Fiction
Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler. “Sweetbitter is a charming story about a young woman who moves to New York in her early twenties and happens into a job at an unnamed restaurant (which is actually The Union Square Café). She climbs the ladder from the lowest level of employee to the inner circle. It’s a very nostalgic story of coming to New York as a young person in the 80’s”. "A fictional portrayal of the life of a young woman moving her way up the ranks of New York City’s hottest restaurant based on the author’s experience at the Union Square Cafe. “Sweetbitter” is a wild ride through grueling 80 hour work weeks, backstabbing co-workers, and drug-fueled ragers going into the early morning hours. The depictions of post-9/11New York and every trend (“I’m obsessed with Campari right now”) are spot on. Danler is a technically gifted writer, which allows a story that may seem insipid on its surface to be surprisingly deep".
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie The first in a series by Alan Bradley. "I realized I could enjoy this book more if I pretended that the protagonist was NOT an 11 year old girl since there was no way an 11 year old would ever have this vocabulary, knowledge of poisons, or chutzpah. Once past Flavia's age (and name) I was able to relax and enjoy the mystery. I liked the setting - a small English village in the 1950's - and I liked the relationship that Flavia had with the old gardener, Dogger. Descriptions like ‘quaint’, ‘quirky’, and ‘cozy’ could be used to describe this book."
The Sympathizer: A Novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen. “I picked this for my ladies' book club and a month later it ended up winning the Pulitzer. The narrator is a Vietnamese national who fought for the army-turned refugee/spy in the United States. It's gritty but staggeringly beautifully written. And some humor mixed in as the narrator meets with a character reminiscent of Congressman Dana Rohrabacher who is off-kilter enough to believe in the cause. If you like The Human Condition by Andre Malraux or The Stranger by Albert Camus, with a bit of US Weekly flair as the narrator becomes an extra in the filming of Apocalypse Now, you should read it.”
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki “My favorite book from this year! It's historical fiction meets contemporary and is delightful and thought provoking. It made me think that we all need a Buddhist nun grandmother in our lives.” “Some strong themes (terrible bullying, attempted suicide) but my husband and I both liked it very much.”
The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo. “A destined-to-be-a-classic children’s story of mouse who saves a princess.” (NB: Since this book made the list, it really DID become a classic).
Tales from the Yoga Studio by Rain Mitchell. “Truthfully, I picked this up because in the nano second that I scanned the cover, I saw Anita Diamant's (The Red Tent) name, thinking she was the author... Only when I got home did I realize she just provided a promotional quote. That being said, the book is a great summer read. It reminded me of reading 'Something Borrowed,' in that it's a quick light read. Very LA, although perhaps it could be very DC or very NYC. “
Talking to the Dead by Harry Bingham. "This suspenseful novel is the first in a series by Bingham featuring Welsh detective Fiona Griffiths, Cambridge-educated and idiosyncratic (to say the least). Fiona frequently obliges the reader (if not her bosses) by going rogue. The whole series is good, but start with the first." Editor's note: As of this writing, the kindle version of this book is FREE. if, like me, you are perversely put off by free books (or by the cheesy cover) don't be. It's an excellent series.
Tangerine by Christine Mangan. From the back cover: “The last person Alice Shipley expected to see since arriving in Tangier with her new husband was Lucy Mason. After the accident at Bennington, the two friends—once inseparable roommates—haven’t spoken in more than a year. But here was Lucy, trying to make things right and return to their old rhythms. Perhaps Alice should be glad for a friendly face. She has not adjusted to life in Morocco, too afraid to venture out into the bustling medinas and oppressive heat. Lucy—always fearless and independent—helps Alice to emerge from her flat and explore the country. But soon, a familiar feeling starts to overtake Alice—she feels controlled and stifled by Lucy at every turn. Then Alice’s husband, John, goes missing, and Alice starts to question everything around her: her relationship with her enigmatic friend, her decision to ever come to Tangier, and her very own state of mind. Tangerine is a sharp dagger of a book—a debut so tightly wound, so replete with exotic imagery and charm, so full of precise details and extraordinary craftsmanship, it will leave you absolutely breathless.”
