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Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

June 11, 2021

malibu

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Taylor Jenkins Reid it’s that she exerts a magnetic force on readers (I’m looking at you, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & the Six). Her latest, Malibu Rising, is no different, because, once again, she’s crafted a novel that once started needs to be finished without interruption. In this case it’s about the Riva ... Read More...

4 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: chick lit, contemporary life, vacation reading

Fast Fiction: Mini-Reviews

May 20, 2021

fast

  Fast fiction may sound like a pejorative, but I don’t mean it that way. Sometimes, particularly after deeper literary fiction I’m happy to jettison character development and lyrical prose for books that go down like any of my favorite sugary snacks—easily, mindlessly, and with no nutritional value. Empty calories, but yummy, and just how much kale should any one person ... Read More...

4 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: mini-reviews, mystery, science fiction

When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain

April 26, 2021

stars

Paula McLain is well-known for her historical fiction about women.  This month she flips the script on her readers with When the Stars Go Dark, a complex mystery set in 1990s Northern California. There, Anna Hart is a missing persons detective who needs time off after a devastating personal loss. She heads to Mendocino to leave everything behind and hibernate. But on her first ... Read More...

4 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: 20th century, crime, mystery, suspense

The Bohemians: A Novel by Jasmin Darznik

April 5, 2021

bohemians

I was interested in Jasmin Darznik’s new novel The Bohemians for its premise about a woman in history I knew nothing about. Dorothea ‘Dorrie’ Lange is an American photographer. If, like me, you don’t recognize the name, this should help:   Migrant Mother was taken at the height of the Depression and is considered an iconic depiction of Dust Bowl reality. The ... Read More...

4 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: historical fiction, San Francisco, women

December Reading Recap

January 1, 2021

December

Let’s hear it for 2021! Without having done a damn thing it’s probably the most anticipated year of my lifetime. This winter may hold more darkness than light, but for many of us, the fact that we’ll have a decent, caring, grown-up in the White House in 19 days is enough to spark some hope. As is the fact that my December reading was on fire. I read 19 (what?!) books this month ... Read More...

6 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Feature

The Chiffon Trenches

November 11, 2020

chiffon

One of the things I love almost as much as books is fashion, which could come as a surprise given that my current wardrobe is layered knits and sweatpants. I may not be wearing it anymore, but before I became a librarian I worked in a department store as a buyer and as an account executive for a men’s apparel company in NYC. I dreamed of being the editor of a fashion magazine, ... Read More...

4 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Non-fiction Tagged: fashion, history, memoir, pop culture

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