Books Lighting Me Up

It’s the last Friday of the month and that means it’s time to share what I’m currently reading.

At the end of this post, feel free to add comments so we can start a fun conversation about the books that are currently illuminating your life.

Let’s get to the good books.

Best Adult Crime/Noir/Thriller

Five Decembers by James Kestrel. I never heard of this book until my neighbor pressed it into my hands. Set in WWII Hawaii and Japan, I felt like I was reading a good old fashioned noir crime novel. I loved it. I am a sensitive reader and I could handle the gruesome parts, and even though the cover looks pretty racy, the romance scenes are closed door and fit with the story perfectly. The characters are amazing and every piece of the plot fits together like a puzzle.

Best Adult Nonfiction

Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul. This is the required text for the Picture Book II course at UCLA Extension. I’ve got a massive collection of picture books and I’ve used them as writing models for decades so I thought I knew the picture book structure well. I learned a lot from this book. If you fancy writing picture books yourself, I highly recommend this book.

Adult Books I Liked A Lot But Not Best Thing I’ve Ever Read

The Laws of Connection by David Robson. This book explores the idea that connecting with humans is as important for our well-being as diet and exercise. The author expands upon twelve laws for creating deep and lasting connections with people. I wasn’t going to recommend this book at all, but I just finished rereading all my highlights and I came away with a page of notes with good common sense suggestions for talking with humans.

One Amazing Thing by Chitra Divakaruni. This is the highly acclaimed book we’re reading for this month’s Once-in-a-While Book Club. I LOVE the premise of this book: nine people are trapped in a building after a big earthquake and they each tell one amazing story as they are awaiting rescue. The book is well-written and the characters are interesting.

For me, however, I wondered if strangers would actually be this vulnerable and tell highly personal stories. I also felt like a novel usually draws the reader into the story with lots of showing and character development. With this book, I felt a bit on the outside because the plot is shared with nine different tales. Of course, take my assessment with a grain of salt. This format worked for Chaucer in The Canterbury Tales (which is referenced in this book).

Additional Note About Book Clubs: Some might think book club meetings might not be good if everyone doesn’t like the book. On the contrary, I love book clubs when there are differing opinions. Reading is so personal—that’s the name of the game.

Best Picture Book

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen. This book is magical because the illustrations reveal something to readers that Sam and Dave never see. I can just hear kids squealing with delight with their insider information. This is so original—a new favorite.

Best Middle Grade Fiction

The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers. This is the 2024 Newbery winner! I’m not usually a big animals-as-main-characters fan, but this book is an exception. The voices of the characters and the plot of this book feel original and deeply meaningful. The book includes beautiful illustrations and explores the themes of beauty, freedom, and friendship.

Currently at the Top of My Middle Grade TBR

The Many Assassinations of Samir The Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri. From the publisher: The Silk Road comes to life in this picaresque epic adventure with twists and turns and a wonderful surprise ending. This is a Newbery Honor book.

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow. From the publisher: Simon O’Keeffe’s biggest claim to fame should be the time his dad accidentally gave a squirrel a holy sacrament. Or maybe the alpaca disaster that went viral on YouTube. But the story the whole world wants to tell about Simon is the one he’d do anything to forget: the one starring Simon as a famous survivor of gun violence at school. This is a Newbery Honor book.

Currently at the Top of My Adult TBR

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. I read this book when I was in high school so that bascially means it will be like reading a new book this time around. From the publisher: The novel begins in Monte Carlo, where our heroine is swept off her feet by the dashing widower Maxim de Winter and his sudden proposal of marriage. Orphaned and working as a lady's maid, she can barely believe her luck. It is only when they arrive at his massive country estate that she realizes how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives. This is a classic!

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich. From the publisher: Based on the extraordinary life of Louise Erdrich’s grandfather who worked as a night watchman and carried the fight against Native dispossession from rural North Dakota all the way to Washington, D.C. This book won the 2021 Pulitzer. Erdrich’s books deal with difficult subjects, but often end with a sense of redemption.

The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control by Katherine Morgan Schafler. From the publisher: We’ve been looking at perfectionism all wrong. You don’t have to stop being a perfectionist to be healthy. For women who are sick of being given the generic advice to “find balance,” a new approach has arrived. Could this be the book for me? We shall see!

Lorrie’s Little Free Library

For readers living in Palos Verdes, here are the books that will magically appear in my Little Free Library tomorrow morning! Subscribers get to grab them first! Happy reading.

Adult Books

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger. From the publisher: A novel about Frank, a young man, a small town, and murder in the summer of 1961. It’s an account of a boy standing at the door of his young manhood, trying to understand a world that seems to be falling apart around him. It is an unforgettable novel about discovering the terrible price of wisdom and the enduring grace of God.

The Science of Making Friends by Elizabeth A. Laugeson. From the publisher: This book offers parents a step-by-step guide to making and keeping friends for teens and young adults with social challenges―such as those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, bipolar, or other conditions. 

Middle Grade Books

The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers. See description above. This is brand new! Snap it up while you can.

The Kids in Mrs. Z’s Class (#1 and #2) by Kate Messner. I’m adding the first and second book from this innovative series. It’s perfect for third grade readers. Each book in the series focuses on one child in the class. Each book is authored by a different emminent children’s writer.

Our library is conveniently located on BASSWOOD AVENUE between Silver Spur Elementary and Peninsula High School.

Light’s out. Lorrie’s out.

But before I sign off, I hope you’ll leave a comment about the books that you currently love.