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