My Current Reads
Books I’ve read and reviewed.
The Fortnight in September by R. C. Sherriff
The Fortnight in September follows the Stevens family as they head out for their annual vacation on the coast of England. With their three children in tow, the parents are feeling the effects of time on their little family and their carefully planned yearly trip. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens first honeymooned here, and ever since, they’ve returned to the same guest house as part of a proud tradition.
Parakeet by Marie-Helene Bertino
Parakeet started out strong with the bride when, on the week of her wedding, she receives a visit from a bird she feels is her dead grandmother. The parakeet-grandmother drills the bride about her life at present before telling her not to get married and to go find her brother, from whom the bride is estranged.
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
Franciscan friar William of Baskerville and his young assistant Adso of Melk travel to a Benedictine abbey in northern Italy to participate in a theological debate. The abbey, chosen as neutral ground amidst a conflict between Pope John XXII and the Franciscans over apostolic poverty, has been troubled by the recent mysterious death of one of its monks. The abbot, concerned about the incident, asks William, a former inquisitor, to investigate, and is especially anxious for this to be resolved before the arrival of the papal legation.
Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers
When the local paper receives a letter from a woman claiming her daughter is the result of a virgin birth, Jean Swinney, a feature writer, navigates both the mystery and the threat of getting too close to the family involved.
The Rook by Daniel O’Malley
After hearing from several reasonably reliable sources, Myfanwy Thomas accepts the fact that she will soon awaken in a London park, surrounded by dead bodies, and with her memory gone. Knowing what's to come, she decides to leave instructions for her future blank-slate self in order to ensure her survival and to hopefully get the wheels started on figuring out who wants her dead, a threat that looks to become a full-blown mole hunt.
The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre
The Spy and the Traitor is a wholly engrossing espionage-centered biography about Oleg Gordievsky, a KGB officer who spied for MI6 during the Cold War. Disillusioned with Soviet communism, he helped the West by exposing Russian spies and sabotaging Soviet plots. Macintyre details the intense spy games between the US, UK, and USSR, and culminates in Gordievsky's dramatic escape from Moscow in 1985. It's a thrilling tale of espionage, betrayal, and the impact one man had on history.
Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland
Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland traces the origin of a secret Vermeer painting (created by Vreeland, not a real-life missing Vermeer) told in vignettes, where each subsequent point-of-view switch sets up the previous storyline, as we follow the painting backwards through time.
The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer
The Female Persuasion follows the journey of Greer Kadetsky, a shy college freshman inspired by Faith Frank, a prominent figure in the women's movement. Faith's influence ignites Greer's new interest in activism. Soon, Faith becomes not only an impactful influence but also a mentor and eventually Greer's boss. As Faith guides her, Greer embarks on a relatable coming-of-age journey, learning to balance ambition, personal relationships, and her place in the evolving roles of women today.
Time Squared by Lesley Krueger
Time Squared works to explore women's agency across different eras. Eleanor and Robin meet in 1811, but Eleanor begins experiencing memories of other lives, revealing a mental time-jumping she calls 'glimpses.' As Robin fights in various wars, Eleanor lives through different struggles of her own. The novel delves into the roles, power, and stresses women face throughout history and their impact on relationships.
Treacle Walker by Alan Garner
Treacle Walker is a multilayered folklorish tale that blends languages and words. Our young hero, Joseph Coppock, lives alone in an old house reading his comic books, collecting birds' eggs, and playing with marbles. The story opens with the titular character, a rag-and-bone man, passing by with his horse and cart. From there a strange and beguiling friendship blooms that is fantastical, imaginative, and delightfully odd.
The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard
Pulling in a hazy time-travel-esque conceit, Howard delves into a sort of fates and consequences argument via his character Odile from her vantage point of her reality's construction of valleys. In a constant spherical flux with time, the valley to the west is 20 years previous and the valley to the east is 20 years in the future.
Clear by Carys Davies
Clear is set during the 1840s Scottish Clearances, where a poor minister takes a job evicting the last occupant of a remote island. Despite his wife Mary's qualms, John goes, only to be severely injured upon arrival. Ivar, who has lived alone for decades, nurses John back to health. Though they don't share a common language, they develop a fragile connection as John learns to understand Ivar's world.
Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz
In Close to Death, Hawthorne and Horowitz are without a current case demanding their attention and turn to a previously worked case in order to get started on a new book. Riverside Close epitomized tranquility, with its exclusive houses nestled away from the hustle and bustle of city life. However, when Charles Kentworthy was discovered dead, Detective Hawthorne was called in to unravel the mystery in a neighborhood where everyone became a suspect.
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
Moody, atmospheric, untethered — an anthropologist, a surveyor, a psychologist, and a biologist all walk into an area named X. There they are to gather samples, map the terrain, and document their observations. But this is the twelfth expedition to Area X, which has been cut off from the rest of the continent for decades. Each previous expedition has reported back something different, with many members disappearing or dying under mysterious circumstances.
We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
From the possible influence of two earlier dystopian stories, and the definite impact this had on two later dystopian stories, We holds its own among the heralding bells of danger ahead.
Orbital by Samantha Harvey
From the perspective of a crew aloft in space and circling the planet, Orbital offers poignant, meditative moments with beautifully crafted language. If this is your first existential book without a plot, it'll it all the right notes, but I felt like I've been here before.
I, Antigone by Carlo Gébler
Years following his exile, Oedipus's daughter Antigone takes on the role of biographer, determined to set the record straight about her father's life and death. Through her eyes, we get a new perspective on the tragic tale of Oedipus, a mythical Greek king who unknowingly faced a prophecy foretelling his dark destiny: to kill his father and marry his mother.
To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
Here we go. To Shape a Dragon's Breath is a dynamic fantasy that fiercely focuses on themes of colonialism, hegemony, and assimilation. Written with a gorgeous sense of place and time, with such deep world-building, even the shadows came to life. And I'm excited to see where Blackgoose takes this series.
Julia by Sandra Newman
Set in the dystopian world of 1984, Julia Worthing is a mechanic in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth in the nation of Oceania, ruled by the ultra-totalitarian Party and its enigmatic leader, Big Brother. Living in a world perpetually at war, Julia has always been a loyal citizen, cynically obedient to the regime’s slogans while secretly breaking the rules when convenient. However, her encounter with Winston Smith sets off a chain of events that challenges her beliefs and forces her to confront the harsh realities of her society. Through Julia’s eyes, Newman takes readers on a journey through Orwell’s iconic dystopia. Giving a fresh perspective and breathing life into Julia, she reveals unexpected depths in this familiar gray world.
Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino
It’s easy to find the beauty in the fantastic, the miracles, the extraordinary. It’s so much harder to constantly see the beauty in the mundane, the everyday, the expected. But Bertino does just that by wielding the lens of the narrator, Adina. Through Adina's continued exploration of the people around her and, importantly, of herself, Bertino reminds us that if you can find wonder in the mundane, you’ve found Beautyland.