BOOK REVIEWS

"I cannot say enough good things about this book. I laughed, I cried, and I finished wanting to read it again!
Clementine has made the decision to protect her heart and play it safe. Then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt's apartment. He's got a Southern drawl, is easy on the eyes, and he can cook! The problem, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. Clementine is finally believing the story her aunt told her long ago about the magic of the apartment. She starts looking at her life and deciding what it is she really wants and if protecting her heart is the right path to continue on.
Here is one of my favorite quotes:
"I think," he finally said, choosing his words carefully, "that nothing lasts forever. Not the good things, not the bad. So just find what makes you happy and do it for as long as you can."
-Melissa H

"Pick it up because you notice its distinctive yellow spine, its red and yellow cover. Notice that it was one of New York Times 10 Best Books of the Year (c 2018), a Pulitzer Finalist, and recipient or finalist for many other awards. Consider this from Margaret Atwood: “An astonishing literary debut,” written on the cover and the comment inside “...a comic vision haunted by profound sadness” from Louise Erdrich. If you’re into such things — reviews, awards, then by all means, sure, buy it for that.
I bought it because I remembered being intrigued by the book review on NPR and because I found the trade paperback on sale on an endcap at Powell’s amazing book emporium while vacationing in Portland. (Don’t worry, Shelly, I’ll be buying more copies!)
However, if you’re inspired to, just read it. If you’ve ever read a book that pulled your heart and soul with longing and made you cry by page 20, let this one do that to you. It’s a book that marches steadily to what you’re pretty sure might be tragedy (because that seems to be the fate of these characters), and yet is suffused with hope.
(What’s on page 20? This: "[She] makes me read her Indian stuff that I don’t always get. I like it, though, because when I do get it, I get it way down at that place where it hurts but feels better because you feel it, something you couldn’t feel before reading it, that makes you feel less alone, and like it’s not gonna hurt as much anymore.” From that character, a person many would write off, which he absolutely understands and lives every day, this is heartbreaking.)
“There There” with a comma in between is a comfort. “There is no there there” is a quote filled with memory and longing, if you read it in the context it was written. What is your “there,” I mean… where is your “there,” do you have one? Do you get to keep your there as your own, are you in control of that?
"There There" the novel will change you, from the first page of the Prologue to the final word of the Acknowledgements. My sincere hope is that you will read the Prologue and open your heart and your brain to a people’s shared history that influences every part of the lives they live, and then read the stories of these 12 characters, each making their way to the Big Oakland Powwow. Twelve is a large cast for a book under 300 pages. Initially, I wondered — do I take notes? But author Tommy Orange crafts each character so clearly, that each time they reappeared, I was reminded who was who and, more importantly, what was their longing, their purpose. It felt overwhelming, at times, in the most heart-full-of-blood way, to have these longings shared so baldly. I sat on the end of the bed next to Jacquie Red Feather, newly sober, contemplating the minibar in her hotel room. I walked with my new friend to give them courage to speak to the man they’d just learned was their father. I mourned the loss of so many, so many. I mourned the brevity of the sentence that stated a character had lost 15 family members to drugs or alcohol or associated violence. How can there be hope? Emily Dickenson wrote, “Hope is a thing with feathers.” Feathers are incredibly important to indigenous peoples’ traditions, to their way of life. And so is hope."
-Ann G.

"The title of this novel is apt on several levels but hopefully you will discover them as you read it. The setting is NYC in the mid 70's and the comic book industry is at the forefront of the novel. The author has also written many comic books and has a strong grasp of the industry and especially the discrimination and sexism of the time and that impacts the main female character.
Carmen Valdez is the female lead, and she wants to create comic books but accepts a job as an assistant to the publisher of Triumph Comics just to get a foothold in the industry. A co-worker is killed and Carmen tries to figure out what happened while continuing her dream of creating a female comic superhero.
A gritty noirish mystery which encapsulates the time period quite well while also being a nicely paced and entertaining read. I enjoy an occasional graphic novel but would not consider myself a comic book fan. I learned a lot about the industry, but the book works on many different levels."
-Marc B

If you're looking for a great fantasy novel, this is the one.
Think - How to Train Your Dragon, with "A Court of Thorns and Roses" vibes, with some American Ninja Warrior mixed in. Loved it! I can't wait for the second book in November!

"A recent stellar romance read for me was "Lovelight Farms" by B.K. Borison. If you love friends to lovers tropes, set in small town that gives real Hallmark Channel vibes then this is for you!"
-Sara H

"If you are a fan of the Small Town Romance, Enemy to Lover and Grumpy Sunshine tropes you will absolutely love the Knockemout Series by Lucy Score! The first book in the series "Things We Never Got Over" was a 5 star for me as well as the second book "Things We Hide from the Light". Coming soon the third book in the series "Things We Left Behind" is one of my most anticipated romance reads of this year!"
-Krissy K

"My favorite of all time is "Pride and Prejudice" which is enemies to lovers with a disastrous first meeting, wonderful banter and finally two people very deserving of happiness find their happily ever after."
-Sue K.

"I am having all kinds of feelings about what I just read. Another great book that has me reeling.
Louise and her brother Mark have lost their parents in a car accident. When Louise returns to clean out their parents' house, strange things start to happen. Their mother's extensive puppet collection is creepy to start, but when puppets start moving on their own things become concerning and they begin questioning their family and its secrets.
I started out not liking the character Mark at all but was happy to read chapters about his life that Louise knew nothing about. It made me reconsider my dislike for him. I also loved that the sections of the book are broken into the various stages of grief. I also enjoyed the extended family dynamic.
I've also read Hendrix's, "The Final Girl Support Group" - it kept me guessing till the very end.
And his other book, "The Southern Book Clubs Guide to Slaying Vampires" creeped me out and I loved every minute. Grady Hendrix uses descriptive text to deliver chills and thrills. I loved this book - the southern proper ladies whose husbands shush their ideas that something is amiss. How they team up and take matters into their own hands. There are at least two scenes in this book that I still think about."
-Melissa H

"There is lots of great representation, tons of chemistry, relatable (but quirky) characters and a balanced level of spice."
-Katherine B.

"It’s a hockey romance! It has a good mix of fun characters and a swoon-worthy friends to lovers story. It also has great witty banter between the couple, and their friends."
-Michelle L.