Kayak Morning

Kayak Morning, Reflections on Love, Grief and Small Boats by Roger Rosenblatt is a small, elegant book where Rosenblatt tries to come to terms with his ongoing grief over his daughter's death two years earlier.

He has taken up kayaking early in the morning near his home where he sinks deep into solitude and thought while he is out on the water. We are all richer because he has shared his experience with us.

A review by Publishers Weekly states "His words connect in a way that conveys his sadness but also affirms the goodness of life." This is exactly how I felt reading this poetic book. While Rosenblatt's grief is palpable, I didn't feel sad while reading this book, but rather grateful for the beauty of his words that touched me so deeply.

Vampires in the Lemon Grove

Vampires in the Lemon Grove is the new book of short stories by Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia!

I'm not a big fan of short stories, I prefer reading novels, but I wanted to give these a try, as Russell is a fascinating, young author with a very original voice.

Here she doesn't disappoint in the originality department, however, these should have been labeled as horror stories, as that is what they truly are. Russell is an amazing writer with a deeply twisted mind, and these stories are not for everyone. I found them haunting and creepy, the kind of stories that can give you nightmares. Mostly they felt unresolved, which is often the problem I have with short stories.

Yet Russell still fascinates me. She is a true original. Read at your own risk.

Oleander Girl

Oleander Girl is the new novel by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. Divakaruni is a brilliant writer, and here she has crafted another wonderful story that follows Korobi, a young Indian girl engaged to be married, yet discovering a secret from her own past that sets her on an unexpected journey to the United States.

Kolkata comes alive in these pages, as do the all the different characters that make up this novel. It is a story of culture, family, racism, coming of age & self discovery, all handled with an emotional depth only possible by a master storyteller.

Recommended reading.

The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club

The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club by Gil McNeil is a feel good novel about second chances, through opening up your own knitting store in a small seaside village in England, and hanging out with glamorous movie stars.

There's nothing too original here, and the characters are pretty predictable, but it's a fun read nonetheless, if you're in the right mood. Personally, I love novels set in England for the language alone, not to mention the humor.  This story follows a group of knitters in a newly formed "Stitch and Bitch" group where women get together to knit, talk story, drink, eat and form lasting bonds of friendship.

A fun summer read.

A Natural History of Dragons

A Natural History of Dragons, A Memoir by Lady Trent is a fictitious memoir by Marie Brennan. It is written in the Victorian style and is full of adventure and humor, as Lady Trent recalls her first youthful expedition to study dragons.

The most memorable part of the book is the fantastic drawing of the dragon on the cover. I wanted to be so drawn in that I would come away almost believing in dragons, but this didn't happen. It was a mildly interesting, yet mostly forgettable read.

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, is the haunting new novel by Karen Joy Fowler. Told by Rosemary, a 22 year old undergraduate at UC Davis, she recalls her early life with her older brother Lowell, and her sister Fern, neither of which she has seen in over a decade.

The story of this unusual family becomes more mysterious as it unfolds. Fowler is a brilliant writer. She has created a story so complex and rich in detail, that it is impossible to separate the beauty and joy from the pain and heartache; they are all tightly woven strands of a rich and colorful tapestry.

I loved this novel, yet also found it highly disturbing. Not a book that will be soon forgotten.

The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing

I never read The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank when it was wildly popular a decade ago. I just recently picked it up, and it is as funny and relevant now as it was then.

It is written as a series of connected short stories featuring young, single Jane Rosenal trying to make her way through the treacherous territory of dating, family relations, work, etc.

Bank's writing is funny and insightful. I laughed all the way through this book.