and delightful, but I just can’t seem to get into it. I think I just need to spend an hour reading it to get the plot underway.

Still Born by Guadalupe Nettel – I’m liking these short chapters – concise but packed. (Also – side note, I tried to google the title without the author’s name to make sure I was spelling it right, and that was a mistake – so trigger warning for anyone sensitive to child loss.)

Why We Make Mistakes by Joseph T. Hallinan – non-fiction recommended to me by a co-worker. Listening on audio.

Mad about You by Mhariri McFarlane – rom com type book, recommended to me by the 13 year old. I didn’t read the blurb so I’m not quite sure what the set up is quite yet, but the characters are funny and the writing has a wry humour that I like.

Books Read, March 2025

I read more books on audio than in print last month. I guess that meant I did a lot of walking and driving and tedious house chores in March.

The Door to Door Bookstore by Carsten Sebastian Henn, translated by Melody Shaw, read by Raphael Corkhill -Karl Kollhoff works at a bookstore, delivering books to book lovers who can’t make it to the bookstore. Along the way he is befriended by a 9 year old girl. When the owner of the bookstore dies and his daughter takes over, Karl’s job is in danger. This book was such a bookish comfort read. Slight and predictable, but charming nonetheless, it’s one of those books clearly written by someone who loves to read. Karl gives all of his customers literary nick names and spends time choosing just the right book for them to read. I loved all the literary references sprinkled throughout -it always makes me feel smart to get literary references in books.

My Name is Phillipa by Phillipa Ryder, read by Jackie Meloche– Memoir of a trans woman who grew up as a boy in 1960s Ireland, got married, became a father, and then in her 30s discovered a community of LGBTQ+ people who helped her embrace who she really was. Ryder writes of her journey to transition, including how her wife and daughter handled her transition. Remarkably drama free, which I think is the point. At the core, Phillipa Ryder’s story isn’t any different from anyone else’s story of falling in love with someone and then wondering how to make life work when things change. My one big complaint was that the audiobook narrator did not have an Irish accent. I did feel kind of cheated on that score.

The Worst Duke Ever by Lisa Berne – This book tells about penniless Jane Kent, who discovers that she is the long lost illegitimate granddaughter of the high born Penhallow family (the family is the basis of this romance series). She is taken in by the Penhallows and soon meets the neighboring Duke of Radcliffe and his precocious son. I picked up this book because the blurb described the Duke of Radcliffe as just wanting to stay home and tend to his pigs. I was kind of ready for a non-alpha male romantic hero, and a Duke who wanted to stay home and tend to his pigs seemed to fit that bill. But, friends, this book was so dull. The pigs and pugs and kids were cute, but there was no real conflict or romantic tension to the story. Jane and the Duke liked each other from the start – I do like when the main character like each other, but there was no real reason they couldn’t be together. The whole thing was just… pleasant. Which is fine, but I want a bit of angst in my romance novels. Oh well. If you like cute animal antic, though, you might like this book more than I did.

Shakespeare: the Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench and Brendon O’Hea, read by Barbara Flynn, Brendon O’Hea and Judi Dench – I loved this book. Love, love, loved it. It’s basically Dench and O’Hea sitting around talking about theatre life and Shakespeare. Listening to them chatter is like being invited over for tea and stories – it’s like a combination of juicy memoir and English seminar. Dench herself doesn’t narrate, but she does read Shakespeare passages that begin each chapter, and Barbara Flynn sounds so much like Judi Dench. As an audiobook bonus, though, there is a recording of a conversation between O’Hea and Dench and they squabble like two crotchety old geese and it’s delightful. Dench has so many fascinating things to say about Shakespeare, about how to say a line, about how she develops characters, about how Shakespeare crafted a story, crafted people onstage, crafted language. There were moments when I gasped at an insight she had about a play that I thought I knew very well. So many good quotes in the book. At one point, she says that she prefers theatre over film because in theatre, you have a chance every night to do better. Oh another of my favorite quotes was about being a professional even when you’re young and nervous. “Everyone’s nervous,” she says, “It’s not your business to make more of it.” Man I wish someone would embroider that on a pillow and hand it to every singer I know. Highly recommend if you like Shakespeare. I listened to this book, but I would also have loved to have a hard copy so I could highlight passages.

The Love Songs of W.E.B. Dubois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers– if you are looking for a 600+ page book by a female person of colour, this might fit the bill. This novel tells the story of Ailey Garfield, growing up in Brooklyn, but spending summers in the small town in Georgia where her ancestors were cheated out of their land and kept as slaves. Concurrently, the story of those ancestors unfold, telling about how Indigenous, White, and Black people were irrevocably intertwined. The generational aspect of the story reminded me a little of Homegoing, with more in depth story lines. I will say two thirds of the book was a well written, but kind of a meandering plot as Ailey tries to figure out what she wants to do with her life. But once she goes to college and decides to study history, I thought the story really took off, with Ailey becoming quite a page turner. Interestingly, I don’t read a lot of long books, but three of the 600+ page reads I’ve read have been set in academia with parallel past and present story lines. – this one, The Weight of Ink, and Possession. They were all very good books – academic research is more exciting that I would have thought.

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix read by Bahni Turpin – This novel tells the story of Patricia Campbell, mother of two, husband to a prominent physiatrist, true-crime bookclub member. When a handsome neighbor moves to their small town, eyebrows and questions are raised. I thought this book was quite fun for the first half, gory and frustrating for the second half, and then it went off the rails at the end. But then again, I guess one would be hard put to find a vampire novel that doesn’t go off the rails at some point if you want the vampire dead. Horror novels are not at all my usual fare, so I can’t say if this was a good horror novel. I’m not sure where I got the suggestion from – perhaps it was 85% the fact that I enjoy Bahni Turpin as an audiobook narrator. The blurb calls it: “Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias meet Dracula“. Hmmmm… I guess there’s a lot of truth in that. There is a satirical twist to it, and I laughed out loud a lot. But I also got grossed out a lot, though I’m pretty sensitive to squicky things in books.

Okay, here is where I check my biases, though. Because Bahni Turpin reads this book, I was convinced that the book was about a group of black women. It is not. Also because of the way Hendrix writes about the experience of being a stay at home mom with such weary humour, I assumed Hendrix was a female. He is not. I kind of felt a little cheated that I was reading a book by a White male. Not sure how to unpack that one. Women don’t hold a monopoly at writing astute portraits of suburban moms, of course, but I do feel a little duped. This is why I shouldn’t google author’s until after I’ve read their book.

On my Proverbial Night Stand:
Master, Slave, Husband, Wife by Ilyon Woo – sshhhhh… don’t tell, this book was due back at the library two weeks ago, but I’m need to finish it, so I’m just ignoring those emails from the library.

Briefly Perfectly Human by Alua Arthur – the memoirs of a death doula.

The Earl Who Isn’t by Courtney Milan – Wedgeford Trails, book 3. I’m a sucker for historical romances featuring Asian characters. And Milan writes such smart books.

What was your favorite read in March? Have you ever googled an author and been disappointed? Do you have a favorite Shakespeare play?