We Run the Tides by Vendela Vida
251 pages

What’s it about?
 This coming of age story takes us back to the early 1980's in San Francisco.  Eulabee is in eight grade and wanders the streets of Sea Cliff with her best friend Maria Fabiola.  ​When a lie ruptures the  friendship between Eulabee and Maria we see how quickly an adolescent girl's world  can change.

What did it make me think about?
This novel captures a particular time in life.  ​"We are thirteen, almost fourteen, and these streets of Sea Cliff are ours.  We walk these streets to our school perched high over the Pacific and we run these streets to the beaches, which are cold, windswept, full of fisherman and freaks.  We know these wide streets and how they slope, how they curve toward the shore and we know their houses." 

Should I read it?
There was something about this slim novel that really caught me. This book definitely had some sections that were stronger than others but it just captured a city at a particular time.  The neighborhood of Sea Cliff is almost a character in itself.  Ms. Vida writes about adolescence in a way that takes you back.  I really enjoyed this book.

Quote-
​"I run to the water's edge and the cold ocean licks my toes.  Without touching my face I can feel it's wet with fog and tears and sweat.  I stand there, on the cusp of the ocean and listen to its loud inhale. And then it recedes and takes everything from childhood with it- the porcelain dolls, the tap-dancing shoes, the concert ticket stubs, the tiny trophies, and the long, long swing."

If you liked this try-
Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett
​Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement
​Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
​The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

8 stars

Remember by Lisa Genova
253 pages

What’s it about?
 This slim non-fiction selection will inform you (in a clear, concise way) of the most important features of how we make and then retrieve memories.  Lisa Genova is the best selling author of Still Alice and she is a great storyteller.  As our population ages more and more people are facing memory issues.  Ms. Genova is a strong and informed voice telling us not to panic, that forgetting is just as important to our memory as remembering.  "Forgetting is quite important; it helps us function every day in all kids of ways. It's advantageous for us to get rid of any unnecessary, irrelevant, interfering, or even painful memories that can potentially distract us or cause us to make mistakes or feel miserable. Sometimes we need to forget one thing in order to pay attention to- and remember- another, and so in this way, forgetting can facilitate better memory."  ​Who knew?

What did it make me think about?
 I just found this fascinating.  Lisa Genova makes a complex system easy to understand, and she is reassuring of our fallibilities at the same time.  
 
Should I read it?
 Anyone who is interested in memory issues or neuroscience will enjoy this quick book.  There are lots of takeaways and they coincide with health suggestions across the board- eat a healthy diet, exercise, sleep, and continue to learn new things are just some of the suggestions. She also suggests looking up from your phone once in awhile. "We live in a constantly connected, go-go-go time plagued by distraction. Your smartphone, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, text alerts, e-mail, incessantly racing thoughts- all of these are attention thieves and, by extension, memory thieves."  Pick up this book and maybe you will even remember the details a month later.  FYI- I might not- but at least after reading the book I will understand why I forgot the details....

Quote-
​"The number one reason for forgetting what you just said, a person's name, where you put your phone, and whether already drove over a really big bridge is lack of attention.  You can't remember later what is right in front of you if you don't pay attention to it."

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Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
Gut by Giulia Enders
The Lucky Years by David B. Agus M.D.
​The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis

8 1/2 stars

Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny
317 pages

What’s it about?
 When Jane moves to Boyne City, Michigan to start a job as a second grade teacher she does not expect to fall in love with the town's biggest ladies man.  Jane easily falls into a relationship with Duncan.  However, Jane adds not only Duncan to her life- but a  whole cast of characters come along with this relationship.  As Jane's relationship with Duncan (and the town) slowly  evolve we see how her life, loves,  and perspectives change.

What did it make me think about?
 This book (much like life) rewards those who stick with it.  I read and loved "Standard Deviation" by Katherine Heiny a few years ago and have been waiting for her next book.

Should I read it?
This novel was such a sweet, warm story. It's pace and character driven plot reminded me of "Empire Falls" by Richard Russo (which I loved twenty years ago).  If you are looking for a story with humor, love, and hope this is a good summer pick.

Quote-
​"Jimmy ducked his head in a pleased way.  It was so easy to make Jimmy happy.  It was actually easy to make almost anyone happy.  Why didn't she do more of it?"

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Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick
Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland
The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman

8 1/2 stars

Good Apple Tales of a Southern Evangelical in New York by Elizabeth Passarella
232 pages

What’s it about?
 Elizabeth Passarella works in journalism and has made a home in New York City.  In this memoir she discusses her Southern heritage, evangelism, marriage, parenting, and her love of  New York City.

