Fiction
Summer and the City: A Carrie Diaries Novel by Candace Bushnell. "For those of us still mourning the termination of Sex and the City, these two prequels help satiate the grieving process. They are light and perfect for the beach. It is like an archeological dig into Carrie's life pre Sex in the City."
Summer Country by Lauren Willig. Released June 4, 2019 Sweeping family saga for the win, people. It's like the Thorn Birds had a nest in colonial Barbados - it's a delight. Interesting work here on intergenerational effects of slavery and mixed race, too. Characters well drawn and the plot is compelling. A super book.
The Sunshine Sisters by Jane Green. Mother-daughter, sister-sister relationships … typical Jane Green “drama” and a breezy, easy read.
Surrender, New York by Caleb Carr. The acclaimed author of ‘The Alienist’ delivers a modern-day tale of the lost children of the US—teenagers who lives are riddled with addiction and neglect. These children live their lives largely without supervision. The characters, even beyond the children, are excellent and the book is not all doom and gloom. I highly recommend this book from an avid reader.
The Suspect (Karl Alberg Mysteries, No. 1)
Suttree
The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin. “Okay, this is fluffy fluff fluff, but it is so fun! And you learn a little bit about real people, Truman Copote and New York fashion maven Babe Paley. It’s a romp through an earlier and glamorous time — a super beach or airplane book. A guilty pleasure. Enjoy!”
Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan. “A spy novel told by a twenty-something MI-5 agent in the 1970s about coming into the service and her life as a young, independent woman. The novel focuses on her mission, ‘Sweet Tooth’ and how she blurs the line between work and her personal personal life. Give it a few chapters – it took me a while to get into, but once you are immersed in her world it is difficult to leave it until you’ve read the last page.”
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 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 Home