Synopsis: MILFs in Brooklyn! Review: Amy Sohn is a writer who’s been on my radar since I first moved to New York City in 1995, and it’s like she’s lived the public, more successful version of my life. Her single girl escapades got published in the New York Press; I was an escapading single girl who read the Press every week. She wrote a novel loosely based on her own life that got turned into a movie; I do movie adaptations of books whose writers…
Synopsis: Stricken with writers’ block after the death of a loved one, a writer moves his family to a remote New England cabin to try to rebuild, while a fan makes her way across the country to realize her dream of being with him. Review: I’m a longtime fan of T. Greenwood‘s nuanced character portraits and sticky situations, and The Hungry Season is her best yet. I really can’t say enough good things about this book, which takes an excruciating look at the breakup of…
Synopsis: When her father’s behavior begins to deteriorate, Colombian immigrant Gabriela tries to hold her family together as best she can. Review: Try to Remember has a lot going for it. Gabi is an appealing protagonist caught in a intense situation, afraid that her father’s increasingly erratic behavior will get them all deported. Iris Gomez’s sharp observations of culture and psychology didn’t go unnoticed by, even though ultimately I never totally engaged with this story. I kind of feel guilty that I got bored with…
Synopsis: A fictional account of the invasion of Saipan in the south Pacific during WWII as told through the eyes of a native boy and his half-Japanese cousin. Review: For the history-buff teen, Warriors in the Crossfire is one to check out. Meticulously researched and well-plotted, author Nancy Bo Flood makes a forgotten incident from WWII come alive with poetic imagery and no shortage of action and adventure. For me, personally, it didn’t grip me as much as I wanted it to, but war stories…
Synopsis: Recruited by an elite medical society, an idealistic doctor discovers dark plans at odds with their stated mission to heal. Review: When I tell you that the secret of The Healers is Nazis, don’t worry, I’m not giving anything away–it’s right on the spine of the book. Set in the year 2021, the book posits a worst-case scenario where rising health costs have put medical care in the hands of only the wealthy. There are a lot of scenes where one character lectures another…
Synopsis: Brigitta is a young faery thrust into the adventure of a lifetime–saving her forest home from a terrible curse. Review: Brigitta of the White Forest is a charming middle-grade fantasy by Danika Dinsmore, who blogs at The Accidental Novelist. It can be hard to find books in this genre that are both well-written and imaginative, and Brigittais both. She’s a spunky heroine with a lot of appeal. For a limited time, you can preorder the book and get a signed copy! Many thanks to…
Synopsis: A multiplicity of narrators weave together a story that spans WWII and the present day (1984), including a fugitive from justice and a troubled high school senior dubbed “Bored Girl Genius” by her chaotically evil ex-best friend. Review: Try as I might, I just couldn’t get into Day for Night. I greatly admire Frederick Reiken’s deft prose and complex characterization, but for me, I just couldn’t get engaged with any of the story lines. I felt that the dazzling prose hid some contrivances in…
Synopsis: How a youthful drug addict turned his life around thanks to the 12 Steps. Review: As memoirs go, Addict at 10 is pretty standard. The child of divorced partiers, Derek Steele gets drunk for the when he’s just 8 years old, and by high school he’s selling ecstasy and cocaine. The second half of the book details his recovery and sober life as a family man and successful business owner. If you like this template, then you’ll probably want to check this one out.…
Synopsis: Strapped for cash, a divorced mom and substitute teacher takes on a job as a celebrity double for a troubled young TV star. Review: Just Like Me, Only Better has a fresh premise and above-average execution. I enjoyed all the minutiae of the lookalike life, and it was enough to keep me engaged despite my lack of interest in Veronica’s love life difficulties, which felt a bit contrived. It’s not one that will stick with me, but I enjoyed the read. Many thanks to…
Synopsis: The next book in the series begun with The Warded Man, set in a world where humanity is besieged by night by demons and await the promised Deliverer, who may be one of two blood brothers, one who shuns the name and the other who embraces it. Review: I freaked on Peter V. Brett‘s The Warded Man when I read it earlier this year and had the usual worries about whether or not the series would continue in the same exciting vein, or fail…