The past couple of months were a little slower on the book front, so I decided to combine what I read in October and November. There are a few new to me authors in this group, which was really exciting. I like books that make me think, but also make me smile, and these delivered. What have you read lately? More book reviews here.
The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin: Ava thought her job as a librarian at the Library of Congress would mean a quiet, routine existence. But an unexpected offer from the US military has brought her to Lisbon with a new mission: posing as a librarian while working undercover as a spy gathering intelligence. Meanwhile, in occupied France, Elaine has begun an apprenticeship at a printing press run by members of the Resistance. As the battle in Europe rages, Ava and Elaine find themselves connecting through coded messages and discovering hope in the face of war. Loved these fierce female protagonists, and how they both contributed to the fight against the Nazis with courage and passion.
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan: Single-mom Olivia made a new life for her and her son Asher when they moved back to her hometown after escaping an abusive relationship. A decade later, Olivia is growing the honey business she took over from her parents, and she and teenage Asher have a great relationship. But, something happens that shakes their world and brings back things from their past that Olivia would rather leave behind. This was quite a story. I learned a lot about beekeeping, and appreciated how this book dealt with some several serious issues woven within a compelling plot line. There was also a twist I did not see coming. This was my favorite read of this group.
It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover: This is the sequel to It Ends with Us (reviewed here). Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil coparenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date. But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life—and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life. I really liked these characters in the first book, and this was a satisfying follow-up. Like Mad Honey, the protagonist is trying to find her way after an abusive relationship, and you can’t help but cheer her on.
Such a Pretty Girl by T. Greenwood: Alternating between a West Village artists community in 1970s New York and present day, a former child actress named Ryan is forced to confront the darkest secrets of her youth when a controversial photo taken of her as a preteen on the night of the 1977 blackout ignites a media firestorm. This story takes a close look at Ryan’s complicated relationship with her mother, then and now. It made me think a lot about the role of a parent, and how your own experience as a child can impact how you take on that role. I read this book as part of the Influenster Book Club.
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams: Brooklynite Eva Mercy is a single mom and bestselling erotica writer, who is feeling pressed from all sides. Shane Hall is a reclusive, enigmatic, award-winning literary author who, to everyone’s surprise, shows up in New York. When Shane and Eva meet unexpectedly at a literary event, sparks fly, raising not only their past buried traumas, but the eyebrows of New York’s Black literati. This book was spicy and fun, and I was rooting for Eva and Shane the whole time.
