Crocodilopolis by John Manuel Arias

August 9, 2026

Crocodilopolis by John Manuel Arias

Seth Oreamundo has hated his younger brother since he was born, first for taking his mother's ove and later for taking his career and home. Ten years after being exiled from his homeland, Seth devises what he considers to be just revenge for all that he has lost.

I wasn't sure I wanted to read this, but once I started, it sucked me in and I finished it in just a few days. This is one messed up family. Themes include revenge, toxic masculinity, corruption, mythology, brotherhood, rage, identity, and a family secret that is the root of all the evil in the family. The crocodiles in the river are the perfect metaphor for the Oreamundo family.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

American crocodile - can grow up to 20 feet long - hideous

The Devoted by Catherine Cho

July 12, 2026

The Devoted by Catherine Cho

Eunha is a Korean woman living in Hong Kong. Her father is a Dragon Head, the leader of one of the notorious Triad families that make up organized crime in the city. Although her grandmother tries to shield her from the Triads' influence, it's always there in the background. When her son is kidnapped, Eunha finds herself pulled into the Triads' sphere as she mistrusts everyone around her. Even marrying the love of her life comes at a cost.

An intense story that triggers a wide range of emotions from heartbreak to dread to anger to triumph. Told from Eunha's POV in two separate timelines, the story focuses on her growth and coming to terms with not being able to escape her past, that she has to seize control of her fate with both hands in order to secure the future that she wants for herself and her sons. Up until that point, she is more of a passive observer of life around her, reacting to the actions of the men in her life and doing as she is told. I would like to say that this is unique to her story but women all over the world living in patriarchal or male-dominated societies experience this. At times, I was as devastated as Eunha by the revelations about those she trusted and her realization that she couldn't trust anyone. Characters were well-developed and multi-layered. Themes include family, loyalty, forbidden love, betrayal, honor and revenge. If you're expecting Mafia violence a la The Godfather, this isn't that book.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Life: a Love Story by Elizabeth Berg

May 7, 2026

Life: a Love Story by Elizabeth Berg

Florence Greene is 92 years old and has just been told that she is terminally ill, with only a few months to live. Widowed and childless, Flo has always known that she will bequeath everything she has to Ruthie, who lived next door while she was growing up. Flo begins to write Ruthie a letter to tell her about some of the things that she saves over the years, things that wouldn't seem important to anyone else, and why. Along the way, Flo also has some life lessons to impart.

A feel-good read about life, friendship, relationships, and forgiveness, and about enjoying your life, even if it isn't perfect (especially when it isn't perfect). Flo's memories are written in sections of a long letter, explaining about the small things that made her life so wonderful, even if someone looking at her life from the outside might not think so, as well as the importance of paying attention to small things. Recommended for readers of literary fiction.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Heart in Winter by Kevin Barry

March 10, 2026

The Heart in Winter by Kevin Barry

Tom Rourke is a drifter in the mining town of Butte, Montana, in 1891. He emigrated from Ireland and landed in Butte along with thousands of other Irish immigrants, where a good income could be earned working in the mines. But he is unsuited to the work and soon finds himself working part-time at a second class photography studio and spending the rest of his time drinking, smoking opium, and patronizing the town brothels. At the studio, he meets the new wife of one of the mine owners, who is decidedly lower class than her new husband, and the pair decide to run off together. But the miner wants his wife back and sends a bounty hunter to track them.

I picked up Barry's latest book from the library, and it had a romance sticker on the spine. It is NOT a romance - Barry writes literary fiction, usually about the grittier side of life. Yes, there are two people who may be star-crossed lovers who run away together, but you know right away that there is no happily-ever-after going to happen. I've read Kevin Barry before so I had an idea what to expect. The language is poetic but the lack of punctuation makes the dialogue difficult to follow at times. There is a Bonnie & Clyde vibe here, two doomed lovers who know they are doomed, repeatedly make the wrong choice, and know they are doing it. This is a Western adventure populated by the author's usual Irish characters and their dark humor and outlook on life. Other reviewers have compared this novel to the TV series Deadwood, which I loved. Not for everyone.