What did it make me think about?
 Elizabeth Passarella would be fun to have dinner with.

Should I read it?
 I kept thinking that this book was having an identity crisis.  It was definitely a memoir but in what other category would it fit- Christian, parenting, marriage, humor?  Somehow Ms. Passarella makes it work- even though I am still not sure how to categorize this one.  It was enjoyable.  A step into a different life.  Plus who doesn't love a woman who admits her faults!

Quote-
"The whole calling New Yorkers elitist is not much of a sting, to start.  I'm not justifying it- only the shaman here- but, yeah, they are very happy to be elitist and do not consider this to be in any way an insult.  Explaining the gobsmacked misery that was New York the day after the election had as much to do with surprise as it did with the homogeneity of politics.  I'll put it in terms my Southern beloved can understand: picture being at a bowl game between Auburn and, I don't know, Brown, and Brown wins."

If you liked this try-
I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott​
Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle
​Everything Happens for a Reason and other Lies I have Loved by Kate Bower
​And Now We Have Everything by Meaghan O'Connell

​7 stars

The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell
206 pages

What’s it about?
 The Bomber Mafia is the name of a group of strategic military leaders that began working together at Maxwell Field in Alabama after World War 1.  They believed that warfare would change now that airplanes were becoming more sophisticated.  Their hope was that precision bombing would take out critical infrastructure and shorten the length of wars- thus minimizing heavy casualties.  Precision bombing and their idealism are both put to the test during World War 2.

What did it make me think about?
 This story reminded me that the choices we make say a lot about us as people.  Malcolm Gladwell writes,  "We live in an era when new tools and technologies and innovations emerge every day.  But the only way those new technologies serve some higher purpose is if a dedicated band of believers insists that they be used to that purpose."  

Should I read it?
 I believe Malcom Gladwell could make any topic interesting.  

Quote-
"The whole argument of the Bomber Mafia, their whole reason for being, was that they didn't want to cross the line.  They weren't just advancing a technological argument.  They were also advancing a moral argument about how to wage war."

If you liked this try-
One Summer by Bill Bryson
The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson
​The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis
The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

8 stars​

The Push by Ashley Audrain
303 pages

What’s it about?
 Blythe Connor is newly married and madly in love.  Her husband wants a family, but she is worried about becoming a mother.  Her family has a history of women who do not take to motherhood.  When she finds herself pregnant she is determined to be a good mother and break the mold.  

What did it make me think about?
 Are we reliable witnesses to our own history?

Should I read it?
I love an author who knows what he/she is writing.  This book never veers from being a strong psychological thriller.  I can't imagine we won't be seeing this on every beach towel this summer.

Quote-
"I felt like I would never have with her what you had.
'It's all in your head,'  you said to me whenever I brought it up.  'You've created this story about the two of you, and you can't let it go.' "

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Girl A by Abigail Dean
​The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
​My Sunshine Away by M.O. Walsh
​The Boy in the Field by Margot Livesey

​9 stars

What Comes After by Joanne Tompkins
416 pages

What’s it about?
Daniel and Issac are best friends from childhood.  When they reach their teen years the differences between them become more evident.  When both boys die within days of each other, their families must come to terms with the circumstances.  In the midst of this a young, pregnant teenage girl arrives alone and in need of help.  What place does she have in the boys' deaths?

What did it make me think about?
 How do we come to terms with an insufferable loss?  What does how we handle these situations say about us as a person?

Should I read it?
This was a mystery at the core, but it touches on so many themes.  Of course loss, but also anger, love, family, and ultimately hope.  I really enjoyed this one.  I liked it so much that when I accidentally returned it to the library with 30 pages left- I just went out and bought it.  I recommend this one for all the mystery and literary fiction fans out there.
 
Quote-
"Wasn't it the anger lurking beneath the surface that killed things in the end?"

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My Sunshine Away by M.O. Walsh
​The Boy in the Field by Margot Livesey
The Long and Faraway Gone by Lou Berney
​Norwegian by Night by Derek B. Miller

8 1/2 stars
​

The Girl With the Louding Voice by Abi Dare
366 pages

What’s it about?
 Adunni is just fourteen years-old and living in a small town in Nigeria.  All she has ever wanted was to go to school and become a teacher. Her dreams of school end when her mother suddenly dies.  Her father decides to marry her off as the third wife to an old man in exchange for food and rent money.  The old man  has hopes of Adunni bearing him a son.  When a sudden tragedy strikes, Adunni runs away to the big city of Lagos. She feels lucky to get work as a domestic servant until she realizes she is not getting paid, and as always her voice is being silenced by those in power.

