Book Review: "Three Parties" by Ziyad Saadi

I’m always fascinated by retellings and reimaginings. Ziyad Saadi’s debut novel is a reimagining of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, which was also reimagined in The Hours (one of my favorite books of all time), so I was very interested to read this.

Today is Firas’ 23rd birthday. He’s throwing himself a dinner party with a greater purpose than simply celebrating the day of his birth, however. He plans to officially come out to his family, friends, and coworkers. He’s trying to remain calm as the time of the party draws closer, but his stress level is rising.

While he wonders how his Palestinian parents will react to the news, Firas is also making sure every last detail of the party is perfect. He’s planned the menu, the decorations, even the floral arrangements. But you know what they say about the best-laid plans…

Firas is constantly worried about how he is perceived—by his family, his colleagues and friends, even the two men he is dating. The thought of falling short in anyone’s eyes appalls him, and of course, the more you worry about failing the greater the likelihood that you might fail. Meanwhile, crises within his family threaten to upend the party—and there’s even the possibility that his secret might get exposed before he’s ready to share it.

Much like Mrs. Dalloway, this book takes place over the course of one day. It’s a tremendously thought-provoking read with occasional bursts of humor.

I’m not certain if this book didn’t work for me as much as I’d hoped because I can’t imagine throwing a party to reveal a secret like this, or if the plot became overly complicated. Saadi’s talent is definitely evident and I look forward to seeing what’s next for his career.

Book Review: "The Heartbreak Hotel" by Ellen O'Clover

This book seriously gave me all the feels. I had high hopes for this and it definitely delivered!

Lou isn’t surprised when her famous musician boyfriend breaks up with her. They’ve been together since college but they’ve been drifting apart for a while. She’s sad, obviously, but her biggest worry is that she’ll have to move out of the house they’ve been sharing in Estes Park, Colorado. She will not lose that.

The challenge is, she doesn’t have a job, so how can she afford the rent? But then she comes up with an idea: turning the house into a bed and breakfast where people can recover from their own heartbreak. Her landlord, Henry (whom she is surprised to find is a handsome veterinarian, not an old man) isn’t thrilled with the idea, but he reluctantly agrees to let Lou run with it.

It’s not long before the inn is a success. And while Lou is helping her guests, her own life is a mess, left over from her tumultuous childhood. The good news is that Henry keeps coming around, and they find themselves drawing closer. But Henry is keeping his own heartbreak hidden from view.

“I started the Comeback Inn to care for people—because the part of me that knows how to nurture others has always felt like the best and truest part. But as I breathe into the cross-stitched pillow cover, as my eyes burn with tears, I wonder if that’s all I’ll ever get to be, all I’m capable of. If the power I thought I held by being needed is just a weakness; if I’ve sought out sadness in others so I don’t have to confront my own.”

There’s a lot of emotion in this book—grief, sadness, laughter, anger, and happiness to name a few. And while pieces of the story hit a little close to home, I couldn’t get enough.

The book will publish 9/23.

Book Review: "The Underdog" by Sagit Schwartz

WHOA. This was one wild ride! Thanks so much to the amazing Sagit Schwartz for sharing an ARC of her upcoming popcorn thriller with me!!

Liz dreams of being a filmmaker. A graduate of the American Film Institute, she showed early promise but never got the support she needed to get her movie idea off the ground. Swimming in debt thanks to student loans, she now works as a chaperone for the singing competition show, The Underdog.

Meanwhile, Norma has sacrificed everything for her daughter Cookie. But Cookie has repaid Norma by telling her she wants nothing to do with her. Cookie and her fiancé are starting their life together and expecting a baby, leaving Norma out in the cold.

Liz is assigned to pick up the show’s newest contestant, Jennifer. She is a patient at a psychiatric hospital who only communicates via singing, she doesn’t speak. Yet when Liz and “The Singing Patient” go to the airport to fly to LA, Jennifer escapes, and Liz is suspected of helping Jennifer in exchange for money.

Feeling abandoned by her daughter, Norma goes to LA to try and meet Svetlana, an orphan and contestant on The Underdog. She’s also determined to make Cookie regret banishing her from her life.

