Fiction, Short Stories

Theme: The Art of the Short Story

Kristie

When I was younger, short stories were mostly confined to fairy tales. A little older, I loved everything written by Roald Dahl, including his short stories for young readers in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More and later, those for adults in The Roald Dahl Omnibus.

Such high quality exposure to the art of the short story left me thinking that creating a rich plot in a mere few pages was simple. I now realize it was the naivete of youth and lack of experience reading works by different authors that made me think this way.

It was when I read Unaccustomed Earth, (which I highly recommend) by Jhumpa Lahiri, a few years ago, that I had renewed appreciation for the talent required to write an excellent short story. In just a few pages, the author needs to pull in the reader and make them care about characters, set a scene, and immerse them in a plot. Not as easy as it seems.

Which leads me to two books I’ve read this month. Like Unaccustomed Earth, which took place in India, Everything Inside is full of culturally-rich short stories. Author Edwidge Danticat (who was recently honored with a prestigious lifetime achievement award) takes us to the fascinating country of Haiti.

What I loved about this collection was the way it reminded me that, yes, cultures have their differences, but people are essentially the same no matter where they live or where they come from. We deal with victories and challenges, love and learn, and we all have choices in how we live and interact with others. Many of our external hardships stem from our cultures but, at our core, we all want health, happiness, and peace. I’m so glad to have found this author. 9/10 Stars

My online book group has several little challenges for Pride Month, one of which is to read a book with all of the colors of the rainbow on the cover. I came across Scattered Showers, by Rainbow Rowell (do I get double points?) and I was so impressed by these nine stories. Most are contemporary, one is a modern fairy tale, and the final one (my favorite) could be considered fantasy.

The three I loved the best were: Winter Songs for Summer, The Prince and the Troll, and In Waiting. I LOVED In Waiting! It tells of a purgatory-like place where book characters wait to be used. Walking around in different states of completion, they are all either in development or abandoned. Two characters make a special connection, knowing that their time together is limited. I wish this story could be a full-length book! It is one of the most creative pieces I’ve ever read. 9/10 Stars

There are so many wonderful short stories to be discovered! I hope this post will inspire you to seek them out.

Autobiography, Memoir, Nonfiction

Piece by Piece, by David Aguilar

Kristie

Disabled? No. Diff-abled? Yes. This is how David Aguilar sees himself. But his positive outlook has only happened after years of bullying, determination, and persistence.

David, of Andorra, Spain, was born with Poland’s Syndrome, a rare condition that left him with an underdeveloped right arm. His “bracito”–as he and his family have named it–might be small, but it has presented its share of challenges and shaped their lives in ways they never expected.

But first, let’s take a look at the book’s cover. That’s not Tony Stark. It’s David, with the fifth prosthetic arm he designed. Does he need it? No. But society responds to symmetry, and it was that pressure–plus his innate talent–that led David to create the world’s first prosthetic arm built entirely of LEGOs. Yes, you read that correctly. LEGOs.

Piece by Piece is David’s story from birth to the present. We learn of the obstacles he faced, he incredibly supportive family, and where he is now. A charming, witty, sensitive young man, you will root for David all the way. This was a great read!

Available on Kindle Unlimited.

9/10 Stars

Learn more about David here: (Email subscribers, hop on over to the blog to see the videos!)

Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Series & Collections

Blackbird Mountain Series, by Joanne Bischof

Kristie

It is 1890, and 21 year old widow Aven Norgaard has traveled alone from Norway to Virginia. The only family who awaits are her late husband’s cousins and a kind aunt who assured Aven in a letter that she had a home there when she arrived. But after months of travel, nothing is as she expects. Aunt Dorothe is dead and the cousins are not small children who need care, but three brothers who live and work together in their orchards and cidery.

The oldest, Jorgan, takes on the role of father figure to all who live on their land, including emancipated slaves. Haakon, the youngest, means well but chafes under the rules of his older siblings. It is Thorald, the quiet middle brother, Aven’s protector and friend, who most intrigues her.

