I finished Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. 3+ stars. For book group, I'm sure we'll get some discussion out of it. About some sisters who are very close, but the back story really is about parenting...too little, too much... and how it is passed down from one generation to the next.

Next up is a memoir, Know My Name by Chanel Miller.

I saw a review of Hello Beautiful that said it was the new Little Women. No, it was not.

In my quest to read some of the deserving books that I've missed, I just read The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. It was a very heavy read for me. It was both sweet and unsettling. I did find it mostly a good read, but parts were as I shared, more troubling.

I think it would be a great choice for a book club, as there is so much to discuss.

I give it 4.5 stars.

Theft, by Abdulrazak Gurnah. It was a wonderful story about a family and all its interconnections. There are lots of personality changes; people are not always what they seem. They show different faces in different situations.

salonva, I still remember watching the movie with Alan Arkin. I was a teen and my parents were out for the night. They came home to find me in the bathroom with scads of tissues as I was bawling my eyes out over that movie. I have since read the book and was just as moved.

I just finished our book club book and I feel like a heavy weight has been lifted. it is Prophet Song by Paul Lynch. Whar a dark and difficult book. If it had not been for book club, I would have bailed. However the story was compelling and I kept going back to it, hoping for something good to happen for the characters. Its a dystopian novel about a family in Dublin, contending with an authoritarian government. The mother has to make extremely difficult choices regarding her family. Although written two years ago, it at times felt frighteningly close to some events in our country today.

Despite the heaviness of the story, it is very thought provoking.

Definitely not summer reading. Now I need something light and entertaining as an antidote.

I adored Prophet Song, but yes, it's not an easy book to read. It's actually terrifying in places, but brilliantly written IMO.

Bookwoman, i agree that the writing is excellent. Its one of those books Ill think about for a long time. I will say I was hoping for the ending to wrap it up better than it did. I wonder what I would do if I were in the mother’s place, but that is a large part of the point of the book.

Im looking forward to discussing it at book club.

Just finished a memoir, Know My Name by Chanel Miller. 4+ stars...only for book group if they have a high tolerance for how victims of rape are treated. Some of you may recall the incident...she was unconscious, being attacked by Brock Turner behind a dumpster at Stanford U. Two Swedish bike riders saw what was happening and managed to chase him down and call the police. She makes so many good points throughout the book, and what she went through before, during, and after the trial makes a tough read.

Next up, I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy.

I am reading a fascinating non fiction book, When The Stones Speak by Doron Speilman. It's about excavations and archeology ,etc but told in a very engaging way.

It's like the Indiana Jones meets the Bible.

I'm just about halfway through. It's very readable, but I am trying to take my time so that some of it really registers and sinks in. I highly recommend it.

While I had a good time with Hell of a Book, by Jason Mott, his new book, People Like Us, is unreadable. A DNF.

I finished I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. It's one of those books that reviewers say is funny, but it's a type of humor that I don't get. I'm too earnest and feel too much pain to find it funny. It's her memoir of how her narcissistic "stage mother" pushed her into Hollywood at age 6 to find fame and fortune, which her mother helped herself to. She was mentally, emotionally and physically abused. She was dealing with eating disorders -- which her mother taught her! -- so she wouldn't age out of kid roles too soon! It's a tough reading dragging you through what was an awful childhood and the pains of recovery after her mother passed away with cancer. I'm too old to have seen her on iCarly, but I do remember her from Law & Order SVU. She was incredible in that role.

I'd rate the book 3+ stars only because it is a tough, though compelling read. Not for book group unless they have a high tolerance for a childhood trauma inflicted by her mother. I hope by writing this book, it helped her heal.

Next up: Go As a River by Shelley Read.

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan. This is Hogan’s first novel from 2017. I found it an easy to read & somewhat light hearted with touch of fantasy story.I needed that just now with the heavy stuff in my real life that’s going on. I could pick it up / put it down & not lose track of the story line.

@localeater there is a sequel to We’ll Prescribe You A Cat. Its called We’ll Prescribe You Another Cat! Put both on my book list.

I liked more than half of the short mysteries in this anthology: Odd Partners, edited by Anne Perry. The tales were written for the book (2019).

Thomas Kenally's The Dickens Boy is starting off well (100 pages). Charles Dickens tenth child has failed at home and is seeking entree to the wool business in 1860's Austrailia. You have to roll your eyes when this 17-year-old wonders ponders why his mother wanted to leave Dickens to go home to mother -- he being No. 10 after all. Entertaining, and instructive about a land being 'civilized' by English convicts.

I liked 33 Place Brugmann, by Alice Austen (no relation).The building is in Brussels, during the very beginning, and well into WWII. The narration moves back and forth among the residents of the apartments. A nice historical novel about a very sad time.

