The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead

THE FUTURE SAINTS by Ashley Winstead was a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for January and deservedly so. This is a novel which deals with strong emotions shared through the actions of appealing characters. Hannah Cortland is the lead singer whose band is on its way down, due in part to the death a few months ago of their manager and in part to Hannah’s alcohol use and self-destructive behavior. In steps a new manager, Theo Ford, and the dynamics change rapidly as the band’s new and darker songs, along with some spectacular antics, build awareness and interest through social media. United in devastating grief, Hannah and the other band members (handsome bassist "Ripper" Ravishankar and gentle drummer Kenny Lovins) gradually accept Theo into their “found family.” Together, they push back against the pressures of sudden fame and corporate balance sheets, but not without some ruptures along the way. THE FUTURE SAINTS received starred reviews from Booklist (“emotional, unflinching story of grief and fame”) and Publishers Weekly (“readers will fly through the pages to find out whether Hannah will manage to tame her demons in time”). Highly recommended. 

The Fabled Earth by Kimberly Brock

THE FABLED EARTH by Kimberly Brock is a work of historical fiction set on Cumberland Island off the coast of Southern Georgia. Events in the story take place in two time periods: 1932 when a young debutante (Joanna Burton), an aspiring artist (wonderfully named Cleo Woodbine), and wealthy young men are staying at a Carnegie family retreat named Plum Orchard. One evening, too much alcohol and scary storytelling results in death and transformed lives. The other time period is 1959 amidst the struggle for civil rights and integration. Cleo, now older and reclusive, still lives near the island and is visited by Joanna’s daughter, Frances Flood, a folklorist, who forms a friendship with young Audrey Howell, newly widowed and running the local inn. History still resonates, and tensions exist between local families, including questions of class and race. Attraction and romance simmers, too, for all three women, as Brock includes a former railroad man (Tate Walker), a ghost tour guide (Rosey Devane) and an activist with native American roots (Will Tremmons). The publisher describes the book by saying, “Southern mythology and personal reckoning collide in this sweeping story…” – for me, the start was almost too slow (languid, like our stereotypes of the rural South), but I came to appreciate the haunting atmosphere and to care for the varied characters; plus, the audio book is fantastic.

The AUDIO BOOK is narrated by Cassandra Campbell who is a personal favorite and she did another excellent job with this story; evoking Southern drawls and a sense of place, time, and even social class. I highly recommend the audio book version.

Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen

OTHER BIRDS by Sarah Addison Allen is a LibraryReads selection for August 2022. Allen again combines a Southern family tale with the magical realism for which she is known in novels like The Girl Who Chased the Moon, Lost Lake, and First Frost. The main character, Zoey, is a young adult who moves to a home her mother left her on Mallow Island, off of the South Carolina coast. The story begins a bit slowly, but that also reinforces the mood of tentativeness which is shared by Zoey’s neighbors. They include Charlotte, a henna artist; Mac, an excellent chef; Lucy, an older recluse and sister to Lizbeth who died recently; plus Frasier, the complex’s manager. Gradually, friendships develop and the characters become more appealing as they reveal background about themselves. Many had a troubled childhood which is linked to the various “ghosts” who haunt Mallow Island. Ultimately, this is a tender story with elements of mystery. Allen is a master at evoking peaceful, positive feelings.  OTHER BIRDS received a starred review from Booklist who recommended it especially for readers of Fannie Flagg and Karen White.

Christmas Themed mysteries

These Christmas themed mysteries offer a light, quiet diversion and chance to send part of the holidays with favorite characters. 

CHRISTMAS SWEETS by Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine, Leslie Meier is another collection of three novellas by prolific mystery writers: The twelve desserts of Christmas; Nightmare on Elf Street and The Christmas thief, respectively.   Fluke’s story takes place at a boarding school where a few students are spending the holidays with two romantically inclined teachers. Hannah Swenson, of course, makes an appearance along with several holiday recipes. Levine’s nightmare story involves a murdered Santa with one of his elves as a key suspect.  And, Meier transports Lucy Stone from Tinker’s Cove, Maine to Florida where her own daughter is embroiled in a puzzling theft. Familiar characters and the holiday theme (plus some great recipes!) make this a fun read – cozy up by the fire and enjoy! 3.5 stars

CHRISTMAS CARD MURDER by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, Peggy Ehrhart was just recently published and contains a collection of three stories by these authors: Christmas Card Murder; Death of a Christmas Carol; and Death of a Christmas Card Crafter. As I often do (guilty pleasure), I enjoyed escaping reality for a bit with the Lucy Stone story which involved a threatening message on an old Christmas card found during a house renovation. Frankly, though, I gave up in the midst of Death of a Christmas Carol after a human character “barked” for about the tenth time; who says that?  Ratings on amazon and GoodReads are more positive for this set of stories so maybe I missed a clever play on words instead of the editor missing a chance to improve the writing? 2.5 stars

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRITS ON TRADD STREET by Karen White is a blend of mystery, history, and romance with a dash of paranormal spirits.  Technically part of a series set in Charleston and featuring Melanie Trenholm, this title can be read alone. Disturbed by some construction, the spirits are related to a long ago spy ring. Melanie deals with their attempts at messaging as well as current day rivals, business concerns, and holiday entertaining obligations. A light and undemanding, entertaining read.  3.0 stars