Above Us Only Sky by Michele Young-Stone

Above Us Only Sky (2015) by Michele Young-Stone was a beautiful, emotional book. I loved the relationship between the main character and her grandfather, and the way the story kept referring back to the experience of the grandfather and his family during violent, dangerous times of upheaval when he was a child. 

The conceit -- that the women of this family had a genetic 'gift' of being born with wings (a gift that is of course viewed with suspicion and medical alarm) -- was a lovely one that was woven well into the story without it being the main topic. This wasn't a fantasy book, but rather a fiction book about family and heritage with a fantasy twist (sometimes called magical realism).

I'm excited to read Young-Stone's new book, Lost in the Beehive, coming out this April, which looks like it will focus on friendship and mental health issues with just a twist of magical realism very similarly to Above Us Only Sky.

“I felt guilty because I was upset by the loss of one friend when the Old Man had lost nearly everyone he loved. Loss, I soon learned from him, is not measured in numbers. It's not comparative. It's in here. I'm touching my chest now.”

Keep reading! Beth

Summerlong by Peter S. Beagle

Summerlong (2016) by Peter S. Beagle is an interesting book that doesn't fit squarely into any one genre. It has a little bit of mystery, a little suspense, some touches of magic and the supernatural, and lots of personality and relationship drama, both family and romantic.

The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells

The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells (2013) by Andrew Sean Greer was a lovely, quick read about how our choices can change us.

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt

Taking inspiration from the craze of the California Gold Rush and the madness it seemed to induce in the general populace and the individuals who participated, The Sisters Brothers (2011) by Patrick deWitt was a very good story from quite a different perspective than the books I typically read.

The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

The Winter People (2014) by Jennifer McMahon is a wonderful book filled with excitement, mystery, troubling pasts, anticipation, and just enough of the supernatural (I won't say what kind -- that would give things away) to keep it interesting.

Flipping back and forth between the past and the present, I liked the connection that created, with the story weaving the two time periods together very effectively. The "New England" feel of both the setting and the story was very appealing and familiar to me as a life-long (and proud) New Englander myself.

Though the book has supernatural elements, the story was really more about loss and the relationships between mothers and daughters, both with good and especially with not-so-good associations, so don't let the idea of the supernatural turn you off if that's not normally your 'thing'. This is an excellent book to read in poor weather in a cozy chair with a hot drink. A perfect winter book (as the title implies)!

“I think people see what they want to see... But think about it: if you'd lost someone you love, wouldn't you give almost anything to have the chance to see them again?” 

Keep reading! Beth

Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan

Dad is Fat (2013) by Jim Gaffigan (of the Hot Pockets joke fame) is absolutely hilarious, as expected! Even for someone without kids, many of his observations still resonated with me and made me laugh out loud - a lot!

He writes in a very tongue-in-cheek manner, often directly addressing the reader, always in a very funny way. I loved this style, which really made reading the book feel very intimate, like I was having a conversation rather than passively reading (which was of course what I was actually doing, but still...). He really made me feel 'in' on his jokes, and I loved it.

I don't want to spoil too many of the punch lines, but here were two of my favorite jokes from the book:

“Every morning after I get up, I always gaze longingly at my bed and lament, ‘You were wonderful last night. I didn’t want it to end. I can’t wait to see you again…’” (192) 

“I guess you could say I’m allergic to camping. Jeannie loves camping because she says camping was a tradition in her family. I always point out that prior to the invention of the house, camping was a tradition in everyone’s family. I don’t get camping. ‘Hey, want to burn a couple of vacation days sleeping on the ground outside? Chances are you’ll wake up freezing and covered in a rash?” No, thanks. If camping was so great, why are the bugs always trying to get in your house?” (258-9)

I completely agree Jim!

Keep reading! Beth

The Drums of Autumn (Outlander series #4)

The Drums of Autumn (1996) by Diana Gabaldon is yet another wonderful addition to this gripping series of time travel, romance, and family - and some violence and revenge.

