It's Monday 5/18! What Are You Reading?

It was another week of ups and downs. My chronic illness flare-up continues, and I had about 4 days in a row of feeling pretty crummy and being unable to do much. I am feeling better about this recent mysterious downturn, though, because my specialist in NY agreed to run some labwork to try to get to the bottom of it (mainly infectious stuff, including COVID-19). Since I have an immune disorder, a relapse like this is often caused by some sort of infectious trigger. Anyway, I have my lab slip now, so I feel better knowing I might have some answers and potential treatment soon (to be clear, I don't have symptoms of COVID-19--I just want to know if I was exposed to it in case that's the cause of my immune relapse).

Anyway, the high point of the week was celebrating my father-in-law's 95th birthday! He hadn't left his apartment (independent living so not locked-down) in over two months, so he was thrilled to see us all again (he's only been seeing my husband). We were very careful and kept our distance, seating him at the head of the dining room table, and the rest of us at the other end (and our college son even further away in the living room!). He got to enjoy his favorite steak dinner, a special drink my husband made him, cake, and a pile of presents. Unfortunately, his building decided just that day to change their policy so that now he has to quarantine for 14 days and can't even leave his apartment. He wasn't going out anyway, but he needs to be able to walk a bit (he has severe spinal stenosis), so he's struggling now.

A socially-distant birthday dinner (see our other son way in the back?)

The other high point was a very quiet weekend with just my husband and me. Since I wasn't feeling well, we chilled out with lots of TV, including binging Dublin Murders, which is based on Tana French's novels--great show! I will review it tomorrow.

Watch for the kick-off to my annual Big Book Summer Challenge this Friday! This is a lot of fun every year, and you can make the challenge fit your own interests and needs. All you have to do is read at least one book of 400 pages or longer sometime between the end of May and the beginning of summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day in the U.S.) You can read the details on last year's 2019 Big Book Summer post (and watch for the 2020 one on Friday afternoon). I always use this challenge as a way to tackle some of the bigger books on my TBR shelves, and my husband and I already set aside our piles this weekend! Whether you join every year or are new to the challenge, I hope you'll join the fun!

Here's what we've all been reading this past week:

I finished The Last One by Alexandra Oliva, a thriller about a survival reality TV show gone wrong. A woman nicknamed Zoo by the show's producers is competing with eleven other contestants for a million dollars. They are told this show will do things that have never been done before and that they may not see anyone else for days at a time while surviving on their own out in the woods. It starts out predictably enough, with some team challenges and solo challenges, lots of crew in the shadows, and a couple of people dropping out early. But several days into a solo challenge, Zoo notices strange things: towns and neighborhoods completely devoid of people, a notice of a deadly pandemic (no, I didn't realize this when I started the book!), and even dead bodies. She just assumes that it is all a part of the elaborate charade (and that the show must have a huge budget), but in truth, while she was hiking through the woods, almost everyone really died of this pandemic. When will she finally realize this is real? What happened to the other contestants? I gave this novel to my husband as a gift, and I loved it! It was just what I needed, with an original story and fictional world so engrossing that I stayed up much too late at night reading it.

Next, sticking with quick reads, I chose a YA novel, Out of Reach by Carrie Arcos. It was a finalist for the National Book Award in 2012 ... and that's how long it's been sitting on my TBR shelves! It's about a seventeen-year-old girl named Rachel whose brother Micah is addicted to meth. The siblings have always been close, since they are just 11 months apart in age, but Rachel felt helpless as she watched Micah slip further and further away. After high school graduation, he really disappeared, leaving in the middle of the night. Rachel gets a lead on where he might be, in a nearby city, so she asks his bandmate and best friend, Tyler, to come with her while she searches for Micah. Most of the book takes place over one very long day (though there are many flashbacks) while Rachel and Tyler search for him and begin to bond. The subject matter was pretty dark, but it was a beautifully written book about how addiction affects family and friends and how one person began to heal.

Now, I am reading a classic I have been meaning to get to, The Call of the Wild by Jack London. I remember reading this wilderness adventure back in Junior High/middle school and enjoying it, but it's been a loooong time! My husband and I went to see the movie in the theater, just before everything shut down in early March (you can read my review at the link).  If you're not familiar with the story, it's about a dog named Buck who is living a happy and easy life in California in the 1890's as the top dog in Judge Miller's house. Then he is captured and sold (multiple times), beginning a long journey up north, where the Gold Rush in the Yukon has made strong sled dogs a hot commodity. Buck suffers a great deal of abuse from both humans and dogs but soon learns the ways of a sled dog ... and meets some good people, too. Eventually, he meets a man named John, just when the two of them most need each other, and they help each other heal. I am thoroughly enjoying the short novel so far; London is a wonderful writer, capturing Buck's experiences from a dog's perspective.

