Reading time has been sparse in September, but I did mange to finish several in August during my break. For some reason, I’ve been seeking out books set during the pandemic, and two of those are on today’s list. Links to Amazon provided so you can get more information, and see the other formats such as Kindle and Audible books.

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett – Slow moving novel as a woman tells the story of how she met and dated a famous movie star in her past to her daughters. They met during the production of the play Our Town by Thorton Wilder, and the book has parallels in its plot and characters. The author’s notes at the end has a wish that readers would rediscover Our Town. The pandemic is given as the reason for the protagonist’s daughters to return to the orchard to help with the cherry harvest, as all the seasonal workers are staying away. It is a bit rambling, as most reminiscences are, and frankly it gets a bit boring in the middle. There are some reveals near the end that the mother chooses not to tell her daughters, Overall a bit slow and plodding at times, but easy reading that doesn’t require a lot of concentration.

The Society of Unknowable Objects by Gareth Brown – This fantasy novel was highly rated, but for me fell a bit short. The protagonist is Magda, a successful novelist who inherits her mother’s seat on the board of a secret society of four people charged with protecting magical artifacts from the world. Sounds interesting, but the writing is not compelling and it has the added cliche of the villain who won’t die. Repeated confrontations get tedious, and I found myself skipping pages just to get on with the story. The final solution was easily guessed halfway through the book. Overall – meh.

Miss Graham’s Cold War Cookbook by Celia Rees – Historical fiction set at the end of WWII. Germany has lost, and is now occupied by the Allies. Edith is recruited by the Control Commission to work as an education officer to reestablish schools for children. But she is also recruited by her cousin to work for him in the British Secret Service. She develops a code, using recipes and descriptions of dishes to send messages to her handler, Dori. Her mission is to track down a former lover, accused of being one of the monsters of torture of innocents. But the Secret Service isn’t the only one looking for him, and the others have different agendas. I wanted to like this book, the premise was interesting, and the plot very involved and complicated. But, be warned, there are images and scenes that are horrific and graphic, of Holocaust atrocities and medical experiments that are not for the faint of heart or delicate sensibilities. So much so that I almost didn’t finish the book, and as a career medical professional, I have a pretty strong stomach. Too bad, but some images I just don’t want in my head, no matter how true they are. I can’t recommend it because of these scenes. The ending tries for retribution, but falls short for me.

The Summer of Lost and Found by Mary Alice Monroe – This novel is set in 2020 beginning with the onset of the pandemic and lockdown. Linnea is laid off, and retreats to a family home owned by her aunt on an island off the coast of South Carolina to wait it out. A co-worker joins her, then her brother comes home from Europe. Family dynamics play out as her aunt deals with a husband in quarantine and protecting her child, Linnea’s boyfriend from England comes to stay and a former boyfriend takes up residence in a cottage nearby. The pandemic is a major part of the storyline, as the family forms a pod, deals with the daily grind of nothing to do, trying to keep their spirits up while working out long held issues. Easy reading and a bit predictable, but nonetheless enjoyable.

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray – This novel is historical fiction based on real people. Belle da Costa Greene is hired by JP Morgan to curate his personal library, buying books, manuscripts and art to meet his goal of creating the premier library in the world. Belle is hiding her heritage, as she is a light skinned colored woman passing as white, changing her name from Greener to Greene. Over the years, she becomes a skilled negotiator, an art and manuscripts expert, and rare books collector for the library. Her personal life is a delicate tightrope as she steps around innuendo, fends off rumors, and makes her way in a man’s world. The novel is well written and a fascinating look into the realm of historical books as well as the early 1900s time frame for societal norms. Be sure to read the author’s notes on this incredible real woman.

A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss – A sweet story, this novel is set around three half-sisters who come together after their father’s death to clean out his curio shop and home. The sisters only spent a month a year together growing up, and that fizzled as they reached adulthood, so they do not know each other well. Their father planned to change that with conditions on his will making them go on a hunt for monopoly houses in the curio shop, and then revive the Winter Solstice Festival in the tiny town where he lived. This is a light read, with some depth to the characters, but overall mostly a romance with a small town holiday feel. A nice Christmastime read.

What are you reading now?

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