This book is a little like a roller coaster; once it starts picking up speed and the tension ratchets up, there’s no stopping it. I couldn’t wait to see how it all wrapped up…and maybe a sequel at some point?

The book will publish 10/14.

Book Review: "Bitter Texas Honey" by Ashley Whitaker

It’s 2011. Joan dreams of being a writer. By day, she’s an intern for an ultra-conservative Republican state legislator in Texas. And while her friends and roommate are all fairly liberal, Joan’s beliefs skew conservative.

As Joan struggles with finding inspiration to write about, she decides to pursue a romantic relationship, which hopefully will give her material. And the man she dates, Vince, does just that—he’s an egotistical musician who believes he’s more talented and more intelligent than everyone else. At the same time, she’s drawn to Roberto, a barista at her favorite establishment, who is also a writer.

Growing up wealthy, Joan is fairly rudderless. She drinks a lot, is addicted to Adderall, smokes a lot of weed, and doesn’t want for money. She’s also part owner of her father’s chain of recording schools, but she doesn’t take much responsibility there.

The brightest spot in her life is her cousin Wyatt. He’s tremendously creative and her partner in crime, but he’s also really troubled and struggling to find direction. His family’s solution to Wyatt’s problems is to send him to a Christian treatment facility—which doesn’t prove successful.

Joan’s own family exhausts her. Her father is an entrepreneur with a penchant for getting married to unsuitable women, while her mother is a former addict who disapproves of the way Joan lives her life. She’s caught between her parents, who don’t help her deal with her own issues; instead, they exacerbate them.

You know I love a good dysfunctional family, and this book certainly had that. Joan’s character’s beliefs don’t jibe with mine, and sometimes her flakiness is irritating, but you can’t look away from her. However, this book was billed as Fleabag meets The Royal Tenenbaums, and I didn’t see that at all. But it’s still a well-written debut.

Book Review: "This is a Love Story" by Jessica Soffer

This was definitely a book I loved the concept of more than the execution. It’s definitely an emotional read, however, and there is content that could be triggering for some.

Abe and Jane have been together for more than 50 years. They’ve shared a beautiful love story, raised a son, and each experienced great success—Abe as a writer and poet, and Jane as an artist. Life hasn’t always been perfect, and they’ve struggled through the years, but there have been so many memorable moments.

Now, June is dying. Abe is recounting their love story for Jane to ensure she remembers what they’ve shared. He doesn’t just talk about the times when their love was new, fiery, and pure. He also talks about the challenges—Jane being angry when she felt Abe wasn’t concentrating on his art, the lack of connection between Jane and their son, Max, and times when it was easier for them to be apart than together.

One consistent fixture in their lives was Central Park. They went there as young lovers, as parents, and as they aged. They visited together and alone, at times joyous, inspired, sad, or angry.

The book shifts through past and present, and is narrated by Abe, Jane, Max, and a former student of Abe’s. There are also sections “narrated” by Central Park, which serve as a Greek chorus of sorts, reflecting upon how so many lives passed through the Park.

Jessica Soffer’s use of language and images is exceptional. She has a very unique style which worked at times for me but not always. Just as I got used to one character’s narration, someone else would take over. I really wanted to love this, so I’m a bit disappointed, but I’m still glad I read it.

Book Review: "A Gorgeous Excitement" by Cynthia Weiner

Powerful and moving, Cynthia Weiner’s debut novel captures the boredom and impatience that occurs in the summer before college. Inspired by her own coming of age, it felt so authentic to its setting, NYC in 1986.

Nina is so ready to leave NYC and attend college at Vanderbilt. Her mother’s manic depression leaves her and her father constantly walking on eggshells, and she can’t wait to be away from not knowing what mood her mother will be in. She’s also Jewish in a sea of blue-eyed blondes.

Before she leaves for college, however, she’s determined to lose her virginity. Her drunken encounters with guys she knows have all been disasters, and she hates feeling like she’s the only one left who hasn’t had sex. She wants to go to college as a totally different person.

