Reviews

Kate & Frida is a story about two young women who meet by chance because of a book and an old-fashioned hand-written letter. In 1991, Frida is living in Paris and wants to become a journalist. She writes a charming letter to a bookstore in Seattle seeking to buy a particular title. Kate, who works at the bookstore responds in kind. From there, a friendship develops as the two continue to write each other. Their letters evolve into sharing what is happening in their lives, seeking each other's advice and acting as each other's sounding board - almost as if they'd always known each other. The story takes on a serious tone when Frida is compelled to travel to Sarajevo during the outbreak of the Bosnian war. Her brief and traumatic experience there deeply affects her and drives her subsequent actions. Over the course of years, Kate & Frida's friendship strengthens as they mature and grow from their life experiences. 

In the vein of the first book in the series, Love & Saffron, friendship and food are also key to this heartwarming second book in the series. An internet search indicates this series will be a trilogy.

For fans of author Kim Fay, of epistolary fiction and of historical fiction. The book is a salute to kindness and self-discovery. 
 

If you ever wondered why there is a roadway named Bessie Coleman Drive at Chicago O'Hare Airport - read this book. In A Pair of Wings by Carole Hopson, the author takes an in-depth look at this remarkable woman's life. Bessie Coleman became the first African American female pilot, earning her license in the summer of 1921. Aviation was still very new, not that long after the Wright brothers' first controlled flight in 1903.

Bessie was born in a small town in Texas. Her love of flying began early as a young girl the first time she ever saw a small plane fly overhead. When she turned 23, Bessie boldly relocated to Chicago, following two of her brothers who already lived there. Not averse to working hard, she found a job. Never letting go of her dream of learning to fly, good timing and good fortune brought her into the path of meeting two prominent Chicago businessman who became her champion: the publisher of the Chicago Defender newspaper and the founder of the first privately-owned African-American bank in Chicago. Both helped in guiding her to attain her dream.

Because of the discrimination she faced in her home country, she learned to fly in France. There wasn't a single flight school in America that would take her on as a student. She quickly earned the respect of her fellow students and her flight instructors. She returned to the U.S. and performed in airshows demonstrating her aerobatic skills yet still faced issues with discrimination and segregation. 

Carole Hopson did a wonderful job researching the history of this influential woman who broke down barriers. The author, as a commercial airline captain/pilot, brings her own credentials to the writing of this book. Her experience brings great insight into the intricacies of what it takes to learn to fly.

For fans of aeronautical history and strong women who worked against the odds. 

The Examiner by author Janice Hallett is set in England. Six adult students sign up for a university multimedia art class for various reasons and are of various ages, to enhance their skills in the art world or to use what they learn in their current line of work. Most of the interaction takes place electronically, via the university's student communication portal, direct messages, texts or emails. The students and their course instructor are the main characters. We rarely see them connect in person in the art lab. The reader needs to pay attention as to which group or person is speaking. Liking this format of writing, I found the use of it to be an effective and interesting way to move the story forward. 

We quickly find out something is not right as the Examiner, usual a team who ensures a certain quality control standard is maintained within a degreed program, pores over the students' online conversations and then further inserts himself into the culmination of the course's final project that will take place at a commercial business. 

There are twists, turns, a mystery, a murder, an unexpected revelation about one of the student's abilities, a reflection (maybe even a satirical outlook) on the competitive nature of collegiate coursework and the disappearance of a student - but which one? 

Pick up a copy of this book to find out what happens. This book is for fans of this author and her epistolary writing style. In reading this story, I feel those who have read Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher, another epistolary novel set in the academic world but with a different level of drama, might enjoy this one.

After the tragic death of her dear friend, Sadie Green upends her life in Chicago by purchasing a bicycling touring company in France. Owning this type of business is a dream they both once shared. By following through, Sadie feels she is honoring her friend. But nothing is ever smooth on the road to starting a new enterprise, moving to a new country or learning a new language, or organizing a trek. Sadie and her tour participants quickly encounter the death of one of the cyclists . . . and so the mystery begins.

The tour has a diverse cast of characters including Sadie’s former colleagues from Chicago, her current employees and a man who poses as an incognito travel reviewer who all provide an interesting backdrop to how events unfold. Descriptions of picturesque countryside and famous landmarks had me looking at online maps to see where they were traveling. There is no need to be a cyclist to enjoy reading A Cyclists Guide to Crime & Croissants – just have a sense of adventure and want to try to figure out what happened.

This is the first book in the Cyclist’s Guide Mystery series. The second book is expected to be released in May 2025. Pick up a copy if you’re looking for a new cozy mystery to read, have visited France (or want to) or if you’ve enjoyed author Ann Claire’s Christie Bookshop Mysteries.

Bird Milk & Mosquito Bones by Priyanka Mattoo is a memoir shared via essays, written by a woman born in the idyllic Kashmir region of India. She describes her life there, in India, Saudi Arabia, England and America. She speaks candidly about her life, her struggles to fit in, being nomadic because of her father's work, the typical growing pains as a young student and, most poignantly, about how traumatic the reasons were for being displaced from her beloved home when she was only 9 years old. Despite the cultural burdens that followed her into her adult life, her writing includes humor which balances out the weightiness of certain subjects. When she settles into her American life, marrying and raising her own family, one of the things she misses most is hearing the Kashmiri language being spoken at home. The author demonstrates such a capacity for resilience and a love of family.