After the wonderful "Pirates of the Caribbean" plot that encompassed book #3 (see my review of that book here, and a staff roundtable review of books #1-2 here), Jaime and Claire are firmly settled in the New World, and so this book was filled with exciting stories of colonizing the American South in the mid-1700s.

I absolutely loved the framework of exploring and pioneering, especially setting up a homestead from scratch with almost nothing but bare hands and force of will. I really loved the slow, day-to-day scenes in the book, the small bits about putting up food and building structures. This is a period of time that has always fascinated me since my childhood obsession with the Little House books, and I was glad to have reminders of that in this (much more adult) series. One of the things I like best about historical fiction is the insight it gives readers into how people lived in a particular place and time, not just the big events that everyone learns about in school.

And, without giving too much away, there was quite a lot that happened in the book that surprised me, especially the storyline with Bree and Roger, and the plot with Ian. His story especially was part of the reason I could not put the book down in the second half - I just had to know what was going to happen with him!

One of my only complaints is how much Fergus has been pushed to the sidelines now that he's set up with his own family. I really like him -- indeed, he was perhaps my favorite character in books #2-3 -- and hope he becomes a more central character in the future (though not, I suppose, if that must come at the expense of his family!)

“Forgiveness is not a single act, but a matter of constant practice”

Keep reading! Beth

An Arsonist's Guide to Writer's Homes in New England by Brock Clarke

An Arsonist's Guide to Writer's Homes in New England (2007) by Brock Clarke is an interesting book, one I was a little conflicted about for most of the time I was reading.

Following a completely avoidable accident that landed him in jail as a teenager, Sam Pulsifer's short break of normalcy following being released from prison as an adult is disrupted when his past comes back to haunt him (somewhat literally). Surrounded by other people also making poor decisions, this story was somewhat frustrating but also endearing at the same time; even though it was painful to read as Sam makes mistake after mistake, you can't help but feel for the guy.

At the end, I was mostly glad to have read the book. But one note of caution: do not bother to read this at all if you have a particular problem with main narrators who are (self-professed) bumbling idiots who make nothing but the obviously wrong decisions in every situation. There's a lot of that. But there is also decent character development, an interesting literary connection, and somewhat amusingly dysfunctional family relationships.

“If only my mother had a book to hold, she wouldn't have looked so lonely. And maybe this was another reason why people read: not so they would feel less lonely, but so that other people would think they looked less lonely with a book in their hands and therefore not pity them and leave them alone.”

Keep reading! Beth

Mr. Splitfoot by Samantha Hunt

Here are the words that came to me as I read Mr. Splitfoot (2016) by Samantha Hunt:

dysfunction
chaos
suspense
sadness
fear
confusion 

A strange book, about which I was unsure for most of the time I was reading. Even more than half-way through, I was wondering why I was actually still reading it, especially as there was not nearly as much fantasy as the front flap description implied. But the story kept me going; I wasn't necessarily loving or even enjoying the book, but I really wanted to know what happened next.

Then twist ending made it worth it -- not only was it surprising, but it also resolved everything pretty neatly (which I always appreciate). A few things still left unsaid maybe, but anything not specifically explained was at least suggested -- good enough for me.

After I finished reading, this was one of those books that I had to just sit and think about for a few minutes, especially regarding people's general goodness (or lack thereof). The story really turned an unpleasant mirror on a sub-set of our culture most people try to ignore / forget about. Overall, this was a very interesting book that really made me think, and I was glad to have read it.

“Why do the living assume the dead know better than we do? Like they gained some knowledge by dying, but why wouldn't they just be the same confused people they were before they died?”

Keep reading! Beth

First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen

First Frost (2015) by Sarah Addison Allen was a lovely, uplifting sequel to Garden Spells (see my review of that book here). A heartwarming tale of belonging and families and relationships, knowing who you are and embracing that. Filled with very likable characters, who were flawed but (mostly) good, this book was an easy, comfortable read.

I really identified with Sydney's daughter Bay, now a high-school student set apart from her classmates by her different-ness. Though she is not shunned, she still feels 'other' and slightly isolated, knowing what she wants but not knowing how to get it -- while also dealing with the normal issues of growing up.

