April Reading Recap
Much like the New York City weather refused to settle into springtime glories this month, my reading life refused to settle into a comfortable rhythm. I picked up and put down a lot of books, found myself quibbling about things like when exactly the Grammy nominations are released, and grumped about a lack of soulmate lore. I wrote about one DNF earlier this month, but my other most notable DNF this month was The Librarians by Sherry Thomas, which I stopped about 150 pages in. I adore Thomas’ writing but I don’t know if a cozy mystery meshes perfectly with her style and, around the point where I stopped, I realized that what I really wanted was to read one of her backlist historical romances.
This April was also when I decided to read exclusively queer romance for a month, with one exception for my romance book club pick. I found some gems and found it so refreshing to read some contemporary romances where there was more fluidity in the main characters’ dynamic. (I sometimes want to ask readers who complain about the sameness of contemporary romance if they’re reading any queer romances and then press my favorites upon them.) However, I also miscalculated slightly because this meant I couldn’t read the new Kate Clayborn immediately upon release. Of course, I make the rules for my reading challenges and this means that I can break them…but it didn’t feel in the spirit of the challenge.
Another big change in my reading life this month was that I finally got an ereader for ARCs (advanced reader copies) from NetGalley and older romance novels that the library only has in ebook format. I’m hoping to eventually start publishing interviews with the authors of romance novels I love, so watch this space!
My April reading goals were:
A novel featuring a female athlete: Backhanded Compliments by Katie Chandler
Two books I received from Aardvark Book Club, as the Leaning Tower of Aardvark titles continues to terrorize my living room: Eleanore of Avignon by Elizabeth DeLozier. I didn’t get to a second title and the Leaning Tower of Aardvark continues its reign of terror.
An anticipated release from the first three months of the year: Kin by Tayari Jones
And a Women’s Prize winner: How to Be Both by Ali Smith
My May reading goals are:
Four historical romances set outside 19th century England
And to read the five titles on the Women’s Prize shortlist I haven’t read already.
Favorite of the month
How to Be Both by Ali Smith
The stories of a 15th-century Renaissance artist and grieving 21st-century teenage girl twist around, intersect, and mirror each other in this dazzling helix of a novel. This is a book that’s moderately intimidated me for ages, mostly because of the sentence fragments it opens with, but about thirty pages in, I fell in love. Smith’s writing is funny, compassionate, playful, creative, and positively radiant. I love the way that this book writes about art, especially the transcendent experiences that can come from viewing it and how Smith takes us inside the mind of someone who sees the world as a painting. It’s a story of love thwarted and returned, of friendships, of creativity, of mothers and daughters, and of the ways that people live on through their art. Just a really beautiful book.
Really liked
A Gentleman’s Gentleman by TJ Alexander
The Earl of Eden, a "man of unusual make" who prefers to keep himself and his secrets away from society, is forced to hire a distractingly handsome valet who may be hiding a matching secret of his own. This was such a lovely slow-burn: wistful, funny, the tiniest bit whimsical, and ultimately brilliantly hopeful. I loved how carefully Alexander builds the tension between Christopher and James, stretching every moment out until it shimmers with feeling, and how beautifully they portray the wonder of meeting someone who shares your experiences when you've thought yourself alone in the world. The narrative voice shines and the line-level writing sparkles. I bought the follow-up, A Lady for All Seasons, immediately after finishing this. (Open door, low steam.)
Ethan of Athos and Labyrinth by Lois McMaster Bujold
This month in the Vorkosigan Saga, I picked up a stand-alone novel about a doctor from an all-male colony tasked with retrieving genetic materials for future generations and a novella that plunges Miles into the chaos and corruption of Jackson’s Whole. These felt more like side quests in the larger saga but I love how Bujold gives us both novels where the fate of thousands hangs on Miles’ shoulders and Star Trek-esque adventures featuring a teenage werewolf. These are funny, thrilling space adventures and I especially adored Elli Quinn, the savvy mercenary who plays a major role in Ethan of Athos and who I very much hope returns to the series.
So It Grows by Andie Burke
The proprietors of neighboring businesses team up to defeat plans for a parking garage that threatens to ruin both their businesses in this heartfelt slow-burn friends to lovers romance about the power of community, the slow process of healing, and the joy of finding someone who loves every part of you. I really enjoyed the chemistry and banter between Felicity and Nic--their back-and-forth crackles with energy and there's so many soft and tender moments between them that deepen their connection. Burke writes thoughtfully about serious issues like addiction and trauma but balances those darker moments out with Felicity's snappy narrative voice and a deep sense of warmth and coziness. This releases in October so keep an eye out, especially if you’re looking for a m/f romance where both protagonists are queer. (Open door, medium-low steam.)
