I’ve not found many books that have grabbed me this year so The Martini Club series has been a goldmine. I also discovered the Electra McDonnell series by Ashley Weaver that I binge-read earlier; it’s historical mystery, set in WW II England, which is my favorite time period so I just lapped up those books.
I don’t do well when dogs die in books (or real life) & was told that not many had that fate in Hoffman’s collection but that person was mistaken. Just leave that one on the shelf.
I am listening to Yesteryear and struggling with it, but it’s for a book club so will persevere. For another book club I’m reading Remarkably Brilliant Creatures and finding it delightful. I loved Theo and the religious aspect is slight and part of the reason I love reading is to learn. I read a book Redemption by Lawrence Wright. This is a non fiction book about women on death row and nuns who visit them. This has a lot of religion in it! I had an advance reader copy as this book doesn’t publish until October. This book made me think.
@Anne_Glasgow Oh Anne, if you only knew! I am housebound due to chronic illness since childhood (I’m middle-aged now) and reading is the only hobby I can still do. Books are keeping me company, too. I still hope to read as much and as widely as you!
Ha! So, funny story, in 2015, I read The Nightingale, and declared it my favorite book of all time. Before that, believe it or not, I never read books by female authors. Now, all of my favorite authors are female.
My work book club is 2 males and 5 females. The three that did not like Theo said that Levi wrote like a man who did not know how to write women.
Since Yesteryear deals with gender roles, I do not know if I am the target audience, since having to adopt a more traditional role is not a problem I have ever faced.
Does that make sense?
I’ll be keeping my eye out for Theo and Redemption! Both sound interesting to me now. I like learning from books as well, and I love books that make me think, too. When I think of how many people in the world don’t have the opportunity to read, or the literacy … I just feel very grateful for my literacy and access to books. Glad you mentioned these books, thank you!
(And as my membership ends this weekend, I wish you happy reading!)
I think it makes sense. Wait – were the three who said that Levi wrote like a man, were they all women?
I usually avoid male authors because of their male gaze (feels smarmy when they describe women) or well, there’s often something that misses the mark for some reason. I probably don’t read many male authors … come to think of it, most authors I read are female!
There are a few exceptions, like Alexander McCall Smith – he does a good job of characterization. And I’ve appreciated P. G. Wodehouse’s humor.
I’ve been avoiding Yesteryear because it just didn’t seem appealing to me; I’m not really one for satire. Maybe I should try to read it just to see what’s what… Maybe I should step out of my comfort zone! 
EDIT: Oops, I had written “hits the mark” when I meant to say it misses the mark, so I just fixed that. It’s been a long day. 
The three were all women, yes.
To be honest, I am not far enough in to Yesteryear to pin down a genre. Apparently, a lot still needs to happen.
Oh, @Carol_N, I’m so sorry you’re not connecting with John of John! It’s one of my favorites of the year, maybe even my #1. I absolutely loved it, but I tend to think if you’re not enjoying it now it probably won’t get any better for you. Reading taste is such an individual thing!
@Anthony_Conty, as someone with a strong religious background but who now considers herself an atheist, I’m really surprised some in your group objected to the somewhat religious content of Theo of Golden. Although yes, it’s apparent the protagonist is a Christian, his beliefs are largely universal. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I thought that it was a feel-good book and I was glad I read it.
I enjoyed both series you mentioned and I really love historical mysteries. I have a long list of favs but here are a couple you might like if you haven’t tried them (however, they are not set during WW1). The bottom two are consistently five stars for me:
Pentecost and Parker (Stephen Spotswood, 1940s NYC)
Purveen Mistry (Sujata Massey, 1920s India)
Barker and Llewelyn (Will Thomas, Victorian England)
Also, I would appreciate any recos you might have!
Whistler by Ann Patchett. I am halfway through, and so far it is very good. I am immersively reading it (listening to the audiobook and reading at the same time), and having the author narrate is unique and enjoyable.
My book publishing on October 12th has been compared to Yesteryear. I haven’t read it yet, but it’s on my list.