And even though I was frustrated by the way Sydney handled her receptionist Violet's issues, it was clear that Sydney knew it was frustrating for herself even, which made it much more understandable. (And, not to spoil anything, but I guess it worked out alright in the end...).

Overall, I would highly recommend both Garden Spells and First Frost when you want something that will captivate you without making you think too hard.

“It had taken her a long time to realize that a prison sometimes isn't a prison at all. Sometimes, it's simply a door you assume is locked because you've never tried to open it.” 

Keep reading! Beth

The Saints of the Lost and Found by T.M. Causey

Today, enjoy a guest post from staff member Lindsey! 

Avery Marie Broussard can see what other people have lost, from car keys to the greatest loss of their lives. Born to con artists, she is used by her parents to make millions over the course of her childhood. After a traumatic event, she finally escapes her hometown -- only to be lured back home by her family, where she is forced to confront the life and love she left so abruptly.

The Saints of the Lost and Found (2016) was utterly gripping. Causey did an amazing job delving into the psyche of someone who is constantly bombarded by the images and the pain of lost things. This is a story where someone’s superhuman abilities come at a heavy cost, and I came to greatly admire Avery’s drive to put herself in danger to help others. Over the course of the book, more and more of Avery’s past comes to light -- both to her and the reader -- making the climax tie in expertly with past and present.

I refuse to tell you any more about this book for fear of spoiling it for you but I will tell you this: I just finished the book and I am going read it again right now. I tore through it so fast the first time that I want to go back and really appreciate the story.

This is a quick read and well worth your time.

Keep reading! Lindsey

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

The Darkest Part of the Forest (2015) by Holly Black was a great book! It kept me engaged and interested from beginning to end. I loved all the characters and the integration of the fairy world with the real world in just this one small town. The main character Hazel is reckless and headstrong, but also brave and kind.

Hazel's relationships with both her brother -- how much they loved and looked after one another -- and with her brother's best friend and fairy changeling, Jack, were really deep and interesting. The secondary storyline of Jack's journey, feeling out of place and slightly isolated -- with his peers being at times amazed and at other times afraid of his otherness -- was also really moving and compelling.

Lastly, I especially enjoy when 'villains' are given some depth and meaning to what they are doing, which this story does very well. Even though the 'villains' in this story aren't even human, and it would have been easy to simply make them evil in a black-and-white sense, Black really gives some insight into why they do what they do, and how different perspectives allow actions to be interpreted in many different ways.

“They were in love with him because he was a prince and a faerie and magical and you were supposed to love princes and faeries and magic people. They loved him the way they’d loved Beast the first time he swept Belle around the dance floor in her yellow dress. They loved him as they loved the Eleventh Doctor with his bow tie and his flippy hair and the Tenth Doctor with his mad laugh. They loved him as they loved lead singers of bands and actors in movies, loved him in such a way that their shared love brought them closer together.”

Keep reading! Beth

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

Garden Spells (2007) by Sarah Addison Allen is a book about family with just a touch of fantasy, and a Southern romance with a lot of whimsy.

I loved the quirky setting and the exaggerated characters of each of the families in this small, unique town. And I liked how fantasy elements were just woven into the story, as if that's how things are in the real world -- magic is always just right there under the surface waiting for the right circumstances to come out. Even a simple, everyday action like cooking food or cutting hair can create its own magic.

But the magic was only a small part of the book; the story itself is about relationships: romantic and familial, exciting, strained, and violent. At the heart of the story is the bond between two sisters who have had an unusual and not altogether loving relationship in the past. But the differences that kept them apart as children and young adults are also the things that have the potential to connect them as adults now that they are reunited. I liked that this was the relationship at the core of the book, and the rest of the story lines with romantic partners and others was important but somewhat secondary.

The secondary characters were all interesting and compelling, and the main characters were very easy to like and sympathize with. That combined with a great story and lovely, unique setting made this a really wonderful book.

“When you're happy for yourself, it fills you. When you're happy for someone else, it pours over. It was almost too bright to watch.” 

Keep reading! Beth