Eleanore of Avignon by Elizabeth DeLozier
A gifted healer becomes the apprentice of the pope’s personal physician and is swept up in danger both when she becomes the queen’s midwife and when plague comes to 14th-century Avignon. This historical novel has everything: court drama, deadly disease, forbidden love, appearances from real-life historical figures, and sisterly bonds. I loved Elea, our dedicated and passionate heroine, and the powerful bond of respect and learning that she forms with her teacher Guigo, as well as the love and loyalty she has for her sister. The writing is atmospheric and the pacing tight. I’d especially recommend this to historical fiction fans looking to branch out into the medieval.
Clear Light of Day by Anita Desai
Tara returns to the slowly decaying house in Old Delhi where two of her siblings still live in this rich, subtle, and sometimes heartbreakingly sad story. Desai reflects on how our families continue to shape our adult lives, the long shadow cast on Indian society by Partition, and the net of loves and hurts that bind siblings together. The writing is both beautiful and unsettling, especially in its recurring imagery and the story spins back and forth through time effortlessly, blending past and present and slipping in and out of memory. This is a slow book that demands readerly concentration and thought and richly rewards it. One of my favorite FictionMatters book club picks.
Spook Street by Mick Herron (Slough House #4)
As the old spy David Cartwright slides into dementia, his grandson River must fight through a web of long-buried secrets and the slow horses try to find the culprits behind a shopping center bombing. This was funny, dark, and impeccably plotted. I tore through it in a day, absolutely glued to the page throughout hours in the airport, a two and a half hour flight, and an entire dinner. I especially like how Herron's writing balances sharpness and cynicism with something very human and how he's not afraid of deadly consequences-and to show how loss reverberates throughout the entire cast of characters.
The Fortune Flip by Lauren Kung Jessen
After a mishap with a fortune-teller and a winning lottery ticket, two strangers begin to wonder if their luck has been swapped in this charming NYC-set rom-com. This was fun but still has substance, especially in its examination of toxic positivity and complicated family relationships, and is an excellent example of a romance where most of the conflict comes from outside the central relationship. Logan is a true golden retriever hero, Hazel is appealingly prickly, and there's a real sincerity to their connection as they work together to handle everything that life throws at them. I was also delighted by how lovingly Jessen writes about New York City, from Chinatown festivals to Central Park boating to the backstage of Broadway theaters. (Closed door.)
The Midnight Show by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne
I flew through this story of a journalist investigating the mysterious disappearance of legendary female comedian Lillian Martin in the 1980’s, told in an oral history style. All the characters' voices come alive, from the people who loved Lillian to the ones who only claimed to, and the pacing makes for an addictive read. Kelly and Thorne create a great piece of fictional media with the titular Midnight Show, which is obviously inspired by SNL but still stands on its own. (I love a fully-fleshed, lovingly detailed piece of fictional media!) I also loved the complicated friendship between Lillian and fellow comedian Gina that lies at the heart of the book. Smart, sharp, and eminently gulpable.
I’ll Have What He’s Having by Adib Khorram
After a steamy one-night stand, two men agree to a friends without benefits arrangement: David will help Farhan decipher the restaurant industry as he takes over his family’s bistro and Farhan will help David study for his master sommelier test. (They fall in love instead, obviously.) Every part of this book is vibrant and filled with love. There’s the love that develops between Farhan and David, of course, but also the love of family and friends, the love of a community, and the love of home. Khorram writes about Kansas City with such specificity and affection and I was delighted to get a less common romance novel setting. Friendship plays a prominent role in this book, both the ones that are thriving and the ones that need work, and the world of this book feels so rich and fully developed. As a bonus, the food and wine writing is luscious. (Open door, high steam.)
A Rare Find by Joanna Lowell
An archaeologist teams up with her now annoyingly appealing childhood nemesis to search for a hoard of Viking gold. Lowell's prose is witty, graceful, and finely honed and her Regency setting is carefully researched and vividly depicted. (Make sure to read the author's note!) I especially enjoyed how she unpacks the complicated history of archaeology. There's a warmth and depth to these characters and although it's written in third person, there's a distinct shift whenever we go from Elfreda's perspective to Georgie's that creates two vibrant character voices. The romance is a slow burn full of quiet moments, sparking attraction, and hard fought happy endings. (Open door, medium steam.)
Really liked but I have thoughts about some plot points
Kin by Tayari Jones
Two lifelong friends find themselves set on very different paths in the postwar South: one to Spelman College and the Black elite of Atlanta and one on a search for her long-vanished mother. I loved this sweeping novel's layered line-level writing and character development. There were so many sentences that I wanted to stop and savor and so many unexpected turns of phrase that work beautifully. The characters are made up of perfectly calibrated little details, as the way they move or speak reveals so much about each character. I both enjoyed this greatly and have conflicted feelings about the ending, which felt very expected in a book that had previously surprised me. I do think this is ripe for discussion and appeals to all kinds of readers, from those who read literary fiction regularly to those who dip into it occasionally, and I suspect it's going to continue to be everywhere.
