01 The Exiles
Christina Baker Kline, who authored Orphan Train (which I really liked) and A Piece of the World (which I loved), tells the story of three women's lives in nineteenth-century Australia: Evangeline, a British governess who becomes pregnant and is ultimately sent to prison in “the land beyond the seas"; Hazel, a savvy young woman who is a midwife and an herbalist, sent across the ocean for stealing a silver spoon; and Mathinna, the orphaned daughter of an Aboriginal chief, adopted by a white British family in Australia.
Kline writes a story of friendship, despair, and hope with a richly drawn Australian backdrop--while laying bare the country's often-painful history. She exposes the raw truths of tough situations in character-driven historical fiction so deftly, I have high hopes for The Exiles.
(I finished this one! For my full review, please see The Exiles.)
02 The Comeback
Grace Turner was one movie away from Hollywood’s A-List. So no one understood why, at the height of her career and on the eve of her first Golden Globe nomination, she disappeared.
Now Grace is back and ready for her comeback, but she's realizing that the only way she'll be able to exorcise her demons may be to meet them head-on. This is a novel about justice and power and finding the strength to have a voice.
The Comeback is an interesting book to read on the heels of A Star Is Bored. The books' tones are very different, but the dark side of stardom is present in both novels.
03 Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: One Introvert's Year of Saying Yes
Jessica Pan is an introvert who lost her job and found herself friendless and lonely. So she decided to deliberately put herself into extremely uncomfortable social situations for a year--doing improv, talking to strangers on the tube, taking a vacation alone, and more. She regretted this plan almost instantly.
In her memoir, Pan explores whether life really is better for the extroverts, or whether she was on the right path with her introverted life all along.
This is a book my book club is reading, and we were recently saying that the concept reminded us of MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend--although that book had a premise that didn't really make sense, since the author seemed surrounded by family, friends, work friends, and didn't seem particularly lonely. Here, Pan seems earnest about giving a different approach to life an honest try.
(I finished this one! For my full review, please click here.)
What are you reading now?
I'm really greedily excited about reading all three of these books--historical fiction (Austraaaaalia!), celebrity-focused fiction, and a memoir with a quirky hook.
Was this a masterminded plan to have three disparate books going at once, or did these just happen to be the three books from my stack that are due back to the library next? Ahem!
So, what books are you reading and liking now? I always want more more more ideas to add to my idea-hoarding to-read book list.
Halloooo! My book club was just commiserating about our reading challenges lately too. It is a really weird time, so of course it would affect the stories we choose to lose ourselves in, but I keep being surprised by it anyway. I’ve been intrigued by the idea of Enola Holmes—how is it?
Dear BBW- Can’t wait to share your blog with my bookclub! We have been on Pandemic hiatus and need some inspiration! I have really struggled with reading these past months, but recently picked up my daughter’s Enola Holmes series. It’s fun!