Author: carol

Looking for a Sweet Read?

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Raised by her Navy Admiral father, spoiled-rotten social influencer Maddy Montgomery’s life is pretty cushy until she is left at the altar by her successful doctor fiancé, and her dreams of being the perfect housewife are dashed. Coincidentally, Maddy has just inherited her Great-Aunt Octavia’s home and bakery. Because Octavia lived in New Bison, Michigan and not L. A., Maddy decides she will sell the lot to get back on her feet.

Upon arriving in New Bison to handle the sale, however, Maddy learns that her inheritance has strings attached. Per Octavia’s will, Maddy must live in the house and run the bakery for a full year before selling. Octavia has also left Maddy a not-so-little something else – in the form of a loving and fiercely protective, 200-pound slobbering English Mastiff named Baby!

Maddy doesn’t know the first thing about dogs, and she can’t even boil an egg. Lucky for her, she is welcomed with open arms by the delightful group of workers at Baby Cakes Bakery. They’ll even let Maddy continue hosting their monthly Sherlock Holmes mystery club and try to teach her to bake. But not everyone is happy that Maddy has come to town, and within 36 hours of her arrival, she is accused of murder and will need all the help she can get solving the crime.

Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns is a delightful cozy mystery with a well-developed cast of characters, plenty of humor, delicious recipes to try at home and the most adorable giant dog I’ve read about in a long time. Don’t miss this fantastic start to a new series that will leave you eagerly awaiting the sequel.

-Carol

Looking for a Bit of Romance?

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Marlowe Banks, a talented Broadway costume designer ran off to L.A. after her last play’s design was panned. At the same time, Marlowe broke off her engagement to a fiancé who only made her feel bad about herself. Having taken a huge step down, Marlowe now works as a lowly production assistant on the cheesy hit television show, Heart’s Diner. Her boss is demanding, and her tasks are mostly menial, but at least, Marlowe rationalizes, she is still in the game.

The day that Marlowe accidentally dumps coffee on the show’s bad-boy megastar Angus Gordon, she is mortified. She is forced into his orbit again later that same week when she saves the day by stepping in front of the camera and into a walk-on role as a waitress. When the episode airs, a steamy look has been caught on film between Marlowe and Angus. Soon, the whole world starts “shipping” their characters. The writers give Marlowe more scenes, requiring more one-on-one time between her and Angus. But when Angus decides he wants to get to know the real Marlowe, off-screen, it’s going to take a lot more than a little charm to convince Marlow that Angus isn’t the arrogant actor he appears to be.

Marlowe Banks, Redesigned by Jacqueline Firkins is the best kind of contemporary romance –a smart and sexy slow burn with a thoughtful plot and compelling, believable and strong characters. If you loved The Devil Wears Prada, you’ll want to place your hold here –and then, be prepared to swoon!

-Carol

Book Review: Lark Ascending by Silas House

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In a future where fires ravage a North America that is run by extreme right-wing fundamentalists, 20-year-old Lark and his family have hidden away in the mountains of Maine for several years undisturbed. When ecological disasters begin to threaten their safety, their group secures passage on a boat headed to Ireland. After a terrible voyage they land, but only Lark has survived. Alone, he begins a harrowing journey by foot in search of Glendalough, a camp rumored to provide asylum. Along the way, Lark gains two companions – a dog named Seamus and Helen, a local woman who is familiar with the roads and the dangers of traveling them.

Lark Ascending by Silas House is a post-apocalyptic novel that is gorgeously written. Told by Lark at age 90, this novel about climate change, human behavior, resilience, survival and love will break your heart a few times on the way to its ultimately hopeful conclusion. Fans of Station Eleven and The Road should put this at the top of their to-read lists.

-Carol

A Page-Turner to Pick Up

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Sleepwalk
by Dan Chaon

Will Bear lives off the grid and travels across the country with his 60-pound Pitbull named Flip. Will works as a ‘fixer’ in order to clear his and his terrible mother’s debts, and his jobs are most often illegal ones, like assisting with black-market adoptions and cleaning up murder sites and sometimes worse. Will goes by at least six other aliases and carries multiple burner phone in order to stay untraceable, and he micro-doses LSD daily in order to cope with his PTSD – which makes the line between the reality and imaginary more than a little fuzzy for him.

