The first Wednesday of each month, Carolyn Astfalk hosts #OpenBook, where bloggers link posts about books they’ve read recently. Here’s a taste of what I’ve been reading:
Fiction
If you’re from certain parts of northern New Jersey (and I’d venture to say this includes New York City and eastern Long Island), you’re immediately going to understand this book. It’s not so much about the food (though that’s DEFINITELY in there) as it is about the culture as a whole, and especially the language. “Jersey Italian” refers to a particular variety of the Italian language that was brought to this area by immigrants from Naples, and the area of North Jersey where I grew up had been populated by that particular group — so I was familiar with many of the words and phrases the author peppers throughout the book. Each chapter begins with a dictionary entry that includes the word, its origin in the Italian language, and what it’s come to mean. That word figures in the dialogue in that chapter. But it’s not specifically a language book (though this part did particularly fascinate me). It’s the story of a widow, her widowed mother, and her children as they figure out the next steps in their lives, on the way to following their dreams — and the subplot in which Varina’s mother and daughter collaborate to secretly set her up for dates makes for a fun read. Also explored sensitively: mental illness, which is a bittersweet element to this story. If you’re not from the Paterson, NJ, area, it’s still a fun read; for me, it was like reading about home.
This novel centers on the lives of several young professionals in a Canadian city. Olivier, raised a nonbeliever, meets a friend he hasn’t seen in years when the friend is his surgeon following a serious accident. He also meets Regina, a talented musician trying to make it in a professional orchestra, when he rents out an apartment above his own. Drawn into accompanying a church choir, he begins talking to people about their faith and exploring his own relationship with God. This is a clean romance written by a young author and appropriate for ages 15 and up. (Review copy courtesy of the publisher.) Releases September 15.
If you enjoy home-improvement shows, this novel is for you. Avalee’s mission is to reclaim properties in the Lowcountry of South Carolina before they are demolished or too far gone to repair. She’s found an entire small town and convinces investors to fund the renovation, only to find that her ex-husband has been hired as the structural engineer for the project. Avalee is deeply traumatized after three consecutive pregnancy losses and doesn’t want to face Rowan, but they’re forced to work together on this project. The novel is packed with interesting side characters: twin veterans who craft furniture and built-ins, a homeless teenager, and a charming dog are only a few. An old mystery is solved when Avalee makes a distressing discovery in a hidden compartment of one dilapidated building, and Avalee’s friends help set her on the road to healing in surprising ways. (Netgalley)
A split-timeline story, this novel centers on an aspiring park ranger in the early 1970s who has to work to overcome not only discrimination against her as a woman but also the additional challenges she faces as a polio survivor in a world where accessibility has never been a concern, much less a household word. The second plot involves Marion’s work in the 1920s to preserve prized redwood forests from the logging industry, and her romantic involvement with the son of a logging company owner. Julie is proud of the work her great-aunt Marion did to save the redwoods and returns to that area of the country, only to find that her impulse to publicize Marion’s efforts might prove costly to her beloved aunt’s reputation, once the truth of that work is revealed. I especially enjoyed reading about how Julie strove to overcome the physical obstacles before her and to help others with physical challenges to find ways to enjoy the beauty of the national parks.
In this “Beauty and the Beast” -inspired romance with an intriguing mystery, a young woman leaves her family farm to work in a factory after her father’s injury, but she loses her spot in a boardinghouse and squats in an abandoned building. Otis, returning to town to sort out his family’s financial affairs after his brother’s untimely death, is a recluse because of his physical scars and the emotional trauma associated with them (as well as his father’s disgust at his appearance). He learns that his brother had a daughter and sets out to find the child, intending to raise her himself, but becomes distracted when he discovers Sadie in his family’s abandoned factory and invites her to help his servants sort out the contents of their home. A sweet story.
A fun reality-show tale in which Savannah, who wants to give her sister a head start on college after their difficult upbringing, enters a 6-week reality baking show contest and finds herself living in a house with, among others, the super-competitive guy from culinary night school (who claims to be a pastry chef on a celebrity yacht but turns out to be a cruise-ship cook) and her toxic ex-boyfriend — in a situation where they all have hot mics, all the time. It’s kind of like Big Brother meets The Great British Baking Show, and it was definitely a fun story to read. I’m not the biggest fan of the cover art, but it’s a slight improvement over the faceless-character art that’s been popular recently.
