Happy Go Lucky

David Sedaris never fails to put me in a better mood. His dry wit and unflinching world view are unmatched. Happy Go Lucky may be one of my favorite essay collections to date. The over-arching theme is the slow death of his 98 year old father but interspersed are stories of his teeth, young gay love in France, mask wearing, hurricanes, and so much more. Lou Sedaris was a complicated man and his children all had difficult relationships with him - but in his later years he turned into a pussycat. Laugh out loud funny, heartfelt, and filled with wry observations, Sedaris is the absolute best.

Girls from the County

Dark, unyielding, and horror filled; this poetry collection by dark fiction author, Donna Lynch is unsettling and impossible to stop listening to. Rather than write about city girls and country girls, Lynch focuses on the county girls – the girls from in-between places, with dark back stories, and horrors abound in their back yards. Folk horror and free flowing poetry mix together to tells stories of predators, murderers, bodies in freezers, witches, grief, rage, and empty old houses. Short and lyrical, this poetry collection reads like a confessional or a diary. Narrated by the author with an eerily calm demeanor and overlayed with ominous and dark music; this audiobook may be short but is seriously spooky. Verdict – this audiobook will be not everyone’s cup of tea, BUT is perfect for those who love dark gothic poetry, true crime, or those who want to get in the Halloween spirit. – Erin Cataldi, Franklin, IN

Hello Stranger

I adored this book - honestly, I think it is my favorite Katherine Center book to date. The premise didn't initially wow me BUT - I was so wrong! It was executed perfectly and was unique and fun. Sadie Montgomery is a starving artist, for years she has wanted to prove it to her family that she can make it and a chance finally landed in her lap. She is a top 10 finalist in a national portrait contest and the grand prize is $10k! Maybe she can finally move out of her rooftop hovel that she shares with her dog Peanut?! But then tragedy strikes, she has a seizure, almost gets run over by a car, and has to have brain surgery. She recovers perfectly... except for the fact that she can no longer see faces. Swelling on her brain has caused face blindness, which for a portrait artist is cataclysmic. She has to learn to tell people apart by their walk, clothes, voice, and other mannerisms, and boy is it hard. While her life is falling apart she starts to fall for two different men, her veterinarian and the man whore who lives on the floor below her. What could go wrong. Charming, cute, redemptive, and wonderful. 

No Crying in Baseball

 

A love letter to one of America's favorite sports movie. No Crying in Baseball is primarily about the chaos of filming A League of Their Own and secondarily about director, Penny Marshall's life. Richly detailed; this book talks about the long shooting days, who was originally cast, who was cut, drama at the studios, Madonna's shenanigans, Tom Hank's antics and so much more. It's like watching an extended behind the scenes documentary or watching a commentary over the movie. It's fascinating and filled with so many tidbits that it will make you want to watch the movie again, because how could you have overlooked that in the ten million times you've watched the movie before?! Fans of the movie, Penny Marshall, and those who love to look behind the curtain will eat this book up. 

The Italian Ballerina

Told from multiple perspectives and between two timelines - this historical fiction weaves together an unlikely cast of characters. In Italy at the height of the second World War two American army medics, a prima ballerina, and a young Jewish orphan find themselves thrown together in impossible circumstances. In the present day, Delaney is going through her grandfather's belongings after his passing when a mysterious (and handsome) Italian man calls and demands that they return his grandmother's possessions. Delaney has no idea what he is talking about, but when she discovers a little girl's suitcase he insists that she returns it immediately. He offers to pay to fly her out so she can safeguard it. What secrets could be kept in there? As the story progresses more and more secrets come to life and Delaney and the Italian man, Matteo, will learn who their grandparents really are. This inspirational novel is a must read for religious readers and for those who like WWII fiction that isn't too dark. 

Trail of the Lost

Fans of Jon Krakauer's writing will devour this odyssey of trying to find three hikers who disappeared of the Pacific Crest Trail. Andrea Lankford, a former cop and park ranger, has gone on many different search and rescue missions and there is nothing worse than not being able to bring home a missing person. The Pacific Crest Trail is over 2,600 miles long and is not for the faint of heart. Cheryl Strayed popularized the route after her memoir, Wild, became an international bestseller. An experienced searcher and hiker herself; Andrea finds herself drawn to three missing person cases of hikers gone missing on the PCT trail. Together with their mothers and a tenacious searcher named Cathy they spend years of their life, sanity, and resources combing the wilderness and following up leads. Heartfelt, educational, and ultimately hopeful; rather than dissuading hikers from attempting the trek, this story still makes the route beautiful while putting on strong cautions and safety warnings for it. Wonderful writing. 