On audio, I am still listening to Lakewood by Megan Giddings, one of the selections for Booktopia 2020 (which was cancelled but they are scheduling virtual author events now - click on Events to join the fun!). This is an unusual novel plot so far. A young woman named Lena has just lost her beloved grandmother who raised her. Though she is still in college, responsibility for Lena's mother, Desiree, with her many health problems, now falls to Lena. When she stumbles across a potential job as a highly paid medical research subject, she jumps at the chance to earn so much money and ease her family's problems. Within a few days, though, Lena starts to realize this is a very strange arrangement. She's given a fake job and is required to lie to her family and friends about it, and some of the experiments are not just strange but frightening. It's an intriguing (and scary) story so far, and I am interested to see where it goes. I'm not making much progress; with my husband home 24/7, my audio listening time is greatly decreased!

My husband, Ken,  started a new thriller (which, ironically, is a Big Book!), Neon Prey by John Sandford. I gave him this paperback in his Easter basket ... I had to choose from the 10 books for sale in our local drugstore! I remember giving my dad some of Sandford's Prey series, but I don't think Ken has read one before. The series is about Lucas Davenport, who seems to be (from the blurbs) a member of the police force who is brilliant and tends to work on his own. In this particular novel (number 29 in the series), Lucas is chasing after a serial killer in Louisiana who has been killing--and getting away with it--for years. Sounds like a gripping thriller!

Our son, 25, returned to a favorite author, with a spin-off series from one of his old favorites. He's reading Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima, book 1 of the Shattered Realms series, which he described to me as a companion to The Seven Realms series, which he read years ago and loved. This newer fantasy series is set in the same world but a generation later, so in that way, it continues the stories begun in The Seven Realms and gives readers a look at what comes next (and what avid reader doesn't want that from a favorite series?). Amazon describes it as "a breathtaking story of dark magic, chilling threats, and two unforgettable characters walking a knife-sharp line between life and death." Sounds good!


Last week's blog posts:

TV Tuesday: The Good Fight - outstanding--and funny!--spin-off of The Good Wife

Nonfiction Review: Greek to Me by Mary Norris - travel memoir filled with history & mythology

2 Graphic Novels and a Graphic Memoir - 3 reviews of great graphic novels/memoir for middle-grade, teen, and adult

My Summary of Books Read in April - an outstanding reading month for me!

 
What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.

You can follow me on Twitter at @SueBookByBook or on Facebook on my blog's page.   

What are you and your family reading this week?

Books Read in April

Weeping cherry tree in bloom

I had a great reading month in April, though it took me a while to catch up on all my reviews! Here are the books that I finished last month:

• Notorious by Gordon Korman (Canada, MI) - middle-grade fiction on audio
• Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (NY, Germany) - adult fiction
• Snapdragon by Kat Leyh - middle-grade graphic novel

• The Late Show by Michael Connelly (CA) - adult fiction
• Go To Sleep (I Miss You) by Lucy Knisley - adult graphic memoir 
• Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore (NY) - adult fiction on audio

• Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer (NY) - adult fiction
• Greek to Me by Mary Norris (Greece) - adult nonfiction/memoir
• Go with the Flow by Lily Williams and Karen Schneemann - teen graphic novel

• The Phantom Twin by Lisa Brown - teen/YA graphic novel
• How to Write Nonfiction by Joanna Penn - nonfiction

Eleven books in one month is a LOT for me, but before you get too impressed, four of these were graphic novels or memoirs, easily read in an hour or two, and the last book on the list took me over a year to finish! I read it in bits and pieces while writing and publishing my own book. Of the eleven books, three were nonfiction and eight were novels. I listened to two of them on audio. Seven of the books were for adults, two for middle-grade readers, and two for teens and/or young adults. All in all, that's a pretty good mix for one month! It's always tough for me to choose a favorite--I enjoyed all of these--but I think Oona Out of Order, with its original, twisty time-jumping plot grabbed me the most.