I finished When The Stones Speak, and thought it was fantastic.So much to absorb, so I think I will try to re-read it in a month or so. I gave it 5 stars. Non fiction.

Next, on a totally different plane,

The House on Mango Street.

Just finished How To Read A Book by Monica Wood which was recommended here and loved it. It was one of those I was sorry to see end. It would be great for book group, 4 stars.

Next up: Go As a River by Shelley Read.

Annie - nice to see another fan of Monica Wood & How To Read A Book! Both she & her books have had favorable mention here several times - that includes me!

Me too!

Finished The Wedding People, Alison Espach. Fun fluff. Some really great characters that make me think I would love to see it in movie format. There were a lot of good quotes that hit close to home, so I'm borderline on whether it would be good for bookclub. Leaning towards yes. Certainly got my mind to thinking...

"she didn't know if it was better to be correct or fun, and why did it feel like she always had to choose between the two"

"When did Phoebe being good become Phoebe doing nothing"

There is a good set of questions on bookclubchat.com if anyone is interested in reading this for a book club.

I just started “THE NIGHTINGALE,” by Kristin Hannah. It’s a story of two sisters separated in childhood. They have very different personalities and outlooks on what’s important in life. The book takes place as Nazi Germany takes over France. The
sisters take different paths. So far I give it a 4 stars and it could be a good book club book with themes of sisterhood and of course WWII.

debra

Once you read a John Grisham book, you'll want to read most of them. I am currently reading Glory Be by Danielle Arceneaux. Lighter book set in Louisiana, about an older woman running a bookie operation until her daughter shows up. The two set out to solve a murder, cozy murder type. Not a book club type book.

I think Monica Wood writes homilies -- in the true sense of the word -- not preachy, top down 'sermons', but sneak-up-on-you truths that resonate.

Just finished Go As a River by Shelley Read and wow! I was enjoying it, but the last 20% of the book really pushed it from a 4 star to that rare 5 star rating. Yes for book group. Story about a young gal growing up in CO mountains in the 40s and 50s and into the 1970s, about her trials and heartbreaks and a story of various kinds of love of all sorts as well as human nature, the good and the evil. While I liked the ending, I wished it had gone on longer as I wasn't ready yet for the book to end. The title comes from Thich Naht Hanh...very Buddhist way of getting through life.

Next up, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson.

I am reading The Remembered Soldier, by Anjet Daanje. It's about a WWI soldier who has been missing, with total amnesia and PTSD as a result of his experiences. His wife, who has been looking for him for years, finds him in an asylum, and brings him home. He has to readjust to everyday life, and since he remembers nothing, he has to rely on her version of their life together. It is very long, and very dense, but very wonderful.

I'm reading A Season in Purgatory by Dominick Dunne, and I recently finished The Two Mrs. Grevilles and People Like Us. Purgatory is a fictionalized story of the Kennedy cousin who killed a 15 yr old girl. All his books are broad looks at big money, high society, and a time gone by. Smart and funny, a look at a different world. I'm off to amazon to look for more Dunne books plus the recent memoir by his son.

Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber.

It's a light romance, feel good story with a bit of folklore magic mixed in. I'm really enjoying it.

I finished, Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

A psychological thriller lots of twists and turns about women who get caught up in a relationship with a scammer. Lots of positive reviews, but I give it a 6 out of 10.

I'm curious to know if anyone else read it and what they think.

I moved on from the clever Flavia De Luce to the works of Kate Chopin She was born in 1840 in St Louis to a French Creole mother from Natchitoches La and an Irish father. A series of disasters left her and her mother to return to La and widowhood led her to start writing stories in the late 1800's for magazines. She wrote mostly short stories about Creole women and what was then called 'cadians. Stories mostly of young women, their wooing, marrying and issues with the restraints on women sort of. A rosy view of slavery included. She is viewed as a feminist for reasons I cant see. Probably her famous in its day book called The Awakening which scandalized everyone. You can find her works at Americanliterature,com/author/kate-chopin. I have read these before and the shorts are much of a muchness but an education in the culture of Louisiana.

patriciae

Just finishing this for book club, def 5 stars. Beautifully written history of a time and place most of us are notwell familiarized with, Lebanon from late 1800’s through first third of the 1900’s . It is not a quick read but it is quality

Someone mentioned Amazon to find their next book….. does anyone use Thrift Books like me? I even look at books in B&N, take pictures of the ones I want to read and look for them at Thrift Books. Got some amazing deals. Then usually share them in little neighborhood book libraries.

de

@djacob z6a SEWI My DH orders from Thrift Books & has for several years. If a title catches his attention & he cannot get the book from our local library then he orders it from Thrift Books. When he’s done with it he donates it to the library’s donation store.