Butte, Montana, in the late 19th century

Buckeye by Patrick Ryan

December 8, 2025

Buckeye by Patrick Ryan

In the small town of Bonhomie, Ohio, a brief affair and a lapse in judgment changes the lives of several of the town's residents forever. 

This was just okay. I was interested enough in the characters to keep reading but didn't love it as much as other readers did. A novel with a lot of secrets and not a lot of joy.

Old School Indian by Aaron John Curtis

July 12, 2025

Old School Indian by Aaron John Curtis

Suffering from a rare autoimmune disease that will kill him within two years, Abe Jacobs returns to his family home on the reservation where he grew up. Abe dreamed of becoming a poet, but after his work was rejected by a number of publishers, he quit writing. He hasn't lived on the reservation since he left for college 25 years earlier, but now, desperate for a cure or at least something that will send the disease into remission, Abe agrees to allow his great uncle Budge to try to heal him, who teaches him that healing is not possible without hope and knowing yourself. 

There is a lot to unpack here. It's not a light read or a happy book, although many of the characters handle their situations through humor. Themes include family, cultural identity, tradition, mortality, various kinds of loss, and survival. Food plays a large role, in the ceremony of preparation, as an offering or tribute, and the act of gathering for meals. Lovely language and writing. In addition to telling a story, the author also describes trauma inflicted on indigenous peoples: forced sterilization, relocation and segregation, loss of culture, sexual violence. There are graphic descriptions of violence and sex, so more sensitive readers should be warned.

You should be aware of an organization called Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women that publicizes the violence committed against Native American women and girls, and tracks their cases. In North America, about 16% of all missing or murdered women and girls are Native American, while they make up only 4% of the population.

A Native American healing ceremony

North Woods by Daniel Mason

June 25, 2025

North Woods by Daniel Mason

In the 18th century, a young couple flee from a Puritan village, and build a small cabin in the woods. Over the next few centuries, a variety of people call it home across the cycles of time, history, and nature.

Humans come and go, nature is forever. Lovely book, the story of a house and the surrounding land and the people who called it home. If someone asked me what the book is about, I would have a hard time explaining it. The narrative is a blend of stories, poems and songs, letters, news stories - some sections are more compelling than others. I loved the author’s two previous books so I wasn’t surprised to be sucked in immediately by this one. I recommend the audiobook, which has a full cast reading the various sections. Recommended for its beautiful writing to readers of literary fiction, although readers who prefer a more straightforward plot will probably not enjoy it.

An 18th century Massachusetts farmhouse

Dust Child by Nguyen Phan Que Mai

June 11, 2025

Dust Child by Nguyen Phan Que Mai

Forty years after the Viet Nam war ended, the country is still feeling the after-effects of a senseless war. The story follows three characters: Dan, an American veteran suffering from PTSD who fathered a child with a Vietnamese bar girl, and returns to Vietnam about 40 years later with his wife to try to find the woman and their child; two Vietnamese sisters, Trang and Quynh, who became bar girls during the war to support their family; and Phong, a mixed race man who is a “dust child” fathered by a Black GI, who desperately wants to find his father so he can move his family to the United States. 

A look at the aftermath of the Viet Nam war from a different perspective, that of those left behind to deal with the consequences, told from three different POVs. The Viet Nam war is the background here. A dust child is a mixed race child, the illegitimate child of a Vietnamese woman and an American soldier. Thousands of American GIs left behind these dust children, who were often discriminated against and denied basic human rights. Many of these children were abandoned or given away by their mothers, who feared retaliation from the Viet Cong for associating with American soldiers (which thankfully did not happen). While the children of white GIs suffered, children of Black GIs were treated far worse. I found the character of Dan, the American veteran, to be the least appealing. Themes and triggers include PTSD, exploitation of women, sexual abuse, poverty, and racial discrimination. Recommended for readers who want an alternate perspective on a controversial war.