Progress in 2020 Reading Challenges:
You can see all of the reading challenges I am participating in and full lists of the books read for each at the challenges link. I have some fun ones going this year! Here's how April stacked up:

Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2020 - I read 8 books from my own shelves last month! The pandemic has been great for reducing my TBR shelves.
2020 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge - April was Classics or Currents, so I chose a current (published in 2020), Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore

Back to the Classics 2020 - Finally, I read a classic! Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut was first published in 1969, more than 50 years ago, making it a classic for this challenge. That brings my 2020 grand total to ... one!

PopSugar Reading Challenge - this is a unique one! I fit nine of my eleven books into categories in April, filling in 26 categories so far this year--it's getting more challenging with fewer categories left but still a lot of fun:

1. A book published in 2020: Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore
2. A book with a pun in the title: Go with the Flow by Lily Williams and Karen Schneemann
3. A book with at least a four-star rating on Goodreads: Snapdragon by Kat Leyh
4. A book set in a country beginning with "C" - Notorious by Gordon Korman (Canada)
5. A book with a character with vision impairment or enhancement: Go To Sleep (I Miss You) by Lucy Knisley
6. A book set in the 1920's: The Phantom Twin by Lisa Brown
7.  A book by an author who has written more than 20 books: The Late Show by Michael Connelly
8.  A book with more than 20 letters in its title: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
9.  A book published in the 20th century: Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

2020 Nonfiction Reader's Challenge - I read three nonfiction books in April, fitting into the categories of Related to an Occupation and Published in 2020. Only Greek to Me (travel memoir) didn't fit into any of my remaining categories.

2020 Diversity Reading Challenge - Five of my eleven books were diverse, according to the rules of the challenge, though none fit this month's category (Middle-Eastern/South Asian).

Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge - I added 3 new countries: Canada, Germany, and Greece.

2020 Literary Escapes Challenge - I only added one new state, Michigan, but read lots of books set in New York last month!

And finally, Bookish Bingo hosted by Chapter Break - not really a challenge per se, but a fun game that I play each month! Stop by to print out this month's Bingo card and play along. In April, I filled 18 spaces on my bingo card:

Spaces Filled: 

Notorious: audiobook, gold on the cover
Slaughterhouse Five: historic setting
Snapdragon: not in a series
The Late Show: favorite author, in a series, vengeance
Go to Sleep (I Miss You): read a physical book
Oona Out of Order: free book, set in spring
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: shelf love
Greek to Me: book club read, travel
Go with the Flow: feisty character
The Phantom Twin: romance, siblings
How to Write Nonfiction: not a new release
Free Space

What was your favorite book read in April?

2 Graphic Novels and a Graphic Memoir

I have fallen behind on my book reviews and read lots of great graphic novels/memoirs last month (including Snapdragon), which means quick reading time but lots of books to review! So, I am combining three of those reviews here today, for a 3-for-1 on fun graphic novels and memoirs--the perfect solution when you are struggling to concentrate or want to read something quick but satisfying! Below are reviews for The Phantom Twin by Lisa Brown and Go with the Flow by Lily Williams and Schneemann, both wonderful graphic novels for teens/YA (but each very unique), and Go To Sleep (I Miss You) by Lucy Knisely, a warm and funny chronicle of her first year as a new mother.

The Phantom Twin by Lisa Brown is a unique coming-of-age story set in the early part of the 20th century in a freak show. Conjoined teenaged twins Isabel and Jane were abandoned to the freak show when they were young, but they have found a family there, among the other freaks, both born and made. When a surgeon offers to separate them, Jane is enthusiastic and ready to live her own life, but Isabel is happy with the way things are. The surgery kills Jane, and Isabel is left alone for the first time in her life, having not only lost her beloved sister but also the arm and leg that they shared. Jane's not entirely gone, though, since Isabel can still see and hear her ghost at her side. In town one day with the tattooed woman, Isabel meets a kind young man named Tommy who is a talented tattoo artist. He uses his artistic talents to make realistic-looking prosthetics for her, and it is clear that he likes her. The circus comes up with a new role for Isabel, as the "living doll," featuring her new prosthetics, though it's not as big a hit as the conjoined twins were, and she knows she needs to earn her keep if she stays. Tommy wants to make a life with her, but Isabel isn't sure if she can leave the only family she has ever known.

