Tonia
Sandwich by Catherine Newman
I
was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Sandwich, especially
since I hadn’t read anything by Catherine Newman before and had noticed some
mixed reviews beforehand. But I picked it up anyway—and I’m so glad I did.
After finishing it, I saw the blurb on the cover from Ann Patchett saying how much
she loved it, and honestly, that alone should have told me I’d love it too.
Like Patchett’s work, Newman does a beautiful job of digging into the messy,
complicated, and very real dynamics of family life.
This
story doesn’t sugarcoat anything—it’s about middle age, menopause, grief, love,
secrets, and the shifting roles we all experience as time moves forward. Set
during a family vacation on Cape Cod, Sandwich introduces us to a cast
of characters who feel fully formed and authentic, each with their own layers,
flaws, and quiet strengths. Newman writes with heart and honesty, and there’s
humor woven in too, which makes the emotional moments hit even harder. I truly
loved this book.
Jeanne
Starter Villain by John Scalzi is the story of Charlie, a
nice guy. Unfortunately, sometimes nice
guys finish last: he has ended up as a
largely unemployed, divorced guy living with his cat in a house that his
half-siblings want to sell. Then Charlie discovers that his uncle has named him
in his will—an uncle he really didn’t know very well. Just how well he didn’t
know his uncle soon becomes clear: uncle was a very successful man in a rather.
. . um, unusual business. Does Charlie
have what it takes to be a super-villain?
Scalzi can make me believe the wildest scenarios even as he makes me
both think and laugh!
Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen uses Allen’s
trademark blend of food, relationships, memorable characters, warmth, and a
dollop of magic. I have enjoyed each one
of her books, starting back with Garden
Spells and The Girl Who Chased the
Moon. In this latest one, Zoey has
come to her late mother’s apartment on Mallow Island in an effort to reconnect
with the woman who died when Zoey was six.
There are five apartments, and each inhabitant has his or her own
secrets, secrets that will eventually come to light—for better or for worse,
and Allen makes me care about everyone of these characters. One of Zoey’s secrets is Pigeon, who has the
bad habit of knocking things over and trying to get her own way. And did I mention Pigeon is invisible?
Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett is an absolute
delight! I enjoy Pratchett: his wonderful
sense of humor, sharp observations, and most of all the humanity at the
core. Of course, sometimes I’m laughing
so hard it takes a while for the latter to sink in. My favorites of the Discworld books are the
ones that involve the witches and this one has a plethora of them: Nanny Ogg, Granny Weatherwax, and Magrat.
They have been tasked with filling in for Emberella’s late fairy godmother which
involves travelling to “foreign parts” to stop a wedding. Fortunately, Nanny Ogg can speak foreign. Unfortunately, the fairy godmother wand given
to Magrat did not come with instructions, so they are ending up with a lot of
pumpkins—and I do mean a LOT of pumpkins.
They also encounter dwarves, a wolf, a vampire, a falling house, and
other staples of stories as they try to bring about a happy ending. Or at least one that is not a total
disaster. Also, Nanny Ogg’s cat Greebo
is along for the trip, which completed my happiness. This novel is not only
delightful, it is a powerful meditation on the power of story and myth. I have
listened to the audio version and read the book twice. It’s my go-to comfort read, because I can
start at any point and be vastly entertained and maybe a little enlightened.
Remainders of the Day by Shaun Bythell is actually a book I
haven’t read—yet. Bythell is a bookseller
in Scotland who keeps a daily diary of transactions and encounters in his
Wigtown bookshop, cleverly named The Bookshop.
This is the third book in the series which readers will either find
delightful or boring. Count me among the
former. I’m reading them in
chronological order, having read Diary of
a Bookseller and am in the process of reading Confessions of a Bookseller. Bythell is more than a bit of a
curmudgeon, both to customers and staff.
Of course, the staff and customers are a bit. . . um, colorful themselves. I usually read one or two or seventeen
entries before bedtime. I don’t know what I’ll do when I run out. Hurry up with another book, Shaun!
Other books I have loved and recommended:
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for
Murderers by Jesse Q.
Sutanto
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garman
Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano
The following books
are all translated from Japanese. Most
feature people with problems who seek help that may or may not have supernatural
elements; and most of time, the people only think
they know what they want or need.
These tend to be cozy, thoughtful books that make me re-evaluate wanting
and needing.
Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki
What You Are Looking for Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa
We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida
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