Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb

MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE by Lori Gottlieb is a work of non-friction which was recommended by my cousin and which received a starred review from Kirkus who called it “A vivacious portrait of a therapist from both sides of the couch.” The author is a mid-40s single mother who also writes a column for The Atlantic called “Dear Therapist.” She shares anonymous stories from some of her patients as well as her own struggles with a breakup when The Boyfriend decides he does not want to live with her young son. There are many poignant moments as she counsels others (like Julie, the young woman who recieves a devastating cancer diagnosis) and narrates her internal thoughts during her own sessions with a therapist. Did you ever see Shrinking (on Apple TV) with Harrison Ford? This is not as hilarious, but it also takes you into the real lives of a therapist with her own issues and wry sense of humor. MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE deals with feelings, parenting, and other relationships, as Kirkus (again) says: “Saturated with self-awareness and compassion, this is an irresistibly addictive tour of the human condition.” One of my favorite sections mentions “Welcome to Holland” and notes that “Julie started to see that we're all in Holland, because most people don't have lives that go exactly as planned. Even if you're lucky enough to be traveling to Italy, you might experience canceled flights and horrible weather.”

The Second Chance Convenience Store - Ho-Yeon Kim

THE SECOND CHANCE CONVENIENCE STORE by Ho-Yeon Kim is set in present day Seoul, Korea. Perhaps because she is retired, a main character and store owner, Mrs. Yeom, made me think a bit of the feisty Chinese retailer Vera Wong but this Korean woman is not as pushy. The tone of the book is reminiscent of What you are Looking for is in the Library (although that novel is set in Japan); here, various characters appear in each (rather long) chapter and benefit in some way from attention form the convenience store employees. The pace is quite slow and there seems to be a very significant emphasis on drinking corn silk tea instead of alcohol. Ho-Yeon Kim has crafted a gentle book about being a person of principle, reaping what we sow, and caring for each other. Its universal lessons have produced an international best-seller. Although the story feels repetitive, readers may be drawn into the life of Mrs. Yeom and her band of loyal employees, including a formerly homeless man and a student, plus several customers and her wayward son. The audiobook is narrated by Jennifer Kim who uses different “voices” to portray the characters. I found her narration a bit grating initially, but later appreciated her attempts to differentiate between characters.

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

ATMOSPHERE is the latest novel from Taylor Jenkins Reid (Carrie Soto is Back and Daisy and the Six; Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo). Even though ATMOSPHERE received starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal and was a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for June, my book group was more enthusiastic about her earlier works. This latest story is set in the mid-1980’s and looks in detail at the second class of astronauts chosen to fly the space shuttles. I thought it would be much more about NASA, but instead, the story really focuses on the personal relationship between two female astronauts (Joan Goodwin and Vanessa Ford) and how in that era they have to hide who they are in order to keep their jobs. There's an exploration of motherhood, too: both for Joan’s sister (Barbara) involving her daughter, fifth-grader Frances, plus, another female astronaut, Donna, who's a new mother and struggling with discrimination. The plot actually spans several years from their recruitment and training to class members flying in space. The author flashes forward early in the novel so readers are aware of a dangerous accident on one of those missions and alternates time periods until both stories are resolved. The space rescue is moving and well-written; the rest, perhaps paralleling some of Sally Ride’s and her peers’ experiences, less so. Taylor Jenkins Reid does provide a list of suggestions for further reading which includes The Six by Loren Grush.

Knave of Diamonds by Laurie R. King

KNAVE OF DIAMONDS by Laurie R. King is the 19th book in the well-regarded Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes mystery series which began over thirty years ago with The Beekeeper’s Apprentice. This may be one of the best yet – it certainly is an engaging tale. Three main characters – Russell, Holmes, and Mary’s sometimes criminal uncle Jake – share the adventures and narration duties. The story is set in 1925, but hinges on the still publicly unsolved theft of the Irish Crown Jewels in 1907. Readers soon learn that both Holmes and Jake have an emotional stake in that event and it’s entertaining to see them “dance” around each other as they contemplate teaming up to find the jewels, all while looking out for Mary (who is more than capable of taking care of herself). I hope Uncle Jake returns for more mysteries and recommend KNAVE OF DIAMONDS and the entire series to mystery fans. An author’s note references the actual theft and provides additional background on historical figures who appear in the novel. A fun, quick read with bursts of Irish affability.

