The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

December 7, 2024

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

In 1939, Odile Souchet lands her dream job, at the American Library in Paris, where she finds the place she is meant to be and the friends she has been seeking. But the city is on the brink of war and when the Nazis occupy Paris, the staff at the American Library is determined to remain open and fight the Nazis with the power of books. Forty years later in a small town in Montana, a teenage girl strikes up a friendship with her reclusive neighbor, a French widow.

Another book that makes me proud to be a librarian. The novel has a dual timeline, one set during World War II and the other in 1980s Montana. Personally I found the World War II sections more interesting, since the 1980s parts have a lot of teenaged angst. Based on fact, the story honors the librarians who worked to protect the staff, the patrons and their collection. The American Library still exists today. Librarians are bad-ass - never forget it. My favorite quote: "the Nazis shot a librarian? That's like shooting a doctor!"

Recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction set in France.

The original American Library in Paris

The Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella

July 8, 2024

The Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella

After running his family's restaurant for 30 years, Jack decides that the time is right to sell when a major restaurant chain makes him an outstanding offer. Yet he feels guilty, like he is letting down his employees in some way. In addition, one of his employees is stealing from the restaurant. Then his ex-fiancee returns to town to look after her dying mother. At the same time, Jack learns he has a grown son from a summer romance when he was in college. Suddenly his well-ordered life is in chaos.

Another quiet lovely novel from the author of A Quiet Life, about love, dealing with loss, and the connections we have to others. Read this, and also The Wedding People by Alison Espach. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy literary fiction.

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

A small town restaurant

Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk

December 21, 2023

Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk

A female vampire escapes from Europe and arrives in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She describes her fight to survive, and as she watches the city change over the centuries, she decides to imprison herself in a deserted mausoleum in an old but famous cemetery. In the present day, a woman who works for a publishing house is trying to deal with her mother's terminal illness. After her mother gives her the deed to a mausoleum and a key, the woman finds herself inexplicably returning to the cemetery repeatedly. As they face fear, loneliness, and longing, the two women find themselves drawn to each other.

I am not a huge horror fan and this novel is not something that I normally would pick up, but once I started reading Thirst, it was hard to put down. The writing and the translation are both excellent. Set in two different timelines, it's a vampire story combined with feminist themes. The author is one of the new voices in Latinx literature. More sensitive readers should be aware that there are some erotic/explicit scenes.

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

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Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires - Eva Peron is interred here 

A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella

October 23, 2022

A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella

Three ordinary people experience terrible loss: 70-something Chuck loses his beloved wife to cancer; Kirsten is a young woman just out of college, whose father is murdered in a gas station robbery gone wrong; and Ella's daughter has been taken by her estranged husband. All three are going through the motions of living while trying to come to terms with their grief. They find themselves again when they unexpectedly come together to help each other.

This is a wonderful heartfelt novel that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. It's about grief, it's about loss, it's about how to get up every morning and keep going. Loss takes many forms: losing a spouse, losing a parent, a child gone missing, even the pain of having to give up a beloved pet. It's very much character-driven with each person having to find their way forward. The characters are at different places in their lives but they are all well-developed and you care about them. Part of the reason they are so relatable is because they are regular people: they're not celebrities or super-wealthy or rich and famous. They are nice people who care about others. The story reminded me somewhat of Fredrik Backman's writing where the characters are written with great feeling and often have hidden connections to each other. One of the characters tells others to be someone's cardinal - the cardinal stays through the winter when all the other birds have gone - be there for others when times are good but especially when times are hard. Lovely book, highly recommended.

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

A winter cardinal

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

October 22, 2022

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Marcellus is a giant Pacific octopus, being held prisoner (his opinion) at a small aquarium in Washington state. He knows that his species lives only about four years, and he is past three years old. He's very smart and has learned many things, including reading, unlocking boxes, and how to escape from his tank so that he can go snack on the other inmates at the aquarium (particularly the sea cucumbers). He knows things. Marcellus forms a bond with Tova, the senior citizen who cleans the aquarium at night. Tova's son Erik disappeared over 30 years ago, and Marcellus has answers to some of Tova's questions.

In California, Cameron Cassmore is down to his last few dollars. His former girlfriend tossed him out and he can't seem to hold a job for longer than a few days. He doesn't even have a car to sleep in. After his aunt gives him a box of stuff that belonged to his mother, Cameron is convinced that one of the guys in her senior class is his biological father, and incidentally, the guy is now a rich property developer. He decides to go to Washington state to shake the rich guy down.

I loved this book! It's one of the most satisfying books that I've read this year. It's heartwarming, the characters are wonderful, the writing is fluid, and the plot moves along at a good pace without the wandering off topic that is so common in many books.

And I LOVED Marcellus the octopus! READ THIS BOOK!

Giant Pacific octopus