It is between gigs when Will receives a call from a young woman named Cammie, who claims to be his daughter. Will, a one-time prolific sperm donor, wants to believe that Cammie is the real deal, but also thinks that his boss, a shadowy organization that he distrusts, might be trying to lure him to his demise. And how would Cammie, a stranger, have access to one of his burner phone numbers anyway?

Set in a near future where implants monitor the country’s population and an ecological disaster has left New York City underwater, this unconventional buddy road trip and adventure novel makes for a dangerous and rough ride. Though not for every reader, Sleepwalk by Dan Chaon is a mix of dystopian, crime and literary fiction that stars a big-hearted contract killer who is desperate to make a real connection. Don’t miss this unusual, compelling and unforgettable read by one of my favorite Ohio authors.

-Carol

Stay In…With a Laugh Out Loud Read

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Ms. Demeanor
by Elinor Lipman

Jane Morgan, a 39-year-old attorney, is caught having sex on the roof of her high-rise Manhattan apartment at midnight by a nosy neighbor with binoculars. Jane is charged with indecent exposure and is both fired from her firm and sentenced to six months of home confinement.

Jane’s perpetual cheerleader and current bill payer, her identical twin sister Jackleen, encourages Jane to use this down time to embrace her love of cooking by demonstrating old fashioned recipes on TikTok. When Jane discovers and introduces herself to (coincidentally) a neighbor who is also under house arrest, Jackleen prompts Jane to charge him for three home cooked meals a week.

Perry, who wears a less-than-fashionable location-monitoring ankle bracelet of his own, is intrigued by Jane as they spend time together over her meals. Eventually, the two begin to share in other evening activities —making things awkward when Jackleen decides she wants to date Perry, too.

Cabin fever gets the best of Jane, and she takes things a bit too far when she learns that her peeping tom (aka the witness to nudity on the rooftop and reason for Jane’s home incarceration) has died. Jane is curious if there was foul play and gets her parents to attend the woman’s wake —resulting in Jane inadvertently orchestrating a “green card” wedding for a Polish expatriate whose Visa has expired.

If this all sounds a bit mad-cap, it is! This novel is equal parts romance, mystery, comedy, and sibling rivalry story. Pick up Ms. Demeanor by the always witty Elinor Lipman. This quick read with its snarky lead character, breezy banter and hilarious hi-jinx will leave you laughing out loud.

-Carol

A Fashionably, Old-Fashioned Feeling Film

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If you are looking for a movie to warm your heart this new year, watch Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, starring Lesley Manville.

Mrs. Ada Harris has lived alone in London since her husband went missing in WWII. Working tirelessly as a house-cleaner to make her living, Mrs. Harris hasn’t allowed herself to want much. But in 1957, when her husband is finally declared deceased and she stumbles into some unexpected money, she decides to treat herself –to a couture Christian Dior dress after spotting one in an apartment she cleans.

Mrs. Harris jets off to Paris and is almost laughed out of the designer’s storefront for being far too ordinary for such a fancy dress. It is only the cash in her hand that gets her dress ordered from the famous design house, which is coincidentally having a hard time making financial ends meet.

As Mrs. Harris patiently waits for her dress to be fitted and sewn, her generosity, honesty, wholesomeness and hopeful outlook can’t help but change all who she encounters and will unwittingly make a lasting mark on the future of the House of Dior’s business plan.

This charming film, which is based on the 1958 novel Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico, is like a breath of fresh air that will transport you to 1950s England and Paris with impeccable acting, lush sets, and gorgeous period costuming. Watch this old-fashioned story about self-love, hope and not letting life pass you by. In the end, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris will leave you feeling that everything will be just fine.

-Carol

Carol’s Top Ten of 2022

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Here are my favorite books from this past year, listed alphabetically by author. Click on the titles to place holds on the ones you’d like to read, and maybe they’ll become your favorites, too.