Over the course of 4 years, we grow to love these characters as they explore their faith, fight personal demons, and constantly work to save their land. These books have such rich stories, I cannot do them justice here except to say that they completely enveloped me. The best I can do it recommend them highly and allow future readers to be swept away by their beauty. They are treasures.

9.5/10 Stars for this lush series!

Autobiography, LGBTQ+, Memoir

Without the Mask, by Charlie Bird

Kristie

Yesterday I finished the touching memoir Without the Mask, by Charlie Bird. If you’re looking for a heartfelt book of a young person’s struggle with same-sex attraction, I highly recommend this one.

Charlie Bird was born in 1993, the year before I graduated Brigham Young University. Twenty five years later (yikes, my age is showing) he catapulted (literally) to the forefront as the beloved dancing, tumbling BYU mascot, Cosmo the Cougar. In 2017, Charlie’s Cosmo danced with the acclaimed Cougarettes for the first time and a video of their performance went viral. Instantly, Cosmo became the most famous university mascot in America.

But under the enthusiastic leaps and iconic costume, Charlie was grappling with the knowledge that he was gay in a very religious, conservative family and culture. His truth and his faith were at war. Encouraged by Sheri Dew, president of Deseret Book, Charlie decided to write an article, then this book, describing his journey.

His writing is beautiful as he describes his devotion to a faith that has shaped his life and feelings that contradict what he was taught in that faith. Never a victim and very clear that he doesn’t want to be a poster child for the “gay Mormon,” he writes of how he identifies himself, coming to the realization that his faith and his feelings can coexist.

Many will disagree with his approach and his decision to stay with a church that is working harder to show compassion to their LGBTQ+ members but does not condone gay marriage, but this is his story and no one else’s. I think there are many Christian families who will find Without the Mask to be a helpful stepping stone to discussion and understanding. I came away feeling great admiration for Charlie’s courage, testimony, and strength of character. It was a superb read.

9/10 Stars

Charlie talks about his book and coming out:

Watch Charlie as Cosmo the Cougar and the Cougarettes in their famous video:

Fiction, Historical Fiction, Suspense, Young Adult

Book Hangover Titles, 2023 Pt. 1

Kristie

This morning I saw an interesting post. Someone asked the question: “What was the last book you read that left you with a book hangover?” It got me thinking.

If you’re unaware, a book hangover can best be described as that feeling of numbness and mourning that happens when you finish a book that leaves you emotionally gutted. Some authors, like Diane Chamberlain and Brigid Kemmerer, are especially skilled at writing stories that have that effect on me. It’s probably why I keep going back to their books again and again.

Can a story still be great and not leave you with a book hangover? Absolutely! In fact, three of my favorite authors usually don’t (Katherine Center, Boo Walker, Mimi Matthews,) but I still find their writing engrossing and love their books. Like all reading, it’s a highly personal feeling. The important thing, hangover or not, is that special connection between an author’s work and the reader.

After seeing the original question, I went to Goodreads and browsed books I’ve read so far this year. There are lots, many of which I’ve rated very highly on this blog, but only fourteen qualify for the book hangover category. If you’re a reading slump, and it happens to all of us, I’m certain that one of these books will save you. Most have reviews on this site. Happy Reading!

Moonrise, by Sarah Crossan

Making Faces, by Amy Harmon

Whiskey When We’re Dry, by John Larison

The Stolen Marriage, by Diane Chamberlain

More Than We Can Tell, by Brigid Kemmerer

The Escape Artist, by Diane Chamberlain

The Spectacular, by Fiona Davis (just released!)

The Last House On The Street, by Diane Chamberlain

The Homecoming of Samuel Lake, by Jenny Wingfield

One, by Sarah Crossan

Restart, by Gordon Korman

Entitled, by Cookie Boyle

What to Say Next, by Julie Buxbaum

The Child Finder, by Rene Denfeld

History, Nonfiction

The Library Book, by Susan Orlean

Kristie

During the first few months of 1986, the world was swirling in a double-helix of tragedy. In January, the space shuttle Challenger exploded, extinguishing the lives of six astronauts and a beloved teacher. The Russian nuclear disaster at Chernobyl happened on April 25th, bringing with it an apocalyptic panic that resonated for years.

