February 2025

from: The Story of Miss Moppet

 

 

 

I didn't plan it but somehow I ended up reading a bunch (six) books with titles starting with "The Last..." or, in one case, "Last..." plus "Mr. Flood's last...." Most of them were pretty good so I purposely picked up another one to read next month--John Irving's Last Night in Twisted River.  I also  have The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash to read next month. Will this become a thing?

 

None of the "last" books were the best books I read (though most got 3 stars). The first four book listed below were my best (4 star) fiction reads. All four of the nonfiction were worthwhile reads. Looking forward to Josephine Baker's memoir next month. 

Fiction:

Good Dirt by Wilkerson, Charmaine

Time of the Child by Williams, Niall

Isola by Goodman, Allegra

Homeseeking by Chen, Karissa

 

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Turton, Stuart  

The Last Bookstore on Earth by Braun-Arnold, Lily 

Last Twilight in Paris by Jenoff, Pam

The Last Book Party by Dukess, Karen  

The Last Train to Key West (The Perez Family, #3) by Cleeton, Chanel

Nothing in the book indicates that this part of a series. It definitely stands alone.  

The Last Heir to Blackwood Library by Fox, Hester

Mr. Flood's Last Resort by Kidd, Jess 

Not my cuppa...but parts were very good so I'll try more from this author

 

The Music Shop by Joyce, Rachel

About listeners

Musical Chairs by Poeppel, Amy

About music makers 

Loving Donovan by McFadden, Bernice L.

Three Days in June by Tyler, Anne

The Story of Miss Moppet by Potter, Beatrix

 

Nonfiction:

Freedom: Memoirs 1954-2021 by Merkel, Angela with contributor author Baumann, Beate, author. translated from the German by Tetley-Paul, Alice; Searle, Jamie Lee; Heinrich, Jo; Jones, Lucy Renner; Martin, Ruth; Howe, Sharon; Whiteside, Shaun; and Pare, Simon.

Code Noir: Afro-Caribbean Stories and Recipes by Lewis, Lelani

Gorgeous photos, helpful info about ingredients, and loads of recipes I'll probably never try but might order in a restaurant now that I know what they are.

Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People by Perry, Imani

In Open Contempt: Confronting White Supremacy in Art and Public Space by Weathersby Jr., Irvin

Not what I expected but well worth the read. This is a very personal (almost a memoir) look at monuments and art in public spaces.

 

Online:

In Each, Every Direction by Martin Piñol

The Last Straw by Vámos, Miklos; translated from the Hungarian by Bori, Ági 

 

January 2025

 

 

A good reading month with lots of variety. Also some nice cover art so I chose three that I thought were especially relevant to the book content.

Fiction:

Going Home by Lamont, Tom

Young orphan boy is unexpectedly put in the care of a single thirty year old man.

All That Is Solid Melts Into Air by McKeon, Darragh 

Chernobyl 

Glassworks by Wolfgang-Smith, Olivia

Apartment Women by Gu, Byeong-mo; translated from the Korean by Kim, Chi-Young

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Mayne, Kerryn
The Estate by Jost, Sarah

Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame by Ford, Olivia 

Baking competition

Beyond Summerland by Lecoat, Jenny  

Jersey immediately post WW2. Some dark themes of collaboration, black marketing, and other crimes.

The Narrowboat Summer by Youngson, Anne

 

The Bishop’s Villa by Naspini, Sacha; translated from the Italian by Botsford, Clarissa

Italy, WW2

Rosarita by Desai, Anita 

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Fagan, Kate
The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone by Burges, Audrey   

I See You Everywhere by Glass, Julia   

The Humble Lover by White, Edmund

 

The House with Twelve Rooms: stories by Christova, Stefani

Bulgaria

Contents:  Mrs. Ripley's Exit -- She Believes Me...She Believes Me Not... -- The Coffin with the Eleven-Year-Old Myself -- Richard and Julia -- Suzie Wants to Know the Truth -- Anna's Hair -- Paraskeva's Ghost -- The House With Twelve Rooms.

 

Nonfiction: 

Urban Forests: A Natural History of Trees and People in the American Cityscape by Jonnes, Jill
Sisters in Science by Campbell, Olivia
Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and Longing by Bremzen, Anya von

 Online: 
Pickled by Sebauer, Johanna translated from the German by Banks, Lillian M. and Sayne, Aaron