A Book A Week

Over the past two years, my family has celebrated several weddings. First, my brother married his bride, a beautiful event that concluded their extended engagement due to COVID-19 and their pursuit of PhDs. The following fall, my sister-in-law had her own wedding, an out-of-town bash that was both a fantastic party and a heartfelt ceremony, bringing both smiles and tears to many eyes in the crowd. Reflecting on these events, I was struck by the vast mix of emotions that weddings bring. They are celebrations of love, commitment, and the merging of two families. However, they are also stressful, particularly for those planning and ensuring everything goes off without a hitch. In her newest novel, The Wedding People, Alison Espach delves into the complexity of these celebrations, crafting a story that explores this mix of emotions through striking commentary, humor, and good old-fashioned storytelling.

The Cornwall Inn is renowned for its pristine condition, prime location, and hosting the most luxurious weddings. Nestled in beautiful Newport, Rhode Island, the hotel and its staff excel at ensuring every event goes off without a hitch. This makes it the ideal venue for twenty-eight-year-old Lila's big day. She has meticulously planned every detail of her six-day celebration, knowing that a girl only gets one chance at the perfect wedding. Friends and family have arrived, and the festivities are set to begin.

Phoebe is depressed. There's no denying that the past year has been the worst of her life. Infertility, infidelity, divorce, and now the death of her cat have brought her to this point. She arrives at the Cornwall Inn with no bags, not planning to check out. Phoebe has sadly concluded that her life should end here, and she might as well do it in a luxurious hotel. As she enters the hotel lobby, she is immediately mistaken for one of the wedding guests. After all, everyone else is here for the celebration. She is soon roped into the festivities, leading to a chance encounter with the bride. Phoebe is the one scenario Lila didn't plan for. As the two begin to confide in each other, their unexpected meeting starts to reshape the path of both their lives.

I first encountered Alison Espach's writing through her 2022 novel Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance. That novel dealt with the sudden loss of a child from the perspective of her younger sister. Espach's ability to blend a coming-of-age story with contemplations of grief and a touch of humor made it one of my favorite reads of the year. Naturally, I was eager to read her latest novel and gladly accepted an audio copy from her publisher.

The Wedding People takes the idea of the contrasting emotions among wedding participants and maximizes it to the extreme. On one hand, we have Lila, the blushing bride, eager to start her happily ever after. On the other, Phoebe has lived a life that proves happily ever after is a myth; she's ready to end it all. By combining these characters, Espach explores the ups and downs that life can bring, delving into complex subjects such as suicide, death, infertility, divorce, and depression.

This book won't be for everyone, and I can see many choosing to avoid it purely because of the subject matter. For me, though, I appreciated the way Espach approached heavy topics with humor, grace, and zero judgment. If we could all do the same, the world would be a better place. The Wedding People is a summer read that dares to give readers something to ponder. Like her previous work, this one will no doubt be one of my favorite reads of the year.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2024, 59)

There’s something incredibly liberating about being surrounded by nature. Immersing myself in the unspoiled wilderness, far from the stresses of daily life, is my ultimate escape. I find complete peace in those moments, allowing myself to truly relax and be present. Despite being a place of solace, the wilderness can also be unforgiving. In her latest novel, The Nature of Disappearing, author Kimi Cunningham Grant uses the vast wilderness to craft a tale that highlights its serenity and harshness. I’ve been eager to read her work since her previous novel, These Silent Woods, caught my attention a couple of years ago. Thanks to her publisher’s generosity, I had the opportunity to read and listen to her newest creation.

Emlyn knows firsthand the healing power of nature. A few years ago, she hit rock bottom. Her best friend Janessa couldn’t accept Emlyn dating Tyler, especially after she warned her against the relationship. But Emlyn was in love and wouldn’t let her friend’s opinion stop her. Unfortunately, Janessa was right. Three years ago, Tyler left Emlyn stranded on the side of the road in the freezing cold, half dead. Now, Emlyn has found peace working as a fishing and hunting guide, spending her days in Idaho’s endless woods and scenic rivers. 

