This is my online book club… Please let me know what you think about the books I’m reviewing. I’d love to hear your opinion!
I’m also always looking for the next book to read. Please help me compile a list of great books with your suggestions right here in the comments for this post…
Thanks and happy reading!
This novel opens with the tragic tale of Josephus Jones, who, living in a shack on the property of his employer, creates art that is only truly appreciated after his tragic death. Years later, on the same property, a new family with its own artist is coming to terms with their changed circumstance: that Annie, the wife, has left her husband, Orion, for her art dealer in Manhattan and they are planning to marry. As the upcoming nuptuals near, they set in motion a collision course that opens wounds and exposes secrets that have been suppressed for decades.
This novel is another brilliant saga, a gift to us from Wally Lamb. There are so many layers to unpack here, but the overarching message, I believe, is the corrosive damage done to us by keeping secrets from loved ones, and avoiding confronting our demons. Annie’s past, while dark and shameful (in her eyes), has been kept secret for so long, but it eats at her and erupts in dangerous ways. The secrets she then imposes upon her children are also damaging, both for her and for them. We see how each of her children cope, often dysfunctionally, in their own ways.
Lamb’s narration is outstanding. By rotating perspective from each of these colorful and dynamic characters and smoothly conforming the phrasing to their unique personalities, we are allowed inside the minds of each one. This enriches the story in a profound way and helps to build suspense as we see what each character sees and doesn’t see, knows and doesn’t know. The build into the later scenes left me breathless, to be honest.
An outstanding novel in so many respects. Do yourself the kindness of allotting time for this one. It’s also a MUST READ, so you kind of have to, right???
Flora is determined to find the photograph she’s looking for – she really wants to put it on display at her daughter, Ruby’s, high school graduation party. The photo means so much to her, having captured her family with their best friends at the summer theater production they orchestrate every year. Unfortunately, her search leads her not only to the photograph, but also to the wedding ring her husband, Julian, had told her he’d lost years ago swimming in a lake. What could this signify, exactly? How could Julian threaten the marriage she’d felt was so secure for the past 20 years?
While the idea of a marriage at risk because of an affair is fairly cliche, the author does embellish it with the twist of this affair occurring in the context of the theather/acting world. Although many careers are challenging to balance with raising a family, this is one where there is no certainty or security. Each role is cast and can be altered, ended on a whim. Added to that the hundreds vying for each role, the emphasis placed on one’s appearance, the changes in locations and schedules that may be unpredictable – there are certainly unique factors in this business that can stress a marriage more than others. Bottom line, though? There is no solid marriage where trust is broken. Full stop. No matter what business they are in. The question is, can trust be repaired? That is the question asked in this novel.
This is a solid read. I enjoyed it while reading it, but it is not the type of story that stays with you, as more unique novels do.
It is September and Move-In Day at Tiffin Academy. It’s a day that would be routine, were it not for the explosive and yet smoothly managed, devastating death of a student the semester prior. As Audre Robinson, Head of School, helps the students get resettled, she cannot stifle her anxiety about how the year will unfold, how the student’s death will impact the returning students, and how the new girl admitted to fill the now open spot will blend in. She also knows school ratings are due to come out this same day. Talk about timing… As the year unfolds, she is also witness to the crazy ways in which the students – and their faculty/staff – get into and out of trouble.
This is a thoroughly entertaining novel, set in a fictional boarding school in the hinterlands of western Massachusetts. We are brought into the daily academic, social and emotional demands of these adolescents as they navigate the intense and privileged environment into which they are thrust. Who is the Queen Bee and how can we earn her good graces? How can we “get with” the cute guy/girl? Mind you, this is not restricted to the students, either. The new hires for English and History bring their own drama to the mix. It gets complicated!
I love that this is written by the author and her daughter. After her older brother chose to attend boarding school, her daughter chose to as well – and her experience and insight into the day-to-day routine, traditions, and culture of this environment provides authentic fodder for the story.
I love also how we see that despite the physical distance from their families, the students are still intertwined with and affected by their family circumstances. Their families continue to impact their mental health and ability to function (or not) in school. This is true both for those with means and those without.
This one is easy to get caught up in! Not so easy to put it down…!
Alfie has just been brought into the casino security interrogation room by Detective LaPorta, after winning $2 Million from a suspicious round of bets. Not fearing the questions, as most do, Alfie surprises LaPorta by handing him a composition book filled with the story of his alibi. Though cynical that this will lead anywhere, LaPorta asks Alfie to read to him from this book, since he has to wait anyway until the Bahamian officers arrive to formally arrest Alfie. As Alfie begins his unusual story, revealing that he can do things in his life “twice,” (but ONLY twice, no matter what), we learn how even when you get a redo, it doesn’t magically make everything better.
I’m still trying to decide how I feel about this book. On one hand, it is typical Mitch Albom – out of the box, imaginative, philosophical. On the other hand, parts of the story feel too unrealistic, even a bit confusing. We see Alfie making mistake after mistake, relying on his ability to hit “Twice” (instant replay) and be able to sort of try again. But we also see him never learning to tolerate the bad things life inevitably brings. Some changes he makes are helpful to others, but ultimately, he hurts himself the most.