Sample page from the beginning of The Phantom Twin

 I loved The Phantom Twin! It's such an original premise but based in part on historical research the author did on circus freak shows and the people in them. Readers see a whole world behind-the-scenes that is unfamiliar and fascinating. At the same time, this is a warm and sweet love story and ultimately, a coming-of-age account about figuring out who you are and what you want to do with your life.

206 pages, First Second

You can purchase The Phantom Twin from an independent bookstore, either locally or online, here:

You can also buy through indie bookstores using Bookshop.

Or you can order The Phantom Twin from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Go with the Flow by by Lily Williams and Schneemann is an entirely different graphic novel for older middle-graders and teens, set in the modern world (and with no ghosts!), a story of friendship, activism, and ... periods! Brit, Abby, and Christine have been best friends for a long time and are excited about their sophomore year. They meet the new girl, Sasha, when she suddenly gets her period for the first time, in front of everyone and while wearing white pants! Oh, yeah, it's every girl's nightmare. While everyone else is taunting and teasing her, the three best friends sweep in to help Sasha and usher her into the girls' bathroom. Abby is appalled to find that the sanitary products machine in the restroom is empty, and after they help Sasha, she goes to talk to the principal about it. He just shrugs and says there's no budget. Abby is furious that this isn't considered a necessity and wonders about girls who maybe can't even afford period products, even if they were available in school. She begins to blog about these problems. The four friends end up trying to make some changes and break the taboo against talking about menstruation. This warm, inspiring story is a fun tale of friendship that also touches on some serious issues and empowers girls to make a difference.

Sample page from Go with the Flow

333 pages, First Second

You can purchase Go with the Flow from an independent bookstore, either locally or online, here:

You can also buythrough indie bookstores using Bookshop.

Or you can order Go with the Flow from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

I am a long-time fan of Lucy Knisely and her graphic memoirs like Relish: My Life in the Kitchen and Something New: Tales from a Makeshift Bride. Her latest, Go To Sleep (I Miss You): Cartoons from the Fog of New Parenthood is all about the ups and downs of being a new parent. Through her engaging drawings, readers have followed her life through planning a wedding, getting married, and being pregnant, and this book is the next step.  Through adorable, relatable single-page cartoons, Knisely shares the joys and stresses of being a new parent, from sleep deprivation to constant worries to first smiles, perfectly capturing the stark contrasts of that magical and exhausting time. Warm, fun, and entertaining as are all of her graphic memoirs, anyone who has been a parent will be able to relate and feel her love for her baby come off the page and into your heart. This would be a great gift for a new parent or parent-to-be!

Sample page from Go To Sleep (I Miss You)

177 pages, First Second

You can purchase Go To Sleep (I Miss You) from an independent bookstore, either locally or online, here:

You can also buy through indie bookstores using Bookshop.

Or you can order Go To Sleep (I Miss You) from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Nonfiction Review: Greek to Me

One of the selections for Booktopia 2020 (now a series of virtual author events--you can join in, too!) was Greek to Me by Mary Norris, a writer for The New Yorker. This combination of memoir, essays, and travelogue is an interesting exploration of Greek language, customs, history, and geography.

The author begins by describing how she developed a love for all things Greek and began learning the Greek language by taking classes while working for The New Yorker. She delves into the history of both the Greek and English alphabets and how one influenced the other (my college sorority experience came in handy), which I found surprisingly fascinating. Much of the book covers her many trips to the Greek isles, describing a geography and culture completely unfamiliar to me (though I love the food!). In between her travels to Greece, she continues to study both classical literature and the Greek language, so her descriptions of the places she visits include plenty of history, literature, and mythology references. These are not your typical vacations to fancy Greek resorts or tourist areas but intricate investigations into Greek culture and history. She often travels alone--apparently a rarity for women in Greece. Here, she describes why she prefers to travel solo and what benefits it brings:

"When you travel alone, you are forced to engage with people. Otherwise, you're stuck with whatever random song was running in your head when you woke up--the theme from Mister Ed, say, or Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini. When you're with someone from home, it is too easy to stay comfortable, in your own idiom and daily regimen and character. You never have the feeling of alienation that is so formative to an experience in a strange place. Living in Greek was a relief from my interior monologue. Because my Greek was limited, I concentrated on saying only things that were direct and essential. There was no place for small talk. Back at home, I was terrible at small talk. In the Mediterranean, no one knew that. I could make myself up as I went along."