Her serene life is upended when Tyler reappears. Janessa, now a social media star with her survivalist boyfriend, has gone missing, and Tyler fears the worst. Despite their turbulent past, Emlyn realizes her tracking skills could be vital in finding her friend. Reluctantly, she teams up with Tyler to navigate the rugged terrain. Emlyn can’t ignore the lingering sparks between them as they trek through the wilderness. Though she hadn’t anticipated a reconciliation, the undeniable connection remains. As they travel deeper into the forest, Emlyn is gripped by a new sensation - unease. In her mission to rescue her friend, she may have inadvertently placed herself in danger.

In The Nature of Disappearing, Kimi Cunningham Grant crafts a multifaceted narrative that seamlessly weaves elements of a gripping missing persons saga, an exploration of complex relationships, and a contemplative meditation on the wilderness’s profound influence. Grant’s vivid descriptions instantly transport readers to the sprawling Idaho wilderness, imbuing the story with a palpable sense of grandeur and atmosphere. Against this vast backdrop, the intimate drama of the characters unfolds, adding layers of depth to the narrative. The search for the missing couple, led by Emlyn and Tyler, serves as the primary driving force of the plot, gradually unveiling the intricacies of their intertwined past and relationships. While the story maintains a compelling momentum, there is a slight lull in the third act, where the sense of revelation momentarily stagnates. However, this minor flaw doesn’t detract from the overall buildup, as Grant’s skillful storytelling and well-developed characters remain engaging throughout. Whether experienced through reading or listening to the beautiful audiobook version, The Nature of Disappearing captivates with its atmospheric prose and thought-provoking themes. It is a summer read that entertains and invites deeper reflection—a winning combination that leaves a lasting impression.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2024, 47)

"Nothing mattered but the stories, my understanding of them, how the stories affected me, and the dreams the story ignited."

The year is 2015, and Tatum feels settled in life for perhaps the first time. She lives in Chile with her partner Vera and works at her dream job in an art museum. It's a stark contrast to the life she once thought she wanted. Tatum spent the previous decade in New York, believing all her dreams would come true, but now she has doubts. Much of that time was consumed by her admiration for acclaimed author M. Domínguez, whose novel Happiness captivated her with its portrayal of the Latinx experience. It was the first time she felt represented in literature, prompting her to write a heartfelt fan email to the author. To her surprise, he responded, sparking a decade-long relationship that Tatum still doesn't fully comprehend.

Their bond was complex—sometimes a friendship, sometimes a romantic entanglement, a mentor-student dynamic that defies any simple definition. When a reporter contacts Tatum about multiple assault allegations against M., her carefully constructed separation between her past and present begins to unravel. She is forced to confront the true nature of her all-consuming relationship with the author. The questions and uncertainties she had pushed aside resurface, challenging her understanding of the past decade and compelling her to reevaluate the impact M. had on her life.

In her debut novel Like Happiness, author Ursula Villarreal-Moura invites readers to delve into the intricacies of relationships, power dynamics, sexuality, identity, and memory. The story unfolds through a dual narrative, alternating between Tatum's present day and a letter she writes to M., recounting and reclaiming their complex relationship. This structure reflects the protagonist's struggle with her past, emphasizing the back-and-forth and uncertainty she faces. Villarreal-Moura doesn't provide easy answers or steer readers in a specific direction; instead, she infuses her characters with raw emotion, making them relatable even when their situations are far from straightforward.