She spends the summer after high school graduation cycling in and out of temp jobs, and she and her friends spend most of their time at Flanagan’s, the bar where the preppy kids hang out. Nina starts falling for Gardner—handsome, preppy, and enigmatic—but with a self-destructive edge.

As they grow closer, and Nina discovers cocaine, things become more tumultuous. There are fights with friends, her mother seems to recover thanks to a new drug, and it all culminates with a shocking murder—inspired by the actual “Preppy Murder.”

Having been in high school in 1986, I remember this time all too well. Nina isn’t always the most likable but her story is compelling, and Weiner using her own experiences definitely added weight to the story.

Book Review: "More or Less Maddy" by Lisa Genova

“She’s bipolar. That word gets thrown around without a medical license all the time, mostly by boys to describe girls as crazy. It’s a derogatory dart meant to demean and dismiss its target. But those boys aren’t doctors, and Dr. Weaver isn’t hurling names.”

Maddy’s first year at NYU was definitely stressful, but isn’t that the case for most college freshmen? There’s dealing with a roommate, dealing with all of the work and exams, as navigating her emotions after her high school boyfriend broke up with her just before college.

She often feels like the black sheep of her family. Her sister and brother excel at everything, her mother cares tremendously about appearances, and it’s no wonder Maddy is always sad or anxious. But it all seems rather innocuous until her mood swings blossom into a full-blown manic episode, and she is diagnosed as bipolar.

“But this chose her. Without her consent, like an arranged marriage, till death do they part. She wants an annulment, a divorce, an open window onto a fire escape, a new doctor, a time machine. Some way out of this.”

Despite her doctor’s advice to lead a more tranquil life, Maddy decides what she wants is a career as a stand-up comedian. Of course, the pressure and the constant fear of rejection doesn’t count. And at times she’s convinced she’s writing Taylor Swift’s biography or being involved with one TV show or another.

This was a tremendously powerful, emotional book. It really captured the rawness of depression and bipolar disorder. But at the same time, there are touches of humor which lessens the heaviness of the book. Lisa Genova always tugs at my heartstrings with her books, and this one is no exception!!

Book Review: "Shell Games" by Bonnie Kistler

Whoa. This book had me hooked from the very first page, and I barely moved from the couch in the few hours it took me to read it!

Kate Sawyer was a force to be reckoned with. She was a multimillionaire, a shrewd real estate developer, and well connected in both Florida society and state politics. She always did things her way—and that didn’t make life easy for her daughter, Julie, who felt like she was always living in her mother’s shadow.

When Kate marries her high school sweetheart Charlie, 50+ years after they first dated, it appears that she’s finally getting the happy ending she deserves. But on their wedding night, Charlie admits that he was behind one of the most notorious crimes from several decades ago. Horrified, Kate calls the police.

When Charlie’s alibi from back then checks out, no one is sure what has occurred. Charlie says he never admitted anything to Kate; Kate thinks Charlie is gaslighting her and trying to prove her mentally incompetent; and Julie’s husband Eric thinks Kate is in the early stages of dementia.

Julie worries about her mother, whose behavior becomes much more erratic since her wedding night. She isn’t sure what to think. Is her mother starting to lose her mind? Is Charlie trying to get Kate’s money by questioning her mental state? And why is Eric involved? Julie starts to wonder about her own marriage as well.

I love books when you can’t figure out whom you should trust, or how things are ultimately going to unfold. I kept waiting to see what the truth was and which characters I should be rooting for, and while Julie was an annoying character for a part of the storyline, I could find justification for her actions. This one kept me guessing!

Book Review: "Burn This Night" by Alex Kenna

“I was in my ninth week of sleeping on an air mattress in my childhood bedroom when I learned that my dad wasn’t my biological father.”

How’s THAT for an opening sentence? It definitely sets the tone for what’s to come in the book.

Kate is a private investigator who is really struggling. Her marriage is over, she’s lost custody of her daughter, and now she’s learned that the man she had always believed was her father wasn’t. And to top it off, she’s just learned she shares DNA with someone accused of murdering a young girl 20 years earlier.