I struggled with this book a bit at first but ultimately enjoyed it and am glad I read it. I have always wanted to visit Greece, so I was curious about the travel aspects of the memoir. I have to admit, though, that many of her frequent references to classic literature and mythology were completely unfamiliar to me. I know many people who find mythology fascinating (including my son), but I've just never been very interested in it. Since I don't share the author's obsessions in these subjects, some passages were a bit slow or boring to me. And I was completely lost with all her New Yorker name-dropping. I can see, though, that those who are interested in classic literature, mythology, and Greek history would be fascinated by her deep dive (and the outstanding reviews for this book reflect that). Overall, though, there was plenty here that I enjoyed, particularly in the second half of the book, which focuses more on her travels. And I definitely want to visit Greece! The author will be talking and answering questions tonight at 5 pm online through Northshire Bookstore, and I look forward to hearing her speak.

222 pages, W.W. Norton & Company

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Listen to a sample of the audiobook, read by the author, here and/or download it from Audible. I always enjoy hearing memoirs read by the author.

You can purchase Greek to Me from an independent bookstore, either locally or online, here:

You can also buythrough indie bookstores using Bookshop.

  

Or you can order Greek to Me from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

TV Tuesday: The Good Fight

My husband and I have recently been enjoying some new-to-us streaming TV shows, including The Good Fight. This spin-off of The Good Wife is a legal drama that tackles timely issues but is also hilariously funny, with an outstanding female-centered cast.

Christine Baranski stars as Diane Lockhart, a character from The Good Wife. In the first episode here, Diane has announced her retirement from her law firm when she discovers that she no longer has a retirement fund, thanks to a Ponzi scheme run by her financial advisors, the Rindells, who also happen to be good friends of hers. In fact, Diane is the godmother to their only daughter, Maia (played by Rose Leslie), who has recently started at the firm as a new associate. Diane asks to be reinstated as partner, but since her firm is run by the ruthless David Lee (infamous from The Good Wife), she is forced to find a new job. She hires on with an all-black firm run by her good friend, Adrian Boseman, played with great style by Delroy Lindo. Diane asks if Maia, who is suffering from her parents' wrong-doing, can come with her, and Adrian agrees. Several other lawyers at the firm are familiar from The Good Wife, including Julius Cain (played by Michael Boatman), the only Republican in the left-leaning firm, and Lucca Quinn (played Cush Jumbo). One of our favorite characters is back, too: Marissa Gold, played by Sarah Steele, the sassy, go-getting, intelligent assistant/investigator, who also comes along to the new firm with Diane. In later episodes, Audra McDonald joins the cast as Liz Reddick-Lawrence, Adrian's ex-wife and a top-notch lawyer in her own right. Adrian's firm is very different from David Lee's cut-throat one that Diane is used to, with a focus on social justice and doing the right thing (though they are still a very high-level and successful law firm).

We both loved The Good Wife but weren't so sure about trying The Good Fight--it just wouldn't be the same without Alicia Florrick--but this show is just so much fun! Its creators have captured a kind of magic formula with the excellent cast, the outstanding writing, and the interesting, twisty plots. Each episode usually revolves around a new legal case, but there are plenty of continuing storylines about the main characters, including Diane's now-shaky marriage to conservative firearm forensics expert, Kurt McVeigh (played by Gary Cole); Maia's ongoing problems with her parents' ruinous financial scheme; and Lucca's steamy affair with the Assistant DA, which makes for some awkward courtroom moments. Familiar faces from the original show--like judges and other lawyers--keep popping up to our delight, though you absolutely do not have to have watched The Good Wife to enjoy The Good Fight--it stands on its own. Every single episode is interesting, gripping, and usually hilariously, laugh-out-loud funny. We often watch some sort of darker mystery/thriller show first in the evening, but I love to end our TV session with a humor-filled episode of The Good Fight. We are into season 2 now, and it just keeps getting better and better!

The Good Fight is a CBS All Access (CBS' streaming service) original show, so it is available there, as well as through Amazon (where you can also sign up for CBS All Access). Though we resisted signing up for new streaming services, we did sign up for CBS All Access this winter, for just $5 a month, so my son and I could watch NCIS, but we are finding that their original shows, like this one and their Star Trek shows, are excellent and well worth the price.

The trailer outlines the premise of the show but doesn't capture its humor:

It's Monday 5/11! What Are You Reading?

Hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day! Mine was lovely. My college son came home for the entire day (keeping his distance, of course - I am missing hugging him!), and we called the Grandmas, took a hike at the local nature center, and ate some amazing meals, including take-out dinner from a local favorite restaurant. I was treated to soft shell crabs, roasted Brussels' sprouts, and delicious chocolate mousse cake for dessert, plus a pile of wonderful cards and gifts from both sons and my husband. I was stuffed right up till bedtime! A very nice day spent with my family.

A Mother's Day walk with our son!

And today is my mother's birthday. I know she's been upset that we can't all be together--we usually spend this weekend all gathered at her house--but my sister (who only lives an hour away in the same state) was able to drive down with her two kids for a walk at the park and some socially-distanced take-out, so that made my mom very happy!

Celebrating my mom's birthday back in circa 1991

It was a busy, hectic weekend, but we always find time for our books. Here's what we're all reading this week:

I finished Imagine Me Gone by Adam Haslett, a Christmas gift from my husband. This novel was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the National Book Critic's Circle Award! It's a drama about a family of five that struggles with mental health issues, including severe depression. John, the husband, was hospitalized for depression while he and Margaret were still dating, and despite the lack of information at the time, Margaret loved him and decided to stay with him. They marry and have three children: Michael, Celia, and Alec. Michael also struggles with some of the same issues as his dad, which affects everyone in the family. Each family member gets their own voice, as chapters alternate between them. I was immediately pulled into this immersive novel. Some parts are difficult to read, though the self-descriptions of mental illness from John's and Michael's perspectives are also enlightening. I can see why it was nominated for so many awards (and won some, too).

Next, I needed to go back to something fast-paced and gripping, so I chose a thriller, The Last One by Alexandra Oliva, about a survival reality TV show gone wrong. A woman nicknamed Zoo by the show's producers is competing with eleven other contestants for a million dollars. They are told this show will do things that have never been done before and that they may not see anyone else for days at a time while surviving on their own out in the woods. It starts out predictably enough, with some team challenges and solo challenges, lots of crew in the shadows, and a couple of people dropping out early. But several days into a solo challenge, Zoo notices strange things: towns and neighborhoods completely devoid of people, a notice of a deadly pandemic (no, I didn't realize this when I started the book!), and even dead bodies. She just assumes that it is all a part of the elaborate charade (and that the show must have a huge budget), but in truth, while she was hiking through the woods, almost everyone really died of this pandemic. When will she finally realize this is real? What happened to the other contestants? I gave this novel to my husband as a gift, and I am loving it! It's just what a needed, with an original story and fictional world so engrossing that I've been staying up much too late at night reading it.

I started a new audiobook last week, Lakewood by Megan Giddings, one of the selections for Booktopia 2020 (which was cancelled but they are scheduling virtual author events now - click on Events to join the fun!). This is an unusual novel plot so far. A young woman named Lena has just lost her beloved grandmother who raised her. Though she is still in college, responsibility for Lena's mother, Desiree, with her many health problems, now falls to Lena. When she stumbles across a potential job as a highly paid medical research subject, she jumps at the chance to earn so much money and ease her family's problems. Within a few days, though, Lena starts to realize this is a very strange arrangement. She's given a fake job and is required to lie to her family and friends about it, and some of the experiments are not just strange but frightening. It's an intriguing (and scary) story so far, and I am interested to see where it goes.

Just last night, my husband, Ken, finished reading one of the oldest books on our TBR shelves, 13 Steps Down by Ruth Rendell, which we bought at a used bookstore about 15 years ago and neither of us had read yet. Yeah, we have a problem, I know. Rendell is the author of over 80 books, including many mysteries written as both Ruth Rendell and as her pseudonym, Barbara Vine. This one sounds like a classic British mystery, featuring an obsessed and strange lodger and his equally strange elderly landlady. We've heard great things about Rendell for many years; I'm glad he's finally tackled this one! He said it was very British and quite a bit slower-paced than the thrillers he's used to. He enjoyed it but wasn't blown away by it.

Our son, 25, finished reading Warlord, book 6 in the The Sanctuary Series by Robert J. Crane, one of his recent favorites. We gave him book 1, Defender, for Christmas 2018, and he loved the series so much that he quickly read books 2, 3, and 4, also. So, this past Christmas, we gave him book 5, which he read last month. The series is epic fantasy about a world called Arkaria and features dragons, titans, goblins, and more. He loves the series, and he flew through this latest book on his Kindle.

