Tag: Books
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“Bad Nature” by Ariel Courage
Hester, the heroine of Ariel Courage’s debut novel “Bad Nature,” is a 40-year-old New York lawyer with no family and no friends, and to top it off, she is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Refusing the treatment, she instead decides to fulfill her goal, which she has been carrying for years, always sure that it will…
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“Something Rotten” by Andrew Lipstein
Cecilie and Reuben are a young, professional New York couple working in journalism. However, after Reuben has been canceled from his NPR job, Cecilie is now the sole breadwinner while Reuben stays home taking care of their firstborn. Neither one of them is particularly happy with the situation. Reuben fulfills his parental duties but doesn’t…
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“Hotel Lucky Seven” by Kotaro Isaka
Nanao, the unlucky assassin in the newest novel by Kotaro Isaka, is so unfortunate that, according to him, whenever he decides to go to a temple for ritual cleansing, the priest is sure to slip into the puddle of water and cancel the entire ceremony. However, the latest job seems simple–delivering a framed painting to…
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“Soft Core” by Brittany Newell
“Soft Core” by Brittany Newell is an unusual and enchanting novel. It reads almost like a memoir, a first-person account of a young woman’s time working as a stripper and later a dominatrix in San Francisco. Being a stripper is almost accidental; however, it puts her into a world of people who, for different reasons,…
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“Agnes Sharp and the Trip of a Lifetime” by Leonie Swann
I enjoyed reading the first book in the Agnes Sharp series and found the second one even better. The elderly residents of Sunset Hall – Agnes, Edwina, Bernadette, Charlie, Marshall, and Winston – go on vacation to a fancy, secluded Cornish hotel, partially because Edwina won a romantic gateway for two and everybody wants to…
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“Parade” by Rachel Cusk
“Parade” is the first book by Rachel Cusk that I read. I learned that the author is a well-known novelist with a unique style and fans who eagerly await her next book. Starting with this novel may not be the best way for me to explore Cusk’s work. On the plus side, after finishing “Parade,”…
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“The Dark Wives” by Ann Cleeves
The institution of privately owned care homes for troubled teens in England is controversial. Running them should be a noble mission, but without sufficient state control, it can evolve into a business like any other, subject to negligence. Additionally, for the residents of such houses, their temporary homes and proximity to other teens like themselves…
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“A Refiner’s Fire” by Donna Leon
In her 33rd installment of the series, Donna Leon once again transports us to the enchanting city of Venice, guiding us through the labyrinthine streets alongside Commissario Brunetti. While I may have missed a few of the series’ novels, my fondness for them remains steadfast, a testament to Leon’s captivating world. This time, the story…
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“The Second Sword: A Tale from the Merry Month of May, and My Day in the Other Land: A Tale of Demons” by Peter Handke
The two novellas of Peter Handke – “The Second Sword” and “My Day in the Other Land” are connected by the motive of a journey. In “The Second Sword,” the same man who was a protagonist of another Handke’s novel, “The Fruit Thief,” once more decides to leave his home –as usual, he leaves the…
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“The Fury” by Alex Michaelides
Alex Michaelides took the psychological thriller world by storm a few years ago, publishing “The Silent Patient.” It was hard to avoid seeing his book, and, being a psychological thriller aficionado, I had to read it. I loved it. Later, I enjoyed his next book, “The Maidens.” Again, a college setting is one of my…
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