The police recruit Kate to go to the small California town of Inglewood (where another distant relative lives) and see what she can find out about her relative-slash-murderer. At the same time, she takes on another case, one involving arson and murder.

Abby, an actress turned social worker, is killed in a fire that destroys part of Inglewood and leaves two others dead. The police suspect her brother, a drug addict and schizophrenic, but their parents believe he is innocent. They hope Kate finds evidence that exonerates him. But what Kate finds is a much more sinister web of secrets and lies, one that could prove deadly.

This was quite a twisty thriller! It’s a bit of a slow burn, but I liked the way Alex Kenna teased everything out and kept me guessing. The narrative shifts among several people and several timeframes, and I found that a bit disjointed, but this was still a compelling read.

Book Review: "Shred Sisters" by Betsy Lerner

“No one will love you more or hurt you more than a sister.”

Amy’s older sister Ollie was everything she wanted to be. Ollie was confident, athletic, beautiful, popular, and she tortured Amy mercilessly. Yet she charmed their parents so effectively that they blamed Amy for provoking her sister, which caused her a great deal of stress.

But when Ollie’s recklessness and bravado leads to destructive behavior, she agrees to go to a psychiatric hospital rather than face jail time for her transgressions. And at that moment, everything changes: Ollie’s mental health deteriorates, their parents get divorced, and Amy is left to fend for herself.

Ollie spends several years in the hospital, but when she is released, she falls into a cyclical pattern of stability, moving in with one of their parents, then starting to fall apart again, she disappears, usually leaving with money or other valuables. Meanwhile, Amy is so desperate not to be like her sister that she throws herself into studying science and keeping everyone at arm’s length.

For anyone who has had a loved one deal with mental illness, the patterns that Ollie, Amy, and their parents fall into may seem familiar. What transpires is illustrative of how the ripples of mental illness can affect an entire family, either in response to crises or defense from them.

This is a powerful story of sisterhood and trying to find yourself when you’ve always been in the shadow of another. I don’t know that I necessarily liked the characters much, but this was a tremendously thought-provoking and emotional read. It’s one of those books you’ll want to discuss.

Book Review: "A Good Life" by Virginie Grimaldi (translated by Hildegard Serle)

Emma and Agathe are sisters who haven’t seen each other in five years. Growing up, Emma, as the older sister, was always Agathe’s protector and defender. Five years younger, Agathe was prone to tantrums and panic attacks, and yet always looked to her sister for comfort and security.

Their childhood was tumultuous and marked by tragedy, but they spent every summer with their grandparents in the Basque Country. Following the death of their beloved grandmother, the sisters agree to spend a week together at her home, the site of so many memories. While their estrangement and the pent-up hurts and resentments make the reunion challenging, they still are full of love for one another.

The book alternates narration between the sisters, and shifts through time, from their earliest memories to the present, with many stops in between. This is how we understand the sisters’ relationship and what led to their estrangement, as well as if there’s any chance to find their way back to each other.

This is a very slow-burn, character-driven novel. There are some lovely and poignant moments, but I struggled with the book’s pacing. At times there were so many different things happening it was difficult to keep track, but I don’t know if that's because it was translated or just the way it was written.

Book Review: "Kill for Me, Kill for You" by Steve Cavanagh

Whoa. This book was twisty and intense, and I was hooked from the very first page!

Amanda has been filled with grief and anger since she experienced a double loss. The police know who is responsible but can’t find enough evidence to make a case against the suspect. She’s taken to stalking him and dreams of taking his life into her own hands, to make his loved ones suffer the way she has.

At a support group for grieving parents, she meets Wendy, and recognizes in this woman much of the same unresolved anger toward the man responsible for her own loss. One night over drinks, they agree to a plan: Wendy will kill the man responsible for Amanda’s loss, and Amanda will do the same for her.

One night when her husband is out with friends, a man breaks into Ruth’s house and violently assaults her. She barely saw her attacker, except for his piercing blue eyes and his calling her “sweetheart.” The aftermath leaves her in complete fear, desperate to know why she was singled out, and worrying he’ll be back to finish the job. Every man she sees frightens her. Her husband Scott is desperate to help her overcome her fears, but he feels powerless.