It does serve as a commentary on love and life and the benefit of acceptance of who we are, our limitations, and our relationships as they unfold. Nothing is ever perfect, no matter how many times we think a redo will change that. We have to adjust to what life brings us. We don’t actually get a redo – and if we did, it may not necessarily serve us as well as we imagine.
I will be very curious to hear what others think of this book. I’m utterly on the fence!
It’s early 1980’s and Ada suspects something is going on with her father, David. She knows they’ve always been different – it’s clear from the way in which their friends/neighbors, Liston and her family, are so “normal” and opposite from them in almost every way. Liston’s children go to school whereas she is homeschooled. Liston’s children are noisy, socialize with friends, and are shown physical affection regularly. But although David is not like others, she adores him for his brilliance, his inclusion of her in his work, and the example he has set. But after a lapse from David during a social gathering in his home to welcome his new graduate students into his lab, Ada senses that things will be different now – perhaps forever.
This novel, while not as wildly stirring as the author’s more famous one, The God of the Woods, is a more subtly powerful one: it confronts the devastation of Alzheimer’s Disease, the early origins of the AI bot, homophobia, and what it feels like to be “different” as a child. Ada’s story is told in two time frames – one beginning in the early 80’s and the other beginning in 2009, after she’s grown. We first meet her at the age of 12, and are privy to reflections on her unusual childhood of being homeschooled and taken in as part of the workforce in an academic computer lab. She socializes with grownups, she only knows the parenting of David, immersed in the culture of solving puzzles, challenging the mind, science and nature. Yet she is beginning to long for peer relationships. What would it be like to have a friend her age? What would it be like to go to school? The thought terrifies and intrigues her in equal parts. Sadly, as David’s heath declines, she is soon thrust into the “normal” world and has to figure out a way to survive while still holding onto the David she adores.
The intrigue comes when David is exposed as not being who he has claimed to be. His story has always been that he’s a disowned heir to a famous New York City family, yet as his health declines, and his estate is transferred over to Liston until Ada reaches legal age, there are discrepancies that come to light. This upends Ada’s world, leaving her angry, confused, and feeling abandoned. What we learn about David is unsurprising and still devastatingly sad.
This is absolutely a worthwhile read. It is both a peek into our past and a projection into our future, written with both heart and scientific insight.
Sonia is a grad student at an elite college in Vermont. Sunny is an aspiring journalist, working as an editor of news articles in New York. Their lives cross when they each return to India, as their complicated families become connected. There is something of a spark between them – they both feel it. But will their respective demons continue to obstruct their being together?
Somehow, this novel has made it to multiple favorite lists of 2026 and I am a fair bit stunned as to why. Perhaps I am not literary or sophisticated enough to appreciate it, but I found this book to be simply too much work. I could not wait for it to be finished. At its core, there is a valuable story with relevant themes of identity, family, and the immigrant experience. But the author seemed to have sought a way to use 100 words to say what he might have said in 25 – over and over again. In reaching too high for the poetic and the symbolic, the author lost me with with what felt merely aspirational.
An example of this is a tool the author favored: writing a sentence followed by the expression of the opposite. This occurred more times than I could count. If he had utilized this once or twice, it might have carried more weight, might have been thought-provoking. The overuse of this negated its potential profundity. Similarly, the author utilized dreams to communicate the struggle of characters. But, again, overuse of this became tiresome. The reader is kept waiting for something to happen… anything.
The one positive aspect of this tome is that we are exposed to the Indian experience of battling the cultural contrast between their homeland and the US. This is portrayed as both vast and challenging. Both Sunny and Sonia have lived in both countries, but feel somewhat disconnected even as they strive to be more American. I believe their loneliness comes from not only not being with each other, but being away from their family, their home.
I am curious to hear other viewpoints, to know if I am alone in feeling as I do about this book. Any thoughts?
This tiny book, one of a series, each of which strives to analyze a chosen music album, provides the author’s insight into Joni Mitchell’s Court and Spark. One of my favorite Joni Mitchell albums, this one is apparently the author’s favorite of hers as well. Nelson begins with some context of how this album might have been conceived, how it logically grows and expands from her former works. He then delves into each of the songs themselves, primarily focusing on the lyrics and how they reflect a message of confusion and frustration over relationships, loneliness. And then he ends with his perspective on her works that follow.
The initial chapters are frustrating. The author is meant to be speaking about Court and Spark, yet his analysis wanders from album to album, giving the feeling that he is circling around the album but doesn’t know quite where to land. He writes in detail about “related” songs from other albums, which might have been acceptable had they been quick references rather than the diatribes they amounted to. It was challenging to follow, to be honest.
Nevertheless, once he settled in to the actual album, focusing on each individual song on this album, his thoughts were interesting and his ideas were expressed more coherently. He provides evidence for his opinion that there is a unifying theme throughout the album, and while I disagree with him on which songs are best/worst, I can appreciate his analysis of the poetry found here. I would have liked, however, to hear more about how the music supports the lyrics so aptly, which he touches upon sometimes, but avoids often.
