Hey Readers,
As promised, here’s a recent reads post. While it’s titled September 2023, it’s going to include some of what I’ve read earlier this year as well (since I didn’t post for so long!).
Nonfiction
Dinners with Ruth by Nina Totenberg
This book caught my eye for two reasons: 1) it was about friendship 2) it was about RBG.
To address the first point, I am always happy to read a book that illustrates the necessity and beauty of strong friendships. To address the second, I, admittedly, didn’t learn much about Judge Bader-Ginsburg’s life while she was alive, and since she caused some polarization, I was curious to learn more from someone who knew her as a friend.
Though at times Ms. Totenberg can seem a bit rambly, she does give an insider’s view on being a woman with a career when that wasn’t the norm, as well as some perspective on the life of a Supreme Court judge. Along the way, you hear about both her career and Judge Bader-Ginsburg’s career, and how their friendship stood the test of time, deaths, illness, and careers. Audio version is narrated by the author.
The Answer Is . . . by Alex Trebek
I’ll admit it: I picked this one up mainly because of nostalgia – and I was interested to know about the life of the man I only knew as the host of Jeopardy.
The audiobook was well done, and Trebek himself narrates a few parts of the book. The parts that he couldn’t, Ken Jennings narrated. I loved his humor, his no-nonsense retelling of some highlights of his life, as well as how he came to be known as the host of Jeopardy.
Several anecdotes were amusing, such as his encounter with the Queen, while others were poignant mostly because his type of work ethic, attitude, and commitment are seemingly disappearing. Not many people can say they did the same job for a few decades anymore. I also loved how each chapter title was worded as a question or an answer from Jeopardy; he certainly packed on the nostalgia, and I ate it up.
Fiction
The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor
Based on a true story, this Titanic retelling focuses on a group of immigrants who leave Ireland to sail to the U.S. on the Titanic. It has a dual timeline between the great-granddaughter of a survivor and the memories of the survivor herself. I found it fascinating, heart-rending, and compelling. I definitely recommend it.
The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry
This is one of those books that defies genre. It’s part magical, part historical fiction, part realistic fiction…and it is one of the best books I’ve read all year.
The basics are that two sisters were sent away from London to live with a family in the countryside, but somehow, the younger sister disappears. The older sister Hazel forevermore blames herself, but also never gives up hope that her sister is somehow alive – despite the evidence pointing to the contrary.
One day, at her job in a rare bookstore, a book arrives that has the basic premise of a made-up world that only Hazel and her younger sister knew. Might the author be her long-lost sister? Though at risk of losing her job and her boyfriend, Hazel once again starts digging up the past using this book as her first real lead in decades.
A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan
The title makes it sound boring, right? Well, except for the dragon part. This fantastical book is set in a regency England-type country, in a world where dragons exist but are not well-known or understood. This book (and series) is written as a memoir from the main character’s perspective.
This is the first in a series, and I read the first two books. However, I didn’t enjoy the second nearly as much as I enjoyed the first. What I did enjoy was the “author” and her sass, spunk, and adventurous spirit, as well as her hindsight perspective on how her “adventurous” spirit was viewed by those closest to her, and society. She does speak quite plainly about sex, but she admits the “scandalous” nature of speaking so freely and claims the right of old age to do so. Somehow that made it more palatable for me.
The Lightbringer Series by Brent Weeks
I have spent most of my reading time in the last couple of months working my way through this series. A friend recommended it to me, saying it was for people who like Brandon Sanderson books. I can absolutely see why.
Brent Weeks has created a whole world with a special kind of magic that only certain people inherit. With it comes an entire culture, religion and world history, and a battle of good versus evil.
What has kept me reading despite the gargantuan size of the books (the 2nd one tops out over 700 pages!) is that . . . though I can tell that there is good and evil, I really can’t figure out which is which and who is good or bad. There are a dizzying amount of characters and backstory, but the problem is that with each new book, you find out that the backstory you thought was true, was actually based on lies. It’s both frustrating and tantalizing! It’s been awhile since I couldn’t figure out a book (or series) like this. I’m on book four of five and I hope the ending is as satisfying as it has been to read.
Content caveats: I would definitely recommend this for adults only (maaaybe upper high school, depending on the teen). There are plenty of cuss words, lots of talk of sex (though not many “open door” scenes that I can think of). There’s also some abuse triggers and lots of violence since, you know, there’s a war happening.
What are your recent reads? You know I always love a good book recommendation 🙂
a Look at a Book 
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