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See. "Li-yan's family farms tea. Through a series of events, Li-yan separates herself from the rigid rules that have dictated life in their remote village. She has a baby out of wedlock and leaves it in a city. An American family adopts the baby and names her Haley. Haley is happy but wants to know more about her origins, and her mother aches to find her. They both go on a quest, and find the answers in tea."
Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith. "Another beach read for fans of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency."
Tears of Autumn: A Paul Christopher Novel (and other titles) by Charles McCarry. First published in 1975. "I am rereading the titles of this author, thankfully back in print. He is a former spook who wrote a series about Paul Christopher, a tactiturn poet/spy. Beautiful writing. McCarry gets the political machinations just right. Tears of Autumn is a plausible explanation of the Kennedy assassination."
Tell the Wolves I'm Homeby Carol Rifka Brunt. “This is the story of a June, a 14 year-old whose uncle - the person she loves most in the world - dies of AIDS. It's the 1980's - a time when people were afraid and ignorant and AIDS was whispered about. It's easy to get into June's head, to understand her loss. And her uncle Finn is a man that anyone would love to be with, making June feel special despite all her insecurities. I loved her stories of their time together. But there are other relationships in June's life - old and new - and each of these is strained and altered under the grief of Finn's death. There were a couple of moments where I felt like June's actions were more plot driven than realistic which took me out of the story for a bit but then she would say something that would break my heart and my eyes would start to tear up and I was right back into it.” "Couldn't stop reading. Couldn't stop crying. Read this with a box of tissues by your side and plenty of time because you won't want to put this down. Ok, now it's overhyped but I found this to be a (slightly flawed) little gem of a book."
Tempting Fate by Jane Green. “I'm a sucker for Jane Green books. I can't help it. Woman in her 40s, married, meets hot dude in his 30s, tech millionaire. Will they? Won't they?”
Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald. "My favorite of all Fitzgerald novels because of the mix of light entertainment of a summer on the beach in France in the 1920s with beautiful people and parties and elegance along with the intense emotional fallout from a failing marriage and the pain of loss friendship and innocence. I've read this book countless times for 20 years and each time I love it just as much and see a new angle into the character's motivations."
Tepper Isn't Going Out by Calvin Trillin. "A short and witty novel about parking spaces in NYC."
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simpson—“very charming main character that will make you think about every quirky but kind person you might meet. There is a heart behind them.” “A brilliant yet socially challenged professor of genetics, who’s decided it’s time he found a wife).” “A brilliant, autistic-spectrum professor with no self-awareness or social skills sets out to find a wife using a detailed survey. Of course, in the process of his research he meets Rosie, who meets very few of his criteria, but teaches him that love does not follow rules.” “lovely, funny, poignant book about a professor with Aspberger's (although somewhat unaware he has it) and how he tries to find love and companionship...it sticks with you long after you've read it...One reviewer wrote "Touching and laugh-out-loud funny -- think The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time meets Silver Linings Playbook " “New Zealand-based Professor on the spectrum creates questionnaire to find a wife. Ends up meeting someone who meets none of the criteria, but for whom he develops what he can only assume are feelings. He becomes obsessed with her quest to find her birth father. A quick read (did it in a two days off and on), and a sweet story."
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston. “It takes a few chapters to read smoothly because of the strong southern dialect, but is a powerful, moving story with a window into another world and a strong female characters.”
These Is My Words – The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine 1881-1901 by Nancy E Turner. “Action packed novel which chronicles life of Sarah Prine in the late 1800s. Page turner!”
They Eat Puppies, Don't They? by Christopher Buckley. “Hilarious and outrageous, another tale of lobbyists in DC who go to outrageous lengths for their PR causes.”
The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin. "The main character, a 7th grader, loses her best friend to drowning."