This really was a fast-paced book, and Steve Cavanagh ratchets up the tension and suspense little by little. While you think you know what will happen, the script gets flipped more than a few times.

I had seen a lot of great reviews for this book, and I’m so glad it lived up to my expectations. Definitely a twisty read I couldn’t get enough of!!

Book Review: "The Women" by Kristin Hannah

So, maybe you’ve seen this book around once or twice? I’m definitely a fan of Kristin Hannah’s, but I need to be in a specific frame of mind for the emotional journeys she takes you on. I’m pleased to say, however, that this so utterly lived up to all the hype—it was simply fantastic.

“How did you know if you had the strength and courage for a thing like that? Especially as a woman, raised to be a lady, whose courage had been untested.”

Frances “Frankie” McGrath was raised a daughter of privilege, living on Coronado Island. She was working as a nurse, at least until she got married. But in 1966, at age 20, inspired by her older brother going to Vietnam, Frankie does the unheard of and enlists, becoming an Army nurse.

The book follows Frankie in country, through the harrowing injuries and deaths she saw, the wounded Vietnamese children, and the strong bonds she formed with both her fellow nurses and other soldiers. It also deals with the trauma Frankie dealt with upon her return, both from those against the war and her own family, all of whom would rather believe that there were no women in Vietnam.

This book is graphic and very emotional, but it so beautifully pays tribute to the oft-forgotten women who served in Vietnam, and those who gave their lives. It also examines the visible and hidden scars that soldiers face, whether in combat or not. I’m always grateful to those who have served and continue to serve our country, but reading The Women makes me want to say thank you over and over again.

Book Review: "Interesting Facts about Space" by Emily Austin

Quirky characters have been all the rage, particularly in the years since the release of books like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Sometimes the quirkiness is understandable; sometimes I feel if authors create this type of character simply to provide a vehicle for bizarre habits or behavior.

Enid is a young woman who counts among her hobbies “listening to murder stories, having casual lesbian sex, and telling my mom interesting facts about space.” She has an inexplicable fear of bald men, she’s deaf in one ear, and she’s tentatively approaching a relationship with her two half-sisters, born after her father left her mother for another woman.

But Enid also feels like she’s losing her grip, perhaps unsurprisingly given her mother’s struggles with depression. Enid grows increasingly convinced there is someone following her and trying to break into her apartment. Clearly she has some repressed trauma in her life, because why else is she experiencing these feelings?

This is a tough book with a number of emotional triggers. But it’s also a beautifully written character study, which is at turns bleak and hopeful. Others have loved this more than I did, but I’m glad I read it.

The book will publish 1/30/2024.

Book Review: "Saving Emma" by Allen Eskens

Allen Eskens is a tremendously talented writer who should be a household name. His books, including the amazing The Life We Bury, are a great blend of crime novel, contemporary fiction, and occasionally, legal thriller. While his newest book, Saving Emma, isn't my favorite of his, it's still a well-written and gripping story.

Boady Sanden is a former attorney who is now a law professor that works for The Innocence Project in Minnesota. When a woman comes to Boady asking him to look into the murder conviction of her brother, he feels like there's not much he can do. Elijah Matthews has been a patient in a mental institution for the last four years, since he was accused of murdering the pastor of a megachurch. Elijah believes he is a prophet, sent to do work given to him by God.

But as he digs into Elijah's file, he learns that he was originally defended by Ben Pruitt, Boady's former colleague and best friend, who was killed in Boady's study four years earlier. Ben's life was unraveling in the middle of Elijah's trial, which makes Boady wonder whether Elijah received the vigorous defense he deserved. The more he looks into the case, he finds Elijah both infuriating and sympathetic, but he isn't sure if he actually is a murderer.

At the same time, Ben's daughter Emma, who has lived with Boady and his wife since Ben was killed, has become sullen and withdrawn since she turned 14 years old. Emma makes a decision to trust someone who doesn't have her best interests in mind, and she turns against her surrogate parents. This devastates both Boady and his wife, although he needs to examine the way he has treated Emma to see if he's at all to blame for her decisions.

