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Utopia Avenue: A Novel by David Mitchell

July 22, 2020

utopia

‘Utopia’ means ‘no place.’ An avenue is a place. So is music. When we’re playing well, I’m here, but elsewhere, too. That’s the paradox. Utopia is unattainable. Avenues are everywhere. Derek, Elf, Jasper, and Griff each has a dream: make it big in the music industry playing music they love. So far, it hasn’t panned out for any of them. But when manager Levon Frankland ... Read More...

6 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: 1960s, historical fiction, literary, London, pop culture

Smacked: A Story of White-Collar Ambition, Addiction, and Tragedy

July 20, 2020

smacked

Last week I shared a review first for me. Today I’m back with another one: Smacked is my third 5-star nonfiction book in 2020. At the halfway point of the year? That’s nuts. You know me—I don’t read a lot of nonfiction, so to be reading it and to have it be outstanding is a delight at a time when finding delight is not easy. Smacked is written by Eilene Zimmerman, a business ... Read More...

7 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Non-fiction Tagged: book clubs, debut, memoir, social issues

Crooked Hallelujah

July 17, 2020

crooked

Texas and Oklahoma, during the 1970s and 1980s oil boom and bust, is the setting for Crooked Hallelujah, a debut novel about the lives of three generations of Cherokee women. Lula is the matriarch, Justine her daughter, and Reney her grand-daughter. The times were difficult, but even more so if you were a Native American and a woman. Against this arid backdrop their lives are ... Read More...

4 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: debut, historical fiction, literary, Native Americans

The Heir Affair: A Novel

July 15, 2020

heir

American Rebecca (Bex) Porter seems to have won the lottery when Britain’s second-in-line to the throne, Prince Nicholas, falls in love with her. Of course, it’s not that simple, but it does make for fun reading in The Royal We. That novel ended with Bex and Nick married, but already engulfed in scandal. When The Heir Affair opens they are hiding out in remote Scotland, but ... Read More...

1 Comment
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: chick lit, England, royalty

Becoming Duchess Goldblatt: A Memoir

July 13, 2020

duchess

After eight years of writing reviews it feels as if the time for ‘firsts’ is long past, but here I am today with a first. I’ve never read or reviewed a book by an anonymous author before, but Becoming Duchess Goldblatt is just that. It’s the memoir of Duchess Goldblatt, a fictitious 81-year-old literary icon known for her wry, cajoling presence on Twitter. She has almost 40,000 ... Read More...

6 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Non-fiction Tagged: book clubs, debut, humor, memoir

Summer Fun Reading

July 8, 2020

summer

We’re in the midst of a hot summer week here in Michigan so in my head I’m lounging in the middle of this flamingo floatie. Given the heat (and humidity!) I’m going to keep it light and cool today with two novels that check all the boxes for summer fun reading. Both involve big weddings, travel, extravagance, complicated families, and love. At the same time, both have ... Read More...

2 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: chick lit, cultural, mini-reviews

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