I loved reading a novel where the main character grew up in the same city as I did. San Antonio will always be home to me, and Villarreal-Moura beautifully captures the people, places, and history that make it unique. There is a profound sense of humanity throughout Like Happiness, allowing readers to easily immerse themselves in the story and reflect on its themes. With this debut, Villarreal-Moura establishes herself as a distinct voice in literature, leaving me eager to read more of her work. Like Happiness is one of the best novels I've read this year, and I'm grateful to the publisher for providing me with a copy.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2024, 46)

After relishing my previous read and taking my time with it, I sought a book that would immediately captivate me. While I didn't have a particular title in mind, I yearned for a page-turner that I could effortlessly consume within a few hours. That's when I stumbled upon Ashley Elston's First Lie Wins, her inaugural foray into adult fiction after establishing herself as a YA author. Let me tell you, this book delivers a powerful punch. Several of my book-blogging friends had been enjoying it for the past month, and having experienced it myself, it's evident why. With brisk chapters, alternating timelines, and a plot rife with twists and turns, it offers precisely the kind of enthralling read I was in the mood for.

Revealing too much about this story would rob you of the excitement of discovering it for yourself. In fact, even the publisher's summary provides more details than necessary. The narrative revolves around Evie Porter, a charming Southern girl whose life appears to be the epitome of perfection. Her relationship with her wealthy businessman boyfriend has rapidly evolved, and they've decided to take the plunge into the next chapter by moving into a flawless home together. Evie has met his circle of friends, a group of affluent socialites in their own right, and is eager to embark on this new phase of her life. There's only one problem—Evie Porter doesn't actually exist. 

Ashley Elston's First Lie Wins immediately captivated me with its ability to forge a connection with a character about whom I initially knew little. As the truth about Evie Porter emerged, my intrigue deepened, and I grew more fond of the character. Elston employs a brisk pace, seamlessly transitioning between past and present, offering morsels of information that tantalizingly foreshadow events to come. The narrative's clever plotting drew me in, and while some suspension of disbelief is required, the thrill of the twists overshadowed any minor concerns. First Lie Wins is one of the most inventively plotted thrillers I've read this year. Elston doesn't attempt to make the book more than it is, delivering all the thrills, character revelations, and shocking twists that thriller enthusiasts crave. This was a delightful read, and I eagerly anticipate Elston's future ventures into this genre.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2024, 15)

I read a lot of thrillers. Dating all the way back to my days in high school, I would spend way more time devouring the mass market paperback edition of whatever thriller was besting the NYT bestsellers list than the books I was supposed to be reading for school. All these years later, the genre continues to be one of my favorites. The only downside to reading as many thrillers as I do is that they've become a bit formulaic. It is rare for me to get to the end of one of these books without guessing the big twist. The books by writing duo Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen have been some of the few exceptions. In fact, the way they built upon established formulas while completely subverting expectations in their novel The Wife Between Us cemented them as must-read authors in my yearly TBR list. Their new novel The Golden Couple was sent to me by their publisher, and I couldn't be more excited to read their latest effort.  

Avery Chambers is a formerly licensed therapist who has newfound success after losing her initial career. You see, without being required to follow a prescribed method to treat her patients, Avery has been able to take a more unconventional approach. And it works! These days, she only takes on clients who she knows can be cured within 10 sessions. How does she do it? It's simple really. Avery obsesses over her clients, learning every aspect of their lives and relationships, even interjecting and setting up specific scenarios for them to live through. Like I said, unconventional but effective. After so many years of this kind of success, Avery feels pretty confident when her latest clients enter her office for their first session. Little does she know that she's about to meet her match. 

On the surface, spouses Marissa and Matthew Bishop seem like a normal couple. For all appearances, their relationship seems strong, and the pair have made a loving home for their young son. There's no such thing as perfect, and the Bishops are about to prove the point. As they walk into Avery's office, Matthew is unsure of why they are at a therapist. Then Marissa drops the bomb. She's cheated on Matthew, and, for the sake of their marriage, wants Avery's help in patching things up. There's only one problem. The more Avery dissects the Bishop's marriage, the more confusing things become. Amongst the lies and infidelity rests something more sinister, the kind of secret that has the potential to destroy a marriage and the lives of anyone who comes close to it. What is the secret? You'll have to read to find out. 

