1979

Allie. I’m often reluctant to open the first novel in a planned series, since I know that if I like it, there will be a larger queue building of books I will want to read in the future. Once I picked up Val McDermid’s novel titled, 1979, and met protagonist and journalist Allie Burns, I knew I would read all future installments. Allie is the rare woman working for Scotland’s daily newspaper, The Clarion. McDermid describes life in Scotland in 1979 with great skill, and we watch Allie hold her own as she investigates stories and finds comfort at work and in life. Fans of crime fiction are those readers most likely to appreciate the character and plot development in this novel. I’m already wondering what Allie will do next. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase 1979 from amazon.com.

Crossroads

Feast. A multi-course feast for readers who enjoy finely written literary fiction begins as Jonathan Franzen presents the first course, a novel titled, Crossroads, introducing the Hildebrandt family, mostly in the 1970s. Franzen polishes each family member’s character through finely written dialogue, backstory, and omniscient revelation of deep inner lives. Russ Hildebrandt is a hapless associate pastor at a suburban Chicago Protestant church, and he becomes something of a comic foil through his foibles and weaknesses. His wife, Marian, entered their marriage with secrets, and the more we discover her depths, the more we appreciate her rage, no longer repressed. The children are each developed with empathy and insight and face their own setbacks. While the title refers to a teen group at the church, it also describes and presents the turning places for each family member of the course of this novel. I loved this first course and found Franzen more sympathetic to these characters than he’d been with earlier novels. The religious themes in this novel can be examined by any reader through additional reflection, and there should be plenty of time to digest this novel before we are presented with the next installment. Rating: Five-star (I love it) Click here to purchase Crossroads from amazon.com.

L.A. Weather

Control. If you think weather in Los Angeles (sunny and warm) is boring, you have not been paying attention. To remedy that, consider reading Maria Amparo Escandón’s novel titled, L.A. Weather. We meet the Alvarado family as aspects of their life seem to be out of control. Peril is at hand for reasons known and kept secret. Renewal is required but brings risks. Readers will enjoy spending time with this fascinating extended family as they navigate the storms of life together and apart. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase L A Weather from amazon.com.

Graceland, At Last: Notes on Hope and Heartache From the American South

Columns. Margaret Renkl’s column in The New York Times makes my “must read” list every Monday. Sixty of those columns from recent years have been collected and slightly revised for a book titled, Graceland, At Last: Notes on Hope and Heartache From the American South. What I want from a short essay is some observation and insight about the world that makes me think a little bit harder and longer about something important. These columns reflect observation and insight and wisdom that always encourages me to think. Renkl’s prose is finely written, and whether you’ve read her before or start here, you’re likely to find yourself thinking a little harder and longer about something. Rating: Five-star (I love it) Click here to purchase Graceland At Last from amazon.com.

Rock Paper Scissors

Lies. The plot twists are reason enough for thriller fans to pick up Alice Feeney’s novel titled, Rock Paper Scissors. Something is not quite right in the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Wright. Adam is a screenwriter whose face blindness means he cannot recognize faces, even those closest to them. When the couple head to the Scottish Highlands, the lies in their marriage start to unravel, and Feeney offers readers one twist after another as the truth eludes us. The narrative proceeds from multiple perspectives and readers remain uncertain right to the end of the novel. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Rock Paper Scissors from amazon.com.

Matrix

Marie. Fans of compelling and complex fictional characters are those readers who will love Marie, the protagonist of Lauren Groff’s novel titled, Matrix. Marie is the half-sister of Eleanor of Aquitaine who has dismissed the seventeen-year-old from the royal court and sends her to join a remote group of impoverished nuns. Marie thrives in the abbey where her leadership transforms the community and builds self-sufficiency. Groff imagines all that a woman could accomplish in the 12th century within an abbey free from life with men. The prose is finely written, and medieval life comes alive on these pages. Readers who enjoy historical fiction, especially with strong female characters, are those most likely to enjoy this novel. Rating: Five-star (I love it) Click here to purchase Matrix from amazon.com.

Olympus, Texas

Infidelity. The Greek myths visit the Lone Star State and the Briscoe family in Stacey Swann’s debut novel titled, Olympus, Texas. First, draw the rural Texas town of your choice. Second, introduce the town’s leading family and imbue them with hubris and infidelity. Third, multiply the characters and stir. The result gives a contemporary take on mythology and the glories of dysfunctional families. Grab some popcorn, watch the family fireworks, and try to predict the next wrong turn in Briscoe family life. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Olympus Texas from amazon.com.