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, in the 21st century

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghey

June 1, 2025

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghey

Following the death of his wife, Dominic Salt takes a job with the Tasmanian park service and with his three children, moves to an island near Antarctica. They live in the island's lighthouse, and Dom's main job is looking after the international seed bank stored on the island, and maintaining the research station. But climate change is causing the ocean to rise and it is gradually consuming the island. When the government decides to move the seed bank to a safer place, the research team departs, leaving Dom and his children to finish packing the seeds and close down the facilities before a ship comes to take them back to the mainland. But before they leave, during one of the worst storms they have ever witnessed, a mysterious woman washes up on shore, gravely injured but alive.

First, let me say that I realize that the majority of readers LOVED this book, while I am somewhat ambivalent. Whenever a book is subjected to a media storm of hype, I go into it with high expectations and am almost always disappointed. I read a lot of literary fiction and I expect excellent writing and really good characters, since that's what carries the story. This one was only middle of the road. The writing and nature descriptions are lovely, and the setting is unique and interesting, but I did not feel any connection with any of the characters. I guess the island and the weather were the two actual main characters. The plot isn't much of a plot at all, more of a non-mystery based on deliberate miscommunication. Climate change i8s an important topic but the author really beats it to death. No one has a happy ending, it's just all super tragic. Triggers include statutory rape, descriptions of animal abuse, mental illness, graphic sex, and violence in many forms. Just meh.

The research station at Macquarie Island, Antarctica

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

May 22, 2025

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

Patch McCauley (whose real name is Joseph) is a 13 year old living in a small Missouri town with his mother Ivy. His best friend is Saint, who live with her grandmother Norma, a bus driver in the town. Patch has only one eye and has always been obsessed by pirates since he wears an eye patch over his missing eye. Nothing much happens in their town until one morning on his way to school, Patch sees a man attempting to abduct his schoolmate Misty. Misty gets away but all the police can find of Patch is his missing eye patch and a lot of blood.

Disappointing. It took me forever to slog through this. This is another of those love it or hate it books. I heard that it meandered around a lot and that it was more literary fiction than mystery, which is fine with me if I know what to expect. I loved the first hundred or so pages, thought the characters were great, but it lost me when the two kids were locked in the basement. The center section of the book just drags, and it's way too long. I skimmed the last 2/3 of the book and then read the ending. Didn't miss much. I came to hate most of the characters, too. It's like the author had ideas for a couple of different storylines and decided to just jumble them together. An editor should have cut out a couple of hundred pages and made it a better book. Reminded me of Demon Copperhead, which everyone else loved and I didn't. I should know by now that whenever a book is selected by a celebrity or TV book club, I'm probably going to hate it. But at least those book clubs get people who otherwise never read a book, to pick one up. Can't get those hours back.

The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng

May 20, 2025

The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng

Leslie Hamlyn and her husband Robert have lived in Penang in Malaya (now Malaysia) for 15 years, the entire time they have been married. But now Robert is ill and wants to move to South Africa for the drier climate. Before they leave Malaya, their old friend Somerset Maugham (Willie, to his friends) and his secretary Gerald came to stay with them for a few weeks. Willie is hiding the fact that he has made poor investments and is in desperate financial straits and needs to publish a new book as soon as possible, while Leslie and Gerald are hiding their own secrets.

I read the author's previous book, The Garden of Evening Mists, and loved it. To my surprise, I loved this one just as much. It was exactly what I was in the mood for. Set between the two world wars, he story was inspired by Maugham's short story The Letter, which he later turned into a successful play that was adapted for film. Themes include race, gender, sexuality, colonialism, love, betrayal, and redemption. Recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction.

W. Somerset Maugham

The South by Tash Aw

May 14, 2025

The South by Tash Aw

After the death of his grandfather, Jay's family travels to a rural area in the south of Malaysia to visit Jay's father's half-brother, who live on a failing farm that Jay's mother has inherited. Jay is sexually drawn to Chuan, his older half-cousin, but all of the family members have their own secrets.

The first book in a planned quartet, a coming of age story. Because there are more books to follow, the ending is somewhat unsatisfying. Themes include LGBTQ, climate change, racism, social class, the growing influence of Western capitalism and culture, and family dynamics.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Plantation in rural Malaysia

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

May 8, 2025

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

Almost 25 years after graduating, Bodie Kane (successful podcaster and some-time college professor) returns to the Granby School in New Hampshire where she spent four fairly awful high school years, to teach a seminar on podcasting. One of the things that made her time there so bad was when her roommate Thalia was found dead in the school swimming pool. A culprit was quickly arrested and convicted, receiving a sentence of life in prison, but one of Bodie's student isn't so sure and decides to do her podcast project about the crime, which dredges up all sorts of memories for Bodie.

