A Trio of Good Reads

Apparently, I am incapable of mixing things up! Here I am, back about a month after my last ATK Reads, with recommendations for another three books. In my defence, it’s rare to read three in a row that are all great—but that just happened to me, so how could I not share?

Alas, the next few books I picked up after these three were only ho-hum—kind of like anything I tried to watch after binging Department Q. (Side note: the source books for Department Q are great; I read a few of them years ago and really enjoyed them.)

So without further ado, because it’s hot out and we’ve all got stuff to do (even if it's just to eat watermelon - see below), here are this month’s recommendations:

Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by  Kate Racculia
Quirky, kinda ghost story meets puzzle-solving treasure hunt.

I often put books on hold at the library after reading about them somewhere, and by the time they arrive, I can’t remember who recommended them (and sometimes I’m stumped as to why I thought the book would appeal to me at all). When it comes to Tuesday Mooney,  I really wish I knew who/what/where recommended it, because it was delightful. I’d happily take more of their picks.

Tuesday is a quirky, puzzle-loving thirty-something haunted by the death of her best friend  when they were teens. When eccentric Boston billionaire Vincent Pryce (get it?) dies and sends the city on a treasure hunt for his fortune, Tuesday—usually a loner who fades into the background—is suddenly thrust into the spotlight. Early on, Tuesday references Joan Aiken as an early inspiration, so I was immediately disposed to like the book, and I wasn’t disappointed. If you like offbeat characters who march to their own drum, you’ll like Tuesday Mooney. 

I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue
Cubicle comedy with bite, awkwardness, and surprising heart.

Just as Elinor Oliphant is completely fine, so is Jolene, the protagonist of Natalie Sue’s debut novel. She’s also completely lonely and cut off—from her family, her co-workers, basically everyone. I’m always patriotically partial to Canadian authors and settings, so I was delighted to find that IHTFYW is set in Calgary—though perhaps a slightly fictionalized version, as the characters go to Stanley Park at one point (IYKYK).

Jolene, irritated by her colleagues, vents via petty email postscripts she types in white font before hitting send (honestly, a brilliant idea). But one day she forgets to change the font to white, her jig is up and she’s sent to sensitivity training. When an IT mix-up gives her access to everyone in her department’s emails and messages, she uses the intel to try to improve her situation. But the deception soon gets out of control, and she finds herself with a fake fiancé, a nascent friendship, and a deeper understanding of the people around her. If you’ve ever suffered through cubicle culture, wondered what people are secretly messaging about at work, or felt like you didn’t quite fit in, this one’s for you.

Lulu Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller
A cozy-looking bait-and-switch: banned books, big stakes, and drag queens vs. Nazis.

Do not judge this book by its cover. It looks like a fun, chick-flicky read with a focus on banned books. But it’s not—well, except for the banned books part. And despite the title, Lula Dean isn’t for banned books, in fact she’s all for burning them. 

This book is a bait and switch in the best way. What begins as lightly interconnected stories—each chapter named after a banned book—evolves into something bigger: a culture clash in a small Southern town, home to a confederate war hero statue and a battle between those who want to “make America great again” and those resisting them. On one side: incels, rapists, and Nazis. On the other, drag queens, retired pioneering female lawyers, and legitimate (and illegitimate) descendants of the aforementioned confederate war hero.

It’s a bold, timely, and ultimately hopeful read. Also, having read Kirsten Miller’s The Change, I shouldn’t have been as surprised as I was by the direction this one took. I highly recommend both her books!

I don’t have anything extra to add this time—maybe because it’s too hot out? I am, however, grooving on watermelon lately, and I’m happy to report my youngest seems to have perfected the art of picking the sweetest, ripest ones. While I usually just slice and eat them, I’ve been considering making a non-alcoholic version of Smitten Kitchen’s Frozen Watermelon Mojito, and anytime I get to eat a super simple watermelon feta salad, I’m happy.