Now, he has returned to another favorite author, with a spin-off series from one of his old favorites. He's reading Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima, book 1 of the Shattered Realms series, which he described to me as a companion to The Seven Realms series, which he read years ago and loved. This newer fantasy series is set in the same world but a generation later, so in that way, it continues the stories begun in The Seven Realms and gives readers a look at what comes next (and what avid reader doesn't want that from a favorite series?). Amazon describes it as "a breathtaking story of dark magic, chilling threats, and two unforgettable characters walking a knife-sharp line between life and death." Sounds good!

Blog posts from last week - 3 excellent novels that I would recommend:

Middle-Grade Review: Notorious by Gordon Korman - fun mystery about history and friendship

Fiction Review: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer - an unusual boy goes on a mission across NYC after losing his father on 9/11 - moving, warm, quirky, and very funny

Fiction Review: Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore - thoughtful, twisty novel about a woman time-jumping each year and living her life out of order

What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.

You can follow me on Twitter at @SueBookByBook or on Facebook on my blog's page.   

What are you and your family reading this week?

Fiction Review: Oona Out of Order

As regular readers of this blog know, I love any kind of fictional plot that plays with time: time travel, alternate universes, jumping through time, etc. So, when I heard about Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore, in which a woman lives her life out of order, jumping to a different year (and age) every New Year's, I knew it was for me! I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this delightful and thoughtful novel on audio.

Oona Lockhart is celebrating New Year's Eve 1982 at a loud party with her boyfriend (and bandmate), Dale. At midnight, Oona will turn nineteen, and she has her whole exciting life ahead of her. Currently, she is trying to decide between accepting a new offer to open for another band and go on tour with her band next year or going ahead with her plans to study Economics in London with her best friend, Pam. Then, it's midnight, everyone counts down, and ... Oona faints. When she wakes up, she's in a plush, quiet house she doesn't recognize with an unfamiliar man. He kindly explains that his name is Kenzie, and he is her personal assistant and friend. He also explains that it is not 1983 but 2015, and she is not nineteen ... she's 51 years old. This is the first of many annual time jumps, when Oona is suddenly thrust into another year, another age, and another body. She spends much of that first year just trying to adjust to the idea, with Kenzie and her mother by her side, the only two people who know of her "condition." She approaches each year differently but finds it especially challenging to be a teen suddenly thrust into a middle-aged body and to have left all of her friends--and her exciting future--behind. She never knows where--or rather when--she will end up at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve.

Oh, this was such an intriguing and twisty novel! It was fun to read but also had emotional depth to it, as Oona struggles with issues of coming-of-age (in a 51-year-old body), aging, life choices, relationships, and more. One of the reasons I love novels that play with time is that they are endlessly thought-provoking, and Oona's unique situation in living her life out of order provides lots of this. Would you still start that love affair with the wonderful guy if you know it will eventually end in divorce? Will you follow the instructions left by yourself in the future if every instinct tells you not to? Oona's challenges are unique and fascinating, and it's great to go along for the ride with her, bouncing from one decade to another. The pop culture references are fun, too, providing a nostalgic background to the time-jumping story (especially since I was almost the same age as Oona in 1982!). I thoroughly enjoyed this original novel filled with warmth, humor, and insights into human nature.

352 pages, Flatiron Books
Macmillan Audio

If you also enjoy time-twisting tales, here are some others to try (my reviews at the links - no spoilers!):

Replay by Ken Grimwood is one of my favorite novels ever, about a man who keeps reliving parts of his life. I've read it three times (so far) and find it endlessly thought-provoking.

The Many Lives of John Stone by Linda Buckley-Archer is a YA novel about a man who has seemingly lived for centuries and the young girl who begins to figure out his secrets. It mixes historical fiction with a modern setting.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger is perhaps one of the most well-known time-jumping novels, and another book that is on my favorites of all time list! I've read it twice and loved it both times, and sobbed my heart out both times.

Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen - one of my recent favorites, this one is more classic time travel, but with a lot of heart and a great sense of humor, about a time-traveler from the future who gets stuck in 1996. A wonderful novel (and the author has a new one out now, too).

Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced by my relationship with the publisher or author.

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Listen to a sample of the excellent audiobook here and/or download it from Audible. The sample is from the beginning of the novel, with eighteen-year-old Oona at her New Year's Eve Birthday party, having no idea of what is ahead!

You can purchase Oona Out of Order from an independent bookstore, either locally or online, here:

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