It took me a while to get through this, I kept picking it up and then putting it down to read something else that was more interesting, so the story and the characters obviously weren't pulling me in. A literary fiction cold-case mystery, combining themes of murder, sexual predation/Me Too, the popularity of true crime podcasts, and the effect of social media on all of it. Many of these themes have been worked over at length already, and in books that did a better job of exploring them. The writing and the language are really good but the story drags, and then there is no real resolution, too much is left hanging. Made me remember how awful high school was at times. I don't recommend it unless you are a die-hard fan of the author. I think I may be finished with Makkai.

Boarding school in winter

The Morningside by Tea Obreht

February 25, 2025

The Morningside by Tea Obreht

Set in Island City, the Morningside is a once elegant but now rundown apartment building where Silvia and her mother live after being evicted from their ancestral home and resettled in Island City. The building is only partially occupied since many residents fled the city. Silvia's mother wants to forget their past and where they originally came from, but Silvia's aunt fills her head with superstition and fears. Silvia lives a lonely life until a girl close to her age named Mila moves into the building, and the two girls become fascinated by the woman who lives in the penthouse.

Meh. A dystopian novel by the author of Inland and The Tiger's Wie that sounds like it might be set in a future Manhattan devastated by climate change and war. The author doesn't seem to know what story she wants to tell: first it's about evil spirits and folklore and discovering the true identity of the woman in the penthouse, then it changes to the plight of refugees and conspiracy, and then it switches to war crimes and government abuses. And then there are these damned birds that don't have anything to do with anything. If you want to read something that has similar themes but is a much better book, read Celeste Ng's Our Missing Hearts.

Post-apocalyptic New York

Trust by Hernan Diaz

February 3, 2025

Trust by Hernan Diaz

A novel comprised of four shorter books: a novel called Bonds, about the life of a New York financier; the outline of a memoir/family history by a Wall Street investor who believes Bonds is a fictionalized account of him and his wife; a memoir by a woman hired to write the financier's autobiography but later decides to discover the truth about the couple; and a journal by the financier's wife. But what is true, and what isn't?

A complex novel that explores themes of family, wealth, ambition and deception in a non-traditional format. I really enjoyed the first three sections of the book, but I found the last section to be disappointing. Since that section was in the wife's voice, I was hoping for answers to the questions posed in the earlier sections, and while there were some revelations, I mostly found it unsatisfying. Love the cover art, a skyscraper under a bell jar. Five stars for the first 3/4 of the book, 2 stars for the final section. For readers of literary fiction, especially if you enjoyed books like Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell.

Panic on Wall Street in 1929, which figures in all sections of the novel

Sandwich by Catherine Newman

January 24, 2025

Sandwich by Catherine Newman

Each summer for decades, Rachel and her family have been spending a week at the same vacation rental on Cape Cod. They do all the touristy things: swim in the ocean, picnic on the beach, eat at the town clam shack, shop for local seafood and sweets, visit the library book sale. But this year is different. Rachel is in the throes of menopause, her children are on the brink of real adulthood, and her parents are slowly slipping into old age. She feels as though she is balanced on the fulcrum of a seesaw, sandwiched between two generations that need her.