I tried reading The Housemaid by Freida McFarland, but DNF’d last week after the fourth hint in a row that the room in the attic had bad juju.
Now I’m reading The Historian by Elizabeth Kostava and enjoying it so far.
I finished Sylvia’s Farm by Sylvia Jorrin for my book club. It is a compilation of weekly columns that the author wrote for her local newspaper about her acquiring a farm in upstate New York and raising livestock, primarily sheep, after her divorce. Amazingly she had no prior knowledge of livestock of any kind, but her joy at what she was doing showed up in every column. If anyone wants to read about the bucolic life, this book will meet that want.
Because I am totally into Native American history and culture and love anything related to the Old West, I am currently reading The Battle of the Little Bighorn by Mari Sandoz. I love very small-town libraries like mine because they have limited budgets and therefore purge very little. One can find gems that are extremely hard to locate otherwise. Written in 1966 and Ms. Sandoz’s last book before her death, it will be interesting to compare it to books written since then on the same topic. At the time she was a groundbreaking historian because there were so few women engaged in historical research.
And of course, I’m still fighting my way through War and Peace.
@Carol_N I really liked the ending of John of John if that is encouragement for you to continue on. I always go into books set in island environments expecting some depressing/oppressive aspects. The lead character shows positive growth which is a must in a book exploring difficult relationships as this one does.
Last week I read Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves. Travis, the lead character, escorts people out of their worldly life. He can never interfere, with but one exception. Interesting concept and a fast read with some interesting characters you get to know, briefly. I enjoyed his poetic references a couple of times as well.
Thanks Connie, I am plugging away and beginning to get a feel for the characters. I am of the mindset to finish it in order to better understand its popularity. Reached the half away point last night and I am more curious about John than before so maybe I will come away with a different point of view on this popular book. Time will tell.
I just finished reading My Salinger Year by Joanna Rakoff, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I am now reading High Hawk by Amy Frykholm and Standing at the Edge by Joan Halifax. I bought Joan’s book a while ago and after listening to her in an interview last week, I was so impressed with her that I immediately took her book out of my bookcases to read.
Last week I read Whistler by Ann Patchett, which I am declaring my best read of 2026 (so far), One of Us Is Guilty (UK release 7/26 but not available in US until next year) by Steve Cavanagh, and The Cross by Steve Cavanagh. I had Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty arrive in my Libby library shelf, so I am starting it next. My brief thoughts on the books:
. I immersively read the book (read while listening to the audiobook), and the narration by the author added a lot to the story. Having Patchett’s words read to me by Patchett, felt so intimate. It was like she was telling me the story, in her own words, with her own inflection…literally. The story, and the characters, were so authentically depicted. I felt teary eyed a few times, and the dialogue felt real and an accurate depiction of the human experience of loss, grief, and enduring love. The story gains momentum from the start, and has the hallmark twists of Cavanagh’s storytelling. I think the story would have been more effective if the author had flushed out the characters and their motivations more. Despite that, it was another enjoyable read in the Eddie Flynn series. A fast-paced Eddie Flynn novella that packs an impressive amount of story into a short format. The court case involves a widow seeking justice for her husband delivers corruption, moral stakes, clever investigation, and the courtroom maneuvering Cavanagh does so well. Eddie is as resourceful and compelling as ever, although the novella’s brevity leaves less room for the character development and elaborate twists of the full-length novels. The author’s note explaining how Eric Garner’s death inspired the story—and that the disturbing statistics used in Eddie’s cross-examination are real—adds considerable emotional weight. A strong, satisfying addition to the series. The fact that the author was inspired to write this in 2015 about police corruption, was troubling to me. I live in Minnesota and the fact that the author’s inspiration and George Floyd both uttered the words “I can’t breathe” five years apart was chilling to me.Lisa, I do not know the ins and outs of BookBrowse when a library subscribes to it. i wonder if it is only available in the library itself or if it can be secure by patrons online. Perhaps this can be a service for you on a limited budget. Just a thought. . . I know you have enjoyed it so much and it brings joy to your life.