With The Golden Couple, authors Hendricks and Pekkanen take all the things that have made their previous novels so intriguing and ramp them up another notch. The story is told through shifting perspectives, giving the reader just enough breadcrumbs to follow into the next moment without giving too much away. The authors eschew the usual crimes or murders that typically drive the suspense in this genre in favor of even more electrifying personal relationships and character revelations. Things get a bit convoluted, but I didn't really care. I was so enamored by the actions of each of these characters that I couldn't stop reading. Even better, I didn't see the big ending coming. That's always a win in my book. If you're looking for the kind of book that shocks, surprises, and keeps you reading into all hours of the night, look no further. The Golden Couple proves once again that Hendricks and Pekkanen have got the goods. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2022, 10)

The entirety of my reading last month was devoted to books written by and about members of the LGBTQ+ community. I was so encouraged to read stories that were as diverse as the people they represented. From sweet romantic comedies to searingly personal memoirs, each book provided a glimpse into the lives of their characters in a way that helps to normalize representation in publishing. One book, in particular, captured my attention not because it was particularly inspiring or happy, but because it was brutally honest about the realities of a relationship. I read Kristen Arnett's latest novel With Teeth a couple of weeks ago, but haven't been able to process my thoughts about it until now. 

As the novel begins, Sammie Lucas is still clinging to her dream of building a picture-perfect family. She works tirelessly with her wife Monika to raise their young son Sampson. Despite Sammie's desire to give her son the world, he just doesn't seem to have any connection with her. Monika thinks that Sammie is reading too much into Sampson's behavior, but that does little to shake the fear that she is raising a stranger. These fears are seemingly confirmed early on when Sampson willingly walks off with an unknown man as Sammie looks on with horror. Thankfully, she's able to intervene before any abduction can occur. Still, she couldn't help but notice the way her son smiled at the man as he walked away with him, an expression of happiness that she's rarely seen from the boy. 

That early incident serves as a foreboding glimpse at the tumultuous times to come. As Sampson grows and the years pass, Sammie's relationship with him only grows more distant. To her, there is obviously something off with her son, but numerous therapists, specialists, and even her own wife say the child is perfectly normal. To the outside world, her family is perfect. And isn't that what she always wanted anyway? Behind the facade of perfection, however, lies the truth. Sammie doesn't have the perfect child. Her son barely even talks to her. Worse, her relationship with Monika is slowly spiraling toward an inevitable end. In her quest for normalcy, Sammie is about to find out that normal involves imperfections. In this case, that might also mean the end of her life as she dreamed it. 

There's a moment in Stephen Sondheim's musical Into the Woods when Little Red Riding Hood is rescued from the clutches of the Big Bad Wolf after being seduced into trusting him by his kindness. She sings about learning her lesson and declares that "Nice is different than good." The characters in With Teeth go through a similar journey of discovery. As a lesbian couple, they are bound by the desire to be perceived as normal, just two perfect moms and their well-adjusted son. As their relationships unravel around them, they are faced with learning the lesson that normal is different than perfect. In fact, normal can be downright messy. The discovery of that sentiment is the true power of Arnett's writing. She doesn't shy away from the realities of everyday life. In fact, she revels in showing the disfunction that can come from people just trying to get through the day. With Teeth is a bold reminder that we are all just doing our best to meet the individual challenges we face. Perhaps imperfection then is the most normal thing of them all. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2021, 24)

How well do you know your partner? You love and care for them and commit to spending your lives together, but when you stop to think about it there are large parts of your lives that you have lived apart. It can even seem like you lived a different life before you met them. Your love for them builds trust that helps fill in the gaps for the parts of their life that you didn't experience with them. As the relationship progresses, you learn more and more about the person you love, but there will inevitably be things that simply don't come up. There will always be little unknowns between the two of you. In The Wife Upstairs, the buzzy new thriller that everyone seems to be reading, author Rachel Hawkins draws upon those unknowns to concoct a story of wealth, power, and deceit. 