LibraryReads Hall of Fame

Both of these titles were included in the LibraryReads Hall of Fame and received some positive reviews. Sadly, I was not excited by either one. Read one or both and decide for yourself:

MURDER TAKES A VACATION by Laura Lippman, a best-selling author, was a disappointing surprise to me. I had high expectations for a fun read after noting that this new title had received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal (“a warm and cozy romp”) and appeared in the LibraryReads Hall of Fame for June. While I agree that business class travel can be disorienting if one is not used to it, why would an older woman traveling alone trust a seatmate enough to go with him to a hotel, upending her own travel plans on the advice of someone she has just met? That is exactly what the widowed Mrs. Blossom does in the opening chapters of this mystery story. Eventually, she reunites with her tour group and heads to Paris and the cruise on the Seine, but her decision-making is still poor when she does not correct another, much younger, man she just met as he tells the police he is her son. I can understand why the subtle humor and slightly awkward character might appeal to fans of Richard Osman or Nita Prose, but I missed something here -- there are so many other excellent mysteries to enjoy instead. 

WORTH FIGHTING FOR by Jesse Q. Sutanto was also a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for June. Part of a five book series (Meant to Be) about Disney heroines by different authors, it is a rather obvious retelling of Disney’s Mulan set in the present-day financial world. I had an extremely hard time accepting that the main character, Mulan, would be both a well-respected member at her firm and willing to let her cousin/assistant style her hair and choose her clothes when meeting with potential clients. That was a big disconnect although it clearly added some humor and pushed the story along. This title could work as a very light beach read if one is willing to overlook the repetitive nature of Mulan’s musings about her various roles, combatting toxic masculinity, and raging hormones. My suggestion is to look for Vera Wong mysteries by this author instead. I also saw a preview of a 20 page Book Club Kit for WORTH FIGHTING FOR which included an author interview, printable bookmarks, and discussion questions. Apparently designed for adults (the “Bites & Sips” section references a cocktail made with bourbon and banana liqueur), I am surprised that an adult book group would choose a title like this, especially when they could read a classic like The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston or Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See or even immigrant stories like Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan or Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok (or maybe, if the book club wanted an adventure with a more young adult feel, Spin the Dawn or Flame in the Mist or Divine Rivals) instead.  

Far and Away by Amy Poeppel

FAR AND AWAY by Amy Poeppel is a very clever, fun read even though the situation seems quite implausible at first… who gets drunk (or almost drunk) and agrees to an international house swap without a pretty thorough vetting? Well, readers should let that go and just enjoy the antics of the many characters in this delightful commentary on family life, motherhood, and marriage as well as the cultural differences between the United States (especially Dallas) and Germany (Berlin). The house swap is agreed between Greta (art curator, wife to an underappreciated German scientist named Otto, and mother to Emmi, about to head off to an internship in New York and then to college) and Lucy, (interior designer, wife to Max, a NASA scientist temporarily incommunicado, and mother to high school senior Jack and 8-year old twins Alice and Zoe). The cast would not be complete, though, without the in-laws, neighbors, and co-workers, all of whom contribute to misunderstandings in this “comedy of errors” where “it means there can be more than one version of the same story.” FAR AND AWAY is a truly heart-warming tale that will have readers looking for more titles by Amy Poeppel. An amusing and charming summer read! 

One note: I am glad that I read the preview as an eBook and could easily translate German phrases (e.g., So schnell wie möglich, bitte or Du machst keinen Sinn) even though the author gives context clues. In a recent interview Poeppel explained her choice of locales: “This was a chance for me to write a little love letter to Dallas and to Berlin… to just express some of the things that I love the most about both places and what I miss the most ...” 

Human Nature by Kate Marvel

Does it seem lately that you are hearing frequently about extra high temperatures, heavy deluges, or strong storms?  How does that make you feel? In a new book called HUMAN NATURE author Kate Marvel devotes a chapter to each of nine emotions to explore both science and stories behind climate change. Marvel, a climate scientist and quoted in The Climate Book by Greta Thunberg, says that she wrote this book for three reasons: (1) to share some of the science behind climate change; (2) to explain how, with things changing so rapidly, it feels to do this science; and (3) to share the range of emotions she felt. Shifting between Greek myths and theoretical physics, Marvel looks at Wonder; Anger; Guilt; Fear; Grief; Surprise; Pride; Hope; and Love in a relatively accessible manner. She obviously cares. Her chapter on Hope acknowledges that we need to stop emitting the greenhouse gases that cause climate change by taking steps to “build renewable energy sources, transmission lines to carry that energy where needed, and batteries to store that energy, which would push aside fossil fuels. Stop heating and cooking with dirty fuels. Learn how to make cement and plastics and steel without spewing carbon dioxide. Replace gasoline cars with electric vehicles, public transportation, and walkable cities. Steward our land more wisely and eat fewer cows.” She admits that this will be difficult, but not impossible and that “renewables are already being deployed at rates forecasters never imagined.” The stories (e.g., transition from whale blubber to kerosene) are fascinating, emotion evoking, and clearly relevant today. Subtitled “Nine Ways to Feel About Our Changing Planet,” HUMAN NATURE was described in a Kirkus review as “A highly readable argument for tackling climate change that reckons with both cold hard facts and the human heart.” At least twenty-five percent of the book is devoted to Notes and an Index.