Hello, hello! I hope your June has been full of good things. Mine started off with a lot of rain and a complete lack of consistent schedule (the up or down side to working at a public school, depending on your perspective and preference). One kid had half-day theater camp, one had half-day soccer camp, and I gleefully dove head first into the World Cup. Since we live in a host country, we embraced a Summer Staycation–friends came to visit for a few days (hi Rachel!) and we went to the Netherlands/Sweden game, got up to other fun shenanigans, and then a week went with the kids to the Cabo Verde/Saudi Arabia game. We’ve had afternoons at the pool and binged four seasons of The Great American Baking Show (inspiring my first ever batch of Swedish kanebullar. Delicious. I will make again), and embraced some air conditioned, couch potato days. I’ll admit–I had grand plans of writing more and getting started on a project that’s been on the back burner, but haven’t made as much progress in those areas as I’d like. Of course, when I type out the recap of the month, I actually don’t feel as discouraged about it. There’s something to be said for a long exhale.
Recent reads…
The Spare Room by Laura Starkey. I enjoyed this breezy, cozy rom-com with loveable characters, layers, great side characters, and plenty of swoon. Bonus points for a fantastic When Harry Met Sally reference.
Heart the Lover by Lily King. When I started this book, I thought I was going to hate it, and then it sucked me in and I grew to like it…and then I loved it, right about the time it absolutely wrecked me in the best way possible. It’s nostalgic, emotional, and captures the intensity of a consuming first love, in a way that’s tender and sympathetic.
The Outsider by Jane Casey. This is a standalone crime novel by one of my favorite authors of one of my new favorite series (Maeve Kerrigan), but it’s a standalone with a familiar (and quite divisive) character from the Maeve series. It’s a fast-paced, high stakes story that stands on its own, and does provide a little bit of tie-in and closure to the Maeve series.
The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee. Is a sci-fi action/mystery/political thriller. It flips the the “once in a generation assassin” trope on its head a little because the main character isn’t an ingenue coming into her powers, but rather a middle aged assassin/political advisor at the end of her illustrious career, her reputation firmly established rather than on the rise. Isako has menopausal insomnia and PT exercises for her knees. She also still has mad skills and friends who have had her back for years. Lee does a good job of dropping you into the world she’s created, deftly balancing world building exposition with gradual discovery. There’s a couple of delicious twists, killer fight scenes, and fantastic characters.
Dolly all the Time by Annabel Monaghan. This was the Annabel Monaghan novel I’d been promised. There’s lots of layers in both character and story (if it’s not glaringly obvious by now, I like my romance novels to have layers and depth. I have a type, haha!). I liked the distinctive setting, the supporting characters, and Monaghan’s ability to write a main male character who should have been annoying into a love interest I was rooting for. She also managed to write a plot that could have been weird and icky (he pays her to pretend to be his girlfriend) into something sweet and not weird at all. (bonus points to Annabel Monaghan to being delightful and funny during her book signing event that I was able to attend!)
The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan. This detective novel set in Galway, Ireland had a bit of messy, slow start, but once it came together, it really came together. The characters were compelling, the mystery solid, and the setting was richly detailed and atmospheric. I’ll definitely read the second novel in the series.
London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth by Patrick Radden Keefe. If you’re looking for riveting non-fiction that reads like fiction, this is the book for you. I really liked Patrick Radden Keefe’s book Say Nothing, and I think I may have enjoyed this one even more. It was a well-researched, well-written look into the world of dirty money, high-powered con men, Russian oligarchs, and the London criminal justice system, with a touch of commentary on how social media can affect teenagers and the way they see the world. It’s sad and sobering. Much of this book centers around a family whose life was forever altered by the tragedy of losing their son, and Radden Keefe treats the family with a lot of sensitivity and care.
Go Gentle by Maria Semple. I think one has to be in the right mood for Go Gentle. It’s quirky, chaotic, slightly unhinged and doesn’t necessarily flow in the traditional sense. There’s a lot of talk about Stoic philosophy, and a plot point involving sexual assault that breaks the story in half but also provides necessary backstory for the main character. Again…it’s chaos, but ultimately very optimistic and hopeful chaos.
We made it! Thanks for reading, and for hanging around this little corner of the internet with me. I want to know…what are you reading? Are you embracing summer heat or hiding in the air con like me?
Until next time!
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