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Kathleen M. shares, "Author Jodi Picoult is known for bringing contemporary issues to the forefront of her novels. In Mad Honey, a thriller with a touching, enlightened look at the transgender world, she stays with this genre. Sounds complicated? It is, but that is exactly why you leave this read with your eyes more open than you began. The main character is transgender but is not openly out in her community. When she and a young man, Asher, fall in love, no one--including Asher--knows her truth. Once Lily is found dead, Asher becomes the prime suspect because of his relationship with Lily. Did he kill her out anger and humiliation, or is he innocent?
The courtroom trial is well done, with parents, friends, and police well drawn. Jodi wrote this book with Jennifer Finney Boylan and the collaboration is brilliant as it brings authenticity to the pages."
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West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge is an extraordinary story inspired by the true tale of two giraffes' journey across the United States. “Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes…" wrote Woodrow Wilson Nickels as he recounted his remarkable tale that shaped the rest of his long life. It’s 1938, the country is recovering from the Great Depression, and there is a fear of Hitler conquering Europe. However, everyday Americans are enthralled by the newspaper accounts of the tale of two shipwrecked East Africa giraffes that survived the Great Hurricane of 1938.
Woody, a 17-year-old panhandling orphan, charms Riley Jones, a crusty yet honorable older man, to let him join the cross-country adventure to bring the two giraffes to their new home. Over 12 days, they survive mountains, bears, fat cats, flash floods, and a dangerous scoundrel before arriving in the “land of milk and honey” to crowds of people welcoming the first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. If you enjoy coming-of-age stories, majestic animal tales, and cross-country road trips you are sure to delight in this feel-good novel.
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Claire tells us that "Counterfeit by Kristin Chen opens with an overwhelmed Ava Wong recounting her difficulties managing her son Henry, a two-year-old with a proclivity for outbursts. Ava is a retired, successful lawyer, and she is not finding her new role as a stay-at-home mom what she imagined. However, she gets a respite from her mom duties when her former college roommate, Winnie, comes back into her life. Ava is quickly wooed into Winnie’s lucrative scheme involving luxury goods and the world’s most coveted handbags. The story is told in an interrogation room style that flips between the two main narrators Ava and Winnie. It’s a mix of Catch Me If You Can and Crazy Rich Asians with Kristin Chen creating smart and dynamic characters that will win you over despite the fact that they are world-class con artists. The novel is not all Birkins and Chanels, but also touches on the impact of the concept of the model minority in Asian American culture."
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Diane exclaims, "Ted Kennedy Watson (TKW) is an artist. Not only a shop owner, the culinary type, but a table artist, and ultimately a purveyor of panache. His wonderfully illustrated and photographed Guide to Stylish Entertaining is resplendent with sculptural, floral, and colorful table art (Hint: leave enough room for the food). As any good artiste, TKW emphasizes that his artists-in-residence (us) be fully expressive, bold, and adventurous. His table sets include such things as (don’t be alarmed) cue balls, dominos, and chipped dinnerware. He emphasizes planning well ahead, recruiting help from others, and making the day of your gathering memorable for everyone, especially yourself, the host. In addition to his table artistry, Ted includes recommendations of his favorite recipes, mixologists, musical accompaniment, QR codes, definitions, and famous quotations. It’s not your typical tabletop, but it is a most interesting and imaginative how-to for those looking to elevate their next gathering to an unforgettable one."
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Kristin O. shares that "Allie Brosh returns with her second graphic memoir, Solutions and Other Problems. The collection of comics features snapshots of her life throughout various stages in her signature cartoony style. Opening with a story about getting stuck in a bucket at age three, many of the stories Brosh recounts are delightfully bizarre, including one about a horse breaking into her family home. Mixed in with these stories are genuine moments of heft as Brosh shares stories about divorce, mental illness, and the death of her younger sister, balanced in a way that keeps the shift from being jarring. Solutions and Other Problems is a striking memoir that is as hilarious and strange as it is tender and deep."
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