Jane couldn't be more out of place. Newly residing in Birmingham, Alabama, the penniless young woman has taken a job walking dogs for the residents of Thornfield Estates. Each day, she walks the sidewalks and dreams of the lives of those women who reside within the opulent manors that populate the gated community. Her own life couldn't be further from those of the people she works for. She lives in a rundown apartment with a man who could be described as manipulative at best, abusive at worst. Jane would do anything to switch her life for the life of one of the women she works for. As luck would have it, that very opportunity is about to present itself. 

It wouldn't be accurate to call Eddie Rochester the most eligible bachelor of the neighborhood, but Jane can't help but be drawn to the quiet widower. Eddie's wife Bea, a prominent businesswoman in her own right, died in a tragic boating accident. Bea and her best friend were both lost in the ill-fated trip to the lake, their bodies never recovered after the tragedy. Jane is immediately drawn to Eddie and the potential for a change in lifestyle that he brings. She quickly inserts herself into his life, and the pair become inseparable. But everything isn't as it seems. The details surrounding Bea's death are murky, and Eddie seems more willing to forget about his past and move on than investigate things further. Little does he know that Jane is keeping her past a secret too. Behind the facade of a perfect relationship lies toxicity that is about to come to the forefront. 

I love the kind of book that draws you in from the start and doesn't let go. The Wife Upstairs is exactly that. Rachel Hawkins writes intriguing drama, morally ambiguous characters, and enough twists and turns to keep the plot rolling from start to finish. The novel is a retelling of the classic Jane Eyre, but you don't have to be familiar with that book to enjoy this one. The Bronte book is one of those that I only skimmed through in high school, so I've never actually read it myself. Suffice it to say that The Wife Upstairs has enough intrigue to stand on its own. I won't say that this is the best thriller I've read this year. There are no traditionally likable characters, and the conclusion doesn't quite live up to the mystery that leads up to it. Still, Hawkins has written the kind of compulsively readable novel that begs to be read in one sitting, a fun if a bit flawed thriller. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2021, 6)

For years, Tracy Whitney and Jeff Stevens were an unstoppable con team. Together, they pulled off impossible heists against rich, greedy, and corrupt people, and earned enough money to afford them comforts for the rest of their lives. But the illustrious couple gave up the excitement of their criminal lifestyle to opt for something more normal...marriage.

In the time following the wedding, their lives seem to be going great. Jeff gets a job curating an exhibition at the British Museum, putting his passion for antiquities and sharp mind to good use. Meanwhile, Tracy makes plans to fill her time by having a baby. Jeff excels at his new career, but Tracy struggles to conceive. This causes her to long for the thrill of her con days. Naturally, this begins to eat away at the couple's indestructible relationship. When accusations of infidelity are brought to light, the relationship reaches a breaking point, and Tracy leaves Jeff.

Ten years later, the two are leading separate lives. Jeff, who is back in the con game, still thinks of Tracy everyday. More than anything, he just wants to know that she is alive a doing well. Tracy has retreated to a quiet life in Colorado, and has completely given up a life of crime. She knows that Jeff is a good man, but she can't let him back into her life. She is shocked when a French Interpol officer contacts her at home. She did a thorough job of erasing her past, but it seems that it may finally be catching up with her. The officer informs her that he has connected a series of ruthless murders to heists in cities that Tracy was active in. Tracy is disturbed at the thought that someone could be framing her for these crimes and worse, that the person doing this could be Jeff!

Again, Tilly Bagshawe publishes a novel under the late Sidney Sheldon's name. This is a sequel to Sheldon's If Tomorrow Comes. I didn't read the book by Sheldon, so I can't speak to Bagshawe's continuation. That being said, the fast pace, relatable characters, and intriguing twists make this a quick and enjoyable read that works just as well as a standalone novel. I was surprised at how much I sympathized with Tracy and Jeff. The family drama that they deal with helps the reader realize that despite being criminals, they are everyday people with everyday problems.  These traditional human elements mix with the thriller aspects to create a fun, exciting novel that completely does justice to the legacy of Sidney Sheldon.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and GoodReads.

(2014)