Fiction
The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith. “This book - actually by JK Rowling - is a super read -- it's about a gorgeous murdered model in London and is fast-paced and compelling. For this Harry Potter series fan it was also very interesting to look for similarities to the famous series -- and there are some. Unlike her other novel The Vacancy, published under her own name, this book is not so dark and gloomy.”
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime: by Mark Haddon. “Quirky but good.” From Amazon: "Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow. This improbable story of Christopher's quest to investigate the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog makes for one of the most captivating, unusual, and widely heralded novels in recent years." Big hit when released in 2003, it's since been made into a play.
Dancing at the Rascal Fair by Ivan Doig. “an older book but a newly discovered author for me…beautiful writer… I want to read more of his books.” From Amazon: The central volume in Ivan Doig's acclaimed Montana trilogy, Dancing at the Rascal Fair is an authentic saga of the American experience at the turn of this century and a passionate, portrayal of the immigrants who dared to try new lives in the imposing Rocky Mountains.
And the Dark Sacred Night by Julia Glass. “Julia Glass tells a detailed story of an unemployed art historian and his quest to locate his unknown father. His journey forces him to reconnect with his former step-father who leads him to others who will know the answer. Reader's of Glass's first novel, Three Junes, will recognize Lucinda, the mother of music critic who died of AIDS. The story is a memorable tale about the youthful choices that steer destinies, the necessity of forgiveness, and the risks that we take to face the past.”
The Darlings by Christina Alger. “It’s a racy novel about the Wall Street financial scandal written from a young woman who knows her way around the rich and famous and Wall Street. She paints an accurate description of NYC lifestyles and the Hamptons and an inside glimpse into the crash. It’s a page turner.”
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. “The first in a planned trilogy, the worst thing about this book is that you can’t immediately run out to read the next two. Karou is a mysterious 17 year old girl with naturally blue hair who grew up in a dusty shop run by chimeric creatures who collect animal teeth, grant wishes, and give her languages as gifts. She does not know what the teeth are for or where she came from, but she is forced to run errands across the world for the collection. On one of these errands, she meets an angel who helps her unravel the mystery of her life.”
The Day I Died by Lori Rader-Day. "A propulsive psychological thriller about Anna Winger, a handwriting analyst who occasionally does work for the FBI. Her ordinary professional detachment falters when she is is brought in to help analyze a ransom note left at a murder scene in her town. This particular case cuts very close, forcing single mother Anna to confont ghosts from her own past, and threatening the life she's tried to build with her 13-year-old son."
Days of Awe by Lauren Fox. "Isabel Moore is a fortysomething teacher in Wisconsin facing loss on a number of levels. Her best friend Josie died a year ago in a car accident. Her marriage has fallen apart and her husband Chris has moved out. Her daughter Hannah has hit adolescence and is pulling away. And she’s still grieving a series of miscarriages that denied her the second child she always wanted. Sounds like a real downer, huh? Parts of it are very, very sad. Izzy’s grief is so real, and its debilitating effect on her life is pervasive and relentless.But I loved Days of Awe. First, Fox is a beautiful writer. The plot meanders from present to past frequently and fluidly, layering in Izzy’s memories of her funny, complicated best friend and her happy marriage with the much bleaker reality she is currently living. This is not a book to skim or race through, but rather one to savor so as not to miss a single of Fox’s words. She has a very keen eye for little details that make her scenes so perfect that you feel like you are living them."
Dead Letters by Caite Dolan-Leach. "Reminiscent of Gone Girl, this novel centers on an identical twin who sends postmortem notes, letters and signals to her sister about her death. The story is good, but the characters are universally unlikeable, which makes it a little difficult to really lose yourself".
Dead Until Dark (and others in the series) by Charlaine Harris. "Love these books. My guilty pleasure. What's not to like about a Southern vampire mystery romance? The basis of the hit HBO series 'True Blood', these books have sex, humor, puzzles, mythology - the whole enchilada. Excellent beach reading."
Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce. It’s World War II Britain, and Emmy, whose ambition is to be a war correspondent, answers an ad and instead finds herself ghostwriting responses for the formidable advice columnist, Henrietta Bird. Mrs. Bird gives Emmy strict instructions as to which kinds of letters to answer – she must not reply to any letter containing “unpleasantness,” and she should basically tell everyone to buck up.Emmy can’t bear to ignore the women who write in with various forms of “unpleasantness,” and begins to secretly respond to them under Mrs. Bird’s name. Meantime, lots of other things are happening in the life of young, single Emmy; as well as to her best friend, Bunty. It’s frothy and unlikely, but if you liked The Guernsey Literary and Sweet Potato Pie Society, you’ll likely enjoy this, too.
Death Comes to Pemberley
Death in Holy Orders by PD James. "a beach read for fans of Adam Dalgliesh."
The Death of the Adversary
The Death of the Heart and The House in Paris. By Elizabeth Bowen. “Re-reviewed in the Post as must-reads & look delicious (in the Somerset Maugham-kind of tradition I think).”
Deenie by Judy Blume. “Yes, I went back and started re-reading some of the books from middle school, just to see if they held up. I know I'm not the only one out there who wanted a back brace because Deenie had one. I can tell I've matured because I no longer want to have scoliosis... However, I now want to go re-read every Judy Blume book. Sigh...”
Delicacy by David Foenkinos. "Spare and quirky. A woman whose husband dies suddenly finds unexpected romance in a clumsy colleague." Translated from French. And now a major motion picture! (Okay, minor motion picture).
Department of Speculation by Jenny Offil “Written like a poem, this book of minimal words tells a complex tale of a marriage over a long period of time. I loved the format and the fact that she eliminates every extraneous bit, leaving a perfectly told, rich account of family life. Brilliant writing and an edgy style.” … “Jenny Offill’s second novel charts the course of a marriage through curious, often shimmering fragments of prose. A writer lives in Brooklyn. A writer lives in Brooklyn and falls in love. A writer in Brooklyn marries and has a child. A married writer in Brooklyn lives, and then there are bedbugs. The novel is, at times, reminiscent of Renata Adler’s Speedboat with a less bitter edge. Seemingly significant information is doled out in inscrutable doses. Each fragment is satisfying or not, and exists unto itself but also, clearly, as part of something bigger. 'Dept. of Speculation' moves quickly, but it is also joyously demanding because you will want to keep trying to understand the why of each fragment and how it fits with the others.”
The Devil in the Junior League by Linda Francis Lee. "Good non-thinking book for the beach. Southerners, in particular, will appreciate this. 'No diamonds before 6 p.m.'" The Junior League of Willow Creek, Texas, is très exclusive. Undesirables need not apply. Fredericka Mercedes Hildebrand Ware (Frede to her friends) is a member beyond reproach...until her life begins to unravel. When her husband betrays her, steals her money, and runs off to places unknown, it's something Frede would prefer to keep under wraps. The last thing she needs is to become fodder for the JLWC gossip mill. And to make matters worse, there's only one person in town who stands a chance at helping her get revenge—Howard Grout, a tasteless, gold-chain-wearing lawyer who has bought his way into Frede's tony neighborhood. But there's a price: She has to get his tacky, four-inch-stiletto-and-pink-spandex-wearing wife, Nikki, into the Junior League.
Digging to America By Anne Tyler. “It was a departure from her previous works, but I loved the characters she created. The book chronicles two families who adopt girls from Korea. The families are quite different—one is a white, suburban family who lives outside of Baltimore and the other is an Iranian couple. The book structures itself on the arrival parties the families throw each year to celebrate their daughter’s arrival.”