So it is no wonder that when the Los Angeles Central Library caught fire on April 29th, the event did not get the press it deserved. I can attest to this personally. I was fifteen years old, a sophomore in high school living ten miles away, and I never even knew this devastation took place until reading about it nearly forty years later.

But Central Library has a life beyond the fire. There is richness in its design and in the ebb and flow that has mirrored world and national events for decades. Wars, Prohibition, the Depression, women’s rights, homelessness, politics–whatever is happening outside the library’s doors also affects its interior.

And then there is the mystery. Was this conflagration a crime or an accident? Old wiring or arson? There are conflicting theories, but some facts were undeniable. The inferno raged for nearly eight hours, reaching nearly 3000 degrees, becoming the worst library fire in American history. Restoring what was damaged would take years. Recovering what was lost would be impossible.

Susan Orlean has written a fascinating book that is about so much more than a building on fire. We learn about the colorful characters who worked on and in the library, the directors, the conflicts, the changes, and the employees. We also learn about the eccentric suspect who may or may not have been behind the blaze, whose story kept changing, and who basked in all of the attention.

This was a great read. You’ll never look at any library in quite the same way again.

9/10 Stars

Some interesting links:

Who Started the 1986 Fire at the Los Angeles Library? (LA TIMES, 2018)

Susan Orlean Dissects the Catastrophic LA Library Fire (Daily Beast, 2018)

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Fiction

The Last Exchange, by Charles Martin

Kristie

AVAILABLE October 3, 2023

You never know quite what to expect with a Charles Martin book, and that philosophy certainly carries over with his upcoming novel, The Last Exchange.

Despite the serene-looking cover, a lot happens in this story, centering around the bond between the oddly-named young actress Maybe Joe Sue and her Scottish bodyguard, Pockets. Yes, Charles Martin wins the award for unique character names!

“Joe” skyrocketed to early fame after being discovered while waitressing, garnering awards, millions of dollars, and plenty of unwanted attention. But a troubled childhood has left a lot of emptiness that she attempts to fend off with pills and bad relationships.

Kelly MacThomas Pockets, with his experience in the military, has now been hired as Joe’s bodyguard while her husband films on location and philanders with other women. Pockets is a firm believer in “the line,” that boundary of emotion and physicality that you never, ever cross with an employer.

Yet, within this platonic team is fierce devotion, and it goes in both directions. Between Joe’s resources and Pockets’ unusual methods, they go to great lengths for each other in a story that has suspense, action, and a plot that grabs hold of you until the very end. I don’t want to give anything away, so this vague review is done by design, but I really enjoyed this surprising book!

9/10 Stars

Reading Wrap Up

May 2023 Reading Wrap Up!

Kristie

This is it for May! I’m posting my wrap up a little early because I doubt I’ll finish another book by tomorrow.

This very cool calendar is brought to you by the free app Bookmory. It’s available with iOS and Android. I have it set so that books appear on the dates they were completed. Shout out to my bookish friend, Bernadette, who told me about it.

How about that big chunk of empty space in the middle of the month? Can you tell that was the week I spent beta reading and glued to my computer? I’m getting mentally prepared for the possibility that June could have a week like this too. We’ll see!

If I had to pick my favorite books for the month, I would definitely choose the ones that have 5 stars on the graphic:

Weyward, by Emilia Hart (fiction, magical realism, women’s fiction)

Schooled, by Gordon Korman (fiction, YA, middle school)

A Heart Worth Stealing, by Joanna Barker (clean historical romance)

The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley, by Courtney Walsh (Available June 13) (fiction)

All of these have individual reviews on this site and are worth your time. In a reading slump? They will come to your rescue. I promise. (ooh, that’s dangerous)

And now, on to June!