Can they get Emma to return home before it's too late? What is the truth behind the murder that Elijah is accused of, and how complicated is the web Boady will step in as he tries to find who is responsible?

I really enjoy Eskens' storytelling ability, but I struggled a bit with this book. I didn't find any of the characters particularly appealing, and there's a lot of scripture quoted in the story, which isn't something I'm familiar with. There really aren't many twists in this story, but it's still a very quick read.

Book Review: "City People" by Elizabeth Topp

To a casual observer, Susan seemed to have it all: a successful career, marriage to a handsome banker, and two beautiful children. Maybe she became a bit unhinged in her quest to get her children's private school to serve healthier food, and she was burnt when none of the mothers in her group supported her, but everyone has their pet peeves. But everyone is absolutely stunned when Susan jumps to her death from the roof of her NYC apartment. Should they have seen this coming?

Susan was one of several mothers whose children were recommended for interviews at Kent, the most prestigious private school in New York. The list of Kent alumni is truly impressive, and each of the mothers knows that their child's future might very well be set if they are accepted. But beyond the pressure and machinations needed to try and tip the scales toward their child, each woman is dealing with her own issues as well.

Vic, herself a Kent graduate, is a struggling single mother and author suffering from writer's block. She also was Susan's best friend (or was she?) and she can't believe she never really saw that Susan was struggling. While she hopes that her experience as an alum will help her daughter's case, she isn't quite sure how she's going to pay for school anyway. And she can't seem to get her high school love out of her mind...

Bhavna is a marketing executive for a cosmetics company, almost sure that her son will get accepted to Kent. And once she lands a major campaign at work and her husband closes a big business deal, they can move to a better part of the city and finally live the life they have dreamed of. How far is she willing to go to get what she wants?

Penelope and Kara are best friends, and seem like clones of one another, until you look closely. Penelope is the daughter of a wealthy family and is the president of the parents' association at the preschool. She's determined to prove her own worth as a businesswoman, and believes that another mother, Amy, may be the key to her success. Kara becomes obsessed with Susan's suicide and the suspicions around her death, in part because it reminds her of her own sister, who took her own life.

Chandice, who left her law career upon the birth of her son, faces an uphill battle as she fights breast cancer. The more she wants her son to get into Kent, the more she struggles with the other aspects of her life, like trying to go back to work.

There were a lot of people to keep track of in this book, and after a while many of them seemed to blur into one another. The book starts and ends with Susan's narration, and then shifts between all of the other mothers. Some of the threads were more interesting than others, but overall I feel like the author was trying for a Big Little Lies feel but I don't think it hit that target.

Thanks to Amazon First Reads and Little A for an advance copy of this book, which publishes 11/1.

Book Review: "Adelaide" by Genevieve Wheeler

This was a powerful debut that really has stuck in my mind since I read it.

Adelaide has always dreamed of finding the person to sweep her off her feet, someone with whom she can spend the rest of her life. But relationships never seem to last for her, and as her friends pair off, it becomes more difficult to be happy for them when she is alone.

Living and working in London, one night Adelaide meets Rory, and she falls quickly for this handsome Englishman. He seems genuinely attracted to and interested in her. Sure, he’s far from perfect–he doesn’t always respond to texts, remember that they have plans, or reach out proactively to set up dates. But his good looks, charm, and intelligence truly appeal to her, and it’s not long before she realizes she’s in love with him.

Rory’s unpredictability takes an emotional toll on Adelaide. There are days, weeks that she doesn’t hear from him, and while her best friends support her unequivocally, they also wish she would give up pining for him. But every time she’s about ready to call it quits, he reappears, talks sweetly, and she is putty in his hands once again.

When Rory is impacted by tragedy, Adelaide puts all of her feelings on hold in order to take care of him. But the more Rory falls apart, and the more Adelaide tries to hold him together, the more her own psychological health frays. She tries to believe that at some point he will come around and realize how she has stood by him, but his unpredictability, coupled with his blatant disregard for her feelings, takes its toll.

Adelaide is a very emotional look at mental health and depression, as well as how at times, we can only depend on friends and chosen family to save us.