Yes, I use Thrift Books, and pass on some of them through the neighborhood little libraries. (Any books that I take from the little libraries are returned after I’ve read them.)

I know from numerous past late fines that I’m not great with the public libraries, but love the feel of a physical book in my hands.

" I know from numerous past late fines that I’m not great with the public libraries "

Many and perhaps even most public libraries have stopped imposing late fines. I know that's true for the LA Public Library system. No need to ask me how I learned that.

NYC and my local library have done away with fines as well. They are happy to just get the book back. I think that Covid closures probably changed the fine protocols. There are still penalties for lost items, of course. And I am not sure what my library does if the book is from another town's library that still has fines. A question to ask when I am there this week.

Some have, some have not done away with fines. But our library system includes email notifications of a book being due in 3 days. You can renew on line and you can return to any library in the state, so that keeps fines down by a lot.

The Fort Vancouver Library stopped imposing fines too. That happened a couple of years ago. They also auto renew books if they’re still in check out status and have no holds on them. We do receive emailed reminders of books coming due as well as notification of auto renewed. BTW - @Elmer J Fudd - my copy of Jake Tapper’s Original Sin has finally come up available for me to pick up. I was 58 in queue for it a month or so ago.

I checked around briefly on sites of libraries in my region and found none that impose late fines.

I suspect it's a practical financial decision. It can't be worthwhile from a dollars and cents perspective to spend time or effort to chase pennies. Patrons remain responsible for replacement cost and several noted that after several months, the item is deemed "lost" and the replacement cost is billed. Unpaid accounts get suspended.

Libraries don't pay retail prices for books. And, likely, the larger the library system, the better are the discounts they get.

4.5 Stars for Thomas Keneally's recent The Dickens Boy. I was sorry to see this end. I wanted to keep following the once-favorite youngest son that Dickens in effect 'transported' to Australia at 16, bidding him, "apply yourself," in the wool trade. What a tale of the continent as well as the young man -- and his bitter, slightly older brother, wiser to the slippery morals of their lauded 'guvnor'.

I picked this up after also admiring the author's The Daughters of Mars.

KW PNW, I'll look forward to hearing about your reaction to the book.

Looking at some of the public book-rating sites, principally Goodreads, I found there seems to be quite an effort (whether organized or not) to pan the book by rating it low and complaining about it and Tapper directly.

Especially in the political arena, truth is an early victim in disputes. I have no doubt that the complainers want to disparage the reporting of sad, embarrassing facts and activities that insiders were well aware of and tried and failed to hide.

You'll form you own views and I'll look forward to them.

These have been favorites from the past month or so. There is quite a bit of sadness in Broken Country, but slightly less than in the Wally Lamb book. (I guess I have a high tolerance for fictional heartbreak because I loved that book.)

Can you believe my public libraries do not take the books even though they’re free. Go figure 🤷

debra

I'm glad I picked up on KW's mention of Ruth Hogan's first novel, The Keeper of Lost Things. It's one of those first books that ties together half a dozen of the author's plot ideas as backstories for the 'lost things' of the overarching theme. A Down's child character adds surprising depth. I'm going to look for Hogan's later books.

@chisue Your post made me remember & think about that story again. It really is a very nice story. Thanks for your comment & reminding me of a book I liked.

Pretty cool! I suggested it, KW said they would read The Keeper of Lost Things... and it's still going

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6497504/what-are-you-reading-june-2025-edition#n=80

Guess that's what this thread is about. I'm about to read Widow of the South

I finished The House On Mango Street, and I did think it was a worthwhile read. I thought parts were beautifully written. I did enjoy it, but I'm not sure I think it's "all that"... I would give it 4 stars.

A friend had recommended An American Beauty ( historical fiction) so I just started that. Only at 5% so no clue as to how I'll feel about it.

DD1 won a copy of The Correspondent and passed it along to me. It's cute--maybe a 2-night read. I haven't read an epistolary novel in a long time, and it makes you think about all the random emails and texts out there in cyberspace, and how writing actual letters is almost a lost art. I can see it now: The Collected Emails of..."

rob -- Sorry I confused the posts, but glad I picked up the book. It's hard to find nice, simple stories that aren't *cloying*! (Says the woman about to finish Hotel Ukraine, Martin Cruz Smith's final Arkady Renko novel, where both the character and the author are dying of Parkinsons, and the Russian private army is ravaging Ukrainian citizens.)

I just finished the novella The English Understand Wool by Helen DeWitt. Wow! Solid 4 star. I was sorry it was so short. Lots of interesting themes for good discussion, but the book was so short, it'd probably only be good for group if paired with another short one. The cleverness of the lead though reminded me somewhat of Shute's Trustee from the Toolroom.

Link to September 2025