A lot of people will be traveling over the next few weeks for the holidays, which means you may have some time to kill. Joining us with some great book recommendations to be thankful for is our book reviewer, Carole Barrowman!
For more information on Carole, visit BarrowmanBooks.com. And see below for her reviews:
“Start Without Me” by Joshua Max Feldman - There aren’t a lot of books set on Thanksgiving that capture the anxieties, the humor, and the need to connect that touch us all at this time of year. Feldman’s novel is a funny, tender look at the lives of two strangers, Adam and Marissa, on their way to Thanksgiving with their families when they meet in the airport. I loved the way the author pulled me into the lives of these two characters over the course of one day. This is a charming, entertaining novel about letting go of the things you can’t control and embracing the things you can.
“The Affliction” by Beth Gutcheon - Set in an all-girls boarding school that’s trying desperately to regain its past glory, this sharp breezy mystery is a funny twisty tale about a marriage and a school on the rocks. The author’s love of literature comes across in her story which made me like the book even more.
“Inkling” by Kenneth Opel and Illustrated by Sydney Smith - I’m always on the look-out for books that encourage creative thinking and expose young readers to the joy of art. When a curious splash of ink drops out of his dad’s sketch-book and takes on a life of its own, Ethan Rylance’s life is changed forever. Inkling is a terrific story and would be a great family read-aloud if you’re taking a road trip next week. Or buy the audio version and listen to it together in the car.
“The Vanity Fair Diaries” by Tina Brown - I’ve had a subscription to VF since college so I was really excited to read Brown’s behind the scenes memoir of the magazine when she was its editor for eight years in the eighties. It’s full of juicy gossip and glamorous details about her life and work. Brown skewers people with her pen. A perfect pacey read for a plane ride.