This memoir will appeal to those who enjoy reading and learning about other cultures - often eye-opening and thought-provoking. Pick up a copy if you'd like to find out the meaning of the Kashmiri phrase bird milk and mosquito bones.
 

The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West follows a young woman, the daughter of a fisherman, who dreams of one day learning how to fly. The fact that this budding age of aviation innovation is almost entirely male-dominated throws many obstacles in her way. Inspired by Charles Lindbergh's solo flight across the Atlantic in May 1927, an air race across the Pacific is set in motion a few months later. The Dole Air Race, with a monetary prize sponsored by the Dole Pineapple Company, has a flight path from Oakland, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii. Pick up a copy of the book if you'd like to find out how Olivia faces these challenges, how she is up to the task and who ends up helping Olivia.

The book is told in a dual timeline which, I think, compliments both timeframes with points of view from each of these main characters. In the 1980's we meet financially struggling Wren Summers who unexpectedly finds out she is the beneficiary of an inheritance. This change of fortune leads to new discoveries about herself, what she is capable of achieving and who left her the inheritance.

While the book is based on true events, Olivia and Wren are fictional characters. I think author Sara Ackerman does a good job of highlighting how dangerous long-distance aviation was during its infancy and the courageousness of intrepid pilots. This book will appeal to those who may have read Circling the Sun by Paula McLain, have a sense of adventure, enjoy reading historical fiction with dual timelines and don't mind a bit of romance within the story. 

Listen for the Lie marries two contemporary popular formats together - mysteries and true crime podcasts. Five years ago Lucy Chase was accused of murder - a crime she can't remember. So, did she or didn't she kill her best friend, Savvy? With insufficient evidence to convict her, she moves far away to heal and put it behind her. She hasn't set foot in her small hometown of Plumpton, TX, since she left until lured back for her grandmother's birthday. Almost simultaneously, true crime podcaster, Ben Owens, has picked up on this cold case and travels to Texas to interview those closest to Lucy in an attempt to find and unravel the truth despite Lucy's catchphrase of "the truth doesn't matter". The cast of suspicion that was always upon her resurfaces during the interviews with her friends, ex-husband, family and Savvy's family, swaying my opinion more than once. Questions about the podcaster's motives in pursuing the case also cropped up. Lucy's grandmother provides both comic relief and support to her granddaughter. Stay with the story to find out if you believe Lucy and to find out how it ends.

This story is told with some dark humor and begs to be listened to, so I did, listening to the eAudiobook from cloudLibrary. January Lavoy voices the character of Lucy and Will Damon voices the Ben Owens character - both are adept narrators and happen to be married to each other in real life. Each podcast chapter begins with an overtone of music adding an air of a realistic broadcast.

Author Amy Tintera's book will appeal to those who enjoy fast-paced mystery thrillers with good dialogue. 

The Berry Pickers by author Amanda Peters is a moving debut novel. The story begins in 1962 and follows an Indigenous family from Nova Scotia who travel to Maine in summers to do seasonal work. The youngest child, Ruthie, disappears from the field which devastates both her family and especially her brother, Joe, who was the last person to see her.

Two points-of-view helps the reader learn what happens to Ruthie and to Joe’s family. How can they carry on after such a traumatic event in their lives? Can recovery and forgiveness happen? The novel illustrates how life is not always easy, sheds light on what others have experienced and what families will do to protect each other.

This story is well-told and traverses almost 50 years of time in only 300 or so pages. It's the type of story that stays with you. The author has a connection to Mi'kmaq ancestors which adds authenticity and deference to events that could very well have happened.

Three short stories of women and men. Each subsequent story tells a darker tale of misguided behavior, poor choices, peril and even elements of horror. Each is a rather dark examination of how actions can change the course of one's life. Did the women elicit conduct directed toward them intentionally or unintentionally? What is the responsibility of the men?

Author Claire Keegan's prose is concise, descriptive, provocative and disturbing. So Late in the Day can be read in an hour as it is only 118 pages long yet might remain in your thoughts long afterward. This is a departure from her last two books but I like reading an author's work when it takes a different direction than expected.

The English Understand Wool by author Helen DeWitt is a 69 page novella that covers a lot of territory. It is told through the eyes and experiences of Marguerite, a young woman, not quite an adult, raised in wealth, culture, good tailoring and an expansive social life. Her mother cultivated savvy friendships and loyalty with her many business relationships and domestic staff. When her mother mysteriously disappears, a major family secret is uncovered. A book publisher soon courts Marguerite for the rights to her story. As the tale quickly unspools, she finds out that the world can be treacherous and underhanded. So, what is a 17 year-old girl to do?

Without giving anything more away, I found this novella delightful to read and finished it in an hour. Marguerite's narration is in a clipped, detached manner that makes the telling almost amusing and enhances the story. Its peculiar content is unexpected and wraps up neatly in a bow.

Readers may be familiar with author Helen DeWitt's earlier novel The Last Samurai.