What did it make me think about?
I loved that this story showed not only the cruelty , but also the kindness in Nigerian culture.

Should I read it?
This was an interesting story about Nigeria.  It has a cast of bigger than life characters.   Some you will hate and some you will love.  Adunni is a great narrator- don't miss meeting her!

Quote-
"She cough a little, shift herself on the floor mat, keep talking.  'In this village, if you go to school, no one will be forcing you to marry any man.  But if you didn't go to school, they will marry you to any man once you are reaching fifteen years old.  Your schooling is your voice, child.  It will be speaking for you even if you didn't open your mouth to talk.  It will be speaking till the day God is calling you to come.'  
     That day, I tell myself that even if I am not getting anything in this life, I will go to school.  I will finish my primary and secondary and university schooling and become a teacher because I don't just want to be having any kind of voice...
​       I want a louding voice."

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Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
Hum If You Don't Know The Words by Bianca Marais
​If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo​

8 1/2 stars

No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood
208 pages

What’s it about?
 This story is narrated by a social media superstar.  She makes her living traveling the world to speak to the many fans who view her observations on "the portal". The post that brought her to notoriety was ("Can a dog be twins?").  This novel is split into Part 1 and Part 2.  The first section of the book seems to be the narrator sharing her glib, wry observations about humanity while living in "the portal".  In Part 2 real life interrupts. The narrator's sharp observations are written in short paragraphs that hit us like a barrage of her thoughts.

What did it make me think about?
This is SO much a novel of 2020.  It almost seems like it should be date-stamped and put into a time capsule.  I could not help but think that Patricia Lockwood is incredibly talented, and at the same time her talent is so distinctly of her generation.  A talent that has come of age on the internet.  Her writing is comprised of quick staccato observations that are made for a quick post.
 
Should I read it?
Someone that I actually know (and can sit in a room with) needs to read this book so we can talk about it!  I won't give too much away but I thought the two parts of the novel were distinct for a reason. The first part of the book was funny- but almost in a harsh, irreverent, trying too hard way- maybe like much of social media itself.  "Our mothers could not stop using horny emojis.  They used the winking one with its tongue out on our birthdays, they sent us long rows of the spurting three droplets when it rained.  We had told them a thousand times, but they never listened- as long as they lived and loved us, as long as they split themselves open to have us, they would send us the peach in peach season.
NEVER SEND ME THE EGGPLANT AGAIN, MOM!  she texted.  I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU'RE COOKING FOR DINNER."
So I couldn't help but laugh, but at the same time it seems kind of condescending....  Perhaps Patricia Lockwood is highlighting what can happen to the way you view the world when you spend a considerable amount of your life online and posting for the reaction of others (Part 1).   It takes a big event to push her towards real relationships and off "the portal",  "He looks like he's doing a good job, she decided finally.  I bet his mom is proud of him, which is what she thought about most people she encountered these days.".   It's the juxtaposition of these two lives that makes the novel worth reading- and worth talking about.  

Quote-
"What did we have a right to expect from this life?  What were the terms of the contract? What had the politician promised us?  The realtor, walking us through being's beautiful house?  Could we sue?  We would sue! Could we blow it all open?  We would blow it all open.!  Could we...... could we post about it?"

If you liked this try-
Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
A Children's Bible by Lydia Millet
The Incendiaries by R.O. Kwon
What Are You Going Through by Sigrid Nunez

9 stars

 This Close to Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith
305 pages

What’s it about?
 When Tallie Clark sees a man standing on the edge of a bridge she cannot stop herself from pulling over.  She convinces the man to come for a cup of coffee with her.  Over the course of the weekend they will make a difference in each other's lives.

What did it make me think about?
 This was such a hopeful book!  This book is about the importance of connecting with other people (even strangers), and the ability to move forward no matter what.

Should I read it?
This story hit that sweet spot for me this week.  I was ready for a book with functional people who are willing to help each other.  What a nice change of pace this was!
​
Quote-
"Tallie saw him drop his backpack and climb over the metal railing, the bridge. "

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​Anxious People by Frederik Backman
The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman
Virgil Wander by Leif Enger

8 stars