Monthly rundown vol. 30

monsters, magic, surfers, and one sentient octopus

Hello, hello! Okay, here’s a question–are you a seasonal reader? By that I mean, do you like to read certain kinds of books at different times of year? Romance novels in the summer and fantasy in the winter? Mysteries and thrillers in the fall? Or maybe you defy convention and like to read long, dense books in the summer and fly through cozies when the days are short. Personally, while I’m definitely a mood reader, I don’t find myself gravitating toward any specific kind of book during specific calendar seasons. Although, sometimes I do like a book set in a cold climate during the hottest part of summer. It’s nice to live vicariously in snow when it’s triple digits outside.

And speaking of mood reading, here’s what I’ve been reading this month…

The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny. While I liked The Grey Wolf, I have to say it’s not in my top tier of Gamache books. It felt, to me, both self-indulgent and overwrought; and it’s the first time I’ve thought–I hope Penny has a plan to finish the Gamache series strong.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. I am late to the party with this novel, but this is a solid case of better late than never. What a delight! This book is a warm hug that brings to life a small town on the Washington coast. It’s a story about the different ways grief affects people, family, friendship, and personal agency. It has loveable, flawed characters, including the most charming octopus named Marcellus who likes to escape his tank and roam around the aquarium in which he lives. Or, as Marcellus reminds us, where he’s a captive. (but don’t be fooled—despite the inclusion of a communicative octopus, Remarkably Bright Creatures isn’t silly. Just really lovely).

The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater is the author’s first adult novel, historical fiction with a healthy dose of magical realism, set in the mountains of West Virginia during World War II at a luxury hotel commandeered by the federal government as an internment facility for Axis diplomats. For the first quarter of the book, the pace felt slow, but it didn’t take long for me to sink into the rhythm of the story and the world of the hotel with its distinctive characters, moral dilemmas, lush prose, and a magic that felt ancient and alive in that way that feels very distinctive to deep Appalachia. It’s the kind of novel that really rewards readers at the end.

Bring Me Their Hearts/Find Me Their Bones by Sara Wolf. I flew through the first two books of the Bring Me Their Hearts series, and plan to read the third one very soon. They’re fast-paced, young adult fantasy novels with a feisty, endearing, sarcastic heroine who wants nothing more than to get her humanity back. The story is a surprising blend of violent, dark, funny, and romantic. I know those four things don’t seem to go together, but somehow it works. It’s also a story about found family, sacrifice, and power. Fingers crossed the author sticks the landing on the final book!

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Was this the best book I’ve ever read? No. Was it engaging, frothy, and the perfect summer read? Absolutely. Was the narration by the iconic Julia Whelan pitch perfect? Also yes. It made me wish I could get in a time machine and visit Malibu, California back when it was a scrappy small town full of beach bums and not much else.

That’s all for now. A reminder that you can visit my web site for links to my novels You Again (first love, second chances, personal reinvention) and With You (character-driven, slow-burn rom-com).

Thanks for being here!