It’s only September, but I’m always ready to read a Christmas story; this one is billed as a novella but it’s 280 pages long. Set in 1901, Adelaide is a newlywed who, as her mother would say, did not marry up; she’s a New York society girl and suffragette who fell in love with a middle-class man who will do anything to make her happy, including busting the budget to hire servants and not batting an eye when she takes in a runaway child who’s looking for his little sister and insists his father is at sea but will be home for Christmas. A sweet, motherly cook and her shy niece complete the cast of characters in this sweet story. Love the cover, too! (Netgalley)
There’s always a mystery in a Grace Greene novel, and this one was no exception. Former model and daughter of a convicted Ponzi-scheme financier Leigh has been hiding out at her aunt’s house for several years, but now that her aunt has died, she has to learn to navigate the world again. A walk to the grocery store ends with her taking in a seemingly feral cat, which becomes a catalyst for Leigh’s re-entry when “Harvey” presents her with four kittens. When Leigh notices that someone’s poking around her old car in her aunt’s garage, and has an unwelcome encounter with the ex-boyfriend who’d gotten mixed up in her father’s business, she finds that she’ll have to learn to trust someone to help her put her lift back together. That’s when her mechanic finds mysterious papers in the trunk of her car. Suspenseful, but not too scary and never gory.
YA/Children’s
I’m a big fan of Karen Kelly Boyce’s Sisters of the Last Straw series of chapter books. They demystify the concept of religious sisters by showing their human side; each sister has a flaw she’s trying to overcome, such as losing her temper, using colorful vocabulary, or being a clean freak — so they can love God better and help others. This book focuses on Sister Krumbles, a clumsy sister who’s inspired by a visitor to enter a marathon despite never having run competitively before. From an accidental sneaker shoplifting incident to a spate of items stolen from the convent, the comical adventures of the Sisters as they try to work together to solve the mystery and encourage Sister Krumbles in her attempt to win the prize money that would help the Sister restock a local food pantry make for a fun read for the whole family or a Catholic-school classroom. As a read-aloud or read independently, this is great for first grade and up. (Review copy provided by the publisher.) Releases September 10.
I read this book a long time ago, but was reminded of it by a trivia question and immediately downloaded a library copy (that Libby app is just so handy!). The edition I received was an anniversary edition of some sort, including an introduction by the author that describes her writing space — which was a beautiful culmination of the theme of wanting a home in which she felt welcomed and as if she belonged. This coming-of-age novel is written in poetic vignettes that set a mood rather than tell a story and prove that you don’t need a lot of words to express your message. For teens and adults, and especially recommended for teens who feel unmoored or misunderstood.
Nonfiction
Yes, cookbooks count. I went through the whole thing, deciding which recipes would work for my family at this time of year, so that definitely counts. And I tried two recipes in the first week I had the cookbook. (Sadly, I learned that the broiler in my 25-year-old stove doesn’t work properly, but the Shrimp & Charred Pineapple Tacos, though not very charred, were still delicious. Next time this one goes on the grill.) While I thought this cookbook was heavy on the exotic ingredients (and the peanut sauce), I appreciate the many ideas for substitutions and variations and the clear cooking instructions. Chapters in this book are broken down by the time it takes to cook each recipe, which is a great way to organize a cookbook. In the back, you can look up the recipes alphabetically, by the protein included, or by categories named descriptively: “You’re craving something cozy; you need to drop off a meal for a friend; you want a one-pot/sheet pan meal” are a few of these. Most, but not all, recipes come with a photo of the finished dish.
Links to books in this post are Amazon affiliate links. Your purchases made through these links support Franciscanmom.com. Thank you!
Where noted, books are review copies. If that is not indicated, I either purchased the book myself or borrowed it from the library.
Follow my Goodreads reviews for the full list of what I’ve read recently (even the duds!)
Visit today’s #OpenBook post to join the linkup or just get some great ideas about what to read! You’ll find it at Carolyn Astfalk’s A Scribbler’s Heart and at CatholicMom.com!
Copyright 2024 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Images copyright 2023 Carolyn Astfalk, all rights reserved, used with permission
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