I’ll admit that I didn’t understand Rory’s appeal after his flaws became obvious, but I know that you cannot always help who you love. I was tremendously moved by this book, although its depiction of depression, grief, attempted suicide, and pregnancy loss might be triggering for some.

Book Review: "Zig-Zag Boy: A Memoir of Madness and Motherhood" by Tanya Frank

Tanya Frank's new memoir is a powerfully moving and thought-provoking account of a family affected by mental illness.

“…all the vigilance in the world cannot save or fix my boy. He has his own voice. He needs to find it again.”

Tanya’s younger son, Zach, was smart, charming, curious, and loving, a UCLA student who always seemed to have a girlfriend and a group of friends. Yet one night in 2009, he suffered a schizophrenic break, convinced he was being monitored and that someone was trying to kill him.

That night launched their family into the overwhelming, emotionally draining, often-confusing, and frustrating mental health system. They quickly find there’s not one concrete diagnosis, not one proven method of treatment, not even one drug to help manage symptoms. Zach is often caught between the choice of taking drugs that have horrible side-effects or allowing his symptoms to overwhelm him.

It’s not long before Zach’s condition has strained Tanya’s relationship with her wife and their finances, and left her wondering what her approach should be. How can she abandon her son at his most vulnerable? But how can she be involved in his care and still be a good wife and a good mother to her older son? And if Zach wants her to walk away, can she? What will his future look like?

I learned a lot about schizophrenia from this book, and as someone with depression and anxiety, I did recognize some of the struggles and emotions that Zach, Tanya, and their family faced. This is beautifully written, and I felt very fortunate that Tanya was willing to share her family’s challenges.

Book Review: "City Under One Roof" by Iris Yamashita

City Under One Roof is a compelling crime novel that gives a new twist to the locked-room mystery.

During the summer, the small town of Point Mettier, Alaska, is full of tourists. But in the winter, the population of this town—only accessible via a tunnel that closes for bad weather—shrinks to about 200 people. And they all live in the same high-rise building, where nearly everything is located.

When local teens find a severed hand and foot washed up on the shore, the police believe it’s the remains of someone who jumped off a cruise ship. The case raises the suspicions of Cara, a police detective from Anchorage, who comes to Point Mettier to investigate. But her reasons for investigating aren’t entirely above-board.

She is stranded in the town during a blizzard, and has to stay in the same condo building as everyone else in town. When a severed head is found, Cara, who teams up with local policeman JB, realizes the killer may be someone they’re all staying with. More and more, she discovers that everyone in Point Mettier is hiding something. And the arrival of a dangerous gang from a nearby Native village only complicates matters further.

First of all, the book had me at Alaska. It’s one of my favorite settings for books. And I loved the concept of the town and the condo—I totally felt claustrophobic.

This reads like a movie, which makes sense because Yamashita is an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, and it’s definitely full of unusual characters, some of whose stories definitely felt incomplete. I’m guessing a second book is in the works, especially given the twist Yamashita threw in at the end?

Book Review: "The Town of Babylon" by Alejandro Varela

This finalist for the 2022 National Book Award is an excellent, poignant look at growing up queer and non-white in suburbia.

When his father’s illness gets worse, Andrés returns to his suburban hometown. It will give him some time away from his husband so he can re-evaluate their marriage in the wake of his husband’s infidelity.

His return home happens to coincide with his 20-year high school reunion. He hasn’t any desire to attend, but with nothing else to do, he gives in. Immediately he is swept back into the memories of his time in high school, where he wasn’t always the nicest person in his quest to be popular.

At the reunion, he sees Jeremy, with whom he fooled around, to find that he is now married with children and a former convict and addict. He interacts with his high school bully and others, but he is struck by the absence of his best friend Simone, who struggles with mental illness.

While Andrés is home, he confronts his grief over his brother’s recent death, visits Simone in the mental hospital where she is receiving treatment, and deals with uncertainty around his marriage and his father’s illness.

I really loved this book and its exploration of many themes. Andrés isn’t always the most likable character but I identified with some of his emotions and actions. I’ve been meaning to read this for a while, so I’m really glad it’s so good!