Forager

Forager details one woman's childhood surviving in a cult. Michelle learns to live from the land - which plants to eat, where to get water, how to survive - all while dealing with the misogyny of her grandfather's faith. She grew up on a mountain in the Angeles National Forest and called the outdoors her home and refuge. Her grandfather's followers and family were preparing for the end times and being able to survive off the land was a must. Michelle and her siblings learned how to deal with starvation of resources and of love. Each chapter opens with an illustrated plant and its many uses which help add to this autobiography. Eventually Michelle gathers the courage and the strength to flee the cult and develop her own wings. Of interest to those who enjoy reading about cults and to naturalists and those who love to live off the land. 

The Paris Daughter

Harmel, the bestselling author of The Book of Lost Names has returned with another sweeping World War II drama featuring two young Parisian mothers who have to make the most difficult choice of their lives. Juliette, a pregnant bookshop owner befriends Elise, a young artist pregnant with her first child, during a beautiful 1939 summer. As they become fast friends so do their daughters; but unease is growing in Paris as the Nazi occupation appears more and more likely. When Elise's husband's political activity puts her entire family in jeopardy she turns to her best friend for help; asking her to raise her daughter as her own until the war is over. It is the only way to keep her safe while Elise goes on the run. Years later, after the war, Juliette, her family, and Elise's daughter are nowhere to be found. What has happened and can anything ever be the same again? Brilliantly narrated by Madeleine Maby, whose accents and voices help elevate this narration into a work of art. Verdict: Heart wrenching, profound, and ultimately hopeful; this tale of love and loss will stick with readers long after they finish this book. A must for readers of WWII historical fiction. - Erin Cataldi

Her Only Wish

I didn't love this one as much as the first but I did love getting to revisit all the characters and meet some new ones on the way! Betsy Detweiler is back in Pinecraft Florida and this time she's brought a list. She is staying a month with her good friend (who is now pregnant) and she is determined to accomplish as much as she can on her life list. It's not quite a bucket list - but it's a list of things Betsy wants to accomplish to prove that she can accomplish what she sets her mind too. Her parents have babied her because of her asthma and she's tired of being held back. Right off the bat she decides to sign up for golf lessons so she can play around of golf. A charming young Amish man will teach her the rules of the game and his heart. But is she really falling for him or is it just a Florida thing? Along the way she meets some nice Englisher women who teach her to swim and some other Amish folk - her trip aims to be quite life changing. Cute and predictable. Give me the next one already!

The Echo Wife

Uniquely terrifying - The Echo Wife examines the ethics of cloning through a marriage gone wrong. Evelyn Caldwell is an award winning scientist who has mastered the art of making clones, if only she had mastered her relationship to her husband her life might have been a little less complicated. Her husband leaves her for Martine, an obedient woman who just happens to be a clone of Evelyn that he made stealing her research. When Martine gives her a call out of the blue, everything goes to hell. Creepy, dark, and unsettling - I could not put this book down! I had to know what happened (spoiler alert - nothing good, lol)!

The Ocean Girl

When Muri is sent to the human world to find the merpeople's lost merking she isn't sure what to expect. Her whole life she has been told that humans and fairy's are brutes and do nothing but lie - but she quickly discovers the opposite is true. She befriends two fairies who show her how to blend in and starts to fall for a tall strapping human named Jack. When she does discover the merking she is aghast at the state he is in and the lies that he's told. Does she really need to go back to her people or can she stay here and keep falling for the tall broad chested man? This story is told in pretty simplistic terms, but I liked the overthrowing the patriarchy storyline and the sex scenes. I wonder what story will be next in this series. 

An Amish Forever Home

A quick Amish read about forgiveness, true love, and chosen family. Lydia Miller stands out in her community. She's single, in her thirties, and owns her own business. Or did own a business. Her landlord sold it out from right beneath her. Her landlord, a good looking Amish man from Prince Edward island - claims to have known not who was renting it and feels so much guilt that he proposes to her and offers to take her to a new community. She has nothing to lose and since he will have a wife he will be allowed to move into the new community for married families only. It's a win win. They are friendly enough and maybe feelings will grow - but first they have to clear the air. They are both hiding things from their past and it's holding them back from seeing what is right in front of them. Cute and charming.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe

I didn't know how badly I needed another Practical Magic-esque book in my life until I read this! Two estranged sisters couldn't be further apart. Joanna can read and react to magic and has made it her life's work protecting her families magical book collection. Esther meanwhile has travelled around the world - never staying in one place more than half a year. When their father dies she doesn't even come home; hiding behind excuse after excuse. Because of a few wealthy magic wielding English folk - the soon may need to put their differences aside to protect themselves and their family's legacy. Told through multiple perspectives - this story or magic, family, betrayal, and friendship is gripping and inventive. It doesn't need a sequel but I would love if there were one - the characters were all so great!