Liked, with minor quibbles
Anderson in Bloom by Jennifer Dugan
Former child star Andy, now starting over as a florist in a small New England town, has her life turned upside down when her former costar--aka the ex who broke her heart--announces that she's writing a book and shows up in Andy's flower shop. This sapphic second-chance romance isn't afraid of the mess and I really liked how Dugan explores the challenges of breaking out of a toxic dynamic. There's a real ache in these pages and a huge amount of yearning on both sides. Even though we only get Andy's perspective, we know that Nikki is pining and it's easy to see both how they hurt each other and how they could be good together. There are some moments of broader comedy that I think don't fit with the overall angsty second-chance tone and I wanted to get more of the secondary characters but I was very in on the central romance. (Open door, medium steam.)
The Inevitable Undoing of Zahara Douglass by Leslye Penelope
Four years after her sister vanished from her life and everyone else’s memories, Zahara goes searching for her, aided by a PI with secrets of his own. My favorite element of this 90's set fantasy was the innovative structure, as it blends Zahara's quest for Annica with tapes recorded by her father and her hacker sister's online activities. The magic system is fascinating and very well developed. I also found the sisterly bond at the heart of the novel so compelling and enjoyed seeing the sisters' love for each other in both the present and the past. What I wanted more of was Zahara's relationship to ballet, which is her lifelong dream but gets dropped almost instantly to find her sister in a way that didn't really make sense to me. There’s also a romantic subplot that felt underdeveloped in proportion to the significance it eventually takes on.
Like: A History of the World’s Most Hated (and Misunderstood) Word by Megan C. Reynolds
This slim volume chronicles history and usage of "like", with a focus on its essential role in communication, the people who use it, and how it might evolve in the future, interspersed with personal anecdotes from Reynolds' own experiences with language. I found this interesting but a little repetitive at times, as Reynolds does make a lot of similar points about the role that "like" plays in modifying and gentling language. I did find the chapters about filler words in other languages and the evolution of the Valley Girl particularly engaging and appreciated the reflection on the evolution of language.
Somewhat more significant quibbles
Backhanded Compliments by Katie Chandler
Two bitter tennis rivals realize that they're soulmates, their names etched on each other's wrists, and fight their attraction as they battle each other on the court. I enjoyed the tennis setting and jet-setting vibes as the characters zip from tournament to tournament, as well as how well Chandler writes characters who are grounded in their bodies. Where this falters is with its speculative elements, which never get fully fleshed out and didn’t seem to add anything to the romance There's also a big supporting cast of other tennis players that all blend together. I found myself having to flip back multiple times to check who everyone was and wondering if we needed quite this many supporting characters. (Open door, medium steam.)
Oh, it’s complicated
Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
On the planet of Pern, the Threads that once threatened life there haven't been seen for hundreds of years and the dragonfolk who defended against them are on the wane. But ancient dangers are about to reemerge and a young woman on a quest for revenge is about to forge a transformative bond with a dragon. Reading this was a bit of a roller coaster for me. I can see McCaffrey's fingerprints all over modern fantasy and parts of this do feel genuinely trail-blazing, especially in its depiction of a strong-willed heroine. The writing is great, the world fascinating, and the dragons truly memorable characters. However, its sexual politics are honestly upsetting: there's a lot of sexual violence taking place just off the page that the book just breezes past and the romantic subplot begins with a non-consensual encounter while never exactly making it clear when the relationship turns consensual. (Not to mention the fact that F'lar, our male main character, is constantly shaking Lessa and getting alarmingly physical with her.) The way that McCaffrey writes about some of the secondary female characters is also just nasty. Parts of this were truly mesmerizing but I'd hesitate to recommend it.
Let me know your favorite reads of March in the comments!
Currently reading: Thirty-Love by Tom Vellner, a gay tennis romance that is absolutely giving me Heated Rivalry vibes.
Recommendations, miscellany, and little bits of joy:
Loaf on Paper in Williamsburg, an adorable stationery store and cafe that carries all the cat-themed items you could possibly want.
The super sculpt yoga classes my workout studio just added, which are incredibly sweaty but so much fun.
I met Emily St. John Mandel! The weather this Independent Bookstore Day was absolutely miserable but I ducked into Greenlight Bookstore for respite from the rain and saw that she was one of the local authors signing. I suspect that I word vomited very ungracefully about how much I love her books but it was such a joy to tell someone whose books I’ve been reading for years how much they’ve impacted me.