Author Spotlight

Author Spotlight: Diane Chamberlain

Kristie

Diane Chamberlain is an author I might have never discovered if it hadn’t been for NetGalley. As popular and prolific as she is, her books never made it on my radar. That all changed when I read an advanced copy of The Last House on the Street and was hooked from start to finish. I soon learned that many of my bookish friends count her as a favorite author and now, I do too.

Chamberlain has written dozens of bestsellers. So far, I’ve only read four. (I will keep reading more!) I’ve loved every one of them, amazed at their uniqueness and thought-provoking, compelling stories. They often deal with hot button topics and have their share of “trigger warnings,” but they are relatively clean and written with incredible skill.

Despite very distinct stories, the books I’ve read share a few things in common: A North Carolina setting, a dual timeline, and racism in the American South. But that is where the similarities end.

Today I swept through Big Lies in a Small Town. 400+ pages of momentum, tension, and mystery that I could not stop reading. This novel centers around a mural being painted in 1940 and restored in 2018 by two different women, each grappling with challenges and obstacles imposed upon them by people, history, and deadlines. As in other Chamberlain books, the stories have a brief but crucial overlap that brings everything into focus by the end.

I will link to the reviews I’ve written on other novels by Diane Chamberlain. They always leave me breathless! I hope this little endorsement will encourage some of my followers to read her books!

The Last House on the Street (2022)

The Stolen Marriage (2017)

The Escape Artist (1998) (whoop!) I neglected to write a review of this one, but I still recommend it highly! One of Chamberlain’s earlier books, this one has a single timeline but is still written in her signature style with a story that demands attention and a wild ending!

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Fiction, Women's Fiction

The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley, by Courtney Walsh

Kristie

AVAILABLE June 13, 2023

See that date up there? June 13th? Mark it on your calendar. Mark it… Are you marking? You better be marking…

Oh, Isadora. I just love you. I want to be friends with you. Twenty years ago I think I was you. Why did I let your story sit in my Kindle for 4 months? This was a story that spoke to my heart. It is a story that will speak to the heart of any introverted, cerebral, never-married-but-wants-to-be woman in her thirties who wonders why that kind of happiness seems to only be reserved for other people.

Chicago University researcher, Isadora Bentley, is celebrating her thirtieth birthday. Alone. (Does that qualify as celebrating?) Alone except for the local mini mart’s sugary delicacies that await her in Aisle 8. Twinkies, chocolate, and a 2 liter of Coke have medicinal properties that the science world has yet to recognize. (If you know, you know.) While checking out, Isadora spots a headline on a magazine: 31 Steps to Happiness, by Dr. Grace Monroe. Ha! 31 Steps. What a crock. On a whim of rebellion, Isadora buys the magazine with the intent of testing Dr. Monroe’s theory. She will implement one step per day–in any order–record her findings, and prove, unequivocally, that happiness can never be achieved so simplistically.

Unfortunately, most of these steps involve interacting with other people. Yuck. People. People lead to feelings, and feelings lead to loss and sadness and hurt. And Isadora has been hurt. A lot. Who wants that? Alone is safe. Alone is comfortable. Alone is…sometimes not all it’s cracked up to be.

Except that when you are a university researcher like Isadora, who is supposed to be working with other people, being alone isn’t always an option. Her self-imposed solitude is interrupted when Isadora’s boss assigns her to work with opposite-of-ugly Dr. Cal Baxter, a psychologist preparing a book for publication and conducting his own experiment.

Over the next year, Isadora Bentley embarks on a roller coaster ride of self-discovery, soul-searching, emotions, and regret. This sounds heavy–and it is–except that all of this wisdom is dressed in so much hilarity (her inner dialogue made me LOL on multiple occasions) that you almost don’t realize that you, the reader, are learning something too. And there are feelings–deep, deep feelings–as our beloved heroine goes on this journey, realizing that, while defensive walls are sometimes necessary, they aren’t always the answer.

I adored this book, its writing, characters, and many insightful nuggets. It’s a treasure. I highly recommend it. Remember: June 13.

