Hello, hello! I’m writing this on the first day of my summer break (I work in an elementary school library, so get the benefits of a school schedule). Happy summer to my Northern Hemisphere readers, and for those in the Southern Hemisphere, I hope you are enjoying some cozy, cooler weather. Quick poll: are you more of a summer person, or a winter person? I tend to be a cold-season person, but I’m trying to find the good in whatever season I’m in these days, and there are definitely things I like about summer — delayed twilight, all the fresh produce, going to the pool, grilling, and ever since having kids in school I’ve enjoyed the more relaxed schedule of a long school break. This year I accidentally celebrated the last day of work before break by attending a book signing event for author Annabel Monaghan and her new book Dolly all the Time. Book-friends have assured me it’s a great read, so I’m excited to dive in. And Ms. Monaghan was so fun! Her conversation with author Melanie Sweeney was top-notch.
What I’ve been reading lately…
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Confession: until a couple of weeks ago, I had never read The Outsiders (although I have watched the movie). Somehow, my school curriculum skipped this one, and I never reached for it on my own. When my friend Mel (hi, Mel!) talked about reading it with her kid, I decided it was time to read it myself. There are so many books in the world, I don’t ever feel bad for not having read a “classic”, but I do like to sometimes give it a go. Well, that was a really great decision on my part, because I absolutely loved The Outsiders. It’s so full of raw emotion, sympathy, and dear, precious characters. In my opinion, it definitely deserves the classic designation.
Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson. This was my first Kevin Wilson novel, and after hearing many people gush about it (including a few in my real life), I decided to give it a go. What a delight! The perfect combination of heart, depth, characters, and whimsy. A satisfying but not too tidy ending, distinct and rich characters, and the perfect use of a road trip narrative. Also, Marin Ireland is the audiobook narrator, and she absolutely crushes the narration.
The Witch Elm by Tana French. I’m realizing right now that the theme of the past few weeks is apparently popular-but-new-to-me authors. The Witch Elm is a stand-alone novel, a well-written, atmospheric, twisty mystery. At the end, I couldn’t quite decide how I felt. On the one hand, it was so well written and compelling. On the other hand, I couldn’t decide how I felt about the characters (except that I didn’t actually like them that much, and also felt sorry for them). Relationally, it didn’t end how I wanted, which is hard for me as a reader, but I can recognize that sometimes that makes for a great story. Anyway, I’m looking forward to reading more Tana French (especially her super popular Murder Squad series).
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb is an older book, but one I’ve had a print copy of for quite a while (a hand-me-down from a friend). It’s a story buried deep in the world of professional, competitive classical music, and touches on race, class and complicated family dynamics. It’s all wrapped up in a little bit of a mystery, but mostly it’s just a story that’s both heartbreaking and touching, and one that will make you want to listen to more classical music (or maybe that’s just me?).
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanan. In kid-lit corner, I’ll mention Flipped (which was adapted into a film by Rob Reiner more than a decade ago). My sixth grader read it in school, and really liked it, so I decided to read it too. It’s so good! Funny, realistic, and empathetic. Highly recommend for a 5th - 7th grade reader in your life (or yourself, to be honest).
Last One Out by Jane Harper. I’m a Jane Harper fan, so it’s no surprise that I really liked this novel. It has Jane’s signature atmospheric writing and strong sense of place, as well as rich, authentic characters and high emotional stakes. I will say, while there is a central mystery in the story, the mystery is less intense and thriller-y than some of her earlier books, but I didn’t mind that. It’s almost more of a family drama about grief and a dying town with a mystery on the side.
On a non-reading note, I recently finished the Netflix series How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, and what an absolute delight that was! I want more, immediately. Weird, tender, funny, intense and heartfelt. It’s an amateur sleuth mystery about friendship and identity with a road trip vibe and a fantastic cast. (there’s a lot of salty language if you are sensitive to that, and since it’s set in Northern Ireland, you may, like me, need subtitles).
That’s it for this month! Have you read any of these books? Love ‘em? Hate ‘em? Did you watch How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, and if so did you, like me, squeal at the Derry Girls cameo?
Until next time!
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