And while I am to this day a huge Joni Mitchell fan, I do agree with the author that after Court and Spark and Miles of Aisles, her music spiraled into a jazz/fusion/dissonance that while musically more sophisticated is just less appealing, less fun to listen to (at least to both the author and myself). And isn’t that what music should be about? Joy?
On the whole, I am grateful to have read this book. I suggest investigating these easy, short, monographs if you’re interested in learning more about the vinyl you may still own – or wish you did.
One might imagine that in the small town of Bonhomie, OH, it would be hard to keep secrets – even in the early 1940’s, as the town is distracted by the second World War. Nevertheless, Cal and Becky Jenkins, are drifting apart because of differences and broken confidences, and secrets are fomenting between them. Likewise, Felix and Margaret Salt, separated by Felix’s service overseas, are also harboring secrets of their own. How their secrets collide is at the heart of this drama and the tension arises from whether or not they will reveal their respective truths.
There is quite a bit of hype surrounding this novel, as it is on many lists of best books of 2025. I have to say that I am surprised by this, as I found it disappointing. While there are good ideas embedded here, with quite a bit of interesting potential, I found the writing to be flat, the characters not well-developed, and the whole story written almost as if it were a chore to be gotten over with. Dialogue, if present, is completely trite, with so little passing between characters that I wonder why they bother with each other (I wouldn’t). Even when there are supposedly “tender” moments, they are so bland they could pass completely under the radar.
The only character with any color at all, in fact, is Cal’s father, Everett, who is considered a bit wacky by everyone else. He has survived serving in the first World War, and is thrilled that Cal cannot serve in the second because of his leg length discrepancy (something Cal is ashamed of). He has had multiple life traumas and copes by drinking, hoarding, and essentially living as a loner. But he regularly types out letters to the President of the United States that actually articulate (perhaps not in the prettiest language) more sense than most of his more “esteemed” peers, voicing his anti-war, anti-prejudice, and pro-democracy values.
I know others liked this one more than I did – I would love to know why/how. If you’re willing to comment, I’d love to hear your opinion! In the meantime, I am stumped.
As Cora pushes the pram with her newborn son to the Registry Office, having been informed by her husband that registering the baby’s name is today’s mission, she discusses this concept of name choice with her daughter, Maia. Her husband, Gordon, has chosen the name Gordon, because, after all, his father was Gordon and therefore this was certainly going to be the boy’s name. Cora, has secretly harbored the wish to name him Julian, and Maia fancies the name Bear. As we read on, we learn how this one decision can potentially impact what happens not only to this baby, but to their whole family.
This is a brilliant idea exquisitely executed. We actually follow the family down the path of each possibility: one name foisted on the baby by the manipulative and frighteningly abusive father; one name chosen by the mother in the hopes that it will liberate him from the fate she fears for him; and the third an imaginative and spirited name chosen by his sister. There are consequences for each choice, which we learn as we follow each story over time. One might think this would become confusing, but the author does a magnificent job of keeping the details of each plot line so illuminated in our minds that each remains separate and equally intriguing.
The novel also highlights how domestic abuse affects not only the victim, but all those around her. Children, even if not directly physically hurt themselves, become victims just being in the home where violence is occurring. Their lives are directly impacted by the examples that are set for them, their personalities formed around this. In addition, the depiction of the father is incredibly thoughtful and realistic. As eerily calculating and evil as the father is in the home, particularly over Cora, he is equally charming and charismatic toward everyone else. This compounds Cora’s entrapment, as no one can imagine that he is capable of cruelty.
There is so much to unpack in this novel – but I will leave the rest to you. I cannot recommend this book enough – and yes, we have another MUST READ here.
Avery, Lucky, and Bonnie are all too well aware of what day it is – and not just because it’s the Fourth of July. They have been acutely aware of this date since last year on this dark day, when they lost their treasured sister, Nicky. She was the extroverted, kind, and “girly” one of the quartet, the one everyone loved. Ever since her death, each sister has been grieving her loss, each in her own way. Making matters even worse, the sisters receive an email from their mother alerting them that she will be selling the family apartment where Nicky lived, and that this apartment needs to be emptied by the end of the month. This insurmountable challenge – dealing with Nicky’s belongings no one has had the courage to dispose of – may in fact be just what the sisters need.
This is a beautifully written account of the unique relationship between siblings and how a loss can be traumatic, even during adulthood. The sisters, each prone to coping by utilizing self-destructive habits, have been suffering over the year since Nicky’s death. Not having their parents’ support – and having turned away from each other – has only added fuel onto their inner fires. And because each sister’s character is painted so artfully, we become entangled in each story, every challenge. We are compelled to keep turning the pages because we HAVE to learn what happens next.
I highly recommend this novel. While it sometimes feels as if you’re watching a car accident about to happen – and you want to jump in front of the car – it also has moments of such raw tenderness that it is worth every tear you might shed.
kindread spirits 