This is a book that addresses a topic that isn't often talked about, the generation that is sandwiched between their children and their aging parents, being pulled in both directions. I can understand the mixed reviews on the book; it's not for everyone. Not everyone will identify with the main characters or the storyline, and I agree with some reviewers that the main character Rachel (for some reason, the author makes a point of telling the reader that people call her Rocky, even though I think her husband is the only person who uses that nickname once in the book) is annoying. She was probably annoying before menopause (note: menopause isn't like that for everyone - a lot of us managed it with minimal discomfort and without ripping our clothes off in public or sharing with everyone - anyone who is suffering as bad as Rachel needs to see their doctor for some pharmaceutical assistance). Rachel is also not appreciative of what a lovely husband she has, instead she is furious with him because he can't read her mind (this irritated me, because it's one of those stereotypes about women that need to go away). But there is also a lot of humor, like when one of Rachel's friends says she saw an ad for a drug that will help a man last longer during sex, and the friend says who wants a guy to last longer, finish already, my library book isn't going to read itself. They do eat a lot of sandwiches, and who doesn't love a good sandwich! Themes are loss and change, and sensitive readers should be aware that there are discussions about miscarriage, abortion and sexuality. For readers who enjoy literary fiction.

A Cape Cod wharf

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

December 23, 2024

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

Before the city of Troy fell, the invading Greek army destroyed the cities on the Trojan plain, killing the men and boys and taking the girls and women as slaves. The wife of a high ranking noble, Briseis was given to the warrior Achilles as a war prize. Achilles treats her kindly if indifferently, but his close friend and charioteer Patroclus becomes a friend to Briseis.

The story of the Trojan War is usually told by the men who were the victors: Odysseus, Achilles, Agamemmon, Menelaus. Rarely are the voices of the losing side heard, and almost never the women. This is the first book in Barker's trilogy about the women and girls who were the real victims, forced into slavery or prostitution by the conquering Greeks. Highly recommended for readers of historical fiction and mythology. Also recommended are The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati.

Ruins believed to be part of ancient Troy

I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger

December 11, 2024

I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger

In the not too distant future, musician Rainy lives with his wife Lark in a remote town in the upper peninsula of Michigan on the shore of Lake Superior. Lark owns a bookstore in an age where people no longer read - for many people, it's a struggle to survive. Rainy and Lark rent out a room in their house to travelers, offering them a bed and meals and whatever else they may need, until they are ready to move on. When one of these travelers brings trouble with him, Rainy flees in his boat on Lake Superior, running from a mysterious man who believes that Rainy knows where to find a cache of stolen drugs.

Dystopian fiction set in the near future. Confusing at first, it was hard to know what direction the story was going. Rainy may be searching for his dead wife or he may be searching for an elusive poet. There are a number of references to Don Quixote, a dreamer on a quest. Wonderful characters, even the evil ones, and poetic language as well as poetic justice. Fans of the novels of Peter Heller will enjoy Enger's dystopian story.

Lake Superior of the Michigan coast on a calm day

Lazarus Man by Richard Price

November 30, 2024

Lazarus Man by Richard Price

When a five story apartment building in Harlem collapses, there are a lot of questions: how did this happen? Why did it happen? Who is missing? How will this affect the survivors? And mainly, how did a man survive being buried in the rubble for two days, yet escape with minimal injuries, and how will it change his life?

Price writes literary fiction and I have read some of his previous books such as Clockers and Lush Life. Based on reviews, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy his latest book, since some readers complained about the slowness of the story and the POVs of multiple characters. A lot of readers seemed to be expecting suspense or an action story, but that's not what Price writes. Once I started reading, I read over half the book in a single day (it's really remarkable how much you can read during the commercials while watching an NFL game). Characters are imperfect, thoughtful, and well-developed. Will appeal to readers of literary fiction, especially Colson Whitehead's Harlem novels or James McBride's fiction.

Brownstones in Harlem

The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich

October 22, 2024

The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich

The mighty red is many things: the river, the local high school football team, history, sugar beets. Crystal works as a trucker, hauling sugar beets from farms to the local processing plant. She named her daughter Kismet, hoping for a better future for her. At least two boys are in love with her, Hugo and Gary, and want to marry her. Kismet, meanwhile, has plans to go to college instead. 

I have an on and off relationship with Erdrich’s writing. I have loved some of her books and a few I really disliked. This one is somewhere in the middle. The first half of the book was really slow - the second half was better. There are many themes:  guilt, shame, resentment, destruction of the land through farming and mining, parental relationships, crimes and passion. I know a lot more now about sugar beet farming than I did a few days ago. Not her best effort. Fans of Erdrich’s writing will still want to read it.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

A sugar beet, one of the villains of the story