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Looking to the Past, an Artist Finds a Soul Mate in Gwen John

NY Times Book Reviews - Tue, 04/26/2022 - 5:00am

Celia Paul’s “Letters to Gwen John” is a conversation between two artists — one living, one dead — about creativity, loss and the long shadows of famous men.

In Squad We Trust: When a Church Committee Yields Unexpected Discovery

NY Times Book Reviews - Tue, 04/26/2022 - 5:00am

One year, eight members, many meetings. The setup for Michelle Huneven’s new novel, “Search,” sounds like a reality show, and it’s equally entertaining.

A Couple Self-Isolate for Seven Years, and Become One Person

NY Times Book Reviews - Tue, 04/26/2022 - 5:00am

In Sara Baume’s poetic novel “Seven Steeples,” Bell and Sigh’s world is reduced to each other, their dogs and the looming mountain they never climb.

How Does One Find Meaning and Love in a World Full of Ills?

NY Times Book Reviews - Tue, 04/26/2022 - 5:00am

Zachary Lazar’s new novel, “The Apartment on Calle Uruguay,” examines the ambiguous relationships we have with harsh political realities.

Side by Side With (Bernie) Sanders

NY Times Book Reviews - Tue, 04/26/2022 - 5:00am

Ari Rabin-Havt’s “The Fighting Soul” provides a rare close-up of Bernie Sanders.

What’s a Six-Letter Word for Fanatical Devotion to Solving Things?

NY Times Book Reviews - Tue, 04/26/2022 - 5:00am

In “The Puzzler,” A.J. Jacobs takes on some of the hardest-to-crack games with equal parts tenacity and curiosity.

Mystery: April 2022

LibraryAware - Tue, 04/26/2022 - 4:00am

Drawn to puzzles? These books will provide you with a steady stream of who-dun-its for your solving delight. Monthly.

Delivered: 4/26/2022 12:00:00 AM

Furry Buddies

testxml - Tue, 04/26/2022 - 2:59am

Suggested for ages 6-14. Registration required. Read a story to therapy dogs, Erin, Kody, Fritz, and Frieda, who love sharing stories with children.

'Slaves for Peanuts' weaves a complex story crossing time and oceans

NPR Book Reviews - Mon, 04/25/2022 - 11:16am

Jori Lewis tells eye-opening stories of individuals despite scant historical record. At the outset she asks: "How do we tell the stories of people that history forgets and the present avoids?"

(Image credit: The Free Press)

7 Audiobooks to Listen to Now

NY Times Book Reviews - Mon, 04/25/2022 - 10:06am

Recommended downloads: a brainy campus thriller, a Michael Lewis classic, a search for a missing woman and more.

Vespertine

UnCovered Reviews - Mon, 04/25/2022 - 10:05am

unCovered review by Liz Sausto, ACLS Galloway Township Branch

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson was an interesting and enjoyable read. Taking place in a land ravaged by vengeful spirits, Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who purifies the bodies of the deceased lest their spirits rise and attack the living. Although gifted with powers far beyond those of an ordinary nun, memories of a traumatic past cause Artemisia to long for a quiet and mundane life that seems to elude her thanks to rumors about that very past and her introverted personality.

Artemisia’s hopes for a peaceful life are shattered when possessed soldiers attack her convent and she defends it by allowing herself to be possessed by a powerful spirit known as a revenant. Forced to flee her home, Artemisia realizes that someone is forcing spirits to attack and takes it upon herself to not only solve this mystery but protect the innocent as well. But she must do all this while also fighting off the revenant, which could overtake her the moment she drops her defenses.

Being a little socially awkward myself, I was able to relate to Artemisia very well. She prefers to be alone and being around large groups of people scares her to the point where she has a large amount of anxiety. I’ve sometimes read books where the protagonist is cut off from the world, but not to the point where Artemisia is. While our reasons cannot be more different, I found it very easy to sympathize with her.

I was also intrigued by Artemisia’s relationship with the revenant. Although it is supposed to be an evil spirit, it certainly doesn’t act that way. While the two are antagonistic towards each other at first, they form a rapport that is not too dissimilar to friendship. Because Artemisia tends to push herself to the point of exhaustion, the revenant repeatedly reminds her to take care of herself. At first, this was because Artemisia’s life was tied to that of the revenant, but it soon becomes apparent that it has grudgingly started to care for her. Their conversations were one of the best parts of the story, as the revenant’s dry humor adds some much needed levity.

Vespertine was without a doubt an intriguing story that pulled me in from start to finish. I enjoyed it so much that I will be looking into Rogerson’s other novels as well as anything she will write in the future.

Historical Fiction: April 2022

LibraryAware - Mon, 04/25/2022 - 4:00am

Do you prefer novels with period detail? Become part of history, without having to slop through the mud or face the guillotine yourself. Monthly.

Delivered: 4/25/2022 12:00:00 AM

Book Review: ‘Marrying the Ketchups,’ by Jennifer Close

NY Times Book Reviews - Sun, 04/24/2022 - 5:00am

In “Marrying the Ketchups,” Jennifer Close places a beloved Chicago watering hole in the hands of a big Irish family with lots of politics.