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese

Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson

Horse by Geraldine Brooks

Lark Ascending by Silas House

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher

The Matchmaker’s Gift by Linda Cohen Loigman

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

The Swift and the Harrier by Minette Walters

Wishing you a happy holiday season and a happy new year filled with many great books!

-Carol

Time to Try Something Different

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I read If, Then by Kate Hope Day this weekend and cannot stop thinking about this debut work of speculative fiction.

In present-day Oregon, several neighbors who live in the shadow of Broken Mountain, a long-dormant volcano, begin having visions of themselves living alternate realities. These vision worlds are ‘could have been’s for some and ‘still could be’s to others, leaving the affected characters to wonder if they still have time to make better choices in their lives.

Among those with visions is Mark, a dad and scientist who is studying the effects of geothermal activity on animal behavior. Mark has visions of himself living in a tent in the wilderness. Convinced by this other Mark that a life changing environmental event is about to occur, he begins to build an underground shelter for his family. Meanwhile, his surgeon wife Ginny sees a different, happier version of herself, one in which she has left Mark to be with a coworker.

While not much action occurs in this well-written novel, I was swept up the possibility of what was to come with every page I turned. Pick up If, Then for an engrossing read with themes of regret, choice, and consequences. It’s good domestic drama that just happens to ask you to question the possibility of alternative universes along the way.

-Carol

A Read You’ll Race Through

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Geraldine Brook’s new novel Horse weaves together real and imagined history to tell the story of Lexington, one of the most famous racehorses of the 19th-Century.

In Georgetown in 2019, Theo, an art history grad student, discovers an abandoned painting of a racehorse in his neighbor’s trash. Intrigued, he visits the nearby Smithsonian to research pre-Civil War horse paintings. There, he crosses paths with Jess, an Australian osteopath who oversees the animal bones in the Smithsonian’s collections, including, coincidentally, those of Lexington’s. The two work together to uncover the stories behind Theo’s found painting.

Moving back and forth in time and told through the eyes of multiple characters, this novel is about more than the mystery of a painting of a famous horse. It also tells the imagined story of Lexington’s Black groom, an enslaved man named Jarrett, whose dedication to Lexington costs him everything.

By the end of this riveting read about art, race, slavery, and antebellum South, readers are left wondering how little life has changed through the decades. A great choice for book clubs, Horse is a fascinating blend of historical and literary fiction that is well-researched, imaginative, and unforgettable.

-Carol

Want to Watch Something?

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I’m the first to admit when I’m in a reading slump. Like right now. Good thing there are so many leaves in my yard to rake. And, good thing that I have been keeping myself busy by binging a couple of awesome TV series that are based on books.

Based on musician sisters Tegan and Sara Quin’s best-selling memoir of the same name, High School tells the coming-of-age story of identical twins who are struggling to find themselves amidst the backdrop of ‘90s grunge culture. This honest, sometimes raw and moving show is about queer adolescence and explores themes of family, love and friendship. It has a killer soundtrack that sparks all the nostalgic feels. Fans of My So-Called Life, the band Tegan and Sara, or anyone looking for a story about discovering one’s self should check out High School, which is free to stream on Freevee. Oh, and if you want to read the memoir or listen to Tegan and Sara’s music, we’ve got those at the library for you to check out, too.

In other TV news, Masterpiece Mystery! has adapted Anthony Horowitz’s 2017 mystery novel Magpie Murders into a satisfying series that will soon be available on DVD from the library. The plot revolves around Susan Ryeland, a British book editor who is has been handed best-selling author Alan Conway’s latest novel. The day Susan finishes reading the manuscript and realizes that it is missing its last chapter – the part where readers learn “whodunit,” is the same day she learns that Conway has been found dead. When Susan goes in search of the book’s final pages, she unknowingly involves herself in a murder investigation. Both the book and TV show feature a story within the story and the action moves seamlessly between the historical novel and present day, despite multiple characters playing dual roles. If you enjoy British mysteries (à la Agatha Christie), a clever twisty plot, engaging characters and a satisfying conclusion, I recommend reading the book first. Then, tune into PBS Sunday evenings or place a hold on the DVD to catch Magpie Murders on the small screen. And, as a second season is in the works, prepare to become obsessed.

-Carol