Nick

Carraway. Have you ever imagined the life of the narrator of The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway, and what experiences led him to his time in West Egg? In his novel titled, Nick, Michael Farris Smith offers readers one way to think differently about this fictional character. In Smith’s telling, Nick has been traumatized by war and the loss of love. Instead of heading from the trenches of France back home to Minnesota, he changes trains in Chicago and goes to New Orleans where he loses himself in new ways and heals in others. After just a few pages, I gave little thought to Fitzgerald’s Nick Carraway, because Smith’s life of Nick before Gatsby offers a compelling story in its own right, and this complex Carraway will appeal to those readers who enjoy richly developed characters whether new, familiar, or imitated. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Nick from amazon.com.

The Law of Innocence

Defendant. The sixth installment of Michael Connelly’s Lincoln Lawyer series featuring defense attorney Mickey Haller is a novel titled, The Law of Innocence. Haller’s world turns upside down after he is arrested for murder and has to defend himself from jail. Mickey knows that he’s innocent although the evidence looks bad for him, and that to restore his reputation he will need to find the real murderer. Fans of crime fiction and this series are those readers most likely to enjoy this novel. I enjoyed the plot momentum and the return of familiar and interesting characters. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase The Law of Innocence from amazon.com.

Rise Up: Confronting a Country at the Crossroads

Activism. Reverend Al Sharpton offers a commentary about contemporary social justice issues in his book titled, Rise Up: Confronting a Country at the Crossroads. This lifelong preacher knows how to listen and how to speak. This book presents a message about activism and its importance as we respond to injustice. Sharpton invites us to examine our core values and apply them to the challenges of modern life. Street protests can make many citizens uncomfortable while allowing a voice for the victims of injustice to be heard. In the calmness of wherever it is you read, consider absorbing this book and finding the form of activism that you find appropriate to meet the challenges of this time in America. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Rise Up from amazon.com.

A Lie Someone Told You About Yourself

Fatherhood. Any parent reading Peter Ho Davies’ novel titled, A Lie Someone Told You About Yourself, will ache for the unnamed characters at the heart of the story. After testing in utero reveals the likelihood of abnormality, a mother and father struggle with the choice of whether or not to abort the pregnancy. We feel their struggle with this decision and the guilt and shame that they face. When their next pregnancy produces a son, we see parenting mostly from the father’s perspective, as parents exude love for this most wanted boy who has secured a place on the autism spectrum. Davies’ fine writing and insights into fatherhood will propel readers through this novel and into thinking about many dimensions of fatherhood. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase A Lie Someone Told You About Yourself from amazon.com.

The Less Dead

Search. Before you commit to searching for something or someone, do you ever hesitate with second thoughts about what you might find? In her novel titled, The Less Dead, Denise Mina’s protagonist, Dr. Margo Dunlap goes on a search for her birth mother following the death of her adoptive mother. What Margo finds on her search shakes her bearings and unsettles her life. Mina offers darkness and humor in this novel, and contrasts characters whose life choices made all the difference. Rating: Three-star (It’s ok) Click here to purchase The Less Dead from amazon.com.

His & Hers

Deception. Three narrators alternate chapters in Alice Feeney’s psychological thriller titled, His & Hers. The plot will hook most readers quickly as we meet interesting and complex characters and develop suspicions about almost all of them. We find ample motivation in lots of characters to commit murder, and not many are eliminated from suspicion quickly. Readers who love plot twists and thrillers are those most likely to enjoy this exciting novel. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase His & Hers from amazon.com.

His Only Wife

Undaunted. Readers who love strong female protagonists will enjoy meeting Afi Tekple in Peace Adzo Medie’s debut novel titled, His Only Wife. Afi works as a seamstress in Ho, a small Ghanaian village. After her mother encourages Afi to marry a wealthy businessman named Elikem, the favored son of their landlady who is the mother’s bossy employer and head of a prominent family. Medie explores the ways in which individuals scheme and manipulate different family members who fall in and out of favor for various reasons. Afi moves to Accra and quickly adjusts to finding her way in a larger world with a husband who neglects her, works hard, and has another loving relationship and a child he loves living in a home he owns and with his complete support. We cheer Afi as she stands up for herself, undaunted by the pressures coming from her family and her husband’s. This is one of those engaging novels that will animate your next Zoom book club meeting. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase His Only Wife from amazon.com.