Looking for something to read this summer? These were my book choices – and some commentary – from the last quarter. Some are new releases; others not so new. (You can find 1st quarter book summaries here.)

French Braid by Anne Tyler

Anne Tyler is one of those authors who typically delivers well-written, thoughtful novels about the human condition. French Braid shares the stories of the Garrett family woven through 3 generations. Not a stereotyped close-knit family, the Garretts struggle to understand each other, much less the in-laws and out-laws that populate their lives. But like a French braid, their stories are intertwined. This one took me a long time to get into, to feel something for the characters, but the end was satisfying.

The Stars are Fire by Anita Shreve

Based on the true story of a post-World War II wife and mother, somewhat isolated in a small town near the Maine coast. When the state’s largest fire wipes out the community, Grace is forced to find a way to start over and support her family, with her husband seemingly lost fighting the fire. And the hardest challenge is still to come. It’s hard for me to read books that focus heavily on the subservience of women, as the time dictated. The fire’s destruction also reinforces the devastation we are now seeing from tornadoes and wildfires, as well as from the war in Ukrainian. It’s bleak.

Bittersweet by Susan Cain

I discovered Susan Cain’s Quiet about introverts in a too-loud world shortly after it was published. I felt seen and wished it were required reading for every teacher or person in leadership. So I was eager to read her new work, Bittersweet, about “how sorrow and longing make us whole.” I found this new book also spoke to me, as someone drawn to sad songs and heavy fiction. If that describes you, or someone you love, it’s a good read.

Odd Child Out by Gilly MacMillan

Two 16-year-old boys and best friends. One is the cancer-stricken only child of a well-to-do couple. The other is the smart, well-liked son of Somali immigrants who survived death camps in their homeland. A tragic incident raises questions about their friendship and racial issues. The police investigation is slow to make headway, slower than a sensationalist journalist. The story dives deep into the minds of the main characters and their families, raising hard family secrets. This is a rich, sad story built around a mystery…or two.

The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar

I originally read this a number of years ago but decided to reread before starting the sequel The Secret Between Us. I’m glad I did because there’s so much detail I had forgotten. It’s a tough book, with a harsh look at the Indian caste system and the reality of abject poverty. The stories of Bhima, the housekeeper/servant and her employer Serabai are intertwined, yet miles apart. This is a story of women, the things that separate us, and the things that bring us together. It’s intense but ultimately empowering.

The Secrets Between Us by Thrity Umrigar

Beautiful sequel, with a perfect ending (that would warrant one more sequel, if it weren’t so perfect). Bhima rebounds from the heartbreaking circumstances of the first book, and her path forward includes befriending an outwardly unfriendly and unlikable woman, Parvati. Again, each has a story that unfolds and reveals the depths of childhood hardships and sorrows. Bhima’s granddaughter is a beacon of hope. As with the first book, many parts of the book are harsh and painful to read, but this is a book of empathy, compassion, and rising from difficult circumstances.

To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara

I’m struggling for words to describe this 3-section tome, each in a different time period including the future. It’s dark; it’s human; it’s disturbing. Much of the novel illuminates how easily we accept what we are told, accept the laws and behaviors of our time, and simply adapt to our own detriment. The literary style tying the sections together is unusual but effective. I’m glad I read it, though I enjoyed her previous 2 novels more.

The Stranger in the Lifeboat by Mitch Albom

*Mitch Albom recently spoke to Hospice Women of Giving, the philanthropic group supporting hospice that I belong to. Attendees received a signed copy of this book.* I read Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie in its early bestseller days, so I was excited to meet him and read his newest book. His presentation was incredibly moving, and I settled down with the book a couple of days later. The basic premise is that when we ask for help, we don’t always recognize it when it comes. The story centers survivors on a life raft after a boat explosion. When they pull a stranger from the water, he claims to be the Lord and says he will save them when all believe in him. I won’t reveal more, but it’s a good reflection on human nature.

The Good Son by Jacquelyn Mitchard

This novel offers an interesting perspective – that of a mother whose son is newly released from prison, after pleading guilty to manslaughter in his girlfriend’s death. Who is this young man, and how did the family find themselves in this place? How do friends and family act around them? It’s a compelling view to ponder, while the mom continues to wonder what she missed or is missing now. Overall, I liked the story, but I found it choppy and disjointed at times.

Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen

It’s all here: family, religion, sexuality, drugs, mental illness, secrets. Teens struggling with identity, questions of goodness vs. morality, relationships, and other issues. Adults and parents who don’t have all the answers but act as if they do. Typical of Franzen novels, there are no pat answers or resolution.  It’s about real life in all its complexity, so it’s heavy and lengthy. I loved it, but don’t pick it up if you’re looking for a beach read.

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

Wow. The reviews didn’t lie. This was a riveting story, across generations and cultures. It deals with trauma, abuse, sexual assault, and family secrets, as well as loyalty, friendship, and a mother’s love for her children. The black cake of the title refers to a cherished family recipe and traditions carried through generations.

Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

Set in 1918-19 war torn Ireland, the flu pandemic further exhausts the health system. The novel takes place almost entirely in the maternity/fever room of the hospital, staffed by midwife Nurse Julia and volunteer Bridie, over three days. Stretched to the extreme, the two young women face the fears and tragedies filling their three-cot room over a few days. A volunteer physician and war rebel, Dr. Lynn (based on a real person) offers compassion and insight to the rebel cause. The novel has detailed descriptions of labor and childbirth in an archaic setting, sometimes longer than I thought needed. I wished I had known more about the reasons for the war; however, the story’s conclusion was satisfying.

The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman

The novel shifts from the late 70’s/80’s to 2000’s. Neighborhood friends experience something difficult as teenagers, with different perspectives among them and their parents. All bury their secrets and guilt, ultimately becoming estranged over the years. A tragic death brings them together again, now with adult issues added. I wasn’t completely satisfied with the ending, and I thought there was some unnecessary angst that added little. I also hated reading some of the language that was true to the 1970’s but totally offensive.