9.5/10 Stars

Fiction

The Night of Many Endings, by Melissa Payne

Kristie

Assumptions. We’ve all made them. We create narratives for strangers based on their housing (or lack thereof,) their jobs, their weight, race, religion, political party, tattoos, piercings, clothes, hair color…need I go on? No. Anyone reading this knows what I’m talking about. You probably did it today and so did I. The assumptions are usually wrong and yet, we keep on doing it. We’ve all been on the receiving end too, likely in a hurtful way, promising ourselves we would never do that to someone else…and yet…

The irony is that we all know the solution. Once we truly get to know someone, once they become distinct and a friend, those categories we originally focused on vanish. It’s amazing what a little effort and a little compassion can accomplish.

This is the theme of The Night of Many Endings, by Melissa Payne, a unique book with five main characters, each dealing with their own losses and challenges, each making incorrect assumptions about the others, and each set on a new path after one momentous night.

It is closing time at the library in Silver Ridge, Colorado. Head librarian, Nora, is ready to resume the search for her missing older brother, an addict and transient. Assistant librarian Marlene, a recent widow and self-appointed watchdog, has just caught teenager, Jasmine, stuffing an unchecked book into her bag. Horrors. Vlado, the steady, calm security guard, prepares for an evening of reading to further his education. Outside, Lewis, a grizzled old homeless man, numbs the pain with some obscure white powder. Five lives, five people who have no intention of letting their stories overlap.

Until a blizzard changes their plans. A tree falls and the roads become impassable. Suddenly Nora, Marlene, Jasmine, Vlado, and Lewis are stuck in the library all night. With no power, minimal sustenance, and dwindling cell phone batteries, options are limited. So is patience, understanding, and generosity. However, as conditions at the library get colder, defenses drop and hearts start to thaw.

If you were a teen in the eighties as I was, you remember the iconic John Hughes film The Breakfast Club, about the motley crew of five high school students stuck in Saturday detention. The Night of Many Endings reminded me of that film, but is still a story all its own. One that is profound and thought-provoking.

This was a terrific read. I put a lot of scenes through my own filter of experience. Sometimes I felt light and hopeful, sometimes I felt shame and regret. But I left with a personal vow to try and be better. In my opinion, that is what this story is trying to teach us. I recommend it.

9/10 Stars

Historical Fiction, Romance

A Heart Worth Stealing, by Joanna Barker

Kristie

My reading has slowed down a lot this month because of the beta reading detour, but I would be remiss if I did not dedicate a blog post to A Heart Worth Stealing, by Joanna Barker. Because beneath this unassuming cover is one of the most enjoyable books I have ever read–yes, you read that right! No matter how often I was pulled away, which was frequently, this book always called me back.

It is 1805, and Genevieve Wilde, an heiress in her mid-twenties, has been tasked with running her father’s vast estate after his death. Aside from overseeing the house accounts and the servants, she must now contend with threats and vandalism from an anonymous source. And, to top it off, her father’s beloved pocket watch is missing. Whether or not its absence is related to the ongoing drama is unknown and irrelevant. All Genevieve wants is to get it back.

Ignored by the police and condescended to by the local magistrate, Genevieve decides to hire a thief-taker, an unusual choice for a lady of her position. Enter Jack Travers, who insists he is the man for the job if only Genevieve will tolerate his methods, which are anything but conventional. And this is where the fun begins. Jack and “Ginny” embark on a relationship filled with tug-of-war banter, putting forth their efforts to outwit each other as much as finding the watch. In doing so, and with the story enhanced by some colorful supporting characters, feelings and secrets come to light while intrigue and adventure abound.

I would love, LOVE to see this book done as a film, because that is how it played out in my mind. And one of the best parts is that all of these entertaining escapades are achieved without steam or vulgarity. They rely solely and successfully on fantastic, high-quality writing. If you love historical fiction and want a clean story with wit, wonder, and tenderness, you will love this one! Joanna Barker has been a great author discovery! I will definitely read more of her books.

9.5/10 Stars